GI Joe: A Real American Hero #234

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: SL Gallant

Summary:

In New York, a young man named Felipe tries to rob Granny’s store. Dawn appears and easily dismantles his firearm; a trick used by the Soft Master back in issue 27. Yet, Felipe runs out of the store and is accidentally shot by a police officer.

In Olliestan, Bombstrike and her new pal Leila make it to the border, only to find it guarded by the Olliestan Popular Front (OPF). The Black Major arrives in the Robo-Skull, but Bombstrike takes out the OPF guys, steals their RPG and uses it to down the Robo-Skull. She leaves Black Major, alive, in the river as she and Leila depart.

The main storyline, this month, is in Springfield as Heather Collins infiltrates the Cobra databanks. She runs into the Baroness, but Heather uses the ruse that she is working for Dr. Mindbender on extracting Brainwave Scanner info from the mainframes. Zartan later finds Heather, but the two are able to make a deal, as Zartan also wants some vital information. Zartan then poses as Dr. Mindbender to help Heather get out of the databanks, safely.

Notes:

• Further proof that “editors” in comic book publishing don’t actually edit, nowadays. A sign on Dr. Mindbender’s clinic says he is out for “vacatian” (which I imagine is a slang term for a vacation to the Vatican). It’s not the “Collins family”, rather it’s spelled as the “Collin’s family” (improper use of possessive punctuation). On the inside of the front cover, it’s spelled as “Wade Collin’s family”…but shouldn’t it be “Wade Collins’s family”?
   
• You might be thinking: “hey, YOU make mistakes and typos, smart guy!” The big difference between me and IDW is that I’m not paid to do this crap…
   
• The inside front cover summary also mentions that the Collins Family has moved into Rancho Corba Acres; when they’ve actually moved in to Springfield. Pretty sure we saw an abandoned Rancho Corba about two years ago.
   
• Destro seems to have migrated to wearing a more modern, slim-fit, version of his trademark outfit. It’s somewhat similar to his outfit from the early Devil’s Due days.
   
• We see that Dr. Mindbender still keeps an orthodontist storefront in a Springfield strip-mall.
   
• The strip-mall is shown at the corner of “Adder St.” and “Taipan Dr.” Just some random snake names, unless I’m missing a pun.
   
• Also in the strip-mall are “Monocoles Unlimited”, “Meyer Music”, “Evil Supplies” and a burrito place. “Evil Supplies”? Really?
   
• Another ridiculous sign: the parking sign in a handicapped spot says: “Minimum fine: death”.
   
• In the NY storefront, it seems like we should recognize some of the cartoon/anime figurines S.L. Gallant uses in the foreground of one shot. No idea who they are, but anime/magna fans might know ’em.

Appearances:

Characters (figures): Bombstrike, Destro, Baroness, Zartan, Dr. Mindbender (fake), Black Major

Characters (“comic-only”):Dawn Moreno, Demon Granny, Felipe, Heather Collins, Wade Collins

Vehicles and stuff (toys): Robo-Skull

Vehicles and stuff (not toys): none

Firsties:
Characters: Felipe

Vehicles and stuff: none

Rating: 1 Flag Point