Item: Hulk
Line: Marvel Now! ArtFX+ Statue
Manufacturer: Kotobukiya
Store: Entertainment Earth
Thoughts: The announcement two toy fairs ago that Kotobukiya would be releasing a line of Marvel Now! Avengers ArtFX+ statues was one of my personal highlights of that show. I’ve now got the first piece of this new collection in my hands, the Incredible Hulk, and he was worth the wait.
Standing almost 10 inches tall, this 1/10th scale statue of the Hulk is big. And not just tall, but he’s a big beef slab of green monster. I was actually a bit surprised at how hefty this statue is. With this as a reference point, I’m looking forward to seeing how Black Widow (the smallest of the Avengers) compares to Hulk (easily the biggest). One of the things I like about the ArtFX+ statues is the scale – they’re larger than a 6″ figure but smaller most of your high-end statues. It’s a great middle ground – you can have some amazing details yet not break your bank or use up too much display space.
When unboxed, the Hulk is in three pieces – his head, his torso and his legs. The pieces slide together easy and are very sturdy together. Standing, the Hulk is very stable. Two magnetic display stands are included with the Hulk, and while I’ll likely end up using them, they are not required for me to feel comfortable that Hulk is stable. There are no points of articulation or swappable parts – it’s good that Kotobukiya gave him an excellent pose, since he’s not moving from it.
Regarding the Hulk’s sculpt – there’s not much I can say, it’s pretty near perfect. I’ve already mentioned how big he, so the size is appropriate for the Hulk. I also like the balance they’re achieved with the detailing on the sculpt, while there are quite a few fine details (like ‘stiching’ on his rear jeans pockets) he isn’t “hyper-detailed”. The Hulk’s head is also quite good – there’s a ton of emotion in his expression, which isn’t always captured well. His heavy brow, his squinting eyes and his bared teeth all help convey that the Hulk is mad. Of course, even the greatest sculpts can be ruined with poor paint decos, fortunately that’s not the case here. The details are painted perfectly.
Summary: I’ve waited two years for the Marvel Now! ArtFX+ Hulk, and frankly, it was worth it. He’s fantastic – a perfectly sized, highly detailed, fantastically sculpted statue of the Hulk. He’s the first in a series of Marvel Now! Avengers ArtFX+ statues, and if you’re a fan of the Avengers or the larger Marvel Universe you should consider picking up a Hulk – you won’t regret it! The next release in the line will be Black Widow.
