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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. The Thunder Machine appeared as a toy vehicle, available for purchase, complete with the action figure of the villainous Thrasher.

Description

The vehicle was created and driven by Thrasher, one of the newer members of the Dreadnoks. The fiction describes it as cobbled together from parts salvaged from several different vehicles, including a 1980s model Chevrolet Camaro, a dune buggy, a pickup truck and various others. The Thunder Machine is propelled by a jet engine similar to jet-propelled dragsters. This made it fast but hard to maneuver. The vehicle was built on a military truck chassis, similar to a Humvee. It had armor plating riveted over most of the exterior surface. The front tires were racing tires, adding some maneuverability. Since an engine wasn't required, the front of the truck was replaced with the nose of a 1970's era Pontiac Trans Am on top of which was mounted a roll cage and two huge armor-piercing Gatling guns.

Toy

The toy had spaces for a driver, passenger and eight people standing on the running boards. The toy was offered for three years, and was packaged with the Thrasher action figure.

Comic Books

Marvel

The vehicle first appears in G.I.Joe #51. A Dreadnok-led escape by Zartan from Joe Headquarters leads to a multi-vehicle chase through the swamps. The Thunder Machine's weapons severely damages Heavy Metal's MAULER tank and easily knocks aside Crankcase's AWE Striker. It comes down to Cross Country and Sgt. Slaughter on the HAVOC vehicle chasing the Thunder Machine. Thrasher's driving skills, weaponry and willingness to take suicidal risks allow the Dreadnoks to temporarily escape the HAVOC. Sgt. Slaughter actually finds them later but the team's disguise skills are sufficient to fool him.

In issue #69, Thrasher, Monkeywrench and Zarana were in it as it was driven out a besieged COBRA base called a Terrordrome situated in the fictional war-torn country of Sierra-Gordo. It was driven to a large airfield and abandoned when the Dreadnoks took over a G.I.Joe transport plane.

Another version was featured in issues #74-76. Acting Cobra Commander uses it as his personal transport vehicle during a civil war on Cobra Island. The vehicle's firepower destroys one of the Joe team's C-130 transport planes. It then crashes to an Iron Grenadier D.E.M.O.N. tank ridden by Destro himself. It survives, albeit flipped over, a blast from this powerful, well-built vehicle which had been built by Destro's weapons manufacturing division.

Thrasher's ill-thought decision to use grenades to turn it back over leaves it structurally sound but with engine problems. It still manages to get the Dreadnoks and Cobra Commander back to their own troops, thus playing a vital part in the COBRA civil war.

In issue #76, Thrasher, his vehicle and other Dreadnoks are captured after a brief firefight with the G.I.Joe team. During the shooting, Thrasher says "I got a brand new Thunder Machine and it ain't even warmed up yet!".

Devil's Due

The vehicle stayed with the Dreadnoks over the intervening seven years that COBRA was thought to be inoperative. It is used early on by Zanya, daughter of Zartan, as her personal conveyance. She drives it away from Dreadnok headquarters a short time before it comes under siege by Joe forces. In G.I.Joe A Real American Hero #24 (Nov 2003) it is seen being loaded on a supply plane. The Dreadnoks were helping to rescue Cobra Commander from the forces of COIL, who had established themselves on Cobra Island.

References

1. "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #51
2. "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #69
3. "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #75 (Aug. 1988)
4. "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" #76 (Sept. 1988)

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