G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #310, by Image Comics & Skybound on 9/18/24, the battle for Springfield continues when Serpentor’s forces are lured into a trap, and Dawn Moreno makes a tough choice.
Credits:
- Writer: Larry Hama
- Artist: Paul Pelletier, Tony Kordos
- Colorist: Francesco Segala, Sabrina Del Grosso
- Letterer: Pat Brosseau
- Cover Artist: Andy Kubert, Nathan Fairbairn (cover A)
- Publisher: Image Comics
- Release Date: September 18, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #310:
First Impressions:
G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #310 gives diehard G.I. Joe fans everything they want, which you can only get in a G.I. Joe comic. You get pitch-perfect military jargon and tactics, authentic twists and turns that come with the unpredictability of a battlefield, and heroic moments. That said, this issue has a few rough spots.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left the fighting forces in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #309, Dawn Moreno came face-to-face with the police officer who gunned down her parents in Springfield. The Dreadnoks fought Serpentor’s cyber-enhanced mutant soldiers. Cobra Commander inspired his soldiers with his battlefield exploits, but not really. And Serpentor decided to join the fight in person.
In G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #310, the battle for Springfield continues in earnest. Zartan, Baroness, and the Dreadnoks fight their way through Springfield. Cobra Commander’s recon units notice the interlopers, so he orders his Crimson Guardsman to intercept. Meanwhile, Dawn Moreno decides to set the police officer who killed her parents free from his burning patrol car.
If nothing else, Larry Hama knows how to keep multiple threads going with purpose and meaning. Cobra Commander now recognizes Destro’s forces could present a complication, which could be a distraction from victory, and Dawn’s choice to save her parents’ killer turns into a moral victory. Those plot lines have nothing to do with each other, but they share a setting, and both are meaningful in their own way. Sadly, Dawn’s rescue scene takes a hit with oddly unnecessary, stiff dialog from the police officer as he explains what Dawn’s doing. We can see what Dawn’s doing. There’s no need to explain it.
Serpentor and his remaining forces depart Cobra Island, but the Joe recon team is spotted rowing away from shore. On the dingy, they discuss using the frozen clone in the container they confiscated from Dr. Mindbender to resurrect the original Serpentor as a countermeasure to Serpentor Khan. The Joes’ plan runs into a hiccup when Serpentor sends one of his fighters to strafe the dingy.
Strafing the dingy, of course, adds an element of danger and challenge for the Joes, but their plan to resurrect the original Serpentor is worth its weight in gold. Hama drops a bomb of a concept (in a good way) to keep fans hooked to see what happens if the plan works. Sadly, this scene takes a hit (again) for stiff, unnecessary dialog by the Joes explaining to each other why the strafing run wasn’t completely effective. We can see the rounds didn’t hit everything. Who cares why they didn’t hit everything?
Back in Springfield, the Crimson Guardsman (posing as Cobra Commander) finds the Dreadnoks and opens fire. Baroness is mortally wounded with a shot to the chest. Desperate to save her life, Zartan packs the Baroness into his vehicle and speeds off. Meanwhile, the ninja recon team finds Dawn after she saves the police officer’s life. They don’t have much time to praise her before a group of mutants attacks.
The issue concludes with Zartan offering the ninja team a temporary truce, Cobra Commander preparing to spring a trap, and Destro following Serpentor’s example.
Overall, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #310 gives Joe fans everything they want out of a military action comic with intriguing plot developments, tension-filled twists and turns in the heat of battle, and the promise of more to come. Unfortunately, multiple scenes are marred by stiff, unnecessary dialog that explains things that don’t need to be explained.
Artwork and Presentation:
Paul Pelletier and Tony Kordos continue to do an excellent job capturing the heat and chaos of battle while keeping the visuals flowing smoothly. The choreography is well done, the character designs look great, and the entire issue drips with dramatic visuals.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
New readers who’ve picked up this issue may wonder where this story fits into the Energon Universe. It doesn’t. Since Skybound picked up the G.I. Joe license, this series is a direct continuation of the series from IDW, which is in a separate timeline/universe from Energon.
Final Thoughts:
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G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #310 is a Joe fan’s dream with plenty of hardened military action, battle tactics, and war strategy. Larry Hama keeps a multitude of threads moving forward with surprises and purpose, and the art team’s delivery looks great. That said, a few scenes are hindered by rough, unnecessary exposition.
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