What’s Next for Spider-Man?

Badass Digest said that there have been three different rumors flying around in the last couple of weeks regarding what’s next for Peter Parker. The first is that Sony is considering a soft reboot of Spider-Man with The Sinister Six, which would include a new actor playing Spider-Man. The second is that Sony is planning on shelving the Spider-Man story for the next four to five years to see if any of the side characters can be further developed into their own franchises. Finally, the most recent rumor is that there are talking about doing a crossover storyline between The Avengers and Spider-Man. As Badass Digest explains, it seems that “Sony has no clue what to do with the Wall-crawler.”

With an unclear plan on what to do next, that best action, from a fan’s perspective, would be to do nothing. No good can come from a half-hearted attempt to continue the franchise with little thought behind it—I’m looking at you Spider-Man 3!

The best of the options seems to be to shelf any film projects for awhile. Almost every franchise has done so, including the previous string of Spider-Man films that came five years after Sam Raimi’s Spidey films in 2002, 2004, and 2007.

In theory, Sony might be better off exploring options for the Spider-Man name beyond films. Of course, because they’re so lucrative, the most obvious choice is a new video game. The last Spider-Man game for consoles, The Amazing Spider-Man, was released in 2012. Created with an open world/free-roaming concept, the game received generally positive reviews, with a 7.6/10 rating given from users on GameSpot.

Outside of console games, the Betfair Casino has a Spidey-themed slot/arcade game that allows players the opportunity to make a little money off their fandom. But the look of the two games is vastly different. While the 2012 console game incorporates all the latest graphics and technology that allow today’s video games to be as realistic as possible, Betfair’s title offers a welcomed, nostalgic reminder of how far the franchise has come. Images used for the slot game are very similar to the comic books, with illustrations that look as if they were created by Stan Lee himself.

If the franchise is looking to stay alive by making a new game, it might be a good idea to follow the example that Betfair has set by bringing back the nostalgic look and feel of the comic books. It’s a method that’s proven to be successful in the past. In fact, this approach was recently taken by The Walking Dead, a franchise with similar origins in comics/graphic novels. After a spike in popularity from the series, developers created a game for consoles with similar characters to those in the television show (the likes of which varied from the graphic novels). The video game based on the series, titled The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, received mixed reviews when it was released in 2013, however. It’s obtained a score of only 32/100 according to Metacritic.

What’s interesting is that around the same time, another video game came out that more closely resembled the look of the original graphic novels. Telltale GamesThe Walking Dead: The Game was highly praised by critics and players alike. It was crowned “Game of the Year” in 2012 by Yahoo! Games, the Spike Video Game Awards, and the Game Developer’s Choice Awards. It received a similar title by Destructoid and Digital Trends, too.

If those with the rights to the franchise really feel they need to do something, the best choice of action for Spider-Man’s future is to take a look to the past. Making the comic book pages come alive again with a new game that revives our nostalgia would be a welcomed change to the high-intensity, motion sickness-inducing games that are popular today. If they can pull it off with flesh-eating zombies, they can certainly do the same with a beloved character like Spidey.

New Custom Figures – Amazing Spider-Man 2 & Arkham Origins Batman

Hey everyone. If you haven’t noticed by now, I have a couple of new customs up this week. First up is an Arkham Origins Batman. I took the Mattel Batman Unlimited figure and gave him lots of extra articulation (including an ab joint!) so now he can be posed much more dynamically. Next, I took the new Marvel Legends Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie figure and gave him a full repaint, gave it some magnetic feet, an alternate Andrew Garfield Peter Parker head, a web line, and a rooftop display base! Both customs are also currently for auction on eBay for those who might be interested. Just click on each photo below to go to the corresponding eBay auction, and be sure to check out the full photo set and descriptions for each custom as well. Thanks for looking!

Custom Amazing Spider-Man 2 (W/ Magnetic Feet) 6″ Marvel Legends Action Figure – Created January 20th, 2014

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*** Head on over to my Ebay Auctions to see what’s available this week, or commission me if you’d like your very own custom action figure like this one. ***

The articulation on the Marvel Legends Amazing Spider-Man 2 figure is great, though the paint job was lacking. I’ve given the figure a full repaint, and made it much more vibrant than before (especially the blue areas) with deep shading and bright highlights. I even outlined all the webbing on his suit to help it stand out more. I also embedded some Rare Earth magnets in his feet so he can stick to most metal surfaces. I took the Andrew Garfield Peter Parker head from the first movie figure and dremeled it to fit the new figure, gave him a web line, and gave a weathered repaint to the Young Justice Red Arrow rooftop display, and now Spidey is ready to take down Electro, Rhino, and anyone else who threatens New York!

Custom Amazing Spider-Man 2 (W/ Magnetic Feet) 6" Marvel Legends Action FigureCustom Amazing Spider-Man 2 (W/ Magnetic Feet) 6" Marvel Legends Action FigureCustom Amazing Spider-Man 2 (W/ Magnetic Feet) 6" Marvel Legends Action Figure

New Custom Figure – Super Posable Eddie Brock Venom

Hey everybody! I know it’s been a while since I posted a new custom. Been busy working on them! Anyway, today I bring you a new Venom custom. I took the new Marvel Select Venom figure and modded the heck out of it. Fully repainted, with clean, crisp detailing, and updated articulation. Before, he wasn’t very posable. Now, he’s super posable, thanks to my dremel, and some splicing I did with another Venom action figure.

Venom here is also currently on eBay. If you’re interested, you can bid on it, or if you know someone who might be, pass the link along!

Click here, or on the photo below to view the full photo set and description for my new Venom custom.

Custom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action Figure – Created March 5th, 2013

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*** Head on over to my Ebay Auctions to see what’s available this week, or commission me if you’d like your very own custom action figure like this one. ***

The recent Marvel Select Venom figure seems very popular amongst collectors, but I just couldn’t help but look at it and see room for improvement, so that’s what I did. Before, the Venom figure couldn’t move very much. Almost no ab crunch, very limited head movement, not to mention single knee joints and absolutely no rocker ankles. It was sad, really. So I heated him up and popped him apart. Thankfully, Venom is almost completely soft plastic, so he pops apart pretty easily. I took my dremel and shaved some plastic away around the ball joint in his neck and in his torso, allowing for a much wider range of motion.

Then, I spliced the lower legs (from the knee down) of a Spider-Man Classics Venom (the one with the rubbery head) onto the new figure. It required some work though. Since the Venom figure only had single knees to begin with, that meant his knee was sculpted onto the upper leg, so I had to shave that down, and in fact cut maybe 1/4″ from the lower part of his upper leg, sand it down to prep it, and drill new joint pin holes, and then attach the new lower legs. Then I sculpted over those joint pins to recreate the texture of the figure to blend everything in. I also sanded down the calves of the SMC Venom an resculpted them. I never did like those Rob Liefeld-like giant calves the figure had before, so I toned them down and blended it by sculpting the same texture into it as the rest of the leg. And by cutting a bit from his legs, it shortened him just a bit, making him more in scale with Marvel Legends, while still being in scale with Marvel Select if one prefers. So that technique is definitely not for the novice.

Next, I repainted everything. Head to toe. I couldn’t stand the weird, very inconsistent blue dry brushing the figure had before. Not to mention all the detailing was messed up. I just couldn’t let it go by. So everything was repainted. I cleaned up the Venom insignias, and all the detailing on the eyes, teeth, and gums of all the heads (including all the extra heads on the “Madness backpack”). The tongues of two of the Venom heads have been painted over in a glossy clear coat to give them a slimy, salivating look. Every alternate attachment was repainted as well, to give a uniform look. I also took the hands from that Spider-Man Classics Venom and modded them to fit into the arms of this new Venom, to give this figure yet another set of alternate hands, ones that have hinged wrists and individually hinged fingers. So it took a bit of doing, but now with the added articulation, Venom is ready to take on Spider-Man in pretty much any of the looks he’s had throughout the comics!

Want to own one of my custom action figures like this one? Head on over to my Ebay Auctions to see what’s available this week, or just commission me instead.


Custom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action FigureCustom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action FigureCustom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action FigureCustom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action FigureCustom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action FigureCustom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action FigureCustom Eddie Brock Venom (Super Posable) w/ Multiple Attachments Marvel Legends/Select Action Figure

Review – Lizard, Spider-Man, Green Goblin – Fearsome Foes 4 Pack, Marvel Select

Diamond Marvel Select Lizard 7" Action Figure, Fearsome Foes Four Pack Spider-ManIf you remember me linking to my Flash Thompson Venom review from the Marvel Select Fearsome Foes 4 pack, then great news. I finished off the reviews of the other three figures in the set, and they’re live on Marvelousnews.com right now. Just follow the links below to read them.

Spider-Man

Green Goblin

The Lizard

Hope you enjoy them.

Review – Spider-Man – 6″ Movie Amazing Spider-Man, Hasbro

Hasbro Walmart Exclusive Amazing Spider-Man 6" Movie Action Figure Andrew Garfield
When Hasbro announced a line of 6″ figures based on the Amazing Spider-Man movie, it was a given that the title hero would be receiving his own figure. I originally had no interest in purchasing this figure, since I don’t very much like the look of the suit in the movie, as he looks very much like a basketball. However, when I had the figure in my hands and I was inspecting it in package, it had potential. I decided to give it a shot, and at the very least I could review it and possibly get some other use out of it.

Here I’ll be judging the figure on its own merits and I’ll keep my bias over the new movie and suit of out the review. So join me as I take a look at the new Walmart exclusive 6″ Amazing Spider-Man action figure.

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Review – The Lizard – 6″ Movie Amazing Spider-Man, Hasbro

The Lizard 6" Amazing Spider-Man Marvel Movie Action Figure Hasbro

This year saw the release of the movie The Amazing Spider-Man, Sony’s attempt at rebooting the franchise in order to start a new series. The movie has largely been very hit or miss with the fans, and the reviews for it seem mixed at best. Still, Hasbro was prepared to roll out a plethora of product in support of the new movie, including a small line of Walmart exclusive 6″ action figures. Despite what many fans may or may not have thought of the movie, there has no doubt been a large amount of anticipation for these new figures. I myself did not care very much for the new movie, but I needed this 6″ Lizard figure in my life. I figured at best he could blend in with all the movie figures I have from the first three Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies.

So what’s the verdict? Is he a good fit for your Spider-Man movie collection? Is he a good action figure at all? Continue reading to find out.

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New Custom Action Figure – Amazing Spider-Man with Movie Accurate Repaint & Magnetic Feet

For this week’s new custom, I have something from the Amazing Spider-Man movie. I recently picked up the new Walmart exclusive 6″ figures, and loved the articulation for the Spider-Man figure, but the paint job was severely lacking. So much so that there was hardly any detail on him at all, and the paint scheme was not movie accurate at all. So I went through and gave him a full repaint, head to toe. He has dark washes and bright highlights to bring out the sculpt, I outlined all the webbing on his suit, and lightly dry brushed some mithril silver to give him that slightly metallic look that he had in the movie. I also added powerful magnets in his feet so now he’s officially a “wall crawler” and can stick to any metal surface.

Click here to view the whole photo set, and to read up on how I created the emblem.

And if you’re interested, it’s currently for sale on eBay from now until next Sunday night.

Custom Amazing Spider-Man (Movie Style Repaint) 6" Marvel Legends Action Figure Hasbro Andrew Garfield