G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #225

(Cobra World Order: Part Seven)
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: SL Gallant

Summary:

Destro and the Iron Grenadiers escape from the wreckage of the Silent Castle. Cobra Commander gloats while watching the video feed, over and over. He believes that Carob Tree Office Park (Zartan & Pals) has also been demolished, but it turns out it’s actually doctored footage of an explosion, courtesy of Tomax and Xamot.  Zartan and Pals agree to a reluctant alliance with the Crimson Twins.

Duke and Claire Hauser flashback to her failed rescue attempt in Trucial Abysmia, years ago. Duke and Roadblock were back-up for the main team; which was implied to be GI Joe members, including a pre-accident Snake-Eyes. The extraction went wrong and Claire was believed dead.

In the repopulated Springfield, Cobra Commander indulges himself in a big “Cobra Day” ticker tape parade.

Notes:

• Oh, you big silly, you really thought this story arc would end in a big massive battle, as depcited on the cover? (Well…yeah, I kinda’ did)
• This now leads into “Cobra Nation”, the next arc.
• One thing that bugs me about this “Cobra World Order” plot— wasn’t it essentially the same thing they did at the start of the re-launch, circa issue 156? Crimson Guardsmen were activated and Cobra became a public, government-backed, force. Nobody’s spoken of that whole arc, since… so it just “might not exist in my (Hama’s) continuity”.
• Cobra Commander has a new hobby: hanging out at the “Cobra Strikes” bowling alley, knocking down ten-pins that resemble Joes.
• Destro uses the components of his wrist rockets to brace an archway for his men to escape. Destro seemingly gets ALL of his troops out, alive, at risk to his own personal health.
• Tomax and Xamot are torqued off that Cobra Commander used their best agents for his big plan. I think this is the first time we’ve seen these clowns (officially) since the Benzheen War, circa 1991.
• I may be reading too much into this, but in the flashback, (the supposed) Snake-Eyes has a “brother-in-arms” manning a truck-mounted machine gun. I’m wondering if this could be Storm Shadow…or the mysterious Arashikage guy who helped Jinx and Pale Peony in Trieste. Duke recalls that his “body language was unfamiliar to me”, so it could another set-up for the Trieste guy.
• Important to note that there other hostages that were rescued. Claire was the only one who wasn’t.
• Duke and Roadblock use their code names, even though they’re not officially Joes. I think it’s been pretty well accepted that most guys who joined the team already had their distinctive codenames (nicknames).
• The head honcho of the rescue mission was a “grizzled old campaigner named Maddox”. It’s not clear if he makes it out, alive.
• Another operative, Thumper, was captured by the insurgents and died a few days later.
• Wild Bill (or at least a VERY close facsimile) is shown piloting the evac helicopter. I’m revising my old No-Prize explanation from issue 144 just a little bit: Wild Bill could’ve been there from the team’s inception. They just never needed a helicopter pilot until issue 11. When he pops up in that issue, I don’t think the team made reference to the fact that he was “new”.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Duke, Roadblock, Wild Bill (?), Snake-Eyes (?), Cobra Commander, Dr. Mindbender, Destro, Baroness, Zartan, Big Boa, Crystal Ball, Cesspool, Slice, Dice, Road Pig, Zarana, Torch, Ripper, Buzzer, Tomax, Xamot

Characters (“comic-only”): Wendy Ling-Torres, Claire Hauser, Maddox, Thumper

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Cobra HISS, Cobra Ferrett

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none

Firsties:
Characters: Maddox, Thumper (dies)

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 3 Flag Points