Range-Viper (2009)
The hits just keep on comin’ with another Defense of Cobra Island multi-pack figure. It’s another fine marriage of parts that serves to make one of the most odd looking Cobra troopers of the past into a more cohesive and menacing looking figure.
Again, like his pack mate Lamprey, the Range Viper benefits from being based on an old figure, without a slavish devotion to recreating every aspect of its predecessor. Using some of the better articulated body parts then available in the Resolute Cobra Trooper torso and arms, as well as the Alley Viper legs (still being used today) the figure comes together impressively. This is one figure whose body looks to be in proportion. It’s the kind of improvement of modern construction that would show up in the movie line and into the Pursuit of Cobra and 30th anniversary series.
All the old color cues are here, and the toned-down helmet from the DTC Range Viper fits in perfectly. No more exposed brain/afro look for this guy. Accessories are a bit different, with the missile launcher absent, and a much smaller backpack, but the inclusion of a detailed belt-fed machine gun make up for it.
Finally, I’ve said before that the Ranger Viper design didn’t really strike me as looking too much like its specialty would suggest. Though this figure is a sleek update of one of the clunkier looking classic Cobra troop types, it’s still a bit on the brightly colored side for a wilderness trooper. For those who prefer a more subdued look, the figure was repainted for the cancelled Target vehicle sets that showed up at Ross the next year.
I’ve got the Ross version, and I’ve been equipping him with the accessories this one came with. He’s got an ammo belt, the grenade launcher, and as a bonus the original figure’s knife. All I need now is a black version of the backpack–which I’ll get from an extra ROC Gung-Ho/Copperhead pack.
I noticed he has the same problem as BBTS Marauders Taurus, though he doesnt quite suffer from it that badly
I’ve got the Attack on Cobra Island version as well as the Ross version. I like to think of the classic look as a straight Range Viper grunt while the Ross version fills in nicely as a Skullbuster for those of us who can’t afford the Sub figures.
I really liked seeing this in my Defense of Cobra Island pack. I had the original Range Viper and thought it was really cool and this guy didn’t let me down in terms of representing him in my modern collection. While I do wish his accessories were a bit more unique, his gear is nice and makes him a pretty intimidating battlefield operator.
Another neat update to one of the oddest army builders out there. The helmets works much better with this rather minimalist approach. It brings a needed touch of realism as this was one of the more unusual character debuts from 1990.
The original Range Viper was easily in my top 5 when I was a young collector–he was just so weird looking, and I really liked the way they went about their missions stealing supplies and weapons to survive.
This is a fantastic update, those Resolute Cobra Trooper arms are versatile and well-used here. I’d like to see them used again on more retail figures, they are good for customs. Love the skull-faced helmet, though I actually prefer the brain pattern of the original sculpt.
Range Viper always struck an appropriate balance between cool and weird, just what I like to see in an action figure.
Another awesome “modern era” figure!
Shame they didn’t equip him with his 1990 accessories…