The Tele-Vipers may not have had any super cool stories in the comic books or cartoons but there was just something about their design that made them a staple of the Cobra army! Maybe it was the crazy way words streamed across their goggles?
Yo Joe June, Day 20: Tele-Viper by Dave Johnson!
I've been a fan of Dave Johnson's artwork for years. His bold designs, deep shadows and unique style have just always worked for me. At Dragon Con in 2014, I decided to pull the trigger and add Dave to my GI Joe sketchbook! He's worked on many GI Joe covers and even the GI Joe Resolute cartoon (Another favorite of mine!), so he had to know at least some of the characters.
Deciding who to have Dave draw was another issue. Being such a talented creator, I naturally started looking at all the A-list characters but nothing really seemed right. Then I took a look at the other characters and came across the Tele-Viper! I had no real plans for a Tele-Viper sketch and Dave's style just might work.
I'm so glad I had Dave do this for me! His style is absolutely perfect for the Tele-Viper design! The dark, sort of creepy, goggles! The "quilted" looking vest! That bold Cobra patch! And best of all, the retro-modern looking gear! Come on, the helmet and backpack totally make this sketch worth it! I honestly really dig the way Dave drew the words Tele-Viper, almost like they're scrolling across the sketch like his their scrolled across the goggles in the cartoon!
Dave really brought some character to this "troop-builder" in a way I didn't think was possible! Now I just need someone to use this design in the comics or Classified line!
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