G.I. Joe Special Missions #22
Special Missions #22: “Decisions”
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Dave Cockrum
Summary
Terrorists have taken a family hostage in their Iowa home. The Joes and FBI Agent Saxon stake the place out, noticing the evil grin on a man in the kitchen. When the Joe make their move, they’ve mistaken the identities of the hostage family and the terrorists, based on physical appearances, alone. One terrorist tries to escape with the couple’s son, but the dad picks up a rifle and blows her away– after all, he was the instructor at the Marine Sniper School.
Notes:
- Final tagline in this issue tells us to “read about the marine corps, every month in Semper Fi from Marvel Comics”! Semper Fi was a short-lived (9 issue) Marvel military comic that sprang out of the Vietnam fad of the mid to late 80’s. Hama was officially a “consulting editor” on the title. It was canceled shortly after this issue hit the stands.
- The big issue here in this story that the dad, Lazlo Bronsky, has a rictus– nerve damage suffered during the Vietnam War, that left his face snarled up in an evil grin.
- Another minor plot point involves the kid’s M-16 water gun. Realistic-looking water guns were banned, circa 1991. This story saw print in 1989.
- Interior work and the cover were done by famous X-men artist Dave Cockrum.
- The Joes arrive, undercover, in an Moran Pumbing & Heating van. I’m not sure of any possible connection or in-joke with that name.
- No affiliation or motive is given for the generic “terrorists”.
Appearances:
Characters (figures): Chuckles, Lady Jaye, Hit & Run, Shockwave
Characters (“comic-only”): FBI Agent Saxon, The Bronskys (Lazlo, Fatima & Mikey), the “Terrorists” (Bill, Mary & Erich), Ida Lee Hough (Bronskys’ neighbor)
Vehicles and stuff (toys): none
Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none
Firsties:
Characters: The Bronskys (Lazlo, Fatima & Mikey), the “Terrorists” (Bill, Mary & Erich)
Vehicles: none
Rating: Rating: 2 Flag Points
There’s an interesting story behind this issue that I’m not sure anyone has commented on: going by the 1991 Impel G.I. Joe trading cards, the cover was originally set to feature the bearded terrorist menacing the boy with a vz 61 Škorpion machine pistol (as can be seen here: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71hxX3UecCL._AC_SL1082_.jpg). However, the cover was apparently censored before publication to show the terrorist instead menacing the boy with merely a closed fist (which has the effect of making Shockwave’s “dynamic entry” through a window, Uzi-at-the-ready, seem somewhat disproportionate, although Shockwave himself was also edited, to have his SMG pointing slightly up and away, instead of being aimed directly at the terrorist’s head as in the original art)
This seems odd, because Special Missions #11 very prominently featured yet another terrorist pointing an M1911 directly at a frightened-looking Scarlett’s *face* (while pulling her hair, yet), but I guess someone on Marvel’s editorial staff decided that bad guys pointing guns at children was just too extreme for public consumption.
Muy buena observacion