Hello there, Spidey fans! It’s good to be back with your monthly dose of Spider-Tracer. Some unforeseen circumstances got in the way last month, and I do apologize for your lack of such an August article. With that said, let’s get back to it, shall we?
Recently, I acquired the new SDCC exclusive Marvel Legends Spider-Man 1967 3-pack from Hasbro, and what a glorious set it is! It features, without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite Spider-Man figures! In fact, I loved it so much, I wanted a second one to count as Charles Cameo in his Spider-Man disguise! And then I may have bought a third one to keep in that awesome television packaging… With that said, I’m hopeful that Hasbro won’t stop with Spidey, Lizard, and Electro; I want more of the villains from that wonderful show! Let’s take a look at who else should be on Hasbro’s radar…
10. The Human Fly Twins
Made for the cartoon, brothers Stan and Lee (ha!) Patterson bedeviled Spidey several times over the course of two episodes, which were entitled “The Spider and the Fly” and “Trick or Treachery”. Hasbro would only need to make one figure, and fans like me would be sure to grab two, just like I recently did in order to display the villainous Charles Cameo. They would look great on the shelf thanks to those black costumes and big, bright green eyes!
9. Sandman
He may have only appeared in the episode “Sands of Crime”, but he gave Spidey so much trouble, it’d be a crime itself to deny this Ditko-created villain a figure. Throw in the big diamond and some alternate sand-morphing parts (like a hammer hand), and he’d undoubtedly make for a cool figure, even if his shirt and hair were missing their trademark lines.
8. Scorpion
Scorpion would be an easy reuse of the current Hasbro Scorpion body; he’d simply need a new head. It’s basically the same recipe Hasbro used to make Lizard from the show. Appearing in the episodes “Never Step on a Scorpion” and “Sting of the Scorpion”, Scorpion would look great on your shelf not only battling Spider-Man, but taking another character on this list hostage…
7. Doc Ock
Starring in the episodes “The Power of Dr. Octopus” and “The Terrible Triumph of Dr. Octopus”, Doc Ock was the first villain Spidey fought on the cartoon, and if that’s not enough to warrant him a figure, the fact that he mostly used a design which could double as a Ditko Doc Ock (something we’ve never gotten from Hasbro or ToyBiz) makes me really hopeful that he would get a figure. I would just hope Hasbro gives him bendy-wire tentacles; not those pre-posed, static tentacles they used on their 2018 Doc Ock figure.
6. Kingpin
Kingpin starred in the episodes “King Pinned” and “The Big Brainwasher”, and with his strength, intellect, thugs, and weapons, Kingpin was able to really give Spider-Man a real challenge! His criminal activities also threatened the lives of not only J. Jonah Jameson, but poor Aunt May, as well! If that’s not enough to score him a figure, I don’t know what is!
5. Mysterio
Mysterio had one of the best adaptations from the comics. The show gave us a great adaptation of his first appearance (ASM Vol. 1, #13) in the episode “The Menace of Mysterio”. The show also adapted “The Amazing Spider-Man” Vol. 1, #s 66-67, in which Mysterio makes Spidey think he’s only 6” tall. However, that episode inexplicably made Mysterio green-skinned, gave him glasses, and put him in a turtleneck. There was also a really fun episode featuring a pirate plot; Spidey uses his webbing to make a sword and battle Mysterio (“Return of the Flying Dutchman”). Whenever Mysterio (or “Joe”, as someone calls him in one episode) showed up on the show, you knew it was going to be a good time! And that’s why I’d love to have Mysterio (in his bubble-domed look) as a figure; throw in alternate heads of his normal and green-skinned looks, and I’d happily pre-order him on day one.
4. Rhino
Rhino was so dumb, he was funny! He also made the best faces, which made for some of the show’s best memes. Speaking of which, they added Rhino to “Me and the Boys” meme, even though he wasn’t among the villains broken out of prison by Dr. Noah Body. Rhino starred in the episodes “Horn of the Rhino” and “The Golden Rhino”; he also appeared in the episode “Rhino” in season three, but it was basically cobbled together from his first two episodes (this show suffered budget issues throughout its entire run).
3. Vulture/ Vulture Man
Vulture, or Vulture Man, as everyone else called him on the show, was in the episodes “The Sky is Falling”, “The Vulture’s Prey”, “To Catch a Spider”, and “The Winged Thing”; that last episode, much like “Rhino”, was cobbled together from previous Vulture episodes. He was one of the villains Dr. Noah Body broke out of prison, and, as a result, is one of the villains featured in “Me and the Boys” meme, which, for me, drives up the need for Vulture Man to get a figure. If you’re wondering why he doesn’t look like Adrian Toomes’ Vulture, it’s because this show came out around the time when Blackie Drago wore the wings, which is why this Vulture (Man, don’t forget the Man!) wears a partial mask/helmet.
2. Green Goblin
Appearing in “The Witching Hour”, “Magic Malice”, and “To Catch a Spider”, Green Goblin may look like his comic counterpart, but he differs vastly from his appearances in the comics. This series was in production around the time Stan Lee and John Romita, Sr revealed that Norman Osborn was the Green Goblin. As a result, it was probably too late to incorporate any of the interesting Norman Osborn backstory into the character. Thus, the Green Goblin was seemingly just a goblin man who was interested in black magic and the occult (the show loved green-skinned villains, as we’d see the more the show continued into later episodes). He also teamed up with Vulture Man, Electro, and Doctor Noah Body to battle Spider-Man, which means he was also part of “Me and the Boys” meme. A classic Romita, Sr-esque Green Goblin would make for an undoubtedly cool figure!
- J. Jonah Jameson/ The Spider-Slayer
This may seem like a bit of a cheat, but if you consider the Spider-Slayer as a weapon or accessory, then it works just fine! J. Jonah Jameson appeared in a multitude of episodes, both as a menace to Spider-Man and being menaced by the villains of the show. The comic relief JJJ added to the show was, much like in the comics, invaluable! Hasbro could make this a 2-pack, complete with an alternate screen with Spencer Smythe’s face on it, thus giving us both a villain and supporting character in one go! In case you were curious, the Spider-Slayer only appeared in the episode “Captured by J. Jonah Jameson”.
And with that, I’m curious to hear if your most wanted villain(s) made the list! I’m also wondering if you guys picked up the 1967 figure 3-pack, and what your thoughts are on it. Let me know in the comments section below!
