You just know it’s a true golden age of Marvel action figures when Hasbro feels confident enough to bring out a new version of one of Toybiz’s biggest duds of all-time. The Spider-Man The Animated Series Spider-Armor figure languished unloved on store shelves for years and years in the 90s, which is likely why it’s never been upgraded to a 6” figure. But the time has come to see the Spider-Armor Mark I available again, and the retro 90s Toybiz packaging definitely feels apropos in this instance. this is probably the only Marvel Legends Spider-Armor Mark I figure ever to be available—is it worth getting? Here’s my review…

In Web of Spider-Man #100 in 1993, Peter Parker briefly donned a silver and black armored costume for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tenure in which the costume protects him for a short time against the New Enforcers… and then shatters after a blast from, uh… Thermite (a villain who is unlikely to get a Marvel Legends figure in this lifetime).

This comic book is definitely better-remembered for its cool metallic cover than the forgettable story inside, although the audacious notion of Spider-Man wearing an armored costume would become a billion times more popular when the Iron Spider armor debuted 13 years later.

Perhaps thinking the Mark I Spider Armor would be a hit, it ended up being included in both the 90s Spider-Man cartoon and the corresponding Toybiz 5” figures toy line—where it was almost undoubtedly the singular most unpopular Spidey variant in the line and haunted dust-filled retailer shelves by the dozen for years (see photo of it above.

So what better throwback iteration of Peter Parker to represent the character in this year’s Toybiz-styled Marvel Legends Spider-Man Retro Collection than the good old Spider-Armor, right…? Here’s how I think it turned out…

At a glance, I had horror flashbacks to the poorly articulated, highly unplayable 90s toy of this Spider-Man armor. But once you get this Hasbro action figure out of the packaging, you can see it’s anything but stiff. Despite the clunky (and accurate) aesthetic of this design, Hasbro has integrated their usual super-articulation scheme and made it really work.

While the design itself doesn’t really allow for the usage of the popular butterfly swivel shoulders, pretty much everything else you’d want is incorporated here:

• Ball Jointed Head and Hips
• Ball-Hinge Shoulders
• Upper Torso Ab Crunch
• Swivel Hips, Biceps and Thighs
• Pin-Free Double-Hinge Elbows and Knees
• Swivel-Hinge Wrists
• Hinged Feet with Ankle Rockers

He’s not quite as poseable as some other Spideys, but I think this is exemplary for this sort of design nonetheless. I’m especially pleased with the pin-less arms and legs, as I think pins would have really disrupted the flow of the beautiful sculpt here.

And speaking of the sculpt—as you may expect, this figure is loaded with new tooling. The black, “bulletproof” mesh-like portions of the armor have a wonderful texture on them, and the silver parts of the battle suit feel appropriately clunky and armor-y.

It might have been fun for a laugh to get a “web shield” accessory here like Toybiz included, Hasbro gives us something way better—interchangeable hands and new web effects pieces. Being able to mix and match web-shooting hands and fists allows for a lot more diversification of poses, but the real prize here is the new webs.

The large and small webs included can be stuck on other figures’ faces, bodies, weapons—whatever you want. These are legit my favorite thing in the whole new ML Retro Series wave and tons of fun.

There’s not exactly a ton of paint apps on this figure (nor is much necessary), but the colors are all exactly as they should be. The black is matte and the silver bits definitely stand out as feeling like chunks of bulky metal. Joints all feel tight but movable as well. I’ve got no complaints QC- or deco-wise.

Overall: Marvel Legends Retro Spider-Armor is an amazing update to a Spider-Man costume permutation that has to be among Spidey’s most unpopular. The web effects accessories are loads of fun and perhaps the coolest thing in the whole series, and the textured armor and pin-less knees and elbows are a boon here.

This is a definitive rendition of a Spider-Man costume I’m not sure fans will mind if we never see it done again (although Hasbro may get wild and give us a Toybiz-inspired gold repaint to get more use from these tools). This is not a version of Spidey I ever cared about or asked for, but it’s a cool toy with fun effects and I’m happy enough to have bought it–and if you want one, he’s in-stock on Amazon right now with free shipping.

GRADE: A