The Diplomat
	Short Summary Clutch and Scarlett, with support by Snake-Eyes and Stalker, are given a mission to protect a State Department diplomat named Brain Hassell, actually a Cobra agent. Clutch and Scarlett fight off several Cobra attacks that are intended to make the Joes believe that Hassell is a legitimate target. Snake-Eyes and Stalker do investigating around the world, always running into Cobra trouble. Brian Hassell turns on Scarlett and Clutch and attempts to kill an Ambassador from Al-Alwai. The assassination attempt fails.
	Notes of Interest A non-Larry Hama issue.
	Major Players The Joes - Breaker, Clutch, Grunt, Scarlett, Snake-Eyes, Stalker Additional Joe Appearances - Hawk, Breaker, Grunt Cobra - Cobra Commander Additional Characters - Brian Hassell, Derek Sutherland (deceased), Ambassador to Al-Alawi
Creative Team Writer: Steven Grant, Penciler: Mike Vosburg, Inks: Chic Stone, Letterer: Janice Chiang, Colorist: Andy Yanchus, Editor: Dennis O'Neil, Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Long Summary Stalker and Breaker attack a Cobra secret communications house. Breaker is able to access the database and start collecting information from Cobra's computers, just as he begins, Cobra Commander comes on the screen and blows the place up. The Joe team is able to escape. Some information that Breaker retrieved is usable, based on this partial information Hawk gives Clutch and Scarlett a mission. That mission is to protect State Department diplomat Brian Hassell who is in talks with the Persian Gulf nation of Al-Alawi. Anything that happens to Hassell would disrupt the talks jeopardizing the US influence in the Persian Gulf. Scarlett and Clutch begin protecting Hassell, who is a Cobra agent. Cobra Commander discovers that the Joes are actually protecting one of his agents and initiates attacks intended to fail. The first attack comes on the beach, then as they escape to a hotel their room is bombed, they escape again in a car to an airport where they board an airplane, this plane has a Cobra pilot, after a fight in the plane, the plane crashes, another car chase begins, and a helicopter drops gas causing Clutch to drive off a bridge. In London, Snake-Eyes and Stalker visit Derek Sutherland, a weapons and munitions supplier, and question him about Cobra. He gives them an address in Amsterdam, and then reports into Cobra Commander who promptly electrocutes him to death. In Amsterdam, Stalker is locked in a room with a hologram of Cobra Commander, gas is released, and the Commander tells him that Brian Hassell is a Cobra agent scheduled to kill the ambassador, and the irony is GI Joe is escorting him to the meeting. Snake-Eyes blows open the door, saving Stalker. They immediately head off to stop Cobra agent Hassell. Scarlett, Clutch and Hassell capture the helicopter that bombed them and use it to fly to the meeting in mountains. In route, Hassell pulls a gun and reveals that he is Cobra agent. Clutch and Scarlett are taken prisoner, and the meeting starts with the Ambassador of Al-Alwai. Scarlett is able to escape and skies to the meeting. And just as Hassell has pulled his gun and shot the ambassador, Scarlett busts in to knock him out. The ambassador survives because he was wearing a bullet proof vest. Hassell is taken away. Cobra Commander gets the message about the failure of assassination attempt his response is "and there will be another game." Summary by Josh Eggebeen
Number 9, March 1983