I've never found the 1986 Viper to be the figure that most collectors see him as. It wasn't a mold for whose return I was clamoring. But, we got lots and lots of Viper repaints. And, there's no denying the figure's place in Cobra history. And, he photographs well. So, it was worth having a few lying around.
I've always viewed the Viper and Cobra Trooper as interchangeable. Viper armor is impractical to wear when lounging around the base. So, the more standard blue Cobra jumpsuit is the alternate look for the backbone of Cobra's legions. This allows the figures to co-exist and even appear together without convoluted backstory.
Other than that, not much to say about this guy. I still find him over rated. But, not nearly as much as the BAT. Enjoy the photos below as I hope I can finish up a profile for next week.
I've always been curious what a kitbash of the 83 Cobra Trooper/Officer and the 86 Cobra Viper might look like. If the troops are meant to represent the same dudes (just w new gear) then there would bound to be some mixing and matching with the uniforms IRL. ...A Viper w long sleeves instead of short? ....A Viper w combat boots instead of jack boots?
ReplyDeleteBut alas, the cost to buy an 83 Trooper/Officer is exorbitant (ranging $75 to $125 where I live) so I doubt I'll have the chance to experiment w this idea.
More than anything else, the comparatively "low" cost to buying a Viper is likely what keeps this figure popular with collectors. They are super common and fairly durable.