This is the first one where I it has made me think it was original art instead of a copy of someone else's art. I like that!
I agree totally with Heather that if this were the finished product, then it would be too much about you and not enough about snakes. But if it is going to be a small graphic, and the entire logo also includes something like the snake-font that you were working on, that would help a lot.
Then again, if this becomes a small graphic, the neat detail of the snake in the bow-tie will be lost.
I think you are making great progress, but I don't think you are there yet.
I'm not sure about the puppet strings thing. Isn't that sort of like a Godfather trademark or something? Using it at all might be too strong of an association, either from the perspective of legal troubles and/or how customers would react to it.
EDIT: You posted your newest version while I was posting. I think it is another step in the right direciton!
Thanks man, and no im not using the godfather font with the strings and stuff, im gonna use my Own Custom font...