Home Comic Book Commercials G.I.Joe #72

Issue #72: "Stilleto" Publication Date: June 1988 Writer: Larry Hama Penciler: Ron Wagner Inker: Randy Emberlin Lettering: Rick Parker Colorist: Bob Sharen

SUMMARY

"Dusty, anybody ever tell you that you're too cheerful for your own good?"
- Gung Ho (to Dusty after Wildcard breaks Gung Ho's pen)

In a lab on Cobra Island, Dr. Mindbender creates the Star Viper, a technologically advanced Strato-Viper able to withstand higher G-Stresses, and explains to Serpentor that they can use his latest creation to sneak into a suspected G.I.Joe base in Utah. While the Star Viper is sent to Utah, Skidmark, Windmill and Wildcard travel to the G.I.Joe base, and after Wildcard, a Joe who constantly breaks things on accident, ruins Gung Ho's pen, the three Joes meet Spirit and travel down to Pit III. Outside, the Star Viper climbs out from underneath the Desert Fox and sneaks into the base while Windmill and the others are given the 25 cent tour, which includes a sneak peak at a receiver/decoder/data-link that cost "Uncle Sugar a cool mil-and-a-half," according to Iceberg. When all of the Joes are asleep, the Star Viper steals the high-tech "black box," places pressure explosives on the base's doors and sneaks out of the wooden door entrance. However, he runs into Flint and Lady Jaye, who stop kissing one another and attack the Cobra agent, but both of the Joes are knocked aside before the Star Viper dives through a window and speeds away in an AWE Striker. When the doors to the base are destroyed, the Joes pursue the Star Viper in the Mean Dog and Desert Fox. Plugging a device into his brain in order to "stimulate the old reflexes," the Star Viper evades the shots from the Joes and rendezvous with a BAT driving a semi truck. The Cobra agent leaps out of the AWE Striker, climbs into the trailer and moments before the Joes fire several missiles at the trailer - the Star Viper flies out of the trailer in a Stilleto. The Joes examine the wreckage of the truck and although Flint notes that the "black box" contains a significant amount of explosives as part of an anti-tampering defense, he also adds that the brass at the Pentagon are not going to be happy about the theft of "their secret, expensive toy."

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: Wildcard, Windmill, Skidmark, Gung Ho, Dusty, Spirit, Cross Country, Flint, Lady Jaye, Iceberg, Leatherneck, Fast Draw, Mainframe, Tunnel Rat, General Hawk		Cobra: Star Viper, BAT, Serpentor, Dr. Mindbender, the Baroness, Cobra Commander (version 2), Croc Master
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: Mean Dog, Desert Fox, Persuader, Defiant, AWE Striker		Cobra: Stilleto

Description
After stealing a diskette, a Star Viper swats Storm Shadow and Muskrat out of his way, dodges several shots from the Joes inside their base, crashes through a window and lands on top of a Cobra BUGG, which quickly departs from the scene. Leaping onboard a Desert Fox, Shockwave travels with Skidmark while in pursuit of the Cobra agents, and as they lose the Cobras, who detach from the BUGG and dive into the sea, Sgt. Slaughter continues the chase with his Warthog, which is also carrying Hit and Run as well as Spearhead. The Star Viper scrambles toward his Stiletto and takes off, but Sgt. Slaughter lifts a small box into the air, pushes a button and two missiles streak toward the Stiletto, which flies into space.

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: Muskrat, Storm Shadow (version 2), Charbroil, Budo, Hardball, Skidmark, Shockwave, Sgt. Slaughter, Hit and Run, Spearhead		Cobra: Star Viper, Secto-Viper
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: Desert Fox, Warthog		Cobra: Stilleto, BUGG

Lyrics
Nobody beats G.I.Joe
Nobody beats G.I.Joe
Fighting hard against the Cobra foe
Nobody beats G.I.Joe
A real American hero

Tagline
What happens next? Find out in Marvel Comics!

Notes
Even though I was in Junior High when the comic was published, I understood and appreciated the visual humor of high-tech Cobra soldier wearing an AC/DC shirt and Richard Nixon rubber mask.

The commercial features Christopher Latta as the Star Viper.

Screen Captures