Mauler M.B.T. Driver

Code Name:

Heavy Metal

Desimone Guide: #88

Tomart's Guide: GI5411b

Heavy Metal's Filecard

Figure Description:

Heavy Metal was released as part of the fourth series (1985), packaged exclusively with the Mauler M.B.T. (Manned Battle Tank). He was also sold in 1986, then was discontinued domestically in 1987.

In 1989, Heavy Metal was available as a mail-in offer from Hasbro Direct.

Versions of Heavy Metal:

This was the only version of Heavy Metal ever made.

Versions of Rampage:

• Version One (1989)
• Version Two (2003)

Accessories:

Heavy-Metal came with a black submachine gun and a thin brown communications piece.

Variations:

In 1989, Heavy Metal was available mail-order from Hasbro Direct. However, he was no longer referred to as Heavy Metal but as "Rampage".

Rampage is pictured left.

The figure differs from Heavy Metal in several ways. Most noticably, the face of Rampage lacks the painted face that Heavy Metal has. The "shadow" is painted on Heavy Metal's face, but not on Rampage. Rampage is also made of a very different plastic than Heavy Metal - the colors are much darker. Lastly, while Rampage came with the same submachine gun as Heavy Metal, he did not come with the communicatios piece.

Rampage's filecard has the same text as Heavy Metal's card, except that any mention of Heavy Metal was changed to Rampage.

Bagged Rampage

Body Construction:

Heavy Metal's body mold is entirely original and not made up from previous molds.

Heavy Metal's arms and chest were later recolored and re-used to create Rumbler (1987).

Starting with this series (Series Four, 1985), the head joint on G.I.Joe figures was changed into a head "ball". This ball allowed the head to look up and down, in addition to left and right.

International Variants:

In Brazil, Rampage (the Heavy Metal with different coloring on his face) was released carded as "Comando Avancado".