G.I. Joe Yearbook 2019

Writer: Larry Hama
Pencils: Kei Zama

Summary

Dawn Moreno returns from Ranger School, meeting Granny Demon and Jinx in New York. She notices a miniature robot in Ellen Bogen’s shop appears to be a Revanche robot. It attacks them, but is disposed of , fairly quickly.

Revanche then sends a new type of android after the ninjas; one fitted with an “empathy” chip and wearing a face mask to pass as human. Also some back-up, the 8-limbed “Blue Death X86” model, which is “optimized for ninja elimination”.

The Revanche agents attack Storm Shadow’s water tower dojo, where they encounter observe Storm Shadow, Granny Demon, Jinx, Dawn Moreno and Raymond. The empathy Revanche agent is intrigued when Raymond steps in front of a blow meant for Dawn. The Blue Death X86 then prepares to self-destruct… but the empathy chip agent pulls it out of the water tower, saving the ninjas, but destroying both himself and the Blue Death.

Notes

• This also includes a four-page backup entitled: “Infinite Cobra: Prologue”. This is apparently tied to yet-another IDW G.I. Joe continuity, based on “G.I. Joe: The Movie”. As such, it features Duke coming out of a fever dream with visions of Golobulus and Serpentor. Pythona also makes an appearance.
   
• No, I’m not scoring these as “Firsties: Golobulus, Pythona”. This story is basically an ad for a completely separate series, not tied to the “Hama-verse”.
   
• The book closes out with a text spread titled “The Dawn of Snake-Eyes”. It’s all about Dawn Moreno, but noteworthy in that it actually cites issue numbers of certain events.
   
• The main story? Not a fan. Feels like something that could’ve been a back-up story and not exactly worthy of a “Yearbook” or special issue.
   
• Storm Shadow uses zen meditation terms, “Rei” and “Zazen”. I thought that, maybe, these were the same as the finger-knitting in issue 66, but they’re totally different.
   
• Revanche just seem to be rip-offs of Star Trek’s “Borg”, nowadays. If I’m not mistaken, they originally appeared as cyborgs; that is, people who were adding robot parts to their own. Now, they seem to be completely robotic and could be swapped out for the BATs.
   
• So I guess the “Annual” concept has gone away and we’re back to “Yearbooks”. Because “tradition” or something…
   
• I opted for the “Cover B” featuring Duke, just cuz’ it looked cool. “Cover A” is another shot of Dawn Moreno and I feel I have too many of those, already.
   
• I didn’t notice it, at first, but Duke appears to be wearing the JUMP jet-pack! Of course, it also appears to be working…and he’s walking, but it’s still a fun Easter Egg, nonetheless.

  Appearances

  Characters (figures): Storm Shadow, Jinx

  Characters (“comic-only”): Granny Demon, Raymond, Dawn Moreno, Revanche Blue Death X86

  Vehicles and stuff (toys): none

  Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none

  Firsties:
  Characters: Blue Death X86

  Vehicles and stuff: none

  Rating: 1 Flag Point