G.I. Joe Special Missions #28

Special Missions #28: “Condor”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Herb Trimpe

Summary

The Joes launch a space mission to test the detection of their new “Stealth Base” in Punta Del Mucosa. Cobra launches an attack on the nearby USS Flagg and is tipped off to the location of the base. After another big aerial duel, the Crusader shuttle re-enters the atmosphere and puts the final boot to the Cobra attack.

Notes:

• Final issue and probably the best they could do to send it off. It’s the quintessential “big blow out issue”, with non-stop action and a big ol’ battle on an enormous scale.
• The final page is a full-panel “pin-up/goodbye” of the Joes, waving from the deck of the USS Flagg. Hawk breaks the “fourth wall” and talks to the readers; thanking them for 28 issues and to keep following the main title.
• Payload lands the Defiant on the deck of the Flagg as the story ends. Kinda’ cool.
• Payload is clearly shown as African-American, now. That is, he has dark skin… not the light skin tone of his earlier appearances.
• Cobra is tipped off to the location of the Stealth Base thanks to a tracer planted by Punta Del Mucosa’s El Presidente. The tracer and two of his cronies are tied to a mini-tank and sent off into the jungle…where they’re bombed by a Cobra Condor.
• El Presidente’s two cronies are named “Cisco” and “Pancho”. An obvious joke and homage to the famous “Cisco Kid” series. I only mention this because the series seems to have faded from pop culture. Younger readers may not get the reference.
• The new prop-powered Mudfighter plane plays a big part in the dogfight.
• Once again, nobody can remember the stealth pilot’s name.
• With all the fuss over the Joes’ stealth fighter and Cobra’s “pythonization” process… Cobra seems to have forgotten that they’ve had a stealth fighter since 1986– the Night Raven.
• The shuttle is launched from the Defiant complex and is not named. But it is clearly the “new” Crusader. The Crusader was identical to the original Defiant shuttle, but was re-painted with black accents. Once again, Hasbro was re-packaging and re-painting old toys. The Crusader also included a “drone craft”, which was borrowed from the Cobra Night Raven. Actually a good move by Hasbro, since the Crusader retailed for about 30-40 bucks, whereas the Defiant retailed for a whopping 120.
• The end of “Special Missions” marks another downward step for the franchise’s popularity.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Hawk, Ace, Slipstream, Payload, Hardtop, Dogfight, Wild Bill, Lift-ticket, Keel Haul, Shipwreck, Scarlett, Ghostrider (“Stealth Pilot”), Deep Six, Cutter, Short-Fuse (possibly…un-named blonde Joe in green fatigues), Wild Weasel, Darklon

Characters (“comic-only”): Fred VII, El Presidente, Cisco & Pancho (both croak)

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Defiant, Crusader, USS Flagg, Phantom X-19 Stealth, Dragonfly (cameo), Cobra Python Conquest, Cobra Stiletto, Cobra FANG II, Cobra Condor

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

Firsties:
Characters: Dogfight, Cisco, Pancho

Vehicles: Mudfighter

Rating: Rating: 4 Flag Points