Jab's He-Builds: Beast Man, Trap Jaw, Two-Bad, Bow

[KnightErrantJR]

In the comics, it was also the Joes blowing up Bumblebee that caused him to be rebuilt as Goldbug, and he appeared as Goldbug in the comic after the crossover without any other explanation, implying that the crossover happened in some capacity.

Of course, it gets really confusing when you figure that not only did Transformers cross over with G.I. Joe, but also with the Marvel universe as a whole. So by default, does that mean that G.I. Joe existed in the Marvel universe, or that a version of them did that crossed over with Transformers?

Ah . . . the continuity of it all!

[Ares]

Just realized my compare and contrast had neglected the music of both movies. That's been rectified.

[Woodclaw]

Actually, G.I.Joe and Transformers have crossed over in on capacity or another for a long time. The original Marvel Comics did briefly (and it was Cobra that gave Megatron the tank look he sported briefly), the animated series had Cobra Commander appear as an aged terrorist (he actually starts to say "Cooooobraaaaa" before being cut off by a hacking cough), and the Dreamwave/Devils Due series had multiple crossover series, so much so that there was at least 3 or 4 different crossover continuities. So, rather than forget about it, it's a fair constant of the series.

Poor Mr. Drath. Not quite smart enough, were you? They simply don't make terrorists like they used to! COOOOOBR-*hackcoughcoughcough* (an aged Cobra Commander commenting on the arrest of his last accomplice)

That last scene alone was worth the whole episode.

[Jabroniville]

Ares, you neglected to mention Dialogue/Script, at which I think Transformers excelled way beyond G.I. Joe. All the latter had was "Cobra-LALALALALALALALALA!" and "Wasss a man....", compared to "ONE SHALL STAND... AND ONE SHALL FALL!", "I still function!", "Such heroic nonsense" (before SHOOTING A DYING GUY IN THE HEAD), and "Soundwave superior, Constructicons, inferior".

Plus, their respective heroic death scenes weren't even close, even assuming Duke DID die like he was supposed to.

[Kreuzritter]

on the other hand, TF: the movie gave us wheelie

[Jabroniville]

Wheelie wasn't much worse than Big Lob & Chuckles... OK so he was, but still.

[Jabroniville]

SCARLETT (Shana M. O'Hara)
Military Specialty: Intelligence, Classified Covert Ops
Role: The Chick, Team Mom (in cartoon), Action Girl, Long-Suffering Girlfriend (to Snake-Eyes in the comics)
Group Affiliations: G.I. Joe
PL 8 (145)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 5 (+10)
Athletics 6 (+8)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 5 (+12)
Deception 3 (+6, +8 Attractive)
Expertise (Soldier) 9 (+12)
Expertise (Law) 2 (+5)
Insight 4 (+7)
Intimidation 2 (+7)
Investigation 10 (+13)
Perception 8 (+11)
Persuasion 3 (+6, +8 Attractive)
Ranged Combat (Crossbow) 2 (+12)
Stealth 6 (+11)
Technology 3 (+6)
Treatment 1 (+4)
Vehicles 5 (+7)

Advantages:
Attractive, Beginner's Luck, Benefit (G.I. Joe Team), Equipment 5, Fast Grab, Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Crossbow 2, Unarmed) 3, Improved Initiative, Jack-of-All-Trades, Precise Attack 2 (Close/Concealment, Ranged/Cover), Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 8, Set-Up, Skill Mastery (Soldier), Teamwork, Ultimate Soldier Skill, Ultimate Investigation Skill

Equipment:
25 points' worth of Arsenal Equipment (usually uses a Crossbow- Blast 4, Snare 4 "Net", Movement 1- Swinging)

Offense:
Unarmed +12 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Weapons +10 (+5-6 Ranged Damage, DC 20-21)
Crossbow +12 (+4 Ranged Damage or Affliction, DC 19 & 14)
Initiative +9

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +12 (DC 22), Toughness +3 (+4 Kevlar), Fortitude +7, Will +8

Complications:
Responsibilty (G.I. Joe/The U.S. Government)
Relationship (Snake-Eyes/Duke)- Scarlett truly loves the unemotional, mute ninja, which causes her no end of stress. In the cartoon, she is basically dating Duke, though the two are about as sexy together as your grandparents.

Total: Abilities: 56 / Skills: 70--35 / Advantages: 31 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 21 (145)

-Scarlett was a pretty bland character in the G.I. Joe cartoon- she was supposed to be "Big Mama" (to go with Duke's "Big Daddy") but didn't really have much personality beyond being a proud woman and all that jazz. Her & Duke were pretty boring together as well, and she wasn't even used that much overall (Lady Jaye took a MUCH bigger role). By contrast, comic book Scarlett got as much action as ANY other character, got to pal around with Snake-Eyes thanks to a long-term love affair (where they rarely actually HOOKED UP, but went through all kinds of crap together anyhow). Larry Hama actually flat-out stated in the DVD set that Scarlett was his favourite character. Comic book Scarlett is one of the most through-and-through Action Girls ever.

-Scarlett's on the upper-level of the Joes in various stats, and is a fair bit more elite than the average Elite Joe is. At +12 Unarmed, she's the best fighter aside from Snake-Eyes, Quick Kick & Storm Shadow, she's better at Stealth and Investigation (her Primary Military Specialty is "Intelligence", which is basically just that skill, so she doesn't need another "Expertise" for it), a total hottie (it's a plot point sometimes- and c'mon, she's a blazing hot redhed who kicks ass with ninja skillz and a crossbow. It's a testament to the hottie-designing of this universe's creators that she's really only the THIRD-hottest girl around). Basically, if you want covert crap done, you send Scarlett, Snake-Eyes and at least one Driver or Environment Specialist, and you put Stalker in command.

[Jabroniville]

LADY JAYE (Alison R. Hart-Burnett)
Military Specialty: Counter-Intelligence, Personnel Clerk, Armament Repairs
Role: The Chick, Team Mom (in cartoon), Action Girl, Flirty Chick, Master of Disguise
Group Affiliations: G.I. Joe
PL 8 (131)
STRENGTH 1 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 2 (+6)
Athletics 4 (+5)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 3 (+9)
Deception 8 (+11, +13 Attractive)
Expertise (Soldier) 9 (+12)
Insight 4 (+7)
Intimidation 2 (+7)
Investigation 8 (+11)
Perception 8 (+11)
Persuasion 5 (+8, +10 Attractive)
Ranged Combat (Javelins) 2 (+12)
Stealth 4 (+8)
Technology 3 (+6)
Treatment 1 (+4)
Vehicles 5 (+7)

Advantages:
Attractive, Benefit (G.I. Joe Team), Equipment 5, Fast Grab, Improved Aim, Improved Critical 2 (Rifle, Javelin), Languages 2 (Several), Precise Attack (Ranged/Cover), Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 8, Set-Up, Skill Mastery (Deception), Teamwork, Ultimate Soldier Skill, Ultimate Deception

Equipment:
25 points' worth of Arsenal Equipment (usually uses Javelins)
"Javelin Toss" Strength-Damage +2 (Extras: Ranged 5) (Diminished Range -1) (6)
"Exploding Javelin" Blast 6 (Extras: Area- 15ft. Burst +1/2) (Diminished Range -1) (14)
"Net Javelin" Snare 4 (Diminished Range -1) (11)

Offense:
Unarmed +12 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Weapons +10 (+5-6 Ranged Damage, DC 20-21)
Javelins +12 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +3 (+4 Kevlar), Fortitude +6, Will +8

Complications:
Responsibilty (G.I. Joe/The U.S. Government)
Relationship (Flint)- In every continuity, Lady Jaye & Flint are a pair. They're exceptionally flirty and goofy about it, with the Lady often teasing poor Flint, who's forced to get all jealous whenever he thinks she's paying too much attention to another guy.

Total: Abilities: 50 / Skills: 68--34 / Advantages: 28 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 19 (131)

-Lady Jaye... this is odd. I remember not liking her on the original cartoon, and I thought Scarlett was way hotter. She's just more feminine (long hair, ponytail, skin-tight uniform, girlier weapon), and had red hair (which I was major into as a pre-pubescent kid for some reason). But looking at the cartoon NOW? Oh, my. Lady Jaye was SMOKING. Slightly-messy short hair, an Audio-Erotic raspy voice, a flirty attitude with Flint (compared to Duke & Scarlett's grandparents-like relationship), the army-regulation cleavage. The show's creators recognized this as well, as Lady Jaye got equally as much fanservice as The Baroness (and keep in mind she once spent a whole episode in a bikini, and two others in giga-cleavage dresses) -- she was forced to hang over a pit while wearing a pink nightie, she wore skimpy dresses, she implied she had a dream where she sang... well it was like "that doesn't sound so bad." *cue sexiest voice ever* "I don't know, I wasn't exactly wearing military regulation *blush*". Lady Jaye was totally hot. 'Nuff said.

-Her best moment in the comics is when the Joes invade a refuelling plane to take out some terrorists (they're planning on flying the plane into something... this was 1988, mind you). Their biggest threat is a suicide bomber with his finger on a release-trigger -- if he lets go of the trigger, it goes boom (and the plane is now in flight), so they can't just shoot him). The solution? Lady Jaye hits him with a taser, siezing up his muscles so he CAN'T release the trigger, and then blows the door off the plane with a satchel-charge, sending the poor bastard flying OUT THE DOOR, at which point his finger finally comes off the trigger in mid-air. "G.I. Joe Special Missions" was an awesome side-series that way.

-Lady Jaye is sort of an Elite Joe, but a bit weaker (unlike Scarlett, she didn't kick a lot of melee ass, even in the comics) and packing different weapons- her famous Javelins. She's an elite Counter-Intelligence/Disguise artist, as the cartoon was FULL of instances where *whoosh!* the hair & false-face falls away, revealing LADY JAYE was secretly there the whole time (a similar thing occured with The Baroness). Her Filecards showcase her Disguise powers- rather than using fakery and make-up (like her cartoon self), she was all about ACTING and playing the part like a method-actor would. Not that her comic self ever did this. In general, Lady Jaye's kinda like Scarlett, but lesser across the board, if not for Deception.

[Jabroniville]

THE FRIDGE (William "The Refridgerator" Perry)
Military Specialty: Physical Training Instructor
Role: Scary Black Man, Team Powerhouse, Celebrity Cameo
Group Affiliations: G.I. Joe
PL 8 (109)
STRENGTH 4 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 1 (+2)
Athletics 4 (+8)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 3 (+9)
Close Combat (Football on a Chain) 3 (+9)
Deception 1 (+4)
Expertise (Soldier) 4 (+4)
Expertise (PT Instructor) 8 (+8)
Expertise (Defensive Lineman) 8 (+12) -- Uses Strength
Insight 2 (+4)
Intimidation 7 (+10)
Perception 3 (+5)
Treatment 1 (+1)
Vehicles 3 (+3)

Advantages:
Benefit (G.I. Joe Team), Equipment 2, Fast Grab, Improved Critical 2 (Unarmed, Football on a Chain), Improved Hold, Interpose, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 5, Set-Up, Skill Mastery (Defensive Lineman), Teamwork, Ultimate Defensive Lineman, Withstand Damage

Equipment:
25 points' worth of Arsenal Equipment (Football on a Chain- Strength-Damage +3, Reach)

Powers:
"382-pound Defensive Lineman"
Enhanced Strength 3 (Flaws: Limited to Resisting Movement) [3]
Protection 1 (Extras: Impervious 5) [6]

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Weapons +5 (+5-6 Ranged Damage, DC 20-21)
Football on a Chain +9 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +5 (+6 Kevlar), Fortitude +9, Will +8

Complications:
Responsibilty (G.I. Joe/The U.S. Government)
Responsibility (The National Football League, The Chicago Bears, His Quarterback)

Total: Abilities: 40 / Skills: 48--24 / Advantages: 19 / Powers: 9 / Defenses: 17 (109)

-Everyone loved the Fridge in the 1980s. As the biggest and baddest defensive lineman in the NFL (I think- I don't watch Football), he was all over the place. He showed up on "The A-Team", he was in the 20-Man Battle Royal at WrestleMania 2 (he did the Hulk Hogan Bitch Elimination on Big John Studd after he'd already been eliminated!), and here he was in the G.I. Joe line, after a deal to get "Rocky" (yes, THAT Rocky) on the team fell through. His toy was some mail-away thing, and it was OK, if a bit goofy. But it's just SO "80s" to put a real-life figure into an action figure line, with a silly weapon based off of his job (A Football on a Chain). Ya gotta love it.

-The Fridge is a PL 8 powerhouse, but a bit less of a soldier than the other Joes. He's really at his best when he's standing there, eating damage and Interposing, then overruning people. And can he EVER overrun -- he's got the equivalent of the old Immovable power, in addition to Impervious Toughness. And he's PL 8 with his Football on a Chain, PL 7 defensively. And his Dodge is pretty low for a Joe-type because, let's face it, a 382-lb. main ain't gonna be doing a lot of dodging.

[catsi563]

Good solid scarlett oonly nitpick is her skill set. Scarlett is THE SKILL MONKEY of the joes. she is the batman of the joe team if anyone is. I quote General Austin I want her to have all any training, All training regulations and gender be damned. I want this scarlett to be the best hands down.

Shes been through FBI training at quantico, CIA, Humint (human intelligence) training, Marine Sniper school, Airborne Ranger, Shes a card carying lawyer straight out of the Ivy league (and I mean fully liscenced capable of practicing). As well as more blackbelts then you can shake a stick at.

matter of fact Id also wager her intelligence to be higher as well.

thats what made Scarlett and Snake eyes such a good team. as a story i read put it. Snake eyes was more Martial, but she was infitinely more versatile.

[FuzzyBoots]

^_^ I stand corrected on the status of crossovers between Transformers and GI Joe. I've never read either comic book* so all of my information is from the internet. We did have a few of the figures. I remember I owned Spirit, and one of my brothers had Zartan, Backblast, Deep-Six, and Junkyard. Goodness only knows where they all wound up. They definitely were not in mint condition after years of play.

* Well, I did get a few of the GI Joe ones although all I really remember was an episode with Stormshadow, a group of Cobra troopers standing with machine guys shouting, "Now, mow them all down!" which led to a long explanation from my mother about how English has letter combinations that are spelled the same but sound completely different like "ow", and a vague memory of one of the issues showing the Joes creeping around in some ruins. The subscription stopped, IIRC a bit early (looking back on it, I think my Mom hadn't realized just how violent they were and she probably cancelled it) and my issues got destroyed in a tragic sleep-walking episode (long story... let's just say that I did some really bizarre things in my sleep as a kid). Oh, and I did read one Transformers comic, but it was set in the Headmasters continuity, so I didn't read past the one issue.

[Jabroniville]

Scarlett honestly never seemed any smarter or more skilled to me than, say, Stalker or Hawk. It's kind of a "Show, don't tell" kind of deal, as I never saw any of those skills come in to play to THAT extent. I could throw in the ol' Beginner's Luck/Jack-of-All-Trades combo, and maybe some ranks in Law (not that she ever used them, ever), but that's as far as I'd go.

[peteyrock]

I never knew about The Fridge. My GI Joe knowledge is limited. But, I think he just became my favorite Joe character! That gap-toothed smile, that cool jersey, and that big black...morning star.

Ah, black 80's heroes. Enjoyable racism, I like to call it.

Thanks, man!

[DrZombie]

I never knew about The Fridge. My GI Joe knowledge is limited. But, I think he just became my favorite Joe character! That gap-toothed smile, that cool jersey, and that big black...morning star.

Ah, black 80's heroes. Enjoyable racism, I like to call it.

Thanks, man!

Uh...you do know that William "The Refridgerator" Perry was a real person and an NFL player, right?

[Jabroniville]

DR. VENOM (Dr. Archibald Monev)
Military Specialty: Head Scientist
Role: Mad Scientist, Evil Doctor, Supreme Douchebag
Group Affiliations: Cobra
PL 5 (60)
STRENGTH 1 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 3 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 5 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Deception 5 (+6)
Expertise (Science) 7 (+12)
Insight 2 (+5)
Intimidation 2 (+3)
Perception 2 (+5)
Persuasion 2 (+3)
Technology 7 (+12)
Treatment 1 (+6)
Vehicles 6 (+6)

Advantages:
Ranged Attack 5

Equipment:
10 points' worth of Equipment

Offense:
Unarmed +3 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Pistol +5 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +3 (DC 13), Toughness +1, Fortitude +3, Will +5

Complications:
Motivation (Self-Interest and Research)- Venom likes to experiment, and live subjects are the best for that. He is true scum, and torture means nothing to him.
Reputation (Supreme Douche)- Even his bosses at Cobra don't like or trust him.
Enemy (Snake-Eyes & Kwinn)- Venom betrayed the two of them and tried to murder them both several times. A more dangerous pair of enemies you're unlikely to find.

Total: Abilities: 32 / Skills: 34--17 / Advantages: 5 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 6 (60)

-Venom's an interesting story -- one of those characters unique to the comic books (alongside Billy as Cobra Commander's son, Kwinn the Eskimo Bounty-Hunter and Scarface the Cobra Mook with a Name), essentially taking role of Resident Mad Scientist, which is what would eventually be Dr. Mindbender's job in all major continuities. He was a generic-looking guy in a lab-coat, but he was as vile as they come. He was traitorous, amoral and vulgar, frequently trying to murder people even as they were helping him (he escaped death with the help of Snake-Eyes & Kwinn, then immediately started trying to betray them). In the end, he murdered Kwinn in cold blood, only to discover that the Inuit had taken the pin off a grenade, which roled to the Mad Doctor's feet. "From a dead man's hand" indeed, and poof, Cobra needed a new scientist.

-It was kind of a neat thing in the series that certain skill-sets would actually be useful. As the only person around who could pilot the large World War II-era two-engine plane, Venom was necessary to the survival of Snake-Eyes & Kwinn, and so they left him alive, despite the fact that he'd tortured the former and betrayed the latter to certain death. This gives him a fairly-good Vehicles score, along with +12 to Science & Technology, high Intelligence, and reasonable combat skills for what would normally be an aimless NPC.

---



Where'd he find the time to get several doctorates AND do 900 crunches a day?

DR. MINDBENDER (Real Name Unknown)
Military Specialty: Head Scientist
Role: Mad Scientist, Evil Doctor
Group Affiliations: Cobra
PL 5 (66)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 3 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 6 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 0

Skills:
Deception 6 (+6)
Expertise (Science) 9 (+15)
Insight 2 (+2)
Intimidation 2 (+3)
Technology 9 (+15)
Treatment 1 (+7)
Vehicles 3 (+3)

Advantages:
Ranged Attack 6, Ultimate Science Skill

Equipment:
10 points' worth of Equipment

Offense:
Unarmed +3 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Weapons +5 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +1, Fortitude +4, Will +5

Complications:
Responsibility (Cobra)
Motivation (Self-Interest)- Mindbender goes with the winds. Where the prevailing wind blows, he will make an alliance.

Total: Abilities: 36 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 7 (66)

-Doctor Mindbender came about because the cartoon needed a Mad Scientist- in the comics, he effectively replaced Dr. Venom. A very... curious design to this guy (I mean, when was the last time you saw a scientist with six-pack abs and huge biceps?), what with the huge muscles, the monocle (what century was he born in?), the giant flowing cape, etc. The cartoon used the HELL out of this guy, and even in the comics he was usually underfoot causing problems. At least with him, the show's writers had to use another plot besides "Cobra kidnaps a famous scientist and forces him to build stuff for them", since now MINDBENDER could create some of the stuff (not that they still didn't recycle that idea). He was massively disloyal to Cobra Commander, having created Serpentor to replace him (this was his debut episode, by the way- he in fact first appeared as a disloyal lieutenant), but then became the latter's toady.

-Mindbender is just Dr. Venom plus some stuff, inluding enough smarts to create some insane 1980s-style sci-fi comic book weaponry, like Nightmare Machines, living beings created with the DNA of dozens of long-dead world leaders, etc. He's also physically tougher (look at that build! Even the Dreadnoks weren't bigger!).