A story I can’t seem to get out of my head today is “My Dinner with Serpentor” by Larry Hama from the GI Joe Yearbook no.3.
Even as a kid, Serpentor always felt like a one-note character whose only remarkable trait was his catchphrase, “This, I command!” This story sort of caught me by surprise because of the depth he suddenly exhibited, uplifting a trashy microwave pizza to something else.
This bit of characterization made Serpentor more real and formidable. The possibility existed that he could be a viable threat to the Joes since he was able to scratch a victory through reusing stale pita bread.
The ending is nicely done as well, with an incredulous Dr. Mindbender unable to buy it and Serpentor dismissing it all as a memory, while also vividly recalling the truth: that it did bring victory.
What’s nice about this is that the story seems to double as a metaphor for comics as well. An art form that’s dismissed as trash may be overlooked for it’s better qualities simply because of associations people hold with it’s form. Anyways, a lovely bit of comicking.
