In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker finds that being Spider-Man comes at a price: only Spider-Man can protect his fellow New Yorkers from an array of villians including Electro. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn returns, Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have Oscorp in common. The film will be released in theaters internationally beginning April 16, 2014, and in the U.S. on May 2, 2014.
Now while Spider-Man is a Marvel property, we don’t normally cover the films on this site. The Spider-Man film franchise is licensed to Sony and Disney/Marvel has little involvement. However, a little bit back Disney traded their participation in the films for Sony’s participation in the merchandise. So what does this mean? The toys based on the films are definitely Disney. So let’s take a look at some of the toys coming to a toy store near you.
First up is Hasbro’s Giant Web Slinging Spider-Man Figure. This 13-inch figure ahoots either water or web fluid. Let’s face it, the coolest part of Spider-Man is shooting webs, now we finally have a toy that lets us live that moment. The retail price for this action figure is $29.99
If you want to shoot webs yourself there is the Spiral Blast Web Shooter. This $29.99 toy allows users to shoot webs in either a straight line or a spiral pattern. I have the classic webshooter toy, but it may be time for an upgrade.
For those that want to shoot something that is a little less messy, Hasbro has the Motorized Spider Force Web Blaster for $19.99. This toy fires foam discus up to 20 feet at rapid speed. The toy comes with 10 NERF discs which should be enough to vanquish all of Spider-Man’s foes. But remember, the discs may be NERF, but they still can be quite powerful and as we all know… “with great power, comes great responsibility.”
Spider-Man has other powers beyond shooting webs. He also has Spidey sense. Kids can gain this power with the Spider Vision Electronic Mask. This $19.99 toy features Microprism fire vision technology. It sounds cool, but I have no idea what that means. But the mask does feature two discs that illuminate when activated by the mask.
Versatility is the key to the Spider Strike Triple Strike Cruiser which features three different modes: Cruiser Spider Racer and Web Glider. The vehicle also comes with a 3.75-inch Spider-Man action-figure. I don’t have details on what each mode means, but I can say that they each have a cool name.
The Hot Wheels Speed Circuit Showdown Spider-Man vs. Electro combines two classics; Hot Wheels and Spider-Man all for just $29.99.The toy does feature a motorized booster, but you have to avoid Spidey’s web trap.
And finally, we have the Legends Infinite Series Action Figures. The line not only features Spider-Man and Electro from the film but also Superior Spider-Man, Carnage, Beetle, and Black Cat from the Marvel comics. Each figure retails for $19.99
Many of these toys seem quite fun. And while it is odd to be writing about a merchandise line for a non-Disney film, I do hope the film delivers. The first film posed a lot of questions that went unanswered. Hopefully now we will learn about the untold story.