G.I. Joe European Missions #10

European Missions #10- “Blood Brothers”

Writer: Ian Rimmer
Penciler: Stewart Johnson

Summary

A Crimson Guardsman, named Simon Weller, holds up a bank in Litle Meldon. Beach-Head just happened to be driving by in an AWE Striker, so a standoff ensues. As more Action Force personnel arive, Beach-Head sets up in a sniper’s position on a rooftop. Weller’s brother, Robert, shows up and offers to help with negotiations. Robert gets Simon to throw down his gun and surrender. Just as he does, Simon is killed by a sniper’s bullet, shot from Beach-Head’s position. Beach-head was knocked out by Tomax and Xamot, and they were the ones who shot and killed the “discgraced” Siegie. Robert, enraged that Action Force shot his unarmed brother, runs off in anger. The next day, Tomax and Xamot show up at Robert’s door, recruiting him for Cobra.

European Missions #10b- “BATS out of Hell”

Writer: Ian Rimmer
Penciler: John Marshall

Summary

Cobra has wired three BATs with explosives, on London’s Tower Bridge, demanding the release of political prisoners. Hawk calls in Sci-Fi, who is flown in from Germany. Not wanting to be rushed, Sci-Fi makes it to London just before Cobra’s deadline, takes a sniper’s position, and succeeds in disarming the BATs with his laser.

European Missions #10C- “War Correspondence!”

Summary

Writer: Ian Rimmer
Penciler: Andy Wildman

A photographer from “Trooper Magazine” is sent to to Action Force’s testing ground to get a picture of Snake-Eyes, unmasked. The story is told without dialogue and in flashback, as we see the phootgrapher’s pictures. The Dreadnoks arrived, but Snake-Eyes single-handedly fought them off. In a scuffle with Ripper, Snake-Eyes’ mask was ripped off. One picture we the readers don’t see, is apparently one of Snake-Eyes’ face. Either out of shock, or a respect for privacy, the photographer burns the picture.

European Missions #10D- “Run to Ground!”

Writer: Simon Furman
Penciler: Kev Hopgood

Summary

Continuing form last month, the escaped Eel runs through London. He beats up some street punks, takes their clothes and hurries into a hidden Cobra base; behind the “Tastee-Burger” restaurant. Snake-Eyes goes in for a closer look, but disappears and hitches a ride on a Cobra helicopter that takes off from the roof.

Notes:

• The first story has a very dark theme; but it’s somewhat tarnished by Beach-head driving by the bank, randomly, as if he were a policeman. Beach-head mentions that he’s out shopping, so to save the story’s crediblity, you have to figure he’s joking
   
• The second story has Cobra doing straigt-up “terrorist” stuff. A rather ground-level venture, but it’s perfectly in-line with their roots, which were usually overlooked in the US comics.
   
• Once again, Sci-Fi gets a “bad-ass moment”. In all of his “European Missions” appearances, he’s come off quite well.
   
• In the first two stories, Hawk is in command and comes like something of a hot-head.
   
• The escaped Eel plot is pretty much forgotten, as that story makes a huge shift in focus and geography, next issue.
• A doubl-decker bus in London has a “Transformers” advertisement plastered on it. Little nod to both franchise’s shared “house”. They seemed to be tied much closer together in the UK.
   
• Two “Intelligence Profiles” this issue. Tomax & Xamot and Beach-head.
   
• Of note, Beach-head is listed as being from Auckland, New Zealand and served in Borneo and Vietnam. After Vietnam, he was sent to the US Rangers as part of an exchange program.
   
• Tomax and Xamot, however, are listed as being from either Corsica or Sicily; a nod to their goofy “Corsican Brothers” gimmick. Their history is expanded, as well, citing specific regiments and incidents in Algeria. BIG twist, though: they also performed assassinations for the CIA in Vietnam and South America.
   
• Andrew Wildman is the artist on the third story, making this his US debut on “GI Joe”– about three years before he became the flagship book’s penciler. His faces actually look a little bit like John Byrne’s work.
   

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Beach-head, Roadblock, Hawk, Lifeline, Sci-Fi, Ace, Scarlett (cameo), Flint, Snake-Eyes, Tomax, Xamot, Ripper, Thrasher, Destro (cameo).

Characters (“comic-only”): Steve the photographer, London punks

Vehicles and stuff (toys): AWE Striker, Dragonfly, Skystriker, Dreadnok Thunder Machine

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Cobra transport helicopter

Firsties:
Characters: Steve the photographer

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 3 Flag Points