May 2009

Origins #4
Cover A
Short Summary The Joe team assault an underground abandoned military base that Chimera is holding a Governor's daughter hostage in. The Joes unaware that Chimera has already killed the hostage and made a deal with the Governor are ambushed once they gain access to the base. Snake Eyes arrives by plane just as Scarlett is attacked by Chimera himself.
Major Players GI Joe: Breaker, Duke, Hawk, Heavy Duty, Rock 'n' Roll, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Stalker Other: Chimera and Chimera's man: Cahill, Additional Characters: Bob Light,Governor's daughter, Ron the pilot.
Notes of Interest This is the beginning of a new continuity. Snake Eyes wears his sword for the first time. The Pit is introduced & named informally. Major Continuity Differences Heavy Duty looks exactly like Roadblock. The origin of The Pit.
Creative Team "Origins #4" Writer: Larry Hama Artist: Mike Hawthorne Colorist: Mike Hawthorne Color Assists: Erik Swanson Letterer: Neil Uyetake Editor: Andy Schmidt Publisher: IDW Publishing Cover Credits Cover Artist: Andrea Devito Colors by Chris Sotomayor Cover Company: IDW
Long Summary The Joe team, including Scarlett, Duke, Stalker, Heavy Duty, Breaker and Rock 'n' Roll are observing an old abandoned and what looks to be deserted Dept of Defense military base on the west side of Nevada. Stalker has crept up to the fence and begun cutting his way in, Scarlett spots smoke coming from a metal chimney and believes it is diesel exhaust from a big generator. Inside the base, actually in the underground part of base, Chimera is watching Scarlett and Stalker and prevents the bases defenses from being triggered because he doesn't know how many more are out there. So he decides to wait to kill them all. Except Scarlett. And he is willing to let them all get inside the base before making any attempts. He orders his men to prepare to the defend the base. On the other side of the state at an air fright business, Snake Eyes walks in head and arms bandaged using a cane. Two pilots are playing pool and Snake Eyes interrupts their game by drawing a map of the abandoned base that the Joe team is currently assaulting. He wants them to fly him to the base. They have reservations about flying him so he undoes his bandages on his head showing the healing wounds. They agree. At the base, Scarlett uses her crossbow to shoot a surveillance camera. Alerting Chimera that the Joes know they are being watched and the deserted base isn't so deserted. Back at the air freight business, the two pilots, one named Ron, give Snake Eyes some old aviator clothing, a leather hat and goggles. In terms of payment Snake Eyes offers up his silver star and a hand written IOU with his name on it saying that it will get paid for. Hawk and motel owner Bob Light return to the motel that Snake Eyes had left behind. There is no phone communication happening anywhere because Chimera has scrambled the airwaves. Bob Light notices that all of his war souvenirs are missing including his WWII samurai sword. Hawk figures out that Snake Eyes has gone off to support the Joe team. But Bob Light questions this because of how damaged Snake Eyes is. Hawk responses with "The Doc says his only chance to get any cosmetic repair done on his face is to let it heal completely first. Any undo strain on the facial tissues and he's going to have to live with what he's got." At the base, Stalker and Scarlett bust into a hut and discover the secret switch to an elevator headed down. The rest of the Joes join them as it moves down. Chimera watching this prepares his men. Snake Eyes is in the air on the way. The elevator reaches the bottom. The only light is from above. Heavy Duty says "Man, it's dark as a pit down here." Duke response with "That would be an appropriate name." Then the team begins to advance. Several corridors away, Chimera and his men are waiting in ambush. When Chimera is informed about a call he has been expecting regarding the hostage he has taken. He gives the leadership of the ambush to one of his men Cahill and he returns to the command center. As Chimera is being threatened by the Governor, Chimera just laughs and shoots his hostage, which is the Governor's daughter. The gun shot is heard by the Joes and Cahill orders his team to open fire before the Joes get into the best ambush position. Chimera's men discover that they are hiding behind boxes of explosives. Duke then orders Heavy Duty and Rock 'n' Roll to lay down some suppressive fire. Heavy Duty's .50 cal and Rock 'n' Roll's M-60 open up on Chimera's men easily forcing them back. They even say "Wow, where'd they get the heavy hardware." As they retreat the Joe team advances. Meanwhile the Governor, now crying and making even bigger threats against Chimera's life reminds him that he has seen his face. Chimera continues to laugh turns around and puts on the mask that he has been wearing occasionally (See Origins #1). Now he looks like a total maniac and is threatening to kill more of the Governor's family. The Governor agrees to whatever Chimera wants. A report comes in of an approaching aircraft. The firefight rages on. As Breaker, Duke, Heavy Duty and Rock 'n' Roll keep the men pinned down, Scarlett and Stalker sneak up on them and kill a couple one by one. As the airplane carrying Snake Eyes arrives to land on the runway. Chimera triggers the explosives that crater up the runway preventing the landing. Snake Eyes signals to them to circle and drop him off. As the plane circles back Snake Eyes jumps out of the door and rolls as he hits the ground hard. But is quickly up and running with his sword tied to his back. Down inside the base, Scarlett is about to kill the two remaining men with a grenade when Chimera approaches her from behind. They begin to fistfight and Scarlett gets hit a couple of times and she gives back even more. But Chimera is able to get the grenade and throw it near the Joes. Breaker screams "take cover" as the grenade rolls to a stop right near Heavy Duty's feet. Summary by Josh Eggebeen