"Sins of the Mother, Part 3"

Writer: Mark Powers

Pencils: Mike Bear

Over the past two years, a lot of GIJoe fans have dropped the comic title “GIJoe: America’s Elite”. While previous writers on the title may have “mis-stepped” when it came to Special Counter Terrorist Team Delta, the current writer Mark Powers has certainly managed to turn the title around and bring the “GIJoe” back into “America’s Elite” and issue #23 is NO exception.

Synopsis:

The issue opens with a flashback to the early days of the Baroness’ incarceration at the Rock. Duke uses the return of her child as leverage for her cooperation but Anastasia is defiant—refusing to set an “example of subservience” for her newborn child. Meanwhile, General Colton refuses an unnamed General’s request to use more “strenuous” methods on their captive. The verdict is that until she cooperates, she will not be reunited with her child.

Flash forward to present day where the GIJoe team is attempting to break a terrorist hold over a refinery in Saudi Arabia. Duke is drawn into pursuing Major Bludd who, when cornered, informs the field commander that there are no explosives. Bludd allows himself to be taken captive, commenting on the “flexible nature” of the American justice system.

Meanwhile in Ho Chi Minh City, Flint is tracking Wilder Vaughn (of the Red Shadows) when the Baroness, wearing Wraith’s stealth suit, arrives. She offers Vaughn the suit in exchange for the location of Cobra Commander, stating that the destruction of GIJoe & Cobra will suit their common goals. Vaughn agrees and Flint is torn as to which one of these key targets he should pursue next.

The GIJoe team determines that the refinery attack is merely a ruse to keep them occupied. The local tribesmen whom the Baroness contacted in issue #22 were paid to assault the facility. Their motivation is the finances to continue more campaigns against their corrupt government. The team receives new orders to continue their sweep for explosives while Spirit and Snake Eyes are to be extracted, as per intel received from Flint.

Meanwhile Flint has stowed away on the Baroness’ private jet. He attempts to capture the Baroness single-handed but Anastasia calls his bluff about firing a weapon in the plane. The tables are turned and Flint is captured.

Snake Eyes and Spirit pay a visit to Castle Destro in Scotland where Mistress Armada reveals the location of Laird Destro. Alexander is angered by her revelation until Armada counters that “Destro can take care of himself”.

The Baroness arrives a at secret Cobra jungle installation in Honduras. She makes her way unchallenged into the heart of the facility and confronts Cobra Commander, face to face. She draws her weapon and advances on the commander, only to be stopped by Destro who says that she’ll have to kill him to get the Commander.

Review:

Now THIS is what I’m talking about when I read a GIJoe comic! There is resolution to the fate of Wraith from the previous issue and we finally find out what Flint has been up to since his resignation from the team. Cobra Commander is seen here as the master manipulator he is, having Destro waiting in anticipation of the Baroness’ arrival at his very door. Powers also delivers a darker version of Duke more in line with his portrayal in the original Marvel Comics series than the blue-eyed boy scout of the Sunbow animation. His scenes with Bludd are both intense and telling as we see the resolution in Duke and the utter confidence in the mercenary. The dialogue between the two flows with a believable intensity that rendered those pages my favorite of the entire issue. While the rest of the team isn’t shown as prominently as the First Sergeant, they’re really not the focus of the issue. Instead, Powers manages to continue the Baroness’ quest for vengeance and lays the focus on Anastasia, a woman who is scorned beyond all reason. While I’m still not entirely sold on Mike Bear’s pencils, I can’t argue with his layout in each panel which is both dramatic and effective. (I miss Josh Medors and would love to see him back on the title.) There is a slight murkiness to his style that I find a bit “off”, however, when compared to his predecessors on the title. Hopefully this will get better with time as I’m otherwise enjoying his take on each of the characters and their uniforms.

For the longest time, GIJoe: America’s Elite was a title that I read solely out of habit. This all began to change around issue #13 as the book has continually improved each month. AE is now one of those books that immediately flies to the top of my reading stack—delivering the adventure, intrigue, and excitement that is so lacking in many of the comic titles available today. Add in the faithful treatment of characters whose exploits have thrilled this reader for the past two decades and you’ve got a title that hits on all cylinders!

Rating: