Machete
| Fighting |
Excellent |
| Agility |
Good |
| Strength |
Good |
| Endurance |
Good |
| Reason |
Good |
| Intuition |
Typical |
| Psyche |
Typical |
| Health |
90 |
| Karma |
36 |
| Resources |
Not Applicable |
| Popularity |
0 |
Powers
None
Talents
None
Contacts
None
History
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 in 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.
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. 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.
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 50 cities in the United States. The main body, which is under the command of Zartan, is the Florida chapter, nicknamed the Florida Noks.
A few notable new members include Demolisher (Sukko Torngark), Crusher (Roberto K. Rivera), Zanya (who is Zartan's daughter), Burn-Out, Rugrat, Chop Shop, and Heartwrencher (first female Dreadnok as a henchman and not part of Zartan's family).
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