Steeler (G.I. Joe)

Infobox G.I. Joe character
name = Steeler


caption =
affiliation = G.I. Joe
function = Tank Commander
realname = Pulaski, Ralph W.
birthplace = Pittsburgh, PA
serial = RA035336098
rank = O-1
primaryMOS = Armor
secondaryMOS = Artillery, Transportation
subgroup =
series =
voiceby = Chris Latta
debut = 1982

Steeler is a character from the toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is the G.I. Joe team's original tank commander and debuted in 1982. His real name is Ralph W. Pulaski, and his rank is that of army 2nd lieutenant O-1. Steeler was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Steeler was the driver for the "MOBAT" tank (Multi-Ordnance BAttle Tank). Steeler comes from a blue collar middle-class background. He put himself through college on an ROTC scholarship and works as a heavy equipment operator. He is young and reckless, and often clashes with authority (including superior officers).

Comics

Marvel Comics

In the Marvel comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #1, along with the rest of the original team. He was featured in issue #5 as he and his tank team were threatened by Cobra forces in the middle of a crowded city.

Cartoons

He first appeared in the animated series in the A Real American Hero mini-series. In "Worlds Without End," Steeler was portrayed as being weary of the GI Joe/Cobra struggle, and questioned whether it would really matter if Cobra were to win the struggle. In the second part of "Worlds Without End," Steeler was among a group of Joes who visited an alternate version of earth, in which Cobra had already won and GI Joe had been all but wiped out. Indeed, the only surviving "Joe" depicted in the episode was the Baroness, who (in that continuity) was a double-agent and the alternate-Steeler's lover. Having discovered that Cobra had killed the alternate Steeler, apparently in a weapons test, Steeler had the epiphany that it did matter whether Cobra won or lost and elected to stay in the alternate reality, along with Clutch and Grunt, to re-build GI Joe. He played no further part in the Sunbow series.

Toy

Steeler was first released in 1982, packaged with the MOBAT (Motorized Battle Tank).

In 2004, Steeler was released as part of a three-pack of figures, the others being General Flagg and a Cobra officer. It was packaged with a reprint of issue #5, in which all three were featured.