Welcome to our review of the 2018 Disney Store Exclusive Venom figure from Diamond Select Toys. While this is a comic book based version of Venom, the figure was released to coincide with Sony's 2018 Venom movie. The figure is a partial re-release of standard Select Venom with new heads and accessories.
Packaging 4/5
Venom arrives on Disney Store shelves in what appears to be the standard Diamond Select packaging. However, as with other Disney Store exclusives you will find the blister is much slimmer than the normal Select releases - most likely to take up less space.
The other design principles remain in tact with a cardboard backing card that then wraps the left hand side of an oversized blister and eventually wraps onto the front to create the space to label the figure. The text used for "Venom" is consistent with the other Comic based Select releases.
The only clue to its Disney Store exclusivity is the small Disney logo under the character name. To the side of the nameplate is a triangular insert cutting into the blister on which is a head shot of Venom which does look very cinematic rather than comic based - although it is not an actual shot from the Tom Hardy movie.
The left hand spine of the figure contains the standard art panel that Select figures are renowned for. While the front art is cinematic, the side panel is firmly rooted in comic book art and is nothing short of spectacular with a head shot of Venom with teeth bared and tongue snaking out.
The back of the box is fairly simple with an image of the figure against a faded comic panel backdrop. The two alternative looks for the figure are represented in inserts either side of the main images legs. There is a repeat of the orange/yellow VENOM text from the front of the box and they usual logos and trademarks. Unlike a lot of Select figures there is no character or background text utilised.
Paint & Sculpt 3/5
The body of our Disney Store Venom is identical to the original 2013 release, while the back section and all three heads are brand new additions sculpted for this version.
The first head is a closed mouth version and is an interesting look for the Symbiote. While I kind of like it, I suspect it will be the least favourite of the three included in the pack.
The figure itself stands 8 inches tall. It is cast in black plastic with the white spider logo, eyes and panels on the back of the hands added over the top.
The back section, like the first release, is removable. Rather than plugs and sockets it works cleverly by moulding around the sculpt of the figure and both fits and stays in place really effectively. This is also cast in black, no paint apps.
Under the back section is more of the spider logo and you can see in these images the paint doesn't quite cover the black base in places and looks a little grey.
The head is swapped out by popping it off the ball joint. This is easy to do, with a small ball on the end of the neck joint. The only issue with this is I suspect the fit will start to loosen over time.
The second head is an open mouthed version with the iconic tongue snaking out. This is much more the Venom we know and looks great. There is good colour to the lips, teeth and tongue and the eyes are pretty bright white, but again suffer from a little discolouration to grey at the edges if you look closely.
Head three is another open mouthed Venom, but even wider this time round. The tongue on this is extensive and snakes out by some distance. Once again we have good deep red lips and tongue colouring and off white bone coloured teeth. There is also the addition of some yellow drool on the chin.
Accessories 4/5
While Venom comes with two giant clawed hands, there are two other pairs included in the set if you want to tone down the look. The first of these are a pair of fists, the second open palmed. Both are cast in black plastic with white painted onto a panel on the rear of the hand. Like a lot of the white application these are a touch messy and greyed in some parts where they don't quite cover the black base plastic.
Swapping out of the hands is another simple maneuver with a satisfying pop in and out. Be warned these are not pivot joints on the wrists so they only pop in and out and rotate, there is no bend on the wrist joint.
The other "accessories" for want of a better word are the various parts that can be plugged into Venom and the backpack to represent the Symbiote parts snaking out from the body.
The largest of these are scythe shaped and slot into the holes in the back pack with a ball type joint, this then allows them some movement. We then have some smaller parts which fit in the back, but also sockets positioned in the forearms. With all the parts pretty much interchangeable the options for Venom are pretty endless.
Articulation 3/5
Venom has an impressive 19 points of articulation, not including the movement on those plug in symbiote parts.
We start on the torso where we have the ball jointed head which rotates on the short ball joint post. There is no pivot however so if you try to make Venom look forward or back then the head simply pops off.
Under the head is what feels like a torso ball joint. Sadly there is virtually no movement in this, neither in terms of rotating the torso on using it for ab movement forward or backward. There is better movement in the waist swivel under this which does rotate the whole upper body fully.
The hip joints are a T-Joint mechanism where the leg is able to swing out to the side or in front, or a combination of both. With such a slim waist and nothing to encumber the legs, the movement is wide ranging. Under this we have thigh swivels to help align the feet in various poses.
The knees are sadly only single joints so do restrict kneeling or crouching poses and do make Venom look a little awkward. The legs end with ankle rockers which are also wide ranging in their movement. Sadly these ankles are a little loose and standing Venom is difficult with such a big torso and the added weight of those symbiote parts.
The arms are much better story with full movement driven by ball jointed shoulders, bicep swivels and double jointed elbows. It is only the wrists, as mentioned above, that let the side down by being plugged only and not allowing any pivot.
Summary
Venom is one of the most iconic Marvel characters at the moment, and you can't blame Disney for wanting some merchandise on the shelves for fans as the Venom movie hits theatres. There is also nothing wrong with giving an existing figure a redux to make it an exclusive - the three new heads and various symbiote parts create a significant point of difference.
Unfortunately for Venom the original body re-used had some flaws, particularly the weak ankles and the lack of wrist pivot on a character that shoots from his wrists, and these have not been resolved. The white paint application is also sloppy in places and doesn't cover too well.
I score the Disney Exclusive Venom a 3 out of 5.
Review #506