Heavy Metal (G.I. Joe)

Heavy Metal is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the G.I. Joe Team's M.B.T. Mauler Tank driver and debuted in 1985.

Profile
His real name is Sherman R. Guderian (which is a combination of Sherman Tank and Heinz Guderian), and his rank is that of corporal E-4. Heavy Metal was born in Brooklyn, New York.

Heavy Metal's primary military specialty is armor, and his secondary military specialty is finance. He enlisted to go to Finance School, in order to become a CPA, but after witnessing a column of tanks roll by at Fort Belvoir, he put in a transfer to Armor that same day. Heavy Metal is a qualified expert in the M-16, M-1911A1, M-2 50 cal. MG, and M-60 MG.

Toys
A figure of Heavy Metal was released with the Mauler M.B.T. tank in 1985. This figure, if complete with original microphone, is considered by most collectors to be the rarest G.I. Joe figure released in the US and United Kingdom.

The same figure was also released under the name "Rampage." The Rampage version has a different file name and lighter facial hair than the original. Also, while Rampage came with the same submachine gun as Heavy Metal, he did not come with the communications piece.

In 2009, the character was renamed "Speed Metal," and released as part of The Rise of Cobra toyline, in a three-pack with Grunt and Sgt. Stone.

Marvel Comics
In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #44 (February 1986). In that issue, he is a trainee with Airtight, Bazooka and Crankcase. The mission involves the Mauler tank and A.W.E. Striker, Crankcase's vehicle. They are led in a training mission by Lady Jaye. Airtight rides in the Mauler as well. Cobra forces, headed by Doctor Mindbender, kidnap all five for a weapon's test. The Joes are left with their vehicles yet no actual offensive weaponry. Despite this, they destroy all the robotic Battle Android Troopers sent against them; for example Heavy Metal uses the motion of the tank cannon to launch improvised explosive devices. The Joes escape and are awarded official Joe status.

Heavy Metal is one of the many Joes working as a mechanic in the functioning facility that literally covers the Joe HQ: the Chaplain's Assistant Motor Pool. Heavy Metal and the others suspect the newly arrived Sgt. Slaughter might be the escaped prisoner Zartan, who is a disguise expert. Riled, Slaughter tosses the men around then organizes them to cover the top-level escape routes.

Heavy Metal is seen later, operating his tank during the invasion of Springfield. The Joes return to their headquarters just in time for the enemy agent Zartan to escape. The Mauler and Awestriker are sent out with their drivers and a team of Joes. The Thunder Machine, driven by Zartan's ally Thraser heavily damages the Mauler. Heavy Metal escapes injury by leaping out.

Heavy Metal is part of a team captured by Cobra forces in Trucial-Abysmia. Due to a miscommunication, Tomax and Xamot believe Cobra Commander has ordered the Joe's deaths when he has not. A Saw-Viper volunteers and fires into the Joes. Doc, Thunder and Heavy Metal are killed in the first moments. The other Joes escape in a Cobra Rage tank, after wounding the Saw Viper, yet more die when the tank is destroyed.

Action Force
Heavy Metal makes several appearances in the British "Action Force" continuity.

He destroys several Cobra Fangs on Salisbury Plain near Stonehenge.

He is called in to talk with a childhood friend, Tony Lander, who had become a Cobra Trooper. Lander had become suicidal over his time with the organization and was holding thousands of lives hostage with a stolen gas canister. Heavy Metal flashes back to the time Lander saves him from bullies. In the present, he almost talks the Trooper into giving up when he is shot by the Cobra agent Destro.

Later, Heavy Metal leads a group of three Maulers against the rampaging robot Megatron. All three tanks are destroyed but the crews survive.

Sunbow
He first appeared in the G.I. Joe animated series in the first-season episode "The Synthoid Conspiracy (Part II)". He also appeared in the episode "The Pit of Vipers".