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He-Man Masters of the Universe Classics Exclusive Action Figure Webstor

Here's Webstor from the Masters of the Universe Classics action figure line. To summarize the character briefly within the MOTU context: As one of the Arachne people, a once advanced, predominant Eternian race, Webstor was eventually driven into subterranean exile as a result of his people's conflicts with the Snake Men. Webstor, aka "Araneus" laid dormant and slumbering within the caverns and tunnels beneath Snake Mountain. Upon waking from his hibernation, he occasionally joins forces with Skeletor. Being an expert at arithmetic and strategy, he's not only a formidable and calculating warrior; but is also a master of escape, usually by way of his fast pack and grappling hook. And now onto Webstor's action figure appearance, accessories and articulation.

APPEARANCE
Regarding Webstor's appearance, the figure stands between 6.5-7inches tall, depending on how you pose him. He's wearing a variety of colors, including black, blue, purple, orange, and red. The paint application is clean, I couldn't find any areas of complaint. The sculpt, like all MOTU classics thus far, is superb. Since most MOTUC figures cleverly use variations of the same body parts, Webstor head and accessories are the only new sculpts. From the neck down, this is a newly painted re-use of the MOTUC Skeletor. Although his body is a re-use; the paint job, accessories, loincloth, and head create such a contrast in appearance, I feel no buyer`s remorse after paying the higher than usual price tag. Mattel does this with most of their MOTUC figures, and I don't mind at all. They do an exquisite job of selectively combining re-used body parts from previous MOTUC figures with new paint schemes, accessories, and head sculpts. So I don't mind if the company saves time and money using previously molded limbs and bodies, with figures like this one as the result.
The armor's appearance is rich in color and sculpt. The front of the armor has several sculpted layers in. The first layer's black and the second and third are bluish-purple. There's also a fourth layer to the armor front. This layer is comprised of two red emblems, one large 4 point star shape resting above the other, a slender diamond shape. Both are bordered by orange paint. I'm not certain what the symbols mean in the MOTU context. But having taken a zoology course, I can infer these two symbols are arranged and proportioned similarly to the body shape of a spider (without its legs). Since spiders only have two body segments, a head and a thorax, this symbol really strikes me as a reference to that cephalothorax shape all spiders (and most arachnids) have. Webstor's face and head are intricate in sculpt, and the level of detail really makes the figure stand out. He's got four white fangs (or chelicerae, in case my zoology professor who thought "fangs" was a lazy word to use for spiders is reading this) and six bright red eyes. On the top of the head are plated segments which resemble protective exoskeleton armored plates. These plates crest up along the center of the head in the shape of spikes. And, these multiple spikes run down the center of his forehead down to his neck. They're a nice touch, as the spikes and plates decrease in size one by one as they run down the back of the neck. The ears are impressive too; they're pointed up at the top of the ear lobe, as well as being pointed outward at the bottom of the ear lobe.

ACCESSORIES
Webstor comes with what I counted as two accessories, but that's by counting the two piece vest and grappling hook with spider legs as one accessory. The other is a medium sized orange rifle. The "fast pack", as the armor is called, separates into two pieces. His arms go through the sleeves of the front piece. Be sure to mind the pegs when attaching and removing the back piece, as its top two pegs are angled and shaped differently to its lower pegs. The sculpt of the four legs on the back pack is superb. The leg joints are amazingly pronounced, and are very arthropodic in appearance. The hook is metallic purple, and the cord is over 15 inches long. The cord and hook run smoothly through the backpack. when the grappling hook is pulled to its maximum length, a tab tied at the other end of the cord stops it from being pulled all the way out of the backpack. This gives the figure a zip line feature, without any gears or springs to worry about. The grappling hook seems a little flimsy when you first get it out of the package, but I've reasonably tested it, and it's good and ready to hoist your figure up and hold him during play, or display. On the other end of the rope, is a tab. The tab is kind of triangular in shape and has two holes or slits that are the same as the symbol seen on the front sculpting of Webstor's armor. The gaps in the tab allow you to hang the figure by a small nail or peg, etc. You could also push one of the barbs of the grappling hooks through the tab, making his grappling hook circularly connect to itself, resembling a huge lasso. This fast pack is cool, and it not only looks good, but is actually functional. As I said, the grappling hook will hold the figure when hung up. But you can also use the hook and line to wrap up any good guy action figures your Webstor may imprison during your own MOTU melees, as you can see for yourself in one of my pics.

ARTICULATION
Articulation wise, Webstor is standard MOTU classics super articulated. In case you don't own any MOTUC yet; that's ball and socket head, ball jointed shoulders and hips; swivel wrists, biceps, upper thighs, and calves; hinged elbows knees and ankles; and side to side rocker ankles. Webstor's four arms on his back pack are articulated also, by way of ball joints at their base of each leg. Although the arthropodic joints are sculpted onto the four arms, they are not articulated. Even though some swivels or hinges would have been nice there, they're not necessary, for this is an awesome figure that I consider to be a star of the MOTUC action figure line.
-- Another of Skeletor's Sinister Soldiers

I never had the original Webstor figure as a kid, so I don't get involved with the gripe many He-Fans have about the differences between the backpacks of the original and the Classics figures, I just know this figure is incredible, especially with the spider legs on his back. I always thought the original figure kind of looked more like a vampire than a spider man, so I'm glad they added the spider legs to help justify and clarify the name Webstor, I only wish he came with a sword instead of a laser gun, the gun just doesn't seem to fit him although it's an original accessory, and I really wish he was wearing his armor in the package, but other than that, this Classics figure is awesome. This Arachna's accessories include his Power Blaster, Fast Pack with Grappling Hook and removable Armor. -- Evil Master of Escape!