April 2009

Origins #3
Cover C Retail Incentive
Short Summary Chimera, who has kidnapped a Governor's daughter, robbed a military convoy, destroyed an armored car, stolen the banks money, has taken over a very secret underground military base. The Joe team heads out to find Chimera at this remote base in the Nevada desert. Hawk and Snake Eyes remain behind as support. Snake Eyes meets Bob Light the hotel manager who has a sword hanging on the wall in his hotel lobby.
Major Players Joes: Breaker, Duke, Hawk, Heavy Duty, Rock 'n' Roll, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Stalker Other: Chimera Additional Characters: Bob Light, Governor's daugther
Notes of Interest Introduction of Rock 'n' Roll & Breaker. New character Bob Light. Major Continuity Differences The original members of the Joe team all meet for the first time. Heavy Duty looks exactly like Roadblock.
Creative Team "Origins #3" Writer: Larry Hama Artists: Mike Hawthorne Colorists: Mike Hawthorne Color Assists: Erik Swanson Letter: Chris Mowry Editor: Andy Schmidt Publisher: IDW Publishing Cover Credits Cover Artist: Andrea Devito Colors by Chris Sotomayor Cover Company: IDW
Long Summary In the hotel room where Snake Eyes is recovering, the original team members of the Joe team are all meeting for the first time. Heavy Duty, Rock 'n' Roll, & Breaker are introduced to Duke, Scarlett, Stalker and Snake Eyes by Hawk. As the team begin getting acquainted both Breaker and Rock 'n' Roll make advances on Scarlett, which she politely avoids. Hawk briefs the team on the current activities of a trouble making billionaire that has the nickname of Chimera, but little is known of his current look. Heavy Duty & Hawk had tailed him until a satellite could track him from above. The satellite followed the vehicle into a closed down military installation in Nevada. This installation is so secret that it isn't even in the records that Hawk can access. Snake Eyes turns up the volume of the TV, where a news report about a National Guard convoy that was hijacked by what is described as a "totally professional and ruthless operation." Heavy Duty spots a label on one of the crates, they believe that Chimera now has anti-tank missile launchers In Northern Utah, an armored bank truck is driving past as it is totally blasted apart by one of these anti-tank missiles. Several mercenaries charge the destroyed truck to retrieve the money. The one surviving guard pleads for his life saying "I got a wife and family". Chimera responses with "That was the wrong thing to say to me. I had a family. In fact, I've had two families." (A brief flashback of Chimera standing over his dead wife with gun in hand is shown) Then he executes the guard. Hawk has been tracking Chimera's movements and he believes that it will lead to the base in Nevada. So he sends the team to go investigate it themselves. He and Snake Eyes will remain at the hotel to handle communications and support. Duke is the field commander and the Joe team has just gone from provisional to operational. The team disperses and Hawk asks Snake Eyes if he could get him something cold with caffeine, he tells him that the owner, Bob Light, isn't one us but he is one of the old boys. In the hotel lobby, as Snake Eyes is getting the cold drink, he spots a sword on a rack above Bob Light's head. Bob is an old cowboy with a wrinkled face, cowboy hat & shirt and reading a book titled "Thucydides: History of the Peloponnesian War". He begins to tell Snake Eyes the story of the sword. His dad brought it back from Iwo Jima. It is a standard army-issue one that has very little value. He says the ones that have value have signatures on the tang. But this sword just has a some weird symbol that is just a bunch of lines. In the C-130 over the Nevada desert the Joe team is gearing up with extra loads of ammo, water, MRE's and two field dressings as they prepare for a night incursion. Rock 'n' Roll, who is hitting on Scarlett, says "I will be Scarlett's jump buddy." But Duke steps in claiming himself as Scarlett's jump buddy. Near the Utah/Nevada border, Chimera and a few of his mercenaries are meeting. One guy makes a joke and Chimera just breaks his neck and says "anybody got any complaints. Good. Let's proceed." As they just leave the body behind. Back in the lobby, Bob has now moved into some stories about his time fighting in Vietnam and shows Snake Eyes something in a box that he describes like a gun. But is unseen. Hawk walks in to interrupt. On the C-130, the Joe team parachutes out of the plane, land, bury there chutes and take off in order to reach their destination by morning. Chimera and his mercenaries are literally in the middle of the desert surrounded by nothing. Chimera walks up to a cactus where he opens a panel which contains a security code keypad. He types in the codes and a large ramp big enough to drive a tank into opens. They proceed to drive their SUV's into the hanger below. They unload and one of the mercenaries is carrying a girl over his shoulder. This girl is the daughter of a particular Governor who is going to be making decisions that are beneficial to Chimera's monetary interests. Then he gives a list of additional targets. They are top investment counselors, heads of international banking firms, a US Senator and a Prime Minister. The Joe team comes upon the tracks of the SUV which just literally disappear. Scarlett discovers a lady's high heel shoe, she presumes that they have a hostage. Inside, the mercenaries are getting the facilities systems online and working as Chimera starts to explain his plan. Which is he wants to start selling sub-prime mortgages, which will be an incentive for banks to make some big money but is also a house of cards. Chimera observes that the girl's shoe is missing just as the infrared sensors pick up the Joe team overhead. Chimera activates a device that cuts off all Breaker's communication. Now that the Joe team has been compromised, Duke makes the decision that they are to storm the compound which is over the hill because there is no way they can get down the ramp nor can they figure out the code. So they spread out as the sun rises and make there attack and Chimera and his mercenaries prepare to defend there base. Back at the hotel, Hawk has lost all communication as well, land lines are down, cell phones fried, email useless. He needs to send the team back up. Bob Light drives Hawk to a phone as Snake Eyes is left behind. Snake Eyes reaches up to grab the sword. Summary by Josh Eggebeen