One & Done - BUZZER

"Gor!  There's nothing like it in the whole world!  Destruction and wreckage!" - Buzzer, G.I. Joe, Issue #35.

DREADNOK - BUZZER

     The Dreadnoks were a biker gang, led by Zartan, who often worked as mercenaries  for Cobra.  They were depicted as brutish thugs who used unusual, non-military weaponry to create havoc and destruction.  There were three original Dreadnok figures - Buzzer, Ripper and Torch, that were released in 1985. They had, however, made appearances in both the comics and cartoon a year before.  Over the years, the Dreadnoks would continue to add to their ranks.

    The Dreadnok, Buzzer, was often seen as the leader in Zartan's absence.  His name is derived from his weapon of choice - a diamond-toothed chainsaw, which he could use to cut through nearly anything.  Though the media often portrayed the Dreadnoks as dumb, Buzzer's file card said he actually had some intelligence.  Apparently, he was in Australia researching the "biker gang phenomenon" and became absorbed into it.

    Buzzer wore a sleeveless tan shirt and blue jeans with black leather pads.  He had long blond hair that he kept in a ponytail and wore silver sunglasses.

    For accessories, Buzzer had his chainsaw, which was not a conventional one.  Instead, it was smaller and shaped more like a gun.  It had a handle like a gun, which would allow him to use it one-handed.  This way, he could steer his motorcycle with one hand while causing mayhem with the chainsaw in the other.

    He also came with a nunchuck axe that was made out of a rubbery, bendy material and a backpack.  The backpack was a frame holding a gas can, so Buzzer could fuel up his chainsaw when it ran out.  The can was removable from it's frame.  All his accessories were silver.

    Buzzer was such a cool figure to have as a kid.  I think the chainsaw just sold it for many of us!  I had the guy chainsawing everything!!  One minute he is sawing the leg to the G.I. Joe Watchtower, then the tires to the VAMP... or maybe sawing the bars to the jail in the HQ to free his pals.  He already made my Top 10 Cobras list, so it should should be obvious that Buzzer here is going to catch a nice 5 out of 5 Bottles of SAE 30 Bar and Chain Oil!!!

    I'm also biased because he was MY Dreadnok back then.  When I covered the Dreadnok - Ripper, I mentioned the story about my friend Aaron claiming Ripper as HIS Dreadnok.  We all wanted to find the elusive Dreadnoks and Aaron scored Ripper early on.

    Back in 1985, we were all searching for those coveted Dreadnoks.  No one was having any luck, except Aaron.  One day, however, I got a tip that Zayre's had Joes on sale and the Dreadnoks were sighted.  So I talked my Dad into driving me out there.  

    When we got down the toy aisle, it was EMPTY.  I don't think there was anything but empty pegs where the figures were at one time.  Disappointed, we went to leave and we went down another aisle and my Dad said something like "hey, what is that?"  In a different aisle, laying on a shelf all alone, was Buzzer?!?!  How and why he was there (or was STILL there) was anyone's guess, but I didn't care!  I finally had a Dreadnok!

    So he becomes MY Dreadnok and this is where Aaron (as mentioned in the Ripper write-up) comes up with the idea that we would all only own OUR Dreadnok.  I won't buy Ripper and he won't buy Buzzer.  We would both avoid Torch.  This was a silly idea but sounded like a cool "friend" thing back then.  Oh well... I hope this deal is null and void now, because I currently own all three of them!

    What did you think of Buzzer... or the Dreadnoks in general?  Did you have any crazy "don't buy that figure" deals?  Let me know in the comments below?

Continued buzzing about Buzzer:

--- I thought it was funny Buzzer was my Dreadnok, because he had a long blond ponytail.  I laughed and said "I'll never have hair like that!"  Seven years later... I do have hair like that!

--- In the cartoons, Buzzer played drums in the band Cold Slither.  

--- Unfortunately, Buzzer wasn't so cool in the comics.  He's stupid enough to slap Ripcord's girlfriend - Candy... who in turn nearly blows his face off with a shotgun.  He gets in trouble by Road Pig who hits him on the head with a shovel for swimming in a pool of money.  He also gets captured by the Joes a few times, chainsaws Mutt's dog Junkyard and wrecks Zartan's motorcycle.  Sheesh...  The list goes on and on, I'm sure.  I don't know, despite his file card claiming him to be intelligent, maybe he really is just a moron?  Oh well, my Joe universe didn't follow what happened in the media.