Marvel Universe 3.75" World War Hulk (Wave 12, Series 3)

I just can't get enough of this look for the (not so) Jolly Green Giant!  This was probably the Hulk's best moment in recent years and all that recent stuff about the Red Hulk and the Fall of the Hulks kinda sets the Hulk character back a couple of years, as if he'd had this whole interplanetary episode and then forgot about it.

How could he?  He should be way MORE dangerous than before because of the whole Planet Hulk experience.  Thinking about it just makes me mad.  And when I'm mad, I get angry...And when I'm I angry I..I..WWWRRRREEEAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH!!!!!  HULK SMAAAAAAAAAASSSSSH!!!!

Oh, er, sorry.  Where were we?  Oh yes, the review.  I'm glad they gave this Hulk a 3.75" version.  The King Hulk 6" Marvel Legends version is awesome, as is the Face Off release.  So why shouldn't this one be?

Like: Weapons and accessories.  Marvel Universe figures seldom come with much else other than figure stand and perhaps one other accessory--either a shield or a blast effect--most of the time it's because it's an item that defines the character.  There's Thor's hammer, Cap's shield, Thunderball's...uh..ball...  These are things that these guys gotta have.  World War Hulk here doesn't necessarily need his weapons, at least not both of them and a shield, but he gets them anyway.  Yay for us! :)

Like: The excellent ensemble of parts that make the main sculpt, his loincloth, harness, and weapons.  All these are brand new pieces, with detail that puts the 6" version to shame.  The weapons and shield have nicks and cuts and all sorts of battle wear, the leathers and loincloth have tooling to bring out their texture, while his armor and skin also bear the same combat wear.  Simply a marvel to behold.

Also, World War Hulk's chest and torso is much less broad compared to previous Marvel Universe releases, while his arms are not as huge and ape-like.  This is excellent and true to the comic art, in which Hulk has less bestial and more human proportions.

Like: The brilliant wash over most of the figure.  There's a rust brown wash on his armored parts: just enough for wear, and his face and skin have also been given dark shading to bring out the muscles and leathery texture.  His leathers and other brown areas are the only unwashed parts, but with all the detailed tooling on them, I can hardly hold it against Hasbro.  Let's put it this way--WWH has more washed than unwashed parts, and that certainly doesn't mean he's got good hygiene habits.

Like: That his large left shoulder guard is part of his harness instead of his arm.  This way, there's a better range of motion for his arm, looks like he's wearing it on his shoulder instead of being part of the arm or the shoulder (thereby restricting its movement).   The harness is a separate piece, and therefore adjustable.  What works great is that I can move his arm, then set the shoulder guard on it.  This makes it easy to look really great.

His shield clips onto the scabbard!

Like: That he has a usable sheathe!  It's part of his harness as well, and houses the lengthy blade snugly. The sheathe is also a good place to clip on his shield, which has a clip that fit perfectly on the scabbard as it does his wrist.

Dislike: That he can't hold his weapons properly because his grip is too big!  Shocking!  This is a big problem. It almost meaningless if you give a figure a ton of stuff that he just can't use/hold onto.  Thankfully he only drops his weapons when his hands are turned downwards.  But still, he shouldn't drop weapons meant for him at all.

Dislike: Well, sorta.  I'm not sure I like his head sculpt.  It doesn't have the super large upper lip that's characteristic of the brooding King Hulk.  His eyes are a little too big, and his mouth is open?  I guess World War Hulk does have his mouth partway open in the comics like that.  Combined with the eyes on the figure, it makes him look like he's a deer in the headlights.  It's brood or bash, I say, brood or BAAAAAAAASH!!!

Like: The thigh cuts and double-jointed knees!  Talk about a marked improvement from the previous Marvel Universe versions!  The Green, Gray, Red, and Secret Wars Green all were very stable but also very rigid in terms of waist down articulation.  But WWH here has sacrificed very little of that stability and added tons of flexibility.  The joints are all nice and tight, but beware of over twisting his ball-jointed legs or they might pop off.  But if that ever happens no worries, they pop right back on. ;)

Like: The hinge/ball combo for his head and the swivel at the base of his neck!  When I busted him out of the package, I was initially disappointed that he could only look down.  Then I realized his neck might have been attached backwards. So I swiveled the neck piece 180 degrees and viola!  He looks up and down perfectly.

I don't know if this is the case for all the World War Hulk figures, but I think it's a safe bet to say it is.  Not to worry, though.  It's a really quick fix that doesn't require any tools--just your fingers and some good old-fashioned elbow grease (ie. twisting). ;)

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 9.5/10 - There's no way you can't love this Conanesque look for the Hulk.  Throw in excellent tooling on the majority of his parts, and a very comic book accurate and proportionate sculpt, and we have a winner!.

If there's one thing to pick on,  it's the face.  The look they gave the King Hulk 6" Marvel Legends version was spot on, so perhaps Hasbro didn't want the 3.75" figure to be a miniaturized carbon copy of its larger 6" predecessor and produced this wider-eyed, scowly faced version.  Funny the thing with the head is that the more I look at it, the more like it.

There's very little paint on WWH, with only his eyes, circlet, and all silver parts painted.  And what they've painted, they've painted well.  The armored parts especially deserve mention, because it's done so well that after a wash of darker paint, you can't tell what's painted and what's not.

Poseability: 9.5/10 - World War Hulk might not be able to hold his weapons well, but he has a sheathe!  What about them thigh cuts?  Simply awesome, baby!  Add some nice, tight ball joints at the legs and double hinges at the knees and you've got some amazing leg movement.

World War Hulk may already look great posed by himself, but when posed with others, he's exceptional!  You also can't deny WWH's excellent head movement, as well as a great waist swivel and chest pivot combo.  There's only two other Marvel Universe figures that share the same combo: Spiderman and Captain America.  That all three figures have great poseability is due in no small part to the chest/waist movement!

WWH would receive a perfect score, except for being unable to grip weapons properly at all.  Imagine GI Joes who can't hold their guns right.  They'd be simply frustrating to play with!  As for the upper body, the elbows get a good 90 degree bend, but shoulder his hinges are restricted in the front by his big chest, as is normal with a bulky figure like Hulk.

Fun: 10/10 - Hulks are always fun, as any Hulk fan would tell you.  But this Hulk is especially fun because he's got weapons, a shield, a removable harness and a separate belt/loincloth combo. The latter can't be removed without some effort, but unless you're stripping him down for spare parts, that's not going to be a problem at all.

World War Hulk is also good fun because he can (and has) fought everyone.  The Illuminati, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Hulkbuster Iron Man, and of course, the Sentry.  It would be especially interesting to hunt down all the members of these teams (or wait for them to be made) just so Hulk can beat the pulp outta them all. ;)

Value: 9/10 - There's no shortage of value for money here.   WWH has got lots of wash all over, separately tooled pieces (harness, belt & loincloth, right leather wristband), lots of specially tooled parts (gladiator sandal legs and feet, armored left arm and spiked left hand, the new head), and superb torso and leg articulation.  On top of all that, he comes with your regular figure stand.

The new figures lack the paper accessories of the ID card and the top secret letter, but if it mean the money form printing those goes into accessories.paint and tooling, then it's well worth it!

Overall - 9.5/10 - Heck, WWH is probably the best Marvel Universe figure released to date--bulkier, with great tooling, great accessories, and articulation comparable to the likes of Captain America and the classic Spidey. And those guys are slimmer too, meaning that a bulky guy like WWH shouldn't be able to move the way they do, except that he can.

Compared to the Marvel Legends King Hulk, WWH has superior paint/wash and sculpt, has better articulation, and has and extra shield and stand.  The only thing that holds him back is the nonexistent grip on his weapons.  This makes him a way better figure than the 6" version, unless size matters a lot to you. ;)

Marvel Legends Red Hulk Series: Silver Savage

This was the other figure I wanted to get after King Hulk when I read the Planet Hulk story arc.  It's another figure that captures a character in a certain period of time in his costume, and yet is instantly recognizable.  And this version of the Silver Surfer is so awesome that they had to change his name to the Silver Savage.

Perhaps it's also the way he's introduced in the story--we so into the Hulk's journey that we don't even think about what other characters with interstellar means of travel might show up.  And the Surfer/Savage is perfect for the role of reigning champion of the gladiatorial arena on Sakaar--until the Hulk shows up. ;)

I guess I put off getting the Silver Savage until a week ago because he wasn't part of the Hulk Series "wave" and because I always found something else to buy ahead of him.  But I'm glad I found him loose at the local toy "flea" market from the very same guy I bought King Hulk from 18 months or so ago.  And for how often I don;t see this figure any more, I felt S$22 was awful reasonable for him.
So here he is in all his silver glory!

Like: The character's overall design.  Once again, like King Hulk, his gladiatorial look is unique.  He's got "champion" gladiator shin armor and forearm plates.  He's got a removable harness complete with golden left shoulder plate armor.  But just to remind the Savage that he's subject to his masters on Sakaar, he's also got a restraining device, which is molded as part of his harness.  And a tattered loincloth completes the savage look of the Surfer.

Like: The silver paint.  It's uniform, shiny enough but doesn't come off as being too too shiny.  He's definitely silver, not gray, and thankfully not shined to a mirror finish (like in the FF$: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Like: The neck articulation.  It's a swivel hinge, something that the Marvel Legends line has perfected with their figures in the last 2 years or so.

Like: He's got weapons!  And he's got places to put them.  Well, the sword, at least, which he can  tuck away at the back of his harness.  The mace is painted a great bronze, though there's no real place for him to clip it on his belt or on his back.

Like:  His surfboard used as a shield.  This is just brilliant, and not just as an accessory, but also as a concept.  It's exactly what the Surfer would do if he was somehow forced to fight other weaker beings to the death--use his most powerful weapon as his shield.  Come to think of it, he'd do it against most anyone.  I can't imagine Silver Surfer trying to use his 'board as a spear or a baseball bat.

Dislike: Soft, bendy weapons.  I got Silver Savage loose and unfortunately it meant he'd been in a plastic bag for a while, so his weapons were not quite so straight.  I get that they made the sword and mace of soft plastic for safety reasons, but they're a little too soft.

The good thing is that it's easily repaired with some hot water or a hairdryer. (Though it's beginning to look to me like this may not be necessary, especially for the sword.  Yes, it's THAT soft!)  But for now he looks like he holding a wilting bronze mace.

Dislike: Semi-open left hand.  Means he can't hold a weapon in it tightly.  It's as if it were made for him to hold a gun--but he comes with none.  Neither does this particular incarnation of the Surfer nor any other, I think, use a hand gun/projectile weapon of any sort.  So it's a rather strange choice for his left hand.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 7.5/10 - Once again, like King Hulk, a great concept even if he was only shackled for a small amount of time in the gladiatorial arenas of Sakaar.  And I'm glad they've captured that look in this very figure.  It's one of those times when a character has an image change that's interesting, is a crucial part of the story line, yet doesn't interfere majorly with the star of the show himself, in this case the Hulk.
 
Poseability: 9/10 - Silver Savage represents the best of what the newer Marvel Legends figures have to offer.  Double hinged knees and elbows, a swivel/hinge head, and a great ab crunch.  He's got a joint where you think he should have a joint except the fingers, which I really feel he doesn't need as long as he can grip his weapons.

Sad to say, his left hand is a bit useless when it comes to gripping his sword or mace solidly.  But because of his articulation, weapons and shield/surfboard, there's a million ways you can pose him without ever getting bored.

Fun: 9/10 - There's nothing more fun than a surfer.  He's even more fun when he's shiny and has cosmic powers.  He's even more fun still when you put him in "savage" garb and pit him against the Incredible Hulk.Posed with King Hulk.

Even on his own, his articulation alone will keep you occupied for hours as you figure out which is the best position to put him in, whether it's crouching, surfing, kneeling, swinging his weapons or just looking imperious and pensive.  Sword and shields and dual-wielding are also always fun, as well as the innovative use of surf board as a shield.

Value: 8/10 - I got Silver Savage for just S$22 (US$16), which, minus the Red Hulk part, is just about reasonable for a loose figure.  But the fact that he comes with two weapons, a surfboard/shield, and a removable harness complete with a sword storage means this guy is complete in every sense of the word.  As a figure alone he is rather lightweight, especially when put next to figures like King Hulk.  But when you consider the extra plastic in the form of accessories and especially the huge surfboard, this guy is pretty darn worth it.  Not to mention that he also has a ton of great tooling, good paint, and stallar articulation. :)

Overall: 8.5/10 - It's not often we get a Silver Surfer figure and when he does come along, he's snapped up real quick because he's the Surfer!  That I got this guy in his savage gladiatorial splendor is a huge bonus and one that shouldn't be missed!

Marvel Legends Hulk Series: King Hulk

I got this Hulk after reading and falling in love with the Planet Hulk graphic novel--it's gotta be the most original and off-the-beaten path Hulk story arc ever!

Besides the literally otherworldly story line, the Hulk's look changes distinctly and yet retains the old familiar characteristics of the Big Green Behemoth.

The same goes for this 6 inch scale figure--one look and you'll know it's the Hulk and yet you'll also realize that his attire can only mean he's been through some unique situations that have forced him to adjust and adapt.  Even if you haven't read Planet Hulk, you'd notice that he's not like other un-accessorized Hulks--this bad boy comes with a broad short sword and battle axe.  More juicy details later! ;)

I bought this guy about a year-and-a-half ago and only recently opened him.

Why?  Because I had the sudden urge to build the wave's Build-A-Figure: Fin Fang Foom.  What with all the Iron Man buzz about a month or so back, and me making a nice sum off some exclusive toys I didn't really wanna keep, I decided to go for the rest of the Target Exclusive Hulk Series.

I only had this Hulk and the Grey Hulk then, and the Absorbing Man and Doc Samson were rather cheapish, so I went for it.  Savage She-Hulk and End Hulk were tougher to find and expensive, but I figured that since I'd always wanted Hulks of all shapes and sizes, some supporting cast wouldn't hurt.  Oh and I'd have a giant ass dragon as well. ;)

And so I present to you the King of Sakaar himself, the one they call Green Scar, the one who's the World Breaker!

Like: Hulk look good, kingly handsome.  The circlet, the leather skirt, the one arm and shoulder armor.  The tall upper lip.  The heavy, heavy scowl and ultra low brow ridge.  All these capture the character perfectly.  They've nailed King Hulk in terms of comic book accuracy, and credit to the Planet Hulk artist, Carlo Pagulayan, for coming up with the design.

Like: I love all the extra tooled bits that comes on this guy.  There's the leather sash, which can be removed (you'll have to cut it though..., the leather belt and skirt combo, and then there's the gladiator style boots and strapping. They're all sculpted with creases and wrinkles like real leather.  It's a pity that they barely have any pant on them if at all.  The best example is the fur trim on Hulk's skirt front--I would've liked to see that picked out with a little bit of off-white paint to make it stand out a little.

Like: The large and chunky sculpt.  I always feel it's a bonus to get bulky characters just because they cost the same at retail but are so much more massive.  It's a value-for-money thing, I guess.

But what makes King Hulk's sculpt really special is his skin.  It's got texture!  Every inch of him that's green feels rough, like you would expect Hulk's skin to be.  This also helps to make him look less plastic.  In fact, the combination of the texture and the shading gives him a distinctly matte look.  And shiny skin can be a real problem for Hulk figures in this scale, like the Movie Hulks or even the Face Off Legends Hulk.

Like: The (little bit of) paint.  Not only did they get his proportions right, they also cast him in this wonderful shade of deep green which has an oh so wonderful hint of darker green spray shading.  It's subtle, not so much so that you can't see it, but just the right amount that it blends well with the original green of the plastic.  His eyes are also perfectly done, with black pupils on green irises on whites.  The eyebrows then follow the ridge of his brow wonderfully.

Hulk's also got little bits of silver paint on the studs of his leathers as well as the buckle of his sash.  These are done cleanly but not all that sharply, but I think this gives the studs a little bit more of a worn effect which befits the character.

Like: That he comes with accessories despite being large and chunky. He's got a big-ass machete/broad sward.  It's cast in grey plastic with the black of the grip painted on.

King Hulk's other weapon of choice other than his fists and his blade is a crude axe.  Again, this weapon combines the characteristics of various axes.  It may look like a hand axe but it's huge for a 6 inch scale figure.  Not the Hulk though--he makes it look tiny.  The axe is cast in a slightly lighter grey plastic, with nicks and chips all over the axehead.  The haft is painted brown with a deeper brown wash to bring out the highlights.

Like: That he's got two gripping hands!  This has gotta be a first for a Hulk figure.  The best part is when he's not holding any weapons, his hands still look like fists, so King Hulk here can fight armed or barehanded! :)

Like: Has articulation, all 22-26 points (depending on your level of math genius).  The best points are the swivel/hinge head which grants Hulk full motion of his noggin', the ratcheted hinges in the shoulders and legs--those are extra stable without being tight--and the perfect swivel/hinge balls at his hips/legs. Honestly, I've never seen or played with such fluid leg joints before.  They're not even intuitive--they're better!  They move any which way you decide to bend his leg, forward, back, twists on the end--you name it, he can do it, and smoothly at that.  Smooth without being loose. It really feels like the joint is gliding when you work his legs.

Dislike:  King Hulk's ankle articulation could be better.  He doesn't have very good pivoting/pointing because of the sculpt of his lower leg getting in the way.  However, his left leg is much poorer than his right, and it's down to the heel of the left foot being slightly chunkier.  It's kinda weird when you think about it, and I you could only tell the difference when I looked at the feet really hard. (Yeah, my eyes now hurt.)

Dislike: The Green Scar's arm armor arm is sculpt in a plastic-looking silver, not painted.  If they were going to sculpt the arm in silver, they should've made it look like it was in armor and not just a silver Hulk arm with a shoulder plate and spikes stuck on.  The good thing is that they sculpted bands for the armor on the arm.  I think the problem lies more with the lack of paint than with the sculpt, though that could also have been given better treatment.

Dislike: For all the special tooling they gave him, they decided to not pay any attention to his shorts.  Hulk's ass is a plain ol' smooth brown plastic. But to enhance the illusion of shorts, his legendary hip/ball joints are also made from the same land brown. This area's problem, unlike the armored arm, is the sculpt.  The blandness of the plastic really stands out against all that brilliant tooling of his leathers and his wonderfully textured green skin.  It's most evident when you look at him from the front and his super textured thighs end in plain brown ball joints.

Dislike: The hollow bottoms of his boots/feet!  What's up with that?  Not adding detail there is one thing, but casting them hollow?  Talk about cost cutting...

Dislike: Tip of the tail for the BAF.  Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful he comes with some much as it is, but the tip of the tail?  Really?  They could've packed it with another character or just simply not split it from the lower end of the Fin Fang Foom BAF. Oh well, I guess they needed some insurance just in case King Hulk ended up as a peg warmer. Like that's ever likely to happen. Heh.

RATINGS

Aesthetics: 8/10 - He scores great here but he could've been greater. From a distance, you wouldn't notice his flaws.  Once you bring him up close, you'll realize the lack of paint on his armored arm and less-than-detailed shorts.  Big deduction on points there.  His look is great, his proportions are right, and he's got the trademark sulky demeanor of The Green Scar/Gladiator/King Hulk--but no proper shorts. :/

Poseability: 9.5/10 - He's got a ton of PoAs and can deliver the poses--It's rare to find a 6 inch figure that doesn't have double hinge knees and can still kneel on one knee.  The amazing ball swivel/hinges are the best I've seen on a figure, and his joints are all tight.  And you gotta give props to the swivel/hinge head as well.  It's especially crucial for this guy because his torso is sculpted slightly hunched over, so he needs that extra head movement to look elsewhere besides down all the time.  And what's a gladiator without hands to hold weapons?  I just love that both his hands are gripping hands.

Fun: 10/10 - He'll be extra fun to pose/play with because he goes with just about any creature that is spoiling for a fight.  Heck, he even goes with those that are not.  A gladiator Hulk in a strange world who has all sorts of aliens and monsters thrown at him to battle.

It'll be tremendous fun setting up a gladiatorial arena scene and have him fight the Silver Savage.  He'd even look great fighting Fin Fang Foom.  Even if you only ever collect Hulk figures, this guy is one of the few who not only looks great, but also plays very, very well.
 

Value: 9/10 - Two accessories, one BAF (even if it is the small tippy tail), and one huge hunk of a figure.  Throw in some uniquely tooled pieces like the crowned head and the studded/plated armor arm and leather skirt, and you have a winner.  At retail (if you luck out and stumble upon him) he's a steal.  Online, he's worth the US$15-20 that he usually goes for, especially since he's from a limited edition wave.

Overall: 9.25/10 - He's as great as I wanted him to be despite the flaws he has.  As a Hulk, I never expected him to be super poseable.  But he's exceeded my expectations.  I do expect and want him to have a strong look.  This character does.  The problem is they skimped on his paint and it does show.  He's still an excellent Hulk to own, though.  Just as the Marvel Legends Face Off Hulk is the best standard Hulk of this scale, King Hulk is the best variation of "costumed" Hulk in my book.

And whaddaya know?  Like Arthur in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Hulk's a King! ;P