Spy Troops Wave 2 (Wave 6) - Sand Viper
Wave 6, when it was first announced, seemed like a somewhat lackluster Wave. Comprised of mostly repaints, it seemed like a filler wave that wasn't really necessary, just something to fill the void until Wave 7 came out. Repaints of Flint, Beachhead, Shipwreck, Dr. Mindbender, Dart, and Ripper almost condemned this Wave before it was released, and a lot of fans (myself included) immediately put Wave 6 on the pessimistic shelf. I wasn't really looking forward to it, but I'd see when it got here.
Well, now that it's here, I can honestly say that while this Wave didn't knock my socks off like Wave 5 did, the new sculpt figures are quite excellent. At least on even footing with Wave 5, if not just a tiny step below. Roadblock, although suffering from some sculpting irregularities, is a decent addition, although not perfect. Depth Charge is a terrific figure, nicely proportioned, great accessories, and a compliment to anything Wave 5 had to offer. Blackout was also a fine piece, although is penalized slightly by the placement of his left hand and by his questionable eye paint apps. But then we have Sand Viper...
The defining figure of Wave 6, Sand Viper is what a Cobra Trooper should be. Menacing, threatening, and downright MEAN looking. His sculpt pretty much jumps right out of the package at you, with a slim, yet stacked bodysuit/body armor combination. The base suit looks to be a rubberized bodysuit of sorts, complimented by elaborate armor and cloth adornments. The armor is excellently sculpted, looking very tough and metallic despite the odd tan color. This armor looks GREAT, and is nicely weathered with dings, dents, and bullet holes, and is even further brought out by embossed Cobra symbols spread throughout the armor. His forearm and shin guards and thick and protective, and match up with his chest armor perfectly, the similar Cobra symbols bringing everything nicely together.
The best thing about the sculpt, though is the head. A skin tight hood pulls tight around his head and is polished off by a slick, featureless mask. His eyes are a dull red and the mask is connected to the hood by some sinister little clips...it all comes together very, very well to bring us an evil, dangerous looking Cobra Trooper.
One thing I'm not real wild about is the color scheme. A Cobra Trooper this ultimately cool really shouldn't be relegated to desert duty, but this guy falls into the same trap as Desert Scorpion. An excellent Cobra Trooper that does not see much use because of his specialty. For what kind of trooper he is, though, his colors are spot on. The bodysuit is a dull, dark gray, perfect for equally dark surroundings or for moving at night. His body armor is an accurate tan shade to match the deadly desert sands, and the coloring matches the mold pieces wonderfully. Hasbro didn't go crazy with the paint apps on this figure...he only really has four different colors, and while these colors work very well for what it is, I can't help but think that had this figure had another capacity and a few more colors on the palette, how much even cooler he could be.
Accessories for Sand Viper run the gamut. His rifle is top shelf. An absolutely awesome machine gun/grenade pistol combination, the figure looks incredible with it and it is a formidable weapon for anyone. His Cobra vest is forgettable, and I quickly disposed of it without even trying it on him. The Komodo Dragon is another awesome touch, I think. One of the neat features of the original Joeline were the animals included with certain figures. And while some of them made no sense (a giant scorpion??) others became crucial parts of the line's history and staples of the Joeverse. While I'm sure Sand Viper's dragon will never become the focus of any stories, it's a neat addition, a dangerous looking reptile, and something I can see Cobra using. The crowning touch of accessories is the helmet...it's the same helmet that originally came with Grunt, which at first might seem like a throw-in, except for the fact that the figure looks perfect with it! When I first opened him up, I put aside the vest and the helmet vowing that I wouldn't use them. The vest stayed that way, but I dared try the helmet on, and I'm very happy that I did. It looks terrific. It compliments the mold well, fits on his head perfectly (better than it fits on Grunt!!) and it just ties up the entire package. Finish this off with Wave 6 Flint's backpack and Beachhead's little pistol, and your Sand Viper is prepped for action!
I find that I like this figure so much that I'm kind of already making up storylines for him...giving him background. In my universe, I think he's going to be a hostile environment trooper, not just relegated to deserts. They'll also be Blackout's personal guard, assigned to him to assist him, but to also keep him in line. Blackout is somewhat unstable, and Cobra Commander feels more comfortable having a group of loyal troopers there to keep an eye on him. As a result of them following Blackout's lead, the Sand Vipers are expert marksmen and dangerous foes.
To put it simply, this figure is a must buy. It's a shame that a somewhat sub-standard version of Beachhead comes with him, because I'm sure plenty of people will end up with lots of him. This figure has a sharp mold, great accessories, and is an Army builder. I personally plan on picking up 5 or 6, and will undoubtedly grab a couple of others to customize. I haven't been inspired to customize very much lately, and the fact that this figure alone drives me to do it is really saying something about the quality of this toy.
