First off, I should apologise for the lack of really Christmassy content. I am so busy lately that I barely get a chance to sit down and post anything at all lately, let alone making sure it’s ‘seasonal’. Halloween was okay as I kind of planned for it, but come mid October when Christmas songs started playing in stores, I did what I always do, which is shake my head in disgust and swear about how it’s unthinkable that Christmas songs were playing already. Then come December I shake my head and swear about how Christmas has sneaked up so unannounced like it always does.

Anyways, is there anything  more in the spirit of Christmas than a giant green angry man who smashes things up? Probably but oh well.

A while back I looked at an Iron Man figure from 1990. It wasn’t an awful toy but it was a bit strange. Today I will be taking a look at an angrier member of the Avengers. It’s Hulk!

 

 

Hulk comes equipped with a  bendable bar, a rock and an expression that denotes extreme constipation.

I actually really like this figure. I wasn’t hugely into Marvel comics as a kid, (though I had a few toys) but I remember asking my Mum back then who the green character was when I saw a toy somewhere, and I distinctly remember her saying “It’s the Incredible Hulk”. He just looked visually intriguing enough to draw me in, all green with his contrasting purple trousers. These days I think most kids know who he is, but there was a time when some kids were unfamiliar with him as the only popular visual medium in which he appeared had been the television series from the late ’70s, (which I have since watched and totally  enjoyed.)

 

This toy is definitely a simple toy from a more simple time, though I really do like the idea behind it.

 

 

On his back is a rather unsightly protruding lever that makes his arms move up and down, but if you pull it out it makes his arms move together, effectively bending the bar. Which is fantastic. If ever Hulks strength is in question, he can easily prove it by bending an already somewhat bent bar by a few centimetres.

 

 

The other accessory is the plastic boulder. It’s squishy like a ping pong ball, and I think the idea is that it’s to show again how tough Hulk is, like if he stamps on it, it will squash under his weight.

 

 

It’s a silly gimmick but I’ll take it. I can’t say as though I have really looked at modern superhero toys (with the exception of Lego) but it wouldn’t surprise me if modern Hulk toys came equipped with rocket launchers or all sorts of other silly crap, as that is certainly the direction that modern Star Wars toys have taken. But I will save that rant for another time.

I don’t think there is much more to say about him anyway. If you like retro toys which are basic but charming, he can be found fairly cheaply.

One other thing is compared to the Iron Man I looked at last  time he’s quite small.

 

 

Iron Man is clearly a little bit taller, which seems strange compared to how massive Hulk is in the Marvel cinematic universe. But back then I’m guessing his size fluctuated depending on the artist back then. In the ’70s TV show Hulk was portrayed by Lou Ferrigno who was undeniably bulky because of his muscular physique. But he wasn’t anything like the monstrous size that the Hulk is these days. So this figure is more like that than any recent portrayal. Which is fine. He is still a badass, and if you don’t believe him he can bend a bar or stamp on a rock to prove it.

 

Hopefully I will have some more festive things appearing soon, and if not I will try and cover some things I had or wanted for Christmas as a kid.