Buzzer (G.I. Joe)
Encyclopedia
Buzzer is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1985.
, England
.
Buzzer was once an extreme left-wing Cambridge
sociology don
who went to Australia to research biker gangs. His experiences there transformed him into the object of his research, as years of intellectual displeasure and extreme indignation at society's two-faced morality, instilled in him a desire to take society apart with a chainsaw. Buzzer is now a scavenger of the swamps, and can cut through steel, wrought iron, and nearly any metal with his diamond-tooth chainsaw.
G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #25 with Ripper
and Torch
. Later, the Dreadnoks are sent as an advance team to McGuire Air Force Base
, as Cobra Commander
believed it was the location of G.I. Joe headquarters. Buzzer's carelessness causes an explosion, which provides enough of an alert to drive off the enemy. The Dreadnoks retreat so as to not get into trouble.
He appears in the third yearbook, as Serpentor
tells the Dreadnoks
a story of strategy from one of his previous lives.
Buzzer's appetite for destruction ends up spawning a multi-issue storyline. The trio of Dreadnoks steal Zartan's holographic bike and attack random cars on the road. One car holds a trio of G.I. Joe members, Rock'N'Roll
, Grunt
and Clutch
; all three are on vacation. The attack leaves all the Joes injured. After a pause to attack another Air Force base, Buzzer ends up captured by Rock'N'Roll and taken into Joe custody.
Later, Buzzer is released into the custody of the military police. With him in the transport vehicle is Candy Appel, the innocent daughter of Crimson Guard
sman Appel, a noted Cobra scientist. Candy's anger at Buzzer's disrespect causes enough of a distraction for the Dreadnok to subdue the guards, kidnap the girl and escape - notably, with the real location of G.I. Joe headquarters.
Buzzer and Candy spend some time trying to gain an advantage over each other. Eventually, Candy manages to shove a gun in Buzzer's face; he pleads for his life. She simply drives away. Buzzer retreats to Springfield, the current headquarters of Cobra. He assists Firefly
and Scrap-Iron
in chasing the fugitive known as the Soft Master. By coincidence, all meet up with Candy. She had caught a ride with a civilian and Billy
, the son of Cobra Commander
. With Buzzer supervising, the Cobra agents murder all but Billy by rockets.
Buzzer reveals his knowledge of Joe headquarters to the others when the Joes attack Springfield. Buzzer finally tells his information to all of Cobra high command. Soon after he participates in a multi-Dreadnok attack on Serpentor
. This fails. Buzzer's attempt at a reward for this information is brushed off by Zartan, who is still mad that Buzzer took his bike without permission. This information allows Cobra to successfully destroy Joe headquarters soon after. Buzzer is the getaway driver for this mission, allowing many Dreadnoks, Cobra Troopers and Cobra underwater 'E.E.L.S' to escape.
Intelligence later reveals rogue Pentagon officials plan to fire a decommisoned multi-story missile at Cobra Island
. Buzzer is sent to get help from the Cobra Consulate building in New York; the transport helicopter he returns with destroys the just-launched weapon.
Buzzer again encounters Clutch and Rock'N'Roll. He is part of the Dreadnok team supervising the new Cobra city of Broca Beach. The two, again on vacation, discover the conspiracy. He participates in their capture and brainwashing and eventual release back to the Joe team as 'double agents'.
He makes an appearance in #21 of the Special Missions spin-off series. He tosses a grenade at what he correctly suspects to be a G.I. Joe team. The Joes' newfound ally, a homeless man named Sgt. Gramble, leaps on it. Despite the grenade being a dud, Gramble dies from the stress.
continuity in issue #5. He and Ripper
pursue and lose a wounded Snake-Eyes. The two return later to steal a laser weapon being tested by Bazooka
in the A.W.E. Striker. A chase ensues through a shopping 'precinct'. The Dreadnoks wipe out due to the interference of an elderly soldier that had been observing the battle. They escape but lose the weapon; Bazooka learns it would never have worked due to fundamental design flaws. A write-up in a later issue of Action Force establishes that Buzzer left Cambridge for Australia because of suspected ties to the Russian KGB
. From there, he joined a biker gang with Torch and Ripper. The two were the only three escapees from a police raid. He became the leader of the trio, before they were recruited by Zartan.
flee a Dreadnok/Joe battle in the Thunder Machine
; this involves an attack on Zartan's Everglades headquarters. They are driven into the swamp by Wild Bill
and left behind as 'unimportant'.
After they safely meet up with the Dreadnoks again, the two of them are part of a Dreadnok team supervising the purchase of a nuclear weapon from Russians. Buzzer is seen as backup for Zartan during his re-emergence back into the American criminal underworld; the Dreadnoks had retreated to Canada after the Everglades raid.
. In "The Revenge of Cobra", Zartan and the Dreadnoks recovered a piece of Destro's Weather Dominator, offering to sell it to the highest bidder, Cobra or G.I. Joe.
.
. He is seen as a member of Zartan's Dreadnoks.
episode "Dreadnoks Rising." This version is an African-American. He is shown as a member of the Dreadnoks.
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1985.
Profile
His real name is Dick Blinken (Richard Blinken-Smythe). Buzzer was born in CambridgeCambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Buzzer was once an extreme left-wing Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
sociology don
University don
A don is a fellow or tutor of a college or university, especially traditional collegiate universities such as Oxford and Cambridge in England.The term — similar to the title still used for Catholic priests — is a historical remnant of Oxford and Cambridge having started as ecclesiastical...
who went to Australia to research biker gangs. His experiences there transformed him into the object of his research, as years of intellectual displeasure and extreme indignation at society's two-faced morality, instilled in him a desire to take society apart with a chainsaw. Buzzer is now a scavenger of the swamps, and can cut through steel, wrought iron, and nearly any metal with his diamond-tooth chainsaw.
Marvel Comics
In the Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #25 with Ripper
Ripper (G.I. Joe)
Ripper is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1985.-Profile:...
and Torch
Torch (G.I. Joe)
Torch is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1985. He is often seen working closely with Ripper and Buzzer....
. Later, the Dreadnoks are sent as an advance team to McGuire Air Force Base
McGuire Air Force Base
JB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, as Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...
believed it was the location of G.I. Joe headquarters. Buzzer's carelessness causes an explosion, which provides enough of an alert to drive off the enemy. The Dreadnoks retreat so as to not get into trouble.
He appears in the third yearbook, as Serpentor
Serpentor
Serpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...
tells the Dreadnoks
Dreadnoks
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 , comic books series , and television cartoons .All Dreadnoks are uncouth and violent, and usually engage their enemies with...
a story of strategy from one of his previous lives.
Buzzer's appetite for destruction ends up spawning a multi-issue storyline. The trio of Dreadnoks steal Zartan's holographic bike and attack random cars on the road. One car holds a trio of G.I. Joe members, Rock'N'Roll
Rock 'n Roll (G.I. Joe)
Rock 'n Roll is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original machine gunner and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
, Grunt
Grunt (G.I. Joe)
Grunt is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is an infantryman with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
and Clutch
Clutch (G.I. Joe)
Clutch is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is one of the G.I. Joe Team's motor vehicle drivers and debuted in 1982.-Profile:...
; all three are on vacation. The attack leaves all the Joes injured. After a pause to attack another Air Force base, Buzzer ends up captured by Rock'N'Roll and taken into Joe custody.
Later, Buzzer is released into the custody of the military police. With him in the transport vehicle is Candy Appel, the innocent daughter of Crimson Guard
Crimson Guard
The Crimson Guard is an elite organization within the fictional G.I. Joe universe. They are members of Cobra Command, the nemesis of the G.I. Joe team. They are often referred to by a phonetic spelling of their organization's initials, "Siegies". Tomax and Xamot are the commanders of the Crimson...
sman Appel, a noted Cobra scientist. Candy's anger at Buzzer's disrespect causes enough of a distraction for the Dreadnok to subdue the guards, kidnap the girl and escape - notably, with the real location of G.I. Joe headquarters.
Buzzer and Candy spend some time trying to gain an advantage over each other. Eventually, Candy manages to shove a gun in Buzzer's face; he pleads for his life. She simply drives away. Buzzer retreats to Springfield, the current headquarters of Cobra. He assists Firefly
Firefly (G.I. Joe)
Firefly is a fictional character in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero universe. He is a mercenary who works for the Cobra Organization as a saboteur.-Profile:...
and Scrap-Iron
Scrap-Iron
Scrap-Iron is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is Cobra's anti-armor specialist and debuted in 1984.-Profile:Scrap-Iron's primary military specialty is tank destroyer...
in chasing the fugitive known as the Soft Master. By coincidence, all meet up with Candy. She had caught a ride with a civilian and Billy
Billy Kessler
Billy Kessler is a fictional character in the comic book series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. He is the son of the main villain of the series, Cobra Commander, but fights against his father and the forces of Cobra Command, learning martial arts under the tutelage of Storm Shadow, who helps him...
, the son of Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander
Cobra Commander is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe franchise. He appears in the toyline, animated series , comic books, video games, and movie as the usual principal antagonist. He is the supreme leader of the terrorist organization Cobra, and archnemesis of the Joes...
. With Buzzer supervising, the Cobra agents murder all but Billy by rockets.
Buzzer reveals his knowledge of Joe headquarters to the others when the Joes attack Springfield. Buzzer finally tells his information to all of Cobra high command. Soon after he participates in a multi-Dreadnok attack on Serpentor
Serpentor
Serpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...
. This fails. Buzzer's attempt at a reward for this information is brushed off by Zartan, who is still mad that Buzzer took his bike without permission. This information allows Cobra to successfully destroy Joe headquarters soon after. Buzzer is the getaway driver for this mission, allowing many Dreadnoks, Cobra Troopers and Cobra underwater 'E.E.L.S' to escape.
Intelligence later reveals rogue Pentagon officials plan to fire a decommisoned multi-story missile at Cobra Island
Cobra Island
Cobra Island is a fictional country located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the main base of operations for the fictional Cobra Organization featured in the G.I. Joe toyline from the 1980s. It is featured in the G.I. Joe cartoon and the comic book series created by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due...
. Buzzer is sent to get help from the Cobra Consulate building in New York; the transport helicopter he returns with destroys the just-launched weapon.
Buzzer again encounters Clutch and Rock'N'Roll. He is part of the Dreadnok team supervising the new Cobra city of Broca Beach. The two, again on vacation, discover the conspiracy. He participates in their capture and brainwashing and eventual release back to the Joe team as 'double agents'.
He makes an appearance in #21 of the Special Missions spin-off series. He tosses a grenade at what he correctly suspects to be a G.I. Joe team. The Joes' newfound ally, a homeless man named Sgt. Gramble, leaps on it. Despite the grenade being a dud, Gramble dies from the stress.
Action Force
Buzzer premieres in the Action ForceAction Force
Action Force was a 1980s range of European action figures initially based on Action Man, and later used to introduce G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toys to European markets...
continuity in issue #5. He and Ripper
Ripper (G.I. Joe)
Ripper is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1985.-Profile:...
pursue and lose a wounded Snake-Eyes. The two return later to steal a laser weapon being tested by Bazooka
Bazooka (G.I. Joe)
Bazooka is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's missile specialist and debuted in 1985.-Profile:...
in the A.W.E. Striker. A chase ensues through a shopping 'precinct'. The Dreadnoks wipe out due to the interference of an elderly soldier that had been observing the battle. They escape but lose the weapon; Bazooka learns it would never have worked due to fundamental design flaws. A write-up in a later issue of Action Force establishes that Buzzer left Cambridge for Australia because of suspected ties to the Russian KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
. From there, he joined a biker gang with Torch and Ripper. The two were the only three escapees from a police raid. He became the leader of the trio, before they were recruited by Zartan.
Devil's Due
As seen in the Devil's Due comics, Buzzer stays with the Dreadnoks as they expand into a nationwide network. He is seen beating on a man who has tossed his jacket over Dreadnok 'colors'. In the next issue, Buzzer and ThrasherThrasher (G.I. Joe)
Thrasher is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as the Dreadnoks' Thunder Machine driver and debuted in 1986.-Profile:...
flee a Dreadnok/Joe battle in the Thunder Machine
Thunder Machine
The Thunder Machine is a fictional, four wheeled, armored, weaponized vehicle used by the Dreadnoks, a biker gang/mercenary group in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic books and cartoon series. The Dreadnoks work for Cobra, the primary enemy for G.I. Joe.-Toy:As a toy, it was available for...
; this involves an attack on Zartan's Everglades headquarters. They are driven into the swamp by Wild Bill
Wild Bill (G.I. Joe)
Wild Bill is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s.-Profile:According to Wild Bill's original file card, his real name is William S. Hardy, and his rank is that of army chief warrant officer CW-4...
and left behind as 'unimportant'.
After they safely meet up with the Dreadnoks again, the two of them are part of a Dreadnok team supervising the purchase of a nuclear weapon from Russians. Buzzer is seen as backup for Zartan during his re-emergence back into the American criminal underworld; the Dreadnoks had retreated to Canada after the Everglades raid.
Sunbow
He first appeared in the G.I. Joe animated series in "The Revenge of Cobra" mini-series, voiced by Neil RossNeil Ross
Theodoric Neilson "Neil" Ross is an English voice actor and announcer, born in London, England and now resident and working in Los Angeles, in the United States. He has provided voices for in many American cartoons, particularly those based on Hasbro products and Marvel Comics, and numerous...
. In "The Revenge of Cobra", Zartan and the Dreadnoks recovered a piece of Destro's Weather Dominator, offering to sell it to the highest bidder, Cobra or G.I. Joe.
- In the episode "The Cobra Candidate" he claims he cannot read.
- The Pyramid of Darkness parts 1-5
- Countdown for Zartan
- The Wrong Stuff
- Twenty Questions
- Worlds Without End I-II - Alternate universe version is a police officer
- Cold Slither
G.I. Joe: The Movie
Buzzer also appeared briefly in the 1987 animated film G.I. Joe: The MovieG.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
.
Sigma 6
Buzzer appears in G.I. Joe: Sigma 6G.I. Joe: Sigma 6
G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero.The Sigma 6 toy line served several purposes for Hasbro...
. He is seen as a member of Zartan's Dreadnoks.
Renegades
Buzzer first appears in the G.I. Joe: RenegadesG.I. Joe: Renegades
G.I. Joe: Renegades is an American animated television series based on the G.I. Joe toy franchise. The series premiered on November 26, 2010 on The Hub. The series aired on Teletoon in Canada....
episode "Dreadnoks Rising." This version is an African-American. He is shown as a member of the Dreadnoks.
External links
- Buzzer at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page