Star Brigade

The Star Brigade is a fictional sub-team from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. With specialized space suits and accessories, these high-tech astronauts were designed to protect the universe from Cobra and the Lunartix Empire.

Toys

All of the Star Brigade figures came with spring-loaded weapons, which actually fired the ammo that came with the figure. In some of the Armor-Tech figures, the spring-loaded weapon was part of the figure.

1993

In 1993, Hasbro released new versions of the following figures, as part of the Star Brigade line:

• Countdown - Countdown is the Star Brigade's combat astronaut.^[1]
• Ozone - Ozone is the Star Brigade's astro-infantry trooper. There were two different versions of Ozone released in 1993 with the same packaging.^[2]
• Payload - Payload is the Star Brigade's astro-pilot. There were two different versions of Payload released in 1993 with different packaging.^[3] Publicity photos and the filecard art originally depicted Payload as being made of the same mold as the original Payload figure. However, Hasbro had apparently lost the mold, and used the mold for the Eco-Warriors Barbecue figure instead. This was reflected in the second versions' packaging and filecard art.^[4]
• Roadblock - Roadblock is the Star Brigade's space gunner.^[5]
• Sci-Fi - Sci-Fi is the Star Brigade's Starfighter pilot. He was released with the "G.I. Joe Starfighter" space jet.^[6]

Armor-Tech

Due to their robotic spacesuits, the Armor-Tech figures had very limited articulation, and many of them shared the same torso, arms and legs.

• Duke - Duke is the Star Brigade commander. Duke's arm is a spring-loaded missile launcher, which actually fired the two red missiles that came with the figure.^[7]
• General Hawk - General Hawk is the Armor-Tech commander. He was released as the pilot of the "G.I. Joe Armor Bot".^[8]
• Heavy Duty - Heavy Duty is the Star Brigade's heavy ordnance specialist. Heavy Duty's arm is a spring-loaded missile launcher, which actually fired the two black missiles that came with the figure.^[9]
• Robo-J.O.E. - Robo-J.O.E. is the Star Brigade's jet-tech operations expert.^[10]
• Rock 'n Roll - Rock 'n Roll is the Star Brigade's robo-gunner.^[11]

1994

In 1994, Hasbro released new versions of Duke and Sci-Fi as part of the Star Brigade line, along with repainted versions of Countdown, Ozone, Payload and Roadblock. In addition, the following characters were added to the Star Brigade team:

• Effects - Effects is the Star Brigade's explosives expert.^[12]
• Gears - Gears is the Star Brigade's invention technician. He was released as the pilot of the "G.I. Joe Power Fighter".^[13]
• Space Shot - Space Shot is the Star Brigade's combat freighter pilot.^[14]

Enemies

• Destro - A new version of Destro was released in 1993 as part of the Star Brigade line, labeled as the Cobra-Tech commander. Like the Armor-Tech figures, Destro's robotic spacesuit had very limited articulation. Destro's arm is a spring-loaded missile launcher, which actually fired the two silver missiles that came with the figure.^[15]
• Cobra B.A.A.T. - The B.A.A.T. is the Cobra Battle Armored Android Trooper. Like the Armor-Tech figures, the B.A.A.T.'s robotic spacesuit had very limited articulation.^[16]
• Astro Viper - A repainted version of the original Astro Viper, labeled as a "Cobranaut".^[17]
• T.A.R.G.A.T. - A repainted version of the original Iron Grenadiers T.A.R.G.A.T. (Trans Atmospheric Rapid Global Assault Trooper).^[18]
• Cobra Commander - A new version of Cobra Commander was released in 1994 as part of the Star Brigade line, labeled as the "Cobra Supreme Leader".^[19]
• Cobra Blackstar - Cobra Blackstars are Cobra's elite space pilots.^[20]
• Techno-Viper - A repainted version of the original Techno-Viper, packaged with the "Cobra Power Fighter".^[21]

Vehicles

• G.I. Joe Armor Bot - First released in 1993, packaged with the General Hawk Armor-Tech figure.^[22]
• G.I. Joe Starfighter - First released in 1993, packaged with the pilot Sci-Fi. A repaint of the Cobra Stellar Stiletto.^[23]
• Cobra Invader - First released in 1993. A repaint of the Cobra Pogo (Ballistic Battle Ball).^[24]
• Power Fighters - Released in 1994, the "G.I. Joe Power Fighter" came packaged with the pilot Gears, while the "Cobra Power Fighter" came packaged with the Star Brigade Techno-Viper.^[25]

Lunartix Empire

The Lunartix Empire are fictional aliens created as opponents for the Star Brigade. They were first released as action figures in 1994 as part of the Star Brigade line. Recolored variants of all three characters were also released in Mexico.

Carcass

He is the Lunartix alien destroyer. His primary military specialty is mercenary hunter. His secondary military specialty is planetary/alien destruction. His birthplace is Quadrant 4, planet Mirtonia. He tends to destroy everything in sight. He is considered ugly by the other aliens.^[26][27]

Lobotomaxx

He is the Lunartix stellar explorer. His primary military specialty is bounty hunter. His secondary military specialty is alien annihilator. His birthplace is Morus Sector 5, planet Zog.^[28][29]

Predacon

Predacon is a four-armed alien who is the Lunartix alien bounty hunter. His primary military specialty is alien tracking. His secondary military specialty is arm wrestler. His birthplace is The Badlands, planet Trilenium.^[29][30]

Comics

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, the Star Brigade first appear in issue #145.^[31] Led by Duke, Star Brigade members Payload, Roadblock, Sci-Fi and Space Shot take the space shuttle USS Defiant to deal with an asteroid threatening Earth.^[32] With the assistance of the latest version of the Oktober Guard, the Joes fight androids in the asteroid's interior. They learn the androids are Soviet worker drones, and an insane architect had pointed the asteroid at Earth.^[33] The Defiant and the Guard's craft are damaged, so the Joes cannibalize their craft to repair the other, and everyone makes it off safely in the other ship.^[34] The asteroid is safely destroyed, along with the remains of the Defiant.^[35]

The Lunartix Empire appeared in G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers: Black Horizon #1, published by Dreamwave Productions. They are aboard a Lunartix space ship heading towards Earth until it is swallowed up by Unicron, a Transformers character who can transform himself into a mechanical planet.^[36]

See also

• List of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero characters

References

External links

• Character Guide at JMM's G.I. Joe Comics Home Page

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