Sgt. Slaughter is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline series. G.I. Joe used the persona of the American professional wrestler Robert Rudolph Remus, known in-character as Sgt. Slaughter, as a model for their character. Four versions of his action figure were released in the 1980s. Sgt. Slaughter's G.I. Joe version makes no reference to its professional wrestling inspiration, although the character does use wrestling moves. Remus also did the voice for the animated character, and appeared in person for introductions to the episodes that were originally G.I. Joe: The Movie. He was also the spokesman for the G.I. Joe toys from 1989 to early 1990, introducing the new vehicles and figures in commercials.
The character is known as Sgt. Slammer in Action Force, the UK version of G.I. Joe.
Profile
Sgt. Slaughter was born in Parris Island, South Carolina, and during his service in the United States Marine Corps, spent time dressing down trainees in Camp Lejeune. His real name is top secret. According to the G.I. Joe storyline, since just about every member of the G.I. Joe Team is qualified to be a drill instructor, it takes a special brand of heavy duty honcho to keep them squared away. He serves as the team's special drill instructor, as mentioned in the animated movie, and also engages in special missions.
Action figures
From 1985-1989, there were new Sgt. Slaughter action figures almost every year. Hasbro, the maker of G.I. Joe toys, discontinued production in mid-1990, partly because of the World Wrestling Federation's new storyline featuring Slaughter as a "bad guy" and, in storyline, an Iraqi sympathizer.
Sgt. Slaughter led two G.I. Joe special teams. One was the Renegades, a mercenary-type group that partakes in highly sensitive, bottom drawer-classified missions for the United States. They included former football thug David "Red Dog" Taputapu, circus performer/Interpol agent Varujan "Taurus" Ayvazyan, and ex-Cobra Viper Felix "Mercer" Stratton. Falcon was with them unofficially after being court martialed as punishment in the animated movie.
Later, he led the Marauders, a G.I. Joe assault squad released in 1989, and composed of Spirit, the tracker; Low-Light, the night operations sniper; Barbecue, the firefighter; Mutt, the K-9 handler; and Footloose, the ground pounder.
In 1988, Sgt. Slaughter was released as a figure for the driver of the vehicle toy called 'Warthog A.I.F.V.'
For the 2006 G.I. Joe Convention, which Remus attended as guest of honor, a new figure was made reusing older figure parts, including the original toy's head.
For the 2010 San Diego Comic Con, Hasbro revealed two new figures of Sgt. Slaughter would be sold exclusively at the con, one based on his 1985 mail-away toy while the other on his 1986 Triple T driver toy. The former figure includes a whistle, baton, microphone and title belt while the latter has a whistle, baton, machine gun, bipod and revolver.
Comics
Marvel Comics
In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, his first appearance is in issue #48. The drill sergeant is confronted by suspicious Joe members who are part of the top-level security team. He defeats them in hand-to-hand combat, then gets the explanation that the master of disguise known as Zartan is loose. Sgt. Slaughter leads the Joes that he just defeated in securing the top-level exits. He finds Zartan fighting another Joe, Gung-Ho, having taken his image. Both claim the other is the enemy. Sgt. Slaughter knocks out Zartan with one punch, and attributes his correct choice to luck.
In issue #51, he places Thunder in charge of the Joe HQ, and accompanies Cross-Country on the H.A.V.O.C. to pursue Zartan and the Dreadnoks after another escape attempt. After losing track of Zartan and his accompanying Dreadnoks, Sgt. Slaughter takes the H.A.V.O.C.'s hovercraft for recon. He finds them, but is fooled by the disguises the Dreadnoks have worked up.
Devil's Due
Sgt. Slaughter is not listed on the official listing of personnel in the Battle Files mini-series, which lists all active and reservist members. However, Sgt. Slaughter is listed as an active member of the G.I. Joe team in G.I. Joe: America's Elite #28. He is later seen working with Joe veteran 'Jane' to evacuate endangered Joe support personnel. In volume 2 of G.I. Joe A Real American Hero, Sgt. Slaughter appears in a flashback as a drill sergeant for incoming Joe trainees, a.k.a. Greenshirts. He works closely with Beach-Head.