12.01
The last of the Marvel ‘mates in 2017 as well as one of the last Toys R Us sets being part of the last wave actually sold at TRU, Wave 25 marked the end of an era gone by too soon. On top of ending a unique Marvel wave that covered more ground then many of the regular waves combined, the series ended with the closures of the TRU stores, a staple of many childhoods, including my own.
I remember finding Minimates for the first time in years at an actual, brick and mortar store and getting Wonder Man and Union Jack back in 2009, bringing me back to the days when these incredible figures could be found in the likes of Walgreens and Target as well. Now, with one of those two resurfaced, we lose the TRU wave and the store. Fortunately, for their final wave (not considering the crazy situation with The Spot Walgreens wave and the sticker debacle which I thought was hilarious), they pulled out a lot of stops in terms of Spidey villains. On top of Chameleon, they also tacked Beetle and Jack O’Lantern for the first times in ‘mate history. Now that we’ve gone all the way down memory lane, lets get to, in my opinion, the best set of the final wave.
The Packaging
The TRU waves always had a fun, cartoonish styling to them, outside of adaptation-based figures, and this was no exception. The bright colors and the now staple Spidey on the box add to the comic book vibe of this set. Both of the figures in this two pack have the parts to become a whole new figure, so the review will consider the base figure as both characters. This also means that the box was filled to the brim with parts, and in the case of buying a double to fully flesh out this set, it means there’s a lot of parts in your hands. The packaging and ridiculously filled tray can be seen at the database.
The Figures
Chameleon/Mary Jane Watson
“One of Spider-Man’s oldest foes, the Chameleon is a gifted mimic, able to disguise himself as Spider-Man’s closest friends and worst enemies.”
Both of these characters were well overdue for an overhaul, so receiving both in one package was fantastic. Chameleon has been sorely abandoned in ‘mate form, having only one other figure that came out all the way back in 2004. On top of the fact that this character was absolutely fascinating (imagine James Bond meets Dana Carvey’s “The Master of Disguise”), the Chameleon holds a special place in my heart in the pantheon of Spidey’s rogues. Of course, his role in the 1994 animated series made him a staple in my childhood, but to top that, Chameleon was amongst the first four ‘mates I ever owned! This update couldn’t make me happier, including a new body look with a wild, Invisible Man style robe and a cap style face that works so well for his look. The white of his face contrasts with everything around it so well that it makes for a really striking figure. The kimono sleeves add for a unique flare. Despite the limited mobility in his legs due to the long robe, I really don’t mind that since it just looks so perfect. I unfortunately had a loose left arm elbow joint, something that happens with molded forearm pieces sometimes, but fortunately, I ordered two of this set to make all four available figures and simply used the extra arm that was functional.
Mary Jane, on the other hand, was also due for an update. Not having a version at all in ten years before this release, that being the Raimi film version, and not having a comic accurate version since way back in 2003 in an exclusive, Mary Jane absolutely needed this update. Her figure is simple enough, with plain brown pants and arms, but the unique features are in the well printed torso, the hairpiece which feels straight out of the comics, and her iconic smile that looks like she’s about to inform someone of a certain jackpot. The figure is simple enough and works either as Spidey’s main squeeze or as another simple civilian figure. A very welcome addition to the set to be sure.
MMC Score — 9 out of 10
Spider Sense Peter Parker/Spider-Man
“One of the gifts granted to Peter Parker by the radioactive spider-bite was a ‘sixth sense’ that would alert him to nearby danger.”
The fact that we have yet another Spidey amongst the overflowing pantheon already available is only welcome due to the accessories. While not a ton of new ground is tread here, the accessories make for some unique Spidey parts, and one in particular, the Spidey Sense mask, brings back another retro ‘mate idea. Peter Parker hasn’t had a comic accurate ‘mate since he teamed up with that 2003 MJ exclusive, and before that, the half and half Spidey/Peter fig was all we had. Since then, we’ve had variations of every theatrically portrayed Peter over any comic accurate figures. While some “unmasked” Spidey figures have come through over the years, and the Unmasked Spider-Man from 2011 is arguably Peter more than Spidey, this is now only the 2nd 100% Peter Parker we’ve received. His bulky, fancy chest piece works to make the double figure feature work, but it looks a bit strange knowing Peter to be a somewhat broke teenager. Its comic accurate for the look that was went for, and overall, it works for the figure, so I can give that a pass. The face and hair for Peter works well, and the Spidey Sense mask is definitely a highlight.
As for the Spider-Man version of this ‘mate, he’s nothing we haven’t seen before at the core. He’s a pretty simple Spidey, but again, it’s the quick-change aspect of these ‘mates that make him unique. His gloves are accented with outer web shooter sleeves, molds used before but nevertheless are awesome. The belt is a new addition for Spidey, and it reminds me again of the 90’s show and all his web cartridges being held within. The boots are the most unique part, looking like some tube socks that were rolled over themselves rather than boots. The print on them is well done and I really like them as a unique part for a Spidey ‘mate. Overall, it’s not a lot new for Spidey, but as with some of the other ‘mates here, the accessories make it.
MMC Score — 7 out of 10
Conclusion
This set is one of my favorites of recent memory due to the mass quantity of stuff you get. If ‘mates were sold like Lego sets and charged by the part rather than the set, this would get pricey. If you are looking to get this set, get two of them as I did. I knew ahead of time that this would serve better as a massive part pile along with a fun four pack better than anything, and the photos should be evident that all four figures look great together. I absolutely recommend this set, partly for nostalgia, partly for the…well, parts.
Agree? Disagree? Why not vote for yourself below, or comment further over at the Minimate Multiverse MMC Review Forum.
Review and photos by Dash Hauenstein.
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