By Loran
Boy, I can’t leave well enough alone, can I?
Last week I expressed how much I was displeased with the Spidey figure I have from the 2010 Spider-man line. It’s a shame that the figure was so bad, since it seemed to have a lot of potential. I went on about how the Marvel Universe figure is probably a lot better, and is something your money would be better spent on. Well, I got a hold of a Marvel Universe Spider-man for really cheap in the hopes of doing a little comparison review on the two figures, and to give my collection a proper Spidey. So, let’s take a look at which figure wins in the first “versus” review I’ve done since I started writing here last spring!
Head:
The 2010’s head resembles the Spidey most people are familiar with, while the MU seems to have a meaner look to it. I’d say the MU one looks sort of like the one from the movies. This really comes down to a matter of personal preference, but I like the MU here, mostly because it makes him look like he wouldn’t seem out of place standing alongside movie Wolverine and Iron Man.
Sculpted Detail:
Again, both figures handle things differently here. The 2010 is dominated mainly by straight lines, while the MU has a lot of curves. The sculpting on the MU seems a lot deeper and more apparent and I like that more. Also, the MU has the spider SCULPTED on his back, rather than painted. This definitely swings the vote into his favor.
The MU also has a lot of wrinkles in his outfit. It’s more apparent that he’s wearing a suit, unlike the 2010 figure, whose suit looks like it’s painted on like that one creepy fetish cosplayer. You know the picture I’m thinking of…
HOWEVER, the 2010 figure has one thing the MU doesn’t have: Injection-molded elbow and knee joints. These really help the appearance of the figure, and make everything seem smoother. I still wonder why the Marvel Universe line hasn’t incorporated these yet. They look so much better!
Articulation:
It pretty much goes without saying that the MU wins in this department. MU Spidey comes with double-jointed ankles, an ab crunch and hinged ankles. While the 2010 figure may have the nice injection-molded joints, sometimes, function is more important than form, and that definitely applies to superhero action figures.
But really, the biggest strike against the 2010 figure is the lack of ankle joints. These days ankle joints have become a necessity, it seems. Spidey isn’t the sort of design that works without them. A bulkier figure like Hulk, Thor, or even Iron Man doesn’t need them as much because of their build. Someone like Spidey, who’s very slim, is more reliant on them because of his thin feet by design.
I will say, though, what’s up with this extra hip swivel on the Marvel Universe Spidey? Seriously, a lot of them have it and I can’t find any purpose for it whatsoever…
Accessories:
Yeah, uh… nobody wins here.
Color scheme:
This may come as a surprise at this point, but I actually like the color scheme of the 2010 Spidey more. I much prefer the “cartoony” look of that figure. The MU just seems… dark. Kind of sad.
Overall:
It’s a given that I like the Marvel Universe figure more, and I usually don’t like MUs as much as their movie-line counterparts. The Marvel Universe Spidey has a better sculpt and articulation, and while the 2010 figure has a nicer color scheme and injection-molded joints, they don’t hold up in the bigger picture. I still want to get my hands on the Super Poseable Spidey from that line to see how that compares, but for now, I’m giving my recommendation to Marvel Universe Spider-man.
