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Dreadnoks Declassified #2

Short Summary

Zartan discovers his name, brokers a deal with a pre-masked Destro, gets Buzzer into the Australian motorcycle gang the Dreadnoks, is a traitor to the Rusians, recruited by Cobra Commander to kill Snake-Eyes, discovered by the Rusians and put through a French genetic procedure called "Project Chameleon".

Notes of Interest

Three Issue Mini Series, 48 pages, $8.95 Cover Price, Cardstock Cover
This is the history Zartan and the creation of Dreadnoks.
The story takes place before GI Joe #1.
The events of Snake-Eyes Declassified issues #4 & #5 take place in the middle of this issue.
Significant events:
Zartan's chameleon abilities explained.
First appearance of Destro's father.
The current Destro is allowed to wear his family's famous silver mask.
Cobra Commander hires Zartan to kill Snake-Eyes
Introduction of Tomax & Xamot and their company Extensive Enterprises.
First appearance of Dreadnoks Ripper & Thrasher.
Zarana & Zandar are raised in London.

Major Players

Zartan's Family: Zarana, Zandar
Dreadnoks: Original Zartan, Buzzer, Ripper, Thrasher
Zartan as Amaury Sanderson, Raymond Hoffman, Professor Onihashi's Apprentice & Zartan.

Cobra: Cobra Commander, Tomax & Xamot Additional characters: Moskin (Rusnia General) (See DD #19), Missing person man, Zartan's accountant, Bierkov (Rusian guard)
Special Appearance: Pre-Masked Destro & Iron Grenadiers, Destro's father, Zanya's mother

Creative Team

Writer: Josh Blaylock, Pencils: Corey Zayatz, Joe Dodd, Inks: Jeremy Freeman, Clayton Brown, Pat Quinn, Rich Zajac Colors: Garry Henderson, James Lewis, Peter Sofronas, Chris Summers Art Assists: Timothy Straub, Letters: Brian J Crowley, Senior Editor: Mike O'Sullivan, Front Cover: Francis Manapul & Steve Buccellato

Long Summary

Zartan & Buzzer as Amaury Sanderson & Dr. Blinken-Smythe, Egypt, ten years earlier.

A pre-masked Destro, Sanderson, Dr. Blinken-Smythe and two Rusians are meeting with Zartan (the namesake of our main character) and some of his biker gang, the Dreadnoks. Destro is selling satellite telephones, AK-47's and the chameleon to Zartan (the namesake). Dr. Blinken-Smythe is roughed up by Zartan (the namesake) before he is accepted into the gang. Smythe leaves with Zartan (the namesake) and the departing comment that if some opportunity comes up he won't forget Sanderson's help.

Sanderson then turns around and shoots the two Rusian soldiers. He has turned traitor against the government that paid him to infiltrate a French research lab where he meet Dr. Blinken-Smythe and stole all of the labs secrets for "Project Chameleon" before completely destroying it.

Sanderson turns over the lab's information to Destro in return he gets millions and prevents the Rusians from getting the French lab's secrets. Sanderson then flies back to the United States a very rich man.

Zarana & Zandar as Zoe & Zach, London, same time

Zoe has stolen her parent's money to buy a fake ID, in order to sneak into a bar. Zach and she have hired a guy they are supposed to meet there. But Zoe is kicked out and her ID taken. But outside the guy they are hiring finds her and says "I'm not some dodgy, con-man...and finding long lost family members is something I'm especially good at." Zoe's response is "Great then helps us find our older brother."

In Rusnia, Office of overlord General Moskin, same time

Moskin gets the report back about Sanderson's double cross. He has just paid out millions of dollars for nothing. They have discovered that Sanderson wasn't using his real name and that the real Sanderson is a POW. Moskin puts out a bounty on Sanderson's head, orders that Amaury Sanderson be listed as a spy, investigation into the Dreadnoks and he doesn't care how long it takes as long as they find Sanderson.

Zartan as Zartan, Dayton Beach, Florida, later

Zartan is now leading a biker gang. He is at his house with a woman he just meet. She is in town from Chicago. They spend a weekend partying together and he kicks her out. She becomes Zanya's mother. (See Frontline #9-10) He then makes a phone call to a construction worker who is about swing a wrecking ball into the Our Lady of Valour orphanage. The police have stopped the protestors and the destruction begins. Zartan, using his millions from the Destro deal has bought the orphanage where he was placed in after the death of his parents. His plans are to turn the lot into a condo complex.

Zartan as Zartan, near the Everglades, one year later

Zartan is informed by his accountant that he is out of money. His projects are going to fail, even the legal ones. In walks Thrasher to introduce two very rich men, Tomax & Xamot of Extensive Enterprises.

Zartan as Zartan, near the Everglades, some time later

Zartan is playing pool and in walks a pre-masked Cobra Commander. As Zartan continues to play pool the Commander offers him a business proposition supported by a large sum of cash. Cobra Commander shows Zartan a newspaper article about a tragic accident and explains that the man in the photo is responsible for his brother's death. The man in the photo is Snake-Eyes. Zartan turns him down saying "I'm not for hire. I do things for the pure challenge." And Cobra Commander response is "There's nothing more challenging then this assignment. The target was a long range recon patrol airborne ranger, a qualified expert with all NATO and Warsaw pact small arms. He is currently residing and training with a clan of ninjas in Japan is that too challenging for you?" Zartan accepts the challenge. (See Snake-Eyes Declassified #4 & Marvel #84)

Zartan as Professor Onihashi's apprentice, Japan, a few years later

Zartan is talking to Cobra Commander over the phone. He gets the news that he actually killed the Hard Master instead of Snake-Eyes, he is completely devastated then quits hanging up the phone. (See Snake-Eyes Declassified #5)

In America, Cobra Commander hangs up his phone and issues orders to Tomax and Xamot to find out who Zartan really is and once they get that info he is going make him pay for his failure.

In Scotland, the ancestral home of the Destro, later

The young Destro approaches his father. M.A.R.S. just sold all of their information about the Australian biker gang the Dreadnoks and Amaury Sanderson to an American named "The Cobra". Destro's father thinks he may have underestimated this American. He believes he is a brilliant visionary madman that now has a very sizable war chest and he seems to be organizing himself. Destro's father gives his son an assignment to get to know this Cobra and he is to meet him representing the family. He says "it is time for you to don the mask of Destro"

Zartan as Raymond Hoffman/Amuary Sanderson, Rusina, present.

In an airplane marked with the EE brand of Extensive Enterprises, Zartan has been captured, returned to Rusina and been beaten by Moskin's men. A little later Zartan wakes up strapped to a bed with Moskin staring down at him and he is about to get his revenge for the betrayal. M.A.R.S. sold him the experiments secrets for millions of dollars doubling his expenses. Now Zartan is about to become one of the genetic experiments of "Project Chameleon".

Days later, the doctor's are very surprised that he survived the initial micro implant surgeries. Then a few days later, Zartan wakes up. Immediately his hand blends into the sheets of the bed, then his foot blends into the floor and then his entire body blends into wall. The guard named Bierkov posted outside looks in the room to see it empty. He radios to command that the subject has escaped. As he enters the room, Zartan unblends and knocks out Bierkov. As additional guards show up, Zartan uses his martial arts training he received in Japan to kill most of the guards and scientists. He leaves one alive. Before escaping he steals his much needed medication for his psychological and new physical problems.

A couple of hours later, Zartan steals a car, robs a convenience store and an old lady as he begins his escape. As the sun rises he is hit by the direct sunlight and his entire body shades for the first time. Once he is back in the car he returns to normal then eats a donut and drinks a grape soda.

Zartan as Zartan, Miami, Florida, a few weeks later

Sitting in his apartment he continues to practice his new chameleon abilities. He now can control his blending abilities. Outside he hears a motorcycle pull up, then a knock on the door. After answering the door he sees Buzzer and Ripper standing there. Buzzer says "you said to hit you up when opportunity came a' knocking... so here I am."

Summary by Josh Eggebeen

Issue Two, March 2006

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