G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #229

Cobra Nation: Part Four
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: SL Gallant

Summary:

More subplots! Starting off the coast of Broca Beach, where the WHALE is performing surveillance as the team discovers an underwater–and manned– Cobra base. In Springfield, Zarana and the Baroness mess with Dawn Moreno in the Brainwave Scanner. Snake-Eyes’ memories, from waaaaay back in issue 10 are accidentally downloaded into Dawn.

Stalker visits his family in Brooklyn, seemingly just to whine with his dad about the area’s hipsters. Stalker dresses-down a landlord. In Olliestan, Bombstrike appears to turn the tables on her captivity situation with Dr. Biggles-Jones.

In Utah, Claire Hauser continues with her sleeper agent gig and turns down a chance to see Duke.

Notes:

• Zarana, Baroness, Dr. Mindbender and Zartan all act like cartoonish dolts in their scene with Dawn. More like the buffoonish Thundercats or He-Man villains.
   
• Just when we think the Brainwave Scanner stuff is finally over-and done, it pops up again. We won’t see the last of it until the book ends, I think.
   
• Stalker’s diatribe against the landlord is long-winded and full of facts, but I didn’t feel it had the bite that Hama had hoped for. I didn’t get the sense of “ooo! He really put this dweeb in his place”. It was more: “ho hum”.
   
• It’s also unclear (to me, at least) on what happens with the Claire Hauser and Jane situation. A mysterious woman pops up on the last page and puts a gun to Claire’s head. I’ve re-read this page, multiple times, and I still can’t figure out if she’s someone new from the Benzheeni terrorist cell, if it’s Jane, or someone completely different.
   
• Downloading Snake-Eyes’ consciousness into Dawn is yet another far-fetched and “unrealistic” element we have to accept. So I guess we can call her “Dawn-Eyes”, now?
   
• Stalker is greeted by a lady named “Ramona”. Not clear if she’s related to Stalker, though.
   
• They must not receive a lot of mail, as one letter in the back asks: “will we get to see Bongo the Bear again? I believe she was supposedly killed alongside the Silent Master”.
   
• Yeah, ended up with the subscription cover, this month. It’s somewhat unusual, in that this version is actually indicative of the story. Okay, so this exact scene isn’t taking place, but you know what I mean.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Cutter, Shipwreck (& Polly), Torpedo, Deep-Six, Bombstrike, Stalker, Duke (cameo), Cobra Commander, Baroness, Dr. Mindbender, Zarana, Zartan

Characters (“comic-only”): Dawn Moreno, Jane, Dr. Sidney Biggles-Jones, Wendy Ling-Torres (cameo), Mavis (Stalker’s aunt), Vera Wilkinson (Stalker’s mom), Stalker’s Dad, Ramona, Sven Singh (landlord)

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Killer WHALE, SHARC

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none to speak of

Firsties:
Characters: Mavis, Vera Wilkison, Mr. Wilkinson, Ramona, Sven Singh

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 2 Flag Points