Cobra Commander has a mind?
  -- Roadblock (insulting Cobra Commander, who explained that he had devised a cruel method of execution for the Joes)
Home Comic Book Commercials G.I.Joe #49

Issue #49: Serpentor
Publication Date: July 1986
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Rod Whigham
Inker: Andy Mushynsky
Lettering: Joe Rosen
Colorist: George Roussos

SUMMARY

"Soldiers never change...they love to hear the same speeches!"
- Serpentor (whispering to himself after a pep talk with Cobra agents)

Destro and Dr. Mindbender's theft of a mummy is interrupted by a group of local law-enforcement officers, however, two missiles from Destro's gauntlet eliminate their annoyance. They travel back to Springfield and Destro and the Baroness learn that Dr. Mindbender plans to bring Serpentor to life by using the stolen genetic material as a blueprint to generate nerve tissue and letting Cobra's computer extrapolate a working model of a brain. Knowledge, Dr. Mindbender reasons, is nothing but data, and Serpentor's brain will be created by feeding the model all of the historical information about the ten stolen conquerors. However, to spice up Serpentor's genes, Dr. Mindbender includes Storm Shadow in the genetic mix. Meanwhile, Cobra Tele-Vipers track a phone call from Springfield to the Pit and try to capture Ripcord, who is dressed as Zartan, but the Joe crashes through a window and drives away from the Tiki Lounge in a Corvette. At the Pit, Hawk informs the Joes that Ripcord placed everything on the line to make the invasion of Springfield by the Joes possible and then adds: "Let's not let him down." With fists raised in the air, the Joes shout: "YO JOE!" While the Joes receive their assignments on the way to the Cobra base, Dr. Mindbender climbs into the late Dr. Venom's brainwave scanner to insert his loyalties into Serpentor's mind. Ripcord continues to evade the Dreadnoks, however, the car he stole from the Cobra agent has a little girl. Not wishing to place the girl in danger, Ripcord stops the car and  suggests that she get out - but she pulls out a .357 loaded with hyper-velocity jacketed hollow points that "make an entry wound look like an extra navel and an exit wound the size of a frozen pot pie." The Dreadnoks place the captured Ripcord in the brainwave scanner and learn that the Joe has informed G.I.Joe about Springfield. After Cobra Commander orders the evacuation, Serpentor climbs out of his test tube and dons a cape and a serpent-shaped helmet. The Joes destroy the power station, capture the police headquarters and land on the air field, which is cleared of ASPs thanks to Wild Bill and Airborne's help. Destro elects himself to fight a delaying action, but Serpentor elects to stay and fight with Dr. Mindbender, Firefly, Scrap Iron and a Tele-Viper. While the Joes plan their offensive, Serpentor exits the Springfield Museum of Antiquities and addresses the company of Cobra agents placed under his authority. When his speech is over, all of the Cobras are shouting his name and Serpentor merely smiles and whispers to himself: "Soldiers never change...they love to hear the same speeches!"

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: Ripcord, General Hawk, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Barbecue, Roadblock, Quick Kick, Recondo, Gung Ho, Shipwreck, Alpine, Rock 'n' Roll, Flint, Lady Jaye, Footloose, Airtight, Blowtorch, Tripwire, Breaker, Cover Girl, Flash, Wild Bill, Airborne, Ace, Slipstream, Spirit, Beach Head, Heavy Metal, Mutt, Junkyard, Tripwire, Stalker, Leatherneck Cobra: Tomax, Xamot, Dr. Mindbender, Cobra Commander, the Baroness, Destro, Serpentor, Storm Shadow, Ripper, Torch, Buzzer, Scrap Iron, Firefly, Tele-Viper
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: Mauler, Silver Mirage, AWE Striker, VAMP Mark II, Tomahawk, Dragonfly Cobra: Terror Drome, FANG, Rattler, ASP


THE  COMMERCIAL
[ issue49.zip - 1.21 mb - 30 seconds ]

Description
Cobra Commander pounds his fist against a giant globe, picks it up and then hurls the green and blue sphere at Destro and Dr. Mindbender, who duck and immediately leave the room. Together they travel to tombs and graveyards in order to steal brains and mummies for the creation of Serpentor, an amalgam of Napoleon, Attila the Hun and Hannibal's genetic tissue. After Dr. Mindbender ignites Serpentor's consciousness, Cobra's new emperor swats Cobra Commander aside and raises a fist into the lightning filled sky before leading a massive attack against Joe headquarters.

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: General Hawk, Beach Head Cobra: Dr. Mindbender, Destro, Serpentor, Cobra Commander, Cobra agents
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: FLAK Cobra: HISS, Air Chariot, STUN, Rattler, FANG, Night Raven

Lyrics
Serpentor! The most evil foe of G.I.Joe
G.I.Joe a real American hero.

Tagline
What happens next? Find out in Marvel Comics!

Notes
Unlike many of the other commercials, the narrator guides the viewer's interpretation of the images and does a superb job introducing Serpentor and leaves the viewer wondering - what does Cobra's ultimate leader sound like?

Scenes from the commercial were reused in the animation segments for following toy advertisement:
· Serpentor

Screen Captures

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