G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #274
Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Netho Diaz
Summary:
Beneath the Springfield Community Center, both the Arashikage ninja team and the Joes’ airbrone team manage to meet up with a rampaging Throwdown (“Snake-Eyes”). They end up in the “Secret Tunnel” between the Community Center and the Hospital, which Cobra Commander threatens to blow up.
Above ground, a big firefight erupts between Cobra and the Oktober Guard. The Dreadnoks and the bus-load of Joes also engage Cobra.
Notes:
- Budo slices the Crimson Guard Immortal with a “long priest robe cut”. I think this same maneuver was the center of a story in the short-lived DDP “Storm Shadow” comic, circa 2007. I should really index those and list ’em, here.
- Daina is injured in a firefight with HISS tanks. The robotic Horrorshow shows great concern, so he’s been programmed well. Maybe?
- Once again, Demon Granny takes out someone with her brick-loaded purse and announces it. In case you didn’t get this joke the first 431 times.
- I’m not adding any group shots with ID tags, this time. The group of Bus Joes all appear fairly small and could be anybody. The rest of the (speaking) cast seems fairly identifiable, though. Again, corrections and additions are always appreciated.
- The Cobra Paralyzer appears and, if I’ve indexed it correctly, this is its first appearance since issue 136 in 1993.
- Next issue is slated to be the finale’ and also another “Silent Issue”. The series will then shift to “Untold Tales” for a few issue.
- I think I’ve said this, already, but I’m calling the big climax as: the big battle begins to escalate, but something happens and the all-important DEAL is made and everybody walks away.
- Oh, since it’s Netho Diaz, he shows a few Cobras getting ripped to shreds by bullets and even includes a guy getting run over by the Thunder Machine. I’ve said it before, but he would really flourish in a horror comic.
- In case you’re interested, 90% of the letters nowadays seem to consist of “I loved this series as a kid and have followed it, religiously. I am glad to see you are continuing on with these characters”. Seriously… it’s been back for almost 10 years, now. When can we stop the constant nostalgia?
Appearances:
Characters (figures): Duke, Hawk, Wet-suit, Torpedo, Airborne, Ripcord, Freefall, Lady Jaye, Tunnel Rat, Muskrat, Scarlett, Storm Shadow, Budo, Helix, Clutch, Stalker, Mainframe, Roadblock, Mutt, Gung- Ho (cameo), Barbeque (cameo), Alpine (cameo), Tripwire (cameo), Cobra Commander, Dr. Mindbender, Zartan, Zanzibar, Buzzer, Ripper, Monkeywrench, Thrasher (cameo), Zarana (cameo), Col. Brekhov, Daina, Horrorshow, Schrage, Stormavik, Dragonsky
Characters (comic-only): Throwdown (Sean Collins), Dawn Moreno, Demon Granny, Milo, Raymond (cameo)
Vehicles (toys): HISS, HISS II, Cobra Paralyzer, Cobra Rage, HISS V (maybe?), Dreadnok Thunder Machine, Whatever GI Joe Vehicles are under tarps.
Vehicles (not toys): GI Joe BUS, Bongo the Balloon Bear’s Van
Rating: 3 Flag Points
Great Issue, I can’t wait to see Issue #275
New GI Joe Comic #275 just arrival today
I got GI Joe Real American Hero #276 today, It’s a great issue, Review that issue along with #275 as well.
You’re right, that cut (kesagiri) was a focus of an issue in the Storm Shadow comic. As I recall, there was a robot that could only be killed by someone who had mastered that strike.
In this issue, you can chalk it up to the angles on the artwork, but that doesn’t look like the right cut. It should be going in at the shoulder, whereas this looked like it went in around the bottom rib and angled downward. I find it funny that Hama calls it a priest robe cut because everywhere else online I see it translated to a monks robe cut. When I was a kid I trained in kenjutsu and I now realize that one of our katas had a variant of this cut – funny what you realize so many years later.
With respect to missing characters in the story, they probably can’t use him due to rights reasons, but Sgt. Slaughter also appears to be missing.
I’ll follow your lead on the cuts.
Sarge made cameo appearances in issues 200 and 214. He had no lines, and didn’t actively participate in the main plot, but in both it was (most likely) intended to be him.
Oh, and The Fridge was also in issue 214, so there’s another name that was missed 🙂
I’m sure I could put together a list of characters who appeared in the (Hama) comics and did NOT appear in this arc… but it’s really not worth it, All I would be doing is trying to show up the marketing phrase that was used for this arc: “every single living member of GI Joe”. That’s beating a dead horse. Besides, most were lame background cameos, as expected.
Wow, I didn’t pick up on Sarge’s involvement in those issues. I know it’s goofy, but I’d love it if he could come back. While we’re at it, it would would be cool if they could work the Marauders into an appearance.
And ya, I definitely wouldn’t recommend doing a detailed review for missed characters. There’s no upside to it and given the sheer number of people that there are, I don’t even blame Hama for making some mistakes.
The Marauders I had no love for. The yellow/blue/gray repaints didn’t get me to plunk down money. I was tempted to buy the Lynx tank, once or twice, but spent my money on comic books, instead.
On the other hand, I loved the concept of “Sgt. Slaughter’s Renegades”– Mercer, Red Dog and Taurus. While they have yet to appear in the comics, in my little world I used them as sort of a “black ops” unit. Helped that Mercer was a pretty cool figure and had a great backstory.
From circa 2007 I have a picture of Sarge putting me in the Cobra Clutch, somewhere. It actually hurt.
Funny thing is that I meant the Renegades. No idea why I said Renegades. I like how you used them – they work better as a group that’s sort of aside from the regular Joes.
The cobra clutch looks like it would be difficult on the neck muscles.