Spider-Tracer: Top 10 Most Wanted Retro Marvel Legends Spider-Man Figures

Spider-Tracer: Top 10 Most Wanted Retro Marvel Legends Spider-Man Figures

 

In case you didn’t know, Hasbro will be bringing out a six figure Retro Series of Spider-Man Marvel Legends later this year in the Fall. The lineup includes Spider-Man, Gwen Stacy (with an MJ head), Green Goblin, Electro, Peter Parker, and 90’s Armored Daredevil. On top of that, we’ll be getting two additional figures that we know of at the time as of writing this (more were hinted at): Mysterio and a deluxe Kingpin figure, all of which will be in their classic looks. All of these figure will be presented in a packaging reminiscent of the old 90’s Spider-Man action figure line from ToyBiz, which came out around the time of the 1994 animated series.

 

 

While the figures aren’t in their animated looks, or even all characters from the original ToyBiz line, I thought it would be fun to do a top ten wishlist of the Retro figures I most want to see next, while also presenting you with the original ToyBiz figure.

 

10. Tarantula

 

 

Tarantula received a figure closer towards the end of the ToyBiz era that proceeded their super articulated Spider-Man Classics toyline, which subsequently gave birth to Marvel Legends. As a result, he was a little taller than the earlier Spider-Man figures, but still not very articulated. Oddly enough, the ties from his mask mere made of cloth material, but the figure’s sculpt was very nicely done, even if a little too pre-posed. Flash forward to 2008, and Hasbro had had the Marvel license for a year. During this time they released a new Tarantula figure, and… it was terrible.

 

 

 

They took an existing body mold (now woefully outdated), shrank it down, and even cut articulation from the one forearm. You’d think it was to include an action feature, but nope, it was just cut for the sake of cutting it. So as you can tell, Tarantula is in desperate need of a new, updated figure, and the Retro Spider-Man line would be the perfect place for him. He would just need a new head and feet.

 

9. Cyborg Spider-Man

 

 

I remember having the Cyborg Spider-Man figure as a kid, years before I ever read the actual comic that the look first debuted in (“Revenge of the Sinister Six”).

 

 

I thought he was really cool, and he would make a great candidate for the Retro Spider-Man line. With Hasbro pretty much completing the Sinister Six team, he’d make a nice companion piece. He’s also delightfully 90’s, and with Hasbro being on a big 90’s kick, he’s right up their alley.

 

8. Octo-Spidey

 

 

Octo-Spidey was another favorite Spider-Man figure variant that I had as a kid, made all the cooler by the 2-part finale to the 90‘s Spider-Man cartoon.

 

 

The look originally showed up in the 90’s “Clone Saga”, during the “Funeral for an Octopus” story-line.

 

 

Hasbro could easily reissue their upcoming Retro Series Spider-Man with a new tentacle harness overlay, since I’m assuming he’ll be very popular. I would just hope Hasbro gives him bendy tentacles unlike their recent Doc Ock figure. If Scorpion can get a bendy tail, Octo-Spidey can get bendy tentacles.

 

7. Lizard

 

 

Lizard recently received the Build-A-Figure treatment from Hasbro, but he had an odd articulation set up that didn’t really work, plates sculpted on his arms, a tail with a sculpt that only really allowed it to work in one pose, and a raptor-looking head. Top it off with being a little too bulky, and the Lizard BAF left a lot to be desired. They could fix this with a new, classic Lizard figure. I’d probably include both Romita Sr. and McFarlane-inspired head sculpts. Hasbro was willing to include an all newly sculpted Silver Samurai in their Retro X-Men line, so I’d say a classic Lizard is perfect for the Retro Spider-Man line.

 

6. 90’s Vulture

 

 

Hasbro recently released a Vulture in their Demogoblin BAF Series, but that Vulture was in his classic costume. It wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t terrible, either. However, I’d wager that Vulture’s 90’s costume is probably his second most well-known look, and one we really do need.

 

 

It’s also a look that the 90’s Spider-Man cartoon used, and thus, he’d look especially great on the Retro Series card.

 

 

Additionally, he would be another step closer towards completing the Sinister Seven, a team we already have many figures for (Mysterio, Hobgoblin, Beetle, and the upcoming classic Electro figure).

 

 

Who doesn’t love team building with their figures? Give him an alternate old man head and he’s all set.

 

5. Alien Spider-Slayer

 

 

I always found the original Alien Spider-Slayer figure odd as a kid, as he never showed up on the 90’s cartoon. But he was still a neat figure. Years later, after reading “Invasion of the Spider-Slayers”, it all made sense.

 

 

Could you imagine Hasbro remaking this figure today? Combined with a killer sculpt and great articulation, this figure would be insanely cool to get in the Marvel Legends line.

 

4. Smythe

 

 

Another figure based on his look from “Invasion of the Spider-Slayers”, Smythe didn’t make sense to me for the longest time as an avid fan of the 90’s cartoon. At least, not until the episode where Kingpin had Smythe turned into the Ultimate Spider-Slayer. The ponytail was inaccurate to the show, but followed the comics perfectly.

 

 

I think if Hasbro did make this a figure, he needs to come with both a ponytail head and a mullet head. Hasbro hasn’t made any representations of the Spider-Slayers from the comics, but Smythe and the Alien Spider-Slayer would be a great start.

 

3. Total Armor Rhino

 

 

The Rhino BAF is very expensive on the secondary market these days, with individual pieces alone commanding an insanely large price. Hasbro isn’t above rereleasing BAF’s, but they do usually like to change things up a little when they do so. Much like the upcoming Kingpin figure, I’d love to see Hasbro re-release Rhino on a Retro Series card. How would I change him up? Give him his “Total Armor” look from the comics;

 

 

make it removable so that fans can get his classic look, too. Making Total Armor Rhino would get us that much closer to finishing the original Sinister Syndicate, too; we could just need a classic Boomerang!

 

 

2. Shocker

 

 

Shocker got a figure back in the 2017 Sandman BAF Series, but that was of his modern costume from “The Superior Foes of Spider-Man” comic.

 

 

While it was nice to build closer towards that team, it left many fans, myself included, wanting a classic Shocker.

 

 

A Retro Series Shocker would be the perfect remedy for that! Shocker also wore a very similar costume in the 90’s cartoon,

 

 

so you know he’d look good on that sweet Retro carding.

 

1. Spider-Armor Spider-Man

 

 

Spider-Armor Spider-Man has to be my most wanted Spider-Man costume variant. He had a pretty cool figure back in the original ToyBiz line, and the 90’s cartoon gave him a good role in the 2-part series finale.

 

 

While he would need an entirely new sculpt, it would be totally worth it. Hasbro showed that he’s on their radar when they made him in their 4” toyline, so here’s hoping it won’t be long before he makes his debut in the Retro Series.

 

Will you be picking up Hasbro’s Retro Spider-Man Series later this year? Did your most wanted figure make the list? Let me know in the comments section below!