20 January 2009

G.I. JOE #57 (Marvel, 1987)



Check out that cover. Flint looks constipated, Lady Jaye is there so that kids would look at her impressive cleavage and pick up the book (hey, it worked with me) and Destro just looks ridiculous. This guy wants to be taken seriously as a feared terrorist and arms supplier? Then lose the tall collar and plunging neckline. Even in 1987 that look was a joke. And the medallion? Very chic...in 1975!!

There was nothing special about this issue. In fact, 14-year old me thought it was kinda boring. Issue 57 sees Destro going back to Scotland after tunnelling his way out of 'The PIT', the secret G.I. Joe HQ underneath the Staten Island Motor Pool, which had caved in after Cobra's failed attempt to eliminate the Joes on their home turf. Cobra Commander was with him as well but went their separate ways after they escaped from the PIT and CC tried to make amends with his crippled and blind-in-one-eye son Billy (but that's another issue).

In this issue, Destro goes back home only to find that there is already a Destro having tea and scones with the household guards at the family castle. Real Destro gets arrested, breaks out of jail with the help of Joes' Lady Jaye and Flint, goes back to the castle and has a good punch up with fake Destro ("How do we know which one's the real Destro?", one of the castle guards asked. "Let those two fight. Whoever wins must be the real one", suggests his comrade. As opposed to, say...asking the Lord Destro to take off his mask and see his face and compare it with the family potraits? Or do the male Destros wear masks right from infancy and all the family photos have them wearing masks as well? Gee, that's one screwed up family. Life must be hell for young Destro at school. No wonder he became a terrorist.)

Anyway, real Destro wins and pulls off the mask off fake Destro to reveal...
Major Bludd?? I think Larry Hama received a memo from Hasbro the month before asking why he rarely uses Bludd in the comics. So here he is for one panel. Oh, and the reason Lady Jaye and Flint was on Destro's side was because they wanted to steal the plans to Cobra's Terror Drome but since they helped Destro reclaim his castle from Cobra, Destro gave it to them free of charge. How nice of him.

Yeah, not a very memorable issue. But check out that cover. Makes me laugh everytime I see it.

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