Bazooka (G.I. Joe)
From Transformers Wiki
| This article is about the G.I. Joe member. For the Beast Wars Predacon, see Bazooka (BW). |
- Bazooka is a human from the G.I. Joe portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.
David L. Katzenbogen, codename Bazooka, was a tank driver until he suddenly realised an illiterate farmer with a disposable rocket launcher could knock out his big expensive tank. He immediately requested a transfer to using, well, bazookas.
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Fiction
Marvel UK The Transformers comic
You can't do it.
Bazooka was part of an Action Force mission to track down an alleged monster under London. When Flint snapped that he expected everyone to do a good job whether they thought this was a waste of time or not, Bazooka was the first to speak up: saying that was no prob, he was ready for a fight! And he was, opening fire on Blades the instant the Autobot walked over. His comrades back up his assault, but it turned out that not only did their arms have no real effect, but the "monster" was not Blades but Megatron.
Action Force quickly withdrew to the surface, where more robots had arrived to engage Megatron. On Flint's orders, Bazooka took the opportunity to call Heavy Metal and request the Maulers. He didn't have the chance to do much else except dodge as Maulers were chucked at him by Megatron. Ancient Relics!
G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers
During G.I. Joe's defense of the SPS Research Facility, Bazooka disguised himself as a scientist until Cobra got close, at which point he threw off his lab coat and helped gun down Ratbat. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #3 After learning from Wheeljack the location of Cobra Island, the Joes planned to launch an attack against the terrorists on their home turf. Before they took off, however, Hawk received new orders from his superiors: to disable their Autobot allies and take them to Area 51, while Cobra Island was to be dealt with by a nuclear strike. When they learned that a nuclear weapon would react with the energon stockpile on Cobra Island and blanket half the Earth in a nuclear winter, the Joes decided to go against orders and rescue the Autobots held captive by the terrorists themselves. G.I. Joe vs. The Transformers #4 During the attack on Cobra Island, Bazooka pelted Megatron with bazooka shells. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #6
Two years later, Bazooka was part of an operation to catch the Dreadnoks in Boston. While Gung-Ho and Roadblock shielded him with Cybertronian defense technology, Bazooka stopped a Cobra vehicle by firing a missile at its tracks. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers II #1
Transformers/G.I. Joe
In 1985, Bazooka worked for a second incarnation of G.I. Joe, and was part of a team sent to investigate a mysterious crash site near Mount St. Hilary. On the way there, he had his mustache insulted by Flint, and in return asked if the "Russkies" were to blame for the crash site. Flint doubted this was the case. Upon arrival, they met with Spirit's team, and Bazooka was quite impressed with Cover Girl's looks. Unfortunately, she was less impressed with his. The Joes soon found that Cobra was already at the crash site, attempting to steal whatever it was that had crashed. Bazooka managed to shoot down an escaping F.A.N.G., almost taking out Alpine with it. Targets of Opportunity
Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
Bazooka was part of a G.I. Joe strike force that stormed a Cobra hideout housing deadly Creeper bombs. Though the mission ran into some complications when the Transformers Bumblebee and Starscream got embroiled in the conflict, it ultimately culminated in Cobra Commander's apparent demise, signaling a victory for the Joes. The Golden Boys
Later, Bazooka was part of a strike team that stormed Springfield, a Cobra base disguised as a quaint little town. There, he helped rescue Gung-Ho, who had been overpowered by the twins Tomax and Xamot. On his next mission, Bazooka was deployed to the planet Cybertron, its inhabitants having proved themselves to be hostile towards the human race. I Saw Three Ships
The Joes began their attack on Cybertron by sending down "green bombs" from the air. But when they targeted the mobile city of Trypticon, they found it protected by a forcefield. Their attempt to bomb it provoked a counter-attack from the Decepticons, with Devastator tearing up the portion of the Defiant housing Bazooka. Bazooka nonetheless managed to make it back to Green Zone 0-8-6, the Joes' temporary base on the alien world. Targetmasters
While Bazooka was doing his business in one of the Green Zone's port-a-potties, the Joes were attacked by Autobot forces. Bazooka emerged from the tiny cubicle to find all of his fellow Joes apparently dead. In truth, they and the Autobots had merely been knocked unconscious. Both teams awakened and were ready to take up arms once more when Grimlock showed up, accompanied by Breaker, Jinx, Cover Girl, and Clutch. Grimlock declared a truce between the Joes and the Autobots had been reached, and both factions partied together to cement their alliance. During the celebration, Bazooka ate some of the foliage that the terraforming process had created, only for it to prove psychoactive. While under the influence of the technorganic plant, Bazooka saw a vision of the Transformers' creator god, Primus, and began chanting his name. Form Follows Function Bazooka was still tripping out when the Joes moved into Metroplex, the Autobots' mobile city. In his trance, he drew a detailed map to the chamber of Primus on Metroplex's floor, only coming out of it once his work was completed. Confused, he showed off his scribbles to Brawn, Mirage, Rodimus, Cover Girl, and Duke. The six of them were joined by Tripwire and followed the map to an underground chamber containing the face of the Transformers' creator-god... as well as Decepticobra guards! As the others fought, Bazooka was sucked into Primus's nostril, where he beheld another cyber-mystical visions: Earth being absorbed by Cybertron and taking on the appearance of Megatron's visage! Expelled from the Garden
Merchandise
Kidrobot
Enamel Pin Series
- Bazooka (November 3, 2017)
- Rarity: 1 in 20
- Released by Kidrobot in their Enamel Pin Series, this is a flat, enamel pin badge of Bazooka inspired by the art of Tom Scioli's Transformers vs. G.I. Joe, albeit with cutesy proportions. The pin series was blindboxed, with some pins being rarer than others.
Vinyl Mini Series
- Bazooka (November 14, 2017)
- Rarity: 2 in 24
- Accessories: Toilet seat
- The same character design was reused for the Vinyl Mini Series, with Bazooka receiving a three-inch tall, blindboxed figurine retaining the vibrant colours and exaggerated proportions. Bazooka featured articulation in each shoulder, and, hilariously, included a toilet seat accessory for around his neck, referencing his undignified survival in "Form Follows Function."
Notes
- Bazooka was a featured character in the G.I. Joe cartoon, where he was voiced by John Hostetter.