G.I. Joe Special Missions #25

Special Missions #25: “Forced Play”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Herb Trimpe

Summary

In NYC, the Joes’ Tiger Force is called in to support the DOA in a terrorist situation. The terrorists, the Lower Darlonian Separatist Front, are being indirectly manipulated by a Darklonian diplomat and the DOA themselves. The Joes chase the LDSF guys through a museum, while an undercover team corners the diplomat. Figuring out that the whole thing was a way for Darklon to eliminate a recurring annoyance— and a way for the DOA to grab headlines– the Joes take the diplomat to the DOA headquarters (in the World Trade Center, no less). The diplomat accidentally has an armed bomb chained to his wrist…as it’s implied that the DOA guys toss him out the window.

Notes:

• Despite being the “LDSF”… a banner shows the crew as the “LSDF”.
• One terrorist dreams of martyred glory as he blows himself up, thinking he’ll have a town square named after him. As soon as he’s gone, the others ask: “what was his name again?”
• The LDSF guys are at odds with the “Upper Darklonians” and their right to drive on the RIGHT side of the street. Funny, but kinda’ lame.
• “Tiger Force” was another re-paint concept from Hasbro, using older, discontinued, Joe and Cobra vehicles.
• The name “Tiger Force” is not used in this issue. The Joes just appear in new uniforms and vehicles. Although they do mention the vehicle names of “Tiger Cat, Paw and Sting”.
• While Duke, Lifeline, Recondo and Dusty all had TF figures, there was no “Tiger Force Rip-Cord” figure.
• The TF color scheme messes with the colorist. In one panel, Lifeline has a tiger-striped blue and yellow top. In the next, he has a plain yellow top with no striped pattern.
• The team is backed up a trio of undercover Joes: Alpine, Jinx and Lightfoot
• Duke immediately has a confrontational relationship with the DOA’s Skip Bentsen-Barr, calling him a slimeball and other stuff.
• The cover of this issue features the Tiger Sting racing away from a pterodactyl, leading a casual reader to believe
  that it features the Tiger Force taking on dinosaurs. Turns out, the pterodactyl is just an inanimate museum exhibit that almost crashes onto the Joes during their chase.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Duke, Recondo, Rip-cord, Lifeline, Dusty, Alpine, Lightfoot, Jinx

Characters (“comic-only”): DOA’s Skip Bentsen-Barr, Darklonian Diplomat Nobel Peetman (croaks), LSDF terrorists Horst (croaks), Marta, Milos, Jerzy

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Tiger Paw (Ferret), Tiger Sting (VAMP m2), Tiger Cat (Snow Cat)

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none to speak of

Firsties:
Characters: Skip Bentsen-Barr, Nobel Peetman, LSDF terrorists

Vehicles: Tiger Paw, Tiger Sting, Tiger Cat

Rating: Rating: 2 Flag Points