G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #98

“He’s Back!”

Writer: Larry Hama
Pencilers: M.D. Bright

Summary:

Clutch, Rock n’ Roll, Chuckles and Da’ Mounties find a Cobra Terror Drome, hidden under a frozen lake in Northern Quebec. Records indicate that the components were actually shipped from…Denver.

Outside of Denver, Dr. Mindbender and Raptor dig up Cobra Commander’s grave. They find nothing but an empty shirt. Just as they do, the REAL CC appears, flanked by Crimson Guards. As policy, all of the Freds were ordered to spy on each other. After Fred VII and Raptor buried CC, Fred VIII dug him up and, with help of the Fred Hotline, took him to a doctor in Denver. CC spent the last year or so building up his empire, again.

Cobra Commander returns to Cobra Island and traps all of his betrayers in the Arbco Star. The group includes Fred VII, Mindbender, Raptor, Zartan, Billy, Tyrone, Capt. Minh, Voltar, Croc Master and…Firefly. Back in control, he then detonates some pre-set excavation charges and sends the Arbco Star into Cobra Island’s volcano.

In New York, the Dreadnoks are freed on technicalities by a Cobra Legal Trooper. But on the flight back to Cobra Island, they are detained by CC’s loyal Crimson Guardsmen.

Finally, at the Pentagon, the Jugglers are at it, again. Now that Cobra is doing legitimate business– and after Snake-Eyes blew up their NYC building– they feel that the Joe team is obsolete and should be disbanded.

Notes:

• The three new prospective Terror Drome buyers are Sheik Ibn Sirhan, Minister Bakana and Lin Wu Zing. We haven’t seen them before.
• CC’s new company is once again a shipping company. This time it’s named A.R.B Co.
• Everyone in the Arbco Star is still alive, but trapped under tons of rubble. It was basically a way for Hama to toss all the dead weight in one box and kill them off. Zartan and Billy will obviously make it out. But the rest… well, they seem like worthless dolts, but one makes an unexpected return to prominence, circa issue 128.
• For good measure, CC kicks a Viper and an Iron Grenadier into the Arbco Star.
• At the end of last issue, Tyrone, Billy and Capt. Minh ran into Croc Master. To fill in the blanks, Croc brought them as captives to the Arbco Star and Fred VII.
• As she leaves the courthouse, Zarana messes with Clutch and Rock n’ Roll again by dropping the word “Broca”. They again feel all woozy.
• Nice to have CC back…. but he suddenly seems more melodramatic and over-the-top. Almost like he’s suddenly Skeletor, instead of the cold CC we knew. His dialogue is almost comical. He remains like this for the rest of the series.
• CC dismisses his “turning over a new leaf for Billy”, back in issue 65 as a “momentary lapse of judgment”.
• In the flashbacks of CC being dug up and worked on, we don’t see his face clearly, but what we do see looks a LOT like a Fred (notably the hair). I can’t remember if this was ever denied, but you could make a case that the egotistical Cobra Commander is the orginal “Fred” and thought everyone should be in his image. It would also help him with concealment. Not a bad concept at all. I’ll note this and see if it’s touched upon in the rest of the series.
• CC was reportedly originally killed at the request of Hasbro. Hama fought the decision and thought it was terrible. But the way he’s brought back is flat out stupid. Probably one of the dumbest and most un-creative ways possible: dig him up and take him to a doctor.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Hawk, Chuckles, Rock n’ Roll, Clutch, Lift-Tcket (cameo), Cobra Commander, Dr. Mindbender, Zartan, Croc Master, Zarana, Buzzer, Ripper, Road Pig, Firefly, Voltar, Raptor

Characters (“comic-only”): Fred VII, Billy, Tyrone, Capt. Minh, El Jefe, Gen. Liederkranz, Col. Sharif, Inspector Cates (RMCP), Sgt. Fournier (RMCP), Sheik Ibn Sirhan, Minister Bakana, Lin Wu Zing, Gen. Hollingsworth

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Tomahawk, Terror Drome

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Arbco Star, Cobra transport/gunship copter

Firsties:
Characters: Sheik Ibn Sirhan, Minister Bakana, Lin Wu Zing

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 2 Flag Points