- Metal-Head is an Iron Grenadier character from the A Real American Hero series.
Differing from many anti-tank specialists, Metal-Head is someone who rises above enthusiasm to hone his craft and his equipment. The level of glee to which he takes when he destroys enemy armor or even just maintaining his equipment has unnerved his own compatriots in the Iron Grenadier force. He has increased efficiency by making his launchers light and ultra-portable, strapped to a special backpack or hip-holstered for easy movement. Special electronics in his visors connect to his launchers enable him to merely see the target to feed coordinates for his missiles. And lastly, he doesn't need to pull his trigger finger to do the job, his weapons system is voice-activated. All he needs to do is say, "bang."
Fiction[]
A Real American Hero Comics Continuity[]
Marvel Comics Continuity[]
A group of Joe heavy vehicle drivers found Metal-Head at Benzheen, working for Cobra. He ran away from their fire while mocking them. The joes followed Metal-Head by vehicle, but had to deal with his booby-trapped battlefield and his anti-tank missiles. Rock 'n Roll, Salvo and Dusty charged on feet and managed to make Metal-Head lose his balance, but when Dusty was face-to-face with Metal-Head, both armed, Hot Seat ordered both to cease fire, as Cobra Commander made a deal with the Emir of Benzheen to leave, and the Joes had to leave too. Both sides were disappointed. Metal-Head (Marvel Comics issue)
Metal-Head turned out to be an undercover agent under the semi-retired Destro's orders, and told him that Cobra Commander may be planning an operation against Castle Destro. When Metal-Head reminded Destro that Cobra had already assaulted the castle once, Destro and Baroness remembered that it was actually Fred VII that time, and they repelled him, but then Metal-Head told him that this time it was the real Cobra Commander, who was crazy enough to try anything. Destro Must Die
Devil's Due Comics Continuity[]
Metal-Head was seen among the Cobra forces during a briefing by Destro, The Last Stand (part 3) later fighting against the Coil, and getting an injection from Scalpel after the battle. The Last Stand (part 4)
Animated Continuity - DiC[]
Voice actor: Garry Chalk
Due to Destro never leaving Cobra in this series, Metal-Head appears here instead as another Cobra henchman which he had many appearances in the first and second G.I. Joe animated series produced by DiC Entertainment. He comes off as a bit of an unhinged, dimwitted adrenaline junkie who gets off on setting off his explosives as a madman who liked to blast everything and everyone usually screaming "BANG!" while firing weapons (although this makes him a lot more faithful to his filecard). He very much served as a comic relief and a source of frustration for always messing Cobra Commander plans either leading failure or disaster by him. (this may have been done due to the popularity of TMNT's Bebop & Rocksteady at the time). In the first season, he was frequently partnered with the Dreadnok, Gnawgahyde and appearing in numerous episodes.
His main weakness appears to be his grandmother, who is clearly disappointed with his career choice for joining cobra and who ends up aiding G.I. Joe instead of her grandson in her two appearances ("Granny Dearest" and "Metal Head's Reunion"). Highlight episodes with his Grandmother:
In the following episodes: "Granny Dearest" In Chicago while Captain Grid-Iron and Pathfinder inside the Battle Bunker arguing that their lost , Metal-Head's efforts to steal "G.I. Joe's new levitation turbine" are interrupted by a visit from his Granny which led to failure of the mission. While Grid-Iron explaining to Freefall and Pathfinder why they need to transport the "G.I. Joe's new levitation turbine" by train and after a visit to Cobra's base in Lake Michigan, Metal-Head leads an other attack on a train being used to test the device with Granny's help, he hijacks the train and brings the turbine to Cobra, where it is installed to power a new Floating Fortress. So Freefall infiltrates the Fortress and uses his knowledge of Metal-Head's fibs to his Granny to maintain cover. He is soon joined by Pathfinder as the Fortress attacks Chicago. Joe forces are unable to dent the Fortress from outside, but when Metal-head's Granny learns the truth and that Cobra Commander is trying to take control of the world, she defects by helping Freefall and Pathfinder overload the Fortress's engines. while Grid-Iron and other Joes are fighting the cobra troops and pushing back their attacks.
Before joining Cobra, Metal-Head worked at a zoo. He was fired for feeding the bears to the sharks. (See Pigskin Commandos.)
In the DiC series final episode "Metal-Head's Reunion", It was revealed that him and Captain Grid-Iron both attended the same school and both have interest in Susan winters who is the high school sweetheart of Gridiron all though Metal-head wants to impress her but at the same time steal the secret formula for Cobra commander and Destro to use it against the Joes.
Toys[]
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A Real American Hero (1990)
Metal-Head was originally released on a single card in the 1990 series of A Real American Hero toys.
Appearance: black hair and goatee; red and yellow goggles; red shirt with black vest, armbands, and gloves; light grey straps and belt; black pants and boots with red padding and light grey kneepads Accessories: light grey helmet covering scalp and back of neck; small, H-shaped light grey frame backpack with attaching twin missile launcher with small radar dish; small, light grey pistol with tiny magazine and sight; two light grey missile boxes attaching to legs; six stubby, yellow missiles; two standard short, black hoses.
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A Real American Hero (1994)
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G.I. Joe Convention (2005)
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Trivia[]
- Working names included Tank-Buster, Tank-Zapper, Squash-Head Harry, Salvo, and Heat-Round.
- On the filecard of the 1994 version of Metal-Head, his Secondary Cobra Specialty was that of a Hockey Fight Analyst.
- After Metalhead's grandmother learns the truth about G.I. Joe and Cobra, she asks Duke to trust her that her grandson is a good boy, but he is just going through this "I want to rule the world phase".
- His grandmother had served in the Second World War on the side of the Soviets, remarking that the Politboro did not make her a lady colonel out of tokenism when she managed to thwart some G.I. Joes from capturing Metalhead. Given Metalhead's true surname is Finley, which is not often found in the USSR, it would suggest he was born to a Russian mother and an American father, and as the "Granny" who visited him was his maternal grandmother.
Gallery[]
External Links[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal-Head