He does include a tongue head, of course. I believe the two heads are probably the only new pieces that are unique to him on this otherwise bucked out figure. And while I do prefer the smiling head, I have to admit the tongue head is good. The more snarling expression is great, the teeth are defined, and the tongue isn’t too crazy. Plus, the green “drool” paint is well done. It’s a good look if you’re into tongues.
The articulation is standard for the current crop, ball-joints at the neck, shoulders, wrists, hips, & inverted ankles; swivels at the biceps, waist, thighs, & calves, double-hinged elbows & knees, the ab crunch. The hips are good, but are the one area that’s not great. He’s able to get in some decent Spidey poses despite his bulk.
There’s really not much paint needed here. Venom is wonderfully done without any white, blue, or grey, over sprays. He’s just molded in black like the Secret Wars Spidey of old and he looks fantastic as a result. It only took a decade to get them to stop doing those relief highlights. The symbol itself is a little fuzzy on the top edge, but its’s fairly crisp throughout and the black detail lines are spot on. The paint really shines on the head with the bright white eyes and the aforementioned green drool, but also on the closed mouth head where the teeth are individual painted and look great.
In addition to the extra head, Venom also included alternate hands. He’s gots claws and the fists. This helps his fun factor and his posing range, but I would like to see more in the way of these hands. Hasbro has done a great job on the alternate handed figures and I can’t help but want more here too.
Overall, it’s just an era for good Venoms. Hasbro’s smooth buck and the great tongue-less head sculpt have me enjoying having that early Venom on my shelf again. Plus, there’s a great tongue head for all you tentacle folks. Venom is really a great example of how Hasbro his hit their stride. We’ve got an iconic character that looks great despite being just a couple of new parts on their basic brawny buck. At this rate, I feel pretty certain I won’t have many Toy Biz versions of figures in my collection here before too long.
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The tongue flicking one is still my favorite Venom fig, too. It’s also the only figure I was ever happy to see break, as the spring inside snapped ages ago so now I can have the tongue stay out at will. But I dare say this one is going to give it a run for its money.
I also thought that I wouldn’t need another after the Select one, but it turns out I have some problems with it. The tongue head is messed up on mine, the top row of teeth are all the same length and the image that popped in my head when I first saw it was “Symbiote Simple Jack,” which is now all I can see when I look at it. Plus the tongue is a bit too big for my tastes and is glued in place (I know it was supposed to be removable), and the veins are a bit much (I too prefer the smooth, oily look). And it really annoys me how the bottom of the spider is broken by the waist joint.
So when I saw this was coming out it looked like I might need to pick it up, and the more I see of it…I KNOW I need to grab it. I don’t want to throw the P word around before seeing it in hand, but that looks about as close to a perfect Venom fig as I’ve ever seen. I won’t be getting rid of the Select one anytime soon – I’ve wanted that Eddie mid-transformation head ever since thst grading card in the 90’s, you know the one, plus the MacFarlane head is so unnervingly spot on and the The Madness parts are just a treat – and I will never voluntarily get rid of the tongue flicking one, but I really can’t see needing another after this.
I just need to find one not stupidly overpriced…
Someone else who doesn’t care for the tongue! I mean, we’ve seen enough hentai by now, right?
Figure looks nice and clean, which is something I appreciated about Anti-Venom: NO “shadowing” oversprays! I’ll have to keep an eye out for a good white spider, esp after recently grabbing a Superior Venom and not realizing until I got home that his chest deco was half smudged. oh well, mainly grabbed him for the BAF piece, anyway.
(and taking a second look at AV, it seems he has some minor paint issues, but they aren’t that noticeable, being mostly on his back and right bicep. so as long as I keep his right arm turned forward or posed reaching to his side, it’s not visible.)
Only thing I would love to have as a bonus would be a mouthless head so could work in as a Dark Spidey. Only thing I would add. Did not see when spotted this wave so know will be hunting. I still have to finish Rhino (Christmas Shopping got in way of that was I don’t buy for myself then)
another fun and Great review. Is that the DQ Dog and Ketchup bottle? Thats surprising an idea not tried yet with Toxin.
I own that awesome Marvel Select Venom and thankfully I don’t have the issues that @Alex unfortunately has (Sorry man) since the tongue on my is fine and very removable.
After I bought him, I figured, well just like Noisy, that’s it. I don’t ever need another Venom figure. and technically I don’t, but I’m still getting this one mainly to complete the Absorbing Man BAF, ’cause really, this is pretty much the ML version of that figure minus the better paint job and accessories. But hey, it’s still a solid figure nonetheless. Hopefully that means Hasbro will give Venom a break, much like Cap and Iron Man sorely need right now once Civil War fever’s over.
Yay for the closed mouth! It’s finally happened! Crazy thing is that the tongue-full head is actually kinda cool too, though the real triumph goes to that plain ‘ol classic Venom smile head. I’ve waited so long for a Venom that doesn’t look like a black garbage bag full of chunky soup and vomit.