The A-Team Comic (1984)

The A-Team (1984)

Authors: Jim Salicrup / Marie Severin / Alan Kupperberg | Illustrators: Marie Severin / Jim Mooney / Joe Giella / Alan Kupperberg | No. of Issues: 03 | Page Count 24 x 3

"I ain't flyin' with no cowboy!! You hear me, fool!"

It lasted just three issues (March - May 1984), but The A-Team comic was a respectful tie-in to the TV series.

The characters mostly acted (and reacted) in a similar manner to how their TV counterparts might do in the same situation; e.g. B.A. hates to fly and makes a big deal out of things that annoy him - mostly that's Murdock, who gets stuck on a single crazy thread for the entire story-line; Face gets distracted from the business at hand by any lady that he wants to romance; and Hannibal leads, meets potential employers while disguised, and loves successful plans and cigars.

Aiding the tight-knit quartet is reporter Amy Amanda Allen, who blackmailed the team into letting her tag along during Seasons 1 and 2 of the TV series. She's as 'useful' in comic book form as she was onscreen.

The adventures take place in various locations, mostly mainland US states but at least once they fly to Puerto Rico. Each one has a slight twist in the tail, reinforcing the moral code by which the mercenaries live. And there's humour, too, especially from B.A. and Murdock, who bicker like an old married couple.

In the first story B.A. unexpectedly meets an old friend, and the team tackle a group of diamond fencers. In the next they're working for a pair of Japanese business men. Issue three involves a secret army base and high-tech stealth plane, which is bad news for the big guy.

The cover of issue two claims that 'the action never stops', but it did. I don't feel that the comics are an essential component for casual A-Team fans, but dedicated ones may want to check them out for themselves, if they can get a hold of them. I enjoyed them, for what it's worth.

Note: Wikipedia reports that all three publications were later collected into a TPB titled The A-Team Storybook (1984), which might be an easier and cheaper way to get a hold of them.