Did you see the news? Diamond Select Toys are making replicas of Spidey's webshooters! So why aren't I, an obsessed-Spidey collector, ecstatic? Why can't I just be happy? Scheduled for release in November, they are cast from high quality pewter. The web-fluid cartridges are removable. For those who care about such things, they come with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. But. There had to be a "but".
I've always wanted a replica webshooter. The toy webshooters were always cool, but always so far away from the original design. There was a suction-cup shooter as a kid in the 70's. I had that, and that was the coolest toy in the world. There were ads for some kind of water-squirting Spidey glove that used to run in the comics that seemed too good to be true. Then there has been recently ToyBiz's "Web Blaster", which is a can of silly-string attached to your wrist via Velcro. A nice concept - but again, why can't it at least resemble Spidey's invention?
Alas, here's my rant. Finally, someone is making a dream come true for collectors of Spidey stuff. BUT, the replicas are advertised as "meant only for display and cannot be worn." Not again! If anyone remembers DC Direct's replicas of Wonder Woman's tiara and wrist bracelets, and Batman's Batarang, the major complaint was their "display only" status. Don't you think as a fan seeing a major fictional artifact come to life you'd want to try it on at least once? How would Captain America's shield be if you couldn't hold it in your arms? How much fun is a helmet if you can't put it on your head? Remember Collectable Concepts' replica of Cyclops' goggles from the X-Men movie? Maybe not - it was pretty forgettable. Permanently fixed to the base, it was more like an X-Men nightlight!
Look, I know they're not real. I know they don't really work. But they would look great for a Halloween costume party! Just a hinge on the wrist band, and they could have been able to snap around most wrists. From the looks of the photo in the ad, I don't think the triggers will move either - I doubt they're spring loaded, or else the ad would've mentioned it. I'm glad the cartridges come out, and I'm glad it looks like the design came straight from the old "Marvel Universe". Maybe these things don't bother you. But, it's those neglected little things that kills me. If Diamond makes this replica, what are the odds of someone else making them again and adding the improvements I'd like to see? Actually, the odds are 100%! Factory X promises a fantastic webshooter replica as part of their second wave of their Marvel Universe line! Yes, they don't cost a dollar fifty. But, personally, I'm going to save my pennies and wait for Factory X's release. From the stuff I've seen so far (Thor's hammer, Elektra's sai, Cap's shield, and Iron Man's helmet), they know what fans want.