Review of Gamma Smash Hulk - Avengers action figure

Introduction

Last week, I went to see THE film of 2012 not once but twice - The Avengers. I watched it both in 'regular', and the way you really should experience it if you have the opportunity, in 3D IMAX.

Of course, it's THE film of 2012 so far. There's at least 6 movies still coming this year that could out do it for me, including The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit, both of which are very high on my list.

But for now, it's the Avengers trophy to lose. With excellent work by all the actors, a fantastic directorial outing by Whedon, and a much tighter, funnier script than I expected, it was a roller coaster from start to finish.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was that my favorite character in the film was the one character that has never gotten a decent solo movie. Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk knocked it out of the park, both as Banner and as the CGI'ed monster. Now I really want a Ruffalo Hulk film, where we get to see the green giant all on his own.

After seeing the film, I knew I had to check out the Avengers action figure of the big guy, and compare him to the screen version. You can find this one - the Gamma Smash Hulk - at most mass market retailers for around $10.

Packaging - ***
The small bubble packaging doesn't have much waste, which is a big plus these days. They are even collector friendly - sort of. Slit (or remove) the tab on the three tabs on the back, cut the bubble on the bottom, and you can slip the figure out without damaging the rest of the cardback.

Sculpting - **1/2
This figure is based on the Ruffalo Hulk of course, although the body is pretty much the standard big green dude. Thick arms, massive chest, tree trunk legs - the usual.

He isn't really in scale, although he is bigger than the other 4" scale characters. He tops out at almost a full 5", with a reasonable amount of bulk.

The head sculpt looks great, until you look at the scale compared to the body. He's a pin head...again...and that is not how I remember him in the film. Seems to me the head was in scale with the massive body, not dwarfed by the wide shoulders. I really hope we eventually get a proper version.

Paint - ***
He's definitely green, with the usual tan pants. He should ask Dockers if they want to sponsor him - he goes through enough pairs.

The majority of the paint work is on the face, and the eyes, eyebrows and teeth are all decent. There's nothing here to pop your eyeballs out of your head, but it's solid B work.

Articulation - ***
The ball jointed neck works pretty well for this scale, as do the pin/disc ball shoulders and hips. There's also pin and disc elbows and knees, which allow the lower appendages to turn as well as move backward and forward. The ab-crunch rounds things out.

I do miss the ankle and wrist articulation, both of which would have greatly improved the score here. 

On the plus side, the shoulder articulation is designed to work independently of the action feature, proving that it can be done.

Accessories - Bupkis
There's no accessories, which is a big surprise - and a big negative - for me. The left hand is sculpted to hold something...let your imagination run wild. 

Action Feature - ***
This guy sports 'gamma smash' action. What that really means is you pull the arms backward, and they snap forward in a smashing movement. Meh, at least the shoulder joints are designed to allow you to still pose both arms independently, and any action feature that doesn't intefere with the toy is a good one.

Fun Factor - ***
He's not perfect, but considering the scale and the size, he's still plenty of fun. For a lot of kids, this new movie will be their first real experience with the character, and they are going to walk away from it with a hankering for the Hulk. This figure should fill the bill pretty well.

Value - **
Ten bucks is still a lot for a 4" scale figure. One that doesn't have any accessories? It's painful.

Things to Watch Out For -
No problems here.

Overall - ***
There's three issues here - the small head sculpt, the high price, and the lack of any accessories.

Even with those issues, he's still a solid toy, and considering how cool the character is in the new film, I suspect this figure will be popular with kids. Personally, I can't wait to see how the Hot Toys version comes out!

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - **1/2
Paint - ***
Articulation - ***
Accessories - Bupkis
Action Feature - ***
Fun Factor - ***
Value - **
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
Your best option right now is just about every mass market retailer on the planet, where you should be able to find him for around $10.

Related Links -
I've covered a fair share of Hulks, including the Marvel Universe version, as well as the larger scale Red Hulk.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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