A Defining Moment For Mattel...Hulkamania Lives

 I can still remember the hype and hoopla surrounding Hulk Hogan's arrival to the Jakks Classic Superstars line.  Both "red and yellow" and nWo versions were planned, with the former being hyped as the best Classic Superstars figure in the line.  While my love for that line is well-documented, it's more for the guys and gals who had few or no figures before that time.  Although some great figures of "The Hulkster" would hit that line later on, those debut offerings didn't live up to the hype.  Now Hogan has made his debut in Mattel's WWE line.  Similarly to Jakks, Mattel has rolled out the red carpet.

It was just a few short months ago that Mattel restarted their WWE Defining Moments line.  The figures represent top stars as they appeared in some of their definitive career milestones.  Around four years ago the line was originally launched and included legends such as Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, and The Ultimate Warrior. Despite being a hit with collectors due to high detail and unique packaging, the line was dropped around the same time as Mattel's separate Legends line. Since then, select Legends have been included in Mattel's Elite line as "Flashback" figures.

One Defining Moments figure planned before the cancellation was Ric Flair.  In 2014, the line was relaunched starting with The Nature Boy himself.  This was Flair's Mattel debut, and following shortly thereafter was Hulk Hogan.  Hogan sticks out like a sore thumb on store shelves, but it in a good way.  The packaging is designed to look like one of Hogan's shirts.

It's been seemingly hard for manufacturers to nail down Hogan's physique, but Mattel does a very good job. He isn't overly pumped up, nor is he wimpy looking.  His unique style of wearing the famous yellow trunks is well captured here, too.  The facial likeness is good for the Hogan of the '80s, and the hairline matches perfectly. If the hairline on a Hogan figure does not match the era that it's supposed to represent, the likeness suffers greatly.  After all, Hogan's hair has long been a talking point, for better or worse.

This Hogan is based upon the icon's appearance at WrestleMania III where he famously slammed Andre the Giant inside of the Pontiac Silverdome.  Red and yellow were the colors of the day, and at that time Hogan was wearing his headbands with the extra material hanging down the side of his face.  Mattel loves to produce rubber shirts and other clothing.  The Hulkamania shirt here is no different and has a cut down the center where it can be "torn."  It doesn't really have anything to hold it closed, but it works.  The headband "clips" into the hairline and can easily be removed or replaced.

For their first foray into Hulkamania, Mattel brings us some never before included accessories.  The first is the belt that Hogan wore for much of the mid-1980's.  This design has never before been created in figure form.  It has the shiny finish and though it is not completely painted (the flags on the side are colorless), it is an amazing centerpiece for the figure.

A second brand-new Hogan accessory is his famous cross necklace. No fan will ever forget Andre ripping the shirt and crucifix from Hogan's chest on Piper's Pit.  Although it isn't clearly visible while the figure is in the.package, it is indeed included. I don't know that I'd recommend removing it too many times, as the chain has to be a very thin material in order for it to look right and has to be stretched a bit to make it around Hulk's mullet, but it's a very welcome addition.

Well folks, we have a winner here.  Even at brick and mortar stores, this figure is at a higher price point.  I think that, in part, caused the original demise of this series.  If the releases are limited to new-to-the-line names like Hogan and future planned stars like Razor Ramon and Sting, I think the Defining Moments could keep coming.  Now, if we could only get that Magnum T.A. figure released...

Don't forget about my new second blog, #JoshCulture!  This week I take a look at NXT and some of the stars featured on NXT TakeOver!  Have a taste of the "Culture" at: http://joshculture.blogspot.com/

Hulkamania Turns 30

Thirty years to the night of press time, Hulkamania was born.  Yes, the term was used before January 23, 1984, but that was simply the seed being planted.  That night in MSG was when the term, concept, and phenomenon burst upon not just New York City, but the world.  Despite what any historian may want you to believe, nothing so immense had ever happened to the wrestling world.  Despite what some revisionist history may tell you, Austin 3:16 is but a close second.  Hulkamania is immortal.

Three decades later, Hulk Hogan is still as relevant in both wrestling and pop culture as ever.  He has adapted with the times, and despite negative press here and there, he is still the ultimate iconic American hero.  In my mind, I used to measure Hogan's mainstream visibility with one phrase: "Even grandmothers know who Hulk Hogan is!"  Take a poll.  I'd venture to guess that's still the case even opposed against wrestling megastars that have come and gone since. 

What exactly makes Hulkamania so irresistible?  It's a larger-than-life superhero who captivated an industry and the world watching it.  It's a character that stood for ideals that, thirty years ago especially, were still held in reverence by the public at large.  It's a brand that just goes on and on.  Wrestling, television, film, the toy store...both then and now, Hulkamania is omnipresent.

What child of the 1980's did not own the legendary Hulk Hogan LJN?  Though two later versions in the line were a tad more lifelike, the original shirtless, belt-wearing LJN of the Hulkster was owned by children who weren't even necessarily wrestling fans.  After all, here was eight inches of rubbery wrestler to bend, fling, and slam all over the house, playground, and lunch room.  Full cases of just Hogan figures shipped to stores to meet demand.  Sure, there were a plethora of heroes and villains for kids to choose from, but you absolutely needed Hulk to make your '80s "figure federation" complete.

WWE may be branching back into cartoons in the next few months, but their original animated adventure saw the Hulkster at the helm.  Hulk Hogan's "Rock n Wrestling" burst onto CBS just a bit under two years after the birth of Hulkamania.  Hogan, along with Andre the Giant, Wendi Richter, Roddy Piper, and Mean Gene Okerlund, among others, appeared in standard cartoon plot lines each week.  Slam City, what?  "Rock n Wrestling" is still as beloved to fans in their 30s today as it was during it's original run.

Naturally, film followed television fame for the Hulkster.  Although his acting and choice of projects may not have always been top quality, they're still remembered today.  After a pre-Hulkamania taste of celluloid in Rocky III, Hogan starred in 1989's No Holds Barred.  Battling Zeus just as he would on WWF shows during the release of the film, the Hulkster stars as "Rip."  The movie, which features cameos by Bill "Masked Superstar/Demolition Ax" Eadie and Stan Hansen, is set to be released on Blu-Ray in 2014.

Hulkamania knows no bounds and of course has also spilled over into WCW and TNA.  Though the Hulkster had a few memorable moments in both promotions, he has never really seemed "at home" as he does in WWE.  The Hulkster's transformation into the villainous "Hollywood" Hogan and leader of the nWo can easily be pointed to as the legend's biggest non-WWF/WWE moment.  When that character was attempted in the WWF, it failed.  The red and yellow Hulkster is synonymous with WWF/WWE.

What does the future hold for Hulkamania?  It's all but guaranteed that Hulk Hogan will be back in WWE at any time.  What role will he play?  Time will tell, but count me in with the group of fans that is all for one last match in the ring.  This is professional wrestling.  Anything can, and will, happen.  This form of sport does not hold the limitations that others do.  Instead of complaining that a "young talent" wouldn't have a spot on a show such as WrestleMania XXX because the Hulkster does should not even be an argument.  He's more than earned his spot on any wrestling show that he pleases.  Thirty years of Hulkamania.  Thirty years of WrestleMania.  Seems like a no-brainer to me, brother.