Blowtorch 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
G.I. Joe is the code name of a fictional Military elite, elite covert operation, covert special operations unit operating under the control of the United States Armed Forces, United States Military in the G.I. Joe universe. In the 1960s and 197 ...
's original
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World Wa ...
and debuted in 1984.
Profile
His real name is Timothy P. Hanrahan, and his rank is that of
corporal
Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...
(E-4). Blowtorch was born in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough C ...
.
Blowtorch's primary military specialty is infantry special weapons, and as his secondary military specialty he is a small-arms armorer. He is familiar with all military incendiary devices, flame projection equipment, pyrotechnics and heat-projection devices. He is a qualified expert with the M-7 Flamethrower, M-16 and the M1911A1 Auto Pistol. Blowtorch also studied for advanced degrees in both structural and chemical engineering.
In the UK's
Action Force
Action Force is a brand of European action figures released in the 1980s that was based on the ''Action Man'' toyline. It was also used to introduce '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toys to European markets. Several publishing companies have ...
Blowtorch comes from
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania. The city is on t ...
in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
and "knows all there is to know about flame projection and incendiary devices. He has seen the damage fire can do and is scared by it. Has to sleep near a
smoke detector
A smoke detector is a device that senses smoke, typically as an indicator of fire. Smoke detectors are usually housed in plastic enclosures, typically shaped like a disk about in diameter and thick, but shape and size vary. Smoke can be detecte ...
."
Toys
Blowtorch was originally released as an action figure in 1984.
In 2002, as part of the
G.I. Joe vs. Cobra
G.I. Joe vs. Cobra is the G.I. Joe toy line series that ran from 2002 to 2005. The toy line was produced by Hasbro.
Overview
The series represented the first major relaunch of the G.I. Joe franchise since 1996's G.I. Joe Extreme. Story and theme- ...
line, a newly designed version of Blowtorch was released with
Snow Serpent
The Cobra Troopers serve as the basic foot soldiers of the Cobra Organization, as part of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. They are generally depicted as legions of uniformed soldiers, nearly all of them ...
. A version of this Blowtorch also came with the
Built to Rule
Built to Rule is a building blocks toyline from Hasbro that is compatible with such leading brands as Lego. These sets were released from 2003 to 2005. Sets are usually based upon existing toys and characters from the Hasbro brand, such as Tonka ...
Raging Typhoon, which followed the '' G.I. Joe: Spy Troops'' story line. The forearms and the calves of the figure sported places where blocks could be attached.
A modern update of the original Blowtorch was released as a part of the 25th anniversary line in early 2009. This version was re-released with a new paint deco and more accessories as part of the "Pursuit of Cobra" line in 2011.
Comics
Marvel Comics
In the Marvel Comics ''
G.I. Joe
''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier ( U.S. Army), ...
'' series, he first appeared in issue #32, assisting Ripcord and
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts ...
in moving supplies, for a party to celebrate the reconstruction of G.I. Joe headquarters. In the next issue,
Spirit
Spirit or spirits may refer to:
Liquor and other volatile liquids
* Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks
* Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol
* Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...
convinces Blowtorch and Ripcord to sneak him out of the infirmary to the local mall. Spirit believes he can purchase more efficient medicines at the floral shop than they have in the infirmary. This unofficial mission leads the three Joes in a running battle, as the man who had wounded Spirit was also on a shopping trip. The trio are hailed as heroes by the other Joes, when a coincidence allows them to come back with the much needed party decorations.
He is featured in issue #37, when he goes with
Gung-Ho
''Gung ho'' () is an English term, with the current meaning of "overly enthusiastic or energetic". It originated during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) from a Chinese term, ( zh, hp=gōnghé, l=to work together), short for Chinese ...
and Ripcord to a local fair. They come under attack by the Cobra officers
Tomax and Xamot
Tomax and Xamot Paoli (also called the Crimson Twins or Crimson Guard Commanders) are fictional characters from the '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' toyline, comic books and animated series. They are the co-leaders of Cobra's elite troops, the ...
. Blowtorch and Gung-Ho are fired upon as they ride a roller coaster; it is only the steel of the car that saves their lives. Both pretend to be dead and successfully defeat their enemies. Blowtorch has a cameo in issue #76. He is one of the members of a
Cobra Island
Cobra (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related ...
infiltration team to whom the
Dreadnoks
Cobra (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related m ...
personally surrender.
Devil's Due
Blowtorch is active in the Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe'' series. He and Gung-Ho go undercover at an obscure federal prison, to help
Chuckles
Chuckles are jelly candies coated with a light layer of sugar. They come in five flavors: cherry, lemon, lime, orange, and licorice. Each package of Chuckles contains one piece of each flavor. The candies are made with corn syrup, sugar, mod ...
escape the notice of Cobra. Acting as guards, they stage Chuckles' death, and then escort him to a safe house staffed by Joe agents. They then leave to enjoy a two-week vacation in
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque (informally BBQ in the UK, US, and Canada, barbie in Australia and braai in South Africa) is a term used with significant regional and national variations to describe various cooking methods that use live fire and smoke ...
help civilian firefighters in Chicago.
G.I. Joe vs. Transformers
In the alternate reality crossover with Transformers, Blowtorch is one of many guards keeping an eye on the helpful Wheeljack.
Animated series
Sunbow
In the
Sunbow
Sunbow Entertainment (known as Sunbow Productions until 1995) was an American animation studio and distributor, founded on June 23, 1980, and owned until May 4, 1998, by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York City and in the United States. Griffin ...
animated series, Blowtorch was voiced by Michael Bell in an Irish accent. He first appeared in the ''
G.I. Joe
''G.I. Joe'' is an American media franchise and a line of action figures owned and produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier ( U.S. Army), ...
'' animated series in the "Revenge of Cobra" mini-series. He has appeared in the following episodes:
* "Cobra Claws Are Coming To Town"
* "Red Rocket's Glare"
* "Joe Goes Hollywood"
* "The Most Dangerous Thing in the World"
G.I. Joe: The Movie
Blowtorch also appeared briefly in the 1987 animated film '' G.I. Joe: The Movie''.