Toy OTD: Asunarosya 3age Figure: Hulk

To celebrate the release of The Incredible Hulk this weekend, here's a neat figure that came out in late 2006. It's part of a series of super-deformed Marvel heroes, and they all turned out really great (at least, if you like that kind of stylization in the first place)!

The sculpts are very simple, ditto the paint job, but everything supports the basic, childlike idea just fine. There's almost no articulation or posing, but the symmetry is appropriate for the Hello Kitty approach that's been taken with these toys. Wisely, Asunarosya included a display stand with each figure, and showed collectors mercy by not making this a blind-boxed line.

These are tough to get now, but the Hulk is one of the more affordable characters. They originally cost eight to ten dollars each, but I'd expect to spend at least fifteen to twenty-five for this Hulk now. Crank up that eBay Favorite Search, and good luck!

PS - If you missed out last time, series three is on its way! Collectors who have series one and two might not bite, as the 'new' figures are all repaints of those characters. So the trade-off is: a more expensive Hulk with purple pants, or a cheaper one with pink pants! You make the call.

The Incredible Hulk Trailer Now Online!

A lot of the elements - Bruce on the run from the military, the cast, someone else using the same process to become the Abomination (so the Hulk can fight him, and be more of a hero), this interpretation of the character - look pretty good! I'm not too happy with the Abomination's design, but it's a tough character to adapt to film.

Anyway, I'll be checking it out, but you can see the trailer yourself at mtv.com.

Toy OTD: Toy Biz 13" Raging Hulk Figure (2003)

Let me say up front that I've never been a big fan of Toy Biz in general or the Marvel Legends line in particular. While I understand that fans enjoy the poseability, I've found the sculpts and paint work to be consistently wanting, and the abundance of joints winds up making the characters look more like robots than people. This figure, though, is a nice exception.

It was released in conjunction with the Hulk movie, and was left stranded on store shelves for months afterwards. Ironically, it's one of my favorite Toy Biz items. I like the sculpt, and the real cloth pants. The articulation isn't staggering, but you can pose it in a few different ways.

There were a few variants - two head sculpts (calm and raging), and the pants came in a bluish-purple, or redder like the comic. It was never terribly expensive, and I got it remaindered for about seven or eight dollars. The only places that I can find it for sale are at toybiz.com, who has it for $34.99 + shipping; and eBay, who has it for $22.95 + shipping. I'd say keep looking, considering how many of these there were around.

Tim Roth Versus The Incredible Hulk

VARIETY: Roth cast as 'Hulk' villain
Actor to play Abomination
By MICHAEL FLEMING - Posted: Wed., May 9, 2007, 10:43am PT

"The Incredible Hulk" will be matched against the oversized adversary Abomination, and Tim Roth will play the villain's alter ego, Emil Blonsky.

Roth joins Edward Norton and Liv Tyler in the Louis Leterrier-directed drama, which is being financed by Marvel Studios and distributed by Universal Pictures on June 13, 2008.

While Roth's deal is still being negotiated, he becomes the latest piece in a reinvention of a franchise, following the self-serious Ang Lee-directed "Hulk."

Blonsky is a KGB agent who deliberately exposes himself to the gamma rays that caused Bruce Banner to morph into the Hulk. Blonsky has upped the dosage, making him larger and stronger than the Hulk, but unable to change back to human form. He blames Banner for his problem, and makes his best efforts to destroy the Hulk.

"The Incredible Hulk" is being produced by Avi Arad, Gale Anne Hurd and Marvel's Feige. Jim Van Wyck, David Maisel, Ari Arad and Stan Lee are exec producing. Zak Penn wrote the script.

Roth stars this fall in "Youth Without Youth," the Francis Ford Coppola-directed drama for Sony Pictures Classics. He also stars with Naomi Watts in "Funny Games" for Warner Independent Pictures.

Edward Norton Is Bruce Banner In Hulk Reboot

VARIETY: Norton to star in 'Hulk'
Marvel sequel to be released in 2008
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Date in print: Mon., Apr. 16, 2007, Los Angeles

Edward Norton has been set by Marvel Studios to play Bruce Banner in "The Incredible Hulk."

The Louis Leterrier-directed drama will be distributed by Universal Pictures, with an opening set for June 13, 2008.

It is a decided return to the mainstream for Norton, who recently has starred in such indies as "Down in the Valley," "The Painted Veil," and "The Illusionist." Pic will shoot this summer in Toronto.

Norton takes over a role played in the Ang Lee-directed "Hulk" by Eric Bana. Though that film opened strongly, it didn’t fare as well as other Marvel efforts, including "Spider-Man," "X-Men," "Fantastic Four" and, most recently, "Ghost Rider."

Marvel Studios, which has a $525 million credit facility obtained through Merrill Lynch, made "The Incredible Hulk" its second film under that arrangement, and seeks to make a sequel that is less self-serious and more in line with the comic series and TV show. Leterrier directed the action-filled "Transporter 2," and "Unleashed."

The new pic begins with Banner on the run, trying to avoid capture long enough to cure the condition that turns him into a misunderstood green menace.

"Edward Norton is a rare talent and one of the most versatile actors in the business," Marvel Studios production president Kevin Feige said in a statement. "His ability to transform into a particular role makes him the ideal choice to take on the character of Bruce Banner and the Hulk. Edward is perfectly suited to bring one of the most popular and important Marvel icons to the bigscreen in a new and exciting way."

The script for "The Incredible Hulk" was written by Zak Penn, who had a hand in crafting two "X-Men" films, "Fantastic Four" and "Elektra" for Marvel.

"The Incredible Hulk" is being produced by Avi Arad, Gale Anne Hurd and Marvel’s Feige. Jim Van Wyck, David Maisel, Ari Arad and Stan Lee are exec producing.

Norton, who will next be seen starring with Colin Farrell in the Gavin O’Connor-directed New Line drama "Pride and Glory," is repped by Endeavor.