Redbird of Black Ops (Image Comics)

Redbird

(Nataly Redbird)


Context

Redbird is a member of one of those many super-elite, heavily-armed, capable-of-dealing-with-superhuman military squads in the early Image Universe. She appeared in the 1996 Limited Series Black Ops.

Here are Nicolas’ vintage notes. We’d like to upgrade them at some point, but these guys are rather low-priority.


Background

  • Real Name: Nataly Lakota Redbird.
  • Marital Status: Single.
  • Known Relatives: Deceased.
  • Group Affiliation: Black Ops, formerly IO.
  • Base Of Operations: Department PSI.
  • Height: 5’9” Weight: 130 lbs.
  • Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown


Advertisement


Powers and Abilities

Redbird first received traditional Sioux  warrior training from her grandfather. Then she was trained in counter-terrorism at the FBI , and a Black Razor by IO.

Redbird is known as a meticulously exact marksman, and a top-shelf knife-fighting expert.


History

While her grandfather was raising her in a reservation  in Sioux Falls, her father was HALOing into hotspots around the world with the Special Forces. After his death, she was consumed by the desire to follow in his footsteps.

While in a FBI Counter-Terrorism  team, she was tapped by IO to join the Black Razors. Her reputation as marksman and close quarter combatant brought her to the attention of John Lynch. He was creating an ultra-secret spoiler team he dubbed Black Ops.

Amid the confusion resulting from Lynch’s “resignation”, they received an order to bring their mission one step higher. They were to kill the executives of an American corporation, somehow linked with plans to make a coup in ex-USSR. Their field leader died in the operation.

Hit the mattresses

The hitmen of the said corporation retaliated at Black Ops’ HQ. Waiting for IO’s back up that never show up, they had to pull back in a hurry. But while doing so they received an encrypted message. The anonymous message told them to contact former Black Razors’ leader Colonel Crane, as he was likely to help them against Mr Big: former USSR General Markov.

And so did he join them, to take the chance of repaying Markov for his wife’s death.

They infiltrated Markov’s research complex, in Estonia. As they were tracked all along by IO, they meet a squad of Black Razors that tried to stop them before they could raise an international incident.

Back in the USSR

This team was led by Crane’s former recruit Fleming. These were forced to pull back, first because they fell for an EMP grenade that disabled their gear. Then because they were ordered so to avoid the issue involved in a US military operation on foreign ground.

Black Ops first met some resistance from the HEATERS (Cricket, Cannon Fodder, Pinpoint), a special Black Razors’ squad. These had been detailed by IO’s Deputy Director Catherine Kwan (surely directly responding to Craven) as reinforcement in Markov’s defense.

Then, after Craven’s death, as the interim director was close to uncover Kwan’s involvement, she ordered her HEATERS to turn against Markov. This greatly helped Black Ops in their task of stopping Markov’s scheme to seize control of Russia to bring back the former USSR’s might.

Markov thought that his latest Molot mecha  was operational. So he tried one to dispatch both Black Ops and the HEATERS. But he was betrayed by one of his scientist, who destroyed the prototype, with the mad General inside.

PSI

Afterward, Crane contacted Giovanni, at Department PSI. He sought their sponsorship and protection. Black Ops were send on the trail of some nanotechnology, one related to the Gen-Factor. They ran into Ivana Baiul and her DV8, as she was sponsoring the research to use it to boost her Gen-Actives.

They couldn’t prevent her to get away with the goods, but they managed to trace them to their hideout. They infiltrated the complex, and won the showdown with DV8. Black Ops escaped shortly before PSI ordered the sterilization of the area.


Description

Redbird is a woman of Sioux origin. She has long hair, and a small tatoo, picturing a tear, under her left eye.


Personality

She is a good soldier, following her CO orders, and expecting her subordinates to do the same with her. She constantly fights against GQ’s attempts at hitting on her.


Quotes

“Just stand there and look pretty, flyboy. I’ll handle the heavy work.”



Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG

Tell me more about the game stats

Redbird

Dex: 07 Str: 03 Bod: 04 Motivation : Responsibility of Power
Int: 06 Wil: 07 Min: 06 Occupation : Sharpshooter
Inf: 06 Aur: 05 Spi: 08 Resources {or Wealth} : 05
Init: 023 HP: 040

Skills:
Acrobatics: 05, Animal Handling: 04, Martial Artist: 05, Medicine (First Aid): 03, Military Sciences*: 06, Thief (Stealth): 07, Vehicles*: 07, Weaponry: 09

Advantages:
Intensive Training, Iron Nerves.

Equipment:

  • Night-Vision Goggles [BODY 04, Ultra Vision: 05].
  • Communication Gear [BODY 04, Radio Communication: 08].
  • BULLET-PROOF VEST [BODY 04, Invulnerability: 05, Skin armor: 02, Limitation : Invulnerability and Skin armor only vs bullets and slashing and piercing weapons ; Real Armour].
  • Submachine Gun + Silencer [BODY 04, Projectile weapons: 05, Ammo: 06, Telescopic vision: 02, Thief (Stealth – to muffle the shots only): 03, R#02, Advantage : Autofire].
  • Combat Knife [BODY 06, Enhance (EV): 01 (Cap is 06), Descriptor: Piercing, Slashing].
  • EMP Grenade [BODY 02, Neutralize (Gadgets): 15 Area effect, Grenade Drawback].
  • HARD ASS MECHA [/STR/ 07 BODY 08, Energy Blast: 09, Flight: 07, Skin Armor: 03].

By Nicolas Lemaçon.

Source of Character: Image (Wildstorm Universe), Black Ops miniseries.