The next volume of D.C. Jones and Adventure Command International is out, and moves into the next major storyline, going up against their alien foes: The Invaders.
Unlike the prior three volumes, this time the volume is done up to look like a copy of TV Guide, with the six linked short stories tied to a non-existent Adventure Command TV show from 1976.
Written by Jim Beard, these are based on G.I. Joe toys, in particular, and inspired by the Adventure Team era of the action figures in the 1970s, and thus set in that time. But they have been brought back under a new name, fully owned by Beard.
If you read the first three volumes (and, hopefully, the short-story collection), you should have been introduced to them: D.C. Jones, Marcus, Red, Sarge, Kent, Greg, Glenn, Dixie, and Diego. Each has a unique skill, such as pilot, sailor, astronaut, techie, etc., similar to all the G.I. Joe figures during that time. In addition, they were joined by Mike, called “Mecha-Mike” in the comic strip ad in this volume, and Dr. John Bird, who becomes The Bullet. They fill the place of Mike Powers, Atomic Man, and Bulletman from the toy line.
The Invaders are based on the The Intruders: Strong Men From Another World from the toy line, who were armored, cave-men-like aliens. But they also seem similar to the Invaders of the Quinn Martin TV series of the time as well, and there are inspirations from other movies and TV shows of the time.
As noted, this volume gives us what are supposedly “novelizations” of six episodes of the series that were never originally published. These work as “chapters” of the overall work. Sadly, while most of the Adventure Command is there (though not in every chapter), both Mike and The Bullet are not (nor even mentioned), nor are Dixie and Diego.
Things start off when the team is in a small town to look into reports of UFOs. Strange things are going on, centered around an unusual object that fell from the sky decades before. This affects a young girl, causes the death of a museum caretaker, and similar.
The leader, who appears in many of the stories, is known only as Greye. He is able to take over others, or appear in new forms. Will we get to see what they really look like? The “armored cave-men” inspire their servants.
In most of the chapters, they are after items for some mysterious purpose. We’ll only learn what that is in the last chapter. In the next-to-the-last chapter, we have an adventure in the U.S. capital, the team is joined by Veronica Carpenter-Marsh, who is Adventure Command’s financial officer and has a “history” with Jones.
Do they put an end to the threat of the Invaders at the end? Or might there be lingering issues? Read and find out. This was another fun read.
The next volume will be Adventure Command vs. Super-Adventure Command. I am assuming that Super-Adventure Command is an allusion to the Super Joe Action Team that replaced the G.I. Joe Adventure Team in 1977. It should be fun. I look forward to it, and wonder what might come next.
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