Advanced Review: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #307

Larry Hama spent the previous issue moving pieces on the board into new places, but this latest installment shows us what the fruits of all that labor will begin to look like over the course of this next arc. Hama gives us quite the issue, with a pulse-pounding plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

The issue picks up nearly immediately from the events of the previous issue, as the Joe’s recon team find themselves in set up on Cobra Island as they try to find out what Serpentor Khan and Doctor Mindbender are up to with a new delivery of Revanche weaponry. The action is cranked into hyperdrive, as their mission culminates in intense moments & a high-octane chase scene that is reminiscent of the best action movies.

I really enjoyed spending so much time on the Joes this issue after the last issue focused on the various baddies plotting (and side-plotting) their own power-grabs. In addition to the recon team’s mission, we also see more somber moments back at The Pit, as Duke gives Dawn an update on Springfield and what we saw happen to her parents in the previous issue. It leads to a touching moment between Dawn, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, and Storm Shadow that will surely tug on your heartstrings.

The issue wouldn’t be as thrilling as it was if it weren’t for the art team of Paul Pelletier on pencils, Tony Kordos on inks, Francesco Segala on colors (w/ Sabrina del Grosso as flatter), and Pat Brosseau on letters. Pelletier and Kordos continue to lack the textured finesse of the series’ original artist Chris Mooneyham, but they make up for it in spades with expressive character expressions and fluid panels that give action sequences a necessary sense of motion.

With its non-stop action, great characters, and awesome visuals, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #307 a thrilling ride from start to finish!

Rating: 8/10