G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #75

“Holding Actions”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Marshall Rogers

Summary:

The Cobra War intensifies as Destro lands and takes the airfield. Hawk makes it back to the Joes as both Serpentor’s and Fred VII’s forces retreat for supplies. Officially aligned with Serpentor’s troops, the Joes go after Fred’s forces, with Destro and his men…. stop and have tea?! Serpentor calls in his air support, as a big air battle errupts.

Destro begins to set up shop in the airfield’s tower, so Falcon’s recon team has to hide in the sewers below. A storm arrives and the sewers begin filling up with water. But Captain Minh knows a way to get the Joes out.

Notes:

• With this issue, GI Joe goes to a bi-weekly format for the next few issues. In the summer of 1988, Marvel did this with four of their top-selling books. The others were “Captain America”, “Amazing Spider-Man” and “Uncanny X-men”. Yup, you read that right: GI Joe was right up there with X-men.
• With the Baroness captured, Zartan begins giving military advice to Fred VII.
• During the air battle, there’s a small mix-up with the word balloons, as Maverick and a Gyro-Viper (Mamba pilot) have their dialogue switched.
• Hard Top, the Defiant Crawler Driver, is clearly depicted as being on the beach with the Joes. He’s colored correctly and everything. Yet he isn’t seen again and isn’t listed on the battle map.
• Hawk was wearing his combat helmet, last issue (when he was grabbed and tossed on to the Thunder Machine), but this issue picks up immediately from the end of #74 and Hawk is now wearing an army baseball cap. Next issue, he’s back to the helmet. No-Prize explanation is that he was wearing the cap underneath his helmet. He lost his helmet while on the Thunder Machine, but gets it back when he’s in friendly lines, next issue.
• The coloring is out-of-control in this issue. All of the armored vehicles are painted with big monochormatic splotches. Example: the Maggots are splashed with a big block of blue, while the DEMONs are splashed with a big block of green (incorrect color, too, since the DEMONs were primarily black with grey and gold accents). Even a few Iron Grenadiers are incorrectly splashed as blocks of RED.
• Not really worth mentioning, but Tunnel Rat uses his back-pack lights this issue! I always loved those and thought they were a cool feature on the figure. I think I lost one of them and I was sad…. snif. Tunnel Rat was darn near my favorite figure. With the do-rag, face-camo and big-ass machine gun.

Appearances:

Characters (figures):Hawk, Roadblock, Clutch, Crankcase, Breaker, Fast Draw, Leatherneck, Beachhead, Duke, Lowlight, Airborne, Doc, Sci-Fi, Wild Bill, Crazylegs, Lifeline, Blocker, Knockdown, Maverick, Dodger, Blaster, Avalanche (not seen), Cutter, Hard top (?!), Mutt, Stalker, Junkyard, Shipwreck, Short Fuse, Rip-cord (stretcher job), Wet-suit (?), Lift Ticket (not seen), Falcon, Gung Ho, Dial-Tone, Tunnel Rat, Spirit Iron-Knife, Sneak Peek

Cobras (figures): Baroness, Serpentor, Dr. Mindbender, Destro, Zartan, Torch, Ripper, Buzzer, Thrasher, Monkeywrench

Characters (“comic-only”): Fred VII, Captain Minh

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Vector, Vindicator, Marauder, Eliminator, Dominator, Sky-sweeper, AWE Striker, Tomahawk, Destro’s DEMON, Destro’s AGP, Cobra HISS, Cobra Imp, Cobra Rattler, Cobra FANG, Cobra Mamba, Cobra Maggot, Cobra Stinger, Cobra ASP

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none

Firsties:
Characters: none

Vehicles and stuff: Cobra Imp

Rating: 4 Flag Points