Review: Marvel Superhero Squad: Spider-Man and Vulture
Apparently, Cartoon Network premiered the Marvel Superhero Squad Show a few days ago. I haven't seen it yet, and, frankly, I'm a little afraid. The trailers look... odd... and I don't have a lot of hope for this. On the other hand, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that great superhero cartoons can still be kid friendly. After all, Batman: Brave and the Bold is fantastic, Krypto was cool in moderation, and if anyone says anything negative about PBS's Word Girl, I might get violent.
Regardless of how the show turns out, the toys it's based on are awesome. Between Star Wars Galactic Heroes and these guys, I'm running out of room in my apartment. I'm contemplating new display options, because I just don't have room. Counting the similar DC and Hellboy figures, I've got something like seventy-five of these things kicking around... and I love each and every one of them.
This time, we're looking at a two-pack containing Spider-Man, Vulture, and one heck of an accessory. I found these at Walmart, where I paid... gulp... the full retail price. Sometimes, we must sacrifice for things we love. These are made by Hasbro, by the way, and you can find them at most large toy retailers.
Regardless of how the show turns out, the toys it's based on are awesome. Between Star Wars Galactic Heroes and these guys, I'm running out of room in my apartment. I'm contemplating new display options, because I just don't have room. Counting the similar DC and Hellboy figures, I've got something like seventy-five of these things kicking around... and I love each and every one of them.
This time, we're looking at a two-pack containing Spider-Man, Vulture, and one heck of an accessory. I found these at Walmart, where I paid... gulp... the full retail price. Sometimes, we must sacrifice for things we love. These are made by Hasbro, by the way, and you can find them at most large toy retailers.
Appearance and Construction: 7/10
Because it's an accessory, the streetlight will be considered below. For now, we're just going to take a look at the figures themselves. The first observation I have is that these look to be based off the look of the Spider-Man movies more than the comics. Granted, Vulture never actually appeared in the movie, but his color scheme here matches the Green Goblin's from the first film. Likewise, Spider-Man has the dark blue outfit from the movies. Sure, he's worn that shade in the comics, but it's more associated with his screen appearances.
Keep in mind, that isn't a complaint, just an observation. Who am I kidding? That is a complaint, albeit a minor one. I'd much rather have comic colors than the ones from the film. Still, there's no denying they look good anyway.
I'm not going to gush over the style, because I've done that before. Several times, in fact. Also, just to get it out of the way up front, these figures are solidly built: don't go looking for deductions in the construction department. So, lets get down to specifics.
Keep in mind, that isn't a complaint, just an observation. Who am I kidding? That is a complaint, albeit a minor one. I'd much rather have comic colors than the ones from the film. Still, there's no denying they look good anyway.
I'm not going to gush over the style, because I've done that before. Several times, in fact. Also, just to get it out of the way up front, these figures are solidly built: don't go looking for deductions in the construction department. So, lets get down to specifics.
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I'll start with Spidey, since he's really the star here. The high point is the sculpted pose. Of course, this is going to tie into the Play and Display section below, as well. Even ignoring the articulation, the layout of the arms, legs, and head demonstrate a lot of planning and attention.
There are a few weak points, however, in the appearance. First, there are some areas where the paint gets sloppy around the lines in his costume. This is primarily an issue around the head. It's certainly not a problem everywhere: the majority of the lines are dark and clean, but the exceptions drag him down. The other main issue is one of those trade-offs: when he's not attacked to the lamppost, Spidey's webbing ends in a large, ugly peg. As we'll discuss later, the posing options are DEFINITELY worth it, but we're taking this one topic at a time. Further, even ignoring the peg, the webbing looks dull. There's some sculpted detail, but the lack of paint (beside the white) is a bit of a disappointment. If I were scoring Spider-Man on his own, I'd need to be harsh and hit him with a six. Keep in mind, some of that would only be a technical deduction for the peg. Fortunately for Spider-Man, we're not scoring him on his own: he's part of a set. |
And that brings us to Vulture, one of Spider-Man's earliest villains. Vulture's one of those characters comic book fans love, and almost no one else has ever heard of. He has a very distinct look.
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Unfortunately, they only partially captured it here. The face, while somewhat angular, isn't as sharp as it could - and should - be. But that's a minor issue; one that's open for debate. The larger issue here is on the neck. The sculptor remembered to include Vulture's signature mane, but the paint department dropped the ball and colored it green instead of white. Fortunately, the rest of the figure works better. Even though I'd have preferred a different take on the costume, it does work. The green is slightly metallic, which gives the figure a striking look. The wings could use some paint detailing, but the sculpting is strong. |
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There's not a lot of paint on the figure, but where it shows up, the lines are clean. On his own, I'd hand Vulture an eight. Averaged together, that's a seven for the pair.
Packaging and Extras: +2
The packaging is fine from a buyer's perspective, but I can't help but wonder if Hasbro's shot themselves in the foot. Take a look at what's on the peg:
As you can see, this looks, more or less, like every other pack of Superhero Squad figures out there: same art, same size, same everything.
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But this ISN'T like the other packs. You have to look close to see it: there's a miniature street lamp under the figures. This isn't a trivial addition: this is why I bought the pack. If I was Hasbro, I'd design a new package to highlight Spider-Man hanging from the streetlight. Hell, they could have packed this like their larger two-packs: the ones with one normal sized figure and one giant. Hasbro could have marked up the price accordingly and probably seen a significant profit. I don't know why they didn't, but of course I'm thrilled. I just hope collectors don't walk by without realizing what's on the shelf. |
All things considered, the streetlight is pretty awesome. The base looks like a piece of city sidewalk, complete with a hollow grate. The overhead "light" is sculpted with a grid, which provides a good effect. If you want to complain, the green plastic on the pole is a bit plain, but even that works overall.
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Of course, this isn't really an accessory, so much as a base, and a base is only as good as it functions. Fortunately, this works very, very well. The peg on the end of Spider-Man's webbing plugs into the light, and he dangles beneath it. The fit is snug, and I haven't had any problems with him falling out. Technically, it's comically undersized... but then so is this whole line - it fits right in.
In this scale, I don't expect accessories. And this is an exceptional addition. Granted, the Spider-Man it comes with is designed to work with the streetlight, so - in this case - it's kind of required. But, like I said before, this kind of add-on really pushes up the value of the pack: the light, in some ways, almost counts as an extra figure. Hasbro could easily have justified increasing the price. They didn't, so they get rewarded. |
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Oh, it comes with a folded-up small poster, as well. Ahem. In case there was any confusion, the bonus points are for the streetlight.
Play and Display: +1
It's funny: when I picked this up in the store, my first thought was, "No articulation bonus this time." Turns out, I almost went to two here.
First, lets talk about Vulture, because he's going to be a bit easier to cover. Vulture has four cut joints: the neck, shoulders, and waist. These are pretty common in this line - a fact Hasbro should be commended for - and they work well, giving you some options for display.
But no one's buying this set for Vulture, or at least I'm not. I got this so I could have Spider-Man dangling from a streetlight with his feet against the pole. And, at the very least, I needed him to hold that pose: if he couldn't do that, there'd have been a deduction.
I already mentioned under the extras, but I'll say it again: he stays where he's put. And he looks awesome. But it turns out that's only the tip of the iceberg. I wasn't at all surprised to find that Spidey had the same four joints that Vulture was sporting. What DID surprise me was that these were all useful.
Even in the basic pose he was created for, the turning head gives you the option of looking upside down or turning so his gaze is perpendicular with the ground (you could turn it to other angles, of course, but I'm not sure why). The right hand can be placed against the pole, like he's using it to stabilize himself, or pointed forward like he's getting ready to fire another web. In this pose, the left hand and waist are really only good for fine-tuning...
But, much to my surprise, you've got plenty of other poses at your disposal. You want Spider-Man dangling straight down? Sure, he can do it. You want him with his legs out, parallel to the ground, like he's in mid swing? No problem. And so on. He even works - to a degree - without the pole. You are left with the awkward peg at the end of his web, but that's really not a huge deal.
My favorite pose is the main one, but the options are well appreciated. If there was a way to cover or conceal that peg - say an included extension - I'd have gone with two bonus points.
First, lets talk about Vulture, because he's going to be a bit easier to cover. Vulture has four cut joints: the neck, shoulders, and waist. These are pretty common in this line - a fact Hasbro should be commended for - and they work well, giving you some options for display.
But no one's buying this set for Vulture, or at least I'm not. I got this so I could have Spider-Man dangling from a streetlight with his feet against the pole. And, at the very least, I needed him to hold that pose: if he couldn't do that, there'd have been a deduction.
I already mentioned under the extras, but I'll say it again: he stays where he's put. And he looks awesome. But it turns out that's only the tip of the iceberg. I wasn't at all surprised to find that Spidey had the same four joints that Vulture was sporting. What DID surprise me was that these were all useful.
Even in the basic pose he was created for, the turning head gives you the option of looking upside down or turning so his gaze is perpendicular with the ground (you could turn it to other angles, of course, but I'm not sure why). The right hand can be placed against the pole, like he's using it to stabilize himself, or pointed forward like he's getting ready to fire another web. In this pose, the left hand and waist are really only good for fine-tuning...
But, much to my surprise, you've got plenty of other poses at your disposal. You want Spider-Man dangling straight down? Sure, he can do it. You want him with his legs out, parallel to the ground, like he's in mid swing? No problem. And so on. He even works - to a degree - without the pole. You are left with the awkward peg at the end of his web, but that's really not a huge deal.
My favorite pose is the main one, but the options are well appreciated. If there was a way to cover or conceal that peg - say an included extension - I'd have gone with two bonus points.
Price Tag and Final Analysis: 10/10
I kind of feel bad ignoring Vulture: he's a good figure, he just isn't as impressive as the rest of this set.
I found this pack in a Walmart in Maine while visiting family. I didn't get any deals this time: the pack ran me the full price of seven dollars.
I've said before that a two pack of these toys should - in a perfect world - run closer to five bucks. Well, all right. But the streetlight is almost worth another figure, so, by my own math, this should be going for seven-fifty. So, the way I see it, that's still a good deal.
Hey, if I'd have come across this elsewhere, I'd have paid more to get my hands on it. This is a great addition to any Superhero Squad collection.
I found this pack in a Walmart in Maine while visiting family. I didn't get any deals this time: the pack ran me the full price of seven dollars.
I've said before that a two pack of these toys should - in a perfect world - run closer to five bucks. Well, all right. But the streetlight is almost worth another figure, so, by my own math, this should be going for seven-fifty. So, the way I see it, that's still a good deal.
Hey, if I'd have come across this elsewhere, I'd have paid more to get my hands on it. This is a great addition to any Superhero Squad collection.
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What time is it? Why, it's time to plug my blog, The Middle Room. Swing by*, if you get a chance.
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*The Clearance Bin sincerely regrets the use of this pun. We intend to take steps to prevent this from occurring again. We apologize to anyone hurt or annoyed by this.
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