Battleforce 2000
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Battleforce 2000 is a subset series of toys from Hasbro under the G.I. Joe series and toyline. Released in late 1987 (With a final vehicle and member released in 1989), they represent a hi-tech unit of the Joes using experimental weaponry under battlefield conditions.
The toy line was made up of 7 action figures, with the 6 from 1987 being packaged in 2-packs. All but one of the characters was assigned as the primary driver of a hi-tech vehicle, which was sold separately. A part of 6 of the vehicles can combine together to form into a small hi-tech fortress called the Future Fortress. All vehicles have a white, silver, grey and dark blue color scheme. An exception to this is the Pulverizer, the 1989 addition to the series which does not have a piece that can combine with the fortress.
[edit] Characters and Vehicles
- Avalanche - Cold weather specialist who drives the vehicle, Dominator, a tank that was specially designed for use in freezing weather conditions.
- Blaster - Ground effect vehicle operator who loves to design hovercrafts. He operates the Vindicator, an advanced hovercraft. Fan of loud rock and roll music.
- Blocker - Driver of the Eliminator, a jeep-like assault vehicle.
- Dodger - Maintenance expert and operator of the hi-tech battle cycle, Marauder. Known to cook for the team.
- Knockdown - Operator of the mobile anti-aircraft platform, Sky-Sweeper.
- Maverick - Fighter pilot of the VTOL jet fighter Vector.
- Dee-Jay - Communications expert. He is the only member without an assigned vehicle, and is a late addition to the team.
- Pulverizer - A mobile laser cannon platform. It is the only vehicle with no primary designated operator. Despite it being marketed as part of Battleforce 2000, any qualified Joe can operate the vehicle. (As shown in the original packaging where Recoil is shown driving it) Since both the Pulverizer and Dee-Jay arrived at the same time, it could be assumed that Dee-Jay was intended to operate it, but since his specialties were listed as communications and infantry, this assumption holds little weight.
[edit] Comics
Battleforce 2000 first appeared in G.I. Joe #68 as a testing and research unit assigned in the fictional country of Frusenland.
Maverick gets some time away from the team one issue later. He is teamed with Wild-Bill and Crazylegs during a mission in Rio Vista, the capital of war-torn Sierra Gordo, yet another fictional country. Several Dreadnoks appear. Monkeywrench, Zarana and Thrasher take many civilians hostage in order to ensure the help of Maverick and the other joes in escaping. In the end, though, the two groups teamed up, rescuing each other and helping the civilians reach safety.
Later, Battleforce 2000 is a major part of the invading force assisting Serpentor during the Cobra Civil War.
When Hasbro gave permission to writer Larry Hama to kill off Joes no longer circulated in the toylines, one of those often requested by fans was the elimination of Battleforce 2000.[citation needed] It finally happened in G.I. Joe #113, during a major battle in the war of liberating another fictional country, Benzheen, which was occupied by Cobra. The country's emir was more concerned of his oil stocks, he negotiated with Cobra Commander not to shell artillery on Battleforce 2000, who were reinforcing Joes trapped in another battle. Cobra Commander immediately reneged on the agreement and ordered shelling on Battleforce 2000. Perhaps as a testament to their unpopularity, Dee-Jay first appeared and died in that very same issue. From an artistic point of view, he seemed to have died of shrapnel to the lower chest area. Dodger is the only surviving member. After the war, he was moved and assigned to another Joe team, the Sonic Fighters.
The rest of the team was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
