G.I. Joe Special Missions #23

Special Missions #23: “Scoop”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Dave Cockrum

Summary

Stalker leads a team into Sierra Gordo to snatch El Jefe. But they’ve been assigned a new Joe; the combat correspondent Scoop, who wants to film everything for the DOD. The Joes are a little rough on Scoop, educating him on everything from how to test your ammo to how to poop (no kidding). Their planned ambush for El Jefe doesn’t go as planned, as they’re overrun by Iron Grenadiers. Scoop is about to die, when he brains a Grenadier with his camera, destroying all the film. Scoop wakes up back in the Tomahawk. The mission was a bust, but Stalker welcomes him to the team and another day in the office.

Notes:

• This is sort of the backside to the awful new recruit program from issue 81. It’s much more tolerable.
• Hama gets to show off his miltary knowledge with the little tips the team gives Scoop. Stuff like: never leave your canteen half-full– the water will swoosh around and the enemy can hear you. Check each bullet in your magazine before hitting the LZ; they were made by the lowest bidder and you can’t always trust them to work.
• I remember using the canteen tip when I would haze Boy Scout recruits. Poor saps walked around all week long without water because I told them they were making too much noise; waking horses and older members.
• This issue is very close to what a Hama-penned issue of “GI Combat” would have been like.
• The Iron Grenadiers appear without their trademark helmets and masks. They’re all wearing more conventional jungle gear (headbands, hats, facepaint, etc), with traces of the Iron Grenadier uniform.
• When the Grenadiers charge, they all yell “Destrooooo”. Ugh. Didn’t need that.
• El Jefe is mentioned, but never seen.
• Scoop is delivered to the USS Flagg in the Dragonfly. First time we’ve seen that particular helicopter in YEARS.
• The letters page mentions two minor chinks in the armor of the GI Joe franchise. 1- “Tales of GI Joe” had ended with issue 15 (it was just a higher-quality reprint series of the old issues). 2- There are no plans for any new Yearbooks. This was mid-1989 and the franchise’s popularity was starting to wane. As we mentioned before: kids got older and the younger kids liked “Real Ghostbusters” and “TMNT”. When the 1990 toys hit, they begin adding stuff like launch-able foam-missiles and other gadgets that make them more “toy-ish”.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Stalker, Leatherneck, Muskrat, Tunnel Rat, Hit & Run, Scoop, Keel Haul, Duke, Wild Bill, Lift-ticket

Characters (“comic-only”): none

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Dragonfly, USS Flagg, Tomahawk

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none

Firsties:
Characters: Scoop

Vehicles: none

Rating: Rating: 3 Flag Points