Marvel Legends Power Rankings: Spider-Man ‘Space Venom Wave’

We’re running down the new wave of Marvel Legends Spider-Man figures from Hasbro, from bottom to top.  See what makes up the latest wave that was just released.

Hasbro has dropped a new wave of Spider-Man themed Marvel Legends, and it contains another set of figures that should leave comic readers totally pleased.  This lineup runs the gamut from some classic rogues, to new additions to the Spider-verse, and two of the greatest versions of our core hero ever captured in plastic.  So without further ado, let’s break down this wave…

7. Electro

One of Spidey’s oldest foes gets about one and a half upgrades in the latest wave of Legends.  If that fraction seems odd, let me explain– Hasbro’s new Electro is modeled on the character’s current, bald-headed, face-tattooed look.  This includes a new spin on his classic green and yellow costume, and because of the similarity the figure also comes packed with an alternate head in the old school lightning bolt mask.  Both headsculpts feature great expressions– an angry scowl for the modern look and a wicked half-smile for the classic– and both look good on the body.  The downside of this figure– and what leaves him ranked at the bottom of this list– is twofold:  One, Hasbro opted for the modern costume instead of the classic, which in this case let me wanting for a new, updated classic Electro.  And two, the figure recycles the electrified hands of the Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie Electro which, while cool, could totally have benefited from an alternate, non-electrified pair of hands.

6. Spider-Girl

Ashley Barton, also referred to by the oh-so-classy moniker “Spider-Bitch” is the daughter of Clint Barton from an alternate timeline.  She’s tough as nails, and often downright nasty, and I’m certainly glad to see Hasbro not shy away from incorporating a hard character like her into their Legends toy collection.  But while she’s an interesting addition, character-wise, Spider-Girl features a fairly stock costume, which doesn’t make for the snappiest of figures.  Had she been mixed in an assortment less exciting than this one, Ashley would rank higher.  But to be perfectly honest, among this group of figures she sort of gets overshadowed.

5. Silk

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not an avid follower of the Spider-verse.  I only know it anecdotally, as I haven’t consistently read Spider-Man comics for the past few years.  As such, I can’t say much about Silk in terms of character selection, but on her merits as an action figure, she’s a solid release.  I like the stylized look of her black, grey and red costume, and the figure’s new headsculpt is fantastic, especially the remarkably natural flow of her black hair.  Add to that the inclusion of a second, unmasked head– complete with a folded-down mask to drape over her neck– and this figure becomes a pleasant surprise, even for an uncultured swine like me who knows nothing about the character.

4. Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin is actually a GREAT figure.  The newly sculpted tunic is wonderfully realistic in its creases and folds, and the new scale pattern armor is excellent, with a depth that truly suggests a rich texture.  The tattered cape is great, the new glider is solid, and supports the figure quite well, and his two alternate heads– masked and demonic– are both awesome.  Plus… he comes with a pumpkin bomb!  The only reason this bad boy doesn’t rank higher is that the previous version from Toy Biz still holds up as one of their best.  I’m not sure what it is about Hobgoblin that warranted multiples among the best Marvel Legends ever made, but of all the characters in desperate need of a redo by Hasbro, this character ranked quite low.  For that reason alone, I can’t in good conscience give him the top spot.

3. Venom

Venom is the Build-A-Figure of this wave, and while he’s based on a version of the character who exists far, far away from Spider-Man’s New York City, he’s still lots of fun.  The second Legends based on Flash Thompson’s Venom, this big, bulky figure features the “space” suit he wore while teaming with the Guardians of the Galaxy.  His inclusion here is a smart, subtle cross-pollenation between titles, and the virtually all-new sculpt is really nice.  There’s a great heft and bulk to this figure, which makes him feel very justified as a BAF, and the figure is spot-on to Space Venom’s comic look.  Hasbro even goes the extra mile by adding etched lines and armor accents into this sculpt, which adds depth to what is, essentially, an all black and white figure.

2. Ultimate Spider-Man (Peter Parker)

Considering how many Spider-Man variants we’ve seen throughout the lifespan of Marvel Legends, I’m a little shocked that Hasbro still managed to release a new take on the web slinger that I not only had to own, but which might be one of the best toys of the year.  The new Ultimate Spider-Man figure is just that phenomenal.  Based on the character as he appeared in the long-running Brian Michael Bendis/ Mark Bagley series, this Spidey sports an all new teen body, which is well proportioned and perfectly in scale with the more mature Legends figures.  Peter Parker features a great range of motion, worthy of the acrobatic hero, and the extra sets of hands– fists, web shooters, and spread fingers– really open up a wide range of posing options.  What puts this figure over the top, though, is the alternate unmasked head, which is an uncanny sculpt based on Bagley’s young Peter artwork.  Literally, this figure looks like he just stepped off the page and onto the shelf.  It’s incredible.

1. Ultimate Spider-Man (Miles Morales)

Ultimate Peter Parker Spider-Man shares a swap figure slot in this wave, and I think Miles Morales Spidey is an even better figure.  Like Peter, Miles uses the great, new teen buck, includes three sets of hands, and an alternate unmasked head.  This is our first portrait of Miles by Hasbro, and they nailed it– this sculpt is another perfect interpretation of the character’s appearance in the comics.  We’ve only seen Miles in the Legends collection once before, as part of the Wal-Mart exclusive wave supporting The Amazing Spider-Man.  At the time, that figure was okay enough… but this new version beats him out in every conceivable way.  With Miles playing a bigger role than ever in the Marvel Universe, he has certainly earned his place in the Legends lineup, and I’m glad to see Hasbro went all out to make him into a truly outstanding action figure.

The Spider-Man Space Venom Wave and more new Marvel Legends are available now at Mike’s Comics N Stuff.  Click Here to order today!