G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #32

“The Mountain”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Frank Springer

Summary

The Soft Master arrives at Snake-Eyes’ cabin. He scares off the Cobras by easily deflecting Destro’s wrist-rockets. He pulls two bullets out of Airborne’s leg, then uncovers Snake-Eyes and Timber, who escaped last issue’s blast by jumping into a basement bunker. While searching for food and firewood, Spirit runs into the Cobras and in turn, a gigantic grizzly bear. The bear chases them up a tree and Firefly tries to blow it up. Spirit leaps away, but Destro and Firefly end up falling into a river. Fred has broken off from Destro and Firefly and walks back to the cabin to kill the Soft Master and the Joes. But when he realizes how hollow his need for vengeance is, Fred succumbs to his wounds and dies.

Back at the Pit, preparations are under way for the Pit’s grand re-opening. New Joes Ripcord and Lady J walk into the compound and announce that they’re “replacements” for Grunt and Scarlett.

Zartan and the Dreadnoks cruise into Cobra Commander’s mobile tractor trailer office (from issue 16). He wants them to be his new bodyguards. But as they arrive in Springfield, Storm Shadow suddenly leaps from the top of the trailer. Cobra Commander’s “happy” to see him again and wants him back at double his old pay. If Storm Shadow can protect him through the upcoming rally, Cobra Commander promises he’ll reveal who really killed the Hard Master. Baroness, Major Bludd and Billy, overhear this while practicing their assassination attempt.

At Fred Broca’s house, his kids run out to greet their returning “dad” in the driveway. They quickly realize that while he may look exactly like their dad, he isn’t. “You’re not our daddy!”. He replies: “I am now”. Oooo… that’s just so damn cold and EVIL.

Notes:

• While operating on Airborne, Soft Master recites some more of Hama’s gun control beliefs. Basically: “don’t fear the gun, fear the man with the gun”. Or: “Guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people”
• While no snow was evident last issue, the area around Snake-Eyes’ cabin in now covered in roughly 2 feet of snow.
• Fred’s death is another example of the recurring “vengeance is a poor purpose in life” theme, as the Soft Master narrates.
• Pretty cool how Soft Master helps the Joes and impresses them. He’s not just Snake-Eyes’ buddy.
• A wolf was shown outside the cabin as it blew up last issue. It seemed to be Timber, since Destro had tossed him outside. But this month, Timber’s suddenly inside Snake-Eyes’ hidey-hole. They No-Prized this a few months later by saying that it was simply a random wolf shown outside the explosion, not Timber.
• While searching for food and firewood, Spirit Iron-Knife communicates with a bald eagle, who tips him off to Fred’s trail. This was the closest we ever got to Spirit’s mascot, Freedom.
• During the scenes with Zartan, the Dreadnoks recount their exploits from issue 30. The SAME EXACT PANELS from that issue are shown for two pages. Lazy.
• Storm Shadow finally reveals how he escaped from Alcatraz, back in issue 27. He used the springs of the mattress to pick the lock, then using a piece of hose from the laundry room, he rode under the boat back to San Francisco.
• -Once again, Scarlett is pissed off about another female joining the team (see issue 16 with Cover Girl). She definitely does NOT play well with other women. But Lady J acts like a total cunt towards her, anyways.
• Note that she’s “Lady J”, not “Lady Jaye”. She has her goofy javelin backpack from the cartoon. Also funny how she debuts with Ripcord– meaning a Joe from the third wave debuts the same time as someone from the FOURTH wave. Again, stuff’s piling up.
• In another error, the letterer apparently messes up the script or the word balloons, as Destro appears to call Firefly “Fred” in one panel.
• Blink and you’ll miss the first appearance of Recondo. They appeared to forget about him, as he doesn’t show up again until issue 39 or so. His disappearance was worked into the plot, at that point.
• With the four first appearances in this issue, they’ve introduced all of the 1984 characters, with the exceptions of Thunder, Copperhead and Scrap-Iron. Those three wouldn’t debut for awhile. In fact, I don’t think Copperhead ever appears in the entire Marvel series.
• Overall, a pretty good inventory issues as alot of subplots are addressed. With these last two issues, they’re getting back to the true stories of the series, not the goofy Zartan/swamp toy crap from issues 25 and 28- 30.

Appearances:

Characters (with figures):Snake-Eyes, Spirit Iron-Knife, Airborne, Hawk, Duke, Grunt, Scarlett, Clutch, Recondo, Blowtorch, Ripcord, Lady J, Cobra Commander, Zartan, Torch, Ripper, Buzzer, Storm Shadow, Destro, Firefly, Major Bludd, Baroness

Characters (no action figures, or “comic-only” characters): Fred, Fred II, Soft Master, Billy

Vehicles and stuff (toys): VAMP
Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Cobra Commander’s tractor trailer office

Firsties:
Characters:Fred II, Recondo, Blowtorch, Lady J, Ripcord
Vehicles: none

Rating: 3 Flag Points