SDCC Toei Spider-Man Hot Wheels Spider Machine GP-7 Gallery

"Marveller!"

400 years ago, Professor Monster came to invade Earth with his Iron Cross Army. Active once again in 1978, his legions would cross paths with the young motocross racer Takuya Yamashiro. With a fate greater than he knew, Takuya was both destined to lose his father to Iron Cross, and encounter the strange race of the Planet Spider. Now infused with the Spider Extract, and given command of the mighty Spider-Machine GP-7 and Marveller, Takuya has become the Spider-Man! This Emissary of Hell will fight to defend the Earth for as long as it takes to stop Professor Monster and his hordes!

The classic 1978 Toei produced Spider-Man series has become a bit of a cult sensation in the last decade here in the US. For a time it streamed in it's entirety for free on Marvel Entertainment's website, but since has been circulated in fan groups through less than legal means. What that's done though is build up a huge following for the series here. Perhaps a by-product of just how massive comic book hero Television and movies have become in the last decade, this series has indeed won a special place in the hearts of many a fan. The character's appearance in a handful of Marvel comics Spider-Man Spider-Verse event series, the possibility stated by filmmakers of him appearing in the next Into the Spider-Verse film, and a recent spate of new apparel being released has continued to cater to the western fan base for the series. This years SDCC gave us possibly the biggest nod to the character though with Mattel's release of the Hot Wheels Spider Machine GP-7! With all that out of the way, let's take a look at this little vehicle and see if it can whet our appetites for the emissary of hell!

Packaging
Mattel has gone above and beyond for the packaging of this exclusive. The exterior packaging is a really gorgeous spiderweb themed box with absolutely stunning Spider-Man artwork on the front. Though I've yet to track down exactly who the artist is that did this piece, it reminds me very much of the work of Alex Maleev or a similar artist. The rear of the box features a general breakdown of the series plot, a quote from the show's classic OP, and several new pieces of totally gorgeous artwork. Headshots of Spider-Man, Leopardon, and the Marveller, as well as a fabulous full vehicle shot of the GP-7!

Inside this box is a more typical Hot Wheels bubble on cardback. Featuring more of that insanely nice artwork on the front, we get a great profile of the GP-7 through the bubble. The back however treats us to some of the best art of Spider-Man and Leopardon together I've seen in a very long time. I'd love to have a print of it to frame and put on my wall. The open back of the card gives another profile of the car through the bubble. Overall the presentation of the packaging is downright perfect. If you just picked up this relatively inexpensive exclusive at the con ($15.00 retail) then leaving it in the box as a display piece is a great option. I of course just had to crack my open for review!

Spider Machine GP-7
The Spider Machine GP-7 is a downright sexy design and Hot Wheels has recreated it in all it's glory at their typical 1/64 scale. I'll be the first to admit I'm not a Hot Wheels or diecast car collector and I know that those fandoms can be pretty intense in the collecting scene. I'm simply reviewing this car as representation of a vehicle I love from a series I adore. So if I'm less familiar with the ins and outs of what to expect from a toy of this nature, please bare with me.

The GP-7 is a pretty stylish design, and as far as toys of it goes, this is likely the most accurate one we've ever seen. You can see in my gallery below that I've included a bunch of comparisons to the old Charawheels style Spider Machine packed in with the GX-33 Soul of Chogokin Leopardon. Until this year that was our best option for owning the GP-7, and that came out in 2006! On the merits of it's design alone, the Hot Wheels GP-7 gets the general proportions and body styling of the design far better than the SOC release did. Here and there though there are choices I find odd. For one, and I'm unaware if this is typical of Hot Wheels, the Spider-Man figure is molded into the seat. Normally I wouldn't mind such a thing, if it were painted better. Upon close inspection it's mostly just a read torso with a haphazard black spider web application and some barely visible eyes. Were the figure a bit nicer and removable, I think it could improve the release a fair bit.

While the general gloss of the paint job is quite nice, I find that some of the finer details are a a bit spotty and run across lines. But the SOC release didn't even have the black contour lines painted on it way back when, we at least get that here. And the "Spider Machine GP-7" tamphograph is gorgeous, just wonderfully clean and crisp. I will say that the rear end of the car bothers me a bit. The old SOC gets the general shape right, and the color of the tail lights. While the Hot Wheels opts only for the exposed engine beneath the rear end. Ultimately a combination of the two toys would result in the ideal rear end, but I don't think that it takes a way too much from the Hot Wheels release either. I do also have a personal preference for the painted silver exhaust pipes of the SOC rather than the chrome ones on the Hot Wheels.

Final Thoughts
Am I disappointed that the bonnet doesn't open to reveal the Spider Machine's weapons? Sure. But I'm not certain it was on the table to expect such a thing from a $15.00 Hot Wheels car either. The Hot Wheels GP-7 is a solid little vehicle. I was kind of hoping on total chance it would be compatible with SOC Leopardon's base but oh well. The truth is that this release looks fantastic with the SOC, every bit as good as the car that in fact came with it. Spider-Man merch of all varieties just seamlessly fits together if you ask me. There isn't enough to separate any one Spidey toy from another to keep them from all working in your display together. I for one welcome the Hot Wheels Spider-Machine into the collection.

Part 2

Wow. Very cool. I saw some of this on youtube. If i find this some day i'm going to get it.

Nice use of perspective on those multiple-Spidermen shots!

I had a ton of fun with those shots. This whole gallery was just an elaborate excuse to even take them in the first place

Why is it that Doppelganger feels more like the star here?

Doppleganger isn't in these photos? :That's Spider-Carnage.

I believe you're thinking of the variant of the 6-Arm Spider-Man mold.

You're right, not only are the extra arms not there, his eyes are not that weird webbing pattern as well.
My bad.

I wonder how kids would feel about this if they were told the context

Still need this for my collection. Hopefully one will get traded into the toy store where i work.