G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #276

Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Netho Diaz

Summary:

In a flashback story, Scarlett, Snake-Eyes, Torpedo and Stalker are dropped into Trucial Abysmia. Their mission is to snatch Alpheus Hunzuker– a bad guy who’s been setting up poison gas labs, bunkers, and even enhancements to build nukes. Scoop is along to document everything for the Department of Defense.

After meeting their contacts, two female resistance fighters named Aman and Zara, the Joes sneak into Hunzuker’s compound via the sewer. Meanwhile, Aman and Stalker (disguised as a dead body) easily roll in through the main gate in a captured BTR vehicle.

They locate Hunzucker on the scaffolding of a nuclear reactor silo that is under construction. After a brief skirmish, a cornered Hunzucker grabs Scarlett and pulls the pin on a grenade, intending to “not go out alone”. Scarlett elbows him, then Zara tackles him and they fall off the scaffolding to an explosive death.

The Joes then jump and escape on the BRT. Scarlett asks Snake-Eyes to promise if something like that happens again, with a grenade, that he won’t do what Zara did.

Notes:

• Obviously, it’s a less-than-subtle premonition for Snake-Eyes’ eventual death in issue 213, when he did exactly what Zara did. To further drive the point, we also get a visual reference, as the reflections in Snake-Eyes’ visor show “213”.

• Of course, since it’s Netho Diaz, we get a few panels of blood splurting.
• With Scoop’s inclusion, I thought he would play into the plot more. Yet aside from one admonition from Zara to stop filming, his filming is not really a factor. I guess the only way he matters is that he fails to adequately tie a prisoner (whom Scarlett then nails with one of her shurikens). Considering that the rest of the cast is full of Hama (and fan) favorites, Scoop was probably included to have a “weak link”.
• It’s a little funny that Torpedo shows up in his SCUBA gear, in the middle of the desert, and not the Navy SEAL fatigues he’s used on occasion. No-Prize explanation: I believe we’ve seen that both Trucial Abysmia and Benzheen have port cities. Or else they just picked up Torpedo from another mission and he didn’t have a change of clothes.
• There’s nothing that explicitly states the timeframe of this story, aside from the presence of “newer” Joes like Scoop and Lift-ticket. So it could be either shortly before the Benzheen/Trucial Abysmia war, or after it.
• Much like the 5-issue “Special Missions” arc from a few years back, these types of stories seem to be Hama’s strengths. His modern ongoing stories and subplots (see: Snake-Hunt and Blue Ninjas) seem to fall flat.

Appearances

Characters (figures): Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, Stalker, Torpedo, Scoop, Roadblock, Wild Bill, Lift-Ticket

Characters (“comic-only”): Aman, Zara, Alpheus Hunzucker

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Tomahawk

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): BRT

Firsties: Aman, Zara, Alpheus Hunzucker

Rating: 3 Flag Points