Thrasher is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

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 the Dreadnoks' 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...

 driver and debuted in 1986.

Profile

Thrasher was spoiled as a child by his middle class parents, who never disciplined him in fear that this would "stifle energies he might need later in life". They never denied him anything he asked for, no matter how many times the things he asked for wound up causing some type of destruction or major disaster. This "wild child" wandered into the swamps where he could do what he pleased, and there he met Zartan

Zartan

Zartan is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, by Hasbro. He is a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra Commander, and is one of the main villains in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic and animated series. His character was voiced by Zack Hoffman in the 1985 TV...

 and the Dreadnoks who welcomed him in as one of them.

Toys

Thrasher was first released as an action figure in 1986, packaged with the Dreadnok 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...

.

Marvel Comics

In the Marvel Comics

Marvel 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 #51. According to dialogue, he had wandered off into the swamps some time ago. He returns because the swamp held nothing left to smash. Further more, the pollution had killed off all the wild animals so there was nothing left to strangle. Later, in a conflict with the Joes, he purposely drives the Thunder Machine through a moving train, using the guns to create a hole.

In issue 69, Thrasher, Monkeywrench

Monkeywrench (G.I. Joe)

Monkeywrench 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 1986.-Profile:His real name is Bill Winkie...

 and Zarana

Zarana

Zarana is the sister of Zartan and Zandar in the fiction setting of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. She has short naturally auburn hair that has been dyed pink and is usually depicted with a tattered hot pink T-shirt and blue pants. Zarana is a master of disguise who can fool even the best...

 had been part of a team overseeing a Cobra Terrordrome base in the fictional country of Sierra Gordo.

When the country erupts in civil war, the three take Thrasher's 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...

 to a local airstrip. They take several civilians hostage. This gets them transport from 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...

, Crazylegs

Crazylegs (G.I. Joe)

Crazylegs 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 assault trooper and debuted in 1987.-Profile:His real name is David O. Thomas, and his rank is that of corporal E-4...

 and Maverick

Battleforce 2000

Battleforce 2000 is a fictional sub-team from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline and comic books. First released in late 1987 , they represent a hi-tech unit of the Joes using experimental weaponry under battlefield conditions.-Toys:The toy line was made up of 7 action figures, with the 6...

 of the G.I. Joe team. Eventually the Dreadnoks, Joes and the civilians willingly work together in an attempt to escape to safety. Thrasher is injured during this attempt; eventually everyone makes it out alive.

Later, he battles Battleforce 2000

Battleforce 2000

Battleforce 2000 is a fictional sub-team from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline and comic books. First released in late 1987 , they represent a hi-tech unit of the Joes using experimental weaponry under battlefield conditions.-Toys:The toy line was made up of 7 action figures, with the 6...

.

Devil's Due

As seen in the Devil's Due series, he stays with the Dreadnoks as it turns into a multi-state operation. Joe forces assault the Dreadnoks' Florida Everglades headquarters. Thrasher and Buzzer

Buzzer (G.I. Joe)

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.-Profile:...

 flee in the Thunder Machine, are run off a hidden road by Joe forces and left behind. Later, he teams up with Buzzer, 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 Road Pig

Road Pig

Road Pig is a 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 1988.-Profile:His real name is Donald DeLuca...

 to supervise the purchase of a nuclear weapon from Russian forces. Thrasher is entrusted with the supervision of the Montreal, Canada chapter of the Dreadnoks; most of the gang's power structure had retreated to this city after the Everglades raid.

Sunbow

He first appeared in the G.I. Joe second season episode "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!" Pt. 1. He attempts to earn a spot on the Dreadnoks as he uses the Thunder Machine to pursue Joe forces. Thrasher was voiced by Ted Schwartz.

G.I. Joe: The Movie

Thrasher also appeared briefly in the 1987 animated film G.I. Joe: The Movie

G.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...

.

Other works

Thrasher's figure is briefly featured in the fiction novel 6 Sick Hipsters. In the story, the character Paul Achting spent four years collecting G.I. Joe figures to set up a battle scene between the Joes and Cobra. As he imagined the characters in his head, he described the Dreadnoks as "an elite team of maniacal mercenaries allied with Cobra for this battle", with the figures lying in the thick of the shag carpet, and Thrasher as "the psycho, mounted on the Thunder Machine, a red and black behemoth that was as postapocalyptic as Mad Max himself".