And we are back for part 2 of me ranting about the worst LEGO Marvel sets ever. I basically spent the entirety of last article complaining about one set. Yeah, I do get really worked up some times. Anyways, if you want a more generalised article on the flaws of this theme, go check out my LEGO Marvel Rant.
However, again, before I do get into this article, I must state a few disclaimers. I 100% respect each member of the LEGO Marvel theme and what they do. They are obviously constrained by budgets and requirements to fulfil, which is why the majority of Marvel sets aren’t as detailed as the USC ones. I also want to state that I’m not a fake fan. I have collected sets from this theme since 2015 – almost 5 years. So I am well-informed on my criticisms.
LEGO is a product. Yes, there are more pressing issues in the world. But LEGO is a well-known product with high expectations. Therefore, as a consumer of their product, I have the right to criticise it – within reason. I’ve voted with my money – for the most part. If I don’t like a set, I don’t buy it. That’s why I don’t own a single 2020 Marvel set to date, even though I’m considering the Avengers Tower and the Hulkbuster. Finally, this is my option. As an adult, my view on a LEGO set is different to that of it’s target audience – a child. But if themes like Harry Potter can appeal to children and adult alike, so can LEGO Marvel. So with that out of the way, let’s get into this.
3: Hulk Helicopter Rescue (76144)
Let’s get the best parts of this set out of the way. The Rescue figure was phenomenal, and so was the Iron Man nano gauntlet. And the Hulk big fig was for the most part great, but it could’ve been improved. I’m glad that they decided to go with the Quantum Realm suited Hulk, opposed to another bland version, like the Avengers compound version. LEGO should’ve gone the extra mile to give him arm and leg printing, to really elevate the big fig. Overall, these were the highlights of the set.
Now, it is time to rip into the set. Why did they include Black Widow? This set was revealed a month or two after End Game, and would not have been released until the end of the year, therefore only a few of these sets would’ve been produced. I’m pretty sure this set was based on concept art, which is why LEGO included Black Widow – the Avenger that died in the film. They could’ve given us an exclusive Ronin/Hawkeye figure – something that was revealed extremely early on in the movie’s development. Yet, they included Black Widow. They could’ve also changed it. In 2017, when LEGO released the Star Wars: The Last Jedi wave, for some reason, they replaced one of the figures in the Resistance Bomber set. And since this Hulk Helicopter Drop set was early in production, LEGO could’ve easily replaced the figure – but they decided to be lazy.
Finally, the Chitauri figures. What a downgrade from the 2012 version. Yes, LEGO did give them a more accurate face print, but no leg printing? Seriously? You’re telling me, that after 8 years of the theme, it went from a character with leg printing, to not having leg printing? Absolutely disappointed.
And now for that annoying build. A helicopter? Come on LEGO! I’m not gonna bother trashing on the build. However, I want to highlight the side build – the Leviathan. That mini build should’ve been up sized, and should’ve been the primary focus of the set.
Take this MOC by @CM4Sci on Instagram/Reddit. This iconic beast from the Marvel universe has never been done justice. And this set could’ve changed that. But LEGO decided that they’d stay safe and just go with another Helicopter.
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2: Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock (76148)
The minifigures were not actually bad. Spider-Man was actually a decent minifigure. He came with dual-moulded legs, so I was happy with that. Spider-Girl was quite a simple minifigure, but since she was a new character, I was glad that she was included in the set. However, where was her leg printing? Same thing with Doc Ock. He was a cool figure, but where was the leg printing? At this point, I have just become so sick of LEGO not giving us leg printing for the majority of sets. It’s just so annoying.
But the build was atrocious. Did we seriously get a bike for Spider-Man? For Spider-Man? The superhero whose whole gimmick is swinging on webs to get around New York? In what world would Spider-Man need a bike? Peter Parker would. Not Spider-Man. And this oversized bike wasn’t very aerodynamic either. There were legs hanging off the bike. Yes, I’m just nitpicking at this point. But I don’t care. The build was atrocious. And guess what? It could be split up into a mini spider-walker and an unfinished looking bike. WHY DOES SPIDER-GIRL NEED A SLOW WALKER TO FIGHT? WHY? JUST WHY? I’m done talking about the set now.
1: Spider-Man Bike Rescue (76113)
I’m sorry. I hate this set. So much. You cannot change my mind. It has to be the worst LEGO Marvel set of all time. Again, read the disclaimer from earlier on. I had the unfortunate experience to spend $30 Australian dollars on this garbage in 2019, and I regret it. Yeah, I’m a hypocrite.
But why did I buy this set? Well, I needed the Miles Morales and Carnage figures. I unfortunately missed out on the 2015 ones, so this was my chance. But I regret buying this set now. First of all, the Carnage was a massive downgrade to its 2015 counterpart. The 2015 version had way more intricate detail and arm printing. If you want proof that LEGO has dropped the ball severely with Marvel, this is your proof. HOW CAN THE NEWER VERSION BE WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL??? Let me say, that original set was $15 USD, and this set was $20 USD. So an even more expensive set has worse quality figures. Spider-Man was a fine inclusion. Miles Morales was not special at all. He was so similar to the 2015 version, and therefore wasn’t cool. LEGO should have given him leg printing or dual-moulded legs.
And the bike was atrocious. We have gotten many, many bikes from this theme, but this one happened to be the worst one – even worse than the one discussed previously. It was oversized, clunky, and ugly. It was so bad. The other side build was fine, and was fine for parts. But this set was so bad. And therefore has to be my biggest LEGO purchase regret, and most importantly, the worst LEGO Marvel set of all time.
And that’s it for today’s article. Yes, I’ve gotten pretty worked up about a children’s toy. But as a long-time consumer of this brand, the quality decrease in LEGO Marvel sets has been unacceptable. Lazy and repeat builds, many disappointing miniatures and an overall lack in creativity and inspiration. Yes, there are definitely outliers, but they don’t make up for the damage of what the rest of the theme has come to. Now in 2010, the theme has hit rock bottom, so let’s see what’s in store for this year’s sets. Again, before I end it here, make sure to read the disclaimers, and I’ll see you guys next time! Peace!
Images from Brickset unless otherwise specified
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