G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #309 - Image Comics

G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO No. 309, August 2024

Quite simply stuffed with sense-shattering shoot-outs and exciting explosions, many a long-term fan of this American media franchise’s 3.75-inch scale action figures by “Hasbro” must have had their inner child absolutely screaming in delight. Indeed, there’s barely a pause for any reader to breath throughout this twenty-page periodical’s plot, as the likes of Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Storm Shadow, Dawn Moreno and Jinx rather surprisingly help repel an all-out invasion of Springfield by Serpentor Khan’s grotesque-looking mutant soldiers; “Us enhanced cyborgs don’t need no wussy parachutes! Just drop us like the living weapons we are!”

Furthermore, the sheer amount of military jargon on display inside Issue Three Hundred and Nine of “G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero” is absolutely insane and actually gets to the point where Larry Hama actually has to call on the help of letterer Pat Brosseau to populate a few explanatory text boxes every now and then. Admittedly, such a storytelling technique can often ‘pull’ any perusing bibliophile from out of the actual adventure. But on this occasion the odd asterisked codeword provides the dialogue with a convincing level of bewitching realism.

Impressively, the American author also somehow manages to find enough space within his script to provide “Snake Eyes III” with a highly intriguing character arc, as the deadly ninja warrior happens upon one of the local police officers responsible for her parents’ cold-blooded murder. Trapped inside his patrol car and pathetically pleading for help as more deadly mutants fast approach, this tensely-penned situation can potentially only end in one of two ways – and delightfully, this comic’s writer doesn’t say… for now at least.

Finally, the art team of Paul Pelletier on pencils, inker Tony Kordos, colorist Francesco Segala and flatter Sabrina Del Grosso all arguably need a mighty pat on the back for making every gun-shot and barbed comment appear as genuine as is possible when misshapen zombie-like creatures from Cobra Island are crashlanding on a civilian settlement from two thousand feet in the air. In addition, the actual look of the layouts has a truly nostalgic feel to them as every panel appears to have been dithered to imitate the cheap, low-quality printing processes and materials used during the Bronze Age of Comics.

The regular cover art of "G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO" #309 by Andy Kubert & Brad Anderson