TNA Magazine...Italian Style!

I always felt that Total Nonstop Action Wrestling should have had an official magazine. They had exciting stars, beautiful "Knockouts," and plenty of stories to put into print. Heck, I even thought that I could be a dang good contributor to the effort. Nonetheless the magazine industry just isn't what it once was, even a few years ago. Although I never saw it myself, then-owner Dixie Carter pooh-poohed the idea somewhere in print. As nice as a lady as she always was to me, there honestly didn't seem to be many ideas that she turned down, for better or worse. However, the fact is that there was indeed an official TNA Magazine. In Italy. For three issues.

In 2007 an Italian publisher produced three issues of the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Official Magazine. If there are more than three, I have yet to see them surface anywhere. Though my mastering of the Italian language is a bit rusty (aka non-existent), it isn't hard to figure out what's going on in the many sections of the magazine. There are features on the monthly pay-per-views, profiles on individual stars, and even "Top Ten" looks at the then-current goings on in the company.

There's a particular emphasis on the aforementioned TNA Knockouts, and why not? That's how you sell magazines. The ladies are featured with the superb Lee South photography that found its way onto the many trading cards and promotional photos that saw wide release, in addition to the Knockouts-branded items that were sold at live events and Shop TNA. Leticia Cline, Gail Kim, and Christy Hemme all make the cover, but SoCal Val and Traci Brooks see features as well. Speaking of Brooks, the legendary action figure that never ended up seeing the light of day is briefly mentioned in a list of upcoming figures.

Samoa Joe, Sting, and "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels are the cover stars of the three respective issues. Each issue is all-color and all-slick with high-gloss covers. All three editions also feature a double-sided poster showcasing the cover superstar and Knockout, although the poster with Gail Kim also features SoCal Val. I'm not complaining. And as nice as the photography of the females appears, the action shots from matches are great as well. It's truly amazing the level of talent that was in the company at that point, a fact that often goes overlooked.

It's also cool to see so much of that talent getting press in an actual physical magazine. I often point out that it's a shame that so little of today's wrestling stars will get an actual magazine cover. Aside from Pro Wrestling Illustrated, the occasional WWE "special" release, or the scattered overseas publications, it's an opportunity that largely no longer exists. It's great to see the Christopher Daniels cover as well as talent such as Team Canada (including Bobby Roode and Eric Young), Chris Sabin, LAX, and Abyss see photo features in an age where that is basically extinct. You can argue that wrestlers get much more coverage online these days, but where are those features going to be found in ten to twenty years? For many stars, there will be little tangible to show the grandkids.

Oh what could have been. A publication like this would have done great for sale at TNA live events where anything that could be signed was be scooped up by autograph-hungry fans. Don West would have been plugging these nonstop. Personally, I regret that I was unaware of these in the days of the TNA "Interaction" events where every cover (and most of the insides) could have been fully signed. Regardless, it's fun to know that a TNA Magazine even existed at all. As much flack as the company has received at times, often rightfully so, these publications highlight many of the things that TNA did right.

Glory: The Last Hurrah Of TNA Trading Cards?

You may recall that I wasn't exactly pleased with the last series of TNA trading cards from Tristar.  The design and feel all seemed very rehashed.  To be fair, it's a rut that the Topps WWE trading cards have fell into more than once, so in no way is the blandness confined to one company.  Around the time that I reviewed that set, Tristar announced that their next set, TNA Glory, would contain "On-Card" autographs.  For many collectors, especially those focused exclusively on cards, this was great news.

Most autographed cards from the majority of sports and manufacturers in the past decade or so have utilized stickers.  The talents autograph the clear stickers which are later attached to the cards by the manufacturer.  It's an easier way for the cards to be autographed by stars who are often hard to pin down.  I prefer obtaining my own autographs, but many card collectors will only accept the signed cards that are inserted into the packs and boxes into their collections.  Although it takes a great deal of the personal feel out of collecting, it's still a lot of fun to pull these cards.

With each Tristar TNA product, retailers that actually sell the cards seem to grow fewer and fewer.  Target and many local card dealers do not carry the line anymore despite still being listed on the Tristar site.  For most collectors, buying a hobby box has become the best way to collect the new TNA sets.  With the past few sets, buying a box has insured that you will collect a full base set of cards and obtain a number of "hits" that include various forms of autograph, limited, and relic cards.

TNA Glory once again promises greatness right on the box.  3 autographed cards are guaranteed, with at least one promised to be one of the new "On-Card" autographs and another card featuring multiple signatures.  Also promised is an authentic Slammiversary 2013 autographed ring mat card or a TNA event-worn clothing card.  I think anyone would prefer the autographed mat in this instance. 

Unlike last time where my pulls were rather lackluster, I was pleasantly surprised.  While it didn't compare to my Hulk Hogan and Sting pulls of the past, anytime you end up with five autographs from a box, it's a good day.  Especially when four of those autographs are from female stars.  The female autographs will almost always be more desired by collectors in the same respect that ex-Knockouts and Divas always do well on the autograph convention circuit.  Whether it's a matter of taste or a sign of some lonely days and nights on the behalf of the collectors, I'll leave for you to decide.

The on-card autographs really do look nice, especially since a blank area was left on the card for the star to sign.  James Storm and Christy Hemme are a good, middle-of-the-road, pair of on-cards to pull, and definitely trump what could've been...see Rockstar Spud.  The double autograph, a dual signed card of Gail Kim and Velvet Sky, is another one that any fan would be pleased with.  These autographs also feature different color foil designs.  Some collectors have been known to try and track down all of one color for sets.

My favorite pull is the Slammiversary 2013 autographed ring mat card.  Taryn Terrell, formerly WWE Diva Tiffany, was the signature and photo on my particular pull.  The card is very thick, and features a large piece of mat to fit the full signature on.  Seeing as that Terrell defeated Gail Kim in a highly touted match that evening makes the card all the cooler.  It certainly beats the days when relics would be inserted into a card and have little or nothing to do with the talent depicted.

The base set consists of 99 cards.  I'm a much bigger fan of this design than the previous set, and the All-American colors remind me very much of what a Great American Bash trading card set may have looked like.  Hogan, Sting, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, and the Knockouts are all here, as are King Mo, Rampage Jackson, and Tito Ortiz.  The final ten cards are Jeff Hardy art cards that form a mural of sorts when put together.  If Hardy's "Imag-i-nation" gimmick of the past is your thing, these are the cards for you.  The old Topps "sticker back" puzzle pieces these are not.

As always there are countless color parallels as mentioned above as well as other limited cards such as Sam Shaw-drawn caricatures.  Also as mentioned above, you once again pull a full 99 card base set among the twenty packs in the box.  This is a really nice feature that makes buying a box all the more worth it.  A base set itself will usually set a collector back between $15-$20, so in general it's more economical to just buy a box.

I'm much more satisfied with Glory than I was with Live.  I'll admit that it's partially because I obtained better hits this time around, but the fact that there were better guaranteed hits to begin with helped as well.  The design and photo choices are also a factor.  I am concerned for future releases due to changes in TNA.  With Hogan and Sting no longer in the company, the desirability of buying boxes for hits is going to diminish greatly.  Any autograph is nice to have, but the rest of the roster is extremely accessible for autographs in person.  Only the card collectors that demand "authentic" autographs are really going to want endless Bobby Roode autograph hits, and even those collectors are often driven by value.  Hogan and Sting were the reasons for the high secondary market prices of TNA autograph cards that Tristar so often brags about in press materials.  With those two legends gone, it's hard to predict the future of TNA trading cards.  "Cut" autographs of wrestling legends that are purchased by the company and inserted into cards is one avenue that could be explored, but that's purely my own idea.  As with most things TNA-related in 2014, time will tell...

TNA Makes An Impact On The Fanfest Scene

It's hard to believe, but 2012 marks the 10th year of TNA/Impact being part of the professional wrestling landscape. Through countless changes in presentation, personnel, and even ownership, the company has continually served as an alternative to WWE. Although the company has not always done it's best to differentiate itself from the often wacky land of the WWE Universe, the fact that there is a viable alternative at all can, at times, be very comforting.

TNA has always had one area where it has shined far brighter than WWE: fan friendliness. Some might argue that a smaller company has to be fan friendly in order to grow, but TNA has often gone above and beyond in this area.

With the rise of wrestling fanfests and conventions in the last decade, TNA went ahead and merged the concept with that of a traditional wrestling show. At even the smallest TNA house show you are nearly guaranteed to meet a few of the stars. Some old school fans may scoff at the idea of being able to actually meet the stars of the evening, but kayfabe isn't quite as healthy as it was years ago. It has been said that WWE still does not care for the concept of fans being able to meet the stars at their shows. While they do run their Axxess event during WrestleMania weekend and infrequently sponsor appearances (always run by "representatives" whose drill sergeant-esque actions would make Adolf Hitler blush), the company truly lacks where "meet and greet" concepts are concerned. This is where TNA picks the ball up and runs with it. Far.

Although I had attended several TNA house shows in the past (one of which I documented here), I don't feel that I truly witnessed just how fan friendly the company was until I attended their Bound For Glory Fanfest in 2011. Autographs and photos with nearly their entire roster of stars, including Sting, Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan.

To put this in a monetary perspective one only has to do simple math. Hulk Hogan is in many categories all his own and that includes appearance pricing. A serious autograph collector already knows that Hogan has never actually appeared at a wrestling convention. His signings have largely been limited to sports shows with appearances from baseball and football legends. The price? Usually between $100-$200 per autograph (usually depending on the item). A photograph? If you're lucky, the organizers of the show MAY allow a lean-over-the-table photo.

The price to attend a TNA Fanfest? $200. Included on the lineups of both that I've had the pleasure of attending? Hogan. Flair. RVD. Kurt Angle. Jeff Hardy. Bobby Roode. James Storm. The Knockouts. I will stop there, as it already speaks for itself.

This past weekend I was once again able to partake in this incredible deal by attending the Lockdown Fanfest in Nashville, Tennessee. The event was organized identically to the Bound For Glory event in that you are permitted two autographs and a photo with any of the stars in the first three signing sessions and one autograph and a photo with the legends in the "Main Event Session" which features Hogan, Flair, and Sting.

It was announced prior to the doors opening that Sting would not be part of the event as advertised. In lieu of his appearance, TNA allowed fans to get two autographs from Hogan and Flair and gave out an Impact Wrestling t-shirt that would be signed by all of the stars in addition to your own items. To many of us in attendance, the announcement boiled down to this: three autographs each from Hogan and Flair. No matter how long you have been collecting wrestling autographs, you know that multiple signatures from these two is a real treat and made an incredible bargain all the sweeter.

Before entertaining the convention room, the employees at registration hand each fan a package of official 8x10 promotional photos to be autographed. Fans also have the opportunity to purchase many other items, including the current Impact Wrestling program, to be signed. One qualm I did have was that the company only had action figures available of stars that are no longer on the roster, much less at the event. Don West told me personally that the figures of Matt Morgan and Rob Terry were "down the road" at the warehouse. Why they were not available to be purchased and signed at the event as opposed to figures of Kevin Nash and Shark Boy is a mystery that we'll never have the answer to. Luckily many of us came already armed with the new figures of many current roster members.

At the house show signings it seems that security is occasionally instructed to refuse items for talent to sign. While it isn't a major problem, I have seen WWF/WWE items turned away. This "rule," if it is indeed official, is completely ignored at these pay-per-view fanfests. This allows many collectors to get classic items signed by stars like Hogan, Flair, RVD, Taz, Hector Guerrero, and even agents like Al Snow, Bruce "Brother Love" Prichard, and D'Lo Brown.

In a special surprise, TNA President Dixie Carter arrived early on in the event. Although she was not advertised, Carter quickly found a spot and signed autographs, posed for photos, and talked graciously with fans for hours. Ms. Carter was also very interested in what the fans thought of the current product and asked for opinions and suggestions. If the company truly listens, I think that it can become what the fans want it to be.

On this afternoon, I cannot imagine a wrestling fan in attendance who wasn't feeling pure happiness. Seeing the stars interact with the fans, parents sharing these moments with their children, and an overall feeling of "Damn...I love wrestling" filled the air as the autographs piled up. Even taking into consideration events like Axxess, a wrestling company has never held an event with such a casual feeling. From witnessing some interactions, it seems as if many fans follow the company around to various cities for these events. After attending even one, it's easy to understand why.

As mentioned above, the "Main Event" session is held at the end of the show. Although the line can last a few hours, it's truly worth the wait once you are in the presence of these legends. I've met quite a few wrestlers in the past quarter-century, but meeting The Hulkster is really an experience unlike any other. Love him or hate him, looking into his eyes and having a short conversation is somewhat surreal. Much to his credit, Hogan does indeed take that time with each and every fan and knows how to make the meeting extra special. Brother.

If this were a review, I would absolutely have to grade an A+. TNA goes above and beyond with these fanfest events. Some would say that they have to. I say that they don't have to do anything of the kind. Are they making money? I'm sure that they are. They also have the means to have names like Hogan and Flair at a more than reasonable price for fans. If you ask me, everyone benefits. If you have the opportunity, don't pass it up. It may be a once in a lifetime shot. And if the parting shot below doesn't make you want to go, nothing will...


****"From The Musty, Yellowed Pages..."****

Inside Wrestling, May 1978, Page 39 & Wrestling Revue, March 1973, Page 56

If you've followed the blog for any amount of time, you're probably familiar with our recurring "bonus" feature called "From The Musty, Yellowed Pages..." where we look at items found within the great old wrestling magazines.

It was about ten years ago that I first found "Lil Taz" in the Pen Pals section of Inside Wrestling. Yes indeed, Taz himself was once 9-year-old Pete Senerchia, a fan of Bruno Sammartino. Last year it become our very first "Musty" feature. Upon looking through a 1973 issue of Wrestling Revue, I discovered a great young shot of his current broadcast partner, Mike Tenay. Seeing that they would both be at the Lockdown Fanfest, I decided to pack the magazines and get a reaction...and hopefully an autograph.

Both seemed to really enjoy seeing their first magazine appearances. Tenay, who ran a newsletter of his own in that era, claimed that he did not even have the issue himself. Both agreed to sign and pose with the classic issues. Just another magic moment from the event...and luckily I didn't become "just another victim."