Iron Spider

Well, they wasted no time in getting to this, did they? Advanced technology and high-tech gear are signature marks of the web-slinging hero, Iron Spider. They know that's just a nickname, right? "Iron Spider"? Even in the comics, when Peter Parker got his Civil War suit from Tony Stark, nobody actually called him Iron Spider. It wasn't even used in the comics, just out here in the real world by the fans. Even if the suit is called that (in a few continuities), the hero inside it isn't. When Iron Man calls for Veronica, he doesn't change his name to "Hulkbuster," and when he calls for item 17A, Peter remains Spider-Man. We don't begrudge Hasbro naming the toy Iron Spider - that's just good branding - but they've gotta write the bio better. [Although no one but obsessive nerds like you will ever give it a second thought? --ed.] Yeah, maybe we're overthinking things. The movie Iron Spider suit is instantly superior to the comics' Iron Spider suit, because this time it actually looks like the right character. Somehow MCU Tony Stark is less of a raging egotist than his 616 counterpart, because he didn't force his own colorscheme onto another hero. There's definitely still red and gold here, but retaining the dark blue means this still immediately "reads" as being Spider-Man. The way the spider-symbol's legs spread out and wrap around the body is pretty neat, and makes for a very cool "techno Ben Reilly" graphic design. The sculpt is entirely new - even the head, which probably could have been reused from one of the three previous Movie Spideys (none of which have eyes this size/shape). The lines on the suit are raised, the webs are etched in, and there's a pattern over the whole body that's probably meant to suggest the suit's nano-particle construction. Spidey's articulation remains quite high - you've got most of the usual Marvel Legends joints (there are no kind of swivels in the shin, though), but also pectoral hinges for Spid-tacular posing. The joints do end up making the figure a bit too broad across the shoulders as compared to Tom Holland, but very few action figures are perfect re-creations of an actor's physical body. One unfortunate thing, however, is that the "stripes" on the extra joint do not line up on the front and the back at the same time. You'll never see both sides at once, but I'm just dorky enough that it bothers me. The figure gets no accessories - and, given the way things usually work, we're suprised this mold hasn't already turned up in a two-pack with his four mechanical legs sticking out of a new backpack piece. Surprised, but grateful. The only thing packed in with the toy is the left leg of Thanos. It's not surprising that this figure was one of the hardest to find from this series. He's a popular character in a totally new look, and even without accessories, he's a winner. -- 01/07/19

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