Targets of Opportunity

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<img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/e/e2/DW_GIJoe_Issue7_1.jpg/230px-DW_GIJoe_Issue7_1.jpg" width="230" height="353" border="0" /> I am a real Am-er-ican, Fight for the rights of ev'ryman!
"Targets of Opportunity"
Publisher	Dreamwave Productions
Date published	November 3, 2004
Cover date	October, 2004
Story	James McDonough, Adam Patyk
Pencils	Pat Lee
Inks	Rob Armstrong
Colors	Anthony Washington, Alan Wang
Letters	Ben Lee
Editor-in-chief	Roger Lee

Don't get too attached.

Synopsis

1985:
Flint and his team of "Meatheads" start their bust of a Cobra shipping operation. Shipwreck finds the leader of the site, Destro, and tries to knock out the arms dealer, only to noticed too late that Destro's cranium is protected by Beryllium Steel. Flint aids Shipwreck, but Destro's escape is aided by the sudden activation of Cobra Flight Pods. The G.I. Joe members are amazed at the flying "trubble bubbles" [sic]. Destro tries to make it to a flight pod of his own, and escapes along with his loyal soldier, Scrap Iron.

A crew of Autobots crash lands on Earth in Portland, Oregon. Cobra detects the landing, and the Commander dispatches Agent Smith. Overhead, Starscream secretly overhears Cobra's discovery and begins to plot.

After apologizing to his superior for failing to capture Destro, and a bit of work-out with Shipwreck, Flint is sent on another mission. This time, they're sent to rendezvous with another team of G.I. Joes (led by Spirit) and investigate a crash site.

The two teams meet up, and after exchanging some military terminology, they stumble across Cobra, trying to get away with the salvage. After taking out the Cobra soldiers on the ground, Blowtorch uses his flamethrower to uncover what they were attempting to steal - giant, colorful robots.

Back at the base, Flint and Spirit are brought to meet with Duke, Stalker, and Scarlett, to watch some footage from 1935 - when G.I. Joe and Cobra became involved in the war between the Autobots and Decepticons.

Featured characters

• Major characters (in order of appearance): Flint, Mutt & Junkyard, Clutch & Rock 'N' Roll, Snake-Eyes, Blowtorch, Grand Slam, Quick Kick, Gung-ho, Shipwreck, Destro, Scrap-Iron, Blaster, Perceptor, Cobra Commander, Agent Smith, Starscream, Airtight, Bazooka, Cover Girl, Alpine, Barbecue, Spirit

Covers

<img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/d/dd/DW_GIJoe_Issue7_3.jpg/120px-DW_GIJoe_Issue7_3.jpg" width="120" height="92" border="0" /> Decepticon / Cobra cover

<img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/4/44/DW_GIJoe_Issue7_2.jpg/120px-DW_GIJoe_Issue7_2.jpg" width="120" height="92" border="0" /> Autobot / G.I. Joe cover

<img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/e/e8/DW_GIJoe_Issue7_4.jpg/120px-DW_GIJoe_Issue7_4.jpg" width="120" height="61" border="0" /> Triptych cover

<img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/2/20/DW_GIJoe_Issue7_DI.jpg/78px-DW_GIJoe_Issue7_DI.jpg" width="78" height="120" border="0" /> Dealer's Incentive cover

Notes

• Shipwreck apparently does not deserve a title card
• The helicopters used by Cobra are "F.A.N.G."s

• Wavelengths has an article from the desk of Pat Lee.

• This issue recycled a good deal of artwork:
• Shipwreck from page 5 is reflected in Destro's mask on page 4
• On page 5, Shipwreck on the first panel is re-used from the third panel.
• The image of Duke reflected on Destro's missile is from the first page.

Real-world references

• During his battle rally, Flint makes a reference to icon of American Patriotism, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Uncle_Sam">Uncle Sam</a>.
• Shipwreck refers to Destro as "Doc Doom," comparing the arms dealer to Doctor Doom.
• This episode contains two references to the music group <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Village_People" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:The_Village_People">The Village People</a>. A diverse Quintet of manly, manly musicians.

• Agent Smith clearly acts as a Forest Ranger as his civilian cover. This would make him <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_Smith" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Ranger_Smith">Ranger</a>, the oppressive antagonist who constantly patrolled Jellystone Park to prevent a smarter-than-average Bear from stealing Picnic Baskets.
• Agent Smith isn't likely a reference to "The Matrix" movie series, which wouldn't be created for another fourteen years.
• Agent Smith might be one of the most boring Cobra code names ever.

• A poster for "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokey_the_bear" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Smokey_the_bear">Smokey the bear</a>" appears on one of the walls of Agent Smith's cabin. Smokey the bear is more concerned with preventing forest fires than stealing picnic baskets. But ONLY YOU can prevent forest fires.

• Flint calls Shipwreck "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbeard" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Blackbeard">Blackbeard</a>", a Pirate.
• While working out, Flint and Shipwreck listens to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_Of_The_Tiger" class="extiw" title="wikipedia:Eye_Of_The_Tiger">Eye Of The Tiger</a>.

Transformer references

• The letter from the writers after the story is titled Operation Combination, the name of a Japanese Transformer series, but in this case it refers to the integration of the two toy licenses.

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