That being said, I was quite happy when I saw Devil’s Due feature them in their Battle Files book, and he looked to be a very cool update to boot. I was very happy.Spy Troops Wave 5 (Wave 8) - Sgt. Airborne
One of the things I absolutely loved about the original run of the G.I. Joe comic was that it would take some semi-unknown characters and really give them life. Characters like Spirit, Mainframe, and Stalker became fan favorites mostly based on their personalities in the comic, since they were not very often shown in other media, or in the toy line. Another character Larry really worked wonders with was Ripcord. With only one American release and as one paratrooper in a score of paratroopers, he stands out…he stands out because of his relationship with Candy…because of his infiltration of COBRA Island, and because of his feud with Zartan. Without these classic moments in the comic, he would still be a relative unknown instead of someone with a great backstory and history among the Joe fandom.
That being said, I was quite happy when I saw Devil’s Due feature them in their Battle Files book, and he looked to be a very cool update to boot. I was very happy.
Then, we all heard that Ripcord would be a part of Wave 8, and again, I was very happy, as I’m a long-time fan. By the time the first pictures showed up, it seemed obvious that Hasbro was intending this to be a new Ripcord based on the Devil’s Due design scheme, but even though that’s apparently not to be, I’m still very happy with this figure.
As much as I like Ripcord, I love Airborne as well. As part of a quartet of Native American Joes, he always seemed the coolest with his law school background and his “far-seeing gaze”. Not only that, but his specialty was incredibly cool as well…being a “helicopter assault trooper” was something that you didn’t really think about back then, but he fit the bill perfectly, and he still does.
Airborne was another character that Larry used marginally, but used to near-perfection. His team up assault on Snake Eyes’ cabin w/ Spirit was a defining moment of the series and just a plain awesome event. His raport with his fellow Native American was flawless and fun to read, and this single issue really made him a beloved character to me. So, in the end, even though this figure really should be Ripcord, I don’t mind that it’s Airborne and will find use for it regardless.
But how is the figure itself? Pretty cool, I’d say.
The mold almost seems like a transition between the odd proportions of Wave 7 and the great, solid buck of most of Wave 8. His legs are a tad long, and his torso is a little on the short side, but all in all, the measurements are so far off to be distracting. The mold is fairly simple, yet modernized and really striking. With very cool-looking rubberized bodysuit as the base and some great ridged pads along the arms and legs the figure looks very different and interesting, but still very military. His shoulderpads and chest-straps all come together really nicely and break up the mold well, making for an all around nice looking G.I. Joe.
His head sculpt is also terrific. As with most of JvC, the face and head have a ton of character, and while his flesh tone would indicate much more Ripcord than Airborne, it doesn’t detract too much and mixed in with that cool hood/headpiece it really works either way. Those goggles on his head are a nice finishing touch, and actually pretty reminiscent of the pair that the original Airborne had on his helmet.
But I think what really brings this figure a step above are the colors. They are very unique and different colors, something Hasbro has been experimenting a lot with, and having a lot of success with. His bodysuit is an almost aqua green/blue mix, which is perfect, as it’s nice and dark for night insertions, but also works well as a wet suit in case he needs to take a dive into the drink for any upcoming Operations. This base color matches to near-perfection with the bright blue pads and straps that litter the mold, and really work well together. Again, it’s a different color choice, but one that really looks nice. A small touch of brown on the boots and the shoulder pads adds some great realism and a nice change in hue. As a little topper, he has a set of dogtags painted silver, which are a cool little detail that we’re seeing more and more as the Hasbro design team gets more in tune with the figures’ production.
Even if this figure wasn’t packaged with a super-cool army builder, he’s got his own merits and is worth a purchase on his own. But package him with the awesome Tele-Viper and you’ve got yourself a no-brainer. Pick up this set with zero hesitation!
