Monday 1 December 2014

Agent Venom (Marvel Legends)

Imagine walking into your local drugstore; looking for something for a headache and then suddenly "BAM!" ...a Marvel Legends figure sitting right next to a Tylenol! But imagine the intensity of the headache you get if the action figure is a frickin Walgreens Exclusive and you live in Canada! Not only that this is a poor marketing strategy but also a lack of empathy to those Legends fans who are outside of the States. However, this Marvel Legends Agent Venom figure looks so kick-ass and very tempting regardless of a scalper price marked on it. I think there shouldn't be any rush getting these type of figures. Just wait until you find a better deal.

Marvel Legends Agent Venom

Released two or three months after The Amazing Spider-Man Wave, ML Agent Venom was supposed to be part of that said Wave with the Ultimate Green Goblin Build-A-Figure but for some reason, he ended up being in a pharmacy as an Exclusive item. Although, the packaging looked very similar to the ones from the Wave in terms of artwork. He is like the prodigal son that was lost and had been returned to his folks! Kind of interesting to see figures popping up on store shelves like this.


What blew my mind is the amount of accessories this figure has. He got a semi-automatic rifle, a handgun with a laser sight and two regular handguns for a total of four guns that fit enough around his grasps. And that's not all you can do with his guns! Agent Venom got these tendrils that you can plug behind him and look almost like the ones on the ML Carnage but not as awesome as his, which work like extra hands. These tendrils can also hold his guns very well, and having all four of them in place make him super-cool!


Agent Venom's utility belt and chest armour are actually removable. They are all made of these soft rubbery plastic making it easy to dress him with these wearable accessories. His shoulder pads are also made of the same type, which allows his shoulders to move freely without being hindered. The only thing that worries me since there are no hinges incorporated unto his shoulder pads, is the fact that overtime the plastic gets damaged and torn as the result of bending. To avoid it, maybe bending it should be done less often.


Paint defects can be seen rarely from an all-black action figure. As you look closely, the spider-symbol may be painted a little sloppy but I think it just goes naturally with him having this "symbiote suit". There are some though that are just obvious like the paint rubs around Agent Venom's ball-hinged hips but it's not noticeable once you get him to wear his belt with all the stuff hanging and covering almost the whole hip.


With the entire figure almost covered in black and the addition of a chest armour, it's hard to tell that this is a Ultimate Captain America body mold! One clue for you to be able to realize is his black utility belt which is identical to that of Cap's. What's bothering me... again, is this gun (in a holster) being molded or glued together with his leg. It would have been much better if Hasbro made this an actual holster to store Agent Venom's weapons. The texturing on his body armour is wonderfully made; having that rough organic feel like a scorpion's body.


The articulation of this figure is entirely the same with our Ultimate Captain America. The ab crunch is the only joint that is compromised because of that chest piece he is wearing. His head is on a ball-peg. Shoulders and hips are on a ball-hinged. Double-joints to both elbows and knees. He got rotation at his mid-arms but no hinges at the wrist (that's no good). He got rotation at the thighs and ankles plus an ankle pivot.


As far as recommendations goes, I would totally recommend him to anyone especially to a Spidey-fan but I wouldn't recommend and ask you to buy it at double the price like some prices you see on eBay or even in comic book stores. Agent Venom stands at about 6.5 inches and is on perfect scale with the rest of your Legends figures.


6 comments:

  1. He looks pretty good actually...great grab.

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    1. Thanks. This is probably one of my favourites this year.

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  2. I like the tendrils that can hold the guns and his bulk up size using the shoulder pads. But he is too pricey for a spider to come along. Haha. Great figure.

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    1. Yes, ...because he's an exclusive figure at Walgreens thus the price. Luckily I got him for like $35.

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  3. Id snag this one up quick in 3 3/4 scale.Heck this might be the first Legends figure I plop 20 bucks on!Well,maybe not but a nice figure nonetheless combo ;)

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    1. Thanks. He's a bit pricey here in Canada because he's a Walgreens Exclusive and I'm pretty sure it is much cheaper and easier to find this guy in the U.S.

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