NOW YOU KNOW WITH YORKTOWNJOE – G.I.JOE MARVEL ISSUE #63 REVIEWED!

Background

Issue 62 continued the story arc of the ill-fated mission in Borovia, and we gain some insight into the ninja clan background. But there are still questions left unanswered. Feel free to check out the review of Issue 62 in case you missed it. (You can catch up on other “Now You Know With YorktownJoe” reviews there as well!)

The cover of this issue shows Snake-Eyes and Scarlett moving cautiously and there is a discarded sign marked “Danger Mine Field.”

On to the issue

This issue begins with Flint and Lady Jaye gallivanting on the beach in their swimsuits. Scarlett and Snake-Eyes are under a beach umbrella. I would imagine most fair skinned red-heads and rubber mask wearing burn victims would avoid places like the beach to deter the chances of sunburn.

It appears they have taken leave and gone to the island of Grenada. They are all discussing the fact that orders state there would be no rescue attempts for the Joe’s held captive in Borovia. (Issues 61 and 62)

Back in Borovia…

The prisoners are assigned to different work details. Stalker is sent on a logging mission in the mountains. Quick-Kick and Snow-Job were wounded, so they are put in with forced factory workers sewing dolls and bears.

They are told that there is mutual punishment for any wrongdoing in a section. They get stuck with Boris, who has survived by being an informant (otherwise known as a jailhouse snitch).

A terrible guard tries to bait Stalker into trying to escape. He claims to be the gold medal holder for the Borovian rifle team. I think I missed the part where the Olympics added shooting fleeing prison camp detainees as an event. In any case, Stalker channels his anger into energy to accomplish his logging work. He pays attention and begins to formulate an escape plan.

In San Francisco, at the Presidio military base, Billy was dropped off by Jinx. He is interacting with an electronic computer system of some sort…

A secret elevator or hydraulic lift lowers him several levels where he meets with General Hawk and some other Joe’s.

Meanwhile…

Fred VII communicates with Raptor, then decides to head to Galveston, Texas. Fred VII had shot Cobra Commander, and Raptor helped bury him. But then Raptor went cross country in pursuit of Jinx and Billy and reported his findings back to Fred VII.

In Utah, the Joe’s come up for some fresh air and play some football. But Cobra is prying with satellite surveillance…

Dr. Mindbender and a Techno-Viper are briefing Serpentor on the situation that more Joe’s are coming and going from the Quonset huts in the Utah base than could possibly be housed in 3 huts. The Techno-Viper adds the report from surveillance on the Presidio. More people are entering, then are never seen leaving.

Serpentor is very suspicious of the Joe’s and their covert activities.

Back in Grenada, the Blind Master is dressed as a tourist and asks for help getting back to the hotel. Flint offers, but he grabs Snake-Eyes and leads them off the path. Scarlett joins them, leaving Flint and Lady Jaye on the path. Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, and the Blind Master begin crossing a grassy field.

This is where the cover comes into play. Flint remembers seeing a news special about land mines left over in Grenada after a conflict. He finds the warning sign discarded in the tall grass and realizes the danger.

He yells a warning to the three, but there is a terrible and very large explosion. When Lady Jaye tries to run to help, he tackles her and reminds her they don’t know how many more mines might still be hidden.

Hawk asks Billy to repeat the story of his brush with death with Storm Shadow and Ripcord. They needed to hear about the end of the Soft Master (Storm Shadow’s other uncle) and Candy Appel (Otherwise known as Bongo the Balloon Bear, and Ripcord’s crush). They both died when Firefly ordered Scrap Iron to launch missiles from an elevated position. Soft Master had got away clean, but a drunk driver who was giving Billy and Candy a ride crashed his car and it started on fire.

The Soft Master took one missile, and the vehicle took the other one. Billy was thrown clear in the explosion, losing a leg and an eye. The others all perished. (Back in Issue 42)

Back in Borovia, the Joe’s are reunited for an evening meal of slop…

Stalker begins to fill in Snow-Job and Quick-Kick on the possibility of going missing on a logging work detail. He is unaware of Boris the snitch at their table.

Boris yells out to the guards that the Americans are plotting in secret slang. Snow-Job is hauled away to be beaten.

Stalker is warned that if he resists, Snow-Job will be shot instead of beaten. He angrily sits back down, even more determined to survive and exact retribution for this terrible miscarriage of justice.

Boris whines that he does whatever he can to survive since they will never be able to escape. He has lost hope, and also a lot of his mental marbles. His humanity and decency are long gone.

Hawk gets a call at the Presidio that Scarlett, Snake-Eyes and a stranger were vaporized by a large land mine.

Storm Shadow asks to speak with Flint and points out that a ninja does not step on a land mine. He goes back and forth, and positively identifies the blind stranger as having a scar on his arm where a piece of skin looked to be removed. He mentions that the person was always good at faking death and disappearing and seems like he still might be.

This gives readers hope that the three might still be alive.

Fred VII arrives in Galveston, Texas and is driving around down by the piers. There are all types of fishing and charter boats.

He encounters Captain Minh, a diminutive Vietnamese fisherman who takes charters out in the Gulf of Mexico. He mentions he has a no drugs, no guns, no aliens policy. Fred VII assures him he just wants to transport some cargo to Cobra Island in the middle of the Gulf.

—–

Issue 63 continues the story arc of the ill-fated mission in Borovia. Billy is reunited with Storm Shadow who is unmasked and wearing a suit. Cobra seems to be onto Joe operations in Utah and the Presidio. And we are briefly mourning the loss of Scarlett and Snake-Eyes. But that seems to be a trick of some sort that might get sorted out in the future issues.

Fred VII is plotting something, but we will have to see about that next time as well.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

Tune in soon for Issue 64. Will the Joe’s be rescued from Borovia? Are Scarlett and Snake-Eyes still alive? Stay tuned!

Now You Know – a little more about:”GOING UNDER” Feel free to let me know what you thought of this issue in the comments or on Twitter or Instagram @yorktownjoe.