Spider-man and Mary Jane

Spider-man and Mary Jane

Marvel Legends Two-pack

Plus:  Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy customs

Spider-man has one of the most recognizable casts of supporting, non-powered characters in all of comicdom.  Outside of the Superman and Batman families (Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Alfred Pennyworth) most people have at least heard of Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy, J. Jonah Jameson, and Aunt May.  If you have been to the movies in the past 15 years, how could you not?

While there have been some movie figures here and there in the past, Hasbro's Marvel Legends is finally giving these characters the 6-inch comic treatment. (Well, for the most part. Sometimes you have to make due with just the head.)

This Toys R Us exclusive pack delivers a full-fledged Mary Jane Watson.  She may not be the classic 60's look that most fans would prefer, but I'll take modern over nothing.  The outfit is kinda bland, but there is some nice fading going on with the jeans.  The head sculpt is where this figure shines.  She has some great detailing on the ends of her hair, and the freckles on her face are a nice touch.  M.J. comes with one accessory: a handbag.  I didn't call is a purse, because I wouldn't want to offend the Green Goblin or Hobgoblin for shopping at the same store.  

M.J. comes packed with a redecoed  "Pizza" Spider-man.  I assume (with the difference in the leg pattern and spider symbols) that this is a modern take on the suit.  He has some neat, green shadowing in his eyes and around the chest symbol.  Radioactive blood side-effects? (Sorry, I don't know -- I haven't read a Spider-book since the horrible Clone Saga).  He comes with some different hands and an unmasked Peter Parker head.  This head should have been included with "pizza" Spidey, but if it helps get Mary Jane out there, so be it.  

All-in-all, not a bad set.  $40 might sound a bit steep, but I can't see Mary Jane being offered as a single-packed figure.  

Using the unmasked head accessory and a dirt-cheap Batman v. Superman Lex Luthor figure, you can make a pretty decent, modern Peter Parker in civilian clothes.  The neck peg had to be built up a bit.  I did so by using some masking tape.  Fits snug, and no damage done to either component...but who cares about hurting a Jesse Eisenberg Lex, right?  I added a camera accessory from the old Toy Biz Spider-man Pete.

Having purchased the Spider-Gwen figure from a couple waves back, I had been searching for a decent civilian body that might work with the unmasked Gwen Stacy head.  I found that a head-swap with Diamond Select Toys' iZombie Liv figure looks great and only needs some paint if desired.  I will be tackling this modern take on Gwen with some green for her coat and purple for her skirt.  

So, there you have it.  I've got Mary Jane, Gwen, and J.J., Hasbro...all that's left is Aunt May with Ms. Lion accessory.  If she needs to come in a two-pack with Firestar, even better!  I don't care how many Spidey variations you make me buy to get this done...make mine Marvel!  Or at least give me a piece of a figure that I can customize using a DC figure.