G.I. JOE #40
Hydrofoil

Cover Date: October, 1985
Script: Larry Hama
Pencils: Rod Whigham
Inks: Andy Mushynsky
Lettering: Joe Rosen
Colors: George Roussos
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Summary (by Rod Hannah):  "In the port of New Orleans" two Dragonfly helicopters, piloted by Wild Bill and Airborne, head toward the deck of a stern-wheeler, on which rests their awaiting cargo.  A group of Joes disembark from a small boat pulled up to the stern-wheeler's side and board. Shipwreck supervises them as they quickly rig the cargo - which is none other than the Transportable Tactical Battle Platform - to the copters and it is air-lifted out into the gulf. Cobra Commander, Zartan, the Crimson Twins and a mysterious Crimson Guard observe the events from a submerged Cobra sub.  Cobra Commander gloats over G.I. Joe's predictability and their following of 'the bait' they planted in Staten Island. Zartan questions the mysterious officer with distrust and is told he will find out what is going on upon their arrival at the base of operations.  The sub follows after the Joes. Somewhere in the middle of the gulf, the platform - and it's Joe occupants - hover over a flotation collar.  In the WHALE, the Joe team help to bolt the legs of the base to the  frame of the flotation collar.  Torpedo directs the show from underwater as the frame will be coupled onto the legs of an old off-shore drilling platform.

Meanwhile, back at the Pit, Hawk continues to question Candy, but she is even more surprised than Hawk that her father is really a terrorist. A captured Buzzer - being escorted passed the room by Mutt and Spirit - breaks loose and catches sight of Candy with Hawk.  He professes he has just fallen madly in love with her, but is recaptured almost immediately by Spirit.  Hawk is ordered over the phone, by General Austin, to release both Buzzer and Candy into the juristiction of the Military Police.

Under the Gulf of Mexico, the Cobra sub approaches a large sunken freighter - the Arbco Star - and enters through a large hull rupture. The freighter is actually a converted underwater base.  Cobra Commander and his crew disembark, followed by an inspection of his new hydrofoil Pilots who will soon be put to the test.  At the Air-Sea Base the Platform is finally in place.  The Joes get their breath back, but Shipwreck hasn't finished ordering them about.  Barbecue emerges from Shipwreck's chain locker, having apparently slept through the whole process.  He introduces himself as the new Joe fireman, while Shipwreck puzzles over the necessity.

In Staten Island, Buzzer and Candy are transported out of Fort Wadsworth in an Army bus.  Inside the Bus, Buzzer teases Candy about being on his side, to which she angrily objects.  He continues to taunt her until she finally takes a swipe at him.  As she does the Military Policeman next to her is distracted and Buzzer strangles the driver with a chain. Taking the wheel he slams on the breaks and Candy's guard goes flying out the window.  Buzzer grins and thanks her for the distraction, while Candy looks in horror.

Inside the Cobra tanker, the Crimson Guardsman explains the situation. A large fortified Cobra bunker lies on the sea floor between them and the G.I. Joe Air-Sea Base.  On the deck of the sunken freighter, three cargo containers are released toward the surface which constitutes the final phase of his plan.  His name is revealed to be Professor Appel. Cobra Commander asks whether his daughter - Candy - being held captive by the G.I. Joe team threatens the security of the operation. Appel informs them that Candy knows nothing, and activates the the mechanisms for the final stage of this phase.  From the Cobra bunker some distance - between the Freighter and the Joe Sea-Air-Base, a radar dish with powerful sonar starts emitting sonic frequencies.  On the Air-Sea Base, the Joes hear the sound and notice dead fish beginning to float to the surface. They immediately dispatch the WHALE to home in on the source.

On the Gulf surface above the sunken freighter, the cargo containers bob to the surface and open, unveiling Cobra hydrofoils.  They speed toward the Air-Sea Base, passing the WHALE and attacking. The Joes at the Air-Sea Base engage the enemy but struggle to hit their targets as the hydrofoils move so fast.  They take a pounding from the Cobra's missiles.  Meanwhile the WHALE ejects Deepsix in the SHARC, diving into the ocean and spotting the Cobra Bunker and transmitter. The SHARC's torpedos are unable to scratch the bunker.  Hawk contacts Cutter and tells him the Pentagon is in a real dither as the entire Gulf region will wither away if all the marine life is killed.  He explains they are considering using a tactical nuke against the undersea bunker.  Back on the Air-Sea Base the joes scramble about as the gun turrets and missile launchers are knocked out.  With no weaponry left they are forced to sit and wait as the hydrofoils close in for the kill.  Using the hook and winch on the Air-Sea Base, Barbecue manages to snare a hydrofoil on one of the Cobra craft, causing it to swing round and collide with the platform.  He then takes care of the pilot by hand. From the deck of the base, Shipwreck leaps onto the second hydrofoil and knocks out the pilot.

The U.S.S. Flagg sits not far off and a nuke is being prepared for Ace's Skystriker. Doc suddenly comes up with the idea of using the equivalent in conventional weapons to a one kiloton nuke, which will avoid the harmful effects of radiation. Quickly all the Skystrikers scramble, fully complemented with conventional bombs. They home in on the target and drop their bombs, sinking and clustering around the bunker at the bottom of the gulf.

The last hydrofoil attacking the base flees as a huge explosions erupts to the surface.  The bunker is destroyed, but things are only just beginning.  The Joes scanners detect tremors on the ocean floor - they have aggravated the faultline below the sea-bed. Cobra Commander and his lackeys congratulate one another as the place starts to rumble.

But why?  The astonishing answer next issue...

Commentary: This issue is significant for several reasons. It is the 40th issue published since G.I. Joe's successful launching in 1982, and it heralds a big event forthcoming in the G.I. Joe comic storyline.  It also introduces us to Shipwreck and Barbecue. Shipwreck is all action, swashbuckling and bossy britches to boot.  While Barbecue is more laid back, literally as he slept through the whole installation of the base. Both get shown off to the readers, though Barbecue much less than the domineering Shipwreck.  Although Shipwreck was a very prominent character in the cartoon series, he will almost completely disappear from the comic series soon after this story.  This is a shame as he is a good character and a change of pace from the usual land lubber Joes. This is also the first appearance of the 'Air-Sea base' which was released the same year as a toy.  It didn't exactly get 'shown off', instead it took a major beating, seeming like a waste of time to set up.  The Hydrofoil Pilots - more specifically the Lamprey - first appear in this issue, but are not referred to by their name.  They are responsible for the major damage dealt to the 'Air-Sea-Base', one of them even waves to the Joes as they pass them by, giving this reviewer a big smile.  The SHARC saw some more action again, piloted by Deepsix, and launched from the WHALE.

Zartan seems concerned over Cobra Commander putting Tomax and Xamot in "extreme jeopardy" in the previous issue as "bait."  Probably mainly a concern for his own expendibility rather than real humanity.  While back on land, poor Candy gets wound up in the start of a chain of events that will end in tragedy.  Professor Appel at this point appears to be Dr Venom's long awaited replacement as Cobra's new resident scientist, though he retains a humane factor. Cobra demonstrates their cunning in using G.I. Joe to unwittingly do their dirty work, saving themselves a kiloton in explosives.  Though the Cobra Bunker and sunken freighter base, push the boundaries of believability slightly, not nearly as much as the next issue will.  On the whole though, this is an exciting tale, building up to something much bigger.

How did I rate it?  I thoroughly enjoyed this issue.  It started off slow and calm with Cobra's evil plans unknown to the reader, while the Joes contently set up a base.  Quickly the pace picks up with plenty of action, which turns to desperation as the Pentagon orders the use of a 'tactical nuke'.  Even I was surprised on my first reading. Finally it ends... or does it?  Excellent stuff and quite re-readable.
First appearances:
  • G.I. Joe team: Shipwreck, Barbecue
  • Cobra: Lampreys (Hydrofoil pilots)
  • G.I. Joe vehicles: Air-Sea Base (Transportable Tactical Battle Platform)
  • Cobra vehicles: Moray hydrofoils
Reprinted in:
  • Action Force Annual 1987. A Marvel UK series featuring the UK's version of G.I. Joe reprints this story and issue #41, alongside an original prose story. All references to "G.I. Joe" were changed to "Action Force".
  • G.I. JOE: Volume 4 (2002). A trade paperback collection from Marvel. Includes issues #31-41.
  • Classic G.I. JOE: Volume 4 (July 2009). A trade paperback collection from IDW Publishing. Aside from some slight changes made to the cover, this is a reprint of the earlier Marvel collection. Includes issues #31-41.