Venom
TB-MSH-S2-4816
Venom was the breakout character of the Series 2 wave — and possibly the most ambitious
figure Toy Biz had produced to that point. The “Living Skin” gimmick involved slime-filled
pores built into the figure’s body: press them and a viscous ooze seeps out, mimicking the
alien symbiote’s unsettling organic texture. It’s disgusting in exactly the right way.
The sculpt itself is excellent — the white chest spider symbol, the jagged teeth, the
elongated tongue, all rendered with more detail than you’d expect at this price. Venom is
noticeably larger than most of the wave, which is accurate; he’s meant to be a physical
match for Spider-Man, not a lightweight villain.
By 1991 Venom had become one of the most popular characters in comics, and this figure
captured why: he’s visually arresting and genuinely unsettling in a way that superhero
toys rarely managed. Complete examples with functioning (or at least present) slime are
harder to find — the ooze dries out and the pores crack over time.
