TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Additional Image:

Box Art:

Blackjack's review: Venom

Name: Venom
Allegiance: Himself
Function: Villain
Alt mode: Black Muscle Car

Can anyone think of any quote for Venom?

Hasbro's done it again. First they combine forces with Star Wars to create transforming SW characters, now they combine it with Marvel heroes and villains. This brings 'Transformers and New Avengers' to a whole new level.

The backstory for them is that Mr Fantastic and Iron Man experiment with tech that create large transforming armour for them. Dr Doom copies this for the bad guys. The heroes should sue. One of the baddies given the treatment is Venom.

The name Venom has actually been used once in Transformers history, for the cicada Deluxe Insecticon of G1. That Venom has only appeared in UK comics, and later in Dreamwave. This Venom is the infamous Spiderman 3 villain, the symbiote, and NOT an Insecticon. Yet.

Venom is an alien symbiote from space. He stuck on Spidey as the black costume for a while and made him do bad stuff until Spidey gets the idea of using Sound waves to get rid of him (no puns intended), but like all self-respecting villain, Venom merges with Eddie Brock to get even with Spidey. He later spawned a 'son' named Carnage. Sounds like a repaint coming up...

ALTERNATE MODE
The mold is amazingly nice. The overall effect reminds me of the Insecticons, Lockdown, Blackjack, Stockade, even IDW Hot Rod. Good for kitbashers. I'll explain why later.

Venom's alt mode of choice is a sexy muscle car, which looks similar to Lockdown's, except this one looks more lifelike, more earthen, less cartoony, and looks a bit similar to Blackjack in some ways. Oh, and the license plate reads 'VENOM'.

The thing is sleek and quite deadly-looking. Mainly black (obviously) with silver for wheels, bumpers and the spider symbol on the hood. There is obviously also standard Decepticon purple to make it more attractive. And lite blue windows. Basically Blackjack's colour scheme. Overall? Insecticon colours, harking to his Insecticon origins. Ironically G1 Venom is orangey green. I bet some kitbasher is using this mold to make a modernized Insecticon. I know you are reading this, Treadshot A1.

Detailing is rather impressive, with no robotic kibble visible, even at the bottom (save the palms, but that is negligible). Venom's web projectiles are stored on clip-ons on the bottom of the car.

No action features, no semi-attack-modes, no kibble, no pointless gimmick, Insecticon colours, looks like a true Decepticon, sleek muscle car, looks like Blackjack... No wonder I like the vehicle mode.

TRANSFORMATION
If you even try not to follow the instructions like I did, you will get a jumbled up mess, kinda like Lockdown. The similarities increase. If you follow the instructions, you also get a jumbled mess, so I reccomend to try to follow it. The frontal transformation is nearly identical with IDW Hot Rod, with the sides of the front hood forming the shoulders while the center plate (with the spider symbol) forming the chest.

ROBOT MODE
Venom's robot mode is interesting. Note: it is only interesting, not actually nice. He is kinda stout, have thick feet, long hands, short upper legs, short torso, kinda like Movie Stockade.

The head is well detailed, with the tongue slithering out. Venom has several purple robot mode joints and parts that looks like it was made up of web and pipes, making Venom look more Insecticon-esque.

This guy is Venom, yet it has wheels and mechanical parts. How nice! Venom's hand is heavily detailed, and as a bonus, both the thumb and the index finger (claw) can move individually and point. He has two wrist mounted 'web blasters' which fires black coloured plastic projectiles.

Overall, try this guy out, this guy is quite nice, especially in vehicle mode. (wonder what's the connection between Venom and the muscle car...)

DURABILITY 9/10 Quite solid, but if the shoulder joints go loose it's a pain to put it back on.
TRANSFORMATION8/10 the instructions are useless. This thing is very hard to place back together from robot to vehicle mode. Very hard
PRICE 5/10 a bit steep on this... Deluxe packaging, yet almost Voyager price.
FUN 8/10 fun to play. But robot mode is not too good.
OVERALL 7/10 If you like villains, buy him. If you like Transformers, try him. If you like Venom, try him. If you are curious, try him. If you like sleek black cars, buy him. Coincidentally I fall into every point above.