Wal*Mart Exclusive Hulk vs. Abomination 2-Pack (2008)

It says Battle in New York – but doesn’t it look more like they are slapping 5?  Or is Abomination calling the Hulk the winner?  He’s holding his hand up like a champ!  And why are they staring at each other like that?  It looks like the end of Rocky – not a battle in the Incredible Hulk movie.  The Hulk figure has black pants – so it is different.  The Abomination looks like the same figurethough… I didn’t find these locally – I had to drive to Groton, MA on Sunday (that’s about a 2-hour drive for anyone keeping score here) for work and found this at the store there.  I was pretty stoked that within a crazy work commute I could use that time to do something more productive – like finding the Wal*Mart exclusive that had been eluding me! 

Marvel Select Red Hulk Exclusive!

The Big Bad Toy Store is offering an exclusive of the upcoming Marvel Select Hulk figure – with a new head mold and a new Hulk color!  Click on the image to be directed to the toy site!  Out in Sept.  Hey!  What happened to March?

Ummm… Part 17

I’m not sure who would think something like this up – but they have serious mental issues…

Large Regener8’rs (2008)

The took the great idea of Regener8r’s and enlarged it!  Made it absolutely huge!  This one here just has a few stickers of the Hulk – I wish they made the one that had a Huge Hulk Head on the front of the car into a larger Regener8r.  That would’ve been great!  But for now I have to settle for this one and the one that I found today at Wal*Mart (with the exclusive) which means I have located all of the exclusives!  I will be posting them shortly – until then – ONLY 4 MORE DAYS TILL THE HULK COMES OUT!  and try to stay cool.

Tales to Astonish #62 (1964)

This really poor copy of TTA was sitting in my LCS.  This is the origin of the Leader.  Man, what a great series the first TTA was.  Filled with Humanoids – on trains, on islands, a huge humanoid that threatens the army and the Hulk stops them all!  The Leader was supposed to be brilliant but all of his plans were about using more humanoids to try to defeat the Hulk.  When the humanoids fail – he just makes more and tries the same thing again.  What classic stories. 

Hulk Walkie Talkies 2 (2008)

Another set of walkie talkies?  Yes, another set – these work a little bit better than the other set that I have.  You can actually hear the person when a foot away from each other.  That’s all I wanted – just to play with toys the way they were intended!  That can’t be too much to ask for.  Found these at Target with the Taget Exclusives – I also have just recently been to Toys R Us – got the Exclusive there – and I talked to the Director about getting the promotional Hulk stuff there – but unfortunately there was no budging her.  She told me that the company said they need to be destroyed.  I know that’s what the companies say – but really – they are just saying that to try and stop people that would sell them on ebay for an outrageous amount of money.  Those people ruin things for everyone!

Meet Pablo Viggiano

This talented artist has released some of my favorite Hulk sculptures.  Including the 40th anniversary bust.  He also has a never released Hulk vs. Wolverine sculture that defines gore.  It is so detailed and bloody with the fury captured like no ones business!  Click on the image above to be directed to his site.  His site is also one of the most impressive sites I have ever seen. 

The Essential Rampaging Hulk Volume 1

The Rampaging Hulk magazine – that was changed to just The Hulk after issue 11 – was a great suplement to the actual comics and now they’ve collected the stories inside to make this Trade Paper Back.  The Essential series are fine – but they are in Black and White and it looses something without the dynamic color.  Still, worth the pick-up if you enjoy reading great Hulk stories (which I do) and like great Hulk art (me again!)  cost effective at only $16.99 – but I bet you can find it for even cheaper online.

Incredible Hulk Seasons 3 & 4 – The Review.

I have to tell you – first off – I am so glad they released the full seasons on DVD.  Season 4 is chock full of great episodes like Prometheus parts 1 & 2 and The First parts 1 & 2 and a personal favorite “King of the Beach” where Lou Ferigno actually appears as a character (a body building waiter) with out make-up!  Another great episode in this collection is “Patterns” which is the last episode in the season where David works as a fashion consultant of sorts… Man, this show was great!

The “moving” covers are amazing as well – showing David’s transformation to the Hulk.

Season 3 isn’t as full of memorable episodes – but still a great collection.  A bit sparse on any special features.  There are what they call “sneak peeks” on the upcoming movie – but they just feel like a long comercial.  The better features are on season 4 with a look at Lou Ferigno as the actor.  Can’t wait for the 5th and final season probably being released around the time the movie makes it to DVD.

Marvel Comics Presents: Hulk vs. the Entire Universe (2008)

Within these pages contains four stories.  The first story that features the Hulk is the second story that has Machine Man being beaten by the Hulk who is looking for a woman.  The Hulk thinks that Machine Man knows where she is.  He doesn’t.  But Hulk doesn’t take no for an answer.  The ending is surley one of those that feels like a classic Hulk story.  Hulk, as angry as he gets starts smashing things about everywhere.  A woman gets caught in all the demolition and the Hulk saves her – only to have her call him a monster.  Then, in a twist of fate, Machine Man is also called a monster by the same woman he was trying to reassure.

Ed McGuinness illustrates the third story that shows an entire planet torn apart by Gamma Radiation.  A figure that looks like the Maestro defies an order by a person that looks like the Leader who demands surrender.  Faced with a mighty army of Gamma Irradiated People the Maestro turns his army into Hulks as well and the two armies fight.  The Maestro’s army wins and to save everyone on the planet he sends the army of Hulks into space to be destroyed.  Pretty sad but good story.

If you enjoy the Hulk this is a good comic to pick up – it also features stories with Vangaurd and Weapon Omega.  B-   

Meet John Cleary

This amazing sculptor designed a lot of the upcoming Marvel Legends Hulk line coming up.  He has some pretty unique sculpts and a bunch of familiar characters done really well.   Check out the site by clicking on Wendigo above! 

Marvel Hero Stand-Ups (1978)

This is a package of cardboard cut-outs that you can display… and that’s it.  I won these off ebay and when they arrived I was somewhat unimpressed.  I wish they were a bit bigger.  The only real great thing about the package is that they display Spiderman on one side – and the Hulk on the other!  Classic art by what looks like Buscemma art.  The other Heroes represented are Iron Man, Cap and Thor.

Ratchet Photo #2

King Size Hulk #1 (2008)

A few quick stories in this King Size – each written by Loeb.  Not a bad collection really… we start with:

Where Monsters Dwell: A tale where the Red Hulk meets Wendigo.  The art by Arthur Adams is okay – but he makes the Wendigo look pretty lanky and terrible.  The Red Hulk fights with Wendigo and we find out that the Red Hulk’s blood is like acid.  And orange.  Also we find out that there are a whole pack of Wendigos now.  But Hulk beats Wendigo severely and after killing him – the rest of the pack eats him. B+

Wait Until Dark: This story tells of what happens when the Red Hulk pulled She-Hulk through the wall on the Helli-Carrier.  Again, the Red Hulk serves a pretty brutal beating and knocks the She-Hulk out.  When She-Hulk regains consciousness she says she has a plan to take the Hulk down.  Very quick story but the illustrations by Cho are absolutely stunning.  B+

The Death and Life of the Abomination: Herb Trimpe graces the book with a quick recap of the Abomination’s life told backward.  Trimpe’s art isn’t as memorable as it once was – which is really disappointing because most of the stories that he recapped he originally drew! C

This also reprints Incredible Hulk #180/#181 and the Avengers #83.  I wish they reprinted a few different stories because they always seem to reprint the first appearence of Wolverine.  Nice King Size comic none-the-less. 

Target Exclusive Gamma Glow Hulk (2008)

This latest figure is also only found at Target.  It has glowing veins and a seriously strange constipated look on his face.  Exclusives are fine – but why do they have to look like this?  This Hulk either smells something funny or is semi-retarded.  Either way – why would a sculptor capture that look for a figure?  I still haven’t been able to locate the Wal*Mart 2-pack exclusive.  opefully coming to my local store soon.