Red Star (G.I. Joe)

Red Star (Красная Звезда; Червона Зірка) is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic books and animated series. He is the leader of the Oktober Guard, the Soviet equivalent of the G.I. Joe Team, and successor to Col. Brekhov, the previous leader who died in action.

Biography
Red Star is the code name of Russian Naval Infantry Captain Anatoly Fyodorovich Krimov. He was born in Odesa, Ukraine when the country was still part of the Soviet Union. He was exceptionally bright and became the youngest chess master in Odesa at age seven. He even became a published Pushkin scholar and coach of the pistol team at the Dynamo Sports Club in Moscow.

Toys
Red Star was first released as an action figure in 1991. He was re-released in 2008 in a two-pack with another character, Duke.

Comics
When Red Star is introduced in the G.I. Joe comics series (the Marvel Comics run), he resembled his predecessor, Col. Brekhov, down to the appreciation for cigars. Red Star appears years after Brekhov died in the comics.

He travels into space with other Guard members in #145-149; they assist the Joe team in destroying an asteroid threatening Earth.

DiC
In the second G.I. Joe animated series, produced by DIC Entertainment, Red Star is a part of the Joe Team. He retains the rank of captain and rather than being called Red Star by his Joe teammates, they all addressed him as "Captain Krimov". This may be attributed to the fact that by the time he was introduced, the Soviet Union has dissolved. He was usually portrayed as somewhat of a comic relief and more interested in American pop culture. He also commanded the G.I. Joe General vehicle in the episode "General Confusion".

In the episode "Cold Shoulder", G.I. Joe and Oktober Guard team up with Rampart and Captain Krimov to work on a space satellite while Sgt. Slaughter, Sub-Zero and Stretcher monitoring their movements, but Cobra wants it for themselves which led to the capturing of the satellite and the two Joes. It is up to Sub-Zero and Stretcher to save them while the Sarge backed them up with the troops against Cobra attacks.

In the episode "General Confusion", Zarana disguises herself "Dr. Deborah Carday", a member of the U.S. Senate, and tricks Big Ben into falling in love with her while Captain Krimov stands behind along the General Mobile Command awaiting further orders. When Big Ben escapes thanks to Dusty's coyote Sand-Storm, he goes to inform Krimov about a scheme arranged by Cobra Commander and Zarana to put the Joes in massive expenses which come under review by the government. It is up to Big Ben and Krimov to save their fellow Joes and stop Cobra with the help of the General Mobile Command.

In the episode "Night of the Creepers", Low-Light and Scoop track Night Creeper leader into an ancient city in Bangkok where they discovered that Cobra Commander and Destro are planning to revive the ancient mummies of the dragon emperor, while Bullhorn, Captain Krimov and Skydive are finding a way to beat those undead warriors and helping the people to evacuate the destruction of the city.

In the episode "That's Entertainment", Captain Krimov was watching his favorite show of Jackie Love with the members of G.I. Joe. In a following battle with Cobra, General Hawk decided to bring the actor Jackie love and Fiona to help the G.I Joe team have some steam off. Cobra captured the actor, replacing Cobra Commander as Jackie Love and the Baroness as Fiona. After discovering the fake Fiona tricked Krimov and she stole the G.I. Joe's Portable Fusion Generator weapon, it up to General Hawk and Captain Krimov to save the day.

Renegades
Red Star first appears in the G.I. Joe: Renegades episode "Union of the Snake". He is depicted as having a scar running from his right cheek to his mouth and a red star on his right hand, also noted for following the studies of Carl von Clausewitz. Red Star is a member of the Oktober Guard who has an axe to grind with the Baroness' family due to what the Cisarovna Family did to his people. He infiltrated the summit at the Cisarovna Chateau disguised as a chef only for the Joes to interfere with an explosion knocking them out enough to be captured. When Snake Eyes and Tunnel Rat rescued the Joes, they take Red Star with them. Red Star wants to blow up the Cisarovna Family despite the objections of the Joes. He ends up helping the Joes stop their mind-control plot before Red Star results to blow up the Cisarovna Chateau in nine minutes. Snake Eyes manages to prevent Red Star from blowing up the Cisarovna Chateau while Duke and Scarlett destroy the satellite dish. Red Star then opens a tunnel for the Joes to escape in while he reports to his superiors that the mission was aborted.