R-i-i-i-ght. And I’m Dr. Footloose and that’s Dusty up there. He’s just an intern.
  -- Footloose (to Dr. Winters, who wishes to be called "Doctor Winters")
Home Comic Book Commercials G.I.Joe #18

Issue #18: Destro Returns
Publication Date: December 1983
Writer: Larry Hama
Penciler: Mike Vosburg
Inker: Jon D'Agostino
Lettering: Edward Norton
Colorist: George Roussos

SUMMARY

"Coney Island isn't what it used to be - festering off the coast of Brooklyn like the remains of an ancient birthday party..."
-- Larry Hama (as the narrator)

As the Joes converge on Scar-Face's hideout at Coney Island, they catch sight of Destro climbing out of a plane and landing on top of a rollercoaster track. Destro confronts the Joes with his wrist rockets while Kwinn and Snake Eyes interrogate Scar-Face about Dr. Venom's whereabouts. After Destro escapes from the Joes, both parties chase Scar-Face, however, Destro catches him and the two Cobra agents hi-jack a plane and land in Libya, where Scar-Face is injected with Dr. Venom's toxin and becomes a biological time-bomb. After Ace spots a column of Cobra armored vehicles in the desert between Libya and Mizda, the Joes sneak into the dust storm and grab Scar-Face. Wild Bill and Airborne attack the Cobra HISS tanks with their Dragonfly and the Joes climb aboard Clutch's VAMP, attach a cable from the Dragonfly and escape the battle. As the Joes fly away to safety, Destro laughs softly and says: "And so the men of Troy did take the horse within the gates of their city..."

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: Torpedo, Rock 'n' Roll, Stalker, Clutch, Hawk, Snake Eyes, Airborne, Wild Bill, Ace, Grunt, Flash Cobra: Destro, Cobra agent, Cobra Commander, Scar-Face, Dr. Venom
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: MANTA, APC, Skystriker, VAMP, Dragonfly, RAM Cobra: HISS


THE  COMMERCIAL
[ issue18.zip - 1.36 mb - 30 seconds ]

Description
Flash reports to Hawk that a Cobra officer has been captured, and as Hawk orders the prisoner to be escorted back to G.I.Joe headquarters, Cobra Commander and Destro watch the scene on a large monitor. The silver-masked arms dealer explains that the Cobra officer will lead Cobra to the Joes' base, and Cobra Commander tells Destro that he's "a genius." Cobra battles the Joes in an oil field with their HISS tanks and the Joes retaliate with a MOBAT and several Dragonflies. Filled with fear, Cobra Commander points out the that the Joes are counter-attacking, however, Destro raises a fist and sneers, "And so will Destro."

THE  PERSONNEL
G.I.Joe: Breaker, Stalker, Flash, Hawk, Scarlett, Clutch, Wild Bill, Rock 'n' Roll Cobra: Cobra Commander, Destro, Cobra agent
THE  GEAR
G.I.Joe: VAMP, MOBAT, Dragonfly Cobra: HISS

Lyrics
Destro's got a plan
He's an evil man
The terrifying enemy of G.I.Joe
G.I.Joe a real American hero
Fighting Cobra and Destro

Tagline
What will happen? Find out in the further adventures of G.I.Joe from Marvel Comics!

Notes
The continuity within the commercials was ruined with the background of a desert location since the commercial for previously advertised issue featured a battle in a city where a Cobra officer was captured.


As the commercial ends, the left page of the comic in the screen above features scenes from the issue #7 (page three, panels A through D). Also, the right page in the screen capture contains shots from the comic book commercial (See Screen Captures section: third row, left and center images).

It is interesting to note that the cover of the comic and the opening scene of the advertisement have a slight difference: Destro and Cobra Commander are both facing a large screen in the ad, however, Destro has his back toward the screen on the comic book cover. The opening scene in the commercial would have been more stunning if the animators and the cover artist were in sync. If the cover art for the comic was the same as the first cel in the commercial, the story could have appeared to come alive, an effect that could have convinced more people to read the book.

Scenes from the commercial were reused in the animation segments for following toy advertisements:
· G.I.Joe MOBAT
· Destro (version one)
· G.I.Joe Wolverine and Cobra HISS
· G.I.Joe Dragonfly and Cobra FANG
· G.I.Joe Headquarters

Screen Captures

Jan 25: G.I.Joe Examined on Podcasts
Jan 25: Buzz Dixon Interview
Jan 25: Paulsen Annie Nomination & Dini on Batman Comic
Jan 12: Sgt. Slaughter Signing in Atlanta
Jan 11: G.I.Joe to Return on G4
Dec 30: Paramount Movie Reviewer Plugs JoeGuide.com
MORE

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