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Ghost Rider's vengeance!

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Wow! It's Ghost Rider! Bit late on this one, but while I was picking up Venom I decided, "Why not?" Was always loosely interested in this one. My old Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider broke at the neck ages ago and attempts to fix it left him with some nasty glue residue that proved impossible to remove. Also, a Ghost Rider without his bike? Unthinkable!

This is the Danny Ketch iteration of GR. It's funny, while Blaze is the most well known iteration of the character, it's really Ketch who put the character on the map. He was Ghost Rider at the peak of the character's popularity in the comics and many elements now associated with the character like the leather jacket with spikes and the penance stare all started with him. Yet, he gets no respect for it! Nice to get a modern figure of this figurative and literal trailblazer.

That bike is so cool looking. It's so angular and sharp. Translates to the third dimension quite well. The figure itself is pretty nice too. Anyone who says Legends have gotten worse over the years, I'd really like you to compare how this Ghost Rider poses compared to the old Rhino wave Ghost Rider. The smoothness and range of movement is a definite improvement across the board. Are these improvement worth the bumps in price? Well, that's a different debate. I've also heard people say this figure feels shrimpy, but I don't know. I think the problem is that old Star-Lord body the last GR was on was too big if anything. Always felt that way. Still, it could stand to have some extra bulk to better match the '90s art he originates frame. GR in those comics had some BULK.

I've been wanting a better Ghost Rider after my last one broke and this serves that purpose well. Now, do I prefer Danny's iteration? I think I've read more featuring him due to how many crossovers the character featured in so maybe I do, but I'm not sure. Blaze has a better origin story and hook imo, but Ketch started so much of what we associate with the character now that it's kinda 50/50. Either way, this is a visually killer figure and when it comes to Ghost Rider isn't that all you really want?

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Venom and the whole Marvel Universe.

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Spidey and Venom

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Haha ten inches of Venom. This is one I was serious about skipping, but a combination of life changes and in-hand pics made me weak. Generally, my preferences for Venom do not skew ANYWHERE near this big. Another factor in my initial disinterest is that I don't care for Insomniac's take on the character. Very surface level interpretation imo, but this is a figure review, not a self indulgent and way too long video essay so I'll just leave my opinion at that.

Oh man, people were making this figure look like one of the best MLs ever released when they got their hands on it. For all my complaints about the characterization and such, I can't deny that this iteration of Venom at least nails the visual. The visual is really the most important part of an action figure after all. It's a great design if nothing else. While I'm not the biggest fan of the symbol and very much prefer the classic logo, it's not a bad look either. It's actually growing on me and at least he has one. There's plenty of other figures I own where I'm not too fond of the source but love the toy, so I might as well give this a shot.

All that preamble aside, yeah. It's a pretty great toy. Not perfect, though. The ab crunch doesn't get the best range I find compared to others. If pushed hard enough it even damages the white paint since there's not enough clearance between plastic. Mine got kinda scraped up like that and I had to patch it up. This has been a recurring problem on the last few Venoms and seems particularly widespread on this one. Mine wasn't as bad as other examples, but I was sure to scrape away plastic from the upper pelvic area to prevent further problems down the line. Head articulation is, fine but not ideal. Same goes for the butterfly joints. They're there, they function, but range is not great. In this case, though, I get it. They probably didn't want to cut into the symbol.

While the range is limited in some spots, it has all the points you'd want and it still poses very nicely. It even has shin swivels, which is something the last few Venoms lacked! They really help with certain poses so I'm glad they're here. The size is also something to behold. Normally, I do like a bit of a smaller Venom, but the mass combined with the height makes for an impressive and imposing look. So, I'm very okay with it here! When Venom reaches this level of mass, I like to consider it cool wallpaper Venom. This kind of size for Venom is downright impractical for most comics, but it makes for such a striking visual and contrast to Spidey that you find images with it all over cool wallpaper websites and one-off comic covers.

I'm very happy I picked this up, it's a very fun release. Is it one of the best Legends ever? I don't know if I'd go that far, but it is really cool. In this time of rising prices, it surprisingly feels like it kinda does justify that $60 pricetag. I also gotta shout-out the wrapping tendrils hand, another cool thing that helps make this one badass looking toy.

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I also bought this Green Goblin helmet back around last December when it went on sale on Target's website. I don't care what anyone says, I've always loved this mask and I always will. So good. Getting a replica is a dream come true. Way back in the day, I actually went as Dafoe's Green Goblin for Halloween one year so this is a real full circle moment. I also wore the costume around publicly even after, apparently. I don't remember this but according to my mom, I did. If only I could be so bold today!

Yeah, though, lots of nostalgic attachment to this mask. Putting that aside, I still think this is a great piece. It looks quite accurate to the original prop, even if they couldn't get that iridescent purple sheen. I believe this retailed for $130, but as said previously I got mine for around $90 when it went on sale. For that price, it's amazing! The plastic feels so substantial and heavy duty. The size is also something else. I think one of the reasons I didn't take pics of this until now is because trying to capture the full thing in my little photo space isn't really possible.

Yeah, this is cool to have. It displays really well. One thing I will say, the included display stand is fine but I usually have mine up on a wig stand. It allows for a bit more breathing room since the chin doesn't need to be resting on something. I can't take a picture of that though since it will not fit in my set-up. Still, if you have the space for it and are a big Green Goblin fan, I can't recommend this enough. Only real complaint is that I wish it'd stop talking to me.

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I often forget this blog is named Von Doom's Toy Archive so it doesn't have to just be my action figures. I have a fair few masks too and those could be considered toys. One I got in recently is this Marvel Legends Doctor Doom mask! With this now I can fully live up to my title!

I was really looking forward to this ever since Hasbro announced it. A lot of the fan made masks out there are either way out of my price range or I simply don't like the sculpt. This seemed like a nice, affordable display piece for one of my favorite villains. It's great, this line is seriously top notch from the two pieces I own. Love the hood, it's a nice material and the way it clips to the helmet means it sits perfectly. The stand is great too, with the embossed golden D adding just a little extra flair. The helmet itself fits fine, but it's a bit rough on my ears. A bit of added cushioning should help that.

Whether you're looking to build a Doctor Doom cosplay or just want a fun piece of Doom memorabilia, this is a great addition to the collection and comes highly recommended. It's even got me considering building a first appearance Doctor Doom costume. That would be simpler than assembling a full set of armor. Hmm...

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Spider-Man through the ages.

From left to right: AF15 Steve Ditko Spider-Man, John Romita Sr. Spider-Man, Todd McFarlane Spider-Man, and Mark Bagley Spider-Man. The four best artists to ever do it.

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Ohhhh god ANOTHER Spider-Man? Well, not entirely. This is a new head for a previous one. Another from FahrulStore35. This is the V48 and to me, it most resembles the art of ol' Jazzy John Romita. JRSR is still the DEFINITIVE Spidey artist imo, the one who set the template that was followed for decades after. One of my favorites, folks, so I was excited to get this in. It took a lot longer than the McFarlane heads. Those took a week, this took well over a month. Worth it, though. Romita's take on Spidey is the definition of classic and it makes this figure pop. The MAFEX 185 colors just match his take so perfectly, though the figure definitely isn't as bulky as John drew Spidey and of course the logos aren't quite right either. Still, getting these heads actually justifies me owning more MAFEX Spider-Men than is really necessary!

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Pushing Spidey to the Maximum!

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Let's just rip this band-aid off. $50. ML Maximum Spider-Man is not worth that price on an objective level. This should have been $40. Unfortunately, I have spent that kind of money on other Marvel Legends before so this is nothing new to me. I will say, I do genuinely prefer this over Hasbro's previous M.O. of sticking much demanded classic costume A-listers in two-packs with characters very few were asking for. A few accessories in the bin is much less painful than a whole other figure.

The discourse surrounding this figure has been absolutely exhausting, so I'll keep that talk to a minimum. I'll just say this: this is a REALLY good and fun figure. It's the best ML Spidey by a solid margin. Good enough that I need them all again on this base? No. But I could maybe be convinced on symbiote Spidey. As I said, on an objective level, this isn't a $50 figure. But subjectively, I feel like I'm getting that kind of fun out of it so I don't regret spending that cash?

The articulation is really good, can get some great deep crouches out of this set-up. Some even better than the MAFEX. However, the MAFEX still has this beat overall thanks to its smoother articulation and more advanced engineering. I was deadset on not getting the Maximum since I was so satisfied with Medicom's effort, but then I realized something. MAFEX figures aren't fiddle figures. They aren't something you can keep on a desk and repose endlessly. I had to paint seal mine to even feel safe doing that since the 185 has notoriously chipped blue paint and I've had issues in the past. Even still, how long until I break a wrist or the sealant won't hold up to repeated stress anymore? ML figures are fun to me exactly because I can just pose them mindlessly. All to say, even with the MAFEX, this one still has merit to me.

The overall look is pretty good, but not perfect. I remember when looking at the Fahrulstore McFarlane heads, I said this figure's headsculpt wasn't as close to Todd's art as I had hoped. Looked closer to a MvC Spidey. In-hand? It's closer than I first thought. I thought it was too sharp, but the subtle rounded curves are more easily seen in person. I do think the rims could stand to be thicker, but that's because when I think Todd's Spidey I think the cover to Spider-Man #1. This one is more the cover to The Amazing Spider-Man #301. Eyes are still a bit far apart tho.

If you want thicker rimmed eyes, this figure has that option... For only one side. The alternate masked head is strange. I get what they were going for, but it's not exaggerated enough. It just looks like he attached two asymmetrical lenses rather than a deliberate expression. Should have just had both eyes shaped like that, I would have much preferred it. The other alternate head is... something. It's not a bad sculpt, actually I like it, but it's so dang stylized that it just makes a hard contrast with the photoreal printed face. It's uncanny. I removed the stark red lips to dial down that Joker effect and it helps a lot imo. I actually really like it now. For those that don't, the RYV sculpt fits on the body. It's a bit big and doesn't sit perfectly on the neck, but you can make it work.

The other accessories are similarly good, but flawed in terms of execution. All the web effects are cool, but not super practical in most cases. The two web strands are so noodly they require some creativity to get any real use out of them. The web shield is probably the highlight, I love that thing. Other accessories I love are the webshooter hands. It's unlike anything else we've ever gotten in the line and makes the unmasked figure look so much more complete. Regardless, it could and should have come with more stuff at this price. Where's the half masked head, loose mask, slice of pizza, or the web effects you can wrap around figures? All of those could have been reused from previous releases.

While going on about flaws, the plastic feels soft. This isn't a huge problem imo except for those bicep pegs. That has been a constant worry with Legends figures and these have me sweating. The paint is also a bit messy in some areas. The weblines don't align in small places, there's mess on the shins, the blue is showing through the red on the midsection, there's touches of red showing through the blue on the right arm. Of course, I've had much more expensive figures with even worse paint so I'm not exactly hurting over this. It was also a bit shiny, I hit mine with one dull coat and will probably hit it with another just to further protect the paint. The engineering also has some oddities. Why do the legs on the back spider extend onto the butterfly joints? Why can't the legs get closer together without using the drop downs? Why's the neck feel kinda restricted? These are all easily modded, but for this price they shouldn't be a problem at all. Just to note, I did modify the hips and neck for slight added range. Very slight tbh but just to be completely transparent here.

Wow. I've never written this much for anything, but there's a lot to say I guess. To sum it all up: great figure, imperfect but tons of fun that carries a terrible price. Two things can be true. Really, great figure but terrible price is probably gonna be in our future no matter what. Things are not looking good for this hobby (or in general) and I'm not sure how much more I'm gonna be involved in it. Never gonna quit, but there's a reason you've been seeing less activity on here as of late.

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Remember this post? Time for an update. Now featuring two new additions to the club.

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Shredder will have his revenge!

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Yes. YESSSSS. Shredder is back and better than ever in NECA's TMNT cartoon line. I had to wake up early to get the order in on this guy. It was worth it. Soooooo worth it. I'll be straight up honest and admit out the gate I love this figure. Yep. You can stop reading now.

Alright, alright, so for some slightly more in depth thoughts I gotta say this figure simply nails the aesthetic. It's like he walked out the screen. The previous '87 was a lot of preuse of the then-unreleased Mirage Shredder so it had some slight inaccuracies. Still, some of those inaccuracies weren't just due to the old sculpt. One thing that stood out to me was the skintone. Shredder had a bit of a darker complexion in that original show, while the skin on the original NECA Shredder was light by comparison. This new one has the proper coloring. Articulation is also better since he has the updated hips, torso articulation, and ankle pivots but it's not a huge upgrade in terms of overall range. Feels nicer, though, which absolutely helps.

The accessories are pretty nice. I love the unmasked head and head without the faceplate. Oroku Saki in that original show was a shockingly handsome guy, which they definitely captured here. Another fun inclusion is an interchangeable helmet crest featuring the Eye of Sarnath, or the Hyperstone as I'll always remember it as thanks to the old SEGA Genesis game. I will say, the lack of sword hurts. If you've been collecting this line, you likely have a couple laying around, but still. This will be someone's first Shredder or someone's first figure in the line. It's called an Ultimate, isn't it? He's even using one on the back of the box!

The cape is the one bit of reuse from the original Shredder, and while I've always liked this cape, it could be better. One with a wire would really help with dynamic posing while also allowing it to sit flush against his chest more easily. As is, his neck is often swallowed by it. It was also made for a smaller figure so it feels a bit... short. Not glaringly so, but still.

I'm so glad I managed to snag this one, though. Shredder is a top three villain of all time for me, so I am a huge sucker for any figures of him. Probably because good ones were hard to come by until like, 10 years ago! So, yeah, it rocks and is a huge upgrade overall.

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Regardless of costume, you can bet the Wallcrawler really has his work cut out for him!

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You know you're in too deep with this hobby when you start buying custom heads for your figures. I got these two lovely pieces from the wonderful fahrulstore35. Fantastic prices and shipping speed that was much faster than expected. Cannot complain at all.

Both evoke Todd McFarlane so perfectly. I'm not sure if Todd is my all-time favorite Spidey artist, but man. Top 3 at least, y'know? There's something about his design that makes for a truly dynamic figure. There's a reason that old ToyBiz one goes for a fortune. So I always like to see his depiction of Spidey in physical form.

These heads do it all. The shape of the eyes in particular is tricky to nail down, especially since Todd's art is so inconsistent. I could go on a whole spiel about how the ML Maximum Spidey misses in this department, but I digress. I actually think the standard big eyed head that came with MAFEX symbiote Spidey looks the part pretty well, but this one seems closer. Maybe. Again, inconsistent. This one feels like it was pulled straight from Spider-Man #13. Just as the red and blue head strongly evokes the ever iconic cover of issue 1 from that series. It also reminds me of the old Medicom Real Action Hero Spidey, a figure I've long admired from a far. This is the closest I'll ever get to owning it.

Do I recommend these heads? Absolutely! I might wind up getting more! That V48 is calling to me. It's so John Romita Sr, who is another strong contender for favorite Spider-Man artist.

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NECA Archie Shredder. It's neat. Wasn't planning on picking this up, but I do enjoy a good Shredder and actually found this one in-person! That's rare. My attachment to the Archie Comics TMNT isn't much, but the one collected edition I own just so happens to feature the two issue arc this figure is based on. Krang on Shredder's body? Talk about an insane visual! Maybe the most iconic thing to come from the Archie comics. I'll probably just keep this displayed as Shredder, but the option is nice. I like the colors too, the white, purple, and blue is striking. Almost reminds me of the old Playmates figure.

I don't see myself diving deep into the Archie comics line from NECA, a lot of the designs are more cartoonish than even the cartoon based line, but hey. It's Shredder! One of my favorite villains. Was also a good way to give this new base body a test drive. Now I'm more excited for that Ultimate Toon Shredder.