“Explosive Action Unleashed: Dive into the World of G.I. Joe! Full Review of Image Comics Issue #302 – Don’t Miss a Single Detail!”
Author: Larry Hama
Art: Chris Mooneyham
Covers: Andy Kubert and various others for variants
On to the issue
We begin Issue 302 with the aftermath of the explosion of the bio-weapon deployed in 301.
It s grisly.
The Cobra Casino customers, Cobra troopers, assorted Vipers are all mutated.
And they are eating each other.
Strangely, they still understand who they are or were. But they have a hunger to eat one another in chaotic cannibalism. Serpentor Khan and Dr. Mindbender are also mutated, but Serpentor Khan wants to take over and lead the cannibal horde. He shoots one person who challenges him and says “Lunch is served.”
His plan is that they will move from Cobra Island and head to Springfield and take over Cobra and eat whoever they want to. Springfield was a nice little town that Cobra ran. It appeared to be a normal town, but everyone was part of Cobra. The Joe’s stumbled on the town in Marvel Issue 10. It appeared many times up until a battle was fought there in issues 49 and 50. Cobra relocated to Cobra Island at that point.
But the running bit is that Springfield could be any one of the several Springfields in the country (other than the one where the Simpsons live.)
The story pivots to a funeral for Wade Collins.
Background:
Wade Collins served on the Long Range Recon Patrol (L.R.R.P. OR “LURP”) with Stalker, Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow in Vietnam. Wade Collins, Ramon Escobedo and Dickie Saperstein were all presumed killed as the small recon group stumbled into a large contingent of NVA regulars.
Wade survived as a POW and later returned stateside. His family and community turned against him so he joined Cobra. He became a Crimson Guard and underwent plastic surgery to join the elite “Fred” series. He was “Fred II” and replaced the original “Fred I” who was killed while assaulting Snake-Eyes cabin. (Marvel 31-32)
Wade fought with Snake-Eyes on the Staten Island Ferry (Marvel 36), but was wounded and fell overboard.
He turned up again around Marvel 42-43 and kidnapped Stalker and Snake-Eyes who were visiting the Vietnam Memorial (Marvel 43). In the end, the Joe’s talked him into abandoning Cobra, and Fred I’s family joined him.
Present:
There are somber pages as we see the thousands of headstones at Arlington National Cemetery. A full military funeral is underway.
Joe’s are folding a flag, and we see the adopted family of Wade present (presumably his widow, Sean, and Sean’s sister.) Sean wrote a letter to Snake-Eyes asking about life in the military and the correspondence back formed the text of the end of the Marvel run (Marvel 155).
Sean later joined the Joe’s and was training with Snake-Eyes. He went by the code-name of Throwdown for a while. Through a long series of issues, the original Snake-Eyes died in a battle with Serpentor (IDW 212-214). Sean/Throwdown was badly injured and took over the role of Snake-Eyes. Down to the point of wearing Snake-Eyes gear and a combat mask during battle and a realistic flesh looking mask and sunglasses while off duty.
There is a 21 gun salute.
The flag draping his coffin is folded ceremoniously.
Hawk dismisses Snake-Eyes, and we get a glimpse of the side of his face in shadows and rain. Oh, but wait, he was dead.
About that. Dr. Mindbender likes to do cloning projects. He was involved with the original Serpentor project, cloning DNA from various historical leaders into one simulacrum, then bringing the being sentience.
Later, Dr. Mindbender was killed in the sunken freighter incident (Marvel 99-101). But he left enough info for future tinkering scientists to bring him back as a clone of himself. (This happened somewhere between Marvel 131-143. Let me know in the comments if you remember the exact issue/arc.)
Dr. Mindbender mentioned he had DNA and memories of the “original” Snake-Eyes and was planning some more experiments. (IDW 296-300). This is the version of Snake-Eyes that came back in IDW 300 and was reunited with Scarlett. Since he is a clone, we don’t know what timeframe of memories they copied and installed into his mind. Also, it is possible that the clone has a fully healthy body and does not bear the scars and impediments of the original Snake-Eyes, while still “feeling like” the real Snake-Eyes.
And what is “real” anyway? We’re dealing with a mutant cannibal zombie bio-weapon, clones making more clones, and a secret terrorist organization with infinite amounts of money and resources. It’s a comic story, so relax!!
All that commentary from the side of Snake-Eyes’ face.
Hawk passes the flag to Mrs. Collins, and puts his hand on Sean’s shoulder.
Chris Mooneyham the artist provides very moving imagery as the rain falling on panel after panel around the Vietnam Memorial. There is a callback to Marvel Issue 43, where the rain streaking down the soldier statues appears as more tears for yet another fallen brother.
Powerful stuff.
Stalker tells the story about Wade Collins and there are some flashbacks to the situation that led to the POW issues and the time with Cobra.
Cobra Commander tells people in Springfield that Serpentor Khan and the cannibal horde will be coming for Springfield. Not sure how he knew this, but maybe sensors and cameras because Cobra Commander is paranoid?
In addition, the Revanche Cybernetic advanced AI is monitoring the issues on Cobra Island and want to exploit this to their own advantage. (Their central node is in New Jersey, but several android/hybrids were running around on Cobra Island and narrowly escaped.)
In addition to THAT, the Joe’s are monitoring that Revanche is monitoring, so they know they know what they know about what they know.
Finally, there is a scene of Scarlett and cloned Snake-Eyes at his cabin in the High Sierras. A new Timber is introduced. And we discover that Snake-Eyes can talk. And Scarlett is evidently very attracted to the clone of Snake-Eyes.
A little weird if you think about it too long, but maybe let’s go with it.
If Scarlett is okay hugging him, and Timber’s relatives are okay bringing him a new Timber pup to raise, who are we to raise objections?
There is more details throughout the issue, so I encourage you to get a physical or digital copy for yourself to see what happens next!
Now go buy that comic!!
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Issue 302 showed the continuation of the conflict between G.I. Joe and Cobra, and between Cobra and itself. The fighting continues, and intrigue is underway!
(all photos are courtesy of Skybound Comics and are used with the expressed intent for review purposes and to encourage you to purchase this book and then add the series to your pull list through your LCS or purchase/subscribe digitally. We thank Robert Kirkman for his investment in our beloved franchise and for Larry Hama continuing to serve us new stories moving forward. YO JOE!! These photos are part of the teaser solicit and are linked here: https://www.skybound.com/announcements/ … n-hero-302)
Hope you enjoyed this review!
Now You Know – a little more about:Issue 302 Feel free to let me know what you thought of this issue in the comments or on Twitter or Instagram @yorktownjoe.
