G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero #217

Cobra Rising, Part 2

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Paolo Villanelli

Summary:

Storm Shadow is reminiscing at his Granny’s place. He walks outside in the middle of the night and runs into Zartan. Zartan’s still filled with grief over killing the Blind Master. He returns to Storm Shadow an Onihashi blade, dubbed “Evening Shade”.

Seeking redemption, Zartan quickly disapears after learning that Tyrone’s younger brother, Raymond, is around.

Freds 191 and 172 meet up to discuss that Firefly is hunting down Freds. 191’s former family, Zoe and Chloe, arrive and lead them away at gunpoint.

At the Pit, Duke and Psyche-Out go through a simulated training sequence (think: “X-men’s Danger Room”), while the Joes bring up all the recent widespread Cobra activity. In Malta, Hawk’s “Illuminati” has a run-in with the Baroness and Destro.

At Fort Wadsworth, Scarlett brings New Snake-Eyes to the sub-levels for a meeting with Sneak Peek. She then takes him on the Staten Island Ferry and has more memories of Snake-Eyes

Notes:

• New Snake-Eyes is given a rubber mask, identical to Snake-Eyes’ signature mask. Combine this with Scarlett taking him on the Staten Island Ferry and it’s very strange. Your longtime boyfriend dies, so you find his successor and dress him up in identical clothes. I think there’s a bad horror movie with that plot. If I didn’t like Scarlett so much, I’d be creeped out and fearing for her sanity.
   
• Evening Shade has the Japanese symbol for “Forgiveness” written on it.
   
• With the naming of New Snake-Eyes’ sword, a few issues ago, it seems rather sudden and forced that these sword names are now being played up. It’s almost like a retcon, where Hama thought: “gee, woulda’ been cool if I coulda’ included NAMES for all the ninjas’ swords, back in the 80’s. POOf! It’s happening now!”
   
• Paolo Vinelli is a decent comic book artist… if you’re into Devil’s Due, circa 2004. He’s not bad, yet he has a habit of making everybody look like a teenager. I had trouble in the first few panels identifying Storm Shadow, as he looked about 17.
   
• The letters column mentions that a big arc entitled “Cobra World Order” is beginning, soon. Including a bi-weekly schedule, everything will culminate in February 2016.
   
• The (standard) cover is kinda’ nice… but the proportions look a litle off. It appears that Trips’ legs are standing in mid-air, or on Snake-Eyes’ back.
   
• The stuff with Zartan is weird and basically ignores anything that’s happened to him since issue 98. I’m sure the No Prize Explanation is: “Zartan was messed up by the Brainwave Scanner, circa issue 130, and is only now returning to his real character”.
   
• In their training session, Duke and Psyche-Out face a Cobra PAC/RAT! I believe this is a “comic only” thing and the first time we’ve seen or spoken of a PAC/RAT since issue 19. PAC/RATs seemed silly when they came out, but with the recent surge of “drones”, they seem incredibly practical and realistic, nowadays. “OMG! 1983 GiJo Predicteded the Futur!”
   
• The Cobra Alley Vipers in the simulation have those crazy shields and appear in different colored uniforms. They also shout “Cobraaaa”– but given that it’s only a simulation, they are forgiven and allowed to act silly.
  . 
• I’m going to start scoring the appearances of Fred 172 and 191, plus Zoe and Chloe, since they seem to be becoming more prominent. I don’t think I have the patience to go back and score their previous appearances, though. This is one of the disadvantages of recapping the “new” series, as we don’t know who will be become important. I’m remembering when I scored some worthless Federal Agents, back at the beginning of the Blue Ninja arc.
• Not that anybody gives a poo, but I’ve shut down the other areas of this site that don’t revolve around comics. It’s all part of a MASTER PLAN or REBOOT for this Crappy Website. You may have noticed the new logo (I was never happy with that old one). Don’t worry, the GI Joe stuff will remain as it is (and probably enhanced). I really haven’t had the urge to write about sports or concerts in over 7 years, now.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Storm Shadow, Duke, Psyche-Out, Chuckles, Mainframe, Hawk, Scarlett, Clutch, Steeler, Sneak Peek, Stalker, Hawk, Cover Girl (cameo), Zartan, Baroness, Destro

Characters (“comic-only”): Throwdown (Snake-Eyes II), Fred 172, Fred 191, Zoe, Chloe, Raymond (cameo), Obake Obaasan (cameo), Master Onihashi (flashback cameo), Blind Master (flashback cameo), Gerry McCarthy (cameo), Carlos Espinosa (cameo), Russ Sheath (cameo),Jorge Argiz (cameo), Marie Forunier, Simone Calleja

Vehicles and stuff (toys): VAMP

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Cobra PAC/RAT (simulation)

Firsties:
Characters: none

Vehicles and stuff: Cobra PAC/RAT

Rating: 3 Flag Points