Soundwave Dreadnok Thunder Machine GI Joe Transformers Crossover Rumor
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A Soundwave Dreadnok Thunder Machine GI Joe Transformers Crossover rumor surfaced and could be the next collab mashup!
In a report covered by TNI, we could see the third GI Joe Transformers crossover mashup come in the form of a Soundwave Thunder Machine that comes with O-Ring versions of Zartan and Zarana along with Ravage! Let’s take a look at the vintage versions of these classic figures to get a sense of what this pack could look like! Like Bumblebee, who Transformed into the AWE Striker and Megatron, who Transformed into the HISS Tank, A Soundwave Thunder Machine would be freakin amazing so we hope these reports and rumors come to fruition!
Soundwave and Ravage
Soundwave is one of Megatron’s most reliable troops, and he has positioned himself comfortably and irreplaceably in the Decepticon upper command structure. Though “only” Communications Officer, Soundwave stands at Megatron’s side as a confidant, comparable in rank to Starscream and Shockwave, but unlike them, entirely loyal to his leader.
Ravage is one of Soundwave’s most reliable spies, Ravage believes unwaveringly in the Decepticon cause, and Megatron embodies that cause. To better serve Megatron and the Decepticons, Ravage has become the most efficient and deadly war machine under his command. He hides himself in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike with grim accuracy. His name is synonymous with stealth. His survivors are few.
Zarana
Zarana is a master of disguise just as much as her elder brother Zartan is. Whereas her brother uses holographics and depends on physical aspects of the art of disguise, she prefers to use makeup and method acting to deceive her targets. As a method actor, she deliberately assumes herself in the role of her disguise. She goes to the length of thinking, feeling and reacting as the object of her disguise does. In fact, she was so good at it that she could have been a successful stage actress. Her weaknesses, though, far outweigh her skills. As good as she can act, it doesn’t take long before her natural tendencies start to rise out. She is smart and ambitious but short-tempered, cruel and greedy. Zarana’s head had earrings (Right). Early in her release, the head sculpt was changed and the earrings were removed (Left). The earlier version with the earrings is much harder to find.”
Zartan
Released with his swamp skier in 1984, The Chameleon, Zartan was a cool figure for the time and came with a color changing skin! According to Joepedia, “One of the more eerie operatives in the employ of Cobra, Zartan unnerves both colleagues and opponents alike with his ability to alter his appearance and blend in with the environment. As a master of disguise, he has employed both practical and technological means of deceit, utilizing makeup and holographics. In addition to disguise, he is an expert in ventriloquism, a versatile linguist and escape artist. Zartan is a difficult man to capture and hold as he has shown to be proficient in several martial arts, some of which are believed to be derived from ninja. Cunning and intelligent, Zartan is the complete opposite of the band of biker miscreants he leads, the Dreadnoks who tend to rely on brute force.”
GI Joe Classified Series Retro Card Back
This is the third version of Zartan in the GI Joe Classified Series and they wanted to go with the 80’s Sunbow vibe with the blues, the blacks, and the “weird gray shoes.” The fits and finishes are fantastic, including the silver Dreadnok belt buckle and the armor clips. The face deco is amazing with the beady green eyes and they subtly redefined the face paint to differentiate it from other releases. What is cool about this version of Zartan is that he will be a single carded figure, which we have not seen since the 25th Anniversary 3 3/4″ line so it will be cool to see what the card looks like for this figure.
Zartan O-Ring Cardback Potential Illustrations
As we’ve seen with previous single carded illustrations for the 25th Anniversary and Hall of Heroes versions of Zartan, we could see any one of these two images for the O-Ring version. Personally, we think the 25th Anniversary illustration is the one to go with for an O-Ring version as he looks more like the digital render with the ram’s skull and belts design but who knows…they might make a brand new sketch like they did for the GI Joe Classified Series Retro Cardback version.
Dreadnok Thunder Machine
The Thunder Machine was the Dreadnoks heavy forward strike vehicle. It weighed 4.2 tons and had a maximum range of 750 miles. The vehicle’s maximum road speed was 115 mph and it’s maximum cross-country speed was 53 mph. While most of the Dreadnoks prefer to ride on their motorcycles, Thrasher favors his patchwork monstrosity, the Thunder Machine. Assembled from spare parts found in automobile junkyards and airplane graveyards, the Thunder Machine is a hulking mess of armor and weaponry.
The Thunder Machine was released in 1986 and included the Thrasher action figure.
Back in June 2022, for Yo Joe June, Emily and Lenny did a live unboxing of the Dreadnok Thunder Machine. It was a fun way to kick off the event although we think fans were expecting more just judging from the comments. Was this a teaser as to what was to come? Only time will tell!
GI Joe Shopping Experience
Be sure check out our GI Joe Shopping experience featuring the the vintage o-ring figures to complete your collection!
