1990 Characters, Page 5

Click-to-Reveal Profiles for Overlord, Cold Front, Vapor, Updraft, Decimator, and Maj. Storm

Click a code name to show the character's profile.

+ Overlord

OVERLORD - one who rules over other lords; a supreme sovereign	Char. #209, 18th Cobra individual
Animation Notes: Did not appear in the DiC cartoon, but was featured as Cobra's animated spokesman for 1990's new figures commercials, opposite a live-action Sgt. Slaughter.
Comic Notes: Overlord did not appear in the comic, but his biography is similar to that of several Fred-series Crimson Guardsmen from earlier in the comic's history.
Versions: 1. 1990 (Dictator) 2. 2006 (Convention)   Version 1: 1990 boxed Dictator vehicle Fig. #0265: Dictator Driver head: Overlord (90, 06) arms: Overlord (90) torso: Overlord (90) waist: Overlord (90) legs: Overlord (90) Accessories: gold helmet (new, crested); two claw gauntlets (new, webbed) Rising up from the ranks of one of Cobra's elite legions, the OVERLORD is a power-hungry authoritarian bent on becoming Cobra's supreme ruler! He is a diabolical individual who expects nothing less than complete obedience from his troops. At this point in time, he is the only one with enough strength and charisma to reunite all the sinister personalities within Cobra's hierarchy to form a more dangerous, more vicious Cobra than ever before! "As far as we can ascertain, the Overlord was a high-ranking officer of the feared CRIMSON GUARD now planning to seize control of both the Cobra organization and its expanded treasury. Of course, like any corrupt politician, he cloaked his own back room dealings and improprieties with a platform of reform, righteous indignation, and a return to traditional values . . . Cobra values!" Toy Notes: Item #6380. The prototype shown on the box back and in the commercial and 1990 insert catalog has a single claw with an exceptionally long arm. Version 2: 2006 Cobra's Most Wanted: Mercenaries! boxed set Fig. #1146: Coil Commander MOS 1: Strategic Command MOS 2: Psy-Ops head: Overlord (90, 06) arms: Barricade (92, 93, 04), Gears (94), Steel Brigade Paratrooper (05), Overlord (06) torso: Destro (88), Overlord (06) waist: Barricade (92, 93, 04), Blackstar (94), Gears (94), Overlord (06) legs: Barricade (92, 93, 04), Blackstar (94), Gears (94), Overlord (06) Accessories: gold helmet (06/I Cobra Trooper's, with red Cobra emblem); two gold claw gauntlets (88 Storm Shadow's); grey personal defense weapon (03 CLAWS Commander's CBJ-MS); clear figure stand OVERLORD was a former CRIMSON GUARDSMAN who saw an opportunity to usurp the COBRA hierarchy. Charismatic and powerful, he drew many followers to his side using the platform of a return to traditional COBRA values—gradual but steady world conquest and acquisition of personal wealth—rather than hopelessly following the far-fetched schemes of the old leadership. While he has attempted various allegiances over the years with others, he has now foresworn [sic] any further alliances and has devoted himself to raising his own secret army, the COIL. While his plans have taken years to grow to fruition, he continues to slowly writhe his way back into the inner circle of COBRA, and vows to wrest control of the serpent bedecked throne from COBRA COMMANDER once and for all. In order to win the latest mercenary challenge, OVERLORD must use his amassed knowledge, contacts, and other covert resources to determine the whereabouts of G.I. JOE's premier Drill Instructor, SGT. SLAUGHTER. He wishes nothing more than to sink his claws into the prize. However, his ultimate goal is to use COBRA COMMANDER's own wealth to strengthen the COIL army and use it to overthrow the COBRA Empire! "Victory goes to the leader with the most indispensable warriors!" Toy Notes: Boxed in a Convention-exclusive set with Maj. Bludd (06), Cobra Mortal (06), six copies of Coil Trooper (06), and six copies of Skull Squad Trooper (06).

+ Cold Front

COLD FRONT - the advancing edge of a cold mass of air.	Char. #210, 132nd Joe Team member
Charles Donahue (American with Irish surname) of Fort Knox, KY. Fort Knox is an Army post about 15 miles south of the Louisville metro area and is the site of the US Army Armor School. Airwave and Thunder were born in Louisville, and the next nearest Joe hometown is Cincinnati, Ohio, home of Barrel Roll and Red Spot.
Grades: E-7: 1990	SNs: 834-1965-TH56
DiC Cartoon Notes: Cold Front is mentioned by Sgt. Slaughter in The Nozone Conspiracy but never seen.
Comic Notes: Cold Front did not appear in the comic.
Versions: 1. 1990 (Avalanche)     Version 1: 1990 boxed Avalanche vehicle Fig. #0266: Avalanche Driver MOS 1: Avalanche Driver [19K] MOS 2: Fire Control Technician [13C] head: Cold Front (90) arms: Cold Front (90) torso: Cold Front (90) waist: Cold Front (90) legs: Cold Front (90) Accessories: clear gold visor (new, with nose notch); white mic (new, bent at 90 degrees); white pistol (new, high-tech) COLD FRONT was born so close to Fort Knox, he was breathing diesel fumes from the old M-60s as his cradle rocked to the distant concussion blasts from the turret guns on the Shermans. Growing up, Cold Front became interested in the tanks. He studied many tactics and strategies from the Korean War to the present. When he was eighteen, he enlisted in the Army and because of his knowledge of tanks, was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division. There he gained valuable experience before he was re-assigned to G.I. Joe's Arctic Patrol! He became such a crackerjack tank driver that Gen. Hawk put him in charge of the meanest tank ever to rumble through the tundra—the Avalanche! "Cold Front cannot allow himself to drive a car because he'll destroy it. A well built station wagon lasts about two weeks in his hands and is usually not salvageable for parts. After he was pried out of the wreckage of his last civilian vehicle, he remarked, 'I keep forgetting they're not tanks!'" Toy Notes: Item #6339.

+ Vapor

VAPOR - cloudy diffusion of matter in the air, or the gaslike form of a liquid, often caused by a rapid change in temperature.	Char. #211, 37th Cobra troop type
DiC Cartoon Notes: Never spoke (although Skydive spoke several lines while disguised as a Vapor). First appeared in I Found You...Evy. Total appearances: 6. Wore their 1990 outfits with a grey harness. In commercial animation, wore red pads on their upper legs.
Chronological Appearance List: I Found You...Evy, Cold Shoulder, The Mind Mangler, D-Day at Alcatraz II, An Officer and a Viperman, and BIOK. Vapors are not included in any DiC opening sequences.
Versions: 1. 1990 (Hurricane)     Version 1: 1990 boxed Hurricane VTOL vehicle Fig. #0267: Cobra Hurricane VTOL Pilot head: Vapor (90), Air-Viper (03) arms: Vapor (90), Air-Viper (03) torso: Vapor (90), Air-Viper (03) waist: Vapor (90), Air-Viper (03) legs: Vapor (90), Air-Viper (03) Accessories: none The VTOL tactical fighter pilot has direct shunts from his optic nerve to his inboard targeting computers. Important data can be projected directly onto his helmet's field of vision screen. He is also equipped with advanced laser-powered, heads-up-display target locator with direct servo-linkage to the weapons systems that can be actuated by simple voice command. This enables VAPOR to engage a target instantaneously, substantially increasing his first-hit probability percentage. "Vapor is an unbeatable sky warrior for the first half hour of an engagement, then he becomes debilitated by excruciating headaches and vision failure caused by a massive overload in the image-processing centers in the brain. What makes him truly dangerous is his uncany ability to knock out almost every enemy fighter in the air during that half hour before he blacks out!" Toy Notes: Item #6343. The character art shows Vapor holding Major Storm's pistol, but none was included with the figure.

+ Updraft

UPDRAFT - a strong upward current of air.	Char. #212, 133rd Joe Team member
Matthew W. Smithers (American with Saxon English surname) of Bismarck, ND. Bismarck (pop. 58,333) is the state's capital, in central ND on I-94 and the Missouri River. Note: The 1990 filecard misspells the city Bismark. The other Dakota Joes are Low-Light of Crosby, ND (near the Canada border) and Cannonball of Sioux Falls, SD (by the "tail").
Grades: O-3: 1990	SNs: 223-2088-NQ43
Comic and Animation Notes: Updraft appeared in only one issue in 1992: #130. He was never animated.
Versions: 1. 1990 (Retaliator)     Version 1: 1990 boxed Retaliator vehicle Fig. #0268: Retaliator Pilot MOS 1: Retaliator Pilot [15A] MOS 2: Weapons Systems Officer [91A] head: Updraft (90) arms: Updraft (90) torso: Updraft (90) waist: Updraft (90) legs: Updraft (90) Accessories: dark grey helmet (new, with silver double visor); dark grey pistol (new, oversized with scope) UPDRAFT led the American team to victory two years in a row at the World Helicopter Championships and was a special instructor at the Flight Warrant Officer's School at Fort Rucker before being selected for duty with G.I. Joe. His "hands-on" experience played an integral role in the final design of the Retaliator helicopter. Updraft's input greatly added to the copter's maneuverability, heavy-lift capability, and battlefield survivability. "Updraft molds the Retaliator to him the way he would a new suit. The machine becomes a part of him and even takes on his body language. If the G.I. Joes are in a hot situation, they'd like to see Updraft fly in to lay down cover fire and get them out of there!" Toy Notes: Item #6335. The character art suggests a green outfit instead of dark grey.

+ Decimator

DECIMATOR - one who destroys a large portion of something (etymologically, 1/10).	Char. #213, 38th Cobra troop type
Note: Some collectors regard Decimator as an individual. The wording of the filecard allows either interpretation.
Animation Notes: Decimators were animated only for commercials.
Versions: 1. 1990 (Hammerhead)     Version 1: 1990 boxed Hammerhead vehicle Fig. #0269: Cobra Hammerhead Driver head: Decimator (90), Coil Trooper (06) arms: Decimator (90) torso: Decimator (90) waist: Decimator (90) legs: Decimator (90) Accessories: dark grey and white helmet (new, with green visor); dark grey speargun (new, with three spears visible) Cobra Island is surrounded by open beaches which are, at the very least, hostile environments for tanks of any sort. The Hammerhead was specifically developed to function in shallow coastal waters, sand and scrub vegetation. Sacrificing heavy armor protection for speed and agility, the Hammerhead requires a driver with lightning fast reflexes and exceptional peripheral vision. "The wide-angle, image-intensifier unit built into the DECIMATOR's helmet offers him a 180-degree view in almost complete darkness. The image he sees is compressed in the same manner used for wide-screen movie titles when they are shown on TV. In essence, he can keep the target in front of him at all times and get a perfectly clear shot at it without even turning his head. This is extremely advantageous when fighting a speeding vehicle on a flat beach!" Toy Notes: Item #6357.

+ Major Storm

MAJOR STORM - violent weather with strong wind, rain, and often lightning.	Char. #214, 134th Joe Team member
Robert G. Swanson (American with Saxon English or Swedish surname) of Providence, RI. At the mouth of the Providence River, the city is the capital and largest city (pop. 175,255) in RI. Ace, Bullhorn, Dee-Jay, Dogfight, Ice Cream Soldier, and Skystriker also come from Providence. Hasbro's headquarters is in the suburb of Pawtucket; thus 17 Joes come from this state.
Grades: O-4: 1990-2004	SNs: 785-2113-GE00; 765-2113-GE00
Comic and Animation Notes: Maj. Storm appeared in only one issue in 1992: #130. He was never animated.
Versions: 1. 1990 (General) 2. 2003 (Convention)   Version 1: 1990 boxed General vehicle Fig. #0270: General Commander MOS 1: General Commander MOS 2: Long Range Artillery Officer [13A] head: Maj. Storm (90, 03) arms: Maj. Storm (90, 03) torso: Windchill (89, 94), Maj. Storm (90, 03), Steel Brigade Commander (05) waist: Maj. Storm (90, 03) legs: Crankcase (85), Maj. Storm (90, 03) Accessories: gold helmet (new, with star, eyepiece, and mic); gold pistol (new, oversized) MAJOR STORM accumulated his skills the hard way—in the field. He's forgotten more about armor tactics than most tank commanders will ever know in their lifetimes. He is a battle hardened warrior who has driven the big ones—the M-60A1 and the M1A1 all-purpose battlefield crusher. To him, the General is just another heavily-armored chunk of government hardware that was designed to defeat Cobra—it's just bigger than anything he's ever commanded. "From the commander's seat of the General, Major Storm can scan the battlefield with an amazing array of sensors, including third generation image intensifiers, infrared detectors, pulse doppler radar and laser range finders. All this electronic hodge-podge is controlled by an advanced computer guided system that only the Major can decipher. The General boasts more firepower than an entire 155mm howitzer battery and its anti-aircraft defense system is second to none! To the dismay of the crew who keep it rumbling, Major Storm still refers to it as 'his tank'!" Toy Notes: Item #6320. Version 2: 2003 Operation: Anaconda boxed set Fig. #0727: Tactical Operations Commander MOS 1: Long Range Artillery Officer [13A] MOS 2: Intelligence Analyst [35D] head: Maj. Storm (90, 03) arms: Maj. Storm (90, 03) torso: Windchill (89, 94), Maj. Storm (90, 03), Steel Brigade Commander (05) waist: Maj. Storm (90, 03) legs: Crankcase (85), Maj. Storm (90, 03) Accessories: gold helmet (90 Maj. Storm's); gold pistol (90 Maj. Storm's); clear figure stand MAJOR STORM accumulated his skills the hard way—on the battlefield. He's forgotten more about strategic tactics than most field officers will ever know in their lifetimes. He joined the G.I. JOE team as commander of the GENERAL—Mobile Strike Headquarters. This immense battle station was his pride and joy, until it was severely damaged by unknown saboteurs that escaped unchallenged into the night. The repairs will take over a year to complete. Now he's on a mission to find the culprits and bring them to justice! Using intelligence gathered by the G.I. JOE team's Criminal Investigation Division, MAJOR STORM has chosen two prime candidates to assist him: LADY JAYE, the covert operations specialist and LT. FALCON, the tough-as-nails Green Beret. Each has been assigned a solo reconnaissance mission to uncover the mystery behind the evil deed. Who will be the first to report their findings and where will it lead the Major for the ultimate confrontation? Toy Notes: Boxed in a convention-exclusive set with Lt. Falcon (03), Lady Jaye (03/I), Cobra Commander (03/I), Black Dragon (03), five copies of Swamp-Viper, and five copies of Black Dragon Trooper (03).

Continue to 1991 Characters, Page 1 (Rapid-Fire, Heavy Duty, Big Ben, Crimson Guard Immortal, Desert Scorpion, Red Star, and Incinerator)

Go back to 1990 Characters, Page 4 (Altitude, Airborne, Drop Zone, Static Line, Skydive, and Airwave)

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