G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra: Rock Viper (Wave 6) AKA Rock Lobster

Presenting The G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra Rock Viper from Wave 6 of the series. I've been laying off talking about the Cobra Rock Lobster ahem... Cobra Rock Viper because I really, really don't like him. Personally I'd only suggest purchasing a Cobra Rock Lobster ahem... Cobra Rock Viper for spare parts - and even then, it leave a sour flavor in my mouth. That's how much I don't like the Cobra Rock Viper. I have to admit to being hopeful for the Cobra Rock Viper when I first bought it along with the G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra Series 6 set in the black-market here in the Philippine, because it looked like an interesting figure with so many cool gadgets inside.  Since I bought him as a part of a set, The Cobra Rock Viper only cost me PhP 700 (Available on Amazon for US$12.95 plus shipping). But closer examination of the packaged figure upon reaching home started revealing flaws: that was City Strike Snake Eyes' Rappel pack! 

What's he doing with a Tactical Spear - I mean really? The only time I see mountaineers with a pointy object is when they're hiking, not climbing mountains. I'm no mountaineer myself, but I've yet to see anyone use a spear for climbing. If anything, it sounds like a spear would be more of a hindrance than a help. I mean the Cobra Rock Viper's blister card reads "Cobra Rock Vipers are mountain assault specialists trained in mountaineering and vertical assault. They are experts at climbing treacherous terrain of rock, snow or ice. They use sophisticated climbing gear and weapons designed for COMPACTNESS and VERSATILITY"  I see a glimpse of versatility, but compactness? And it gets worse.

So what's to like about the Cobra Rock Viper?

Nothing. Okay that' being mean and Hasbro might never consider me for future employment if I stuck with "Nothing." Ahhhhh. Well that Climbing Pick is nice and original. I haven't seen that yet. It's well detailed - especially the grip portion and it a nice accessory. Unfortunately the Cobra Rock Viper has some difficulty gripping it. He also has no place to hang it if he needs both his hands free. 

The Cobra Rock Viper also comes with the nice new articulated grips found in the Cobra Shock Trooper and the Cobra Shadow Hunter, which allows for wonderful positioning for the "Spear of inconvenience" and the ability of the Cobra Rock Viper to hyper-extend his weapons - including that little knife. 

Unfortunately, that's about all that there is to like about the Cobra Rock Viper and the nice new joints leads us to the first of the nice new problems.

What's not to like about the Cobra Rock Viper?

Let's not dwell into the obvious "I'm made of spare parts" i.e. Head of Beachhead, Chest of a Cobra Jungle Viper and Lowlight's legs (It even has that little leg holster for Lowlight's sniper scope - which is useless because none of the Cobra Rock Viper's accessories attach to that).

No. Let's not dwell on that. Of more concern for me was the additional carapace armor that appears on the Cobra Rock Lobster ahem Cobra Rock Viper's arms and legs. If you look at the images below, that is about the extent of the "kneeling" that you can get out of the Cobra Rock Viper because the new Lobster armor shin guards prevent his feet from bending forward.

The same limitation exists in the Cobra Rock Viper's hands. So no, he cannot do the capoeira moves that the Cobra Shadow Tracker can do despite having the correct joint simply because the Lobster armor prevents him from bending that far. 

Accessories come a plenty, a pistol, a bullup submachine gun, LR-V Long Range Rifle with a really huge scope that looks like a paint gun, the Tactical Spear, a knife, the rappel pack and the climbing axe, but the Cobra Rock Viper really isn't equipped to carry all of that stuff. Is he really expected to climb something with all that or simply rappel down guns blazing?  Oh and his cammo! What mountain is colored cream and magenta? He stands out like a sore thumb!

The G.I. Joe Pursuit of Cobra Rock Viper is a hodge-podge of spare parts thrown in with accessories that were probably surplus. 

In closing..... go buy something else. 

Sorry Hasbro. 

I will have my revenge!!!!