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The Incredible Hulk has smashed his way through comics, television and cinema for more than 60 years, but one of his rarest and oddest incarnations is a gel-filled toy that most people have never heard of. Being one of Marvel Comics’ most instantly recognizable characters, Hulk merchandise has come in all shapes and sizes, but as always, it takes something really bizarre and rare to really ramp up the value.
The Incredible Hulk’s popularity as a character has been strangely disjointed from his success on screen. Several animated shows centered on Hulk were released in the 1970s and 1980s, and the long-running TV series starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno ensured that Hulk was one of the most prominent Marvel heroes on the small screen for decades. Young fans looking for their own Hulk were able to buy several iterations of Hulk to add to their toy box including a version made by the company behind the bendy and expandable Stretch Armstrong range.
A 1979 Stretch Hulk recently sold for more than $5,000 on eBay. Coming complete with its original box, the pliable version of Hulk may seem to have sold for an incredible price, but when you dig into the item the price does not seem quite as surprising.
The Stretch Hulk Is an Incredible Find
The Stretch Hulk may not look like much but the fact is still exists intact is what gives it its value. Anyone who has ever owned a Stretch Armstrong toy, or any similar stretchy toy made in the late 70s or early 80s, knows exactly how the material perishes, cracks, and rips over time. Almost 50 years after being released, only around 30 Stretch Hulks have survived, instantly pushing up the price when one comes up at auction.
The Stretch Hulk also has a backstory that helps give it its value. It was made by a British company called Denys Fisher rather than the usual American giants. Fisher manufactured Kenner’s Stretch line under licence for the European market, and the Hulk was made using the same latex molds and gelled corn-syrup filling as Stretch Armstrong himself, simply finished in green with a Hulk head and Marvel branding.
One issue with the product was that Fisher did not have permission to use the original Stretch brand designs. A lawsuit followed and by 1980 the figure was discontinued, resulting in a limited amount ever being circulated into stores, roughly a few thousand according to many experts on the subject.
The Stretch Hulk that appeared in this recent eBay auction ticked all the boxes that a collector would look for to own this particular piece of toy and Marvel history. It was being sold by its original owner, who had preserved it and its box in an upright position and out of direct sunlight, ensuring it retained its shape and had not faded or been sun-damaged over time. For a toy this delicate to remain in such good condition is almost unheard of, and more than justifies the price all things considered. It is unlikely that such a well-preserved example of this particular Marvel grail will turn up too often, and if its new owner continues to maintain its current condition, then its price is only ever going to increase.
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