Monkeywrench (G.I. Joe)

Monkeywrench
G.I. Joe character
Illustration of Monkeywrench from G.I. Joe: Battle Files #2.
First appearance	1986
Voiced by	Neil Ross (Sunbow/Marvel) Charlie Adler (Renegades)
Affiliation	Dreadnoks
File name	Bill Winkie
Birth place	Rhyl, North Wales

Monkeywrench is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and cartoon series of the 1980s. He is affiliated with Cobra as one of the Dreadnoks and debuted in 1986.

His real name is Bill Winkie. Monkeywrench was born in Rhyl, North Wales.

Monkeywrench was born on Guy Fawkes Day, which in Britain commemorates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot. As a youth, he built explosive devices for terrorists, and had made himself a pariah in his hometown by age sixteen. He drifted to London's East End to take part in a "new wave" movement, developing rudeness and crude anti-social behavior. His wandering eventually brought him to Australia, where he joined the Dreadnoks.

Monkeywrench was first released as an action figure in 1986. He was re-released in 2006; at first he was a 'direct to consumer' toy only, but later released in Toys R Us stores. He is again released in 2009 as part of a two-pack with Tunnel Rat. This version is a Wal-Mart exclusive.

In the Marvel Comics G.I. Joe series, he first appeared in issue 60. There, he allies with Zanzibar to steal already stolen gasoline from the Dreadnoks stations. Despite initial beatings, the two join with the other Dreadnoks in defending Cobra Island from a missile pointed at it. Despite a running battle with Hawk and several unofficial Joes, the weapon is safely neutralized. In issue 69, Thrasher, Monkeywrench and Zarana had been part of a team overseeing a Cobra Terror Drome base in the fictional country of Sierra Gordo.

When the country erupts in civil war, the three take Thrasher's Thunder Machine to a local airstrip. They take several civilians hostage. This gets them transport from Wild Bill, Crazylegs and Maverick of the G.I. Joe team. Eventually the Dreadnoks, Joes and the civilians willingly work together in an ultimately successful attempt to escape to safety.