Hulk Grand Design MONSTER & MADNESS No.1 (2022)

 I was pretty excited about artist Jim Rugg's Hulk: Grand Design upon solicitation, a fan of the character since childhood. I've said before that the CBS TV show starring Bill Bixby opposite Lou Ferrigno was a defining moment in my Hulk fandom, preceded by my Mego Hulk action figures, both 8" and 12", and strengthened by the Hulk comics I read thereafter. "Marvel's TV Sensation" was stamped on new books, reprints, and the avalanche of other product solicitations. I enjoyed Rugg's 2020 independent release of Octobriana 1976. but Hulk: Grand Design was several levels beyond that, taking on the history of the character, at times deftly assuming the styles of some of the greatest artists ever to have worked on him.

  

Two of the stories noted in Hulk Grand Design: Monster link directly to the Hulk comics of my youth and are reviewed on this blog, Hulk #124 and Incredible Hulk #141, telling the sad story of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross' ill-fated wedding, and the Hulk's jealous battle versus Doc Samson!

Many stories involving Betty Ross, daughter of Hulk's arch-nemesis General Thunderbolt Ross, pepper the character's history and source of his loneliness and misunderstood state of being...

The rapid-fire assault of visual delights never let up throughout Monster, Jim Rugg personalizing the art style at times, such as the ballpoint pen homage to Incredible Hulk #181, introducing alpha Marvel character, Wolverine...

The second book, Hulk Grand Design: Monster deals with some story arcs I'm less familiar with, like the Peter David run, but I had managed to catch a few issues starring Mr. Fixit, the Hulk's smarter, gray version, at the end of the '80s.

                     

Hulk Grand Design: MADNESS ends in an epilogue covering Planet Hulk and World War Hulk, both I enjoyed tremendously. While I've enjoyed Hulk stories that came after these two, particularly Indestructible Hulk, his latest, critically acclaimed incarnation in Immortal Hulk is missing from the Grand Design story - I realize there was a conscious decision where to cut off, and though the aforementioned epilogue seems like a good spot, Immortal may have been a better epilogue due to its ongoing popularity, portraying Hulk as a monster in a horror comic.  

Regardless, I found Hulk Grand Design to be a fun romp through the Hulk's history that I'd recommend to any longtime fan, or new readers to get a broad overview of the character. There are just so many Hulk stories- it would be impossible to get it all in 88 pages. You will find yourself thumbing back through it for the visual delight it is, and for $5.99 each, they are a great value. Jim Rugg is a fantastic cartoonist with a wide range of talent this format showcases wonderfully.  

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Marvel Legends Avengers Endgame Power Gauntlet

 

I don't currently own any other Marvel Legends 1:1 scale roleplay toys, but purchased this Avengers Endgame Power Gauntlet at a significant discount at the end of 2019, and shot video for the YouTube presentation below shortly thereafter. For whatever reason I fell behind getting it together, but am finally putting this out. I have had this piece on display since I got it and am quite fond of it. Check out the video:

At 8 x 22 x 12", with lights and sounds, it is quite the display piece. From the Manufacturer:

Lights, Sounds, Electronic Articulation, and Display Mode

The Power Gauntlet electronic fist from the Marvel Legends Series features premium design and intricate detailing across the entire gauntlet and its 6 light-up Infinity Stones. Each colorful Infinity Stone is equipped with a pulsating glowing light effect. Pushing the stone at the center of the gauntlet activates Avengers: Endgame movie-inspired sound FX. The Power Gauntlet Electronic Fist also features individually articulated finger joints for open hand and fist roleplay. The Gauntlet’s fist-lock feature mechanism allows the item to be displayed in an appropriately powerful clenched fist pose.

Below, my Marvel Legends Avengers Endgame Smart Hulk BAF 

with his own Power Gauntlet...

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Marvel Select Immortal Hulk

I bit the bullet a little late on the Marvel Select Immortal Hulk, but he's a huge Hulk action figure, which I have a hard time passing by, the character a childhood favorite of mine. The Mego World's Greatest Superheroes 8" Hulk was one of my favorite childhood toys, usurped by their 12" release in the years following. And when CBS debuted the TV series in 1977, starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, we were hooked. Check out the video:
 

The unexpected additional mecha head sculpt was a welcome accessory to this Marvel Select. Mecha Hulk is a concept that has been floating in and out of comics and action figures for years, this alternate head appearing to have been influenced by Cosmic Hulk. According to Marvel Fandom, this robotic construct was a misguided experiment by two MIT students, awoken with disastrous results by exposure to the power cosmic from the Eternals' Uni-Mind.

There have obviously been many comparisons weighed within the action figure community between this Marvel Select Immortal Hulk and Hasbro's 80th Anniversary Hulk. While Immortal Hulk has size over Hasbro's Hulk, the Marvel Legends Hulk has slightly better articulation. I really like the torn shirt accessory included with the Legends Hulk, and his clenched teeth that can be neutral or enraged depending on his setting. The Select has really good articulation however, the alternate mecha head sculpt is fantastic, and the torn pants at the knees really set him apart. Both are great figures I'd recommend to any Hulk fan.

Marvel Select Vs. Marvel Legends! Below, Marvel Select Immortal Hulk and Marvel Legends 80th Anniversary Hulk face off with my Marvel Select Thanos and Marvel Legends Infinity Gauntlet Thanos...

Of course, I had to throw in a shot of Immortal Hulk with my new Marvel Legends She-Hulk ...

And finally, Immortal Hulk with some of the other Hulks in my collection: ToyBiz Marvel Legends 1st Appearance Hulk, Marvel Select Incredible Hulk, Hasbro Marvel Legends 80th Anniversary Hulk, 3.75" Hasbro Marvel Universe Avengers Hulk, 6" Hasbro Marvel Avengers Hulk, Marvel Select Avengers Hulk, ToyBiz Famous Covers Hulk, and 14.5" Hasbro Marvel Legends Hulk...

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Marvel Legends Retro 3.75in. Iceman & Hulk

 As I said in my last post, I'm just enjoying these Marvel Legends Retro Series 3.75" figures in their colorful packaging in the moment, and was glad to find the last couple of figures from that first wave at a local Walmart tonight, Iceman and Hulk. I had passed on Iceman once, but had been waiting for the Hulk, a childhood favorite. Big Tone pointed out that if by chance we got a Firestar in the future, I'd need Iceman to fill out my cast of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.

I neglected to show how nice the backs of the cards are on these, the colorful character art and description in five languages. Kids everywhere should have these, no matter what age... 

This classic Hulk evokes all the great memories from my childhood regarding the character, from the 1978 TV series, to the comics I read from that era, and of course my Mego action figures. Yes, I sold off most of my 3.75" Marvel Universe figures, but I can't resist the simple charm of these Retro Series figures- I'm interested to see how far Hasbro takes the line!

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Incredible Hulk No.141 (1971)

I love these one dollar Marvel True Believers reprints, and pulled this Incredible Hulk No.141 from 1971, introducing Doc Samson! Psychiatrist Leonard Samson helps General Ross and Major Talbot capture the Hulk, intent on using his inherent gamma force to reverse Betsy Ross' bizarre condition, turned to glass from an unfortunate blood transfusion with villain Sandman in issue No.138. Doctor Samson's calculations are inexplicably correct, and Betsy is miraculously returned to her corporeal form!

Later that night, Doctor Samson investigates a suspicion that remaining gamma energy from the transfer might enhance a person's physicality, and returns to the laboratory to test that theory on himself ...!

Doctor Leonard Samson then lives out his life-long dream to become the hero Doc Samson, and sets out to win the love of Betsy Ross. Filled with jealously, Bruce Banner resolves to do whatever necessary to win Betsy back ...!

In desperation, Banner returns to the laboratory, reviving his monstrous alter-ego in a horrific explosion! Doc Samson arrives on the seen, challenging the Green Goliath, resulting in a thundering brawl in the city streets...

Defeated, Doc Samson is spared further humiliation when Betsy breaks free of her father's restraint, rushing to the Hulk's fallen challenger. To Hulk's visible disappointment, Betsy's expression of concern for Doc Samson leaves the the behemoth again misunderstood and alone....

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Marvel Legends Gamerverse Avengers Joe Fixit Wave

Initially, my interest in this Marvel Legends Gamerverse Avengers Joe Fixit Wave was primarily confined to Jocasta and Kang, but I went back for the other four using some Amazon points I'd accumulated. I'm glad I did, because in spite of having to buy another Gamerverse Iron Man and Captain America, I thoroughly enjoyed this wave. Check out the video:

As I said, buying another Gamerverse Iron Man and Captain America wasn't high on my priority list, but I was impressed with them in person; the Tony Stark and Steve Rogers head sulpts included took them to another level, and I loved the new colorways. Pleasantly surprised by these two...

Below Iron Man with the Gamerverse Starboost Armor Iron Man and regular Gamervese Iron Man, and Captain America with his initial release in blue. I love all these side by side...

I have no emotional attachment to Thunderstrike, but there are some nice aspects to this figure; I'm usually more a fan of neutral face sculpts, but the screaming face on this is fantastic! Below, Thunderstrike with my Beta Ray Bill and Marvel 80th Anniversary Classic Thor...

There is a serious shortage of villains in my Marvel Legends collection, so I was thrilled to see a comic book based Kang in this wave. I loved my childhood Secret Wars Kang, and Hasbro did a knock-out job on this classic character- lots of new parts! Below, Kang with the magnificent Dr. Doom we got earlier this year...

Jocasta was one of the figures that interested me in this wave, due in large part to her head sculpt, and less with any attachment to the character. She pairs well with my Iron Man 3 Wave Ultron, her creator and captive love interest, created in 1977 by artist George Perez and writer Jim Shooter...

Falcon is a bedrock Avengers team mate, so I wasn't disappointed in finally having one in my Marvel Legends collection. I like the engineering od the wings, pegged securely into rectangular slots on the undersides of the arms, the same used recently on that Demogoblin Wave Classic Vulture...

This wasn't the comic book Joe Fixit that first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #326 (1986), nor was it a repaint of the recent Kingpin figure we've now seen twice; this is a unique and very cool Marvel Legends BAF. Well, the arms, legs, and shoes may be reuse of Kingpin's parts (?), but the rest is new. It's possible we will get a comic book based Joe Fixit from Hasbro in the future, but I hope it's in a tuxedo, packed with a Wolverine as Patch, just like in Wolverine #8 (1989)!

I didn't buy the recent Gray Hulk or Red Hulk, basically repaints of the Marvel 80th Anniversary Classic Hulk with a new head sculpt. I'm glad to have another Hulk that is unique; I'm kind of a Hulk collector, and have a modest grouping, varying in size and manufacture. 

I did enjoy this Marvel Legends wave- I don't often an entire wave to get the BAF, and am glad Hasbro has started rereleasing larger BAFs as "deluxe" and Vintage Wave releases so we can have alternative ways to get figures we want. If they'd stop confounding us with retailer exclusive releases, that would be great.

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Comics From My Youth: Marvel Super-Heroes #76, 1978

A recent run through the dollar bins unearthed this well-worn issue of Marvel Super-Heroes, featuring the Incredible Hulk, that I instantly recognized from my youth! This title contained mostly reprints of issues featuring popular characters from '69 to '82- in this case Hulk #124 (1970). I would have been six years old, and Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno were co-starring on the popular TV show, then in it's 2nd season on CBS, proudly advertised on the cover. This issue probably cemented my love for artist Herb Trimpe, whom I got a lot of exposure to as a Bronze-Age baby, and was as formative of my early love for comics as the Spectacular Spider-Man #22 issue I wrote about back in 2013. Historically speaking, Editor Jim Shooter had started to turn things around in this era, by growing the direct market. producing some classic stories, and getting books out on time. This was a relatively good time for comics, and the Hulk, along with Spider-Man, were really popular.

This was undoubtedly my first exposure to General Thunderbolt Ross, who comes to terms with his disapproval with Banner to make his daughter happy, and marry her off to him in her childhood home. It's as surely the first time I saw the Marvel villains Rhino and the Leader, the latter whom reads about the pending nuptials, and hatches a plan to undo a helpless Banner during the affair!

The Leader dispatches Super-Humanoid to retrieve Rhino, unconscious in a hospital from his recent defeat by the Hulk, and revive him using his advanced technology. Additionally, the Leader recreated the Rhino's suit, now amplifying his strength far beyond it's previous levels.

Rhino is hot to exact revenge on the Hulk, but the Leader has his own design- a shot of gamma to the unsuspecting Banner to awaken the Hulk, endangering everyone and everything in his path. Poor Betty's special day comes apart before her very eyes, the Hulk's wrath unleashed, her father injured in the melee and her childhood home destroyed in short order...

The brouhhaha escalates further when Rhino attacks, but the Leader fires 

on his impatient accomplice while trying to get another shot at the Hulk. ..

Angry, Rhino charges on the Leader, who attempts to leave in his escape module. It's jets are damaged by Rhino's attack, seemingly destroying them both in the resulting explosion ...!

We are promised a tangle with the Absorbing Man in the next issue, which I never read, but may now have to hunt down! This is probably one of the first comics I read, and all the action and emotions left a deep imprint on me, instantly recalled upon finding this treasure. Marvel must have printed a ton of these to capitalize on the TV show- did you have this issue? Below, a couple ads for toys/memorabilia within the pages, another thing I love about old comics!

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