Home Comic Book Commercials G.I.Joe #80

Issue #80: Rolling Thunder Publication Date: November 1988 Writer: Larry Hama Penciler: Ron Wagner Inkers: Tom Palmer Letter: Jim Novak Colorist: Bob Sharen

SUMMARY

"Baldy is messing up this operation! Let me take a crack at it!"
- Firefly (talking about Dr. Mindbender with Cobra Commander)

As a large island emerges from the ocean, the Joes and Cobra attempt to claim the rock by landing on the new land mass, which is 200 miles from Cobra Island. However, since the new island is rising and falling ten meters with each tremor and surrounded by boiling water, both sides are leery about landing on the new land mass. But when Ripcord, the Joes' jumpmaster, learns that their backup is fifteen minutes away and offers everyone the chance to not jump, all of the Joes raise their thumb, signaling their willingness to jump into a "hairy drop zone." Firefly decides to counter the Joes' decision by kicking some BATs out of the door, which land on the island and begin to fire at the Joes. Cobra's helicopter is shot down, but Dr. Mindbender and the rest of the Cobra agents survive and join the BUGGs and Maggots. Lift Ticket arrives with the Rolling Thunder in tow and with a few well-aimed shots from Ghostrider's guns on his Phantom X-19 Stealth Fighter, the Cobra Mambas attacking Lift Ticket are destroyed. The Rolling Thunder enters the battle and whittles the odds down to two to one (in Cobra's favor). Suddenly, the island begins to sink back into the water. The Joes climb aboard the Rolling Thunder after it runs over some BATs and attach a ring on the vehicle to a hook on Lift Ticket's Tomahawk and fly away while Firefly struggles to keep Dr. Mindbender afloat since the Cobra scientist can not swim and offered to take the blame for the mission's failure.

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: Outback, Ripcord, Wild Bill, Hit and Run, Charbroil, Muskrat, Hardball, Ghostrider, Lift-Ticket, Duke, Rumbler		Cobra: Firefly, Cobra Commander, Dr. Mindbender, Tele-Viper, BAT, Cobra agent
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: Rolling Thunder, Phantom X-19 Stealth Fighter, Tomahawk		Cobra: Mamba, Bugg, Maggot

Description
After the Joes' Phantom X-19 Stealth Fighter swoops down and obliterates part of Cobra's base, Cobra Commander orders a Techno-Viper to unleash the BUGGs, which pour out caverns and eject submarine pods into the sea and attack the USS Flagg. Aboard the aircraft carrier, the Rolling Thunder is airlifted to Cobra's island using four helicopters. Cobra Adders and Imps are crushed under the wheels of the Joes' latest weapon, which fires two missiles that strike a Cobra base at the top of a mountain.

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: Repeater, Storm Shadow (version 2), Spearhead, Charbroil		Cobra: Techno-Viper, Cobra Commander (version 2), Hydro-Viper
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: Phantom X-19 Stealth Fighter, USS Flagg, Rolling Thunder		Cobra: BUGG, Adder, Imp

Lyrics
Nobody beats G.I.Joe
Over the land and deep down below
Cobra BUGGs got an eye out for Joe
Nobody beats G.I.Joe
A real American hero

Tagline
Will Cobra Island be Cobra's last stand? Find out in Marvel Comics!

Notes
The commercial also contains a Mount Rushmore-esque version of a cobra's head which falls onto the Cobra base, a scene that is reminiscent of the second season's opening sequence.

Screen Captures