Dreadnoks
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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 Comics and more recently Devil's Due Publishing), and television cartoons (produced by Sunbow).
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. Much of the characters' popularity is due to their file cards, included with the action figures, and their portrayal in the comic book series, both of which were written by Larry Hama.
As a definite product of the 80s, the Dreadnoks are a satirical parody of rednecks, Hells Angels, punks, and junkies.
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[edit] History
The leader of the Dreadnoks 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; and the meanest of them all, Ripper (Harry Nod), a Tasmanian criminal with a record that goes back to his youth.
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 Rhy, 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 unique vehicles, most of which were built from scavenged parts. This included the Thunder Machine, the Swampfire, and the Air Skiff.
[edit] Comics
[edit] Marvel Comics
Early on, the Dreadnoks operate out of a a fully functional gas station, though it is not clear whether they actually serve the public. The gas they do 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.
They play a vital part in the Cobra Civil War. After Destro seizes power, they serve (led by Zarana) for a time as the enforcers of the Cobra-controlled town of Broca Beach. They, or mostly Road Pig, capture two G.I.Joe operatives, Rock 'n Roll and Clutch for brainwashing, which fails to work out as they hope.
[edit] Devil's Due
The Dreadnoks have resurfaced in the second series of G.I. Joe comic books published by Devil's Due. The gang now operates throughout many states, with many, many more members. During the years after G.I. Joe was disbanded and Cobra defeated, the Dreadnoks began to grow. Zartan and his gang spread 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. Zanya, Zartan's daughter, is second in command.
Early on, they come under attack by G.I. Joe and several rookie Dreadnoks are killed.
[edit] The Zartan family
- Zartan: Master of Disguise and 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: Zartan's daughter and current heir apparent to Zartan.
[edit] The Dreadnoks
- Burn-Out: Dreadnok mechanic, Burn-Out is also skilled in disguise. (Noteworthy as the only black Dreadnok released in the toyline)
- 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 British college professor who intended to study biker gangs, only to wind up becoming a member. Has a hatred for animals and is generally the archnemesis of Mutt and Junkyard.
- Chop Shop: A Dreadnok.
- 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.
- 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 Beachhead. 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 too.
- 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 weapon of choice is a cinder block attached to a metal pipe, which he uses as an improvised hammer. 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.
- 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 steak 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, he is low even by Dreadnok standards. He is a smuggler, thief, pickpocket and boat pilot. He pilots the Dreadnok Air Skiff and uses a spear, gun, and hammer as weapons. Even the other Dreadnoks dislike him.
- Others: It should be noted that in the Devil's Due run of comics, several Dreadnoks have appeared in minor and most-often nameless roles. This list only details Dreadnoks that have played a reasonably sizable part in the comics, cartoons or the toyline.
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