20th Anniversary - Key Moments 2002 Shock Viper

In the latter part of 2001, information appeared that showed a planned fifth wave of retail figures for the A Real American Hero Collection that had adorned toy shelves since 2000.  But, these toys were not to be.  Wave II of the series had stagnated at retail, leading to lower production on Wave III and Wave IV being dumped to overstock and discount retail outlets.  The fifth wave was cancelled and vintage Joe collectors were being shepherded into the JvC figure style that would replace vintage Joe repaints in 2002.

But, a funny thing happened on the way to the fair.  As the figures in Wave V were relatively far along, Hasbro decided to offer the wave to only online Joe dealers.  Such a thing seems normal today.  But, in 2002, this was outright novel.  At that point, no line had seen an internet exclusive.  So, Hasbro's handling of the final wave of the ARAHC was ground-breaking.  Dealers appeared to line up to buy the figures and even did pre-orders.  Collectors warmed up and, on the night of February 15th, 2002, they swarmed the SmallJoes.com website to order sets from the only dealer who was selling the figure packs individually.

The reality of Wave V is that only two dealers actually ordered them from Hasbro.  Entertainment Earth and SmallJoes.com were the only sellers who got their stock direct.  Several smaller G.I. Joe dealers bought bulk cases from EE and resold them.  This makes these figures among the rarest "retail" figures Hasbro ever produced.  It's unlikely there were even 5,000 of each figure made.  This has lead to figures that are somewhat hard to find today.  Of the 8 figures in the wave, though, only two have really found any staying power in the community.  And, they were sold together.

Serpentor is the most famous figure from the wave.  I'd argue that the 2002 Serpentor is the best version of the character that's available.  But, the Shock Viper isn't far behind.  Based on the then obscure Ice Cream Soldier mold, the Shock Viper was decently colored and featured a nice cadre of weapons.  As is was mostly impossible for early collectors to have more than 6 of them, the figure morphed into both a character that collectors justified in smaller numbers and one that was overly desirable.

In the ensuing years after his release, the Shock Viper always remained the most popular figure from this wave.  He was never easy to find.  But, carded and loose versions weren't bank-breaking.  In recent years, though, that has started to change.  Both Serpentor and the Shock Viper have gotten substantially more expensive.  And, to this day, it's exceedingly rare to see armies of Shock Vipers in the collecting community.

For me, though, this wave represented the beginning of the end.  Hasbro had moved on from vintage Joes in 2002 and the vintage figures never again saw Hasbro's focus.  At the same time, the collecting community was beginning to mature.  The community aspect of collecting waned and collectors turned more competitive in their pursuits of larger armies or rarer items.  In 2001, it was still possible to conduct trades that were measured in the wants of the parties involved.  After 2002, the dollar value of a trade was usually the only consideration.  This was inevitable as the core Joe collector group aged, got better jobs and began to stratify.  We see the results of that today.  Looking back at this Shock Viper, though, reminds me of a simpler time when the hobby was more innocent and even a bit more fun.

Rarities - Unproduced 2002 Shock Viper

In 2002, collectors were army builder crazy.  They were desperate for any new figure that could be army built in any capacity.  Early in that year, Hasbro repainted a 1994 Ice Cream Soldier and released him as a new Cobra named the Shock Viper.  But, that figure saw a truncated release and was only available online.  Collectors were only able to get three to six of that version.  Hasbro attempted to rectify this situation by releasing a different version of the Shock Viper to retail at the end of 2002.

At the 2002 convention, Hasbro showcased their planned Shock Viper that would debut at the end of 2002.  This version lacked the purple and red of the original and replaced it with a nice grey color.  Grey Cobras are pretty rare in the line.  So, seeing the figure was a visual treat.  You will note the copper highlights on the hand painted sample that carried over to to the production figure.

For some reason, though, this grey color scheme was abandoned.  It was replaced with a burnt orange Shock Viper that's odd and not all that useful.  He was only packed one per case upon his release, which helped to offset the poor design of the retail figure.  This grey sample would have been a far superior color scheme and one that collectors would hold in higher esteem today.  Hasbro never commented as to why the change occurred and the Shock Viper mold would not appear again until 2007 when it was used on the Lt. Clay Moore figure.  This grey Shock Viper would have been a cool addition to a later retail release.  But, it remains an interesting insight into some of the concepts that were planned but didn't make it to retail in the early 2000's.

Diorama - Shock Vipers Invade!

Shock Vipers invade the HQ.

2002 Shock Viper - Around the Web

When the Joe line was cancelled at retail in late 2001, Hasbro was pretty far along with the final wave of the A Real American Hero Collection.  Rather than let it go to waste, Hasbro produced a very limited run and sold them to online G.I. Joe resellers.  The result was a wave that was hard to get in large numbers.  For the most part, this wasn't an issue: except for one figure.  Packaged with Serpentor, the 2002 Shock Viper was one of the best army builders of the ARAHC era.

The figure is a repaint of the 1994 Ice Cream Soldier mold.  But, the sculpting, combined with new colors, lent itself to a Cobra repaint to such an extent that most people now refer to this as the "Shock Viper Mold" instead of the Ice Cream Soldier mold.  For most collectors, it was tough to get more than 6 of the Shock Vipers due to sold out stock and online dealer purchasing limits.  But, time has somewhat evened that out.  Even though, the figure still remains relatively hard to find.

Despite being one of the best army builders of the era, there's not a ton of content in regards to the figure out there.  This is a combination of his relative scarcity and the fact that collectors tend to prefer the more standard Cobra army builders when setting up displays.  But, here's the best content for the 2002 Shock Viper form around the web.

2002 Shock Viper Profile

Shock Viper at Half The Battle

Shock Viper at GeneralsJoes.com

Shock Viper Dio by Outrider

Shock Viper Dio by ScarrViper

Shock Viper Dio by Outrider 2

Diorama - Hiss Attack

In the fall of 2002, I came home every day at lunch to let my dogs out since I didn't have a doggy door.  One mild fall day, I came home in a gentle rainstorm.  I saw the lighting in the yard was good and that the rain was bringing out the green that was left in the leaves.  I got out some recent figures and vehicles and took some pics.

The scene is heavy on 2002 figure releases since they were new at the time and still somewhat exciting.  The Night Rhino was one of my de facto Joe vehicles of the time and has remained so ever since.  My favorite part was getting the Convention Paratrooper Dusty out and into action.

The scene is quaint today.  But, it was a lot of fun at the time and reminds of the lusher locations I used to have available for dios.

2002 Shock Viper V2

In early 2002, the infamous Wave V was released to select online retailers. This wave has one of the lowest production runs of any group of Joe figures and has become rather sought after. The most expensive pack from that wave is the Serpentor/Shock Viper pack. In an attempt to help out the large number of collectors who were either not able to acquire a Shock Viper at all, or just not amass enough of them, Hasbro decided to release a re-colored Shock Viper at retail in late 2002. While most will agree that this V2 is not as nice as the V1 figure, I have been strangely captivated by the V2 figure since I first acquired one and have found myself using it even more than I do the V1.

Technically, the Shock Viper is a Cobra flamethrower. However, as I've said in previous profiles, I have little use for human flamethrowers any more. The BATS take care of that duty, now. As such, I've had to find some other uses for the Shock Viper. While I had a specialty in mind for my V1 figures before they were even in my possession, I've found that this figure does not really fit into the role I've assigned for the V1 figure. Mostly, I use these guys as gunners or Cobra armour troopers. I've found they look nice in the turret of the Strike Hiss Tank. I also use them, from time to time, in place of Track Vipers at the helm of my original Hiss Tanks. I also, though, find myself just using these figures as common Cobra soldiers. Their look indicates they wear a bit more body armour than traditional Vipers that are used in my collection and that, to me, makes them the type of soldier who can be used in more dangerous environments. Their look is also not as familiar as that of the more traditional Cobra troopers and allows me some diversity in my Cobra ranks.

In the summer of 2002, at the annual Joe Convention, Hasbro first announced that the Shock Viper would be coming to retail. However, the figure they showed was a nice blend of black and grey and looked like a really different type of Cobra figure. For some reason, though, this color scheme was changed prior to release and the retail Shock Viper is a near-orange and copper concoction. I think that this color change really dampened some of the enthusiasm that awaited this figure and turned many collectors off to this version. One criticism of Hasbro's recent retail release army-building figures has been that the color schemes applied to them appear to be rather skimpy. This figure is cast in just 2 colors. That's the type of laziness that was indicative of the line in 1994. Personally, it seems to me that the lackadaisical color choices are a subliminal message sent by Hasbro. In '94, the lack of colors were indicative that Hasbro no longer cared about the line. Following that logic, it would seem that Hasbro really does not care about ARAH mold releases. The Viper, Alley Viper and vehicle driver releases have been poorly colored at best. What is more frustrating, though, is that figures like the Convention exclusives are highly detailed and show a more meticulous approach in their design. Hopefully, this trend was just a passing fad. However, the lack of paint detail on the 2003 Viper and Alley Viper seem to indicate the opposite. It is unfortunate that some otherwise nice figures are treated like second-hand citizens of the Joe world when we know that Hasbro is capable of so much more.

Aside from the two-tone coloring, the Shock Viper also fails in the accessory department. He comes with a copper, sound attack gun that is, essentially, useless as well as the Fast Blast Viper's gun. This weapon doesn't really fit this figure, either. Though, it can work in a pinch. I've mostly used various other weapons that are lying in my 2002 Joe drawer with this Shock Viper. If you have extras around, he also looks very nice with the 2001 Laser Viper accessories. Some work, others don't. You can see the diversity of weapons in my photos below. Mostly, my choice of accessories depends upon the role I've assigned for the figure at the time of use.

While this Shock Viper is more easily acquired than the V1, it also suffered from less than full retail saturation. For some reason, this figure was shortpacked in Wave 4 cases and, thusly, was less available than many collectors would have liked. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Hasbro was not able to ship all of their Wave 4 cases to retail. As such, a large number of them were bundled into "Value Packs" (which were 2 2-packs wrapped in a special package and sold for a lower price) that were only shipped to brick and mortar Toys R Us stores. Effectively, this raised the price point for many Shock Vipers and left collectors with a larger number of extra, unwanted figures if they wanted to army build this figure. The end result is that this figure isn't, exactly, all that common to find, either. His lack of overall popularity helps keep him affordable, though, and you can still pick up extra Shock Viper packs at a few online retailers. Personally, I like the figure enough to pick up a few more, but not enough that I'm going to spend any significant time looking for them. He is a neat addition to a collection, but not a Cobra army builder that I would deem imperative.

These Shock Vipers were decent. However, I would still like to see the grey version that was showcased at the 2002 Joe Convention in a retail release. Would you?

2002 Shock Viper (Wave V Internet Exclusive)

In the next couple of weeks, you are going to see and hear a lot about this figure. Some people will love it. Others will hate it. Many, many more will complain about the manner in which the sale of this figure was dictated by Hasbro. To me, all of that will be inconsequential. Why? Simple. I had the opportunity to get another classic repaint for my collection. When it all comes down to it, that's what I want. It is figures in this style and this articulation that are the basis for my Joe collection. Any opportunity to acquire another new figure like this is welcome. As such, I present to you my take on the latest Cobra army builder: the Shock Viper.

Like just about every new figure that has been produced since 2000, the Shock Viper's filecard sucks. If they wanted to make them flame throwers, they should have just used the original Incinerator mold and code name. As such, in my collection, the Incinerators will remain the only Cobra flame throwers. With that firmly in place, I was left with the problem of what to do with my Shock Vipers. The mold, originally used on the infamous Ice Cream Soldier in 1994, is excellent and is of a color scheme that just begs me to use it. However, they don't fit the traditional military soldier role that are so well defined by other Cobra Troopers. They are also not conducive for use in urban settings either. What, then, was I to do with this new, cool figure?

The more I thought about it, this guy's purpose finally hit me. With a name like Shock Viper, he needed a function of some importance, but also some mystery. What better use for a Shock Viper than as Cobra's internal police? I always figured Cobra to be chock full of people of incredibly shady character. As such, crimes against their own would be rampant. Cobra would need some sort of internal police force that would keep their own members in line. As I thought about this function for the Shock Viper,though, it dawned on me that this guy seems a bit more elite than a base security trooper would be. Rather than making them the base police force for Cobra, I envision these guys as more of a secret police force. They are a gestapo who serve at the will of Cobra Commander or his cronies. They help keep the Commander's political enemies at bay as well as gather intelligence about his rivals.

As with most of my figures, though, I foresee these guys being less loyal to the Commander than they are to the character portrayed by the Flying Scorpion figure. I see these guys acting as his personal police force who will ensure that his rivals don't get the opportunity to plot against him. Like most people with large egos, this character has just taken another step towards what will either be total achievement of his goals, or complete and utter failure. In the long term, I actually see this figure taking the role for the Flying Scorpion that the Funskool Desert Scorpion plays for Cobra Commander. They will be his personal bodyguards as well as the secret police. If you are not a member of his small cabal of commanders, then the Shock Vipers are not a group of people you want to see!

There are a lot of rumours and innuendos circulating about this wave. I wish I were in a position to debunk them, but I'm not. Time will be final factor in determining the extent of these figures' popularity. In the short term, though, Hasbro did not have any major retailers who wanted to purchase this wave of figures. This was mainly due to the fact that the new Joe vs. Cobra resculpts were already available. (I still think these were rushed to the shelves post Christmas so that Hasbro could get Episode II figures into production.) Without major retailer support, this line was doomed. Fortunately, online retailers stepped up and kept this wave from being cancelled. That meant that while collectors got an opportunity to buy this wave, it also provided a chance for scalpers and speculators to swoop in on what they perceive will ultimately be a valuable wave of figures. As such, you will find people charging (and paying!!!) outrageous sums of money for these figures. Once the full production run is out in the market, though, I don't think the prices will stay that high for long.

I'm sure this is the part you've all been waiting for: this figure's availability. I will be blunt. If you are currently paying upwards of $25 for this figure MOC, you are an idiot. That is the bottom line. At least two major online retailers who are stocking this wave have yet to receive their shipments. After they have gotten their figures, mailed them out, and ensured they are, indeed, out of stock, then you might start to get a little nervous. Personally, I think that you should wait until at least May before you panic if you don't yet have these figures. As anyone who attempted to order these figures from SmallJoes.com on Feb. 15th knows, there is a high demand for these guys. You can be sure, though, that the demand is fueled by the perceived scarcity of this wave. When all is said and done with this wave, I imagine that it will have been produced in greater quantities than many other figures from even the vintage line. It will be the fault of speculators and hoarders if an amount close to the full production run doesn't make it to the collectors who want them. In the end, though, the stigma of this wave will always persist. As such, they will, most likely, remain as some of the most expensive members of the repainted Joe club. It is unfortunate, but, if you are informed and know where to look, I think these figures will be available in the future. Speculators lose money if they hold something too long and hoarders eventually have to sell. When they do, I think the opportunities to acquire these figures for reasonable prices will be there.

I like the Shock Viper. His purpose in my collection also lends itself to a smaller number of them. Still, I would like one or two more. If you have any Shock Vipers you are willing to trade, email me.