The "Spider-Man" trilogy, collaboratively crafted by Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, is finally nearing its conclusion. "Spider-Man: No Way Home," serving as the grand finale, picks up directly from the ending of its predecessor, "Spider-Man: Far From Home." With his true identity revealed to the world, Peter Parker seeks help from the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, to undo the damage. However, this instead unleashes chaos across the Multiverse, as more villains from across dimensions are poised to attack Spider-Man and his loved ones. How will Spider-Man and the Doctor face this storm together? And most importantly: will more Peters from other universes make an appearance? All these answers await us in the "No Way Home" film!
Internationally renowned toy manufacturer Hasbro, of course, has unsurprisingly, and as always, been among the first to release action figures for "No Way Home" through their Marvel Legends line. Highly praised by collectors, the Hasbro Marvel Legends series continues the legacy of the Toy Biz era's design, featuring the popular 1:12 scale, 6-inch size. These figures are known for their highly articulated, flexible joints and intricate sculpting, encompassing a wide array of classic characters from comic books, animated series, and live-action films. Whether they're justice-seeking superheroes or chaos-inducing supervillains, you'll find them in the Marvel Legends series. This comprehensive lineup, combined with accessible pricing, makes them an absolute favorite for collectors building extensive rosters.
This latest "No Way Home" assortment not only features characters and various Spider-Man suits from the upcoming film but also includes fan-favorite characters from comic books and video games. And of course, the Marvel Legends tradition of Build-A-Figure (BAF) is present; by collecting all the extra parts included with each figure in the wave, you can assemble a complete, special figure. This wave's BAF character, Armadillo, is an unprecedented three-dimensional rendition, boasting a substantial, heavy feel and robust articulation that promises an incredibly satisfying play experience! Now, let's dive into today's unboxing!
▼This wave includes seven boxed figures, plus a hidden BAF figure. The side of each box features a clear character portrait, making them easy to collect and identify.
▼The back of the box also clearly indicates the location of each BAF part, helping collectors track their progress.
▼Miles Morales, from the 2020 open-world action-adventure game "Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales." The story continues from the 2018 predecessor, "Spider-Man," detailing how the young Miles grows into his own, taking on the mantle and responsibilities of Spider-Man. This figure's design is based on Miles' appearance in the video game. It comes packed with two interchangeable head sculpts, three pairs of alternate hands, a pair of electric effect hands for his "Venom Strike" ability, and Armadillo's right leg component.
▼The base body itself features a new design, with previously criticized exposed joint pins at the elbows and knees now fully concealed. Furthermore, the essential butterfly shoulder joints, crucial for any Spider-Man action figure, are also included, significantly enhancing the articulation of the arms.
Included are two head sculpts: one masked and one unmasked.
The Spider-Suit features incredibly detailed surface textures, revealing a three-dimensional woven mesh pattern upon closer inspection.
As the young hero who inherited the mantle of Spider-Man, how will he balance his two vastly different lives?
Thanks to the extensive articulation throughout the figure, all of Spider-Man's classic poses can be easily recreated – that's the true appeal of Marvel Legends!
By swapping in the specialized effect hands, you can recreate Miles' unique "Venom Blast" ability, with the translucent lightning effects looking incredibly dynamic!
Shriek, whose real name is Frances Louise Barrison, first appeared in the 1993 comic "Spider-Man Unlimited" #1. As a mutant, Shriek can emit powerful sonic waves and shrieks, using ultrasonics to manipulate and control the dark emotions of others. She frequently operates alongside Carnage. This figure captures her classic comic book appearance and includes three pairs of interchangeable hands, along with a Build-A-Figure (BAF) body part.
The figure faithfully recreates her black and white comic book colors and utilizes a newer female base body.
The head sculpt perfectly captures the villain's eerie smile, which, in its own way, possesses a unique allure.
Unlike previous reused female base bodies, this new version features fully double-jointed elbows, allowing for a much tighter bend.
It strikes a perfect balance between a graceful physique and high articulation.
Incidentally, Shriek also appeared in "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," which premiered this October. It's worth comparing her live-action movie portrayal with her original comic book design!
Next is Morlun, who first appeared in "Amazing Spider-Man" Vol. 2 #30 in 2001. Along with the Inheritors, he hunts and absorbs the life force of "totems" – the connections between people and animals across different universes – to achieve immortality and maintain superhuman strength. As the Spider-Totem, Peter Parker and all Spider-Men across dimensions naturally become their family's primary prey. This Morlun figure is a rare three-dimensional release, including two interchangeable head sculpts and Armadillo's right arm (as a BAF component).
His attire exudes a strong medieval European court style, which perfectly complements Morlun's vampiric image.
Included are two head sculpts: one smiling and one with a ferocious, gritted-teeth expression.
Sharp-eyed collectors will notice the red dot paint applications on his palms – a crucial detail that has been faithfully recreated!
"Come here, let me have a taste!"
Finally, we have the Spider-Man Integrated Suit, the new Spider-Suit making its debut in the upcoming "Spider-Man: No Way Home" film. Its design is reminiscent of the earlier Iron Spider suit, but it returns to a synthetic fabric texture overall, enhanced with gold trim and other decorative elements. As for the suit's actual functions, we'll have to discover those when the movie hits theaters! The figure itself only includes two pairs of interchangeable hands, with no BAF components.
▼The base body also features a new design, hiding the elbow and knee joints for a much cleaner, more streamlined look.
▼The chest and back spider logos are distinct, but both are outlined in a striking gold.
▼It doesn't just look cool—of course, it's also got incredible articulation!
▼Can he keep his feet flat on the ground? Absolutely, no problem at all!
▼The butterfly joints allow for a much more natural forward shoulder crunch.
▼Check out that physique. Looks like Captain America might have some competition for the "America's Ass" title from our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
▼Swinging between buildings is a must-have pose for any Spider-Man figure, and this one pulls it off with ease!
▼Doctor Strange, real name Stephen Strange, studied magic under the Ancient One and eventually inherited the title of Sorcerer Supreme. In "No Way Home," Peter asks for his help to make everyone forget Spider-Man's true identity. However, something seems to go wrong during the spell... This "No Way Home" version is a remold of a previously released figure, updated with a more screen-accurate sculpt and costume. It includes two pairs of hands, an alternate spell-casting effects hand, and the head for the Armadillo BAF.
▼Although Doctor Strange's "uniform" has barely changed in the films, this figure features significant updates, making the costume's appearance much more faithful to the source material.
▼The head sculpt, created using Photo Real Technology, is a massive improvement over the previous version, capturing the likeness and spirit of actor Benedict Cumberbatch perfectly!
▼The details, from the wrinkles in the clothing to the accessories, are meticulously sculpted with outstanding craftsmanship.
▼His signature Eye of Agamotto necklace is a separate, removable piece, with the cord detailed in both gold and red paint to match its on-screen appearance.
▼Swap in the magic effect hand to recreate the moment he casts a spell.
↓The two magic circle effects are slightly different sizes—smaller on the left, larger on the right—creating a great visual when used together.
▼"Scooby-Doo this crap!" What kind of sparks will fly between Doctor Strange and the young Peter Parker in "No Way Home"? We'll have to wait and see.
▼Spider-Man (Black & Gold Suit). This new suit debuts in "No Way Home," and Marvel and Sony have revealed very little about it so far. From a few clips, we can only guess that it might have some magical properties thanks to Doctor Strange's help. We'll have to wait for the movie to find out more. The figure comes with two pairs of alternate hands and the left leg for the Armadillo BAF.
▼Ditching the classic bright red, this black and gold combo offers a fresh, low-key yet luxurious vibe. Curiously, the figure seems to retain the red sections on the forearms from the Upgraded Suit. Could this hint at a connection between the two?
▼What seems simple at first glance is actually packed with detail. A closer look reveals intricate, printed circuitry patterns running across the head, torso, and even the thighs—a fantastic and welcome surprise that really adds a lot of value!
▼Perhaps because the mold is reused from the older Upgraded Suit, this figure still utilizes the older body with exposed joint pins. But don't worry, its articulation is just as excellent, and the butterfly shoulder joints are still present, making it easy to hit all sorts of dynamic, high-tension poses!
▼This is the scene that's guaranteed to happen whenever you have two (or more) Spider-Man figures on hand, right?
▼Which suit from "No Way Home" is your favorite?
▼J. Jonah Jameson, the host of the online news outlet TheDailyBugle.net, is world-famous for his sensationalist headlines and fact-free exposés. He constantly spews negative commentary about Spider-Man to his audience and, after broadcasting footage of Mysterio's death, revealed the hero's true identity to the world. This figure captures his appearance from "Far From Home" and "No Way Home," and includes two interchangeable head sculpts, two pairs of alternate hands, and the left arm for the Armadillo BAF.
▼For those who collect the Marvel Legends series, this suit body should be incredibly familiar by now, right?
▼Two alternate head sculpts are included, both utilizing photo-real printing technology to recreate the likeness of J. K. Simmons. The lifelike expressions are so good you can almost hear his scathing, sarcastic remarks. It's truly moving that they were able to bring back J. K. Simmons to reprise this role.
(Note: J. K. Simmons previously played the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle in the original Tobey Maguire trilogy, perfectly embodying the stingy, stubborn, and acerbic boss with a masterful performance.)
▼There's another subtle detail worth mentioning here—notice the ring on his left hand? Both of the alternate left hands have this small detail sculpted on!
▼"So what? Is it my fault? This Spider-Menace is a loser!"
▼"A grown man, still pretending to be a hero, swinging around with his face covered? I tell you, you people just don't get it!"
▼"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine!" (Wait, was that a product placement?!)
▼Finally, it's time to summon Exodia... once all the pieces have been assembled...
▼Armadillo, real name Antonio Rodriguez, first appeared in "Captain America" #308 back in 1985. In order to save his wife, who was suffering from an unknown terminal illness, he volunteered for human experimentation under Dr. Karlin Malus. The resulting DNA fusion transformed him into the super-powered criminal "Armadillo," possessing immense durability and defensive strength.
▼Beyond its impressive, massive size, the figure's thick, biological-looking armor plating is fantastically executed. The three-dimensional sculpting and subtle gradient paintwork are definitely worth appreciating up close!
▼A BAF needs to have size, but of course, it also needs solid articulation. Let's see what this man of steel is capable of.
▼The detailed muscle sculpt combined with dynamic lighting really brings out the intimidating presence of a big guy like this!
▼And of course, he can pull off a superhero landing pose, no problem!
▼"Armadillo, dude, what are you doing?!" "Stop making me do this meme pose! RAAAAAAAGH!"
And that wraps up our review of the Hasbro Marvel Legends "Spider-Man: Far From Home" series! Now all that's left is to have some fun with these figures while we wait for the movie to hit theaters. We'll see you for the next review!
Hasbro - Marvel Legends Series "Spider-Man: No Way Home"
Where to Buy: Available at major department store toy aisles, Toys 'R' Us, specialty toy shops, and online retailers.