Marvel Select – Avengers Movie Hulk

If there’s one thing that Marvel Select has excelled at in recent years, it’s been delivering sizable action figures. We’ve been given remarkable versions of the the Thing, the Rhino, the Juggernaut, and more than a few Hulks. Be it Barbarian, Savage, Incredible, or Ultimate, Marvel Select has your flavor. Not content to simply explore ol’ Green Skin’s comic incarnations, the company has recently ventured into the cinematic universe with their Avengers Movie Hulk.

While this is modeled on the Hulk as he appeared in 2012’s The Avengers, it makes for a fine general representation of the character as well. Credit for this can be laid at the feet of the film’s designers who were smart enough to basically take a page from the comic and then slap Mark Ruffalo’s face on it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Are you listening, Fox? Sony? Hello? Didn’t think so.

Designed and sculpted by Gentle Giant, this Hulk is ripped — and I don’t just mean his pants. While I’ve never actually seen a brick scat-house, it’s safe to say Hulk is built like one. It’s easy to imagine Thor’s hammer or Captain America’s shield bouncing ineffectively off of his massive chest. His bulk is further evidenced by his vascularity; while sculpted veins have a tendency to look a little off on most action figures, here it’s expected. His biceps are nearly as big as his head!

Everything about the sculpt is on-model. I’m not sure if this is a result of simply using the movie’s CGI files to render him or if the figure was sculpted by hand. Either way, it’s mighty impressive. Usually movie figures fall short of their on-screen counterparts, but this Hulk pretty much nails it. He’s sculpted with his typical snarl and furrowed brow, which works for both vanilla shelf posing or in action. There’s just enough anger in the sculpt to show the character’s fearful nature without taking it over the top.

Unlike Hasbro’s cast-in-green-plastic version, the Marvel Select figure is fully painted. This goes a long way in giving the skin tone depth and definition. I’m not quite sure about all of the odd little dark scuffs and spots on him — I’m guessing it’s meant to represent the soot and dirt from his last rampage, but out of context it’s a bit curious. Areas like the mouth and the hair feature some super-tight paint applications. Maybe I just got a good one, but there’s zero slop around these critical areas, really adding to the figure’s appearance and value.

On the articulation front, Hulk sports a ball-jointed neck, hinged shoulders and elbows, plus cut joints at the wrists. He has a ball-jointed torso joint, hinged hips, cut joints in the calves, as well as hinged knees and ankles. The joints on this particular figure are exceptionally tight, but, thanks to their solid construction, they can be moved without fear. The elbows click forward four times from the elbow and three at the knee. While that may seem limited to the average Marvel Legends collector, do they have a Hulk that can do this?

“Hulk never miss hot yoga!”

The only QC issue I can point to on this particular figure is his stuck right thigh joint, but I’m sure a little time in the freezer will cure that minor malady. Otherwise, the Avengers Movie Hulk is an impressive… dare I say incredible action figure?

Movie Hulk stands approximately 10 inches tall, which means he’s even taller than the Marvel Select Juggernaut. That said, he’s not nearly as solid. Dropping ol’ Green Skin on your foot would merely hurt, whereas a fall from Juggernaut could result in broken bones. While that sort of thing could hardly be considered an issue, it’s interesting to hold them side by side and note the difference.

The Hulk comes as is. Unlike past Marvel Select releases, he has no base, accessories, or alternate pieces — what you see is what you get. Personally, I’m fine with that. I have more action figure bases than I know what to do with, so that’s not a loss. As far as other accessories go, what else would he come with? A boulder? A girder? Better to have all of that plastic go straight into the figure and not the extras box. Happily, the Jade Giant was sculpted with two fists, meaning he doesn’t really need extra hands. Remember, Hulk Smash, not slap, pinch, or poke. When it comes down to it, Hulk is really all you need.

When all is said and done, the Marvel Select Avengers Movie Hulk is a knockout (no pun intended). He looks fantastic on the toy shelf, in a diorama, or just hanging out on your desk at work. He’s great as a standalone figure or paired with his other Avengers. Best of all, he can currently be had for $15 at Gamestop! Don’t ask why, buy!

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