WWE Elite 96 Hulk Hogan review

As a certified, card-carrying Hulkamaniac during the 80s, I was shocked that I had zero memory of Hulk Hogan’s war bonnet phase of 1989. Course, that was when the NWA was on FIRE with Flair vs. Funk, Sting vs. Muta, Steamboat vs. Luger, etc. so maybe some WWF stuff slipped through the cracks.

Either way this was the most unexpected Hulk Hogan figure variant. With this Elite 96 figure, Mattel was able to release a gimmicked figure that could be stripped down to a classic 80s style Hogan figure. With the early 80s Hogan knocked out with the Ultimate Edition 13 figure, I wanted a later 80s version and this one looked to fill that gap. Let’s see if this Hogan is ready for war.

Package: This new Elite packaging is still taking some getting used to. I like the blue color scheme, but the huge WWE logo along the left side looks weird and ends up obscuring the figure.

I love the portrait of Hogan as it shows off the war bonnet and a focused Hulkster. The bio helps to explain the war bonnet and when he incorporated that into his ring gear. 

Scale:  Hogan stood at 6’7” making him taller than most of his peers.

Paint:  The biggest deal with this Hogan figure is Mattel finally getting back to the darker super burnt red Hogan skin tone instead of the regular skin tone used for most figures.

This instantly boosts the accuracy of this figure and gives him more of a definitive Hogan appearance.

Undoubtedly the trickiest part is making sure Hogan’s eyes are painted properly. Mattel went with a lightly wild-eyed look, which looks fantastic when the eyes are centered correctly. When they’re askew, it messes up the whole appearance.

Articulation:  By this point in his career, Hogan wasn’t interested in busting out too many scientific moves.

His arsenal largely revolved around clotheslines, punches, chops, body slams and the occasional simplex.

While I would prefer the UE articulation specifically the butterfly shoulders, Mattel adding double-jointed elbows to the standard Elite figures definitely helps a figure like this one.

Hulk Hogan has:

• neck
• bicep
• ball-jointed shoulders
• elbows (double-jointed)
• wrists
• wrist hinge
• torso
• waist
• hips
• thighs
• knees (double-jointed)
• ankles

Accessories: Hogan is loaded with accessories. He comes with three sets of swappable hands — clutching, fists and flat hands ideal for posing at the end of a match.

Additionally, he comes with his Hulk Rules bandana. And in keeping with the war bonnet gimmick, Hulk’s also rocking his Hulkstr license plate necklace. Not to be forgotten, Hulk’s chain necklace is also included.

Finally, there’s the war bonnet itself. This thing looks ridiculous in its accuracy to the genuine article. It’s big, bulky and has a giant fist at the top. It definitely makes for a unique accessory for Hogan and the sharp paint job helps make it stand out.

I wish the budget could have allowed for a Hulk Rules T-shirt to be included as well as a less intense head sculpt for more subdued moments.

Worth it?  WWE figures are now $22.99, but if you catch Amazon at the right time you can get a good deal. I got Hogan for $19.99, which isn’t bad.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

This is a really fun Hogan figure with the correct skin tone, good size and the benefit of extra articulation. I just wish he had a cloth shirt to really complete the look.

Where to get it?  This wave is just now hitting Target so keep an eye out. You can also get him now on Amazon.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.