POP Funko - SPINNERET!

POP! Marvel #1293 - Entertainment Earth Exclusive - Spinneret - Funko 2023

I've been collecting toys for a long time and sometimes I get cocky thinking I can predict release and distribution patterns. But I'm often wrong. When this Spinneret Funko Pop was announced last year, I knew I had to get her. I've slowed down my Pop purchases a lot, but Bat-Family and Spider-Family females will always have a place on my shelf. The problem was that this was an online exclusive, and I am very picky about paint, especially with Spider-characters where web patterns tend to get sloppy (I had to order eight Spider-Woman Pops back in 2018 before I got a good one). But Spinneret was exclusive to Entertainment Earth, which I've noticed has a relationship with both FYE and Go! Calendars and Games, where you can almost always find EE exclusives (in limited quantities) in person. So I waited. And waited. Eventually she sold out on the EE website and eBay images were annoyingly all solicit renders. I thought I was screwed. But luckily I found a ton of her from vendors at NY Comic Con 2024.

Marvel Legends - SPINNERET!

Marvel Legends - Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows - Spinneret - Hasbro 2022

I love that in modern comics, the love interest (civilian) characters often get powers and become superheroes. The trope is extremely common: Lois Lane, Betty Ross, Carol Ferris, Peggy Carter, Jane Foster, Gwen Stacy, etc have all been granted powers (and often solo books and toys). Mary Jane has had her fair representation in costume. She has appeared as some version of Spider-Man many times (usually in alternate timelines). But her role as Spinneret in 2016's Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, Vol 2 was special. She suddenly had a unique costume and name, and she was a regular hero character in that ongoing series (albeit in an alternate universe). The series is centered around Spider-Man, Mary Jane, and their daughter, Anna-May (Annie) Parker. Annie has powers (she is presumably an alternate version of Mayday Parker aka MC2 Universe's Spider-Girl) and in volume two of the comic, MJ wants in on the action and gets a tech suit that grants her powers as well... as Spinneret.

Marvel Legends - GWEN STACY!

Marvel Legends - Spider-Man Vintage Wave - Gwen Stacy - Hasbro 2020

Gwen Stacy has had the best resurrection in the last few years. Literally. As one of original characters to get fridged (look up Women in Refrigerators if you're unaware), Gwen had to be brought back from literary death to appear in modern comics. And this time she wasn't being wasted. Granted, she was brought back in an alternate reality where she was the one bitten by the radioactive spider to become the fan favorite Spider-Gwen. Then she inspired a month of Gwen-Stacy-themed variant covers in the Summer of 2015 which spawned another fan-favorite-alternate-reality character, Gwenpool. I love both of these character, so by default, I now love the classic 1960-70's Gwen. This figure was a long time coming and she is practically perfect. The added bonus of a classic Mary Jane head is just icing on the cake. The Marvel Legends Vintage series is one of my favorite sub-lines. I really dig a good retro vibe with my toys so these are a natural draw for me. Let's check out Gwen Stacy (and Mary Jane!) below!

Marvel Legends - MICHELLE "MJ" JONES!

Marvel Legends - Spider-Man: FFH - Spider-Man & MJ Target Exc - Hasbro 2019

I don't usually collect action figures of civilian characters. Hell, I even hesitate when buying Black Widow figures because her outfits are usually so non-descript (aka boring). I want outlandish colorful spandex, ideally with capes and masks. But sometimes the execution of a figure is so nice that I gleefully push aside my snobbery and take my prize to the registers. In the Spider-Man: Homecoming and Far From Home movies, the traditional role of Mary Jane "MJ" Watson is replaced with Michelle "MJ" Jones played by Zendaya. I liked the character and the actress in the first movie quite a bit, but she wouldn't have been on my list for a must-have Marvel Legends figure. However, once I saw her in person she was extremely hard to pass up. This is 100% due to the amazing face scans. Hasbro used an earlier incarnation of the technology for G.I.Joe Rise of Cobra products in 2009 with frightening results. The improvements are simply amazing (with the exception of the bafflingly bad Captain Marvel). Let's check MJ out!

Marvel Legends - MARY JANE WATSON!

Marvel Legends - Spider-Man & Mary Jane 2-Pack - Toys R Us Exc - Hasbro 2017

The action figure world historically isn't very inclusive of civilian characters. Even obvious choices like Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent and Diana Prince rarely get the action figure treatment. Secondary characters like Alfred Pennyworth, Mary Jane, and Lois Lane seem to fight an uphill battle for representation in plastic. I think this is only the third true action figure of MJ. In 1999 there was a Toy Biz figure (with a bizarre Santa Claus redeco later the same year), then a 3.75" Marvel Universe figure in 2010. (I'm excluding movie figures and mini-figures like SHS, Lego, and Mini-mates). So, yeah, this Marvel Legends Mary Jane was a long-awaited addition to the line. Lately she's been donning spider-costumes as Spinneret, Iron Spider, Mangaverse Spider-Woman, and multiple other-earth Spider-Woman roles. So who knows, this civilian Mary Jane could just be the tip of the iceberg. Not to mention the current MJ cover theme which always has the potential to generate a new character a'la Gwenpool. Let's check out Mary Jane below!

Mini-Mate Women of SPIDER-MAN!

Foes, Friends & Family of the Famous Webhead - DST/Art Asylum 2003-2013

Spider-Man has one of the best rosters of supporting female characters out there.  There's the lovable family characters like Aunt May and Mary Jane, awesome "copycat" heroes like Spider-Woman and Spider-Girl, and of course a few villainous vixens like Black Cat to add some spice.  DST and Art Asylum have just about the world's best character production out there.  It's between them and heroclix and someday I'll make an in-depth comparison.  Over the years we've received Mini-Mates of almost every Marvel character I can think of.  It's amazing what they've been able to accomplish in ten years.  The best part is that they always surprise the fans with something new and unexpected.  I'm excited to see what they have displayed this weekend at Toy Fair (I'll be there reporting by the way).  I'm hoping to see Young Avengers, New Warriors, and Guardians of the Galaxy (classic) - and I love the fact that there's a legitimate chance I'll see some of those.  This review is huge so I'm skipping the in-package shots.  Let's get started!