G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #52

Snap Decisions”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Rod Whigham

Summary

Upon Serpentor’s arrival on Cobra Island, Cobra Commander tries to have him shot down by a sniper. But Serpentor is savvy to the plan and runs up and hugs CC. The troops and the people of Springfield all love Serpentor for saving them, so CC realizes that he’d cause a riot if he were to assassinate him. CC arranges for the returning Zartan and the Dreadnoks to disguise themselves as Joes and try to kill Serpentor. Destro foils this plot and Serpentor insists that everyone join together and attack GI Joe HQ– since Buzzer FINALLY has told someone in Cobra that he knows where it is.

In the Pit, Storm Shadow appears in the midst of a hand-to-hand combat workout, pwns several Joes (including Quick-Kick. Yeah!) and talks to Snake-Eyes. He tells Snake-Eyes (and Scarlett) all about his reincarnation, but he needs time to heal spiritually. Snake-Eyes gives Stormie the key to his cabin in the Sierras (actually, his bunker, since the cabin was blown away in issue 31). Storm Shadow gets there, meets TIMBER and is at peace.

Hawk returns from the Pentagon. Pending full investigation of the Springfield debacle, the Pit has been closed down and the team is suspended.

Notes:

• As noted on the first page, Serpentor’s arrival on Cobra Island takes place before issue 51, and the rest of the issue takes place after 51.
• Flint’s been getting alot of “Screentime” lately. One of the effects of the cartoon, where Flint was pretty much the poster-boy of the franchise.
• Serpentor gets his gold battle armor as well as his flying “air chariot”.
• Storm Shadow says that he beat death by going into “The Sleeping Phoenix” technique, right as the Baroness shot him in issue 47. Uh-huh… I would’ve settled for him just popping out of Mindbender’s vats, but the ninja trance is a little stupid. He also mentions that “the dead passed through me, or at least their thoughts did”, so it appears that he didn’t retain full recall of Serpentor’s amalgamated memories. It seemed that he would be Serpentor’s opposite number, when he was revived in issue 50.
• Nice ending for Storm Shadow. He has discovered that “revenge is the dream of the weak”. This is officially the end of “Evil Cobra Ninja, Storm Shadow”. I think he was essentially written out for a bit, since Storm Shadow figures were taken off the shelves at the end of 1985. But a NEW (and awesome) figure hits the shelves in 1988 (two years from now) as a full-fledged Joe.
• Barbeque is working out the rest of the martial arts guys, using his axe like he’s a He-Man character.
• Running joke in this issue is that Cobra Commander keeps calling Tomax and Xamot by their opposite names.

Appearances:

Characters (figures):Hawk, Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, Stalker, Quick Kick, Airtight, Barbeque, Flint, Wild Bill, Steeler, Heavy Metal, Timber, Tripwire (cameo), Shipwreck (cameo), Rock n’ Roll (cameo), Gung-Ho (cameo), Doc (cameo), Cover Girl (cameo), Roadblock (cameo), Sgt. Slaughter (cameo), Cobra Commander, Destro, Baroness, Serpentor, Dr. Mindbender, Zartan, Zandar, Zarana, Torch, Ripper, Buzzer, Thrasher, Tomax, Xamot.

Characters (“comic-only”): none

Vehicles and stuff (toys): HAVOC, AWE Striker, Mauler, Dragonfly, Cobra HISS, Cobra Stinger

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Cobra Transport/gunship helicopter, Zartan’s helicopter (ZTN-456)

Firsties:
Characters: none

Vehicles: none

Rating: Rating: 2 Flag Points