I don’t believe in ripping into a character or concept needlessly, so I hope people understand that I started this topic because I can’t take it anymore. After reading the IDW GI Joe preview, I was actually angered by something I read that makes me wish Heavy Duty would just go away.

Here’s the quote in question, from the Character Designs by Robert Atkins page:


For six years Hasbro has tried to overshadow Roadblock with Heavy Duty, but seriously. They can not be substituted willy nilly like that. For those that need a refresher, THIS is Heavy Duty’s V2 uniform, apparently the inspiration for the character in the bottom right corner of this cover.

There are so many problems I have with Heavy Duty, I don’t think Hasbro or IDW or Stephen Sommers can do anything to make me like the character. Here’s why:

1) A bad code name.

Heavy Duty is an awful code name for two reasons. First of all, it is generic, but it isn’t even A list generic like Rock ‘n Roll or Firefly, or even B list generic like being named after a bird. It’s a C list generic code name at best. It’s a code name we got when in the 90s after a hundred toy brands used up all the good code names. Not only that, it’s a poop joke. Try as you might to be more mature than that kind of humour, if you saw X-Lax release a product called Heavy Duty, you’d giggle. You’d have to, you’re human. Compare that to a name like Roadblock, a name ripe with imagery of an immovable mass, a word everyone knows but no one else has ever used as a code name.

2) He’s Not Roadblock.

Yes, there are a lot of characters that are not Roadblock. The difference is Heavy Duty is Not Roadblock. That’s his character. Once upon a time he was a classical guitarist. Sadly, that aspect of his character has been completely ignored in favour of just being the big bad ass. We already have a big bad ass, and we like him better.

3) Roadblock’s replacement

This is Heavy Duty at his worst. Heavy Duty and Roadblock can coexist. They were both in Star Brigade. They were both in the DiC animated series. They were both in the New Sculpt line. The problem is when the line between the characters is blurred, like in Sigma 6 where Heavy Duty was a gourmet chef, or in IDW’s new comic where he can operate a heavy machine gun on his own. These traits were great when we discovered them about Roadblock, but they are really weak when they’re thrown onto Heavy Duty. What’s worse is that Roadblock can’t appear in the same media as Heavy Duty when Heavy Duty steals Roadblock’s trademarks. So unlike in the new sculpt line, we know we won’t get IDW Roadblock because we are stuck with Heavy Duty.

Sometime in the early 80s, some people worked very hard to make a character I grew to love. Now, some people are seemingly working very hard to give everything that made that character great to a character that is in every way inferior. I resent Heavy Duty to the point that I may not buy the IDW comic simply because he is in it. I know I will get angry every time I see him, and it will take away from something that seems like exactly what I want in every other way.

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This one rubbed me the wrong way as well. I did kinda get the feeling that he was talking about roadblock, and for some reason they substituted the name heavy duty, they used roadblocks everything so....

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I'm guessing that them calling Roadblock Heavy Duty is at Hasbro's request, since they want the movie and comic to line up to some degree and Roadblock will not be in the flick. Not happy about it, but I'll just mentally substitute Rodablock's name whenever anyone calls him Heavy Duty. But yeah, it's shame, since it reduces two characters (I think Heavy Duty had a lot of potential as a character, at least initially)

I actually like Heavy Duty, as writen originally.

But the day they started trying to make him into a Roadblock clone, I agree Hasbro made me lose interest.

Roadblock is Roadblock, and HD is HD and never the tween shall met in my mind. So I chose to ignore 90% of cannon, its the only way I have found that I can function.

Yeah his 1991 version had good file card for a figure with a little too much hip hop green neon. Then he became a replacement Roadblock. Roadblock is iconic Joe. There is room for Heavy Duty as Heavy Duty not as Road Block. It has always been strange how Hasbro has tried to force characters down our throats. Duke, Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander you expect that. I never understood it with Big Brawler or Heavy Duty. Fans treat one like a joke and the other they are just sick of. That rarely stopped Hasbro.

Interesting points.. I agree.

I initially liked the Original Heavy duty design, cause it seemed he was more of an anti aircraft heavy machine gunner, and his "weapons Box" seemed to be an ingenius way to hide a Missile firing toy. (my new sculpt HD still used that as a primary weapon). I say they should have kept him that way.

what I loved about Roadblock wasnt the fact that he can carry a 50 like it was nothing,but his fierce Loyalkty and patriotism. I would argu that he was the most patriotic member of the Joe team. Especially in the comic book where he threatened to blow a looter's head off for attempting to burn the Flag, and when the looter mention that there were others stealing typwriters, Roadblock's answer:

"Nobody ever died for a typewriter."

That is a character trait that cannot be overlooked or blankedted to another character. Yeah, I understand hasbro that you may have copywrite issues with the Name Roadblock, but hell, you could easily call him SGT. Roadblock, or even SGt, Hinton, or anyo f the other copywrite games you play for names,... but to paste him over Heavy Duty not only diminishes Roadblock's character, but also diminishes Heavy Duty's character as well.

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I'm angry too.
When I read it and saw that they used Roadblock's style but renamed him, I was pissed.

Oh and one of our fellow Canuck should be angry as well, Hama said specificaly that Raptor wont be anywhere around this time...

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I quoted that line, citing Roadblock, in an argument with my brother. He wasn't impressed, but I felt good about it. That is the single greatest in the entire comic, and Roadblock was the character that delivered it. No about of retcon will take that away from him.

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Hasn't it already been discussed that they don't own the rights to the name ROADBLOCK any more? I love the RB character as much as anyone but I would rather have a renamed RB than none at all, at least they didn't call him Double Blast.

Steve

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I'm a big Heavy Duty fan.

I'm a big Roadblock fan.

I'm NOT a big "Heavy Duty AS Roadblock" fan.

They are two totally different characters and should be written as such. I know that IDW is trying to appease everyone...give Hasbro and Paramount Heavy Duty, while at the same time giving us Roadblock, but it's a tough call.

If, at some point, they specify that the character IS Roadblock, who for some reason took the Heavy Duty name, maybe that will be a step towards that, but at this point, this rubs me the wrong way as well.

Justin

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Too true. I use HD as more of a science officer. Planning long range artillery strikes and doing field mechanic work. Roadblock fills a different role when he steps in to lay down suppresive fire on a target making other troops available to manuever and hit the objective.

Mashing them together makes me want to poop.

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Got to agree.

The GI Joe universe is so huge that there is plenty of room for characters just because you've already got one big guy doesn't mean you are out of room for any more big guys. Thus there is more than enough room for Heavy Duty and Roadblock in GI Joe.

When they have attempted to make Heavy Duty his own character instead of a clone it's actually worked out fairly nicely with an interesting character. The Roadblock clone stuff though drives me up a wall as well. Sigma Six, toys, now movie, it just seems like Hasbro wants to force Heavy Duty as a Roadblock replacement rather than saying sorry Roadblock couldn't make the mission this time, maybe next time.

But heck we've complained and complained so it's a bit like beating our head against the brick wall of Hasbro. Yes it would be nice if Heavy Duty could be his own man and maybe Roadblock gets worked in when they get the chance, but it doesn't look that is ever going to happen.

That's the most frustrating part! They got the name back. There's already been three 25th style Roadblock figures, right code name, right file name. He was in the initial Joe 5 pack, so Hasbro must realize that he's a core character. And yet, we Heavy Duty'd again.

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...and to say nothing about the Killing of Hardball, The ignoring of Iceberg, and Double Blast, and the introduction and dissappearance of Dr. Link Talbot.

Its a Conspiracy, concocted by the man to keep a brotha down!

(and before people start ranting, yes this is a joke)

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That's what Big Brawler said