Dreadnoks

Dreadnoks
Left to right; Buzzer, Ripper, Monkeywrench, Zarana, Road Pig, Zartan, Zanya, Zandar, Thrasher, Torch
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics Devil's Due Publishing IDW Publishing
First appearance	Marvel Comics: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #25 (July 1984)
In-story information
Type of organization	Organized crime
Leader(s)	Zartan
Agent(s)	Notable Members Buzzer Monkeywrench Ripper Road Pig Thrasher Torch Zandar Zarana Zanzibar

The Dreadnoks are a fictional biker gang who act as villains in the G.I. Joe saga, which have been represented in several types of media, including toylines (produced by Hasbro), comic books series (published by Marvel, Devil's Due Publishing, and IDW), and television cartoons (produced by Sunbow and DIC).

All Dreadnoks are uncouth and violent, and usually engage their enemies with unconventional and creative (many times crude) weaponry. Most, if not all, have shown a particular taste for chocolate covered donuts and grape soda. The Dreadnoks also make a habit of torturing captured enemies, usually in bizarre ways such as exposure to pain-inducing laughing gas or tossing victims into pools of man-eating piranhas. Their headquarters is a compound hidden somewhere in the Florida Everglades. Zartan and the Dreadnoks have been known to use holographic technology and other means to disguise themselves.^[1]

History

The leader of the Dreadnoks until the end of the World War 3 story arc is a man named Zartan. Believed to have had European military academy training, he was hired as an espionage agent for the evil terrorist group (and main antagonist of the saga's series) called Cobra. He is a master of disguise through masks, make-up, holograms and hypnosis, as well as ventriloquism and linguistics (20 languages and dialects). Another special trait only he is known to have is the ability to change the color of his skin to blend in with his background through genetic manipulation experiments. As a side effect to the gene splicing, he is allergic to sunlight, which throws off his camouflage ability. As well, he is a highly skilled martial artist, and is a master of the bow.

There were originally three Dreadnoks under Zartan's lead, destructive bikers that spent their days terrorizing people and destroying property, they were hired with the promise of easy money. They are known as:

• Buzzer (Richard Blinken-Smythe, a.k.a. Dick Blinken) - A former left-wing Cambridge sociologist
• Torch (Tom Winken) - An inarticulate Borstal reform school kid turned Merchant Marine
• Ripper (Harry Nod) - A Tasmanian criminal with a record that goes back to his youth. He is the meanest of the three

Later the ranks grew with the addition of Monkeywrench and Thrasher. Monkeywrench (Bill Winkie) had spent his recent years building explosive devices for terrorist groups in Rhyl, North Wales, and Thrasher was a spoiled middle class kid with destructive tendencies, who built and piloted the Dreadnoks Thunder Machine. Zartan's sister, Zarana, and brother, Zandar also joined. Like her brother, Zarana is a skilled impersonator while Zandar is a master of stealth and camouflage. Near the end of the first series of G.I. Joe toys and comic books, the pirate Zanzibar (Morgan Teach), the enforcer Road Pig (Donald DeLuca), and a poacher known only as Gnawgahyde were also added. The Dreadnoks were equipped with many vehicles, most of which were built from scavenged parts. This included the Thunder Machine, the Swampfire,^[2] and the "Stun".^[3]

Comics

Marvel Comics

The Dreadnoks first appeared in Marvel Comics G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #25 (July 1984).^[4] Early on, the Dreadnoks operate out of a fully functional gas station, though it is not clear whether they actually serve the public. The gas they have is definitively stolen.

In issue #51, the Dreadnoks work together to spring Zartan out of Joe HQ. They are pursued by Joe forces but a combination of recklessness and disguise skills allow them to escape.^[5]

In the next issue, the Dreadnoks are used in an attempt to have Serpentor killed. Disguised as various Joe members, they make an attack but are foiled by other Cobra agents.^[6]

They are featured in issue #60. They battle Hawk, Fast Draw, Lt. Falcon, Chuckles and the human/canine team Law and Order. Zanzibar plays a prominent role in the fight. The Dreadnoks help destroy a missile that was aimed at Cobra Island.^[7]

Three Dreadnoks, Monkeywrench, Thrasher and Zarana, use the threat of violence against nearby civilians to escape with a G.I. Joe team. Eventually, the Dreadnoks, Joes and civilians all work together to escape to safety.^[8]

They play a vital part in the Cobra civil war that takes place on Cobra Island. They serve as personal escorts for the current Cobra Commander. Later, they are sent to guard the west side of the defenses, facing the seemingly impenetrable swamps. The Joes make it through and capture most of the Dreadnoks.^[9]

After Destro seizes power, they serve (led by Zarana) for a time as the enforcers of the Cobra-controlled town of Broca Beach. They capture two G.I. Joe operatives, Rock 'n Roll and Clutch for brainwashing.^[10]

Action Force

The Dreadnoks are featured in the Action Force comic book line, starting with issue 5. There, Buzzer and Ripper pursue a wounded Snake-Eyes.^[11]

Devil's Due

The Dreadnoks resurface in the second series of G.I. Joe comic books published by Devil's Due. During the years after G.I. Joe was disbanded and Cobra defeated, Zartan began to expand the Dreadnoks, spreading his gang to over fifty cities in the United States. The main body, which is under the command of Zartan, is the Florida chapter, nicknamed the Florida Noks. It was also around this time his daughter Zanya found him. Zartan eventually was overcome by a problem with his genetic experimentation, which left him unable to go out into sunlight. This caused him to lead the Dreadnoks through Zanya, who became his new second-in-command (much to the annoyance of Zarana, who left to lead the Chicago chapter).

Early on, they come under attack by G.I. Joe, and several rookie Dreadnoks are killed.^[12] The Kansas City Dreadnok chapter is 'given over' to the G.I. Joes as part of a distraction plan by Serpentor.^[13]

Later, the Dreadnoks, despite Zandar's traitorous actions, end up fighting on the Cobra side in the Cobra/Coil/G.I. Joe conflict. They were being sent in to assist in rescuing Cobra Commander.^[14] The Dreadnoks are called off an issue later after Zartan finds an assailant he has stabbed is actually Zandar.^[15]

The Zartan family

• Zartan: Master of Disguise and former leader of the Dreadnoks.
• Zarana: Zartan's sister, currently head of the Chicago chapter of the Dreadnoks. A disguise artist in her own right, she becomes her character by thinking like them. She was expected to take over the Dreadnoks, but was replaced by Zanya. She was most recently in disguise as a member of the Phoenix Guard under the codename Friday.
• Zandar: Zartan's brother, he is highly skilled at not being seen and stealth. He fought against his brother in the Second Cobra Civil War as a member of Serpentor's Coil.
• Zanya: The daughter of Zartan, and niece of Zandar and Zarana.^[16] Current heir apparent to Zartan.

The Dreadnoks

This list only details Dreadnoks that have played a sizable part in the comics, cartoons, and/or the toyline:

• Burn Out: Dreadnok mechanic, recruited by Zartan. Burn Out is also skilled in disguise and impersonation.^[17]
• Buzzer: One of the first three Dreadnoks. Arrogant and intelligent, he is usually the leader by default when none of Zartan's family is around. He uses a chainsaw as a weapon and is identifiable by his blonde pony tail. Originally a left wing British college professor who intended to study biker gangs, only to wind up becoming a member.
• Chop Shop: A swamp guard. He bragged he would take the Joes only to be ambushed and knocked out by Snake-Eyes.^[12]
• Copperhead: An agent for Cobra and pilot of several of the watercrafts. In the 2008 Python Patrol Copperhead file card, it was mentioned that Copperhead was in fact employed by both Cobra and Zartan.
• Crusher: An ex-wrestler turned animal poacher. Upon meeting the Dreadnoks, was able to easily outgrapple all of them but Road Pig. Is suggested to have either killed or driven off fellow Dreadnok poacher Gnawgahyde.
• Death Metal: Qualified on gun turrets. Wears a death's head mask.
• Demolishor: A Canadian aboriginal native with limited fighting skills but an almost superhuman threshold of pain.
• The Dreadheads (Billy-Bob, Cletus, Joe-Bob, Otis, Roscoe and Vance): Six identical cousins (two sets of three brothers) from a wealthy arms-manufacturing family who have a grudge against G.I. Joe member Beach Head. Led by Otis, they tend to clash with the Dreadnoks and are essentially only interested in using the Dreadnoks resources to get to Beachhead. The exception is the self-destructive Vance, the only Dreadhead the Dreadnoks have actually taken a liking to.
• Gnawgahyde: The Dreadnok poacher. He is known for bathing in animal fat and trying to think like his prey. He wields a long range hunting rifle. Has disappeared after an overnight hunting trip with Crusher.
• Heartwrencher: A female Dreadnok who carries a large wrench.
• Machete: A character that replaces Ripper in the G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 series. Only appears in the mentioned series. He carries a shotgun and drives the Dreadnok Cycle with Buzzer as his gunner.
• Monkeywrench: A Dreadnok who loves explosions, going so far as to include fireworks and roman candles into his bombs for effect. He uses grenades and bombs, as well as a harpoon gun. In the "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!" mini-series, he is shown to be highly arachnophobic. In G.I. Joe: America's Elite #31, Monkeywrench is noted as having been a prisoner at "The Coffin" penitentiary in Greenland, and was terminated during a Cobra raid that occurred in #30.
• Ripper: A founding member of the Dreadnoks, he is known for carrying an assault rifle with a large blade serving as a bayonet, Ripper is angry, violent and anti-social. He is secretly independently wealthy and a shrewd businessman.
• Road Pig: Suffering from a split personality, Donald DeLuca is as himself a well spoken and intelligent person. As Road Pig, he is violent and very dangerous. Very strong (although he is stronger as Road Pig), he is an enforcer with an attraction to Zarana. His weapons of choice are a cinder block attached to a metal pipe which he uses as an improvised hammer and a wrist-mounted mini crossbow. He is identifiable by his massive size and white hair styled in a crew cut.
• Rugrat: A diminutive Dreadnok who wears a large hat and sunglasses.
• Storm Rider: A new Dreadnok introduced in the Pursuit of Cobra toyline. Rides a motorcycle called the Doom Cycle.
• Thrasher: A spoiled brat whose parents never disciplined him, he joined the Dreadnoks. He built and drives the Thunder Machine. A little unpredictable and hard to control, but he can always be trusted in a fight. He is identifiable by a green streak in his hair. In the comics, he declares he enjoys strangling animals.
• Torch: A former Merchant Marine, Torch is one of the founders of the Dreadnoks. He is an expert in oxy-acetylene cutting torches and uses a modified one as a weapon.
• Zanzibar: The Dreadnok pirate, Zanzibar is low even by Dreadnok standards. He is a smuggler, thief, pickpocket and boat pilot. He pilots the Dreadnok Air Skiff, which included a spear, gun, and hammer as weapons.^[18] Even the other Dreadnoks dislike him, nevertheless, he's incredibly gifted for hand to hand fight.

In the Devil's Due run of comics, several Dreadnoks have also appeared in minor and most-often nameless roles.

Cartoon

Sunbow

The Dreadnoks appear in 80's G.I. Joe. The Dreadnoks that appear are Zartan, Buzzer, Ripper, and Torch. In the six-part episode "Arise Serpentor," Zartan's sibling Zarana and Zandar arrive to aid Zartan. When it came to an initiation battle, Monkeywrench and Thrasher joined the Dreadnoks.

They are featured as a fake band in the episode "Cold Slither".^[19]

DiC

The Dreadnoks appear in the 1989 G.I. Joe cartoon. In the five-part episode "Operation Dragonfire," Gnawgahyde has joined up with the Dreadnoks. Also, Zarana is shown leading the Dreadnoks with no mentionings on what happened to Zartan. In later episodes, Road Pig joins the Dreadnoks.

Renegades

The Dreadnoks appear in the G.I. Joe: Renegades episode "Dreadnoks Rising". They appear as a small scale but highly dangerous biker gang. The Dreadnoks featured are Zartan, Buzzer, Road Pig, Monkeywrench, Ripper and Torch. They terrorized a local Kansas town and even got their local sheriff on the ropes. When G.I. Joe arrived, they helped the citizens stand up to the Dreadnoks and defeated them (though the Dreadnoks en masse had proven to be enough to bring down Snake-Eyes when cornered). When Flint and Lady Jaye arrived in the town to apprehend the team, they ended up getting the apprehended Dreadnoks.

References

1. ^ Thomas Wheeler (August 2005). "REVIEW: G.I. JOE WINTER OPERATIONS SET". G.I. Joe Collectors Club Magazine: 9, 12. 
2. ^ Bellomo, Mark (2005). The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe 1982-1994. Krause Publications. p. 77. ISBN 9780896899223. 
3. ^ Dreadnok Stun
4. ^ G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #25 (July 1984)
5. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #51
6. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #52
7. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #60 (June 1987).
8. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #70-71
9. ^ "G.I. Joe A Real American Hero" #74-76 (1988)
10. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #89-90 (1989)
11. ^ "Action Force" #5 (April 4, 1987)
12. ^ ^{a b} "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #2 (2001)
13. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #23 (October 2003)
14. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #24 (Nov 2003)
15. ^ "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #25 (October 2003)
16. ^ Hidalgo, Pablo (2009). G.I. Joe vs. Cobra: The Essential Guide 1982-2008. Random House. pp. 105–106. ISBN 9780345516428. 
17. ^ Hidalgo, Pablo (2009). G.I. Joe vs. Cobra: The Essential Guide 1982-2008. Random House. p. 87. ISBN 9780345516428. 
18. ^ Bellomo, Mark (2005). The Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe 1982-1994. Krause Publications. p. 96. ISBN 9780896899223. 
19. ^ Childs, T. Mike (2009). The Rocklopedia Fakebandica. Macmillan. pp. 42–43. ISBN 9780312329440. 

External links

• Dreadnoks on Joepedia, an external wiki
• Dreadnoks at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page
• Dreadnoks character guide at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page