ABOUT FACE

Rocky Balboa has scored a TKO against Marvel Comics Group: The comics company has recalled its second issue of “G.I. Joe Order of Battle” (which contains “dossiers” on full-time and reserve members of Joe’s squad of super-toughs) because it included the pug patriot.

United Artists owns the rights to Rocky and alerted Hasbro, Inc., Joe’s owner, about the boxer’s appearance in the comic book. Hasbro forced Marvel to print a full-page retraction in the current and the next issue that reads in part: “ROCKY is not and has never been a member of G.I. Joe.”

Writer Larry Hama said that he added Balboa to the strip when he was told that Hasbro was close to securing the character’s rights, but editors failed to double-check--and the rights never cleared.

A Rocky doll likewise won’t be joining Hasbro’s G.I. Joe toys--but the company will add a William (The Refrigerator) Perry doll to the Joes around Super Bowl time, although it may not be sold in stores.