G.I. Joe 4 (2008)

## [Source]

***G.I. Joe #4*** is the fourth regular issue of IDW Publishing's *G.I. Joe* series. It was released on April 1, 2009. The issue was written by Chuck Dixon with art by Robert Atkins.

## Publisher's summary

*How does COBRA work out disputes with its sub-contractors? It's cold-blooded murder as Destro and Baroness battle to the death inside the walls of Castle Destro! All this while the Joes battle mechanical terrors to take back The Pit. Wall-to-wall, cover-to-cover action.*

## Plot

At Castle Destro, the Baroness attempts to kill James McCullen, but he manages to knock her out and lock her up in the dungeon. Glynis and Rory guide the smallest spider-bot through The Pit, trying to find a way out.

In The Pit, Hawk and Bazooka take out the fourth spider-bot with missile fire. Brainstorm assembles a small team of Joes to go after the small spider-bot. Tunnel Rat and Scarlett are chosen to go into the vents after the machine, with Dusty guiding them remotely. The rest of the team–Duke, Beach Head, and Brainstorm in one A.W.E. Striker, and Crankcase and Rock N' Roll in another–head to the surface in case the machine escapes The Pit. The last machine still in The Pit is taken out by Barbecue.

The small spider-bot incapacitates Tunnel Rat and escapes Scarlett to get to the surface. The Pit's automated defenses try to engage it, but are taken out. The A.W.E. Strikers chase after the machine until the lead vehicle is taken out by The Pit's minefield, which activated once Command and Control was taken out. With no option, Duke and Beach Head hurtle into the minefield to take out the last unit.

## Appearances

**By type**

Characters

* Baroness
* Bazooka (First appearance)
* Beach Head
* Boomer (First appearance)
* Brainstorm
* Crankcase (First appearance)
* Destro
* Dial Tone
* Duke
* Dusty
* Flint
* Hawk
* Glynis McDougall
* Roderick McDougall
* Rock N' Roll
* Scarlett
* Tunnel Rat (First appearance)

Locations

	+ Castle Destro
	+ United States of America
		- Daytona (First mentioned)
		- The Pit
			* Command and Control
			* The Silo

Organizations and titles

* Cobra
* G.I. Joe
* General

Sentient species

Vehicles and vessels

* V.A.M.P.

Weapons and technology

## Quotes

"*You drive like my mom, Duke!*"
"*Didn't your mom finish third at Daytona?*"
—Crankcase and Duke**[src]**

"*Rat takes the lead. Dusty and Beach follow.*"
"*That doesn't work for me, Duke.*"
"*Huh?*"
"*It's gonna get close up there. These guys're too big. I'm not slowing down if one of them gets wedged. I'll take her.*"
"*Me?*"
"*You're skinny enough for tunnel work.*"
"*I'll take that as flattery.*"
—Duke, Tunnel Rat and Scarlett**[src]**

"*Scarlett, make sure you stay in contact.*"
"*Is that it, Duke?*"
"*No. Don't get lost.*"
"*Nothing else?*"
"*Um… stay frosty?*"
"*Jerk.*"
—Duke and Scarlett**[src]**

"*"Stay frosty?"*"
"*What?*"
"*That's not what she wanted to hear.*"
"*It's over between us, okay?*"
"*If it was, she wouldn't be mad at you.*"
—Beach Head and Duke**[src]**
## Trivia

### G.I. Joe references

* First appearances of **Barbecue**, **Bazooka**, **Boomer**, **Crankcase**, and **Tunnel Rat**.
* Boomer is an original Joe character created by IDW Publishing.
* As with last issue, a mask resembling Destro's traditional steel mask can be seen in a display case as he fights the Baroness.

### Real world references

* Scottish slang used by Rory and Glynis include:
	+ "Bairns": children
	+ "Smeddum": spirit, vigour
* Weapons:
	+ Destro and the Baroness fight with swords; Destro appears to wield a longsword, while Baroness is armed with a basket-hilted sword.
	+ Flint is armed with a SPAS-12 shotgun.
	+ Bazooka carries a small rocket launcher that takes cues from the small launcher that came with his original toy. The launcher looks like a small version of the Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon.
	+ Hawk is armed with an M72 LAW.
	+ Tunnel Rat and Scarlett take M1911 pistols into the ventilation shafts.

### Errors

* Despite being referred to as "James McCullen" in issue two, the surname is spelled as "MacCullen" in this issue.
* One of the Joes defending The Pit appears to be Leatherneck, but he should still be with Stalker's team in Manila.
* The Broadcast Energy Teleporter is referred to by its original name, the "Broadcast Energy Transmitter."

## Cover gallery

Cover A. Art and colors by Dave JohnsonCover B. Art by Robert Atkins, colors by Andrew CrossleyRetailer Incentive. Art by Dave Johnson
## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 ***G.I. Joe #4***
2. ↑  *G.I. Joe #4* on Comic Vine
3. ↑ *G.I. Joe #3*
4. ↑ *G.I. Joe #5*