- Outback is a G.I. Joe character from the A Real American Hero series.
Fiction[]
Comics[]
A Real American Hero continuity[]
Marvel Comics continuity[]
Outback made his first appearance in G.I. Joe #59, alongside a number of other characters and vehicles. General Hawk and a convoy of vehicles, including the new SLAM anti-aircraft artillery, were traversing the Rocky Mountains, where they planned to meet with Outback whom had been deployed to the region some time before to test new survival gear in the field. As they headed up the mountain, Outback contacted the convoy by flashing morse code with a mirror, instructing the Joe's to halt their ascent as avalanches had made the roads impassable. He later met with them elsewhere, and gave his report on the new field gear, saying the equipment was junk that fell apart and the food was so bad it was inedible. As the convoy continued across the mountain, Outback relaxed atop the HAVOC, until a group of genetically modified hunting Hawks, sent out by Raptor and Cobra Commander, attacked the convoy and tore away scarps of the APC's tarp. The Joe's assumed this odd behavior was the result of the avalanches spooking the birds, but Outback observed that they were thousands of miles from their actual habitat, looked much larger than the typical bird of the species, and were outfitted with ribbons on their legs. After the birds led Cobra to the Joe convoy and Cobra Commander initiated his attack, Outback was pivotal in retaliation, manning the SLAM to attack Cobra Commander's Pogo.[1]
Outback went on to play a major role in a story arc that stretched across issues #61 to #67, in which a team consisting of Outback, Snow Job, Stalker, and Quick Kick infiltrate the Soviet republic of Borovia on a rescue mission. The four were discharged from the service and their personal records were erased during the mission, giving the Pentagon complete deniability in the event of capture. The team headed to Borovia disguised as various representatives for a handful of nations, with Outback posing as the emissary of an Arab oil Sheik. However, the mission goes very badly, and everyone but Outback is captured and sent to a gulag, while Outback flees the nation of Borovia under Stalker's orders, as Stalker wanted someone to get out with the real story of what happened to the mission. this led to the first direct crossover between Special Missions and the main series, in which Outback's escape is chronicled. When international news breaks of the capture of three mysterious men captured on Borovia on a rescue mission, the Joes recognize their teammates, and realize that Outback had escaped. This leads some of the team, Leatherneck in particular, to assume that Outback abandoned the others to save himself. After his return, he is debriefed by the government and returns to the PIT in Utah, but his homecoming is very tense, as many Joe's are unhappy to see him, given their assumptions of what happened and the fact that no one on the team knows for sure what really occurred. Things are further complicated by Outback being under orders from the Pentagon not to discuss the details with anyone who does not have a 'need to know'. The practical result of this is Outback feigning ignorance of the entire affair in Borovia when the other Joe's question him on the matter. Leatherneck presses the matter, insulting Outback and threatening him, prompting Outback to pull a survival knife of Leatherneck, leading to a momentary standoff. (This is arguably the most tense moment of internal friction found in the original RAH stories.) Once Stalker and co. are rescued by Storm Shadow and his team, they return and Stalkers tells Outback that the knowledge of his escape kept them going, as Stalker was confident that he was able to get the truth out regarding what happened.
Devil's Due Comics continuity[]
Write up
Action Force (British) Comics continuity[]
Stuart Selkirk was born in Stirling, Scotland.[2] He grew up with few friends and enjoyed being on his own all his life.[3]
Outback was mainly based in the Australian desert. On one occasion he discovered a Cobra base where a major project was nearing completion so summoned an Action Force team, together with a H.A.V.O.C. The team succeeded in stopping Cobra from launching an orbital weapons platform.[4] On one occasion Outback refused to return to base for his annual psyche evaluation, instead staying in the desert to continue tracking the Dreadnoks. Psyche-Out was sent to carry the evaluation in the field and initially came to the conclusion that his comrade had been driven mad by isolation and obsessiveness. However Outback proved successful in capturing the Dreadnoks and Psyche-Out realised the determination was an asset. He filed a positive evaluation.[5] Outback subsequently became part of Tiger Force and was present for an early mission to Jordan to destroy a shot down Phantom X-19 and rescue Ghostrider and Scarlett.[6]
Ballantine books[]
Toys[]
| Generation 1 | |
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A Real American Hero (1987)
Outback was first released as part of the 1987 series of A Real American Hero toys. He was also available in 1988 and was discontinued in 1989. Appearance: red hair and beard; green headband; white T-shirt with "SURVIVAL" on front; dark grey gloves; green and grey camouflage pants; beige belt; black boots Accessories: very large tan backpack with pouches; black submachine gun with angled magazine and long sling; tan web belt; small, olive-green flashlight with peg to attach to hole in leg. |
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Night Force (1988)
Outback was released in 1988 as part of the Toys "Я" Us-exclusive Night Force series. He was sold in a two-pack with Crazylegs. Appearance: red hair and beard; black headband; green T-shirt with "SURVIVAL" on front; black gloves; green pants; black belt and boots Accessories: black backpack; black submachine gun; black web belt; black flashlight. |
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G.I. Joe: The Action Force (1990)
Tiger Force Outback was a European exclusive originally available in the 1990 series of G.I. Joe the Action Force toys (which were approximately two years behind the US releases. Appearance: white hair and beard; blue headband; orange T-shirt with a picture of a tiger on front; dark grey gloves; green and brown camouflage pants; brown belt; grey boots Accessories: black Hekler & Koch rifle; brown web belt; green flashlight; brown survival backpack |
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Battle Corps (1993) Outback was released in 1993 as figure #13 in the Battle Corps subseries. The figure was originally designed for the Eco-Warriors subline. Appearance: yellow hat; red hair and beard; light blue short-sleeved shirt with orange straps and wristbands; black gloves; light blue and yellow splotched pants with orange belt and black boots Accessories: red "Hit & Run" submachine gun; red "Ambush" submachine gun; red "Big Ben" sniper's rifle; dark blue "Bazooka" spring-loaded missile launcher with red trigger; two red "Bazooka" missiles. |
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Battle Corps (1993) This repaint is a correction of the Eco-Warriors coloration used for the initial 1993 release. Appearance: black hat; red hair and beard; green short-sleeved shirt with orange straps and wristbands; blue gloves; beige pants with blue belt and black boots Accessories: red "Hit & Run" submachine gun; red "Ambush" submachine gun; red "Big Ben" sniper's rifle; dark blue "Bazooka" spring-loaded missile launcher with red trigger; two red "Bazooka" missiles; red figure stand. |
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Trivia[]
- The word "Survival" on Outback's shirt is actually an acronym, taken from the 1969 edition of the the U.S. Army Ranger Handbook:
- S: Size up the situation
- U: Undue haste makes waste
- R: Remember where you are
- V: Vanquish fear and panic
- I: Improve your situation
- V: Value living
- A: Act like the natives
- L: Learn basic skills
See Also[]
- Appearances of Outback
- Image Gallery: Outback
External links[]
Write up
Footnotes[]
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