This may very well be the best Hulk figure ever made. Seriously.
This little iddy bidy Marvel Universe figure is an absolute pleasure to look at, pose, and play with. With just about all the right articulation and a killer sculpt, this figure is really something to write home to mom and dad about!
Let’s address the scale. This is a big figure for a 4-inch scale figure, about as tall Juggernaut and a good head taller than most of the average-sized figures like Cyclops or Spider-Man. Additionally, the mass on this figure is perfect. It’s a big heavy chunk of plastic (relative to its size, of course), and it makes for a lot fun when bowling through a 4-inch universe.
I can’t say enough good about this sculpt. It’s to the point where I’m asking where is the 1/12 scale version of this figure. Its so damn spot-on for a generic Hulk. There are bits and pieces here of Hulk through many generations that can weave in and out of any artistic period. The other day the light hit the face in a way that I thought “Mignola,” which could easily be Buscema or Milgrom or even Byrne. There’s so much in this face sculpt that I might brass it. Sculpt-wise, I’d easily put this figure on par with the Marvel Legends Super Hero Showdown Thing (another figure that needs to be grown to 1/12 scale).
One of the best qualities of this figure is the texture. It’s simply amazing, both on the flesh and on the pants. The lines and cuts not only give the skin a realistic texture, but they also provide Hulk with a battle damaged, scarred look. And the texturing on the pants is fantastic for a figure of this scale. Hasbro really nailed this figure.
Articulation is up for debate. Technically, the figure has all the points that you’d expect and more in a 4-inch figure. But there are some areas for improvement. The wrists are swivels, and, while not necessary, I’d rather see some ball wrists, a swivel into the hand, a hinged ball, and a swivel into the wrist. It might be unnecessary and overkill, but it’s something that I want to see in the figure. The other joint that needs to be discussed is the ankle joint. It just isn’t right. It needs to be a rocker ankle; there’s nothing worse than putting Hulk into an action pose and having him stand on his insole with the outside of his footing sticking straight up in the air. Other than that, the articulation is pretty damn perfect, and the joints all work and do what they are meant to do. Here is the breakdown:
Hinged ankles
Swivel ankles
Double knees
Swivel thighs
Ball hips
Ball ab
Ball shoulders
Hinged elbows
Swivel wrists
Ball lower neck
Ball head
The colors and paint on this figure are beautiful. Shockingly beautiful. I’m really blown away by the factory colors and the paints that are used. Sure, sure, there are the funky eyes, but that’s just a typical Hasbro fail. Otherwise, the figure is spot-on, and the sculpt and texture, good plastic colors, and a good dash of paint make this figure pop.
Marvel Universe Hulk is a ton of fun; the play value is priceless, and for those of us with kids or who still like to play with their toys, this figure is a joy. And for the collector that likes to buy sharp-looking display pieces, this figure will fit the bill. I can’t recommend the figure enough.
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