A Joe in the Sights: Leatherneck

By no means name him Leather-based-wreck.

The Joes and their respective uniforms may be damaged up into two classes: No frills, and frills. By frills I imply guys like Gung Ho, who wore teal camouflage with unwavering dedication. No frills meant many of the Unique 13 Joes and guys like Leatherneck.

Leatherneck was as low frills as they arrive. Debuting in 1986, Leatherneck was a Marine that Marined as arduous or tougher as Gung Ho, who was beforehand the Mariniest Marine that the Joe crew ever allowed into their ranks. Leatherneck didn’t go in for particular colours or fancy uniforms. He was strictly common camouflage all the way in which.  One uniform, one backpack, one rifle, intention at Cobra and watch the fireworks.

Regardless that I beloved the Joes that wore their aesthetic individuality proudly, my unadulterated love of the Unique 13 “Inexperienced Military Man” really feel meant {that a} character like Leatherneck was a no brainer. He oozed easy, highly effective aggression. He wasn’t flashy or splashy. He simply existed as a singular navy dynamo. Loaded together with his M-16 with M-203 attachment, he mowed down Cobra troops and blooped Cobra automobiles with informal ease.

Leatherneck was one of many Joes whose face featured a real-world likeness: Ron Rudat, sensible essential designer of just about each Joe up till 1986.

Leatherneck didn’t have a lot of a showcase within the comics of the time. As an ‘86 Joe, his earliest appearances synched up with Serpentor’s in each the comedian and the cartoon. Leatherneck was a part of the assault on Springfield within the comedian, towards forces led by the newly created Serpentor and his navy brilliance. And even then, his look was very sparse. Larry Hama was juggling tons of characters at this level, and his yearly job to introduce as lots of them into the comics as doable meant that generally there’s not sufficient room within the highlight for everybody.

The circumstances have been roughly related within the cartoon, however the highlight was broader. Debuting within the five-part Come up Serpentor Come up storyline, Leatherneck was given much more consideration. He was additionally given a pleasant (or perhaps not so pleasant, who can inform) rivalry with Wetsuit, enjoying up the Navy vs Marine angle to close unprofessional ranges.

No matter how a lot (or how little) focus he loved, in each model all through each type of media, Leatherneck was a battle-hardened asskicker who had little persistence for something exterior of capturing on the enemy. Like many Joes, Leatherneck had been at this because the Vietnam Conflict (a significant purpose I like my GI Joe universe completely frozen within the 80s). His file card introduced him as primarily disagreeable and unlikeable, however he did his job.

That’s what he did as a toy as nicely.

He did his job.