Dusty (G.I. Joe)
Encyclopedia
Dusty 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 desert trooper and debuted in 1985.
. He grew up in the desert and became intimately familiar with it. After high school, he worked as a refrigeration repairman by day, while studying the ecology of the desert in his spare time. He went through basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, and is a qualified expert with the M-14, M-16, M-16A2, M-60, M-1911A1 auto pistol and M-203 40mm grenade launcher.
Dusty is an excellent tracker. He is fluent in Arabic and Hebrew, and conversant in Kazakh and the Oirat-Khalkha languages of Central Asia. He is also noted for his patience, his strong leadership qualities, and his excellence for sneaking up behind bad guys in the desert, and popping a can of firefight. When the G.I. Joe Team was disbanded, Dusty signed up for a tour in Israel, in order to keep his skills sharp. He returned to active duty when the team was reinstated, and can usually be found leading new recruits in target practice.
BDU or battle dress uniform
and hooded desert headgear.
Dusty became a member of the G.I. Joe subgroup Tiger Force in 1988. His costume is the same as the 1985 model but was painted in different colors.
The 1991 Gulf War
inspired Hasbro to release a new figure. This time, he came packed with a pet coyote
, Sandstorm. He wears a light-yellow shirt and light-yellow pants with brown splotches and a light-yellow beret
.
In 2004, he was released as part of the Toys R Us exclusive "Desert Patrol Squad" set, which also included the figures Ambush, Gung Ho
, Snake-Eyes, Stalker
and Tunnel Rat
.
G.I. Joe series, he first appears in issue #58 (April 1987). He is teamed up with Mainframe and a local soldier, in order to infiltrate a foreign-based pre-fab Cobra base called a Terrordrome
. The local soldier admires Dusty, despising Mainframe's simple computer skills. All three fight their way past many enemies and the man gains an admiration for both Joes.
In G.I. Joe Special Missions #13, Dusty, Outback
, Lightfoot
and Mangler are sent to destroy a weapons cache in Eastern Africa. Lightfoot is tortured by the local militia and breaks, giving out valuable information. The team is abandoned in the desert by a slightly sympathetic militia member. They accomplish their mission with the fortunate find of a broken jeep's water-filled radiator. Mangler, angry at his own berating of Lightfoot for breaking, saves the rest of the team by causing a crash of pursuing forces. He does not survive. Dusty later goes on a mission with "Tiger Force".
Dusty leads base security for the Joe's new Utah based headquarters, called "The Pit
". He leads resistance, when Cobra Python Patrol
members attack the base. The Joes manage to capture one Tele-Viper.
Dusty is featured in the "Invasion of Benzheen" storyline. The storyline involves Cobra invading the desert kingdom of Benzheen, and focuses on Dusty's deep friendship with fellow Joe Sneak-Peek. Flashbacks show Sneak-Peek's mother talking with Dusty during a family visit; she asks him to keep an eye on her son. During the Benzheen mission, Cobra forces, including a Range-Viper
and Alley Viper
, use a civilian to trick Sneak-Peek into a cross-fire and he is badly injured. All the Vipers are later killed. Dusty carries Sneak-Peak's body for many miles back to a temporary G.I. Joe base camp. Stretcher, a Joe medic, says that Sneak-Peek died while Dusty was carrying him.
'. He assists a squad of Joes in stopping a Crimson Guard
plot to blow up the Eiffel Tower
.
. The veteran Joes meet many new members who are collectively referred to as "Greenshirts
". His mission was training new Joe recruits until its second disbandment.
Dusty first appeared in the Sunbow-produced mini-series "Pyramid of Darkness", and often appeared in the first season. Dusty's air conditioning and refrigeration repair skills were acknowledged in the series. He was voiced by Neil Ross
.
His most memorable episode is "The Traitor", where Dusty seemingly accepts Cobra's bribes, in exchange for information regarding G.I. Joe. In reality, Dusty is under orders from Duke to infiltrate Cobra as a double agent
, but before Duke can inform G.I. Joe of this, he is injured and placed in a coma. Dusty is found guilty of treason, but is freed by Cobra agents before being incarcerated. After gaining the trust of Cobra Commander, Dusty is given the task of killing captive G.I. Joe members, as a final act of his loyalty. Dusty instead frees his teammates, and shows his true intentions, by helping them to thwart Cobra's plans.
.
animated series.
voiced by Alessandro Juliani
, and in G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom
voiced by Andy Toth.
.
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. He is the G.I. Joe Team's desert trooper and debuted in 1985.
Profile
His real name is Ronald W. Tadur, which is based on an anagram of Hasbro artist Ron Rudat. Dusty was born in Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. He grew up in the desert and became intimately familiar with it. After high school, he worked as a refrigeration repairman by day, while studying the ecology of the desert in his spare time. He went through basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, and is a qualified expert with the M-14, M-16, M-16A2, M-60, M-1911A1 auto pistol and M-203 40mm grenade launcher.
Dusty is an excellent tracker. He is fluent in Arabic and Hebrew, and conversant in Kazakh and the Oirat-Khalkha languages of Central Asia. He is also noted for his patience, his strong leadership qualities, and his excellence for sneaking up behind bad guys in the desert, and popping a can of firefight. When the G.I. Joe Team was disbanded, Dusty signed up for a tour in Israel, in order to keep his skills sharp. He returned to active duty when the team was reinstated, and can usually be found leading new recruits in target practice.
Toys
The Dusty action figure was introduced in the toyline's 1985 release. The 1985 action figure is the most familiar design of Dusty. It sports the chocolate-chip camouflageChocolate-chip camouflage
Desert Battle Dress Uniform was the camouflage used by the United States Military during the Gulf War and in the early 1990s. The camouflage received its nickname because it resembles chocolate-chip cookie dough...
BDU or battle dress uniform
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform were the fatigues that the armed forces of the United States used as their standard uniform for combat situations from September 1981 to April 2005. Since then, it has been replaced in every branch of the U.S. military. Only the U.S. Navy currently authorizes wear of the...
and hooded desert headgear.
Dusty became a member of the G.I. Joe subgroup Tiger Force in 1988. His costume is the same as the 1985 model but was painted in different colors.
The 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
inspired Hasbro to release a new figure. This time, he came packed with a pet coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
, Sandstorm. He wears a light-yellow shirt and light-yellow pants with brown splotches and a light-yellow beret
Beret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
.
In 2004, he was released as part of the Toys R Us exclusive "Desert Patrol Squad" set, which also included the figures Ambush, Gung Ho
Gung-Ho (G.I. Joe)
Gung-Ho 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 original Marine and debuted in 1983.-Profile:...
, Snake-Eyes, Stalker
Stalker (G.I. Joe)
Stalker is the code name of Army Sergeant Lonzo R. Wilkinson, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series. He is one of very few characters from the first line of the toys to have a distinct appearance from the other action figures, as he is African-American. Stalker was a major...
and Tunnel Rat
Tunnel Rat (G.I. Joe)
Tunnel Rat is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline. He has appeared in all cartoon and comic incarnations of the series.-Profile:...
.
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 appears in issue #58 (April 1987). He is teamed up with Mainframe and a local soldier, in order to infiltrate a foreign-based pre-fab Cobra base called a Terrordrome
Terrordrome
The Cobra Terrordrome is a playset from Hasbro's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line.-Toys:The playset was first released in 1986, and is basically the prefabricated easily set up fortress/headquarters for Cobra. Each playset comes with a vehicle service and refueling bay, munitions depot, a...
. The local soldier admires Dusty, despising Mainframe's simple computer skills. All three fight their way past many enemies and the man gains an admiration for both Joes.
In G.I. Joe Special Missions #13, Dusty, Outback
Outback (G.I. Joe)
Outback 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 survivalist and debuted in 1987.-Profile:His real name is Stuart R. Selkirk, and his rank is that of sergeant E-5...
, Lightfoot
Lightfoot (G.I. Joe)
Lightfoot is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's explosives expert and debuted in 1988.-Profile:...
and Mangler are sent to destroy a weapons cache in Eastern Africa. Lightfoot is tortured by the local militia and breaks, giving out valuable information. The team is abandoned in the desert by a slightly sympathetic militia member. They accomplish their mission with the fortunate find of a broken jeep's water-filled radiator. Mangler, angry at his own berating of Lightfoot for breaking, saves the rest of the team by causing a crash of pursuing forces. He does not survive. Dusty later goes on a mission with "Tiger Force".
Dusty leads base security for the Joe's new Utah based headquarters, called "The Pit
The Pit (G.I. Joe)
The Pit is the fictional headquarters of the specialist G.I. Joe team from the 1980s Marvel comic book created by Larry Hama. It is a multi-level underground base complete with training facilities, living quarters, a briefing room, and heavy equipment storage....
". He leads resistance, when Cobra Python Patrol
Python Patrol
The Python Patrol is an elite unit within the fictional Cobra Organization. They have special uniforms that masks their presence to electronic detection systems...
members attack the base. The Joes manage to capture one Tele-Viper.
Dusty is featured in the "Invasion of Benzheen" storyline. The storyline involves Cobra invading the desert kingdom of Benzheen, and focuses on Dusty's deep friendship with fellow Joe Sneak-Peek. Flashbacks show Sneak-Peek's mother talking with Dusty during a family visit; she asks him to keep an eye on her son. During the Benzheen mission, Cobra forces, including a Range-Viper
Range-Viper
In the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of action figures, Range Vipers are members of Cobra specializing in wilderness combat and survival tactics. Range Vipers have made appearances in the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe comic book, G.I. Joe Animated DiC series, and are part of the G.I...
and Alley Viper
Alley Viper
Alley Vipers are part of the G.I. Joe action figure line produced by Hasbro. They have appeared in the related comic books produced by Marvel Comics and Devil's Due. Alley Vipers are fictional soldiers in the Cobra Organization. They specialize in urban combat and SWAT tactics.- Action Figure :The...
, use a civilian to trick Sneak-Peek into a cross-fire and he is badly injured. All the Vipers are later killed. Dusty carries Sneak-Peak's body for many miles back to a temporary G.I. Joe base camp. Stretcher, a Joe medic, says that Sneak-Peek died while Dusty was carrying him.
Action Force
Dusty is part of the European G.I. Joe continuity called '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...
'. He assists a squad of Joes in stopping a 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...
plot to blow up the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
.
Devil's Due
Dusty returns in the new Joe series published by Devil's Due. Dusty is one of the many veterans to return when G.I. Joe is re-instated to meet the threat of a revived Cobra. He had been spending time in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The veteran Joes meet many new members who are collectively referred to as "Greenshirts
Greenshirts (G.I. Joe)
Greenshirts is a term applied to the generic-looking soldiers from the cartoon G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. The Greenshirts are the equivalent of "extras" in that they are in the story to serve merely as background characters and have little to no speaking parts. Due to the unique look of each...
". His mission was training new Joe recruits until its second disbandment.
Sunbow
Neil 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...
.
His most memorable episode is "The Traitor", where Dusty seemingly accepts Cobra's bribes, in exchange for information regarding G.I. Joe. In reality, Dusty is under orders from Duke to infiltrate Cobra as a double agent
Double agent
A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...
, but before Duke can inform G.I. Joe of this, he is injured and placed in a coma. Dusty is found guilty of treason, but is freed by Cobra agents before being incarcerated. After gaining the trust of Cobra Commander, Dusty is given the task of killing captive G.I. Joe members, as a final act of his loyalty. Dusty instead frees his teammates, and shows his true intentions, by helping them to thwart Cobra's plans.
G.I. Joe: The Movie
Dusty 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...
.
DiC
He appeared again in the DiC-produced G.I. JoeG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1989 TV series)
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a half-hour American animated television series based on the successful toyline from Hasbro and the comic book series from Marvel Comics. The series was produced by DIC Entertainment and ran from 1989 to 1991....
animated series.
Spy Troops and Valor Vs. Venom
Dusty appeared in the Reel FX's direct-to-video movie G.I. Joe: Spy TroopsG.I. Joe: Spy Troops
G.I. Joe: Spy Troops is a 2003 direct-to-video CGI animated movie produced by Reel FX Creative Studios. Spy Troops is the first G.I. Joe movie to be released by Reel FX....
voiced by Alessandro Juliani
Alessandro Juliani
Alessandro Juliani is a Canadian actor, singer, and voice actor. He is notable for playing Tactical Officer Lieutenant Felix Gaeta on the Sci Fi Channel television program Battlestar Galactica, and Emil Hamilton in Smallville...
, and in G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom
G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom
G.I. Joe: Valor vs. Venom is a direct-to-video CGI animated movie and sequel to G.I. Joe: Spy Troops. It was released in 2004 by Reel FX Creative Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Like Spy Troops, the film was written around the theme of the toys released that year. In this case, it...
voiced by Andy Toth.
Video games
Dusty appears as a non-playable supporting character in the video game G.I. Joe: The Rise of CobraG.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (video game)
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is the title of a video game adaption of the film of the same name. The game takes place after the film. The 360 and PS3 versions are based on the same code, while the DS is an entirely different game unto itself, and the Wii, PS2, and PSP version are also based on...
.
External links
- Dusty at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page