2003 Venom Cycle

When I first saw the Venom Cycle, I was underwhelmed. It looked like an OK vehicle, but nothing that really warranted any special attention. It looked, to me, a way for Hasbro to further push Viper repaints on collectors. After some time, though, I discovered that this small vehicle actually does have some redeeming features and is fun to have around.

In the past, I haven't been too high on motorcycles that were released in the Joe line. The RAM was cool, but I always found it a little too confining as it could really only hold one figure. The Silver Mirage was a cool concept, but the toy sucked. Mine fell apart every time you tried to use it. The whole thing was just brittle and not fun to play with. The one "motorcycle" I did like was the Dreadnok Cycle. While it's colors were awful, the bulkier sculpt with the mounted turret gun were great fun to use. I adopted this vehicle as a full-fledged Cobra weapon and had it manned by a Motor Viper and, oddly enough, a V1 Viper. This was my Cobra patrol vehicle for years.

When I first opened a Venom Cycle, it hearkened back to both the Silver Mirage and the Dreadnok Cycle. It has the sidecar mounted gun pod like the Silver Mirage, but has a bit more bulk to it like the Dreadnok Cycle. While not a perfect mesh of the two, it had more redeeming qualities than I had at first anticipated. My main problem with the design is that it is a bit too large. The Venom Cycle would be a better fit for the new sculpt figures as their larger proportions are better suited to the cycle's size. However, the size issue is not enough to render the Venom Cycle useless. ARAH-style figures still work on it without too much of a stretch. (I just use the slightly larger proportion as a side-effect of Cobra's reinforcing the cycle to make it withstand the harsh beach terrain it was designed to patrol.) The other problem I have with the Venom Cycle is that the gun in the sidecar is a spring loaded missile launcher. Instead of a cool sculpt gun, we are left with a monstrosity that is hard to reconcile. With the missile in place, the gun can work, but it takes away from the look of the vehicle and makes it a bit less useful to me. Finally, the Venom Cycle is a Sound Attack vehicle and has the built in sound chip and speaker. It isn't something that gets in the way too much, but adds unnecessary weight to the Cycle and is probably responsible for the cycle's larger size.

While these problems prevent this cycle from being a true classic in the Joe line, it does have some really neat features as well. One of the things I like most about the Venom Cycle is that it is heavily armoured. This gives it a bit more credibility in its purpose as the driver is not too exposed to enemy fire. (Granted, it's still a motorcycle, so there is always a lot of exposure on the part of any rider.) The cycle also has little storage baskets built onto the back. While not as useful as they might be, they are a nice touch that gives this cycle a little more detail than most of the other new, smaller vehicles that have been released since 2002. The one area where the Venom Cycle is really neat, though, is the side car. This can detach and be transformed into a stand alone gun station. This feature gives the Venom Cycle another purpose in my collection as it can now also be used to transport mobile gun stations on the battlefield. These can be used as coastal defenders, outpost watch stations, or strategic, mobile emplacements.

Another area where the Venom Cycle does succeed is in the area of the driver. While I tend to like uniformity in my vehicle driver ranks, I can accept the inclusion of a Viper with this vehicle. It makes sense, to me, that Cobra would utilize its basic infantry troops as motorcycle patrolmen on the shores of Cobra Island. As such, I can see this brown and blue Viper as someone who aspires to the Motor Viper corps and is using the role of patrolman as a stepping stone to promotion. This version of the Viper is basically the 2002 Forest Viper with brown highlights instead of green. I call him the Funskool Viper since he is the same color as the Funskool Law figure. While he is unspectacular in color, he does work as a more muted member of the Cobra Viper Corps. He looks decent in desert of even forest settings and melds well with the forest Vipers from the prior year.

Overall, the Venom Cycle is not up to par with classic Joe vehicles like the Ferret. It is, though, a step in the right direction as it seems that it shows a bit more thought than the first round of Alpha vehicles. Unfortunately, it seems that vehicles like the Venom Cycle aren't all that popular. They hang around at retail for long periods of time and, even when they include army builders, get rather stale in stores. I think the price point on these is a bit much. A small vehicle with one figure for $10 isn't that much of a better deal when you can get 2 figures with accessories for $8. I have a feeling that Hasbro's rationale behind changing Alpha Vehicles packaging to window boxes instead of carded toys is to give the consumer a better concept of value. Carded, these things competed with figures and were easily lost in the shuffle. Boxed, these vehicles are easier to see and stand out on the shelves. So far, it appears to be working as the first assortment of 2004 Alpha vehicles seems to be moving a little better than those from last year. We'll see how the rest of the year goes, though.

Venom Cycles, despite their inclusion of a Viper as the driver, were very easy to find at retail. Most stores had them hanging on the shelves through Christmas of 2003 and some people were lucky enough to get them for deeply discounted prices in post-holiday clearance sales. This means that a lot of collectors got their fill of this vehicle and I don't foresee a strong long term demand for them. (That's not true, at this point, for the repainted Crimson Venom Cycle which was rather hard to find at retail.) This is good, though, as it allows collectors to acquire a Venom Cycle or two for affordable prices. (And, if you don't want the Viper, you can probably find people willing to sell you just the cycle for almost nothing.) I've found that this cycle goes well with both new and classic sculpt figures and adds a nice element to a Cobra arsenal. The Venom Cycle is surely not a classic when compared to everything released in the Joe line, but it is one of the better offerings we've seen since Joe returned to retail.

Were you able to find the Crimson Venom Cycle? Let me know.

1990 Sky Patrol Skydive

It's been a long time since I've profiled another member of the Sky Patrol subset. The main reason is that, of the six figures that comprised this subset, I only have three of them in my collection. (In fact, I also have three of the Brazilian Sky Patrol figures which means they match my American numbers!) As Sky Patrol isn't a large part of my collection, I haven't been compelled to profile another member. All the figures in the set are, basically, repaints. However, I've recently only had access to a small number of my Joes. This has taken me back to the earliest days of my collecting when I only had a small numbers from which to choose and I was much more creative with what I had. Among the small number of figures I can get to right now is the 1990 Skydive.

Skydive is just a repainted Gyro-Viper with a new head. (All of the Sky Patrol figures used recolored existing bodies and newly sculpted heads. However, the dark blue color of his flight suit really makes this figure stand apart from the Cobra with whom he shares a mold. This really allows Skydive to take on a characterization beyond that of many simple repaints and makes him the type of figure that I have found a use for in my collection.

I see Skydive as the type of character that other Joes have a problem getting along with. I see him as prick who is very confident in his abilities and makes no hesitations about letting everyone else know that. As such, he is difficult to befriend and is often ridiculed behind his back. However, the brashness that makes him so unlikable as a person is exactly what makes him a great soldier. I see Skydive as a man of unparalleled bravery and ability. In the field, he always gets his job done and those who serve with him find him a real asset when in combat. This leads to a problematic approach with this character. He is great to be around in situations of intense danger, but is almost despicable in any other setting. Those Joes who have served with him and seen him in action will gladly do so again, but those who have never been in combat with Skydive are hesitant to undertake a mission with him. His social presence starts to override his professional demeanor. I use this dichotomy to delve a bit deeper into the characterizations of both Skydive and those he comes into contact with. It is just another small element that gives my Joes a little more depth than just some happy-go-lucky team who always gets along.

One area where Sky Patrol really excelled was in their accessories. Just about all of the figures came with a nicely done contingent of guns, helmets and other items that really made these figures stand out. Of course, they all also included a working silver parachute pack. The final expectation was that these figures had tons of play value and would be quite popular at retail. That did not, though, turn out to be the case. As Sky Patrol figures were higher priced than regular Joes, they sat around a bit. Once a child had one of the figures, there was little incentive for a parent to buy them another. This scenario replayed itself every time Hasbro tried a gimmick that raised the price point of a figure. (In fact, it still plays out today as the Alpha vehicle assortment sits, unsold, in stores around the country. In comparison to 2 figures for $8, a small vehicle and 1 figure aren't a deal at $10. Maybe the new packaging will help.) The unfortunate side effect of this is that Sky Patrol figures really don't get the credit they deserve. The helmets and weapons that were included with Sky Patrol figures were among the most original and well conceived in the entire line. It's just that no one seems to know that.

Sky Patrol (or at least a Sky Patrol inspired concept) was set to return to retail in 2003. The set of six figures (Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Duke, Lowlight, Alley Viper and Hiss Driver) were to a be a Wal Mart exclusive. However, Hasbro could not get the parachutes that would have been the selling point of the figures to pass safety standards. (This is also why the 2003 Sgt. Airborne does not include a parachute even though his backpack still has the handle where the strings would have been attached.) This lead to the cancellation of the Sky Patrol figures and Wal Mart's release of their new sculpt repaints. However, the 6 "cancelled" figures have shown up (as full production level samples) in a number of areas. This leads me to believe that we will see this subset at some point in 2004. I am guessing that it will end up as a Toys R Us exclusive after the Night Force and Cobra Troop Builder sets are released. I think it would be nice to see Sky Patrol again. Even if the parachutes that were the hallmark of the original figures can not be released to retail, having the subset updated with some new blood would be a good way to give modern collectors another nod to the line's past.

Time was that Sky Patrol figures were hard to find mint and complete. When you did find them, the competition for them was heavy and the prices reflected the demand. Now, though, a lot of that has changed. While the Sky Patrol figures are still rarer than other 1990 releases, you can find them, even in good condition, for decent prices. As most of the figures are rather well done, come with nice accessories and are different in appearance from other Joes, they are a nice way to fill out even the largest Joe roster. I'm hoping that the next few months will allow me an opportunity to finish off my Sky Patrol set. I think they are a great subset and the type of figures that bring greater depth to dioramas and a collection in general.

I'm really hoping that we see a Sky Patrol redux. If it does happen, would you rather have it be all Joes, all Cobras or a combination of both? Let me know.

Spirit (European Exclusive!)

A while ago, I posted a profile of the Brazilian exclusive Urzor figure. In that profile, I posted a picture or Urzor meeting in the jungle with some other Cobras. In the background, though, was a slightly out of focus figure that most people recognized as the Spirit mold. I got a lot of inquiries, though, as to the nature of the figure. Was it a custom? Another Brazilian exclusive? My answer spurred several people to track down this seldom seen figure and add this European exclusive version of Spirit to their collections.

This Spirit is very different from his American releases. While both the '84 Spirit and the Slaughter's Marauders version are nicely colored and decent figures, this European version brings out a different element of the Spirit character. The dark black and blood red combine to communicate a more powerful characterization. This is not an exploitation figure, it is, instead, a look that shows a darker, deeper side to Spirit and, for me, gives the character even greater depth. I liken this design to a change in Spirit's demeanor. Gone is the naive tracker. When he dons this outfit, Spirit is capable of accomplishing more dangerous tasks. This is a uniform where Spirit means business. Usually, he is a lone infiltrate into a Cobra installation who must act completely without support. Other times, he is sent after a particular target: often with that target's total annihilation the only acceptable outcome.

One of the themes that I like to explore in my collection is the exploitation of the Joes by their superiors. I basically have the Joe team viewed as an organization that is called in to every situation that has gone hopelessly awry. The Joes are then sent in against almost impossible odds and expected to succeed. In most cases they do. However, one of the ideas that permeates my Joe ranks is the notion that their duty will never be done until each person is dead. The Joes feel that their skills are such that the military honchos will never let them retire. Instead, they will be sent on mission after mission, even long after their physical abilities have diminished. The eventual outcome of this is that, at some point, each team member's abilities will fail them at a critical time and they will end up dead. I have had this happen to a few different characters over the course of time and this has lead to the revelation among the existing team members that the same fate will, eventually, befall them. It is a dark secret among the Joes that, in some ways, makes them tighter as a unit. However, that type of pressure also weighs heavily upon a mind. At some point, I hope to explore this more fully with the character of Footloose after he, Flint and Duke infiltrate Dr. Mindbender's lab. I like the idea of fallible Joes moreso than what we see in mainstream Joe cannon. This notion of eventual death during duty provides the type of element that makes every Joe character a little more human and less detached from what they do.

Alas, in my collection, though, this version of Spirit is used more as a display model than a "use" figure. My '93 Spirit gets most of the action. The reason for that, though, has less to do with the fact that I like the '93 more than it does with the fact that I'm a bit worried about damaging my Euro Spirit. You can see in the photos below that Spirit is always holding his gun a certain way. This is because I'm afraid that the large handled weapon that is intended for the figure will break his thumb should I force it into place. This concern has lead me to use the Euro Spirit less than I would like as I don't want to break him. I have less problems with the '93 (though that, in its own right, is a tougher figure to find) and use it more often as I feel that replacing him would be easier than finding another Euro Spirit. This isn't to say the figure is brittle. Mine just feels like the gun would cause damage. Rather than risk it, I just don't use this mold very often.

I've always felt it odd that Europe got an exclusive Spirit figure. His is a mold that really is unique to the United States. Painting him in this manner seems somewhat out of place for a European release. Spirit's, and Mutt's, release timing is also somewhat peculiar. They were released in the early '90's, at a time when all other European releases were the new construction ball joint heads. Adding these two figures to the assortment was a odd combination and does not fit with the release schedules that were the norm in every other country. (Well, except for India, though that didn't really take hold until the late '90's and early '00's.) Why these two figures were chosen for an exclusive release will probably remain a mystery.

As this figure is a European release, he is of the same quality as American release figures. As such, you don't have to worry about brittle crotches and thumbs nor sloppy paint applications when you track one down. He includes 4 accessories, though only his loin cloth is unique to this version. His pack and gun are the same as the easily acquired Slaughter's Marauders Spirit and his eagle is the same as the original figure's. (Though just about all Freedoms out there are missing the claw. That's just one brittle feature of the animal mold.) This allows a collector to acquire a hopefully cheaper, non-complete version of this figure without the worry of tracking down too many exclusive accessories.

Like a few other figures, Spirit's mold has had an interesting journey. After his initial release in the U.S. in 1984-1985, he was sent to Brazil. There, Spirit was among the earlier Brazilian figures released. In 1989, the Spirit mold was again released in the U.S., this time under the Slaughter's Marauders banner. This figure, though, was not produced by Hasbro. Hasbro outsourced the production of these figures to Estrela in Brazil. As such, Estrela used molds they had on hand to produce that batch of figures. (All of the Slaughter's Marauders figures were released in Brazil in colors similar to their original American release.) At some point in the next few years, though, the Spirit and Mutt molds migrated out of Estrela's hands and into Europe. Here, the European division of Hasbro produced two exclusive figure repaints of those characters. These were released some time in the early '90's around the same time that the European exclusive Tiger Force figures were released. (An interesting note is that Blizzard also appears to have gone from Brazil to Europe around the same time.) What is not clear is whether the actual molds used by Euro Hasbro and Estrela were one and the same or if these early figures actually had two molds produced for them and they were then strewn around the world after Hasbro was through with their American releases. At any rate, the trail of these molds left quite a legacy and proves an interesting study on different countries' uses of specific figure molds.

A few years ago, when I was in the market for this figure, you could get mint and mostly complete Spirits for around $20. As I haven't looked for one of these guys in a while, I'm not sure if the current pricing is still similar or not. I do know, though, that there are a lot of these Euro Spirits around and many of them are in good condition. As such, if you want one, it usually does not take too much time to track one down. I've found this to be my favorite coloring of this mold. Unfortunately, his scarcer nature still precludes me from using this figure all that often. As a display piece, I can not recommend this figure enough. As a play piece, though...well...I leave that to your discretion. I've found that this figure is a welcome part of a collection, regardless of his purpose. The solid colors and classic mold make for a truly unique foreign figure who belongs in any American collection.

Spirit is still a great character. It appears, though, he has been replaced in new Joe cannon by Dart. Would you like to see Spirit return? Let me know.

Funskool Flint

Sure, I've already profiled this mold and the Funskool version is, basically, identical to the American figure. However, Flint is one of my favorite characters and this mold of him is one of my all-time favorite figures. Plus, it's been quite some time since I've profiled any Flint figure. Finally, Flint won the most recent Feature Character Spotlight at YoJoe.com and I needed a version of him that I had readily available to showcase.

As I've said before, Flint is, to me, the epitome of Joe. He is the rugged soldier who is not only capable of leading troops to battle, but also of inspiring them to outperform even their most lofty expectations. This figure perfectly captures what is, to me, the essence of the character. His look is slightly military, but has enough uniqueness to it that you can see Flint's strong personality show through. His countenance is brash and shows great insight into his characterization while not being too over the top. His colors blend well together to allow for his use in forests, night ops, jungles, urban campaigns or just about any other environment. His accessories complement him perfectly and stick out from the traditional fare that most Joes seem to utilize. It is his uniqueness that makes the figure, to me, indispensable.

I consider Flint the hardcore combat leader of my Joes. If there is a mission that is considered too hairy, Flint is the first to volunteer. He is open to operation in any climate and works well as the leader of just about any Joe. To this day he remains a figure that is a staple in my dioramas. Having this Funskool version widely available has made it possible for Flint to retain that position of prominence for some time. I'm no longer worried about paint wear or lost accessories as I can easily replace them now for under $5. In fact, I would never have attempted a few of the pictures below were the Funskool Flint not so easy to acquire. The fear of damaging so important a figure in my collection would have been too great.

Back in February of 1985, I found my first cases of new Joe figures. While it was sensory overload at the time, I managed to convince myself that I wanted Footloose and Airtight. I was familiar with Flint from the cartoon that aired the fall before and actually wanted him most of all. However, the Flint's I saw all had their heads drooping in the package. As I did not know that the Joe head articulation had changed for 1985, I thought these figures were broken. So, I passed him by. That proved to be a mistake as I didn't find another Flint for many, many months. He became my Holy Grail of the day as I desperately wanted to add Flint to my collection. When I finally did acquire him, Flint became a mainstay in every mission I undertook. In fact, he was so used that I wore out my original figure and had to replace him in the same year. I ended up buying another Flint from a friend in early 1987 as I had lost both of my existing Flint guns. Even that third one ended up in bad condition. He was just a figure that I had to keep at the top of my collection.

In late 1987, my local comic shop got in a few issues of the UK "Action Force" comic. Naturally, I bought an issue to see what it was. I was fascinated by the UK exclusive stories and really liked their portrayal of Flint. That continuity used Flint as the leader of the Action Force and had him less American that his G.I. Joe portrayal. If you have occasion to pick up some of those old "Action Force" issues, I highly recommend it. Some of the stories are very well done, use some different characters, and are quite a bit different from the American fare.

When the Funskool Flint was re-released in 2002, an interesting thing happened. At that point in time, a mint, complete American Flint figure typically cost around $20 or so. Within a month or so of the Funskool re-release's arrival in the U.S., though, that price plummeted to nearly half the quoted rate. The reason was simple: many collectors who wanted a nice, complete Flint figure for their collections now had an acquisition alternative other than Ebay. This essentially took hundreds of collectors out the market for American Flint figures which then dropped the price. This is not a bad thing. However, it does provide a model that can be extrapolated to some of the new Hasbro released figures as well. Many collectors out there only collect one of every character or one of every figure mold. As Hasbro pulls out more and more and more ARAH-style molds and repaints them in exclusive figure sets many collectors will have a shot at some molds that might have previously eluded them. In turn, this will remove many collectors from the market for the repainted mold's original figure. In the case of many Joe figures, that will not really be of major significance, but it is something to remember as old molds are dusted off and put into production.

There are actually several variations of the Funskool Flint figure. After this mold's run in the U.S., it was scheduled to be released in Argentina. (Flint appears on some of the latest Argentine cardbacks.) He was not, to the extent of my knowledge, though, released there. He was, however, released in Brazil. From there, the mold was send on to India. At some point in the Flint mold's history, the arms were either lost or rendered unusable. As such, all Funskool Flints have variant arms from the American figure. (If you look at the prototype Night Force Flint from the 2003 Convention photos, you will see that he also has new arms.) The earliest figures used lower arms from the '92 Roadblock. At some point after that, Funskool switched the arms and some late '90's or so Flint figures actually have the lower arms from Zandar. (Both of these figures are also available with elbow joints that are black: matching the upper arm rather than the flesh colored forearm.) In 2002, Funskool reverted back to the '92 Roadblock arms. Not satisfied with these variants, though, in 2003, Funskool decided to change the upper arms of the new Flint figures to feature the mold originally used for Blaster. These figures also feature much brighter green on the paints, lighter brown on the gloves and visually distinctive backpack colors. Not to be outdone, though, Funskool produced a final batch of figures in early 2003. These figures were only available bagged but use the upper arms from Blocker. The forearms are still Roadblocks, but the upper arms differ. You will also notice slight color differences in Flint's based on their time of production. Usually, they are subtle and hard to recognize if you don't have the figures sitting next to each other. It should also be noted that Flint's accessories vary in color. They can range from a dark green like the American weapons all the way to a light brown. The variants on both the figure and accessories are minor and are hard to notice. However, it does give Funskool collectors something else to track down. (You can see the three modern variants and some of the accessory differences in the comparison photo below.)

Funskool Flints are not too hard to find. Funskool re-released him in 2002 and then again in 2003. As such, you can get either carded or bagged Flints from most online dealers. However, now that the mold appears to be back in Hasbro's hands, the supply of Funskool Flints will, eventually, dry up. As such, now is a good time to acquire any of these figures that you might desire. He is so close to the American mold that this figure is interchangeable with the original figure and provides a cheap alternative that meshes well with any collection. I've basically retired my American Flint figures and only use my Funskool version. The figure is of excellent quality and provides an easy way for new collectors to revisit a truely classic mold.

While I'm well set for Funskool Flints, I do need one with Zandar's arms. If you can help, let me know.

2004 Urban Neo-Viper (Wal Mart Exclusive)

If your Joe eye has blinked any time in the past 120 days, you have missed quite a lot. Through the first 8 months of 2003, Hasbro released, essentially, 12 figure packs to retail. This was the beginning of the Spy Troops theme and offered some excellent new characters and molds. The drawback, though, was that these figures were available at retail for a long time and there were only 2 army building figures among the 12. The last 4 months of 2003 have seen a flurry of Joe releases. First, there was the highly anticipated Wave 7 (Though that, technically, appeared in late August.). Before that wave really had a chance to settle into retail, the first cases of Wave 8 were released. While collectors were still trying to finish acquiring that wave, the most anticipated wave of the year, the army building wave was released. That wave, though, quickly disappeared, leaving many collectors without the figures they wanted. The reason for the quick hook was that Hasbro wanted to get the 2004 Venom vs. Valor figures on the shelves before Christmas. This lead to Wave 9's appearance at retail in early December. This, alone, made for 24 figure packs that were released in the final third of this year: twice as many as were released in the previous 8 months. There was one last surprise, though. Hasbro offered Wal-Mart an exclusive 6 figure repaint wave that was to be released under the Venom vs. Valor banner. This wave was 3 desert Joe repaints who were paired with 3 urban themed Cobra army builder repaints. This brought the total to 27 figure packs released in the final 4 months of 2003. A huge number of these figures are army builders so budget conscious collectors have had to make some tough choices. The saving grace is that these figures have been the best new sculpts to date and the repaints, in this case, are inspired. As such, I felt it appropriate to profile the Urban Neo-Viper from these Wal-Mart exclusives.

In my opinion, this Wal-Mart wave is a perfect example of repaints done right. Hasbro has tried to theme some repaints in recent waves, but I don't like that approach. What we've ended up with is a hodge-podge of characters that don't really fit into a theme. The Night Force repaints are scattered and it's hard to piece them together as a cohesive unit. (Especially with the long time between some of the wave releases.) Offering repaints as an exclusive is a great way to fit a number of like-colored Joes and Cobras together without making a full release figure wave too bland. Rather than the full 12 figures that comprise a normal, full retail wave release, this exclusive wave only offers 6 figures. That is the perfect number as it doesn't allow the theme to overtake the importance of the entire line, but does offer collectors and children alike some variance in their figure purchase choices. Going forward, I would prefer to see smaller exclusive waves like this for repaints rather than having them spread through full retail release waves. That will keep the full releases fresher and allow Hasbro to better time their releases for 2004.

This Wal-Mart exclusive figure wave features 6 figures: Duke, Roadblock, Gung-Ho, Iron Grenadier, Cobra Claws and this Neo-Viper. The Roadblock is a straight repaint of his Wave 6 release. The Gung-Ho, reuses the awful non O-ring mold from Wave 1 of 2002 and, as such, is really out of place in this wave. The Duke is more interesting as he is an amalgamation. He features the Wave 4 Duke head on the Wave 3 Snake Eyes body. I like this approach as the figure is not a straight repaint and offers something more exclusive than just figure color to this wave. The IG is nicely cammoed re-do of the figure we've already gotten at retail twice in 2003 and the Claws is the O-ring version. (And is, in my opinion, the best version of Claws to date.) The three Cobras mesh well together and work well as an urban assault force. All the Cobras feature their basic accessories that we've grown accustomed to. However, the dreaded sound attack weapons make an appearance in these sets. While the Cobras at least have guns that are usable, some Joes do not. Duke only has a sound attack gun and that, to me, makes him less desirable than he should be. These figures also feature spring loaded missile launchers. (Yes, these sets feature 2 of the most hated additions to the Joe line, spring loaded missile launchers and sound attack weapons!) The nice thing is that the figures are evenly packed in the cases and are shipped in ratios that make it possible, should you find these guys, to build an army in short period of time.

I have always liked the Neo-Viper mold. From the first non O-ring figure from 2002 to this figure, the mold is just solid. He looks like the updated Cobra trooper he is supposed to be. He is articulated in a manner that allows for some nice action poses and makes him the type of figure that is easy to display in a variety of ways. The inclusion of the unique rifle and pistol with this version really make him a more desirable alternative to army building than many of the Neo-Vipers of the past. His colors really allow for some diversity in his use. The marble, white, black and bright red Cobra sigil work in a way that allows this guy to be used in arctic, urban or mountain environments. To me, this makes this version of the Neo-Viper the most useful of all his incarnations.

In my collection, Neo-Vipers are the replacements for Vipers. I was somewhat disappointed to see the Viper character appear in Wave 9 as I felt that it was the Neo-Viper who really occupied this position in the new Cobra. I feel that it is the Neos who make the basic grunts of the Cobra legions and their different uniforms allow for their appearance in all situations. Going forward, I think I'll keep that concept intact and use the Viper as a higher ranking trooper who is a bit more elite than the standard Neo-Viper. My new Cobra will be a bit more streamlined than my ARAH-sculpt based Cobra as I feel that Neos will comprise the bulk of my troops. The other Viper types will be more highly specialized and exist in far fewer numbers.

This figure's availability is not yet determined. It could be that Wal-Mart will completely sell out of this wave before Christmas and those who don't have this guy will be left in the cold. However, that is unlikely to happen. I would imagine that this figure will be available at retail well into the start of 2004. As he ships 4 to a case instead of 2, it will take longer for even a small shipment to sell out. Plus, there are thousands of Wal-Marts in the U.S., and even the most remote American collector usually has access to more than one. That should allow collectors to get their fill of this figure. International collectors, though, are less lucky. As this is a Wal-Mart exclusive, it will only be available in the U.S. Online Joe dealers won't be able to get these figures without buying them at retail and passing the markup on to foreign buyers. This is unfortunate as this is a nicely done Neo-Viper. Hopefully, 2004 will see Hasbro take at least some steps to help overseas and remote collectors who can not find items at retail. For, when they start producing even repaints of this quality, Joe's popularity can only be supported.

What do you think of this method of repainting army building figures? Let me know.