Move over, Snake; 2013 may be the year of the Rhino. The Marvel Select Rhino seems to finally be charging into retailers this month (for some reason I thought he was due out last month), earning the coveted slot of the first Rhino figure of the year.

Occasionally regarded as a poor hero's Juggernaut, the lovable lummox known as Rhino is a lumbering locomotive who goes out of his way to try to run over man-sized spiders. There's something insanely likable about Rhino which has given the character a minor cult status among Spidey fans. Sure, he's something of a one-note joke villain but he pulls it off with a fair amount of style... for a grown man in a rhino costume (which, to be fair, isn't even outlandish by Spidey rogue standards). Despite being one of Spider-Man's most often recurring video game villains and a constant animated series adversary, poor Rhino has yet to score a movie role. Apparently in Hollywood he ranks under the likes of Sandman and even Electro (to be played by Jamie Foxx in the Amazing Spider-Man sequel. I'm not joking.).

The Marvel Select Rhino stands about 8.5 inches tall, giving the character the sort of size not seen in the Marvel Legends line or its spin-offs. Granted, the "Fiercest Foes" box set Rhino was a good size but sometimes you just want one of these bruisers to tower over their arch-heroes in a display (something for which you often have to turn to Diamond Select Toys!). The articulation seems typical of Marvel Select's more recent larger entries so expect it to be adequate. Of course, the real draw here is the size and decent amount of detail afforded to Rhino besides, well, just him being who he is. Marvel Select Rhino is still available for pre-order (or just plain order soon enough) at a number of places. His list price is a very reasonable US$22.

Fun fact: a group of rhinos is called a crash.

[ Pre-order at Entertainment Earth | Big Bad Toy Store ]