WWE Elite Zeus review – 2023 Summerslam BAF Mr. Perfect wave
It’s underrated, but the WWF turning Zeus, Hulk Hogan’s No Holds Barred movie opponent into a nearly yearlong feud, might have been the impressive aspect of the Hulkamania run. Zeus wasn’t a charismatic loudmouth like ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper, had the cool factor of ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage and the stature of Andre the Giant, but he was an intense and imposing enough presence to sell as a threat to Hulkamania.
I missed the Ultimate Edition No Holds Barred set mainly because I just wanted a wrestling version of Zeus to pair with my Macho Man and ‘Million Dollar Man’ Ted DiBiase. When Mattel announced Zeus was coming to the BAF Mr. Perfect Summersam wave, I was ecstatic since I wanted at least two of the figures from this set.
Let’s see if Zeus holds the power or if he’s going to make me wring someone’s neck oh so gently.
Package: As always, the special event Elite packaging looks cooler and more interesting than the standard edition. There’s a lot of neon style lettering, which provides a fun Miami summertime vibe. I really like the color palette of this wave.
The same portrait of Zeus is used on the front and side and Mattel’s wide window provides a clear view of the figure and accessories. I don’t love the reference photo on the back as it manages to make Zeus look tiny and not as menacing as he was portrayed.
There’s no such concern with the bio, which wonderfully explains Zeus’ role in Summerslam 1989 while partnered with the Macho Man.
Likeness: This is basically the same figure as the UE version with the exception of the torso set up though I’d argue this Elite muscular torso is a better fit than the UE one.
The head sculpt is solid fully capturing the intensity of the Human Wrecking Machine with gritted teeth and a ferocity in his eyes.
Zeus had a pretty basic look and that’s faithfully rendered here with the figure.
My favorite part is probably that Mattel actually sculpted the Z on his head.
Scale: WWF had to do some trickery as Zeus was a legit 6’5″ and needed a boost to look eye to eye with the 6’7″ Hogan. He easily looked towering next to the 6’1″ Macho Man and 6’3″ DiBiase and that’s true with the figure as well.
MORE:
- Marvel Legends action figure reviews
- Star Wars: Ahsoka – Shadow Warrior review – S1 E5
- G.I. Joe Classified Series figure reviews
- DC Comics reviews 9/12/23 – Batman and Robin #1, Green Lantern #3
Paint: Again, not a lot of paint application demands from Zeus. Mattel did make sure to get the most important aspect of his look down with the left facing right eye. That looks really good with the face printing setup.
Of course, his big prominent Z on the left side of his head.
I cannot find a reference photo where Zeus wore these inkblot-style kneepads. Is it a big deal?
No, just an odd inclusion in terms of adding detail that wasn’t there from Summerslam, Survivor Series or No Holds Barred The Match.
Articulation: To be kind, Zeus was not a wrestler and basically clubbed away and tried his best with forearm smashes, clotheslines and kicks. It helps to be teamed with superior wrestling stars in Macho Man and DiBiase.
The main reason I was hoping for the UE Zeus was because he would benefit greatly from the butterfly shoulder joint articulation to aid with his bear hugs and neck ‘snapping’ poses. Otherwise, the Elite is fine for him considering his limited move set.
Zeus has:
- neck
- bicep
- ball-jointed shoulders
- elbows (double-jointed)
- wrists
- wrist hinge
- torso
- waist
- hips
- thighs
- knees (double-jointed)
- ankles
Accessories: I call Mattel out for weird omissions of accessories, but it’s only fair to give credit when it’s due. Zeus didn’t wear his massive shoulder pads to the ring at Summerslam so technically Mattel was in the clear by skipping it.
To their credit they did include it and I’m not gonna give partial credit simply because the mold was just reused from the UE figure. That was mighty decent of them to help enhance the value of the figure.
It’s nice and big helping to give Zeus an even more menacing look. The paint is solid with mostly clean apps on the silver especially the zipper portion, which could have been tricky to line up properly.
He also gets two open hands, which are useful for locking up and starting to wrench a neck.
Finally, he has the torso of the BAF Mr. Perfect in his executive consultant gear.
Worth it? WWE figures are now $22.99. Mattel has tried to increase the value for figures so this doesn’t hurt as much as say a basic Marvel Legends figure. Still, I think the sweeter increased price point would be $21.99.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Zeus is essential to represent all of Hogan’s major 80s feud and Mattel did a great job with his debut Elite figure.
Where to get it? This wave is harder to find at retail, but you can order the case from Entertainment Earth.
You can use my Entertainment Earth code of lylesmf to get 10% off all in-stock items and get free shipping for orders over $75.
As an Entertainment Earth, I earn from qualifying purchases.