Two things in this world are for certain: the sun will rise tomorrow and someone, somewhere is working on a new Spider-Man action figure.
And, sure as the sun rises, the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming put some excellent new designs on the market, while the ongoing success of various Spider-Man animated series (recently rebooted as simply ‘Marvel Spider-Man’) has meant lots of new collectable action figures for fans of that success.
Whether you’re shopping for a Christmas present or looking for the latest, greatest piece to add to your collection, here are my top 5 Spider-Man figures of 2018:
38cm Spider-Man: Homecoming Figure (Tech Suit)
I’m always impressed by how far toy technology has come, but sometimes all you need is the simple things. And that’s exactly what this Tech-Suit Spider-Man Figurine from Hasbro delivers. Wave your hand to hear him deliver one of over 40 iconic Spidey phrases. A button on his back causes his eyes to light up, making playing in the dark even more fun and mysterious. And you can set a projectile to fire from his web shooter, giving this action figure that proper POW-POW feel.
Buy now from Amazon UK
I love this figure. It’s simple but effective and comes with a great design that is gua-ran-teed to make any Spidey fan fall instantly in love. I can imagine hours of play with this one. The final point: click the link to see the box ─ it’s a collector’s item in its own right!
The key stats:
- 40+ motion activated sounds and phrases
- 2 play modes (Battle and Flight)
- 38cm (1.3ft) in height
- Includes light-up eyes and missile-firing capabilities
- 2x AA batteries included
- Buy now from Amazon UK
Ultimate Spider-Man Figure (Web Warriors Titan Hero Series)
Continuing the theme of ‘simple is better’, this toy is about as stripped-back as you can get. However ─ it has one other quality that sets it apart from all others and earns it a place in my top five. That is… that this figure is almost indestructible! Seriously, they must have welded this thing together with adamantium: even the most destructive child won’t find a way to maim this figure!
Buy now from BargainMax – just £11.98 (including delivery)
Add to that the fact it looks awesome (has Spider-Man being hitting the gym? Seriously look at those lats! And those tris! And those quads!) and a price tag barely more than a tenner, and we have ourselves a fantastic all-round Spider-Man figure here.
The key stats:
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- 30cm (1ft) tall
- Available now from BargainMax – just £11.98 (including delivery)
- Aaaand that’s pretty much it!
Eye FX Electronic Spider-Man: Homecoming Figure
You know playtime has gotten serious when your toy gets serious too. And that’s exactly what this ground-breaking Spider-Man action figure does: gets serious! Push the button on the back of Spidey’s head and watch his eyes narrow to focus on the target, then BAM ─ imagination takes over and you’ve got yourself a playtime more exciting than ever.
Buy now from Amazon UK
The design on this toy is as excellent as the idea, and that’s what really makes it for me. The colours are perfect and really help to make this toy look and feel like the Spidey on the big screen. Plus Spider-Man is correctly proportioned! That’s not something you can say about a lot of Spider-Man figures, and it really helps to make this model feel like a collector’s piece. Again, it’s very simple ─ in fact, I imagine it will be a hot target for collectors ─ but it’s that simplicity that brings it to life. An excellent choice and, because it’s not packed full of gadgets, the price is pretty reasonable too!
The key stats:
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- Fully articulated ─ including Spidey’s eyes!
- 2x AA batteries included
- 30cm (1ft) tall
- Buy now from Amazon UK
Spider-Man Funko Pop! Figure
This is definitely one for the collectors, and it’s definitely the most interesting addition to my top five. If you’re not familiar with Pop!, this ‘bobble-head’ look is common among all their licenced figures ─ and they’ve done almost every popular series out there, from Avengers to Game of Thrones.
Buy now from Amazon UK
This Spider-Man: Homecoming figure joins their growing list of Spider-Man entries which includes a number of other Spider-Man: Homecoming models, not to mention the Dorbz collection:
- Spider-Man in his homemade suit
- Vulture
- Peter Parker
- Unmasked Spider-Man
- Homemade suit unmasked
- Spider-Man with headphones
- Tony Stark
No articulation, no fancy gadgets… this is a display model suitable for older kids and hardcore collectors. There isn’t much else to say about it ─ it’s the design that makes this figure so special, so unique and so collectable. And £10.99 RRP ─ an absolute steal!
The key stats:
- 9.5cm (0.75ft) in height
- No batteries required
- Available now from Amazon UK
Spider-Man: Homecoming Homemade Suit Action Figure
And here it is! My top pick, both for toy fans and collectors in time for Christmas, is the Spider-Man: Homecoming Home-Made Suit Build-a-Figure Spider-Man (what a mouthful!) from Toy World Group.
Buy now from Amazon UK
Wow, wow, wow. Not many toy manufacturers have clocked the incredible potential of making a toy from Spider-Man’s home-made suit in Spider-Man: Homecoming (Pop! has created one in their house style ─ check it out by following the link above), but for fans of Spider-Man, this style is one that had us all gasping when we saw the movie. And this is the truest and best rendition of that unique design.
Add to that all the cool features that come with this toy. Infinitely bendable and poseable, with changeable hands and Spider-Man’s cool new hood (which can be worn either up or down), this toy transitions from the collector’s shelf to a child’s playtime seamlessly. Everything about it, from the colours to the shape to the expression in Spidey’s eyes, makes it as dynamic and fascinating as the Spidey on the big screen. I love it! And best of all, it makes the number one spot without even coming close to being the most expensive toy on this list! An absolute must-have and well deserving of number one on my list of the best figures for 2018. Snap it up now!
The key stats:
- 15cm (6 inches) in height
- Fully articulated
- Changeable hands
- Optional hood
- Includes Build-a-Figure base that stacks with other Marvel Legends figures
- Available now from Amazon UK
Well there you have it. As usual, I’d love to hear your questions, comments and queries, or your choice of any of the best Spider-Man figures that haven’t made the list next time. Keep it real!