Playtime Wonder

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The new Marvel Super Heroes sets are focused entirely upon Spider-Man and his heroic allies, as one might anticipate given the imminent release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This range does not necessarily take direct inspiration from the upcoming film but a number of Spider-Verse characters are included.

76113 Spider-Man Bike Rescue contains three such minifigures, all of whom are brand new. Moreover, I think Spider-Man's motorcycle looks pretty good in official images, despite the dubious necessity of a spider-themed vehicle, so this should prove to be an appealing set.

Minifigures

A brand new Spider-Man minifigure was created for 6873 Spider-Man's Doc Ock Ambush in 2012 and the same figure has appeared in thirteen subsequent Marvel Super Heroes sets. This updated version is therefore very welcome, featuring a large spider emblem on the torso as well as dual-moulded legs. The decorative spider on the back of the torso has also been improved.

Furthermore, the torso's base colour has been swapped from blue to red which has a remarkable effect upon the minifigure as a whole. Its eyes now include some metallic silver highlights which look fantastic and the webbed pattern on the mask is reasonably intricate, corresponding with the designs on Spider-Man's chest.

Miles Morales is a central character within Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse so this minifigure should prove very popular. It appears almost identical to the previous rendition from 76036 Carnage's SHIELD Sky Attack, featuring an attractive black suit with red highlights and updated muscle definition, but that is not an issue in my opinion as it would be difficult to improve upon the design from 2015.

On that basis, perhaps the set might have included a separate head to depict Miles without his mask. He frequently appears wearing that guise in the comics and an alternative head would distinguish this minifigure from its predecessor. Nevertheless, this is an excellent rendition of the character, despite its familiarity for seasoned Marvel Super Heroes fans.

Both incarnations of Spider-Man come with a selection of web-based accessories, ranging from narrow strands to larger webs. Each component has several attachment points so they are extremely versatile and the new pieces feel consistent with old elements. I am particularly pleased with the web handcuffs that are worn by Carnage in the image below.

View image at flickr

Carnage previously appeared alongside Miles Morales in 76036 Carnage's SHIELD Sky Attack from 2015 but has undergone several changes since then. His elongated tendrils are the most notable such difference and are attached to a neck bracket that was created for the Avengers: Infinity War subtheme, granting them a much greater range of motion than the tendrils on the older minifigure.

View image at flickr

The designs on Carnage's head, torso and legs are equally distinctive. There are fewer black streaks and some orange highlights have been introduced. I think the updated design looks superb, although the minifigure from 2015 captures more detail and its printed arms should have been remained intact. The villainous symbiote also comes with two additional tendrils which can be held in his hands.

The Completed Model

Spider-Man has little need of vehicles in the comics but they are important for play and this motorcycle looks pretty good to me. Its curvaceous bodywork is very sleek and I like the consistent colour scheme of blue and red. The broad wheels are connected using Technic liftarms which feel sturdy, allowing the vehicle to lean sideways during corners.

View image at flickr

A stud shooter is mounted on the motorcycle's left side but this weapon does not launch standard 1x1 round plates. Instead, the set comes with a pair of pearl silver spiders. These were originally designed for the NEXO Knights range but they work perfectly here, loosely resembling the robotic spider drones which Spider-Man occasionally deploys. In fact, the drones appeared prominently in the recent Spider-Man video game.

View image at flickr

The motorcycle is also equipped with a web launcher. I like the twisted web strand but it seems rather fragile and the launcher looks bland without the web, unfortunately. The engine looks splendid though and I like the decorative sticker in front of the handlebars. Moreover, the headlights are mounted on a couple of red 1x2 rounded plates which are relatively rare, only appearing in more expensive sets.

View image at flickr

Spider-Man looks rather small when riding his motorcycle, although I like the minifigure's streamlined posture. The angled rear mudguard looks great, featuring an additional sticker with a webbed pattern and two trans-red lights above the tyre. The white wheel rims are also a lovely detail, complementing the web strands. However, the motorcycle feels very similar to Batman's vehicle from 76053 Gotham City Cycle Chase which is disappointing.

View image at flickr

Power generators and other industrial equipment have appeared in many previous Super Heroes sets but this example stands out, due primarily to its bright colour scheme. I like the printed hazard warning stripes and the trans-light blue displays look marvellous. The damaged access panel on the generator features a triangular symbol and some red and blue wires, perhaps in reference to Spider-Man's attire.
View image at flickr

View image at flickr

Pressing a lever towards the back of the model will cause the power cells to explode, as demonstrated below. This function is simple but it works well and I like the metallic silver 1x2 grille slopes underneath the power cells as these only appear in four other sets. The tiny spider webs attached to the generator look good too and will hold the power cells in place before the explosion.

View image at flickr

Overall

76113 Spider-Man Bike Rescue is not among the best Marvel Super Heroes products that LEGO has released but I am quite satisfied with this set. The new Spider-Man minifigure looks magnificent and I like this exclusive version of Miles Morales, despite its similarity to previous figures. Carnage is even more impressive though, featuring articulated tendrils and a suitably menacing facial expression.

View image at flickr

Spider-Man's motorcycle is probably the weakest aspect of the set but it does offer reasonable play value and looks fairly sleek. I would therefore recommend this set, although those who already own 76036 Carnage's SHIELD Sky Attack might wish to focus their attention upon the larger models that contain some exclusive characters.

I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments.

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