Review: 76037 Rhino and Sandman Supervillain Team-up
Posted by CapnRex101,
I don't typically enjoy writing reviews of sets I don't like, which is why this article focusing on 76037 Rhino and Sandman Super Villain Team-up is somewhat unusual. I will cut right to the chase and state that I think this set is awful, with no display value at all and so many poorly executed play features that the finished model is extremely fragile.
On the other hand, the minifigure selection is very appealing, consisting of two new villains, a new costume for Spider-Man and an updated version of the original one, which now features dual-moulded legs. I am quite impressed with these figures and certainly think they are worthy additions to a Super Heroes collection, but the construction site model itself is really poorly designed.
Box and Contents
The box is notably small considering the £44.99 price point and exhibits the minifigures in battle on the front and back, with the construction site at various stages of destruction. The Super Jumper is used for a lot of the play features in this set and these are demonstrated on the reverse along with a small advertisement for the upcoming LEGO Marvel Avengers video game.
Inside are three numbered bags, two instruction manuals and one fairly substantial sticker sheet. A short comic book featuring all three of the Summer Marvel sets is also included.
Minifigures
Spider-Man sets have often been criticised for the lack of variation in costumes for the titular character so it is great to see an updated version. This Spider-Man features the same head and torso designs as earlier versions but his legs now feature red boots which look superb. These dual-moulded legs are going to be very useful to future minifigure designs but this it their best use so far in my opinion. A standard thread of webbing is included which is always useful.
The Iron Spider armour was constructed for Peter Parker by Tony Stark, although presumably somebody else is occupying it in this set. The design is fairly simple, with gold highlights on the head and torso, although I think this level of detail is sufficient. Four golden limbs are attached to the figure's back and these are impressively accurate to the comics. Their poseability is limited but that doesn't bother me too much as they look fantastic.
Sandman is one of Spider-Man's oldest foes, first appearing in just the fourth issue of the original comic book series. This minifigure is an excellent representation of the character, wearing the striped green shirt by which he is easily recognisable, part of which has dissolved into sand. I think this effect has been quite well done on the front and back of the torso, although an alternative torso with the green shirt intact would have been an ideal inclusion. Sandman comes equipped with a simply constructed hammer, which gives the impression that he has transformed his hand into a weapon quite nicely.
The fourth and final minifigure is listed on the packaging as Rhino, although it is really just Aleksei Systevich as the Rhino itself is a brick-built mech suit in this set. I would have much preferred a bigfig version personally, although I am pleased that the mech offers much greater poseability than a bigfig would.
Aleksei himself is quite a simple figure, although I like the torso printing which features a sleeveless shirt and brown harness. The Clone Trooper head is well suited to the minifigure so I don't mind that a new design was not created for the character.
The Completed Model
The Rhino mech is the first section of the set to be constructed and it's almost as disappointing as the rest of the set. White pieces are used all over the model which look totally out of place, particularly for the stud shooters and the horn on Rhino's head. If this were a bigfig the white pieces would be fine as that is how he appears in the comics, but on a mech I think it looks ridiculous. For me it ought to be entirely grey.
The stud shooters increase the play value somewhat but at the cost of fists, which are vitally important given that Rhino is intended to be a physical threat in hand to hand combat with Spider-Man. The minifigure stands behind a roll cage and the head of the mech folds down to conceal him quite well from the front, although he is clearly visible from the sides which is irritating.
However, I do appreciate the use of ball joints which allow lots of movement for the limbs so you can display the mech in a variety of poses. It is reasonably durable, which is more than can be said for the rest of the set, so at least that increases the play value. In terms of appearance though it needs a total redesign as there is almost no detail beyond a single sticker on the right shoulder.
The construction site is even worse. This is clearly intended to be a playset but the model is so fragile that I don't think it's much fun to play with. Many of the girders are attached by a single stud so they can be knocked down using the Super Jumper for some destructive action. Unfortunately they are just as easily knocked off if you are trying to pose the minifigures or interact with the set in any way, which quickly becomes frustrating.
Other play features rely on the Super Jumper as well unfortunately, including two warning signs and Sandman's brick-built hands which can be toppled. By knocking over the signs you reveal some hidden gems stolen by Sandman and raise a web to capture the villains. These play features are not bad, although they totally ruin the appearance of the set as Sandman's hands are poorly constructed and the signs don't stand straight when raised.
A small crane and some oil drums are also included which are not bad considering the limitations imposed by the price point. The crane can quickly release a boulder to squash the villains which is by far the best play feature in the set, although once again there is no detail whatsoever other than that added by the many stickers included. Every design you can see on the model is a sticker, even on the 8x16 tile which is rather annoying as it is difficult to align the two circular ones.
Overall
Super Heroes sets are often heavily reliant upon the minifigures as a selling point, but never before to this extent. The minifigure selection is excellent, despite the lack of a bigfig for Rhino, with three new characters and an improved outfit for Spider-Man.
The Rhino mech and construction site on the other hand are dreadful. I was not expecting a good display model or an interesting build, but the fragility of the set renders it almost unplayable. Of the sets I own this is easily the worst I can recall in terms of design as not only does it look awful but it is so easily broken that one dare not touch it, let alone play with it. The set literally crumbled in my hands as I moved it for photography, which is totally unacceptable.
The Rhino mech suit could be easily improved with some simple modifications but I would argue that modifying a set should merely be an option, not a necessity as I think it is here. 76037 definitely isn't worth £44.99, but on sale at £29.99 or lower it might be worth picking up for the figures if you are a Spider-Man fan.
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40 comments on this article
I agree. The only points of interest (imo) are the minifigs, especially iron spider, who looks fantastic.
I thought this set looked pretty rough when the first photos of it came out. Guess this confirms it. The buildable Rhino mech seems like it was included to increase the piece count and justify the price, because a bigfig Rhino would've seemed a no-brainer.
Also, I really appreciate your honesty with this review, CapnRex101. It's extremely useful for fans to know when a set isn't good, and it's a service that a fan site should ideally provide. Otherwise, it's one glowing review after another, and there's no way of knowing if a new set wasn't reviewed because the reviewers just didn't get to it, or if it was purposely excluded to keep bad news to a minimum.
I like the set...but only because I cannot ever have enough parts in tan, and the minifgure selection is very good. My 4 year old nephew on the other hand wants this... Which I guess is the point.
This is the worst set Lego made this year... :-(
Wow harsh. I know this set turned me off when I saw the official box art for it but this review hammers it home.
I don't know about accuracy to the characters, but I think the Rhino mech looks fantastic. The colors are well distributed and the mech feels burly without having to be quite as massive as the Hulkbuster. In my eyes it makes the set a lot more interesting than if a bigfig had been included and I see no need for modifications. In fact, if you dropped the construction site and Sandman, I think this model with some version of Spider-Man could have been a quality set on its own.
As for the construction site, shame to hear it's fragile, but the play features seem interesting and aesthetically I like it quite a lot. This set is definitely not going on my wish list, but I can't help but feel like kids are going to love it. And who knows, maybe the fragility would not even be such a big issue for younger kids who don't have adult-size fingers.
I think that Iron-Spider is not detailed enough but the additional limbs are great.
The Rhino is awful. I would have prefered a bigfig or a better worked armor.
I still don't know if I'm gonna buy this set...
Jeez, I thought it was a pretty good set! D:
I plan on getting two sets of Spider-Man's legs on the secondary market (one to update a Spider-Man minifigure I already have, and one to give boots to Superman), but that's the extent of my interest in this set.
As a child of the 70's I prefer the old version of the Rhino, who was not a mech and would have to be a bigfig. Yeah the set is bad: just a backdrop for the minifigures. A bad backdrop. The other minifigures are great.
For me, the main point of interest are the stickers for the signs and petrol/gas tank - very useful for a Lego City MOC. But would I pay £45 for them? Not a chance.
I don't even like superhero sets, but this thing looks more like a set for five year olds than the age range specified on the box. The issue with the fists could have been solved with eight pieces (four modified 1x2 plates and four Exo-Force robot arms) or ten if durability is considered necessary. That would just mean sacrificing the oil drums. And for that price, you'd think that wouldn't even be necessary.
That set is too tiny for £44.99!
I was thinking of buying this set, until i saw this review. Now i know its pretty suck-ish and should be avoided, thanks for the review.
Like you said, the rhino-mech is ok, but i think it needs a total redesign.
£45 seems insane for this set, I'd have zero interest in the set other than the minifig, I may pick up the Iron Spider on the secondary market.
What is the piece count? I don't see £45 worth of Lego here!
I like the minifigs and I quite like the look of the rhino-mech, but yeah, the rest of the set looks like a total disaster. I'll Bricklink the minifigs and go from there.
Oddly enough, when I saw a construction site (with a big pool of what I thought was drying concrete), I thought for sure we'd get the Juggernaut or something as one of the villain figs, but alas, it didn't happen. At least it wasn't Firelord.
Thank you for the review CapnRex!
I agree this set is too much backdrop, too much super jumper centered play features too little detail and too much fragility. I would also like to add that those sandman hands just look too static. It would have been a lot more fun if sandman could do more than just wave a small hammer around and instead smash with sand hands. Simple joints could have easily solved that problem.
Also, is there supposed to be a roll cage on the rhino? That black looks way off!
Also, those mini ball sockets on the Rhino's knees!
As for sturdiness, just compare this to hulk lab smash, where a lot of areas were also smashable, but the model didn't look that tacky (those 1x2x5 bricks in the middle don't look like they are supposed to connect, why?) and they at leas had some sturdy areas.
Speaking off which, are the 1x2x5 bricks the only things that pop off, or do the baseplates break the set too if you move it? It looks like they would...
I agree. This is a HORRIBLE set. Worse than LEGO Knockoffs...Lele
Wow, it's like they took Hulk Lab Smash and turned every good point into a load of dingo droppings. The mech would be fine with a bit of modding, and the two Spider-Men work well enough. But neither one is sufficiently detailed, with Iron Spider paling in comparison to Carnage's detailing and Spidey just getting a NEW HAT! Rhino is OK, but Sandman is one of the worst villain figs of the theme, right behind Gobby. The torso... half-covered in sand with the green bleeding through looks just appalling. And relying on the Super Jumper for the whole play features make it too darn flimsy for its own good... Hulk Lab Smash had sturdy structures with levers, not whole structures attached with a stud to fire something at.
I think, however, that this set would make an excellent target for the Ninjago Boulder Blaster.
This set looked better when it was a low-quality JPEG
I know it seems small, but in the comics iron spider man had three of those legs. It is nit picky, but that makes it look like Lego didn't even care to look at the source material.
Hmm, while the Rhino suit certainly has its flaws, I actually quite like it. I love the way the roll cage folds down, and the head is quite nice too. The stud-shooters work okay as hooves for me, but the thing that bugs me most about the suit are those open Mixels small ball joints on the legs, and I'm kinda surprised you didn't mention that in the review. It would be nice if we got a big-fig Rhino in his vintage costume, but that might be later down the line. The construction site is quite bland to me, but I'm sure kids will like its play features more than I would. I'm also confused as to the scale of the set, particularly of that, crane? I will, however, concede that the minifigures are unfortunately the main selling point of this set. The two bad guys are fine, Iron Spider looks cool (even though I don't know who he is) but WOW those two colored legs look fantastic. I would love to see someone swap out the blue center cross on the legs for a red one and put them on Superman. If this were cheaper, it could be OK, but it falls short as it is.
Okay i'm just going to say it - I like this set. But I don't like the price! I've wanted a Sandman LEGO figure since LEGO first brought out Spider-Man sets, and finally I've got one! And I love the way the set, in a simplistic manner, shows his control and manipulation of sand to create sand-hands grasping the iron spider and attempting to grab Spider-Man too. And the rhino mech looks amazing too.
But back to sandman for a sec, the way he can create weapons and project his will through sand-control works great for LEGO because you can then use your imagination and extend the scenario beyond the set by using lots and lots more of tan-coloured bricks for his constructions. So yeah, I really just love this set for Sand-man. And I'm going to wait for the price to reach a more palatable price-point before buying it and creating the most Ultimate Sand-Man Sandastrophe Diorama Ever! :)
This set is bad, but no where near as awful as Spider-Trike vs. Electro. Even though the Spider Man Hide Out set is a Juniors set, it has the Green Goblin and is instantly better than this rubbish set.
Spider-Man 3 and Amazing Spider-Man 2 are the WORST Spidey flicks. Why would Lego even consider making a set based from them?! The set didn't even coincide with their release dates!
At the very least, we are treated to Spider-Man in some alternative outfits with the new summer sets. About time!!
I'm surprised that you're surprised, Chris - with the odd exception, many of the DC and Marvel Super Heroes sets have basically been thinly-disguised excuses to release minifigures for years now....
^ True, but never to this extent before. Most models have at least some merit whereas this has as good as none in my opinion!
@Binnekamp - The 1x2x5 bricks are the most fragile elements but the base is held together with as few as two studs in places so that can be rather breakable as well if you try to move the set.
Well that's really disappointing. I hope I can get the figures for a decent price somewhere, or at the very least get the set on sale... What's the potential of this set to be a semi-decent parts pack?
^^Well, the Spider-Trike was awful in EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE. The Spider-Copter had two decent figures, but the build, bigfig, and price were crap. But all of the spring 2015 Superheroes sets held up better in the build department, with the possible exceptions of the Hydra sets and the Black Manta set.
Wow, your opinion of this set has certainly changed since the Toy Fair.
I agree that it looks one of the poorest Marvel sets. The Daily Bugle set had a very nice, coherent model as well as good minifigures. This seems much worse value, a mess of a model with less appealing figures, for a higher price.
At least the two other sets were of high quality.
My plans are buy it, admire it for a whole minute, then scrap the damn bloody thing! I will agree the figs are the main attraction for me the usefulness of the included parts comes second!
The Mech is perfect- buing it for my rhino tribe. IMO the scene looks lovely and all bad things you pictured are very easily repairable :)
How did this get through the LEGO play testing process?
Saying it now: This set and the Juniors "Spider-Man Hideout" are both going to get a lot of sales for exclusive figs. After reading this review, I think the Juniors set sounds more worth the money for adult collectors, and for only one exclusive fig. That's how disappointing this one is. I am quite fond of the Sandman and Iron Spider figs, but for this pile of bricks? Nope. Gonna get me a Gobby instead.
Honestly, it wouldn't be THAT bad if it weren't for the price. That's a lot of money for an insubstantial, flimsy set like this. It's not even worth it if you go straight to sorting this set without displaying it/playing with it.
That being said, IMO there have been worse sets. The crane looks pretty cool and looks fun to mess with. The Rhino looks flippin' incredible; besides the joints sticking out the front of its knees, I see nothing wrong with it. Sandman's hands look fine, and really all it looks like is that LEGO sacrificed displayability for playability.
Apparently I'm not seeing something that everyone else is because most of the opinions of this set are that it sucks. Oh well.
Thanks for a well written review that underlined what the stomach feeling said at first eyeglance: this was properly designed during rush-hour with the sole purpose to meet quota.
I think this looks like the worst LEGO set of recent years.
I would purchase this set for parts alone and to have a new spidey swinging thru town. The build looks awful but parts look cool and useful. I'll wait to see if it gets reduced next year and snatch it up then lol
I just finished building it, and boy, is this review spot on...
Everything the Carnage-Set does right, this set does wrong.
The only thing i liked is the crane for swinging spidey.
Not every days I would say it was better before... This time, I'm gonna say it: this set looks less "playable" than 6082: Fire Breathing Fortress and yes that might be an insult... The Fire Breathing Fortress, in 1993, had 397 pieces (6 minifigs, a stand, a horse and a dragon) and cost 64$. The play features? A floor that could make minifigs drop into a "dragon pit"... opening doors, a movable dragonhead with "rocks"... It was no gimmick, each feature worked on their own when you wanted. 76037 is all designed around the Super Jumper and, in my opinion, it's not good. The Super Jumper is a gimmick... I can understand the idea of missiles but a tool that can damage the minifig plus the fact the pieces can easily fall off (and be lost)... that is not a good thing. Nothing in this set seems to make much sense from what I can see. I could have seen a rotating mechanic with a hand of Sandman spinning, a slamming foot to give the impression he's crushing a police car or a sandtrap with floors... something like that... a real set based on Sandman alone. Add to the set a couple of police agents... make this minifig of Sandman a "threat"... If this set was a full sandpit with police agents and cars plus Spidey swinging around the crane, that would be perfect for an actual Sandman set. Yes, Rhino feels out of place.