Marvel Legends Hobgoblin figure review
Hobgoblin has proven to be a very popular character in Spider-Man from a comic book and action figure perspective. He’s yet to crossover to big screen success, but it seems like just a matter of time.
A year after getting a Build-A-Figure based on his modern look, Hasbro circles back for a classic take on Hobgboblin. My preference is to go classic first and then go modern, but I appreciate Hasbro doubling back. Hopefully that’s a pattern that will continue in the future.
Packaging: Hasbro isn’t about to make wholesale changes to the formula at this point. It works well enough in showcasing the figure and accessories. I love the side panel drawing and wish the bio had more information. Same as always.
Likeness: Like the Green Goblin, Toy Biz did a bang up job with its take on Hobgoblin making him one of the lower tier characters in need of a Hasbro update. Toy Biz’s version still holds up though, but once again Hasbro’s update wins out in the end.
Credit that to the sharp detailed work on the sculpt from the chain mail to the tatters on the outfit. I really like the look of the gloves and boots. Toy Biz’s head sculpt has a more ripped from the comic look, but Hasbro’s take has a real sinister visual. He looks intimidating in a way Green Goblin doesn’t.
Additionally, Hasbro tossed in an alternate head sculpt based on Hobgoblin’s stint as The Demogoblin. During that phase, Hobgoblin was transformed into a demon with an emaciated frame and inferno-scorched outfit. To get the look accurate, Hasbro would need to make an entirely new figure, but I appreciate the gesture in providing alternate display options.
Scale: Despite the newer sculpt and parts, Hobgoblin still scales properly with regular size characters like Black Panther and Hawkeye. Demogoblin might have been taller and less proportionate, but this is appropriate for the default version.
Paint: I love the look of the blue for the chain mail. It really pops and looks terrific. The orange is a nice shade and the silve buckles throughout are clean, but what really stands out is the faded yellow orange used for the mask. The sickly color really makes it look like a latex mask that’s been in the sun too long.
The details really came out well from the red eyes to the teeth. A lot of times those will get a bit sloppy, but that’s not the case with either head sculpt. Great job by the Hasbro paint factory.
Articulation: Good luck finding a more affordable better articulated line on the shelves. Hobgoblin is another winner from Hasbro. The cape is loose enough to allow for easy pumpkin slinging poses. All of the joints were nice and tight (almost too tight in the case of the arms), which is very helpful in case you choose to pose him crouched on his glider.
Hobgoblin has:
- neck
- ball-jointed shoulders
- bicep
- elbow
- wrist
- wrist hinge
- torso
- waist
- hip
- thigh
- knee (double-jointed)
- ankle
Accessories: Hobgoblin gets a solid and useful array of accessories. Beyond the alternate head, he gets a satchel to hold his stash of pumpkin bomb. That’s the kind of accessory I’ll never get enough of in my weapons bin so that’s appreciated.
As expected, he also comes with his trademark glider. It seems a little too small so I might end up using the Toy Biz version. I really liked how the Toy Biz version came with a stand to simulate flying.
Additionally, he comes with the head of this wave’s BAF — Space Venom. SV is going to be a harder sell than most BAFs this year, but including the head with one of the wave’s most demanded characters was a smart move by Hasbro.
Worth it? Marvel Legends are the best value on the 6” market and he’s just another prime example of why 2016 has been such a banner year for the line.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Hobgoblin is a tremendous upgrade over the great Toy Biz figure and is definitely a must-grab for Spider-Man fans.
Where to get it? Hobgoblin has proven to be one of the more popular characters in the wave. That means he might be harder to track down at the traditional outlets like Target or Toys R Us. Currently he’s sold out on Amazon proper making grabbing him a bit tricky.