25th Anniversary Viper Mods

[Cobra Command]

Ok, so I couldn`t stand the hands, the sideways elbow and the Vest that didn`t fit right. Took a little work but now i`m happy. For the hands, I replaced the hands at the wrist with a set from an extra Snake eyes and resculpted the pads to the hands to match the original. Now he doesn`t look as goofy, I also seperated the vest from the belt to look more natural and slimmed them down for a much better fit. The elbow I cut off and repositioned so it didn`t look so freaky. Overall, I think this vastly improves on this figure and makes him much more acceptable. Ok, enough talking, now for pics!

 

[umanumanamo]

Can you take a few more shots of him holding his gun, or different poses? Looks good!

[Cobra Command]

Here ya go!

[xhairs]

great job CC thats the way they should of been done.

[Draven79]

Yep much better. I am disappointed in the Viper but not as much as most of you. The thing I think that bugs me most is the vest now that I have seen it seperated from the belt! Good call on that! The other thing I find funny is the hate on the right elbow, the Flash mold has the same elbow and no one complains about that. Not that I like it either though @loll@

Draven

[Cobra Command]

Yeah, and Storm Shadow is missing an elbow. I`m really starting to dislike the 25th figures due to QC issues.

[pesatyel]

I like it, but I don't.

 

Not so much because "Hasbro shoulda done it". Customizing just kinda bugs me a little because of the quality of the work that went into the piece CANNOT be mass produced by Hasbro.

 

How long did that take to do? Is it even a feasible project for the rest of us?

[FlyingFigg]

How long did that take to do? Is it even a feasible project for the rest of us?

 

I would say no, or I couldn't do it anyway.

 

Don't get me wrong the O.P. did excellent work. But from my experience, if I have to sculpt anything, it doesn't get done, I don't have those skills, same as detailed painting, I just suck at that stuff.

 

Personally, I have three issues with the Viper, 2 of which I've worked out some fixes that any one can do. The third is just a theory at this point, but it should work.......

[Cobra Command]

Took maybe 45 minutes or so, nothing really hard.

[RHINOMAN]

I've often wondered why he has goggles on his head when he clearly cannot use them w/ the silver face plate on. Seems kinda pointless...

 

As for the custom work, well done. Now I have to look at my paltry MOC Viper & wonder what could've been...

[BrotherShane]

Looks great!

[Viper Hunter]

I found some Vipers finally, and as expected (from reading every one's reviews & seeing the pics) I was extremely disappointed in it, and for ALL the stated reasons. The screwy elbows, the swivel forearms, the f'd up wrists, the funky fitting/looking vest, the problem with the feet (can't stand properly) and the loose goggles.

 

What a flop figure and what a SHAME!

 

They OVER thunk this figure too much and attempted to appease any or all gripes one might of had towards the previous version(s). I hate the non-neutral molding of the hands in order to look "perfect" in one and only ONE pose, which they've undoubtedly decided was pointing/aiming their weapon. It may as well have just been molded in this pose to begin with, with no ability to "articulate" the figure else wise, seeing how goofy it makes them look.

 

I've never liked the swivel forearms and have always preferred the swivel wrists on these figures, so that was disappointing to see on the Viper (my favs)!

 

The goggles being removable was obviously done to appease the collectors/fans who seem befuddled by their presence and purpose on the visored helmet to begin with, but I always just assumed they came into use during moments of "sniping" the enemy, and they had to disengage the visor and resort to the goggles for protection? (a little imagination to justify a COOL look?) Making THIS version have it as optional/removable just made for a flippin' pain-in-the-ass LOOSE accessory that falls off with barely a touch.

 

 

 

 

That being said, I love the remedy to the figure that was done here, and it looks 100 times better, but like others have stated, I'm tired of having to "fix" these little problems, when you'd think they (Hasbro) should know better by now? Yeah, the vest can be trimmed, the goggles glued, the funky feet worked and managed a bit for a proper standing ability, but the hands and sculpting of the guards on the forearms is a bit more involved than the average collector is able to work with, especially the "army-builder" types.

[Cobra Command]

Huh, my Viper has no problem standing without the stand at all. Guess I managed to get a "good" one. I agree though that it`s really gotten old fixing these kind of flaws to get a decent figure. I am NOT willing to do this for multiples and I would have at least bought 12 or so otherwise if done correctly. I`m actually getting tired of the 25th figures as they are too tall, many times flawed badly, and extremely hard to find.

[pesatyel]

I found some Vipers finally, and as expected (from reading every one's reviews & seeing the pics) I was extremely disappointed in it, and

 

Finally? Those things are pegwarmers here. I could army build, hmm, 24 right now, if I wanted to.

 

 

What might be something we could do would be to list all the things we find wrong with the figures and see what would be done to correct them. At the very least, it would give us somthing to discuss @firedevil@

[Viper Hunter]

I found some Vipers finally, and as expected (from reading every one's reviews & seeing the pics) I was extremely disappointed in it, and

 

Finally? Those things are pegwarmers here. I could army build, hmm, 24 right now, if I wanted to.

 

 

 

Let's just clarify that "finally" was in correlation to when others were finding them and posting their reviews, to when I was FINALLY able to find them, for my OWN review. There was a definite longer timeframe involved, taken in that context.

 

You're right though, I quickly found the five limit I've set for myself (on the army builders) and I could go in right today and likely grab 5-10 more....EASY! It'a a shame the Televiper is going to be ruined by the same crappy problems as the Viper.

[Devilbat]

Customizing just kinda bugs me a little because of the quality of the work that went into the piece CANNOT be mass produced by Hasbro.

 

I don't see why not. These are problems that could have been sculpted right to begin with. Right? I agree with VH; we shouldn't still be seeing "issues" with Joes, and yet we do...

 

Having said that, I've been army-building these things like mad since I wanted to as a kid but couldn't. Now I can and I'm going for it, but I wasn't aware of all these problems. I mean, I was aware of the funny hands, but that was about it. That's great work there, Cobra Command. Looks awesome...

[pesatyel]

Customizing just kinda bugs me a little because of the quality of the work that went into the piece CANNOT be mass produced by Hasbro.

 

I don't see why not. These are problems that could have been sculpted right to begin with. Right? I agree with VH; we shouldn't still be seeing "issues" with Joes, and yet we do...

 

Having said that, I've been army-building these things like mad since I wanted to as a kid but couldn't. Now I can and I'm going for it, but I wasn't aware of all these problems. I mean, I was aware of the funny hands, but that was about it. That's great work there, Cobra Command. Looks awesome...

 

 

These problems? Yes. Most of the "issues" we've been having with the 25th line (the Duke arms, these Viper arms, the horrid crotch parts, the inconsistent articulation, etc.) CAN be fixed easily (or should I say SHOULD HAVE?).

 

As for my comment about customs, I don't think the time and effort one customzier puts into one figure can be matched by Hasbro in a massproduced setting. If it could, I think we would be seeing MUCH better quality products then we are. People wouldn't really need to be customizing if we did.

[Devilbat]

I see your point pesatyel. I meant more in terms of Cobra Command's kind of alterations. These are simple kinds of adjustments Hasbro could be making were they to take more time and pay attention to certain things. No, I know what you mean when some of these guys have tons of details and three or four paint apps. on some of the fantastic customs I've seen. In the end though, I think Hasbro could match that kind of craftmanship if they invested the time and money. But maybe G.I. Joe is less a specialized property like some of the others we see and is "doomed" to mass production.

 

This type of debate is what makes Sideshow's upcoming Joe line so stunning and exciting to me. As good as Hasbro's been for the most part, we're getting ready to see the 12-inch G.I. Joe of our dreams I suspect. (RAH 12-inch Joes I mean, no offense meant to the older original 12-inch collectors...) (lol)

[JoeRhyno]

I was trying to do the same thing with some Clone hands... but they're too big send those babies to Alyosha so he can cast them up!!!