Marvel Legends Retro Green Goblin & Doc Ock review

We already know who Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus are, especially given how common they are in the bajillion versions of Spider-Mythos out there. We know that gliders and tentacles are just as key to their character designs as the color green, and we know they have some familiarity with Peter Parker in one way or another. If you know these two at this rate, then they need no introduction. We have had some classic versions of these characters in prior Legends waves, both ToyBiz and Hasbro, but their classic versions did eventually get redos in the mid-late 2020s. Let's see how Retro Card Green Goblin and SP//Dr-wave Doc Ock hold up!

Here we have Green Goblin in hand, being a retool of the 2017 version (itself a retool of Hobgoblin). The colors are brighter and fitting for a truly classic Green Goblin, but the mesh is a nice touch in spite of it lacking shading. The colors may be a turnoff for some, though I do wish the shades of green and purple somewhat matched the 2017 version. Maybe as a happy medium could work. The proportions are generally good for a 2020 release, especially before Hasbro would make their proportions back and forth with some of their bucks. A wash could help the sculpt pop, but I do wish that the purse would stay on a bit better than it currently does without getting in the way of articulation. Same goes for the collar on the torso. Interestingly, he still has a hole on the back likely carried over from one of his older toolings, though no flight stand is included, of course.

His head sculpt is mostly good, but I don't like how huge the pupils are on him; they should be a bit smaller just so he doesn't look like he's on drugs. Granted, he kind of is, but not THOSE kinds of drugs. With him riding on his glider and holding a pumpkin bomb, his articulation consists of a ball and disk hinge for the neck, shoulder rotation, outward arm movement, bicep rotation, double-jointed elbows (that are inhibited because of his gloves), a waist swivel, an ab crunch, ball jointed hips, thigh swivels, double-jointed knees, boot rotation, and ankles that hinge as well as pivot.

His alternate head is that of Norman Osborn, and it manages to hold up well even without the improved face printing. For a comparison next to the proper animated series version, the shades of green and purple are brighter on the latter, the belt and harness are colored differently, and the arms and legs lack the chainmail sculptwork, leaving them smooth. Even the gloves and boots are new, though I think I like the 2020 version. One issue both have is how rubbery the joints feel, though it's not as bad with the retro version.

As for Doctor Octopus, I find it funny to revisit this mold in its original form since I last took a look at the buck as Frog Man back in 2021. The figure matches the tubby proportions he is usually depicted in, while the wrinkles are plentiful in the sleeves and pant legs. The yellow on the collar, gloves, belt, and boots help break up the prominent green, and I appreciate that he has some blueish steel paint for the tentacle ports. The figure holds up.pretty well, though I wish he had alternate hands (the 2022 version that comes with Silk does include them).

His head sculpt has the appropriately scaled Chucky from Rugrats glasses as well as his messy bowl cut and gritted teeth. I'll admit that I prefer his Animated Series face a bit more for not looking as ugly, though the best look all always be the ones inspired by Alfred Molina's glorious portrayal. His articulation is about the same as the Goblin's, though he has a diaphragm joint due to how tubby his design is instead of an ab crunch and waist swivel combo. He also has four tentacles that can only rotate at the pegs and have slight ball joint wiggle at the claws. The lack of bendy wires was something I am 50/50 on; on one hand, this is a normal release, but on the other hand, Machine Man from 2 years earlier got bendy arms and this dude doesn't. Hasbro moment.

For a size comparison, here we have them surrounding good ol' Renew Your Vows. Gobby is 6 ft, Spidey is 5'10", and Doc Ock is usually 5'8', so this works well for me. If you want to get these classic villains, then keep in mind that only the Goblin has a reissue that popped up fairly recently, while Doc Ock is either sold with a BAF part for SP//Dr that you would likely prefer if it was the ITSV version (if you're not into comics, that is) or in a 2-pack with Silk as mentioned earlier. They're both not super mindblowing but they're fine at doing the job.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (for both)

Marvel Legends Spider-Man No Way Home Lizard and Electro review

2023/4 brought fans the Raimi Trilogy villains in the form of Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and Sandman. I felt that all 3 figures were pretty good tributes to the old toys we used to get, even if Sandman was unable to show his human self until he was cured. The wait for the villains representing the TASM verse took A WHOLE YEAR LATER, but we now have the Lizard and Electro to not only give fans another chance at getting these characters again, but also complete the quintet of returning characters. Thankfully, the warming pegs of MJs and a few Matt Murdock's here and there didn't put a stop to Hasbro, though late 2024 would be fine thanks to Deadpool & Wolverine being the sole MCU film of that year. Anyways, let's see if these two are worth buying at full price. Spoiler alert, probably not.

Here we have Electro in hand, based on a workers outfit he was given after he was accidentally left naked from his physical alteration between travels in his universe and the MCU. He's also got some added extremities to help keep his powers in control. It's a huge contrast from the outfit he wore in TASM2, which was a black suit that worked similarly yet made people come up with Blue Men Group jokes given he resembled them immensely. He was blue in some iterations, but this is the more casual side that likely would bash anything that isn't the MCU at the time. Though he is very different from the comic design, the bits of yellow on him as well as the star on his head are some of the sole callbacks. The detailing on the clothes is mostly good, especially considering all of the extremities added to put a new spin on this version of the character, though a wash would help make the clothes look better. As for the wires, I feel that to make them flexible enough for articulation, they could easily be detached from some of the slots and stay back in place...theoretically...because while some of the panels can tab in place decently, others like the slots on the thighs don't want to tab back in place again. It could be argued that it wouldn't matter if they were floating loosely or if you could easily glue them, but should they float loosely? And should I have to glue them in place? I'm positive doing so would affect the longevity and articulation. So in general, the figure mostly looks good but could be better in some areas. 

His head sculpt is mostly blocked off by said star, though you could see a bit of Maxwell Dillon via the mouth. The effect piece is translucent and does appear to have a fade from being mostly yellow at the front to being somewhat colorless at the points. We don't have an alternate head where he doesn't have the piece, but a fan did showcase a proper look at the head simply by pulling the piece hard and revealing what it looks like underneath. Apart from that ugly gap meant for the piece, he looks sort of like Jamie Foxx, though if you want to get a proper head like that, you'll have to fill in the forehead and paint his eyes because he looks like he was mutilated at the brain. 

His articulation is mostly standard, though there are some noteworthy things to mention. He has the typical ball neck and disk hinge, shoulder rotation, outward arm movement, bicep rotation, double-jointed elbows, and wrist hinges as well as rotation. What makes this figure unique is the double ball system at the torso, which was previously seen on Ultimate Iron Man and used commonly on McFarlane DC figures, Jada Toys, and plenty of imports. I love seeing something like that, and I wish it would be done more often on Legends figures moving forward. He has the standard for the legs, with ball jointed hips, thigh swivels, double-jointed knees, and ankles that hinge as well as pivot. He has two electric pieces that are easy to clip in place, and while they are neat to use and thankfully have a way to attach them into the figure, some additional electric pieces as well as an alternate head and maybe more gestural hands could help justify the price of the set as a whole.

As for The Lizard, it stays the same as it has when it comes to matching the controversial design he had back in 2012. Many gospels still continue to this day, ranging of complaints like "wHy DoEsNt He HaVe A sNoUt?! WhY dOeSnT hE hAvE a LaBcOaT?! wHy DoEsNt He HaVe A bIg DiCk So I cOuLd BeNd OvEr AnD lEt HiM fUcK mE?!" as made fun of by the legendary Glenn Webb. So how does this figure turn out? If you ignore the usual purists, this figure is a heavy retool of the 2012 version we had as a Walmart exclusive. Hasbro retooling older figures is nothing new, but it's surprising to see them do that with a figure that was a decade old while the rest of the NWH characters have new sculpts. So does the retooling work for the Lizard? For the most part, we get new arms with pinless joints, swappable hands, a new neck piece, new legs, and the option to swap out the heads. The proportions remain the same, matching the CG model's lean take on the character while still retaining some musculature. I do feel that he could use a little more bulk to make him look less petite. It's a hard thing to say since he matches the physique pretty well yet could use a little more mass in some areas. The deco is also different from the old toy, having more forest green to the figure instead of being more varied with the fade between green and tan. We do have a wash in some areas, which is always appreciative in a figure like this. The new neck piece is slightly better than the original by hiding the gap for the hinge, but I do wish the torso as a whole was newly sculpted to make it feel more flush, especially when we get to one of two missed opportunities for articulation. Speaking of gaps, I find it so weird how there is always a noticeable hole no matter where the tail is hinged, making it look like a weird anus (especially from the bottom). In general, the retooling is pretty cool, though I still feel there is more room for improvement. 

His head sculpt is new for this set, and I do like how even if he has no snout, he does at least have personality of some kind with his half-way mutation via his evil smile. At least it looks like a smile from some angles. His articulation is the same as Electro's, though the neck piece mentioned before means he can look higher or lower even more, though I would rather trade that in for a double ball system for the torso. If we could get that on a Tony the Tiger figure from Jada, why not Lizard?! I also wish that the same bendy wire treatment that is used on Doc Ock's tentacles was used for the tail. I mean, it can swivel and hinge, but imagine the potential there would be in additional poses, especially for the price he's going for.

The thing I find baffling is that the tail being removed not only let's you pretend he got it cut, but the aforementioned space could have easily been filled in if the disk hinge was not so small. It also would have helped make the sculpt feel more flush. On the bright side, he can be posed with his head coming out of his butt.

Here are the TASM villains sandwiching their Spider-Man. The scale works just about how I'd expect, and I am happy to see that the heights between Pete and Max are about as accurate as their actors are in the real world.

And here are all the NWH villains together. Not exactly the Sinister Six, but maybe Venom would have helped if he wasn't just there for a mid-credits cameo. If I were to rank them, I would flip flop either Electro or Sandman in fifth while Green Goblin would triumph in first. It's weird how Lizard is a retool of an older figure and now costs $35 instead of the $16 it used to go for at Walmart. I heard that figure was pretty good for its time, and while he should have kept his little lizard buddies, this isn't an awful way to add TASM Lizard to your collection. As for Electro, I like the design, but the $40 price he's going for doesn't make the value you're getting worthwhile. A set that just has two lightning effects and alternate hands isn't enough; as mentioned before, a regular Maxwell Dillon head, more sets of alternate hands with various smaller electric blasts coming out, and a flight stand would have helped. I bet in 2114, we will get a Maximum Electro.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Lizard)

⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Electro)

Transformers Hunt for the Decepticons Battle Blade Bumblebee review

2010 was a great time for the Transformers brand, from movies and games being high quality to video games actually existing and not being mobile crap. The comics in the IDW continuity at the time were pretty varied until now, where it's just G1 (even if Skybound is better than later IDW). That being said, the late 2000s were a time when Hasbro grew increasingly rampant in making Bumblebee repaints at a higher count with each succeeding movie. Sure, he's one of the big faces of the Bayverse, but while some made sense, like the Premium Series version, the many repaints we got out of the ROTF retool were already pointless when the early waves gave us the regular and shoulder cannon versions with new heads. That being said, making new molds like the Human Alliance version is logical, but if you've already made slightly better Deluxes, why not go a step further and do a new mold to make things less similar, even if it's the same design? That's where the Battle Blade version of Bumblebee steps in, so let's see what it offers.

Here we have Battle Blade Bumblebee in his vehicle mode, with the same alt mode-specific ZL1 details we saw from Revenge of the Fallen. It's hard to pick a favorite out of the main trilogy Bumblebee alt mode tweaks, though I would probably choose Revenge for the thicker stripes, rims, and more prominent black bumper on the front. The red outline for the Chevy logo is also a sweet touch. I absolutely love how the altmode turned out, and other than the lack of silver for the Camaro font or rest of the headlights as well as the bumper being incomplete, this is a sweet altmode all around. I also appreciate that there is more color-matching between all of the yellows, though the part with the logo does have some slight chipping and discrepancies because it is painted over a grey plastic. Still a sweet alt mode regardless, especially considering how sweet the on-screen model looked.

The alt mode is a great figure to look back on with how nice the clear blue plastic popped nicely on the rest of the figure, the beautiful silver rims, and just the proportions of the altmode always being sleek and stylish. Unlike the Camaros we got in AOE and TLK, this one does it for me.

For a comparison with another Deluxe Bumblebee also based on Revenge of the Fallen, where we have the Studio Series version. Seeing the difference in scale between both figures, combined with a decade separation the release of these two, shows how time wasn't particularly kind towards toy production and overall costs. I also always found it odd how the Studio Series version didn't have the front sections line up the best compared to the prior molds, though it could just be my copy.

Transformation is somewhat different from how we saw the MPM and Studio Series versions work, mostly due to how this was an earlier Deluxe figure that still used some engineering that was from prior versions of the character in Deluxe scale. The legs were a carryover from the 2007 Deluxe, only the rear windshield is part of the backpack now, while the chest pecs are on multiple hinges to better work on a proper torso. The one issue would be getting the chest down in place without making the head pop off since it needs to not only have the collar piece in the front on display but also have the head placed at the exact right spot for it to let the chest go down.The resulting robot mode, for its time, was the best the character's ever looked in the size class. Though the forearm kibble was oversized and some areas look thin like the inside of the shoulders, I can at least forgive Hasbro for trying to experiment more with a figure 3 years into the movie universe instead of how they make High Octane Bumblebee 4 years after this and worse. He's a much taller figure than I expected, which was fairly common for older Deluxes at the time, and I would argue a small part of it has to do with the slightly longer neck. For the time, this was seen as the best Deluxe-scale Movie Bumblebee for anyone who didn't have the money for the Human Alliance version. And hey, making clear window pieces separate from the doors is something I wish I saw more often; how come only ROTBee got that treatment in Studio Series?!

His head sculpt may not be as fully detailed as the ones we get nowadays, but it does at least better match the proportions and likeness of the character compared to the 2007 Deluxe. It also beats the ROTF retool by NOT having creepy pupils. Articulation consists of ball joints at the neck, shoulders, and hips, swivels above the elbows, thighs, and waist, and hinges at the elbows, fingers, knees, ankles, and toes. He lacks any real ankle pivots, yet the rest of the articulation is standard for the line.

In an era where Hasbro went back and forth in either making Bumblebee's plasma cannon either a separate accessory that extended the arm much more or made for a permanent accessory that meant no right hand, this version of the character now has an integrated plasma cannon simply by opening the forearm kibble, hinging the back piece down, and the weapon is all set. It could use some paint but that is something we haven't seen on a Deluxe-scale Bee other than the 2014 Camaro version from Age of Extinction. As for why he's named Battle Blade Bumblebee, his left arm has an axe that flips out with the push of a button, and the blade folds out to complete the look. Sadly it's upside down, and there was no attempt to make it face the right way due to fragility concerns. You could modify it, but the weapon issue is at least forgiving with how non intrusive the weapons otherwise remain. And to top it off, he has a battle mask like Human Alliance and Battle Ops! I know the AOE Deluxe and Studio Series VW Bee tried to do similar gimmicks, but one looked pretty bad, and the other one was too small to accommodate such a gimmick. 

As far as reuses are concerned, we have the usual Lucky Draw in gold chrome, and we also have a Movie Advanced repaint with metallic yellow on the paint and plastics as well as silver chrome for the cannon and weapons. Now THAT'S how you make a Bumblebee repaint. In an era where fans got tired of seeing Bumblebee repaints 24/7, especially in Dark of the Moon where Hasbro went overboard, this along with the Cyberfire repaint are two good options to go with instead of the repaints with various different decals on the same yellow body (even if some were cool). Also, due to the downsizing of Transformers in 2014, this was now renamed as a Voyager instead of a Deluxe. Very weird thing to think about, but it just shows you how much smaller toys were getting.

For a size comparison, here he is next to the Studio Series version made in 2020. Yes, we know that figures and costs have been a major talking point as the years went by, but it is truly baffling to think Deluxes used to be this tall and cost you $10. Sure, some weren't as tall as BBBB, but it's still a major shock, regardless. While the Studio Series version does things a little more accurately, the play features and nicer plastic quality on the older figure does give it an edge, especially with how well it honestly holds up.

Here he is next to the Masterpiece Movie version, curiously holding Shockwave. The MPM has been my favorite Bumblebee figure in my collection, no doubt due to how screen-accurate he is as well as the articulation and engineering being a major standard for a figure like this. I'm pretty happy to say that Battle Blade Bumblebee is now in second place due to how well it has play features to make up for it not being as movie accurate. I do remember an unofficial version of Bumblebee inspired by a fan-made custom of Battle Blade that was called Battle Hornet, and not only did it over-complicate things like the chest design and retained some of the outdated design choices of the mold instead of being as accurate as the MPM, but it was also much more difficult to transform. I'll stick with these two separately, thanks.

And here we have him next to his younger VW counterpart, likely because the circlejerk portions of the TF fandom replaced the already lame solo movie with Transformers One as the next thing they prop up as wannabe studio plants. Anyways, Battle Blade Bumblebee is the right figure to go with if you're getting a nostalgic itch for the older Bayverse toys. He's able to look better than older Movie toys and also has various gimmicks to make him unique to the hive while also aging better than expected. I hope the Movie Advanced version is out there at a good price since most listings are expensive, and I know fans were more invested in getting various Evasion Prime's at the time. Otherwise, Battle Blade Bumblebee is a sweet throwback to check out, and I recommend getting him at a good price.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

McFarlane Page Punchers Kingdom Come Superman & Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow review

Another set of Page Punchers, only this time we have two of them instead of one! They're also the Kryptonian Cousins in the form of Kal-El and Kara-Zor-El. A man and a girl that are both super. That aside, there is no doubt we have one meant to celebrate the iconic Kingdom Come story and its depiction of an older Superman; the other serves both an apology to the way the 2023 version of Supergirl was handled and as a vague prelude to that 2026 movie (if it ever comes out). While Superman is easier to get, Supergirl had been notoriously more difficult to find due to a thief stealing a whole ass Walmart truck (either from bottom of the barrel scalpers or some random ass thugs who thought they could sell toys instead of crack). Regardless, let's see how these two figures turned out!

Let's first start off with Supergirl. This figure looks a little more classic than the 2023 version of the character sold in Targets, but the skirt, head, and cape are new. The more dynamic skirt certainly adds a bit of presence to the figure, and the belt meant to hold up the skirt hides the random lines that are on the torso which were originally from Knightfall Catwoman. The line going down the stomach and the two curving lines near the breasts are already an issue many have with the 2023  version of the figure, and it sucks that those are kept on this figure. The same goes for the rolls on the sleeves near the shoulders. The legs are at least given some flesh tone paint to make the thighs stand out, but the knees are a darker shade of red than the rest of the boots. On the flip side, the skirt is a better length than the previous version, and the yellow in the S-shield is a proper yellow instead of gold. So still not 100% perfect but still a better stab at the character than last time. 

Her head sculpt is a little meaner and less generic white chick than the 2023 version, though my copy does seem to have slightly misaligned paint apps. This isn't the exact Supergirl head I would choose, but it's still well made, especially with the shading on her curly hair. Her articulation is the same as before with other McFarlane figures, though the shape of her head, the skirt being fairly stiff PVC, and the way the ankles work on her feminine feet are a little hindered. Supergirl also comes with a right karate hand and an accessory holding left hand meant for a sword she famously wields in her new comic series.

Said comic is issue one of the Infinite Frontier-labeled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow series, which launched in 2021 and revolves around the titular heroine as she finds herself in a new destiny with a future ahead of her after the Dark Night Metals arc. The art is decent, if a bit of a weird mix between badass and average, though the latter fits more with the comic art proper.

I wanted to like this story since many said it was a great relaunch for the character, but I can't get into the writing style. It's like a weird mix between Masters of the Universe and Whedon writing with a few hints of Taika Waititi thrown in. There are things to like about the story, and it's easily better than whatever people come up with about Nightwing's ass or Harley Quinn's farting, but this gives me Thor Ragnarok flashbacks in some ways. I'm not saying this to be a contrarian like DarkSpiderDavid and his dumbass YouTube thumbnails/video titles. All I'm saying is that maybe this is not for me, but I can see why others would like some of the story.

As for Superman, the figure is yet another reuse of the Crisis body, which is still a logical choice as mentioned before. We previously looked at the body on Fleischer and Silver Age, and it still fits the somewhat elderly Kingdom Come iteration of the character. The head sculpt is also a pretty good likeness to is the model who Alex Ross based his  version of Superman on, and I would love to see a younger version of the character's likeness in figure form. That being said, the shade of blue and red used on him is almost samey as in the Fleischer version, and it doesn't help that the logos have black behind the S. To be fair, there is some yellow on the diamond outline for Fleischer, and Kingdom Come has black for the belt as well as the gold paint, but it feels more like you're swapping parts with an existing figure than you are getting a separate one.  

The figure still works the same in terms of articulation and accessories. His cape doesn't have the wire at the bottom compared to Supergirl, which means it's easier to work with for vanilla displays but also isn't as complete or fully gestural as it currently is. You can still make it work regardless in most poses. And hey, he comes with a flight stand unlike Fleischer and Silver Age.

The comic he comes with is not Kingdom Come proper but instead issue 10 of Justice Society of America. This is from the 2006 comic run of the series, and it is a huge difference in art and writing quality compared to the Supergirl comic. To be fair, this could be attributed to tighter quality control at the time, even if not every DC comic series was perfect in the 2000s. It revolved around Superman meeting the Prime Earth Society members after telling them that they all died in his world as well as show his guilt from how he failed in his eyes compared to the heroes of this world.

Apart from the cover, there isn't a whole lot of Alex Ross art to showcase. So it's less "full on Alex Ross glory" and more of a bonus for people who bought the comic to begin with. It's still a series I like reading more than Woman of Tomorrow, though maybe it's the actual comic art and tone that make it preferable. That and because it was written in a time period where they tried marketing the "fun" tone and mashing up story beats that feel like Whedonized romps. Regardless, the comics make for good ways to check out the rest of the issues, Supergirl is better than her 2023 Target counterpart in spite of retaining some of its issues from the part reuse, and Kingdom Come Superman is still excellent though somewhat samey if you own Silver Age and especially Fleischer. In other words, Page Punchers >>>>>>> that mini-comic wave from Marvel Legends any day.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (for Supergirl)

⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (for Superman)