G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #287

Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Billy Penn

Summary:

Outback leads the “newbies” (Black Hat, Mongoose, Multo and Sherlock) on a recon mission to a recently reactivated Cobra Island. They are able to sneak in and observe that Cobra is building a casino resort (with the construction BATs and shipment containers, first noticed in issue 285). To help the recon team avoid detection, Cutter and Shipwreck pop a flare from the Killer Whale to distract a patrolling Cobra Mamba.

They also notice the Dr. Mindbender has set-up a new lab and dusted off, yet again, the Brainwave Scanner (oh criminy….). Through the use of Viper disguises and some quick thinking, Black Hat and Mongoose are able to copy all the date from the Brainwave Scanner and make it back to the Whale.

Notes:

• This was starting out as a “4 Flag Point” story, but once the Brainwave Scanner and Casino popped into the plot, it started to slide for me.
• Dr. Mindbender makes a big deal about the original Brainwave Scanner being shipped to Cobra Island, but didn’t Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow slice it up, circa issue 170? No-Prize Explanation: Mindbender fixed it.
• For whatever reason, Laura 343 is serving as Dr. Mindbender’s assistant. She also appears to have lost an eye after the climactic explosion in issue 275.
• The Casino plot is a little ridiculous, but it is in-line with Cobra’s old ways of trying to make money.
• It’s apparently being marketed as “Cobra Casino”, so you might roll your eyes about how public that is. Yet, consider that Cobra has been in the public eye for awhile, now, and also that the name “Cobra Casino” could be like calling your bar “The Snake Hole Lounge”.
• This is the first appearance of the Cobra “Steel Crusher” vehicle. It was a toy created in 2009 for the “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” movie.
• Since we made a fun stink about it, before: in this issue a Gyro Viper TALKS!
• The colors for this issue by “J. Brown” are very dark… but it’s quite appropriate considering most of this issue is about a night recon mission.
• Mongoose and Black Hat both have little 3 or 4 panels “origin flashbacks” about their younger days
• Black Hat was essentially a nerd, but did notice that the world of computer science was mostly male dominated.
• Mongoose’s flashback is a little heart-wrenching, as he reacts to graffiti on his local Islamic Center that read: “go home”. “But we ARE home” he tells his dad.
• Mongoose also mentions that he was 5 years old in that inciden,t and it was “a September day”. Connect-the-dots and you can surmise that he’s roughly 26 years old.
• The “A” cover continues the connected covers inspired by “G.I. Joe The Movie”. This one features Scarlett…and her two friends, prominently. Kinda’ ridiculous.

Appearances:

Characters (figures):  Shipwreck (with Polly), Cutter, Outback, Dr. Mindbender

Characters (“comic-only”): Black Hat, Mongoose, Multo, Sherlock, Laura 343

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Killer Whale, Cobra Mamba, Cobra Ferret, Cobra Steel Crusher, Cobra Moray

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): GI Joe landing craft, Cobra Aspid

Rating: 3 Flag Points