Disclaimer #1:

As I was trying to submit these originally I got the 'failed to load' screen because it said the server from joecustoms couldn't be found. Everytime I tried to do it, I got the same thing. I didn't think they had actually gone through since I got that one screen.

Once I realized what happened I went and deleted the extra posts, and in doing so deleted ALL of them. :hitsheadagainstwall:

So, I get on now and wondered why nobody said anything. Wel, there wasn't anything to comment on.

Oooopsie.


Disclaimer #2:

I've come to the realization that there are some characters I've created that will never see the light of day as an actual figure. Whether it's a lack of parts, a lack of skills, or the failure to capture the mental image I have for the character in plastic...

:sigh:

I do have a majority of these in the LBC/WIP phase, but I've decided, after hearing the encouragement of another board member, to start posting some of their filecards on here.

I have posted two previously, the JOEs Bell Hop and Knockout. Here are some from one of my factor Factions, the Dreadnoks!:

Dreadnoks

COBRA DREADNOK GROUPIE wf
Codename: Babydoll
Filename: Garner, Chelsea
PMS: Armed Robbery (Accomplice/Accessory-Aiding & Abetting)
SMS: Beauticuan/Cheerleading
POB: Pottersville, West Virginia
Grade: None

Chelsea comes from a small town in West Virginia where the majority of the population worked for the local mining company. The biggest event each week was the Friday night high school football game where the entire town came out to support the team. She worked part-time afternoons at the local beauty parlor after cheerleading practice. With such a small community dependant on the revenues generated by the mine to survive, it was only a matter of time before something bad happened to the local economy.

The output of coal being processed daily shrank and the mine owners became desperate to protect their investments. They took shortcuts, sinking new shafts and branching out different tunnels in attempt to find more coal. After several cave-ins took the lives of many experienced miners and newly hired graduates, the mining company pulled out, leaving the majority of the town unemployed. Unable to find work, entire families packed up and left, never to return. Knowing she couldn’t support herself by cheerleading at football games for the rest of her life, she knew she had to study hard and get an education. The day after she graduated high school she packed her bags and left town on the first bus heading out. She stopped at the first big town she got to and got a job in a beauty saloon.

She met the owner of a tattoo/piercing parlor next door, Spike, and began dating him. When the Dreadnoks recruited Spike to be their inker and piercing guy, Chelsea went with him, changing her name to Babydoll and embracing the biker lifestyle.

“…gimme a ‘N’, gimme an ‘O’, gimme a ‘K’. GO ‘NOKs! Yay! Hoo-hoo!”

COBRA DREADNOK (UNDERCOVER AGENT) wm
Codename: Deadbeat
Filename: Andrews, Terry
PMS: Motorcycle Mechanics (Undercover GIJOE Agent)
SMS: Ex-Convict (GTA, Property Destruction, B&E, Theft) (Covert Operations)
POB: Provo, South Dakota
Grade: None (US Government-Justice Department)

By Dreadnok standards, Deadbeat is a stand-up, dependable guy. He doesn’t touch every donut in the box before picking one, and never takes the last grape soda from the fridge. Anytime the ‘Noks are hanging out at a safe house or at the Everglades compound, Deadbeat can either be found in the garage working on the motorcycles-doing routine maintenance the gang forgets, or keeping the plumbing operational. As a result, he’s become someone they can count on to do the things they don’t do.

Little do the Dreadnoks know that Deadbeat is actually an undercover agent with the Justice Department. It isn’t easy to infiltrate the biker gang and others before him had tried unsuccessfully to do so. The lucky ones managed to crawl through the swamp and reach safety, having suffered broken bones after being stomped on, smashed faces from getting beaten, or their skin flayed off after being dragged behind a motorcycle at high speeds on roads or gravel. So far Deadbeat has lasted over ten months undercover.

Agent Andrews was a natural to join the gang, having a juvenile record for breaking store windows, smashing mail boxes, and stealing cars. He served time in prison and worked in a garage as part of a work release program. Andrews was approached by a senior Justice Department official and offered a deal: join the agency, take a few special assignments, and his criminal records would be sealed so he could start a new life with a clean slate. As Deadbeat, he accepted and went through all the required training. He was introduced to the Noks in KC after a carefully staged fight broke out in a roadhouse and he backed them up. When their undercover agent opponents were all in various heaps on the floor, the Dreadnoks and Deadbeat were the only ones left standing. Monkeywrench and Torch invited him to tag along with them and the first part of Deadbeat’s undercover mission was accomplished.

The following is an excerpt from a message drop to Deadbeat’s controller: “…I can’t handle this anymore. I want out! They’re starting to get on my nerves. They smell bad, they’re belligerent, they’re gross! God, help me, I’m actually starting to like the taste of grape soda. You gotta get me outta here quick!”

COBRA DREADNOK BAT n/a
Codename: DingBAT (Dreadnok-Intergrated Nasty Grappling BAT)
Filename: n/a
PMS: Computer Technology
SMS: Weapons
POB: BAT Robotics Lab, Cobra Island
Grade: None (Salavaged from scrapheap on Cobra Island)

During a visit to Cobra Island, Monkeywrench and Thrasher were dumpster diving outside of Dr. Mindbender’s robotics lab when they found a dismembered BAT prototype. They hooked a heavy chain to the hitch of the Thunder Machine and towed the bin back to the airfield. There the two miscreants loaded every piece they could salvage, along with other high-tech parts thrown out by careless lab drones, aboard the Dreadnok cargo plane headed back to the swamp.

Once home, the two secretly restored the BAT in a remote shop, safe from the prying eyes of the other ‘Noks. They added a few extra gadgets and gizmos, painted it in the gang’s colors, and welded a frame to its back so it can carry a variety of mission variable packs: pressurized grape soda dispenser, chilled chocolate-covered donut trays, and a media system (game system , satellite radio, CD player w/bass assist, etc). Bootleg downloaded software onto its OS, bypassing the Cobra protocols and setting up Dreadnok voice-recognition programs. The unveiling before Zartan and the other Dreadnoks was a rowdy success. While the android ‘Nok can operate any Cobra or Dreadnok vehicle, its AI has convinced itself it can survive the longest when it is hard-wired into the Ait Assault VTOL Copter.

The following is a partial transcript of an intercepted phone call between Cobra Commander and Destro. No voice recorded for Destro: “It wasn’t amusing to discover those two …idiots, nitwits…of Zartan’s actually managed to leave Cobra Island with several million dollars worth of sophisticated android technology! Or that those simpletons could somehow share enough brain cells between them to even conceive such a plan to make it operational in the first place. What was funny, was the sheer look of incredulous shock, stupor, and horror that came over Mindbender’s face when he saw his million dollar BAT prototype serving grape soda and chocolate-covered donuts like it was the finest caviar and champagne. Now, everytime he comes to me, whining about how he’s having difficulty with a project and is behind schedule, I wave my hand and tell him, ‘And there’s never a Dreadnok around when you need one.’ [snort] Ha, ha, ha, ha, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH!”


COBRA DREADNOK TROUBLE-SHOOTER ?
Codename: Last Ride
Filename: Unknown
PMS: ‘Wet-Works’ Assignments
SMS: Problem Solver & Disposal
POB: Unknown
Grade: None

Businesses that decline ‘protection insurance,’ gas stations that decline the Dreadnoks ARBCO credit cards, black market vendors that shortchange shipments of product, individuals that double cross the gang, organizers that fail ton pay for security at concerts and sporting events, people that stick their noses into the Dreadnoks’ business that shouldn’t-all of these situations require a special touch to deal with them properly, so the situations never happen again. If the Dreadnoks aren’t capable of putting matters straight, Zartan has one final option-call in the Dreadnoks’ trouble-shooter and problem-solver, the enigmatic Last Ride.

There are several rumors about Last Ride’s true identity: one is that he was a Mexican hitman working for the drug cartels during the nineties, another claims he is a former KGB wetworks assassin, a third is that he is a famous craggy-faced character actor in low-budget Hollywood movies that supplements his income by working for Zartan, while others believe him to be a CIA spook gone rogue. Since Last Ride never removes his leather hood or talks to anyone but Zartan, it is speculated he is horribly disfigured. Anyone who has attempted to discover his identity has never appeared in public again, and is probably buried somewhere out in the desert in an unmarked grave.

From Zartan: “I do not care what excuse someone may have for not paying the Dreadnoks for services rendered. I don’t want to hear why you felt you had to double-cross us, sell us out, or try to cheat us in business dealings. It’s too late for that now. It’s an issue of trust. If I can’t trust you anymore, I don’t need you. There will be no more warnings, extensions, or gentle reminders. There will only be one option. And that is your Last Ride!”

COBRA DREADNOK WEAPONS SPECIALIST wm
Codename: Nosher
Filename: MacDonnegal, Bryson
PMS: Ex-Iron Grenadier
SMS: Terrorism/Sales & Marketing/Assault Trooper
POB: Cowdenbreath, Scotland
Grade: None (former Iron Grenadiers Sergeant dismissed for fighting)

The MacDonnegals have loyally served the Destro clan for several centuries and were known for their fierceness in battle, always fighting by their Laird’s side. When the current Destro formed the Iron Grenadiers, Bryson was one of the first to join. He worked hard and moved up through the ranks. His efforts had not gone unnoticed, and he was set to become an officer. One ill-fated run in with the Dreadnok Thrasher in a pub outside Castle Destro changed that.

Nosher had dressed in the formal uniform of an IG Instructor and was waiting at the foot of the stairs for Destro and Zartan to finish their meeting. Thrasher had taken one look at the burly, barrel-chested Scotsman in his kilt and burst out laughing. Nosher naturally took offense and launched himself at him, breaking Thrasher’s nose and knocking him out in seconds flat. Bottles dropped onto tables and chairs scrapped against the stone floor as one by one the Dreadnoks got to their feet to defend their mate. Nosher smashed a bottle against the bar and turned on the rest of them. Bodies littered the floor as he eliminated each one from the fight. Torch was knocked down as a table flew into him, Ripper slid the entire length of the bar and then hit the wall, Gnawgahyde’s head connected with a beer mug while Monkeywrench was hit with a serving tray Frisbee style. Road Pig was the last to fall, having been kicked in the groin so hard Donald felt it. When Zartan and Destro came downstairs to investigate the ruckus they found Zanzibar wedged head first into the jukebox and Buzzer hiding under a table by the bar. Nosher stood amongst the bodies in the middle of the room, calmly pulling shards of glass from his bald head.

Although Destro knew any Iron Grenadier was a match for the Dreadnoks in a fight, he did not want them brawling in bars like common thugs. He stripped Nosher of his rank and kicked him out of the Grenadiers. Zartan, impressed with how Nosher had taken out the Dreadnoks, decided he was a useful man to have around and asked him to join the gang. With no future left in Scotland, Nosher accepted the offer. Once they regained conciousness, the Dreadnoks grudgingly accepted him as one of them.

From Destro: “For years I have tried to gain access to Zartan’s operations, knowing his contacts with criminal organizations in America were an untapped market for my weapons and services. One of my most loyal Iron Grenadiers, Sergeant MacDonnegal, whose family has been tied to the Destros for ages, and a man I’ve personally known since my youth, volunteered to join the Dreadnoks and get me the information I require. I regret I had to rebuke him for his actions in the pub, for it was necessary to gain the opportunity to place him within Zartan’s ranks. He imagines he is getting access to the Grenadiers, when it’s actually the reverse. I wait for the day of ‘Captain’ MacDonnegal’ return.”

COBRA DREADNOK ROAD PIRATE wf
Codename: Tantrum
Filename: Boles, Annie
PMS: Road Pirate (Hijacking & Smuggling)
SMS: Hunting Guide
POB: Windorah, Queensland, Australia
Grade: None

Before the Dreadnoks became the international biker gang and the pains in the butt they are today, Torch, Ripper, and Buzzer roamed the vastness of Australia on their custom motorcycles, starting fistfights and bar brawls everywhere they stopped. Whenever the ‘Noks needed a place to crash or hide out from the law, they stayed at the Boles Car Park in Queensland.

Young Annie Boles, the daughter of the owner, followed them around as they rebuilt engines and worked on their Hogs. They tolerated her at first, partially because she had a speech impediment and a learning disability, but mostly out of respect for their buddy for letting them stay. Her Dad had ridden with the ‘Noks before opening the Park. All three grew protective of her when she innocently threw the police off their trail after a robbery. From then on, whenever the local boys picked on her, one of the trio was always there to ‘persuade’ them not to, usually by pounding a meaty fist to the jaw, or dragging the miscreant behind a bike at 80mph.

The speech impediment, caused by TMJ, along with her difficulty in learning new things in school, gave Annie terrible headaches. Her parents tried to curb her anger by consoling her and working with the people from social services, but after several years of the screaming and her temper tantrums, they were ready to give up. After the Dreadnoks left for America, Annie ran away from home and met up with other runaways, forming a traveling band of thieves.

By the time she was twenty, ‘Tantrum’ had formed her own Dreadnok motorcycle club and was reeking havoc from Perth to Brisbane, running cars of the road, stealing transport trucks, hijacking fuel shipments, and generally making a nuisance of herself. When the Dreadnoks returned to the Outback for a job, they met up with her and invited her along when they returned to the Everglades. She quickly accepted and eventually was introduced to Dr. Mindbender. He fixed her jaw, but it didn’t change her personality-she’s still mean and cantankerous.

DREADNOK BAND MANAGER wm
Codename: Head-Banger
Filename: Norris, Fred (Norris, Charles)
PMS: Cold Slither Band Manager
SMS: Logistics/Record Company Exec
POB: Springfield
Grade: Commander (Retired Crimson Guard-injury)

Not every member of the elite Crimson Guard has a degree in law or accounting. When Cobra Commander formed the Siegies, he expected them to integrate themselves into communities, becoming pillars of society and upstanding citizens, until called upon to serve Cobra. In small towns across the United States there are Siegies holding various levels of political office. Some are doctors, clergy, insurance agents, law enforcement officers, realtors, lodge members, government officals and inspectors, teachers, college professors, and university presidents. They are businessmen and land-owners, serve on school boards, coach little league teams, and even have connection with the local crime gangs. In short, the Siegies have penetrated the infrastructures of small town America.

Charles Norris was a lowly band manager working for a music label in LA in the early eighties prior to his joining Cobra. Disillusioned with his career, he happened to attend a career advanced ‘seminars’ and was impressed with the motivational speaker, a European gentleman named C. Ball. He soon was approached by the local Cobra cell and realized the organization was what he was looking for. Norris was selected to join the newly formed Crimson Guard and was quickly ‘initiated’, becoming ‘Fred’ Norris after undergoing plastic surgery. Realizing the prospect of having an agent at the highest levels of the music industry, Cobra ‘arranged’ for him to become an executive, and assigned him to Project “Head-Banger.’ He spent ten years promoting various new artists, all the while feeding Cobra insider information to allow the pirating of music and the imprinting of Cobra data for distribution. Norris may or may not have been involved with the elimination of ‘problem’ performers and the escalation of the East Coast vs West Coast battle.

After seeing the impact that the ‘boy bands’ had from a financial standpoint, Tomax and Xamot knew they could make a lot of money in the music industry if they could only exploit this untapped market. They brought their Siegie music expert to the Dreadnok Roadhouse to watch the house band, Cold Slither, perform. He liked what he saw and heard, and the Twins convinced Cobra Commander to fund a Media Division to promote the band. After six months of studio work and organization, Cold Slither went out on tour across America and released several songs. Their concerts soon sold out as they got popular and their top selling item at the concession stands and online website were the female bass player’s swimsuit calendar and poster.

Head-Banger now personally oversees the band on tour, booking concert venues and arranging interviews with the media. After many years of hard work, Head-Banger will do anything in his power to keep the success he’s found with Cold Slither.

DREADNOK MUSICIAN ‘Cold Slither’ wf
Codename: Snakeskin
Filename: Black, Nikki (Blackman, Nicolette)
PMS: Bass Guitar & Vocals
SMS: Lyrics/Lighting Arranger
POB: Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Grade: None

Nicolette Blackman grew up idolizing the big hair heavy metal bands of the eighties. Her bedroom was plastered with posters and she had an entire corner dedicated as a shrine to the gods of metal. In high school she took up playing the bass guitar and by the time she graduated she had been a member of several garage bands. These groups never seemed to work out, as her bandmates fought amongst themselves over the stupid little things every small band seems to break up for. People would stop showing up for rehearsals, hog all the credit, or leave because their creative ideas were rejected.

After several years of playing gigs and filling in as a replacement with the many bar bands in the greater Ontario area, Nicolette packed up her Gremlin and headed South of the border. She stopped in Detroit for a few years, working as a studio musician for one of the Motown labels before heading to Seattle. There she first met Rouser, a upcoming grunge/punk rocker in his own right. The local music scene wasn’t her style, so she drove down the coast to LA. After a year of waiting tables and sending demo tapes to the studios, she had enough rejection letters to wallpaper her small apartment. Her luck changed when she was hired by a movie studio to work in their music department. On the weekends she played with a few of the local bands, making herself visible in the local music scene and building a reputation as a solid bass player.

When Head-Banger was looking for another bass player to join Cold Slither, he remembered a young female musician from LA. He contacted her and offered her the position in the band. After she accepted, the idea people created a new look for her. Nicolette Blackman became Nikki Black, aka ‘Snakeskin’-the Goddess of the Bass. To play up her marketing appeal, she posed for all the mens magazines (tastefully non-nude) and shot a swimsuit calendar on an undisclosed island in the Gulf of Mexico. Each month had a different shot of Nikki posing with various reptiles around the island. Once released to the public it quickly sold out at newsstands and at concerts, and her website ‘www.nikkiskin.com’ drew millions of hits a day.

From Clutch: “So I’m workin’ on my VAMP at the Philly PIT one day, getting’ the ol’ girl up and runnin’ all smooth-like again, when Scarlett and Cover Girl come in. They see the Snakeskin calendar up on the wall and start rippin’ inta me. I throw my hands up ‘cause it’s no big deal, right? Chicks, ya know? Then Scarlett yanks it off the wall. I try to get it back ‘cause I don’ know if she’s gonna tear it or not. I mean, I paid $15 bucks for twelve months of that hot Nikki Black, see? Then she starts starin’ at it real close-like. I’m thinkin’, ‘Whoa, Scarlett!’ She waves Cover Girl over and they both take turns starin’ at it. I’m startin’ ta feel like I’m in one of those stories ya read about in the magazines, ya know what I mean? Scarlett starts flippin’ through the pages and then they both look up at me. Next thing I know we’re all talkin’ with Hawk in his office. Seems Scarlett saw sumptin’ real familiar ‘bout that photo shoot. It was Cobra Island! We’ve been there enough times to recognize the geography and landmarks. An’ thas how we found out Cobra was behind Cold Slither. ‘Sa shame though, that Snakeskin is one mighty fine lookin’ chick!”

DREADNOK VEHICLE DRIVER wm
Codename: Roland
Filename: Gerhardt, Roland
PMS: Vehicle Mechanic
SMS: Demolition Derby Champ/Racing Enthusiast
POB: Bremen, Germany
Grade: None

Roland spent his formative years watching the zany antics of American movie actor Burt Reynolds (Smokey and the Bandit and Cannonball Run) dubbed into German. When he purchased his first vehicle, he tore up the Auto Bahn like his silver screen hero. Several accidents later he moved to the United States and began a career of leading high-speed pursuit chases all across the South. While serving a five year stretch for numerous moving violation charges, Roland joined up with Torch and Ripper in prison. He managed to get released with them as part of the deal the Crimson Twins worked out when they gave up arms dealers that were cutting in on Destro’s business. He was taken to the compound in the Everglades, where he met Zartan and the rest of the Dreadnoks. Roland has tried unsuccessfully to convince Heartwrencher to be his ‘Froggie.’
“Da Bandit! Mistah Buhd Reynols. He is mein hero, yah. Dat is vy I drive da ’77 Pohntiahk Trahns Zam Fiyabuhd like heem too! Oh, Heartwencher, my liddle Froggie!”

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bump for actual information in the post... :blush:

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this thread is useless without pics.

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Actually, its a critique thread, so if he wants his work read by others, commented on, or just wanted feedback, this is exactly the place for it.


but on topic, I like the stuff you have here, DJ, you've really written a complex universe into these filecards. I do appreciate that both the joes and the IG have infiltrated, that is hilarious.

I guess you are taking cold slither in a different direction, so that works. When I first read that first guy's filecard, I was afraid it really was going to be a boy band,

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I am fortuate that I have been able to recover the majority of filecards from the old laptop. I had some really great bios written and only know of a few I've lost completely.

I often look back at the Masters approach to filecards to get a feel for the tone. I also try to include some topical in-jokes, either with the filename or by hinting about things in the text.

The great thing about the 'Noks is practically anything goes. I keep re-watching the two Clint Eastwood movies with the baboon because to me the Black Widows are like the Dreadnoks in a way. You take a look at bad guys/thugs in movies and can fit them in as a 'Nok. Heck, cross the gang from Jackass with Bill Murray's guy from Caddyshack gets me a former groundskeeper that hangs with the 'Noks. He has this compulsive 'need' to destroy any mini-putt golf course he happens to drive by in his modded golf cart.

Babydoll came about because I remembered the Cobra Cheerleaders from the early Marvel run and felt having one as a 'Nok would just be funny. She's kinda based on Torrie Wilson.

Deadbeat is interesting because I wanted to show that the 'Noks sometimes really are not just goofballs, but can do some nasty stuff. I just asked what if a Joe could go undercover and went from there.

DingBAT is one of my favorites, because everytime I read it I hear Cobra Commander's voice from the cartoon screeching out the words. The figure for this I don't have any parts done because I want him to be bigger (like the DDP one in Chicago) and he's gotta have pants like one of the gang (to answer the question we've all had about why BATs have clothes molded on). I also wanted to tie into the less popular Dreadnok vehicles too.

Last Ride is another favorite. He's modeled on Danny Trejo in Desperado. Right now he's got the Comic Pack Snake-Eyes head from the Silent Issue pack. He doesn't hang with the rest of the gang, but even they don't mess with him. For all they know he could be one of Zartan's alter-egos.

Nosher is a favorite too. At the time I wrote this bio, that very night I saw someone someplace had posted a custom with almost the same idea. I think mine is unique because it shows the 'Noks collectively getting their butts handed to them and shows possibly a little insight into their personalities. It has the twist at the end (think cartoon Destro's voice saying it) and I always thought it would be cool to have a 'Nok in a kilt. That's bad-@$$.

Tantrum came from a picture I saw in one of the advance order catalogs I get from the comic book store. That spark had me think about her background and I also thought about Mad Max (with the kids and the crashed jet?). Right now she has the waist and legs from the Wild Bill 2-pack (w/Coil Crusher), the comic pack Cover Girl torso/upper arms, the lower arms from a 25th Lady Jaye, and the head of Young Indy. I took the 'Boy Scout' tie and turned it around like a bandanna she could pull up over her mouth and nose (it also conveniently covers the skin tone of the chest. I may have to custom make her unique hat.

Head-Banger is my tribute to Tom Hanks' character in 'That Thing You Do'-with a twist. I've seen the movie many times and one day decided I would look at all media for custom ideas. I asked myself what would an evil band manager be like (had to be a Cobra) and then said I had to work Cold Slither into the mix. I've taken the idea from the Marvel run that not all the Siegies are lawyers, CPAs, etc, so he became a Siegie. He's not patterned off of the Howard Stern guy, but that would be a neat twist in itself. No boy bands either, but if I did they would be like the one from the live action Josie and the Pussycats...

Snakeskin is based on Lita Ford. I wanted a hottie in the band and she was created years before Guitar Hero was around. She dresses in skintight outfits with unique scale patterns, so she's 'Snakeskin' I acknowledged the 'shedding of the skin' by having her pose in the various magazines and the calendar. No figure for her, simply because I'm don't have the skills to create a super sexy female action figure. Cold Slither is not Torch, Ripper, or Buzzer, but a serious band in my universe. They go to great troubles to not be associated with Cobra at all. Cobra needs the means to obtain 'clean' revenue, so I created an entire division to do that. They have infomercials for products (an evil Ron Popeil anyone?), they do the telemarketing, and all the other 'innocent' stuff we usually deal with everyday in real life. GIJOE doesn't discover the link to Cobra until Scarlett sees the calendar.

I needed some other vehicles for the Dreadnoks to have, so Roland was invented. I looked at famous movie cars and realized having a German fan of Burt Reynolds might be funny (like how the French supposedly revere Jerry Lewis and the Germans adore David Hasselhoff's singing career). I hadn't exactly planned him to be an Ahnold type of guy, but reading the 'quote' in his voice cracks me up everytime. He likes Heartwrencher and she can't stand him. I wonder what will happen when she gets fed up and breaks the Trans Am's windows with her wrench...

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Cool, I like the Dreadnok BAT idea.
Bcost74 has a similar B.A.D. custom on the main page listed in the Figures-list. I don't know who was first, but I think both your FC and his custom are original, funny and use-able.

Tim 121RVC

very creative, and a good laugh.

Im especially impressed with Nosher- where on earth did u hear of Cowdenbeath? I live about 20 miles from there.

thats got to be one of the most obscure references Ive seen in ages

Well, I've been on joecustoms for about 2-3 years now and DingBAT was written a few years before that.

I was looking through the queue the other day and saw his and told myself I needed to post my filecard so it didn't look like I was copying him. No way he copied me, so no harm no foul.



Well, Destro is from Callander, Scotland, which is West of Cowdenbeath. I just looked up Callander in a big atlas I have and then went around in a circle from there until I found a city/town that stood out. I picked Cowdenbeath due to it's closeness to the body of water nearby...

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http://www.joecustoms.com/customs/customs_specific_item.php?kind=figure&id=8246



I see this figure was added in Feb of this year, but if you want to see a really odd dreadnok bat, you have to dig a little more, lol.

This one isn't a nok, but a cobra redneck, which was part of an entire sub group of cobra, namely their low class section, which in my mind, would be pretty good buddies with the noks.

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A point of information, i don't know how you like to include other Joe teams but Head Banger is already the name of the RTO for both Sgt Savage and GI Joe EXTREME. If you don't use those guys no worries and I like Ex-crimson guardsmen. I always wondered if they were killed when they became unfit for service.

Nosh - I like that his loyalties still lie with Destro, I would love to see his figure

Deadbeat- do you think the Noks would catch on after a while with the always taking initiative and doing stuff?

Last Ride - Almost seems a little too bad-arse. How could a guy that slick be loyal to zartan and the noks?

The females sound like winners. I don't know the cold slither storyline (missed those comics/TV episodes)

Tantrum seems like a great opportunity to put a less attractive female into the ranks. For a biker gang they seem to attract allot of hot chicks, I would love to see a female version of Road Pig and a little stick thin guy that follows her around (maybe a bookie or something)

Roland - always makes me think of a Thompson gunner... I like the character but I think name could use a little sprucing up. Maybe Snowman (like from smokey and the bandit) or maybe something like a homage to a famous German thief http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lips_Tullian&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DLips%2BTullian%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DT5b

As for the recycled BAT - sounds spot on and exactly what the Noks would do. I mean if the headhunters have BATs why not the noks (truth be told I have a similar back story for my Tiger Force recruit named Tinker who now commands three Tiger Bats who we salvaged and stole from Cobra Island. )

All in all they sound very Nok-ish, Last Ride maybe pushing the BA factor but all in all cool.

I hope that made sense if you need any clarification just ask (I had allot of ideas at once)

Steve

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Figured since I haven't posted any customs I might as well post some more custom file cards...

DREADNOK MECHANIC white male
Codename: Reef Rat
Filename: Trowbridge, Foster P.
PMS: Ex-Cobra Sea Snake
SMS: Cobra Boxing Champ
POB: Galveston, Texas
Grade: None

Reef Rat wasn’t kicked out of the Cobra Sea Snake ranks for being lazy or foul-mouthed, and he wasn’t thrown out for being out of uniform, unkempt, or for provoking fights. He was booted out after a Cobra Rat he had ‘fixed’ broke down while the Baroness was operating it during an intelligence-gathering mission. Embarrassed and upset for failing to accomplish her mission, it was only through Zartan’s intervention that Reef Rat managed to escape her wrath. Recognizing the potential for mayhem inherent to his nature, Zartan sent him to the Everglades hideout to meet up with the other Dreadnoks. They took a liking to the unrepentant bloke and initiated him into the gang, spraying him with grape soda and filling his shorts with donut crumbs.

From Zanzibar: “I don’t like him, not one bit. He won’t clean up after himself and the other ‘Noks are always blaming me for eating the last of the chocolate-covered donuts. Well, it’s not me! It’s him, I tell you! He’s the one who’s doing it! Wait’ll I tell Zartan…!” (stomps off to search for Zartan)

COBRA NAVAL TROOPERS various males and females
Codename: Sea Snakes
Filename: Various
PMS: Cobra Naval Troopers
SMS: Marine Vehicle Crewmen & Assault Team Members
POB: Various
Grade: Chief Petty Officer (equivalent)

The Sea Snakes are the enlisted troops of the Cobra Naval forces. After CNSST (Cobra Navy Sea Snakes Trooper) recruits complete basic infantry training and two other marine assault courses, they are sent to an unknown location run by Techno-Viper instructors, who familiarize them with the workings of every craft in the Cobra Navy. Once promoted to the Sea Snakes rank (CPO), they are assigned to a specific Cobra base (arctic, tropical coastal, ect) for a period of one year. Though the Sea Snakes must be scuba-certified, being Eel-trained is not a requirement for posting to the CNSST program. Each SST must be familiar with electronics repair, diesel mechanics, navigation, weapons systems, and small boat operations. Sea Snakes augment the crews of Moray Hydrofoils, BUGGs, other small craft, and larger ships (up to Frigate class) and submarines. When not on active patrols or missions, each SST is responsible for maintaining every vehicle and the bays housing them.

From Topside: “Sea Snakes are the sailors of the Cobra Navy. They start out at the bottom and maybe if they show some incentive and skill, they might get the chance to move up to the officer corps. Of course, they have to get by me first!”

COBRA NAVY JUNIOR OFFICERS various males and females
Codename: Sea Serpents
Filename: Various
PMS: Cobra Naval Officers
SMS: Cobra Naval Vehicle Operators & Crewmen/Repair
POB: Various
Grade: Ensigns, Lt. JGs, Lieutenants (equivalent)

In the Cobra Navy there are many tiers, with the Sea Serpents being the lowest of the grade officers. Prior to being selected to command a specific craft, they primarily provide critical crew staffing in the areas of electronics (computers, sonar, navigation, communications, and weapons systems), and in mechanical engineering (diesel engine repair and operation). In addition to being familiar with every known craft in the Cobra arsenal, each Sea Serpent is a fully trained Eel, capable of conducting operations above and below sea level. Sea Serpents that demonstrate superior leadership skills and devotion to the Cobra cause are selected to become primary operators of the Morays, BUGGs, Sea Rays, Man-O-Wars, Wave Crushers, Rats, and Mantis subs, becoming Lampreys, Secto-Vipers, Sea Slugs, Sub-Vipers, and Moray specialists.

From Cutter: “The Sea Serpents are the guys you gotta watch out for! After being Eels, they know it’s only a matter of time un til they’re the ones sitting high and dry in their own big, comfy vessel while the other poor slobs have to go back in the water. Command is like a big brass ring to these guys. It makes them extremely motivated and quite willing to take huge risks. And once they get behind the controls of a Motay Hydrofoil or a BUGG, it’s hell or high water before they’ll let go!”

COBRA CONCERT ROADIES/SECURITY STAFF various
Codename: Rave-Vipers
Filename: Various
PMS: Transportation/Concert Production (A/V, Lighting, Set-Up)
SMS: On-Site Security
POB: Various
Grade: NCO and Junior Officer (equivalent)

The Cobra Rave-Vipers are a detachment made up of three separate specially trained Viper squads, each responsible for the different jobs of concert production. The first squad handles the technical/electrical (equipment, lighting, audio, repair, control booth and soundboard operations and camera operation), the second squad is in charge of security (crowd control, sales, admission, and undercover ops), and the third squad is the roadies (stage management, set-up , construction, and backstage security). Considered one of the perks of being a Cobra Viper, all personnel are issued civilian clothing (jumpsuits, uniforms) that are the same color scheme as their field uniforms (purple for Techno-Vipers, blue for Tele-Vipers, etc). While every effort is made to ensure the legitimacy of the entire operation, any Rave-Viper inept enough to allow the public to discover the entire operation is a Cobra-funded front knows that he/she will be severely disciplined (permanent Toxo-Viper duty).

The base Rave-Viper Detachment Personnel Structure (staffing subject to venue/facility needs): Technical: 1 Techno-Viper Officer (command), 3 Techno-Vipers (electronic ops), 1 Tele-Viper Officer, 2 Tele-Vipers (control a/v), 4 Tele-Vipers (camera ops), 1 Laser-Viper (lighting & visual SFX), and 1 Incinerator (pyros & visual SFX).; Security: 1 Viper Officer and I Viper Sergeant (command), 5 Riot-Vipers (crowd control), 5 Riot-Vipers (reserve crowd control), 1 Cell-Viper Officer and 12 Cell-Vipers (undercover security and crowd control); Roadies: Lift-Vipers and various Cobra squad leaders and troopers.

COBRA SNAKE HANDLER white male
Codename: Krait
Filename: Johanson, Derek
PMS: Cobra Reptile Handler
SMS: Herpetologist
POB: Madagascar
Grade: Captain (equivalent)

Any visitor to Cobra Island or any Cobra base is more than likely to stumble across a wide variety of snakes, and not just the two-legged kind. With so many venomous reptiles around, a certain amount of caution must be exercised for the safety of Cobra person el. Cobra Commander asked Zartan to find him a talented individual to keep the snakes in line. Zartan knew of a snake expert in Madagascar and made the introductions that brought Johanson to Cobra. The small, thin man had recently left a government-appointed job due to “inappropriate use of reptiles” and accepted the position in Cobra. He was brought to Cobra Island and began the task of selecting qualified personnel from the Desert Scorpion rank to assist him set up a biological reserve for some of the world’s most dangerous snakes. The newly named Krait traveled the globe and brought back thousands of deadly reptiles. With Dr. Mindbender’s help, he began experimenting with snake DNA to create highly toxic poisons and new snake breeds. The new poisons were given to Cobra assassins for use in the field and played a key part in the creation of the Venomization process that enhanced certain Cobra troops.

Krait has been bitten several times over the years, but has survived each bite due to his tolerance for venom. Every day for the past twenty years he has injected snake venom into his body. He has developed a deep affection for his pet snakes and has absolutely no tolerance for clumsy Cobra troops that mishandle or step on his beloved snakes.

Overheard from a conversation between two Viper guards during an infiltration of a remote Cobra base:
“…he said something about watching your step. I thought he meant when the head snake was around, but he meant look out for all those ACTUAL snakes slithering all over the place. I almost stepped on a rattler!”

“Yeah, don’t ever step on one. Krait thinks they’re like his kids or sumptin’. You hurt one of them and you might just find yourself strapped to a table looking up at the ceiling while Dr, Mindbender and Krait look down at you!"

COBRA NAVAL SPECIAL COMMANDOS various
Codename: Coral Snakes
Filename: Various
PMS: Cobra Naval Assault Commandos/Special Assault Troopers
SMS: Cobra Naval Vehicle Operators
POB: Various
Grade: Captain (equivalent)

After watching his naval invasion forces suffer crushing defeat after defeat at the hands of the GIJOE Team, Cobra Commander seized on the idea of creating a seaborne equivalent of his urban shock troops-the Alley-Vipers-the quick strike assault troopers capable of operating in the field with little or no armored support. He ordered the Cobra High Command to immediately begin planning the new specialized assault force.

Six months and several hundred million dollars later, the new group, called the Coral Snakes, were in the early operational stage. Many of the troops were culled from a group of hardened Eel Officers who had already proven their capacity for conducting operations above or below sea level. Since Cobra vehicle proficiency was a prerequisite for every Eel candidate, the new training program was able to concentrate solely on new assault tactics. The new rapid deployment force was capable of assaulting and securing both military and civilian targets until the main occupying force moved into position. Similar in organization to the US Marines, the Coral Snakes are familiar with the operation and layout of most sea-going vessels, cruise ships, cargo haulers, tankers, oil platforms, research, military, and other civilian commercial vessels.

The Coral Snakes use prototype weapons provided by Destro’s MARS R&D Facility that are based on stolen US next-gen schematics. Their distinctive red/yellow/black battle suits are shockproof, waterproof, bullet-resistant, CBR-sealed, fire-resistant, and can withstand the full effects of water-to-land environmental changes (sand, sea water, rocks, marine life).

From Wet-Suit: “The Coral Snakes are the dirtiest, sneakiest, and the deadliest fighters in the Cobra Navy. They are the ones that ol’ fangface calls on to capture or sink commercial shipping traffic, destroy military and civilian targets, seize oil platforms or research vessels, and commit acts of high seas piracy. Fortunately, the JOE Team is always there when we need to be, to stop them each and every time! YO JOE!”

LEARJET/GULFSTREAM III PILOT wm
Codename: Hoss
Filename: Ross, Jason P.
SN: Classified
PMS: Longhorn Learjet/VC-20A Gulfstream III Pilot
SMS: Private Jet Pilot
POB: Providence, Rhode Island
Grade: None (Civilian Contractor, US Navy-Retired)

There are times when the GIJOE Team has to travel by air and access to military aircraft isn’t readily available. Sometimes, depending on the mission profile, civilian transport is the best option. That’s where Hoss comes in. General Hawk and the Recruiter organized a network of stand-by planes and pilots, fully prepared to jump in with only a few hours notice. This plan works three-fold: it provides the means to shuttle GIJOEs to and from assignments safely and securely; Cobra would be hard pressed to isolate any one specific plane from the thousands in the air on a daily basis to launch an attack; and it would offer small charter services the needed revenue to remain in operation.

One of the pilots, a retired US Navy veteran, had flown F-4 Phantoms in VietNam before starting a charter service in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area in the mid seventies. He hire out to rich business executives and oil companies, ferrying them around the country. Business slowly grew by word of mouth over the next decade. Finally during the nineties Hoss was able to hire additional pilots to take over the daily flights for his customers. At first he enjoyed the down time, but found he was flying less and less and dealing more and more with the endless paperwork. He was looking for a change of pace and flying free-lance for the GIJOE Team was just what he needed to get back in the skies again. After the prerequisite security background checks, Hoss was asked to join the GIJOE Reserves. Alpine occasionally flies in to help him keep the books. Hoss is familiar with F-4 Phantoms, C-2 Greyhounds, C-130 Hercules, VC-20 Gulfstreams, and Longhorn LearJets.

Wild Bill says: “Hoss is my kind of guy. He’s flown everything from single engine Cessnas to multi-engine transports, and is current on the latest civilian jet passenger aircrafts. With him around, maybe I can get outta flyin’ the Herkie-birds and get back into my Dragonfly!”

RENEGADE bm
Codename: Scuttle
Filename: Paquette, Robin
SN: Classified
PMS: EOD/Demolitions Specialist
SMS: Small Boat Operator
POB: Dover, Delaware
Grade: None (USN Discharged)

Scuttle was always a problem to his superiors. He got into more fistfights, bar-brawls, wrecked more jeeps, and was responsible for putting more SPs in the hospital than any other sailor in the US Navy. His brash, abrasive personality grated on his fellow sailors and officers alike. His base commanders didn’t know quite how to handle him, knowing his talent with explosives. At his last inquiry before being reduced in grade for the third time, he was told he was being given a chance to redeem himself and pay back the investment Uncle Sam had made in him. Scuttle blew it, literally, blowing up the senior officer’s personal vehicle. As he was being taken away to the brig, he was told he was being discharged from the Navy for his actions. The GI JOE Recruiter, already on the base to meet with another sailor, asked about the prisoner. After getting Psyche-Out to evaluate him, the recruiter approached Sgt Slaughter with the new recruit. A month later Scuttle had fit into the Renegade life, alongside Mercer, Red Dog, and Taurus.

Sgt Slaughter’s Renegades are not your standard combat soldiers. They are the social misfits, the problem soldiers, the slackers. They are made up of the unmotivated misanthropes that couldn’t hack the soldier life in the barracks. Some have served time in a military stockade; others are being given another chance to prove themselves. They are ill mannered, ill tempered, feisty, undisciplined, unmotivated, and lazy. Any of the Renegades could be card-carrying members of the Dreadnoks if Sgt Slaughter hadn’t gotten his hands on them. Each maggot, as the ex-Drill Sergeant calls them, just needs the right amount of motivation to improve, and Sgt Slaughter believes he can provide the right motivation, starting with his size fourteen boot!

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Rave Vipers FTW! lol. That's a fun one. Reef Rat is very well written too. Still waiting to see some come to life in plastic though!!!

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