Leatherneck (G.I. Joe)

Leatherneck
G.I. Joe character
Leatherneck as seen in the Sunbow/Marvel G.I. Joe cartoon.
First appearance	1986
Voiced by	Chuck McCann (Sunbow/Marvel)
Affiliation	G.I. Joe
Specialty	Marine
File name	Metzger, Wendell A.
Birth place	Stromsburg, Nebraska
SN	RA 368-10-0025
Rank	Gunnery sergeant E-7
Primary MOS	Infantry
Secondary MOS	Drill Instructor

Leatherneck is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series. He is a Marine with the G.I. Joe Team and debuted in 1986.

His real name is Wendell A. Metzger, and his rank is that of gunnery sergeant, USMC (E-7). Leatherneck was born in Stromsburg, Nebraska.

Leatherneck's primary military specialty is infantry, and his secondary military specialty is drill instructor. Before joining the G.I. Joe Team, Leatherneck was a corporal in Gitmo, a tech sergeant in the 1st Recon Bn in Viet Nam, a drill instructor on Parris Island, and a gunny at Camp Lejeune. He earned a reputation for toughness in all of these places, and while he may not come off as likable, he has proven himself trustworthy.

As a drill instructor, Leatherneck assumes the role of an enemy when training Joes, turning himself into an insurmountable obstacle. He's proof that you don't need to like your fellow soldiers, in order to fight beside them. Leatherneck is ill-tempered, obnoxious, and holds irrational grudges against those who don't fit his definition of "worthy". The only teammate he seems to connect with is Wet Suit, and according to rumor, the two can't stand each other. Their rivalry stems from the tradition of competition between the Navy and the USMC, but their constant bickering conceals a shared respect.

Leatherneck was first released as an action figure in 1986.

A new version of Leatherneck was released in 1993 as part of the Battle Corps line.

In the Marvel comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue #49. He is a featured supporting character in the next issue, as the focus of an assault team going through the Cobra held-town of Springfield. His squad battles holding-forces led by the newly created Serpentor. Leatherneck is one of the ground troops storming Cobra Island beaches in the second Cobra civil war.