G.I. Joe Yearbook #4

“Trade-offs”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Herb Trimpe

Summary

Outside of Cobra Island’s five mile border limit, the Joes prevent the Oktober Guard’s Schrage and Stormavik from sneaking onto Cobra Island. The other three Guard members (Daina, Col. Brekhov and Horrorshow) make it ashore, though, with the mission of kidnapping Cobra Commander. Wet-Suit and Torpedo trail them, as all five run into Croc Master and his…umm, gators.

However, Serpentor and Dr. Mindbender have happened to overhear Fred VII with his helmet off. They knock out Frd and place a BAT into the Cobra Commander armor. The Oktober Guard manages to abduct the “Commander” and, with the help of the Joes, manage to comandeer a Cobra Mamba for their escape. The BAT is suddenly activated and stands up in the Mamba, instantly getting destroyed by the copter’s blades. The copter crashes in the Gulf Of Mexico. Cutter and the WHALE show up and trade Schrage and Stormavik for the Mamba.

Yearbook #4B- “Bystander”
Writer: Larry Hama
Pencilers: Tony Salmons

Summary:
In a short back-up story, Snake-Eyes (in his rubber mask) thwarts a convenience store robbery by using the available materials as weapons. Scarlett returns from a few doors down, sees the carnage and simply says” “I can’t take you anywhere”

Notes:

• The main story is definitely more suited for the cartoon. The Guard’s mission is simply to run in and kidnap the Commander. What strategy.
• The back-up story is definitely a “Marvel” story. It’s similar to how Peter Parker or Matt Murdock would thwart a robbery in their civilian ID. Snake-Eyes is definitely acting like a superhero in this story.
• When landing on Cobra Island, The Guard discovers the Joes’ buried raft from issue 45. Okay…but I think the Joes escaped FROM Cobra Island on that same raft.
• Again, no mention of Dragonsky, the sixth Guard member.
• A Cobra ceremony is covered by WCBR, the Cobra radio station.
• Fred VII and the Baroness start to get physical and make out, backstage at the ceremony.
• Fred also cooked up a spare suit of armor, while trying to memorize the Baroness’ boring speech. Fred gave a simple “hey, thanks for coming. Let’s party” speech. Kinda’ funny.
• Serpentor and Dr. Mindbender were snooping around and apparently discover Fred’s ruse as “Cobra Commander”. Also, Serpentor now seems more like a paranoid monarch than the benevolent, inspirational leader he originally was. He’s almost gone, though.
• The Mamba isn’t drawn like its toy counterpart (and the way it had been drawn in the comics, so far). It has one large cockpit that seats four, not three separate pods like it’s supposed to.
• Wet-Suit and Torpedo escape in a …..umm, Cobra Water Mocassin? I guess that’s what it was supposed to be. Looked like a cross between the SHARC and an airboat.
• Wet-Suit and Torpedo change out of their SCUBA gear and spend most of the issue dressed in camoflauge fatigues. Like what you think of when you think “Navy SEAL”. Some fans thought SEAL simply meant “SCUBA man”.
• Horrorshow carries a pack full of chickens to eat (I guess he’s “Greedy Smurf”). He stuffs them full of grenades and gets the gators to swallow them
• Croc Master has named two of his gators Tiffany and Lolita. Yes, he apparently handles BOTH crocs and gators, as both are found in Southern Florida.
• Baroness mentions that she found Croc Master through an ad in the Florida papers.
• This is the last Yearbook. For the only time, there is no “Joes on TV” article. Instead the annual recap pages are stretched out. No pin-ups, either, except for the back cover.

Appearances:

Characters (figures):Wet Suit, Torpedo, Cutter, Shipwreck, Duke, two or three more nondescript unnamed Joes, Baroness, Serpentor, Dr. Mindbender, Croc Master, Zartan, Snake-Eyes (4B), Scarlett (4B)

Characters (“comic-only”):Fred VII, Col. Brekhov, Horrowshow, Daina, Schrage, Stormavik

Vehicles and stuff (toys): WHALE, Cobra Mamba, Cobra HISS, Cobra Maggot, Cobra Hydrofoil, Cobra Water Moccasin (?)

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Russian sub

Firsties:
Characters: Croc Master
Vehicles: none

Rating: Rating: 2 Flag Points