The following was originally posted on Action-Figure.com:
The debate rages on over the correct scale of The Hulk! The crux of the issue seems to be that different artists draw Hulk at different scales, making his height range from Marvel’s reported 7+ feet to the over exaggerated 13+ we’ve seen in epic battles were Hulk seems able to destroy a whole city if left unchecked. Luckily, Toybiz has provided a number of Hulk figures which allow you to slide the jade giant into battle along side Spidey and Cap, but none truly showed the extreme, chaotic power behind the creature..until now! The new Icons hulk can be argued to be in scale, even with most legends standing crotch high.
Icons Hulk is articulated with a pegged and hinged head, pegged and hinged shoulders, sculpted upper bicep swivels, hinged elbows, swivel wrists, hinged hands, hinged thumbs, first finger and 2nd, third and fourth on the same hinge, mid torso hinge, waist swivel, hinged and pegged hips, upper thigh swivels, hinged knees, upper calf swivels, hinged ankles, rocker feet and mid-foot hinges. Balance on a figure as bulky as Hulk should be a non-issue, but beware! Hulk’s huge upper body coupled with arms the size of tree trunks can easily tip him into a carpet bound spiral. There is enough articulation here to counteract any issues, but just be aware. Many of the classic poses can be acquired at this level of articulation but if you were looking for the sonic hand clap, double fists to the ground or down on bended knees to look into Betty’s eyes (were there a Betty figure), then I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. Trust that is the ONLY place this figure falls short though, and it’s not a big gripe to make. The 20 other poses more than make up for it.
Sculpt for Icons Hulk is fantastic! The look on his face is somewhere between manic and enraged…the powder keg ready to explode, for lack of a better way to put it. It’s nice to see a Hulk figure without his gums exposed for once! Sure the First Appearance Hulk had the stoic look I loved, but this is the modern version, so I’m happy they went for depth instead of the standard Toybiz battle cry face. For those of you that always wondered what it might be like if SOTA or McFarlane took on Marvel Universe characters…this would likely be the result! Veins stand on end across over pumped biceps and forearms. Musculature is pulled tight across a massive green chest. Fingers and toes end in gnarled, blackened nails that resemble tree bark rather than human anatomy. Hulk’s magic purple pants stretch to maximum capacity complete with tension lines in the fabric and texture all around. Top and bottom of the clothing includes tear detail which even ends in a flare away from the legs, made of a softer plastic. I should note that there are fairly large circular pegs protruding from elbow, knee and ankle joints which probably make the sculptor want to cry. I could say that they become invisible at 3 feet but mine stick out pretty far, at least on the elbows. I suppose I could sand them down a bit but then we go back to the “Why Nomad doesn’t want to work on an action figure when the company could have done it for him in the first place” conversation. You’ll remember this song from every time I talk about the figures from the JLU line that can’t stand on their own. Hair dryer??!!
Paints are very decent here. Hulk’s pale pea green is topped with a light ash dry brushing to play up texture, add depth and simulate shadow. You could complain that too much texture on the face made this brushing all too evident in that area, but at about three feet away you’d never notice. That’s just me being super critical of an already killer piece. Eye and teeth detail is rendered miraculously with superb precision, showing no signs of overspray or missed hits. Even Hulk’s nails get a dark grey paint with a lighter grey brushing while toes get a more brownish brushing …which makes sense with his bare feet and all. All joints are the proper colors which make for a happy Nomad.
If you were on the fence about picking up this Hulk, well, give up. This is the first and last super sized Hulk you will ever want or need. It’s like a sculpture come to life. Sure there are a couple of minor flaws, but considering this is only series 2, things can only go up. Of course…we have that Hasbro change over snag… Cross your fingers.
For the complete article along with images, click here.
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