HAWKING THE `HULK' TOY MAKERS SEEING GREEN WITH HOPES OF MONSTER SALES.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

Green skin brings greenbacks - or so local toy companies are hoping for their ``The Hulk'' lines.

The film, in theaters today, features a nerdy scientist who, fueled by anger and radiation, mutates into an emerald-hued, rampaging monster. Hoping to build on the marketing success of last year's ``Spider-Man,'' toy makers have cranked out a large array of ``Hulk''-themed merchandise. But while it's got 40 years of history behind it, the PG-13-rated movie creates an interesting challenge for the firms that transform that purple-shorted protagonist into a toy for kids to take home.

``A larger than life figure with lots of turmoil and trouble controlling his emotions isn't necessarily something kids want to become,'' conceded Dave Schwartz, vice president of marketing for the Woodland Hills-based Funrise Toy Corp. ``But they can still be enamored with him and want to play with him.''

Marvel Enterprises Inc. bet that consumers of all sorts would want to take the hulking hero home, granting more than 300 licenses, ranging from video games to action figures to green chocolate syrup. Funrise put out 13 toys, Army vehicles and pinball games, while North Hills-based MGA is launching handheld virtual reality games, walkie talkies, light-up key-chains and pens.

``When we heard that Hulk was going to be made into a movie with Ang Lee directing and a $100 million budget, it was very exciting,'' said MGA spokesman Dave Malacrida. ``I think the strongest superhero properties are going to be the ones that win out at the box office, for the licensor and for the licensees.''

But while a massively successful film like ``Spider-Man'' can drive sales for months - toy experts report the webbed products are still selling, more than a year after the movie's release - disappointment at the box office can doom them. ``Godzilla'' toys didn't linger long on shelves and ``Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace'' never caught on as well as their classic predecessors. Further complicating things for smaller licensees like Funrise and MGA, Hulk doesn't lend himself as inherently well to products as, say, Batman's utility belt.

``The Hulk has no accessories,'' noted Jim Silver, publisher of Toy Wishes. ``He's just all powerful, whereas Spider-Man had the web blaster. He's got the same problem as Superman, where outside the action figures, what's going to sell?''

This is the trick for the toy makers, finding something that will take the action of the film and transfer it to something with which kids will act out in their back yard and collectors will line their walls. Electronic Hulk Hands, noise-making gloves manufactured by Marvel's Toy Biz Worldwide, have been the only breakout success so far. Funrise hopes its vehicles, similar to the Tonka and G.I. Joe trucks it normally makes, will resonate with children, while MGA adapted the technology of its ``Spider-Man'' walkie talkies to ``The Hulk.''

``Great product transcends whether it's actually in the movie or not,'' Schwartz said. ``The Hulk doesn't play pinball, or at least I don't think he does, but we're sure selling a lot of pinball machines.''

Toy companies try to hedge their bets somewhat, planning a first wave of toys in stores now. If the movie succeeds and the toys sell well, then they can hurry a second wave into production in time for the home video release later in the year, nearer the crucial holiday season.

``Our stores carry quite a bit of 'Hulk' products,'' said Nichole Kaley, sales, promotion and public relations coordinator for Kay Bee Toys. ``We feel it'll be very big, so we're featuring a lot up in the front of the stores. They think it'll be big with young boys and even girls.''

The key, according to Malacrida, depends on the success of the film, but also on another, more elusive element. He believes it's the ``cool factor'' that separates the unsold toy from its desirable, collectible brethren. No company has completely figured that out yet, they can only hope for the best and watch their sales numbers.

``When the product comes out,'' he said, ``if it has that magic cool factor, whether it's the green-ness, the mean-ness, the coolness, whether you're a kid or a collector, you'll want it in your house.''

Brent Hopkins, [phone]

brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com

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5 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 4 -- color) Two Valley-area firms, Funrise Toy Corp. of Woodland Hills and MGA of North Hills, hope toys from ``The Hulk'' such as cars, walkie talkies and virtual reality will bring in the green.

(5) Funrise Toy Corp. of Woodland Hills will be producing this ``Hulk''- style all-terrain vehicle.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer