X Review: Airborne

Airborne has 5 prior incarnations, starting single carded in 1983. In 1990 he was retconned into a blonde white guy in Sky Patrol. In 2003 he was renamed Sgt. Airborne and was released in the Spytroops line packed with Tele-Viper, and with a Copperhead disguise. The following year he was released in the Valor vs Venom line with the Sky Sweeper jet. In 2008 he was returned to the Native American background in the 25th Anniversary. This latest incarnation, we’re not sure about his ethnicity because of the facemask, but the colors have come pretty much full circle.

From the classic filecard:

File Name: Talltree, Franklin E.
SN: RA030446233
Grade: E-5 (Sergeant)
Birthplace: Navaho Reservation, Arizona
Primary Specialty: Airborne Infantryman
Secondary Specialty: Helicopter Gunship Gunner

Airborne’s parents are oil-rich Navahos who indulged their eldest son with sky-diving lessons. Talltree also studied law and passed the Arizona State Bar exams. Joined the army and opted for airborne training, commenting. “I’d rather jump out of airplanes than write legal briefs.” Graduated top of class from Airborne School, Fort Benning. Qualified Expert: Hughes Helicopter Chain Gun, M-16, M-60 and M-1911A auto pistol.

“Airborne jokes around and gets loose, but he’s serious too…dead serious. You look at him and sometimes he’s looking right through you. Must be the Indian in him. The Navahos call it “the far-seeing look.” Spooky!

While Retaliation doesn’t give much in the way of filecard information anyway, the ‘card’ on the back of the 3-pack only gives a story background for all three characters, and has little to do with each character, themselves.