Minimate Mini-Review #255 - Stealth Suit Spider-Man & Ultimate Sandman

#255 - Stealth Suit Spider-Man/Ultimate Sandman

The Stealth Suit designed by SHIELD technicians for scouting and surveillance. It renders Spider-Man virtually invisible, and was used when Spider-Man infiltrated Damage Control headquarters.

Damage Control appeared on Ultimate Spider-Man? Maybe I should watch that cartoon. Stealth Suit Spider-Man is basically a clear Minimate with the Spidey details painted on in white, and silver for the eyes and chest/back symbols (which, coincidentally, is also the way Venom views him in the show). He's got one of those classic Minimate Spider-Man weblines, and also an alternate chest with a little bit of red and blue paint in the center to make it look like the stealthiness is malfunctioning and fading away.

Flint Marko is an escaped convict who was caught in an atomic blast, turning his entire body into particles of sand. With total control over every grain, Sandman is nearly impossible to defeat.

Well how about that! Ultimate Spider-Man apparently uses Jack Kirby's Sandman design, rather than the classic. The suit was made for Sandman by the Wizard, and was designed specifically to help him fight the Fantastic Four (because when you've got a guy whose body can flow in any direction, what you really want to do is encase him in a bunch of inflexible steel). No one's ever made a toy of this costume, so that's nice to see, at least.

He's got the big sandy arms, as well as replacement arms that are more normal (but still sand-colored, not green). He has big shoulderpads, a hexagonal collar, and his head is painted with the ridiculous helmet or mask or whatever it is. Cleverly, he's got Groot feet, in order to make him look more like he's pulling himself together than just being a plain human. Nice choice!

This is only one of three Ultimate Spider-Man sets Toys Я Us has, but I've got enough Nicks Fury and Spider-Men; and while Carnage is kind of cool, Nova doesn't look as good as the last one. But this set, with a new kind of Spider-Man and a never-before-toyed Sandman, is a winner.

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9 Responses to Minimate Mini-Review #255 - Stealth Suit Spider-Man & Ultimate Sandman

  1. Onslaught says:

    These exist?!? I haven't heard/seen anything about them. Mind posting pictures of the full series (wave? Don't crucify for this)?

    Thanks

    • yo go re says:

      Brand-new. I thought they were a standalone cartoon set, but the back identifies them as "TRU20," so they're an official numbered release. I can't find an image of all of them, but here's an eBay auction image of the back of the box, which shows the other two sets. All three sets have the TRU Exclusive sticker on the front, too...

      • Onslaught says:

        Ah, so they're releasing to match the Walgreens exclusive sets, got it. I found those on their release date but only picked up the 2099 and Venom set but my Walgreens appeared to only have one of each set in stock (and I went at 7 in the morning, not because I'm crazy, it was just then or never), so if you have any interest I'd watch out soon.

  2. Noy Tazi says:

    Some have complained that the "Marvel Animated" Minimates are too cartoony... there's some shading on some figures but other than that it's the same tampo work as every other Minimate. Aren't all Minimates pretty much artwork by design, thus "animated?"

    • stack32 says:

      That's like saying a comic is animated because it's made up of lines too. The shading is the major difference but the overall level of detail is less on these as well. It's not as obvious on this particular set but if you compare similar characters side-by-side it's apparent. If you aren't picky they'll work fine with other minimates. If you like consistency they won't.

  3. gl3600 says:

    As far as Sandman's costume goes, they actually made it work for the cartoon. He was captured, and put in that suit to work with Spider-Man. If he got out of line, the suit could reign him in. It actually makes the rigid suit of armor on a fluid character like Sandman make sense!

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