Originally created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for Marvel Comics in 1962, The Incredible Hulk – the mean, green alter-ego of mild-mannered physicist Dr. Bruce Banner – is still as popular today as ever, with numerous TV shows, movies and of course, action figures appearing over the years. The 1970s TV series – The Incredible Hulk – starring Bill Bixby as Dr. “David” Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk, has become a genuine cult classic, with Bixby’s line in the opening credits bound to bring about a pang of nostalgia for anybody old enough to remember tuning-in to watch the show:
Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.
Recent years have seen two major big screen versions – Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk starring Edward Norton as Banner and Ang Lee’s Hulk starring Eric Bana. In both films the Hulk himself was generated by CGI special effects.
Curiously, given his lasting appeal, the Hulk action figure by Mego was a later addition to the World’s Greatest Superheroes range appearing in 1975, although once the TV series aired, sales inevitably took off. The Hulk action figure is probably one of the most memorable of Mego’s Elastic Heroes, those bizarre stretchable figures inspired by Kenner’s popular Stretch Armstrong figures.