Yes,
I live in New England. Yes it snows like eight feet during the winter months.
Yes I always do snow themed episodes for my dio-stories. But you know what?
I STILL HATE SNOW TROOPERS!Direct to Consumer Wave 2 - Snow Serpent
Toy
name: Snow Serpent
Assortment: Direct-to-Consumer
Wave 2
Price: MSRP $4.99
Availability: September, 2005
Yes,
I live in New England. Yes it snows like eight feet during the winter months.
Yes I always do snow themed episodes for my dio-stories. But you know what?
I STILL HATE SNOW TROOPERS!
I don't know why...is it because they're so environment-specific that they're almost unusable anywhere but on arctic missions? Is it because their color schemes are usually an uber-bland series of whites and grays? Is it because we've gotten so many darn arctic figures over the past couple of years? I dunno, but I don't like 'em. But you know what else. It's damn hard NOT to love this arctic figure. :/
Confused yet? I am.
Figure Mold
The first DTC figure to be a straight repaint might normally garner some harsh words, but considering the Wave 6 Snow Wolf is among the single most effectively sculpted figures in the entire new sculpt roster, it's tough to get too angry. Especially since Wave 6 originally got caught in a pretty tight release window and a lot of folks only had limited chances to pick this figure up in his previous incarnation. And also, especially since this repaint is a nice homage to the original '85 Snow Serpent. So many reasons to love this figure, I only wish I had more opportunities to USE him.
The mold, like it's Wave 6 counterpart is pretty much perfect in every way. I hesitate to continue heaping praise upon thie figure, but from the proportions, to the head sculpt, to the molded holster, kneepads, and fur trimming, this figure is about as good as it gets mold-wise. Crisp, clean, and just plain awesome. I only hope sooner rather than later Hasbro is able to translate this incredible sculpting ability into a more generic trooper, so he can be used on every mission, instead of just the ones designed to give me frostbite.
Paint Applications/Color Choices
Simple and effective, for the Snow Serpent. Very reminiscent of the classic look, which is a good thing. A pretty light gray base with stark white fur trim and a terrific metallic blue for the straps and other trimming. The dark gray/black gloves, boots, leg straps and mask are vastly different from the light overall base of the figure, but they all compliment each other nearly perfectly. Even though I don't really like arctic troops, I can appreciate their place, and this color scheme is pretty much perfect for the COBRA arctic specialists.
Accessories
The accessories, for the most part, are new and improved versions of a lot of what we got in Wave 6. From the nice addition of the original Snow Serpent backpack, to the nice blue parachute pack, to the dark snowshoes and beautiful removable helmet, every single piece here is great and works well. Even the holster/pistol combination is great (although it is somewhat of a tight fit). The parachute pack here, too, looks to be revamped somewhat...patterned more after the original Snow Serpent's pack and less off of the only semi-removable pack we got in Wave 6, it's larger and it would appear, more user-friendly. In fact, every different accessory placed here is a big improvement over the original...the parachute pack, machine gun, and snow shoes all look a lot more reminscent of the original Snow Serpent when compared to the wolf cloak, ice cleats, and other aspects of Snow Wolf. It makes this figure stand out more as it's own entity and look at least somewhat different, even if it is the same.
Final Comments
I don't like arctic figures. I love this figure, anyway. What else is there for me to say, you guys will buy tons of 'em regardless. ;)
A great figure, and one to stock up on, if you like that sort of thing.
Ratings (out of 10)
Character: 6
Mold : 9.5
Paint Apps: 8
Value: 9
Overall score (not an average): 8.5
