Reader Review By:
Mike Allshouse from Pittsburgh, PA
Feast or famine, it seems the best way to sum up Marvel Legends series 15 a.k.a. the MODOK series. The wave features some of the most diverse characters the line has produced to date. And Toy Biz spared no expense in closing out their run with the line. Well, except one.
I recently picked up the Spider-Woman variant (or the Julia Carpenter version). While being grateful that the figure was produced and I was able to grab one at retail, I have to say I am a bit disappointed in the figure. The variant Spider-Woman is the regular Spider-Woman with just a change in the paint scheme and logos. They are the exact same figure… down to the raised triangle that adorns both figures’ foreheads. In any other incarnation of the line this would be a minor gripe, one that is not really worth mentioning. But, the variant Spider-Woman is featured in a wave that sees Toy Biz producing two radically different versions of Jigsaw. Jigsaw. That’s right a Jigsaw, the sometimes adversary of the Punisher. Not only does the Marvel Legends Face Off series two see Jigsaw dressed in his Bizarro-inspired Punisher costume, but the variant Jigsaw sports a white suit and tie… a totally different sculpt. This is not to mention that nearly every figure in this wave of the Face Off series has two different head sculpts. First Appearance Wolverine and Sabretooth’s variants are open mouth versions of the regular ones and then there are the Tony Stark and Jim Rhodes Iron Man variants. Now with that attention to detail put into the Face Off series, why could ToyBiz not have produced a new head sculpt for the Spider-Woman variant? Or at least have buffed the triangle off her forehead? I understand that Marvel is getting behind Jigsaw since he is being pushed as the new villain in the upcoming “Punisher” sequel, which is still in the writing stages. But Julia Carpenter/Spider-Woman/Arachne is scheduled to show up in the “Civil War” spin-off “Omega Flight.” So, why skimp on her?
Other than the triangle on her forehead, the Spider-Woman variant is a near-perfect figure. While other figures in the series seem to have a paint job done with a matte finish instead of a gloss, Spider-Woman’s paint works. Another point of interest with the figure (and its counterpart) is her stance. It seems like Toy Biz has altered the design of the figure’s hips and legs so that it stands with its hips slightly angled to its right. It is also worth noting that because of character design gone are the heavy plastic webs under the arms that make the regular Spider-Woman semi-awkward. For Avengers and “Secret Wars” fans, Spider-Woman/Julia Carpenters is a must own. And with the head sculpt issue put aside it is also a nice way for ToyBiz to close out the line.
*Note: reader reviews do not reflect the opinions or feelings of Marvelous News or ENI staff and are strictly the opinions and feelings of the reviewer alone
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