Intro 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993

1994 1995-96 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

COMPLETE GUIDE TO G. I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO

1985 (Series 4)

Overview:

Most fans consider 1985 and 1986 to have been G. I. Joe's best years. . . and not simply because Star Wars toys were being phased out. These were the years of Sunbow's daily cartoon series, and so each new character was highly developed and featured in several episodes. Some of the most popular characters, such as Flint, Lady Jaye, Bazooka, and the Crimson Twins, were released this year, along with a number of new Cobra troop designs. There was great diversity in the look of characters and vehicles, though the Joe=green, Cobra=blue pattern was still visible. The figures featured a new construction design: a swivel-ball neck joint, which allowed the character to look up and down as well as side to side. Unlike 1983's swivel-arm battle grip, this design was not publicized, and older figures were not retro-fitted with the design. In fact, later repaints of 1982-84 figures continued to have the simpler swivel-only neck joint. By the end of 1985, Toy and Hobby World had rated G. I. Joe the best-selling toy in America.

As the older toys were retired, it was apparent that some of the new toys were specifically designed to replace them. For example, while Joe's Headquarters was no longer available in stores, a new, larger set was sold: the U.S.S. Flagg. Vehicles such as the Mauler, AWE Striker, and Silver Mirage, strongly resembled 1982's MOBAT, VAMP, and RAM. In view of their similar functions, it is evident that Bazooka was a replacement for Zap, Footloose for Grunt, Lady Jaye for Scarlett, and (possibly) Shipwreck for Torpedo. The irreplaceable Snake Eyes was released in a new design, a first for carded figures. Many figures packaged in 1985 came with inserts for the "Triple Win Game," also advertised on television. It offered primarily non-toy merchandise.

The regular cartoon series, by the Sunbow company which had produced the animated commercials and two previous mini-series, debuted in fall 1985 and incorporated nearly every character and vehicle back to 1982. There was continuity from one episode to the next (e.g., "Worlds Without End" contains references to "Revenge of Cobra"'s Weather Dominator), but the show ignored any history established by the comic. The original miniseries were aired along with the first season episodes (but with their own opening sequences), and another 55 episodes were produced for the season. The cartoon distinguished itself from the comic book by toning down its violence, upping the humor, and making some characters more likeable than their filecards might suggest. The most notable difference in the first season is the exclusion of Hawk as G. I. Joe's leader, since the figure was not then sold in stores. Duke was designated the Joe leader for the cartoon, with a surprisingly low-ranking Flint (E-6) second in command. They answered to Colonel Sharp. Featured characters were selected from all four years of G. I. Joe, and overall the appearances were well balanced, with the exception of Cobra vehicle drivers and those from Joe's 1985 assortment. The comics continued with their own, unrelated storyline, which gave Cobra Commander a son, paved the way for Storm Shadow's eventual defection to G. I. Joe, and began a build-up to a major Joe-Cobra confrontation the following year.

The main art for the year had the new Joes standing with arms raised in front of a mountain with "G. I.Joe" embossed on its face. Seven SkyStrikers fly in the distance. The Joes shown, from left to right, are Quick Kick, Barbecue, Airtight, Snake-Eyes, Bazooka, Shipwreck, Alpine, Flint, Dusty, Lady Jaye, and Footloose.

Contents:

• Original Dreadnoks
• Carded Joe and Cobra figures
• Figures included with vehicles
• Equipment
• Mail Offers
• Sunbow Cartoons
• Marvel Comics

Figures:

Figure minimum price: $2.29

(Prices reflect original store price, not current value. Items are not for sale on this site.)

Buzzer	Item # 6433	Sears-exclusive 3-Pack (?), then carded
Dreadnok
File Name: Richard Blinken-Smythe		Specialty and M.O.: A scavenger of the swamps, Buzzer can cut through steel, wrought iron, and any metal (except armor plate) with his diamond-toothed chain saw.
POB: Cambridge, England
Appearance: yellow hair with ponytail; silver sunglasses; tan sleeveless open-collared shirt with green strap; light blue jeans with black belt and six thigh pads; black left wristband; snake tattoo on shoulder; brown boots.
Cartoon appearance: shirt sometimes had short sleeves; grey chest grenades on thin brown strap; brown leg padding.
Accessories: silver backpack (new, with detachable fuel tank); silver chainsaw rifle (new); silver chain axe (new, with U-shaped blade).
Filecard Information: Buzzer was an extreme left-wing Cambridge sociology don who went to Australia to research the biker gang phenomenon only to be transformed into the very object of his research. Years of intellectual displeasure and extreme indignation at society's two-faced morality manifested into the intense desire to chainsaw apart the expensive geegaws of technological society.
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 2004 (Convention) 3. 2005 (Comic #75) 4. 2007 (25th Wave 2)
Variations: Early versions of Buzzer's filecard refer to "repressed psychotic anger" instead of "extreme indignation." Late versions finish the first sentence, "went to Australia for a short respite only to find himself—one year later—transformed into a vexated wanderer."
Mold: head—Buzzer (85, 04) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Buzzer (85, 04, 05)
Toy notes: Head construction, item number, and copyright indicate a 1984 design, but carded with the 1985 assortment. Reportedly released for the 1984 Christmas season with Ripper and Torch as a Dreadnoks 3-pack a Sears exclusive, but this is unproven. Recolored versions were released in India. The 2004 and 2005 versions were named "Dreadnok Buzzer."
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Neil Ross. Cockney accent. Spoke 116 lines in 36 episodes. First appeared and spoke in TROC 1. Total appearances: 49. Buzzer was seen operating the Chameleon, FANG, Ferret, and Swampfire, as well as the RAM and various styles of cartoon-exclusive Dreadnok cycles.
Prioritized appearance list: Cobra's Candidate, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Countdown for Zartan, The Wrong Stuff, Twenty Questions, Worlds Without End I-II, Battle for the Train of Gold, Flint's Vacation, Cold Slither, Lights! Camera! Cobra!, Where the Retpiles Roam, Memories of Mara, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1, 2, 4, and 5, Let's Play Soldier, The Revenge of Cobra parts 1 and 3-5, My Brother's Keeper, The Movie parts 1-5, The Synthoid Conspiracy I, The Invaders, Cobrathon, Nightmare Assault, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep. One line: Jungle Trap, There's No Place Like Springfield II, Once Upon a Joe, Glamour Girls, The Spy Who Rooked Me, Grey Hairs and Growing Pains, Second-Hand Emotions. Silent: Cobra CLAWs Are Coming to Town, Computer Complications, The Million Dollar Medic, The Rotten Egg. Buzzer is included in the opening sequences of TROC, season 1, and season 2.
Comic notes: Buzzer appeared in 32 issues between 1984 and 1994: #25, 28, 30, 32, 33, 35, 40, 42, 43, 47-52, 54, 60, 73-77, 79, 81, 89-91, 93, 98, 99, 145, and Special Missions #21.

 

Ripper	Item # 6434	Sears-exclusive 3-Pack (?), then carded
Dreadnok
File Name: Harry Nod		Specialty and M.O.: Edged weapons and cutting tools. Is known throughout the swamps for using his blade like a cross between a fireman's axe and a can opener to unlock gates and crack safes.
POB: Grim Cape, Tasmania
Appearance: black Mohawk hair and beard; red sunglasses; ripped sleeveless green camouflage with gold knife; light blue jeans with black belt, holster, and boots.
Cartoon appearance: yellow leopard-print vest with grenade and knife matching the figure's; gold medallion around neck; glasses almost always silver instead of red.
Accessories: silver backpack (new, with detachable engine and side pegs); silver rifle (new, with fancy bayonet); silver power jaws (new, one piece); black hose (long standard).
Filecard Information: There are devils in Tasmania and Ripper is probably the meanest of them all. Was expelled from nursery school for extorting candy from his schoolmates and spent most of his adult life in various correctional institutions. He is a professional criminal motivated by greed and a malignant dislike for the niceties of civilization—except for motorcycles.
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 2002 (JvC Wave 4) 3. 2003 (JvC Wave 6) 4. 2004 (Convention) 5. 2005 (Comic #75) 6. 2008 (Comic #30)
Variations: Early versions of the filecard do not have the closing phrase "except for motorcycles."
Mold: head—Ripper (85, 04) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Ripper (85, 04, 05)
Toy notes: Head construction and copyright indicate a 1984 design, but carded with the 1985 assortment. Reportedly released for the 1984 Christmas season with Buzzer and Torch as a Dreadnoks 3-pack a Sears exclusive, but this is unproven. Recolored versions were released in India. Versions from 2002 onward were named Dreadnok Ripper.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Christopher Latta. Cockney accent. Spoke 83 lines in 34 episodes. First appeared and spoke in TROC 1. Total appearances: 46. Ripper was seen operating the Chameleon, FANG, Ferret, Stinger, Swampfire and Water Moccasin, as well as the RAM and various styles of cartoon-exclusive Dreadnok cycles.
Prioritized appearance list: Glamour Girls, Countdown for Zartan, The Revenge of Cobra parts 1 and 3-5, Second-Hand Emotions, Cobra's Candidate, Cold Slither, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1, 4, and 5, Twenty Questions, Worlds Without End I-II, Let's Play Soldier, The Movie 1-5, Battle for the Train of Gold, Flint's Vacation, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1, 2, 4, and 5, The Synthoid Conspiracy I-II, Memories of Mara, The Wrong Stuff, Nightmare Assault. One line: Lights! Camera! Cobra!, Where the Reptiles Roam, The Invaders, Once Upon a Joe, The Spy Who Rooked Me, My Brother's Keeper. Silent: Jungle Trap, Cobra CLAWs Are Coming to Town, There's No Place Like Springfield II, Computer Complications, Cobrathon, The Rotten Egg. Ripper is included in the opening sequences of TROC, season 1, and season 2.
Comic notes: Ripper appeared in 24 issues between 1984 and 1990: #25, 28, 30, 32, 33, 35, 47-52, 54, 64, 74-77, 79, 81, 90, 91, 93, and 98.

 

Torch	Item # 6435	Sears-exclusive 3-Pack (?), then carded
Dreadnok
File Name: Tom Winken		Specialty and M.O.: Works with Oxy-Acetylene torch as a general cutter mostly on remodeling stolen cars and occasional safe crackings. Scavenges the swamps for fun and profit.
POB: Botany Bay, New South Wales
Appearance: brown hair, sideburns, and moustache; red headband; black sunglasses, spiked collar, and open vest; skull necklace; dark grey right armband and gloves; light blue jeans with dark grey holsters and boots; silver chain belt and boots.
Cartoon appearance: redder hair with a full beard; tan boots and leg straps.
Accessories: silver backpack (new, fuel tanks with cord hole); silver acetylene torch (new, with cord).
Filecard Information: Subject was remanded to Borstal [Reform school] at age fourteen. Escaped and went to sea in the Merchant Marine where he learned the use of the cutting torch. Torch is an illiterate, unrepenant thug whose penchant for sudden and unexpected violence is matched only by the utter depth of his stupidity.
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 2005 (Valor vs. Venom) 3. 2008 (Comic #30)
Variations: Some filecards add that Torch "later rode with the Melbourne Maulers M[otorcycle] C[lub]."
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Head construction and copyright indicate a 1984 design, but carded with the 1985 assortment. Reportedly released for the 1984 Christmas season with Buzzer and Ripper as a Dreadnoks 3-pack as a Sears exclusive, but this is unproven. A slightly different version was released in Argentina as Calavera. Versions from 2005 onward were named Dreadnok Torch.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Frank Welker. Cockney accent. Spoke 110 lines in 35 episodes. First appeared and spoke in TROC 1. Total appearances: 48. Torch was seen operating the Chameleon, FANG, Ferret, and Swampfire, as well as the RAM and various styles of cartoon-exclusive Dreadnok cycles.
Prioritized appearance list: The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Countdown for Zartan, Let's Play Soldier, The Revenge of Cobra parts 1 and 3-5, Glamour Girls, Cold Slither, Cobra's Candidate, Worlds Without End I-II, Nightmare Assault, Lights! Camera! Cobra!, Flint's Vacation, The Wrong Stuff, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1, 2, 4, and 5, The Movie parts 1-5, Where the Reptiles Roam, Memories of Mara, The Invaders. One line: Jungle Trap, Battle for the Train of Gold, The Synthoid Conspiracy I, Twenty Questions, Once Upon a Joe, The Spy Who Rooked Me, Grey Hairs and Growing Pains, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep. Silent: Cobra CLAWs Are Coming to Town, There's No Place Like Springfield II, Computer Complications, Cobrathon, The Rotten Egg, My Brother's Keeper, Second-Hand Emotions. Torch is included in the opening sequences of TROC, season 1, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Torch appeared in 25 issues between 1984 and 1989: #25, 28, 30, 32, 33, 35, 47-52, 54, 64, 73-77, 79, 81, 89-91, and 93.

Airtight	Item # 6439	Regular Carded Assortment
Hostile Environment		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 307-42-4683
File Name: Corp. Kurt Schnurr		Primary MOS: CBR (Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Warfare)
POB: New Haven, CT		Secondary MOS: Ordnance
Appearance: green helmet with 2 black stripes on top and black face mask; yellow shirt and pants with green vest, gloves, belt, and boots; black control panel on vest.
Cartoon appearance: paler yellow and darker green than the figure; often seen without helmet, with brown hair
Accessories: light green backpack (new, with hose notch); black Sniffer (new, CBR sensor); black air hose (new, short with ridges except under notch); black hose (long standard).
Filecard Information: Kurt was the kid who could hold his breath the longest. He was also the kid who had the largest collection of plastic dinosaurs on the block. He was a weird kid who grew up to be an even stranger adult. It takes a mighty weird person to walk into a cloud of toxic gas strong enough to fell a mutant weight-lifter cockroach wearing a protective suit built under contract for the government by the lowest bidder. "Airtight is an unreformed practical joker; sneezing powder, plastic barf, whoopee cushion—the whole bit!! No prank is too low for him. You'd think that other Joes would hate his guts, but they don't. Because when the bad guys escalate the fire fight and start playing dirty, it's old Airtight who suits up and wades into the thick of it."
Versions: 1. 1985
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Featured in the commercial for the Check Point and Air Defense. Airtight's job description somewhat foreshadows the role of the Eco Warriors later in the toy line; in view of this, it is perhaps surprising that Flint, Deep Six, and Barbecue, not Airtight, were chosen by Hasbro for the unit. A slightly recolored version was released in India. A Tiger Force version was released in Brazil as Ar Puro. A second version of Airtight was planned for the cancelled fourth wave of DTC (2007-08).
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Patrick Fraley. Spoke 75 lines in 9 episodes. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 2. Total appearances: 17. Airtight was seen operating the JUMP, LCV Recon Sled, Silver Mirage, Sky Hawk, and SkyStriker, as well as several cartoon exclusives: a cargo plane, a hypodermic jet, and a motorcycle.
Prioritized appearance list: The Germ, The Funhouse, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 2 and 3, Worlds Without End I-II, The Greenhouse Effect, Primordial Plot. One line: Flint's Vacation. Silent: Cobra Quake, An Eye for an Eye, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1, 2, and 5, Sins of Our Fathers, The Movie parts 3 and 5. Airtight is included in the opening sequences of season 1 and the Movie.
Comic notes: Airtight appeared in 13 issues between 1986 and 1994: #44, 49, 50, 52, 54, 130, 140-142, 144, Special Missions #2 and 21, and Yearbook #2.

 

Alpine	Item # 6443	Regular Carded Assortment
Mountain Trooper		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 237-51-3844
File Name: Corp. Albert M. Pine		Primary MOS: Mountain Trooper
POB: Minidoka, ID		Secondary MOS: Finance Clerk
Appearance: African-American; black hair and moustache; green and black cap; black goggles; white shirt with green and black jacket; green gloves with brown wrists; yellow rope across chest; brown bants with black belt and green boots.
Cartoon appearance: brown shirt under vest; white goggle frames and symbol on front of cap.
Accessories: tan backpack (new, with axe clip); black machine pistol (new Beretta PM 12); black grappling gun (new, with sling); black pickaxe (new); two black grappling hooks (new) with string.
Filecard Information: From the middle of the flat dusty Snake River Plain where Alpine was born he could see the mountains on the horizon in almost every direction like a physical barrier between him and the world he wanted. He took up mountain climbing during college and continued as a recreational climber during his brief tenure as an accountant for a large publishing firm. The G. I. Joe team gave Alpine the most hazardous of all conditions: with COBRA shooting at him! Graduated Ranger School, Fort Benning. Qualified Expert: M-16, M-14, M-60, M-1911A1. "Every time Alpine scales a sheer cliff piton by piton, overcoming granite and gravity with muscle and persistance [sic], he is symbolically climbing out of the quagmire of his past. That's why we send him up first on vertical assaults. He doesn't take to being knocked down too easily."
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 2004/I (VvV Wave 2) 3. 2004/II (Tiger Force) 4. 2004/III (Single Pack)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Featured in the commercial for the Check Point and Air Defense. The only other mountain climbing figure was Rock Viper.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Lee Weaver. Spoke 227 lines in 24 episodes. 19th most frequent speaker. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 1. Total appearances: 38. Alpine was seen operating the AWE Striker, Dragonfly, JUMP, Killer WHALE, Silver Mirage, SkyStriker, and Snow Cat, as well as a CLAW and a Trubble Bubble. Frequently paired with Bazooka.
Prioritized appearance list: The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, The Greenhouse Effect, The Funhouse, The Gods Below, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, Where the Reptiles Roam, Twenty Questions, The Viper Is Coming, An Eye for an Eye, The Wrong Stuff, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1-3 and 5, Skeletons in the Closet, The Movie parts 1-3 and 5, Money to Burn, The Phantom Brigade, Cold Slither, Nightmare Assault. One line: Captives of Cobra I. Silent: The Synthoid Conspiracy II, The Gamesmaster, Lasers in the Night, The Traitor I, Memories of Mara, The Pit of Vipers, There's No Place Like Springfield I, Sink the Montana, The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep. Alpine is included in the opening sequences of season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Alpine appeared in 10 issues between 1986 and 1989: #45-47, 49-51, 64, Special Missions #2 and 25, and Yearbook #2.

 

Barbecue	Item # 6445	Regular Carded Assortment
Firefighter		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 321-61-4231
File Name: Corp. Gabriel A. Kelly		Primary MOS: Fireman
POB: Boston, MA		Secondary MOS: Infantry
Appearance: dark grey helmet with silver face mask; orange-red shirt, gloves, and pants with dark grey shoulder pocket, air tank, belt, holster, wristbands, and boots; silver emblem on right arm.
Cartoon appearance: truer red than the near-orange figure; usually seen without helmet, with curly red hair.
Accessories: dark grey backpack (new, with red tanks); dark grey pistol (new, extinguisher); dark grey axe (new, with silver blade); black hose (long standard).
Filecard Information: If Kelly hadn't joined the G. I. Joe Team he would have been the seventh Kelly in his direct line in the Boston Fire department. His love for the job is not based on family loyalty or even a more general sense of duty; he simply likes riding on the back of the truck with the wind in his face and sirens wailing, lights flashing and the bells clanging. Being allowed to knock down doors and smash windows with his axe is just frosting on the cake. "Barbecue is what you call your basic party animal. He can open bottles with his teeth, pick up quarters with his ears, and wrap his lips completely around the bottom of a quart Coke bottle. You may well ask how all this affects his function as the G. I. Joe Firefighter . . . . It doesn't. It simply makes him a more interesting fellow to have around."
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1989 (Slaughter's Marauders) 3. 1992 (Eco-Warriors)
Variations: None.
Mold: Barbecue (85, 89)
Toy notes: Featured in the AWE Striker commercial. At some point Barbecue may have been available through a mail-in offer. A recolored version was released in India.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Patrick Fraley. Spoke 103 lines in 11 episodes. First appeared in TPOD 1 but did not speak until The Greenhouse Effect. Total appearances: 22. Barbecue was seen operating the Dragonfly, Falcon Glider, FLAK, Silver Mirage, and Snow Cat, as well as a cartoon-exclusive motorcycle.
Prioritized appearance list: The Viper Is Coming, Worlds Without End I-II, Captives of Cobra I-II, The Greenhouse Effect, The Gods Below, The Invaders, Flint's Vacation, Skeletons in the Closet. One line: Cold Slither. Silent: The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1 and 5, The Synthoid Conspiracy II, Twenty Questions, The Gamesmaster, The Traitor II, The Wrong Stuff, There's No Place Like Springfield I, Arise Serpentor Arise part 1, Sink the Montana, The Movie part 5. Barbecue was included in the opening sequences of season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Barbecue appeared in 10 issues between 1985 and 1992: #40, 41, 47-50, 52, 78, 130, and Yearbook #2.

 

Bazooka	Item # 6438	Regular Carded Assortment
Missile Specialist		E-5 (Army sergeant)	SN: 112-40-0577
File Name: Sgt. David L. Katzenbogen		Primary MOS: Armor Defeating Weapons Systems
POB: Hibbing, MN		Secondary MOS: Tank driver
Appearance: black hair and moustache; red football shirt with blue "14" on front and blue collar; green wristbands, pants, and belt; dark grey boots.
Cartoon appearance: tan helmet and pants; brown wristbands.
Accessories: light green helmet (new, with brim strap); light green backpack (new, with canteen and missiles); black missile launcher (new, M72 LAW with sling and pointed tip).
Filecard Information: Bazooka was driving an Abrams tank in the "Third Horde" (Third Armored Div.) when he came to the realization that an illiterate farmer armed with a $200 disposable rocket launcher could knock out a million dollar tank with less than two weeks training. He put in for a transfer immediately. Training: Advanced Infantry School, Fort Benning; Armor School, Fort Knox. Qualified expert: Dragon Anti-Tank Missile, Milan System, LAW rocket, Recoilless rifle, LAW System and all Warsaw Pact RPG systems. Subject is also EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) qualifiedup to the tac-op category. Subject is a decisive fast-thinker with all the instincts of a natural survivor.
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1993 (Battle Corps) 4. 2004 (Quick Strike) 5. 2005 (Valor vs. Venom)
Variations: Early figures (most or all of 1985) had a thicker, less detailed LAW missile launcher that also came with Footloose. Bazooka's belt could be either cream-colored or a bluish green.
Mold: head, arms, and torso—Bazooka (85, 88) waist and legs—Bazooka (85, 88), Rumbler (87)
Toy notes: Also available through various mail-in offers from 1988 to 1992. Versions from 2004 onward were named "Sergeant Bazooka."
Cartoon notes: Voiced by John Hostetter. Minnesota accent. Spoke 167 lines in 17 episodes. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 1. Total appearances: 32. Bazooka was seen operating the AWE Striker, JUMP, Killer WHALE, Mauler, Silver Mirage, and Snow Cat, as well as a Trubble Bubble and a cartoon-exclusive Cobra helicopter. Despite the filecard description, the cartoon placed Bazooka in the mythic role of "lovable goof," and he rarely spoke in complete sentences (though he was capable of flying a helicopter). Usually paired him with Alpine.
Prioritized appearance list: Cobra Quake, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, Where the Reptiles Roam, The Gods Below, The Funhouse, The Greenhouse Effect, The Pit of Vipers, An Eye for an Eye, Cold Slither, Lasers in the Night, Flint's Vacation. One line; The Movie parts 1-3 and 5. Silent: The Wrong Stuff, There's No Place Like Springfield I, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1-3 and 5, Sink the Montana, Once Upon a Joe, The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, Ninja Holiday, Sins of Our Fathers, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep. Bazooka was included in the opening sequences of season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Bazooka appeared in 12 issues between 1986 and 1990: #44, 46, 47, 49, 50, 63, 64, 67, 78, 90, 100, and Special Missions #27.

 

Dusty	Item # 6442	Regular Carded Assortment
Desert Trooper		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 371-11-4605
File Name: Corp. Ronald W. Tadur		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Las Vegas, NV		Secondary MOS: Refrigeration and air-conditioning maintenance
Appearance: brown camo paint on face; tan hat with goggles and cloth; tan shirt and pants with brown camo; black backpack straps, belt, and boots; white panels on chest.
Cartoon appearance: green camo spots on uniform; when without helmet, sometimes had black hair (Lights! Camera! Cobra!) and sometimes red (The Traitor).
Accessories: tan backpack (new, with two canteens); black assault rifle (new, FAMAS F-1) with bipod.
Filecard Information: Dusty loves the desert. It is clean, pure, and unforgiving. Unlike Vegas which is always willing to give you a second chance, Dusty was working as a refrigerator repairman and studying desert ecology at night when his pre-enlistment application for the G. I. Joe Team was approved. He took Basic at Fort Bliss, TX and loved every minute of it. Qualified expert: M-16, M-14, M-1911A1, M-60. "It's not enough nowadays to have a rapid-reaction force responsive instantaneously to explosive situations in far flung corners of the globe. That force must be capable of surviving in a diverse array of hostile environments to accomplish its objectives. If that means having one expert for every type of environment on every team to take on survival responsibilities on that terrain, then so be it."
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1991 (w/ Sandstorm) 4. 2000 (RAH Collection) 5. 2002/I (Night Rhino) 6. 2002/II (JvC Wave 2) 7. 2002/III (Sand Razor) 8. 2002/IV (JvC Wave 4) 9. 2004/I (Valor vs. Venom) 10. 2004/II (Desert Patrol)
Variations: The prototype appearing in commercials had much darker brown camo spots, and raccoon-like face paint.
Mold: head, arms, torso, and waist—Dusty (85, 88) legs—Dusty (85, 88), Claymore (86)
Toy notes: Named for Hasbro artist Ron Rudat.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Neil Ross. Southern accent. Spoke 250 lines in 17 episodes. 17th most frequent speaker. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 1. Total appearances: 30. Dusty was seen operating the AWE Striker, HAVOC, LCV Recon Sled, Mauler, Silver Mirage, Sky Hawk, and SkyStriker, as well as the Cobra Ferret, Stinger, and Water Moccasin and one of the Dreadnoks' cycles. He also commanded a space shuttle mission. In the cartoon, his last name was given as "Rudat," a reverse spelling of the name on his filecard.
Prioritized appearance list: The Traitor I-II, Hearts and Cannons, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Satellite Down, The Invaders, Captives of Cobra I-II, The Germ, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 2-3, Lights! Camera! Cobra!, The Funhouse, Cobra CLAWs Are Coming to Town, Cold Slither. Silent: The Synthoid Conspiracy II, The Greenhouse Effect, The Viper Is Coming, Lasers in the Night, An Eye for an Eye, The Great Alaskan Land Rush, G. I. Joe and the Golden Fleece, The Movie parts 1-3 and 5. Dusty was included in the opening sequences of season 1 and season 2.
Comic notes: Dusty appeared in 24 issues between 1987 and 1992: #58, 59, 63, 64, 67, 72, 78, 83, 90, 100, 111-115, 120-123, 128, 129, and Special Missions #13, 17, and 25.

 

Flint	Item # 6436	Regular Carded Assortment
Warrant Officer		E-6 (Army staff sergeant)	SN: 307-62-4107
File Name: Sgt. Dashiell R. Faireborn		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Wichita, KS		Secondary MOS: Helicopter Pilot
Appearance: black beret with red emblem; black hair; black shirt with green ammo belts; green and brown camo pants with brown belts and gloves; green and black boots.
Cartoon appearance: dark green shirt with reddish brown straps; camo on pants consisted of wavy stripes of dark green and reddish brown.
Accessories: green backpack (new, with canteen and grenade); green shotgun (new, Ithaca 37?).
Filecard Information: Flint was a Rhodes Scholar and earned his degree in English Lit. Bored by the Groves of Academe, he enlisted in the Army and applied the tenacity and concentration he had used so well scholastically to grind his way through Airborne School, Ranger School, Special Forces School, and finally Flight Warrant Officers School . . . . Graduating each with top honors. A thorough tactical planner, Flint drafted and personally led a half dozen rescue missions in hostile territories that for obvious reasons of security were never publicized let alone admitted to. "We had thought COBRA had us in the stinking dungeon for good—So we didn't know what was going down when we heard that chopper comin' in and all the heavy hardware going off like the Fourth of July. Then somebody kicked down the door to our cell and when the smoke cleared, there was Flint with that lop-sided grin sayin' 'C'mon boys, we're going home . . . .'"
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1988 (Tiger Force) 3. 1991 (Eco-Warriors) 4. 1994 (Battle Corps) 5. 2001 (Desert Striker) 6. 2002/I (Headquarters) 7. 2002/II (JvC Wave 3) 8. 2003 (JvC Wave 6) 9. 2004/I (Night Force) 10. 2004/II (Built to Rule) 11. 2005 (Comic #74) 12. 2007 (25th Wave 1)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Flint (85, 88, 04/I) torso and legs—Flint (85, 88, 04/I, 05) upper arms—Flint (85, 88, 04/I, 05), Claymore (86), Starduster (87) lower arms—Flint (85, 88), Claymore (86), Starduster (87) waist—Flint (85, 88, 04/I, 05), Claymore (86)
Toy notes: Featured in the Terror Drome commercial. While his function is Warrant Officer, that is not his rank (E-6). True warrant officers include Torpedo, Wild Bill, Lift-Ticket, and Major Altitude. Future versions of Flint correct his grade to WO-4 (chief warrant officer). Also, filecards for the 1991, 1994, and 2001 versions spell his last name "Faireborne." A slightly different version was released in India.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Bill Ratner. Spoke 951 lines in 52 episodes. 3rd most frequent speaker. First appeared and spoke in TROC 1. Total appearances: 62. Flint was seen operating the APC, Armadillo, AWE Striker, Conquest, Dragonfly, Falcon Glider, JUMP, Killer WHALE, LCV Recon Sled, MANTA, Mauler, MOBAT, Polar Battle Bear, SHARC, Silver Mirage, Sky Hawk, SkyStriker (in 15 episodes), Slugger, and Snow Cat, as well as the Cobra FANG, Rattler, Stinger, Stun, and Swampfire, and several cartoon-exclusive vehicles: a convoy truck, a copter made of SkyStriker parts, a motorcycle, a passenger plane, and a Cobra sub. The cartoon romantically paired Flint with Lady Jaye. The Transformers series featured a character named Marissa Faireborn whose father was voiced by Bill Ratner and who may have been intended as Flint's daughter.
Prioritized appearance list: The Revenge of Cobra parts 1-5, The Spy Who Rooked Me, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Worlds Without End I-II, Grey Hairs and Growing Pains, Haul Down the Heavens, The Funhouse, Flint's Vacation, Last Hour to Doomsday, The Traitor I-II, Eau de Cobra, Primordial Plot, The Gamesmaster, The Pit of Vipers, Cobra Quake, Skeletons in the Closet, Satellite Down, Not a Ghost of a Chance, An Eye for an Eye, Cobra's Creatures, The Germ, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1, 2, and 5, Money to Burn, Red Rocket's Glare, Where the Reptiles Roam, Cobrathon, Glamour Girls, Excalibur, Cobra Soundwaves, Twenty Questions, Sins of Our Fathers, There's No Place Like Springfield I, Hearts and Cannons, The Synthoid Conspiracy I-II, My Favorite Things, The Movie parts 2 and 5. Silent: The Viper Is Coming, Lasers in the Night, The Wrong Stuff, Cold Slither, Sink the Montana, The Million Dollar Medic, Once Upon a Joe, The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep. Flint was included in the opening sequences of TROC, season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Flint appeared in 53 issues between 1985 and 1994: #37, 38, 45-47, 49-55, 57, 58, 61, 63, 67, 72-74, 76, 77, 86-88, 93, 97, 99-105, 111, 112, 114, 116, 117, 120-125, 140, 148-151, 155, Special Missions #8, and Yearbook #2.

 

Footloose	Item # 6444	Regular Carded Assortment
Infantry Trooper		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 039-44-9036
File Name: Corp. Andrew D. Meyers		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Gary, IN		Secondary MOS: Special Services (basketball coach)
Appearance: brown hair and moustache; open-collar, short-sleeved, green and brown camo shirt and pants; light green backpack straps and belt; dark grey and green boots.
Cartoon appearance: black hair; light brownish-grey camo on darker green outfit; very light tan straps and backpack.
Accessories: green helmet (new, with brown leaves); cream backpack (new, with canteen and two grenades); black assault rifle (new, M16 with sling); black missile launcher (new, M72 LAW with sling, flat tip).
Filecard Information: Meyers was Valedictorian of his high school class, captain of the track team, and an Eagle scout. He was going for his degree in Phys. Ed. on a state scholarship when he suddenly dropped out, moved to the coast, and became quite weird for about three years. He was standing on the boardwalk in Venice pondering something cosmic when the utter pointlessness of his existence hit him between the eyes like a runaway freight train. "I think I'll join the Army," he said, and promptly did. Took basic and AIT at Fort Benning, graduated jump school and desert training unit. Qualified expert all NATO and Warsaw Pact small arms. "Some of the Joes think that Footloose is out there, but all he's trying to do is find himself. He's an All-American Boy who got lost on the way to the fair and he's simply trying to go home any which way he can. Most folks think they know who they are and where they're going . . . . They're the dangerous ones!"
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1989 (Slaughter's Marauders) 3. 2005 (DTC)
Variations: Some versions had darker camouflage than others. The prototype appearing in commercials had a totally green helmet.
Mold: head—Footloose (85, 89), Claymore (86), Rumbler (87) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Footloose (85, 89)
Toy notes:
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Will Ryan. California accent. Spoke 111 lines in 10 episodes. First appeared in TPOD 1; first spoke in TPOD 2. Total appearances: 22. Footloose was seen operating the Armadillo, AWE Striker, JUMP, LCV Recon Sled, Mauler, Sky Hawk, and Snow Cat, as well as a Cobra Stinger and a cargo plane and motorcycle, both cartoon exclusives.
Prioritized appearance list: Hearts and Cannons, Worlds Without End I-II, Excalibur, The Viper Is Coming, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-3, Cold Slither, Captives of Cobra I-II, Flint's Vacation. Silent: The Synthoid Conspiracy II, Spell of the Siren, Where the Reptiles Roam, The Traitor I, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 2-3, Once Upon a Joe, The Movie parts 3-5. Footloose was included in the opening sequences of season 1 and the Movie.
Comic notes: Footloose appeared in 7 issues between 1985 and 1989: #37, 38, 49, 50, 90, Special Missions #8, and Yearbook #2.

 

Lady Jaye	Item # 6440	Regular Carded Assortment
Covert Operations		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 853-71-6749
File Name: Corp. Alison R. Hart-Burnett		Primary MOS: Intelligence
POB: Martha's Vineyard, MA		Secondary MOS: Personnel clerk
Appearance: black hat with silver circle on front; brown hair; green open-collared, short-sleeved shirt and pants; brown backpack straps and belt; black gloves and boots.
Cartoon appearance: no hat; dark green gloves and pants, with brown boots; knife strapped to chest on left side, attaching to diagonal chest strap; backpack was a dark green cylindrical quiver filled with javelins.
Accessories: light green backpack (new, square pouch); light grey power javelin (new); light green video camera (new, with strap).
Filecard Information: Lady Jaye graduated from Bryn Mawr and did her graduate work at Trinity College in Dublin where she acquired the faint Gaelic lilt that adorns her speech. An accomplished actress and mime as well as a studied linguist, she can easily pass as a native in France, Italy, Poland, Russia, Germany, Afghanistan, Spain, and Portugal. Airborne and Ranger qualified, graduated intelligence school Fort Holabird. Qualified expert: M-16, M1911A1 and reflex crossbow. "Lady Jaye doesn't go in for that phoney wig and rubber mask brand of disguise like those jokers on Mission Impossible . . . . She becomes the subject: body language, subtle gesture, correct shading of dialect—The right look in the eye. Cloaked and sandaled, she can squat down with a basket of oranges in any Middle Eastern marketplace and blend in perfectly."
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1997 (3-Pack) 3. 2003/I (Convention) 4. 2003/II (Spy Troops) 5. 2006 (Comic #44) 6. 2007 (25th Wave 2)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Lady Jaye (85, 97, 03/I) upper arms and torso—Lady Jaye (85, 97, 03/I), Volga (98) lower arms—Lady Jaye (85, 97, 03/I, 06), Volga (98, 05) waist and legs—Lady Jaye (85, 97, 03/I, 06), Volga (98, 05), Doc (07)
Toy notes: A slightly different version was released in India.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Mary McDonald-Lewis. Spoke 959 lines in 56 episodes. 2nd most frequent speaker. First appeared and spoke in TROC 1. Total appearances: 65. Lady Jaye was seen operating the Armadillo, AWE Striker, Conquest, Dragonfly, Falcon Glider, HAVOC recon craft, Killer WHALE, LCV Recon Sled, MANTA, Polar Battle Bear, RAM, SHARC, Silver Mirage, Sky Hawk, SkyStriker, Snow Cat, Tomahawk, and VAMP, as well as the Cobra Moray, Night Raven, and Stun, and several cartoon-exclusive vehicles: the Ghost jet, a jeep, a motorcycle, and a Cobra sub. The cartoon romantically paired Lady Jaye with Flint. The episode Skeletons in the Closet revealed that Lady Jaye was related to Destro.
Prioritized appearance list: An Eye for an Eye, Worlds Without End I-II, The Spy Who Rooked Me, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Skeletons in the Closet, Flint's Vacation, Countdown for Zartan, Grey Hairs and Growing Pains, There's No Place Like Springfield I-II, Haul Down the Heavens, Satellite Down, Eau de Cobra, Last Hour to Doomsday, Cobra's Candidate, Cobra Quake, Not a Ghost of a Chance, Money to Burn, Spell of the Siren, G. I. Joe and the Golden Fleece, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, The Gods Below, Memories of Mara, The Revenge of Cobra parts 1-5, Lasers in the Night, Iceberg Goes South, Red Rocket's Glare, The Gamesmaster, Where the Reptiles Roam, The Wrong Stuff, The Funhouse, Nightmare Assault, Captives of Cobra I-II, Operation Mind Menace, The Traitor I-II, Glamour Girls, Excalibur, The Viper Is Coming, The Pit of Vipers, Cold Slither, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 2 and 5, My Favorite Things, The Movie parts 1-3 and 5. Silent: The Synthoid Conspiracy II, Twenty Questions, Sink the Montana, Cobrathon, The Million Dollar Medic, Once Upon a Joe. Lady Jaye was included in the opening sequences for TROC, season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
DIC cartoon notes: In the absence of a new figure, Lady Jaye was given a blue uniform and a different voice for the DIC series. Her most significant appearances were Operation: Dragonfire and the first-season episodes United We Stand, Revenge of the Pharaohs, Victory at Volcania, Stuck on You, Pigskin Commandos, and BIOK.
Comic notes: Lady Jaye appeared in 61 issues between 1985 and 1994: #32, 34, 37-39, 44, 47, 49-51, 53, 54, 57, 63, 64, 67, 72-74, 76, 77, 83, 88, 93, 97, 99-105, 109-113, 115-117, 120-123, 128, 129, 132-134, 148-151, 155, Special Missions #7, 11, 16, 22, 24, and 27, and Yearbook #2. Her character is killed in Devil's Due #42.

 

Quick Kick	Item # 6441	Regular Carded Assortment
Silent Weapons		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 631-42-7104
File Name: Corp. MacArthur S. Ito		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: Los Angeles, CA		Secondary MOS: Intelligence
Appearance: black hair; white "Japanese flag" headband; no shirt; red sash with throwing stars; black wristbands, belt, and pants; no shoes; blue pockets on belt and boots.
Cartoon appearance: usually no red circle on headband; brown vertical straps when wearing backpack; wristbands were larger than the figure's.
Accessories: dark grey backpack (new, egg-shaped); silver sword (new, with round hilt); silver nunchaku (new, rounded).
Filecard Information: Subject's Japanese father and Korean mother owned a grocery store in Watts. Not accepted by either the Japanese or Koreans because of his mixed ancestry and too short to play basketball, Quick Kick turned to martial arts. All martial arts. He is a ranking black belt in Tae Kwan Do, Go Ju Ryu, Southern Praying Mantis Kung-Fu, Tai-Chi Sword, Zen Sword, and Wing-Chun. He was working as a stunt man in Hollywood when he was recruited for the G. I. Joe team. Qualified expert: All NATO and Warsaw Pact small arms. "Here's the situation. You want to gain access to a fortified villa. Twelve foot tall continuous wall topped with razor-spiral and only one gate through it. Two inch steel plate on the gate, two sand-bagged guard houses with direct telephone link to the main house, four guards with submachine guns, two Dobermans, and a silent alarm hooked to a deadman's switch that one of the guards is leaning on at all times. How to do it? Have Quick Kick hit it, that's how!"
Versions: 1. 1985
Variations: Mail-order Quick Kicks were made with a slightly softer and brighter plastic.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Also available through the mail-in offers "Escape from Doom" in 1991, "The Secret of the Dark Lagoon" in 1992, and "Terrifying Lasers of Destruction" in 1993. Slightly different versions were released in Argentina as Sigilo and in India as Quick Kick.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by François Chau. Spoke 188 lines in 12 episodes. First appeared (erroneously) in TPOD 1; first spoke in TPOD 4. Total appearances: 26. Quick Kick was seen operating the Dragonfly, HAVOC, JUMP, LCV Recon Sled, Silver Mirage, and Tomahawk, as well as a Trubble Bubble and a cartoon-exclusive Cobra helicopter. Often did movie impressions.
Prioritized appearance list: Lasers in the Night, Cobra Quake, Excalibur, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1 (!), 4, and 5, Captives of Cobra I-II, The Movie parts 1-3 and 5, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, The Synthoid Conspiracy I-II, The Phantom Brigade. Silent: Cobra's Candidate, Spell of the Siren, Twenty Questions, The Germ, Flint's Vacation, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1-2, Once Upon a Joe, The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, Nightmare Assault. Quick Kick was included in the opening sequences of season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Quick Kick appeared in 17 issues between 1986 and 1991: #45-50, 52, 61-63, 66, 67, 83, 108, 109, and Special Missions #6 and 27. Quick Kick died in #109 along with Breaker and Crazylegs while attempting an escape from Cobra captivity.

 

Shipwreck	Item # 6446	Regular Carded Assortment
Sailor		E-7 (Navy chief petty officer)	SN: 924-92-5456
File Name: CPO Hector X. Delgado		Primary MOS: Gunners Mate
POB: Chula Vista, CA		Secondary MOS: Machinist
Appearance: brown hair and beard; white sailor's hat; open-collared, short-sleeved blue shirt with red stripes on right arm; blue bell-bottom pants with black gloves, belt, holster, and shoes; hook on waist to hold accessories.
Cartoon appearance: black hair and beard; shirt usually open to just below the sternum; tattoo on right arm was black, and pants a darker blue with brown or tan belt.
Accessories: silver flintlock pistol (new, with strap); two silver hooks (new) with string; green yellow-headed parrot "Polly" (new, feet may break).
Polly cartoon appearance: somewhat less yellow on wingtips and around eyes.
Filecard Information: Shipwreck grew up in the shadow of the Navy, specifically the shadow of the sprawling San Diego Navy Yards. He enlisted at the youngest possible age with his parents' permission and proceeded to serve with distinction in the Mekong Delta where hand to hand fighting with river pirates, smugglers, and insurgents was the order of the day. Put in time at "Gitmo" and Yokosuka and was on hand at certain carrier-initiated operations in the Middle East. Graduated Naval Gunnery School Great Lakes. Qualified expert: M-16, M-14, Browning .50 cal., 20mm Cerliken AA gun, M1911A1. "Shipwreck is your quintessential sailor. He can splice a line, fry powdered eggs in the tooth of a gale and eat them, tell taller tales than a Senate Appropriations committee and take a three day liberty in Thule, Greenland and come back smiling."
Versions: 1. 1985 (w/ Polly) 2. 1994 (Battle Corps) 3. 1998 (3-Pack) 4. 2002/I (RAH Collection) 5. 2002/II (JvC Wave 4) 6. 2003/I (JvC Wave 6) 7. 2003/II (Cobra Mountain) 8. 2004 (Piranha Attack Boat) 9. 2005 (Valor vs. Venom) 10. 2007/I (Flaming MOTH) 11. 2007/II (25th Wave 3)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE! (head slightly retooled for the 2007/I version)
Toy notes: Featured in the AWE Striker commercial. A slightly different version was released in India. A Tiger Force version was released in Brazil as Marujo.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Neil Ross. Spoke 710 lines in 44 episodes. 5th most frequent speaker. First appeared and spoke in TROC 2. Total appearances: 50. Shipwreck was seen operating the Devilfish, Dragonfly, HAVOC, Killer WHALE, Mauler, SHARC, Silver Mirage, and SkyStriker, as well as Trubble Bubbles and several cartoon exclusives: a jeep, a desert skiff, a simple handcar, and a Cobra sub.
Prioritized appearance list: There's No Place Like Springfield I-II, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Once Upon a Joe, Memories of Mara, Twenty Questions, The Traitor I-II, Lights! Camera! Cobra!, The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, The Revenge of Cobra parts 2-5, The Pit of Vipers, Captives of Cobra I-II, Cobra CLAWs Are Coming to Town, The Germ, Sink the Montana, Computer Complications, Second-Hand Emotions, Flint's Vacation, The Synthoid Conspiracy I-II, The Greenhouse Effect, The Wrong Stuff, Cold Slither, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, An Eye for an Eye, Excalibur, Last Hour to Doomsday, The Movie parts 2-3. One line: Eau de Cobra, The Million Dollar Medic, Glamour Girls, Sins of Our Fathers. Silent: Where the Reptiles Roam, Lasers in the Night, The Great Alaskan Land Rush. Shipwreck was included in the opening sequences of season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Polly's cartoon notes: Voiced by Frank Welker. Spoke 107 lines in 18 episodes. Total appearances: 24.
Polly's prioritized appearance list: There's No Place Like Springfield I-II, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Cobra CLAWs Are Coming to Town, Once Upon a Joe, An Eye for an Eye, Memories of Mara, Sink the Montana, The Greenhouse Effect, Computer Complications, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1, 3, and 5. One line: Excalibur, Cold Slither. Silent or just squawking: The Synthoid Conspiracy I, Eau de Cobra, The Synthoid Conspiracy I, The Million Dollar Medic, Glamour Girls. Polly was included in the opening sequence of season 2.
Comic notes: Shipwreck appeared in 21 issues between 1986 and 1989: #40, 41, 46, 47, 49-52, 61, 63, 64, 67, 74, 75, 77, 83, Special Missions #1, 27, and 28, and Yearbooks #2 and 4.

 

Snake-Eyes	Item # 6437	Regular Carded Assortment
Commando		E-5 (Army sergeant)
File Name: (CLASSIFIED)		Primary MOS: Infantry
POB: (CLASSIFIED)		Secondary MOS: Hand-to-hand combat instructor
Appearance: black face mask with dark grey grill visor; black shirt and gloves with dark grey grenade belt diagonally across chest; black pants with dark grey belt and holsters; black boots.
Cartoon appearance: colors reversed: uniform dark grey for detail, with jet black straps and belt.
Accessories: black backpack (new, squarish with sword clips); black pistol (82 Snake Eyes' Uzi); black sword (new, curved blade); light grey wolf "Timber" (new).
Timber cartoon appearance: black stripe on back; white underside.
Filecard Information: Subject served in Long Range Recon Patrols in South East Asia. Left the service to study mystic martial arts with the same Ninja family that produced Storm Shadow. Snake-Eyes was living an ascetic existence alone in the High Sierras with a pet wolf named Timber when he was recruited for the G. I. Joe Team. Qualified Expert: All Nato and Warsaw Pact small arms, black belt in 12 different fighting systems and highly skilled in the use of edged weapons. "Snake-Eyes was tempered on the anvil of life until he was as dangerous as a razor-edged sword, flailing in the dark. The G. I. Joe Team sheathed that sword and harnessed its deadly energy but even they are wont to forget that even within the safety of its scabbard, the blade retains its cutting edge."
Versions: 1. 1982 2. 1985 (w/ Timber) 3. 1989 4. 1991 5. 1993 (Ninja Force) 6. 1994 (Shadow Ninjas) 7. 1997/I (3-Pack) 8. 1997/II (Stars & Stripes) 9. 2000 (RAH Collection) 10. 2002/I (JvC Wave 1) 11. 2002/II (JvC Wave 1.35) 12. 2002/III (Sound Attack) 13. 2002/IV (JvC Wave 3) 14. 2003/I (ToyFare) 15. 2003/II (DVD w/ Timber) 16. 2004/I (VvV Wave 1) 17. 2004/II (Comic #2) 18. 2004/III (Ninja Lightning) 19. 2004/IV (Comic #4) 20. 2004/V (Desert Patrol) 21. 2004/VI (Built to Rule) 22. 2005/I (Ninja Battles) 23. 2005/II (VvV 7 w/ Timber) 24. 2005/III (Single Pack) 25. 2005/IV (Comic #21) 26. 2005/V (Winter Ops) 27. 2005/VI (Heavy Assault) 28. 2006 (Comic #26) 29. 2007/I (25th Wave 1) 30. 2007/II (25th Joe Set) 31. 2008/I (25th Wave 5-6) 32. 2008/II (Comic #21) 33. 2008/III (Comic #21b)
Variations: None.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: The first carded character to be a new version of a previous character. Featured in the commercial for the Check Point and Air Defense. Snake's name is not hyphenated for the 1982, 1989, 1991, 1997/I, 2002, and later versions. The 2006 version was named "CLASSIFIED."
Cartoon notes: Never spoke. The nature of his silence and why he wore a mask were never explained in the cartoon. First appeared in ARAH 1. Total appearances: 44, but rarely played a major role. Snake Eyes was seen operating the Dragonfly, Falcon Glider, JUMP, Polar Battle Bear, SHARC, Silver Mirage, Slugger, and VAMP Mark II, as well as the Trubble Bubble, a simple Cobra handcar, and a small transport in a crystal mine. Wore the 1982 version's uniform for A Real American Hero, and this outfit thereafter. Unlike the comic, Snake Eyes had no interaction with Storm Shadow.
Chronological appearance list: A Real American Hero parts 1-5, The Revenge of Cobra parts 1, 2, 4, and 5, The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5, Cobra's Creatures, Jungle Trap, Battle for the Train of Gold, Lights! Camera! Cobra!, Cobra's Candidate, Red Rocket's Glare, The Phantom Brigade, The Synthoid Conspiracy II, Spell of the Siren, Twenty Questions, The Viper Is Coming, The Funhouse, Where the Reptiles Roam, Lasers in the Night, The Germ, The Traitor I, Cobra Quake, The Wrong Stuff, The Invaders, The Great Alaskan Land Rush, Skeletons in the Closet, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1-2, Sink the Montana, Once Upon a Joe, G. I. Joe and the Golden Fleece, and The Movie parts 1-3 and 5. Snake-Eyes is included in the opening sequences for ARAH, TROC, season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Timber's cartoon notes: Voiced by Frank Welker. Heard in 8 episodes: ARAH Parts 3 and 4, TROC Part 5, TPOD Parts 1 and 2, Cobra's Candidate, The Phantom Brigade, and Where the Reptiles Roam. Timber also appeared in TPOD Parts 3-5 and Cobra's Creatures; and briefly in Red Rocket's Glare and part 5 of the Movie.

 

Crimson Guard	Item # 6450	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Elite Trooper		E-4 (Army corporal equivalent)
File Name: (TOP SECRET)		Primary MOS: Undercover espionage
POB: Various Countries		Secondary MOS: Accounting
Appearance: red helmet with black face mask and silver visor and head ornament; red double-breasted jacket with silver braids and Cobra emblem on chest; red pants with silver stripes on sides of legs; black gloves, belt, and boots.
Cartoon appearance: faceplates dark grey for better detail; black gloves extend nearly to the elbows; bayonet rifles were often slung across their backs.
Accessories: red backpack (new, V-shaped); black assault rifle (new, with bayonet).
Filecard Information: The Crimson Guard are the elite shock troops of the COBRA Legions. All "Siegies" must hold a degree in either law or accounting as well as being in top physical condition. Final stages of training take place in the deepest recesses of COBRA Headquarters and is purported to involve an initiation ceremony too hideous for description. "Crimson Guardsmen are too precious to be wasted on the conventional battle field. They are dispersed about the country in deep cover, assuming apparently normal appearances and life-styles. Watch out. That friendly new neighbor of yours just might have a red uniform hanging in his closet."
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1989 (Python Patrol) 3. 1991 4. 2003 (CAT II) 5. 2004/I (OCS dark hair) 6. 2004/II (OCS light hair) 7. 2004/III (OCS black) 8. 2005/I (6-Pack) 9. 2005/II (DTC) 10. 2008/I (25th Wave 5) 11. 2008/II (Comic #32 1/2)
Variations: The sides of the backpack may be solid or hollow on the inside. The hollow version is rarer. Early filecards list the secondary military specialty as Demolition and require only college graduation rather than a degree in law or accounting.
Mold: head and arms—Crimson Guard (85, 89) torso, waist, and legs—Crimson Guard (85, 89, 04/I, 04/II, 04/III, 05/I), Agent Faces (03/II), Crimson Shadow Guard (05)
Toy notes: One of the most intricately designed figures at the time of its release. The 1989 version was named "Python Crimson Guard." The 1991 and 2003 versions were named "Crimson Guard Immortal."
Cartoon notes: Various voices. Spoke 81 lines in 20 episodes. First appeared in TROC 1 but did not speak until TPOD 4. Total appearances: 40.
Prioritized appearance list: The Greenhouse Effect, The Germ, Primordial Plot, Cobra Soundwaves, Cobra's Candidate, The Gods Below, Money to Burn, Captives of Cobra I-II, The Revenge of Cobra parts 1, 4, and 5, Cobra's Creatures. One line: The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1 and 3-5, Cobra Stops the World, Jungle Trap, Lights! Camera! Cobra!, Red Rocket's Glare, Satellite Down, Excalibur, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1 and 3-5, Grey Hairs and Growing Pains, The Movie parts 1 and 4. Silent: The Synthoid Conspiracy II, Spell of the Siren, Twenty Questions, The Gamesmaster, Lasers in the Night, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, Hearts and Cannons, There's No Place Like Springfield I-II, Cobrathon. Crimson Guards were included in the opening sequence of the Movie.

 

Eel	Item # 6448	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Frogman		E-4 (Army corporal equivalent)
File Name: (CLASSIFIED)		Primary MOS: Underwater Demolitions
POB: Various Countries		Secondary MOS: Marine Engineering
Appearance: grey helmet; black and grey diving shirt with red chest and silver Cobra insignia; black gloves, belt, and knife; grey diving pants.
Cartoon appearance: breath mask did not attach to backpack; two short, segmented knobs protruded from mask.
Accessories: two black flippers (new); black backpack (new, scuba with tube holes) with detachable jets; black air tube (new, with mouthpiece); black speargun (new, with two grips).
Filecard Information: Eels are the underwater dmeolitions specialists of the COBRA legions. They man and operate the COBRA marine outposts disguised as off-shore drilling rigs and augment the crews of larger COBRA naval vessels. Eels undergo a rigorous two-part training program in the Caribbean and in the frigid dark depths of the North Atlantic. Their training regiment includes marine structural engineering, explosive ordnance, underwater fighting techniques and marine geology.
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1992 3. 1993 (Battle Corps)
Variations: The knife on Eel's ankle was painted on some figures and not on others.
Mold: UNIQUE!
Toy notes: Not quite the same type of trooper as Valor vs. Venom's Electric EEL.
Cartoon notes: Various voices. Spoke 10 lines in 7 episodes. First appeared in Cobra Stops the World but did not speak until The Phantom Brigade. Total appearances: 13.
Prioritized appearance list: Not a Ghost of a Chance, Spell of the Siren. One line: The Phantom Brigade, The Germ, Memories of Mara, Arise Serpentor Arise part 3, Last Hour to Doomsday. Silent: Cobra Stops the World, The Gamesmaster, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, Eau de Cobra, The Pit of Vipers, My Favorite Things. Eels are not included in any opening sequences.

 

Snow Serpent	Item # 6449	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Polar Assault
File Name: (CLASSIFIED)		Primary MOS: Arctic Operations
POB: Various Countries		Secondary MOS: Infantry
Appearance: off-white helmet with blue goggles and black face mask; off-white snow suit with blue backpack straps and belt; white furred collar and gloves; red Cobra insignia on left arm; blue boots.
Cartoon appearance: white face mask, belt, and straps.
Accessories: blue waist pouch (new); two white snow shoes (new); white backpack (new, large pouches); grey assault rifle (new, AK-74); grey missile launcher (new, with missile tip visible) with stand.
Filecard Information: Snow Serpents are the Arctic Specialist branch of the Eels (COBRA Frogmen). They must undergo the same rigorous training program as the Eels with the addition of a six month cold weather course somewhere above the Arctic Circle. Other aspects of the training include airborne operations (under arctic conditions), anti-tank procedures and the use of snow-shoes, skis, and kayaks. "If the Eels are the elite of COBRA's naval branch, then the Snow Serpents are the best of the best. How else could you characterize an individual who would parachute onto an ice floe in sub-zero temperatures and then be prepared to march 50 miles with full field pack, assault rifle, and anti-tank weapon?"
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1991 3. 1993 (Arctic Attack Force) 4. 1998 (3-Pack) 5. 2002 (Joe vs. Cobra) 6. 2003 (Polar Blast) 7. 2005 (DTC)
Variations: None.
Mold: head—Snow Serpent (85), Heli-Viper (92), Snow Serpent Commander (07) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Snow Serpent (85), Snow Serpent Commander (07)
Toy notes: Also released with different accessories at a 1992 convention.
Cartoon notes: Various voices. Spoke 14 lines in 8 episodes. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 3. Total appearances: 12.
Prioritized appearance list: Arise Serpentor Arise parts 2 and 3, An Eye for an Eye, The Phantom Brigade. One line: The Pyramid of Darkness parts 3 and 4, Money to Burn, The Gamesmaster, The Viper Is Coming. Silent: Haul Down the Heavens, Spell of the Siren, The Movie part 1. Snow Serpents are not included in any opening sequences.

 

Tele-Viper	Item # 6447	Regular Carded Assortment
Cobra Communications
File Name: (CLASSIFIED)		Primary MOS: Communications
POB: Various Countries		Secondary MOS: Electronics
Appearance: blue helmet with mics; silver goggles; blue short-sleeved shirt with purple padded vest and red Cobra insignia on left arm; blue pants with black belt and purple pockets.
Cartoon appearance: gear on headset was dark grey or black; red mirror image of words often scrolled across goggles.
Accessories: black backpack (new, with hose peg and wide antenna); black rifle (new, comm-scan gun); black hose (long standard).
Filecard Information: These are the RTOs (Radio Telecommunications Operators) of the COBRA ground forces. They carry a standard modular radio pack that contains as a main unit a VHF transceiver equipped with an automatic frequency hopper, a crypto unit and passive jamming and anti-jamming devices. The Tele-Viper helmet contains high resolution earphones with overload dampers and two sets of voice actuated microphones. The interior of the helmet offers an alternative LED readout triggered through the optional computer pack. Optional transmission modes include microwave beam and laser—Both available as add-ons to the basic pack.
Versions: 1. 1985 2. 1989 (Python Patrol) 3. 2003 (Spy Troops) 4. 2004 (VvV Wave 5) 5. 2005 (Single Pack)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, waist, and legs—Tele-Viper (85, 89) torso—Tele-Viper (85, 89), Claymore (86)
Toy notes: The 1989 version was named "Python Tele-Viper."
Cartoon notes: Various voices. Spoke 34 lines in 17 episodes. First appeared and spoke in Lights! Camera! Cobra!. Total appearances: 21.
Prioritized appearance list: Red Rocket's Glare, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 4 and 5, The Great Alaskan Land Rush, Sins of Our Fathers, Lights! Camera! Cobra!, The Gamesmaster, Captives of Cobra I, The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep. One line: The Synthoid Conspiracy I-II, Spell of the Siren, Lasers in the Night, The Germ, Worlds Without End I, There's No Place Like Springfield II, Not a Ghost of a Chance, The Movie parts 1 and 4. Silent: Where the Reptiles Roam. Tele-Vipers are not included in any opening sequences.

 

Tomax	Item # 6063-1	Crimson Guard Commanders 2-Pack
Crimson Guard Commander
File Name: (CLASSIFIED)		Military Specialties: Infiltration, espionage, sabotage, propaganda, and corporate law
POB: Island in the Mediterranean
Appearance: red-purple hair parted on the right; blue sleeveless shirt with silver collar and red sash diagonally across chest; silver insignia on left side of chest; silver armor on right shoulder; black gloves; blue pants with silver and red belt and boots; silver and red Cobra symbols above red kneepads.
Cartoon appearance: uniform reversed with that of Xamot (steel collar and shoulder armor on Tomax's left).
Accessories: black pistol (shared with Xamot; oversized); silver zip-line trolley (new, one contained in the 2-pack) with string. large black pistol with trigger guard and scope; shares a silver skyhook and black string with Xamot.
Filecard Information: Spell out the name TOMAX in capitals and hold it up to a mirror. It reads XAMOT. The same holds true for the actual brothers. Each is the mirror image of the other except for a scar on Xamot's face. Both twins served with the Foreign Legion Paras in Algeria before the officers Putsch. They honed their mercenary skills in the bush wars of Africa and South America. They were too smart to be soldiers forever. Went to Zurich and became bankers. They quickly found the ins and outs of international finance to be too haphazard for their tastes. They preferred a situation they could control. COBRA was willing to give them access to that control. Now they command legions. But their legions wear three-piece suits and fight their battles in executive board rooms. These then are the most fearsome of the COBRA adversaries. They don't fight with steel and claw, backed with muscle and honest sweat . . . They chase you with paper, wound you with your own laws, and kill you with the money you loaned them.
Versions: 1. 1985 (2-Pack) 2. 2002/I (RAH Collection) 3. 2002/II (Crimson Strike Team) 4. 2003 (Crimson Command Copter) 5. 2005 (6-pack) 6. 2008 (Comic #36 1/2)
Variations: Tomax's head and weapon differ from the prototype pictured in the 1985 catalog.
Mold: head—Tomax (85, 02/I, 02/II, 05) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Tomax (85, 02/I, 02/II)
Toy notes: Sold only with Xamot; originally available in stores as a two pack. Also available through several mail-in offers from 1988 to 1992.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Corey Burton, the lower pitched voice of the duo. British accent. Spoke 268 lines in 33 episodes. 15th most frequent speaker. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 1. Total appearances: 35. Tomax was seen operating the CLAW, FANG, Ferret, Night Raven, Rattler, Stinger, Stun, and Trubble Bubble, as well as a cartoon-exclusive submarine. In the cartoon, there was a sort of psychic link between the Crimson Twins, causing each to feel what the other felt and often to complete each other's sentences.
Prioritized appearance list: The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1 and 3-5, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1-5, Money to Burn, The Traitor I-II, There's No Place Like Springfield I-II, Red Rocket's Glare, Memories of Mara, Captives of Cobra I-II, The Great Alaskan Land Rush, The Million Dollar Medic, Cobra's Candidate, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, The Invaders, The Greenhouse Effect, The Wrong Stuff, Cold Slither, Cobrathon, The Movie parts 1 and 3-5, Primordial Plot, Spell of the Siren, The Viper Is Coming, The Germ. Tomax was included in the opening sequences of season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Tomax appeared in 19 issues between 1985 and 1991: #37, 38, 40, 41, 46, 52, 54-56, 73-75, 87, 108-112, and 116.

 

Xamot	Item # 6063-2	Crimson Guard Commanders 2-Pack
Crimson Guard Commander
File Name: (CLASSIFIED)		Military Specialties: Infiltration, espionage, sabotage, propaganda, and corporate law
POB: Island in the Mediterranean
Appearance: red-purple hair parted on the left; scar on left cheek; blue sleeveless shirt with silver collar and red sash diagonally across chest; silver insignia on right side of chest; silver armor on left shoulder; black gloves; blue pants with silver and red belt and boots; silver and red Cobra symbols above red kneepads.
Cartoon appearance: uniform reversed with that of Tomax (steel collar and shoulder armor on Xamot's right).
Accessories: black pistol (shared with Tomax; oversized); silver zip-line trolley (new, one contained in the 2-pack) with string.
Filecard Information: Spell out the name TOMAX in capitals and hold it up to a mirror. It reads XAMOT. The same holds true for the actual brothers. Each is the mirror image of the other except for a scar on Xamot's face. Both twins served with the Foreign Legion Paras in Algeria before the officers Putsch. They honed their mercenary skills in the bush wars of Africa and South America. They were too smart to be soldiers forever. Went to Zurich and became bankers. They quickly found the ins and outs of international finance to be too haphazard for their tastes. They preferred a situation they could control. COBRA was willing to give them access to that control. Now they command legions. But their legions wear three-piece suits and fight their battles in executive board rooms. These then are the most fearsome of the COBRA adversaries. They don't fight with steel and claw, backed with muscle and honest sweat . . . They chase you with paper, wound you with your own laws, and kill you with the money you loaned them.
Versions: 1. 1985 (2-Pack) 2. 2002/I (RAH Collection) 3. 2002/II (Crimson Strike Team) 4. 2003 (Crimson Command Copter) 5. 2005 (6-pack) 6. 2008 (Comic #36 1/2)
Variations: Xamot's head and weapon differ from the prototype pictured in the 1985 catalog. The scar varied in color and size.
Mold: head—Xamot (85, 02/I, 02/II, 05) arms, torso, waist, and legs—Xamot (85, 02/I, 02/II)
Toy notes: Sold only with Tomax; originally available in stores as a two pack. Also available through several mail-in offers from 1988 to 1992.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Michael Bell, the higher pitched voice of the duo. British accent. Spoke 280 lines in 33 episodes. 14th most frequent speaker. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 1. Total appearances: 35. Xamot was seen operating the CLAW, FANG, Ferret, Firebat, Night Raven, Rattler, Stinger, Stun, and Trubble Bubble, as well as a cartoon-exclusive submarine. In the cartoon, there was a sort of psychic link between the Crimson Twins, causing each to feel what the other felt and often to complete each other's sentences.
Prioritized appearance list: The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1 and 3-5, Arise Serpentor Arise parts 1-5, The Traitor I-II, There's No Place Like Springfield I-II, Money to Burn, Red Rocket's Glare, Memories of Mara, The Million Dollar Medic, Captives of Cobra I-II, The Great Alaskan Land Rush, Spell of the Siren, Bazooka Saw a Sea Serpent, The Invaders, Cold Slither, Cobra's Candidate, The Greenhouse Effect, The Wrong Stuff, The Movie parts 1 and 3-5, The Viper Is Coming, Cobrathon, Primordial Plot, The Germ. Xamot was included in the opening sequences of season 1, season 2, and the Movie.
Comic notes: Xamot appeared in 19 issues between 1985 and 1991: #37, 38, 40, 41, 46, 52, 54-56, 73-75, 87, 108-112, and 116.

 

Crankcase	Item # 6053	boxed with AWE Striker
AWE Striker Driver		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 451-61-5102
File Name: Corp. Elwood G. Indiana		Primary MOS: Motor Vehicle Driver
POB: Lawrence, KS		Secondary MOS: Armor
Appearance: orange-red hair and moustache; green short-sleeved shirt with tan collar and brown backpack straps; black gloves; tan pants with brown belt and boots.
Cartoon appearance: brown gloves instead of black.
Accessories: grey helmet (new, with flared brim); black assault rifle (new, oversized FN FNC).
Filecard Information: There are several ways to get from one place to another in Kansas and driving fast is most of them. Crankcase was racing street machines when he was sixteen. This was no great feat since he had been building them from the time he was thirteen. He worked the stock car circuit for years until the boredom hit him like a brick wall. A recruiting sergeant with a crooked smile signed him up for a burst of four with promises of speed and glory. Crankcase graduated Ranger School and Desert Warfare School and attended the Special Air Service Tactical Driving School under the NATO Exchange program. Qualified expert: M-16, M1911A1, M-60 and TOW. "Ever get irritable when you're standing in a line that just doesn't seem to be moving at all? Well, the whole [world] seems to be moving in slow motion to Crankcase—all the time! That's why he's constantly ticked-off. He's just not happy unless he has a wheel in one hand, a shifter in the other and the wind in his face."
Versions: 1. 1985 (AWE Striker)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, torso, and waist—UNIQUE! legs—Crankcase (85), Maj. Storm (90, 03)
Toy notes: One of six vehicle drivers available through 1988's mail-in orders "Is This the End of Sergeant Slaughter?" and "Capture the Excitement," as well as 1992's offer, "Mission Rescue: Code Blue."
Cartoon notes: Never spoke. Total confirmed appearances: 3. Crankcase was once seen operating an AWE Striker. A character in Spell of the Siren has a moustache and helmet resembling those of Crankcase, but his all-green uniform bears no resemblance to Crankcase's, either in detail or color.
Chronological appearance list: The Most Dangerous Thing in the World, The Movie parts 4-5. Crankcase is not included in any opening sequences.
Comic notes: Crankcase appeared in 15 issues between 1986 and 1991: #44, 48-52, 59, 63, 64, 74, 75, 83, 108, 109, and Special Missions #3. Crankcase died in #109 along with Doc, Thunder, and Heavy Metal while being held captive by Cobra.

 

Frostbite	Item # 6057	Boxed with Snow Cat
Snow Cat Driver		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 215-58-9136
File Name: Corp. Farley S. Seward		Primary MOS: Motor Vehicle Driver
POB: Galena, AK		Secondary MOS: Armor
Appearance: tan fur cap with black goggles; black hair and beard; white coat with white gloves, black holster, and tan fur collar; white pants and boots with black belt and boots.
Cartoon appearance: same but with gold-tinted goggles and darker fur on cap and collar.
Accessories: black assault rifle (new, oversized M16).
Filecard Information: Frostbite was born in a place where summer is a myth and a crowd consists of two people standing on the same acre. He worked briefly as lineman on the pipeline but found the job unchallenging despite the 40 degrees below zero temperatures and hazardous conditions. The army promised to give him a challenge whenever he wanted one. Frostbite graduated from transportation school, Fort Eustis, and armored school, Fort Knox. Qualified expert: M-16, M1911A1 Auto Pistol, M-2 50 cal. MG, and M-60 7.62mm MG. "Frostbite has to be cool. The environment he works in is too unforgiving. If his Snow Cat throws a piston, he's got to step out into weather that'll freeze a hex-wrench to bare skin in five seconds and carry through a repair job that would be taxing under ideal conditions. He can't afford to panic. Not if he wants to stay alive."
Versions: 1. 1985 (Snow Cat) 2. 1988 (Tiger Cat) 3. 1993 (Battle Corps) 4. 2002/I (JvC Wave 1) 5. 2002/II (Rock Slide) 6. 2002/III (JvC Wave 1.35) 7. 2003/I (Snow Cat) 8. 2003/II (Built to Rule) 9. 2004 (Ice Sabre) 10. 2005/I (Valor vs. Venom) 11. 2005/II (Winter Ops) 12. 2006 (DTC Ice Sabre)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, torso, and waist—Frostbite (85, 88) legs—Frostbite (85, 88), mail-order variant of Lifeline (86)
Toy notes: One of six vehicle drivers available through 1988's mail-in orders "Is This the End of Sergeant Slaughter?" and "Capture the Excitement," as well as 1992's offer, "Mission Rescue: Code Blue."
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Christopher Latta. Spoke 5 lines in 1 episode. First appeared in TPOD 3 but did not speak until Eau de Cobra. Total appearances: 5. Frostbite was once seen operating a Snow Cat.
Prioritized appearance list: Eau de Cobra. Silent: The Pyramid of Darkness part 3, The Synthoid Conspiracy II, Spell of the Siren, The Pit of Vipers. Frostbite is not included in any opening sequences.
Comic notes: Frostbite appeared in 3 issues between 1987 and 1989: #64, 68, and Special Missions #20.

 

Heavy Metal	Item # 6015	boxed with Mauler
Mauler MBT Tank Driver		E-4 (Army corporal)	SN: 632-45-6200
File Name: Corp. Sherman R. Guderian		Primary MOS: Armor
POB: Brooklyn, NY		Secondary MOS: Finance
Appearance: green helmet with chinstrap and black goggles; green open-collared shirt with black vest; green gloves and pants; black belt and brown boots.
Cartoon appearance: white lenses on goggles; vest was brown; knee detail given white outline.
Accessories: brown mic (new); black submachine gun (new, resembles Star Z-70 with strap).
Filecard Information: There are sections of Brooklyn that are less accessible to outsiders than the mountains of Transylvania. In Heavy Metal's old neighborhood, a trip to Manhattan (just across the East River) was considered a major expedition. Aspiring to become middle class was daydreaming, pure and simple. Heavy Metal enlisted to go to Finance School, his ultimate goal to become a CPA. But one day at Fort Belvoir, he watched a column of tanks roll by and was never the same again. He put in for a transfer to Armor that same day. Qualified expert: M-16, M-1911A1, M-2 50 cal. MG and M-60 MG. "Many people find comfort in order and discipline. Mathematics reduces the complexities of the world to manageable sums. Heavy Metal likes tanks. They are immutable statements in iron."
Versions: 1. 1985 (Mauler)
Variations: The mail-order version of Heavy Metal was renamed Rampage. Rampage had brighter colors and no microphone, and all occurrences of the code name on his filecard were altered. Not related to the 2003 Rampage figure.
Mold: head, waist, and legs—UNIQUE! arms and torso—Heavy Metal (85), Rumbler (87)
Toy notes: Available as Rampage through 1991's mail-in offer, "Escape from Doom."
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Neil Ross. Spoke 6 lines in 1 episode. First appeared in The Synthoid Conspiracy II but did not speak until The Pit of Vipers. Total appearances: 6. Heavy Metal was once seen operating an Armadillo.
Prioritized appearance list: The Pit of Vipers. Silent: The Synthoid Conspiracy II, Spell of the Siren, Memories of Mara, The Movie parts 3 and 5. Heavy Metal was included in the opening sequence of the Movie.
Comic notes: Heavy Metal appeared in 11 issues between 1986 and 1991: #44, 48-52, 76, 77, 108, 109, and Special Missions #24. Heavy Metal died in #109 along with Doc, Thunder, and Crankcase while being held captive by Cobra.

 

Keel-Haul	Item # 6001	boxed with U.S.S. Flagg
Admiral		O-9 (Navy vice admiral)	SN: 672-38-4202
File Name: Adm. Everett P. Colby		Primary MOS: Command (U.S.S. Flagg)
POB: Charlottesville, VA		Secondary MOS: Pilot
Appearance: white and black sailor's cap; black hair and moustache; open-collared blue shirt with dog tag; maroon jacket with gold medals and black gloves; biege pants with black belts, holster.
Accessories: silver semi-automatic pistol (new, thin with round trigger guard and textured grip).
Filecard Information: Graduated Annapolis and Navy Flight School. Flew Phantom F-4's off the Intrepid in late 60's. Attended the Naval War College in Newport, RI and the Armed Forces Staff College. Holder of the Navy Cross, DFC, and Air Medal. Keel-Haul is a respected military historian, a nationally rated chess player, and possibly the world's worst clarinet player. "Keel-Haul was always cool. He could set an F-4 down on a carrier deck at night with half his instruments out and walk away whistling. You know what it's like to land on a carrier at night? Try jumping on a moving skate board while blind folded!"
Versions: 1. 1985 (USS Flagg) 2. 1993 (Battle Corps)
Variations: 1989's mail-in version did not have a patch on the right arm; some mail-in versions did not include the pistol. The prototype appearing the commercial appeared to have a shorter moustache.
Mold: head, arms, torso, and legs—Keel-Haul (85, 93) waist—Keel-Haul (85, 93), Major Altitude (91, 93)
Toy notes: Keel-Haul's rank is derived from his 1993 filecard; it is not listed on the original. One of six vehicle drivers available through the mail-in offers "Special Assignment: North Atlantic" in 1988 and "Operation Deep Six" in 1989, then sold separately through 1990's mail-in offers. Keel-Haul must have been vastly overproduced; the figure was released as a prize for various carnivals, arcade restaurants, and "Skeeball" games. I do not recall his aircraft carrier being given away in this manner.
Cartoon notes: In the cartoon, Keel-Haul did not appear, and the U.S.S. Flagg was assigned to Admiral Ledger.
Comic notes: Keel-Haul appeared in 9 issues between 1985 and 1991: #36, 40, 41, 73, 74, 77, 115, and Special Missions #23 and 28.

 

Tollbooth	Item # 6023	boxed with Toss 'n Cross
Bridge Layer Driver		Spc-5 (Army specialist 5)	SN: 373190360
File Name: Spc. Chuck X. [for nothing] Goren		Primary MOS: Combat Engineer
POB: Boise, ID		Secondary MOS: Transportation
Appearance: orange hard hat; brown hair; open-collared, short-sleeved, olive green shirt with silver dogtag, brown vest, and black gloves; orange-brown pants with brown belt and boots and black holster.
Cartoon appearance: dark green vest and sleeves; light green gloves, hardhat, and high-collared shirt; wore a white hardhat and red vest in the Movie.
Accessories: grey sledgehammer (new).
Filecard Information: Tollbooth's love for building started when he was six. His parents gave him a construction set for Christmas and he wore it out before he was seven. Every year his sets got bigger and more complex until he outgrew them all. Started building in earnest. Got his Masters in engineering from MIT. Needed a bigger challenge, so he joined the army expressly to sign up for the G. I. Joe Team. Stalker says: "We're on our way to an objective and come to an obstacle we can't cross. River, crevasse, mountain, whatever . . . . Tollbooth gets us across. He may build a bridge out of whatever's there. Blast a pass through solid rock or lay down a four lane blacktop . . . . The man's got magic."
Versions: 1. 1985 (Toss 'n Cross)
Variations: None.
Mold: head, arms, torso, and waist—UNIQUE! upper legs—Tollbooth (85), Maj. Bludd (83), Duke (83, 88, 97, 04/III, 05/III, 05/IV), Alley Viper (97, 02/I, 02/II, 03, 04), Lance "Clutch" Steinberg (07) lower legs—Tollbooth (85), Gung-Ho (83, 97), Duke (83, 88, 97, 04/III, 05/III), Alley Viper (97, 02/I, 02/II, 03, 04), Lance "Clutch" Steinberg (07)
Toy notes: Tollbooth's neck joint reflects 1982-1984 construction. He and the Toss 'n Cross was available as a Sears exclusive by January (possibly December 1984 in some stores) before its general release.
Cartoon notes: Voiced by Michael Bell. Gravelly voice. Spoke 4 lines in 3 episodes, the fewest total lines spoken by any figure character. First appeared and spoke in TPOD 3. Total appearances: 5. Before the Movie, Tollbooth was always seen operating the Toss 'n Cross.
Prioritized appearance list: The Pyramid of Darkness part 3. One line: The Germ, Captives of Cobra I. Silent: Red Rocket's Glare, The Movie part 5.
Comic notes: Tollbooth appeared in only one issue in 1986: #51.

 

Lamprey	Item # 6024	boxed with Moray
Cobra Hydrofoil Pilot		O-3 (Army captain equivalent)
File Name: (UNKNOWN)		Primary MOS: Hydrofoil Pilot
POB: Various Countries		Secondary MOS: COBRA Frogmen (Eels)
Appearance: silver mask with black raised visor and light blue faceplate; silver jacket with light blue life jacket and gloves; silver pants with light blue belts; black shoes.
Cartoon appearance: dark blue life vest and helmet with light blue shirt and visor.
Accessories: silver submachine gun (new, Sten 9mm with wavy strap).
Filecard Information: Lampreys are the elite of the COBRA sea-arm. To qualify for Lamprey training, a candidate must be a COBRA trooper in top physical condition who has completed his EEL training (EEL's are the Frogmen underwater demolition specialists of the COBRA legion) and has been operational as an EEL for more than a year. The training is highly selective and more than 50% of the applicants wash out before completing the course.
Versions: 1. 1985 (Moray) 2. 1991 (Sonic Fighters) 3. 2000 (Man-O-War) 4. 2003 (Python Patrol)
Variations: The prototype appearing in the 1985 catalog had a slightly different helmet design.
Mold: Lamprey (85, 91, 00, 03)
Toy notes: One of six vehicle drivers available the mail-in offers "Special Assignment: North Atlantic" in 1988 and "Operation Deep Six" in 1989, then alone in 1990's "Stop Cobra in Their Tracks" and 1992's "Mission Rescue: Code Blue."
Cartoon notes: Never spoke. Total appearances: 1.
Chronological appearance list: The Pyramid of Darkness part 4. Lampreys are not included in any opening sequences.

 

Tripwire	Item # 6102 / 6108	carded with Listen 'n Fun Cassette Pack
Mine Detector
Appearance: red helmet with large silver goggles; orange shirt with red stripes on right shoulder; orange gloves and red padded vest; orange pants with brown belt.
Accessories: light grey backpack (83 Tripwire's); three light grey mines (83 Tripwire's); light grey mine detector (83 Tripwire's).
Filecard Information: Tripwire's proficient with all NATO and Warsaw Pact explosives, detonators, and blasting machines.
Versions: 1. 1983 2. 1985 (Listen & Fun) 3. 1988 (Tiger Force) 4. 2001 (RAH Collection)
Variations: None.
Mold: Tripwire (83, 85, 88, 01)
Toy notes: Includes the briefest filecard of all Joe figures prior to 2004's Built to Rule line.
Cartoon notes: This version of Tripwire did not appear in animation. For cartoon notes on the character, see the 1983 entry.

Equipment: