Figure Of The Year 2023

It’s hard to believe, but it’s that time once again. What was the single best figure of 2023? Maybe I shouldn’t say single since, as far as this blog is concerned, there were two winners in 2022. There’s no denying that there are now more figures than ever to choose from since, for better or worse, there are now a multitude of manufacturers. Well, at least there are a handful of manufacturers and some kids playing dress up and trying to be manufacturers. Thinly veiled shade aside, more names than ever are immortalized in plastic and as long as they’re available to all it’s ultimately a better market. Let’s take a look at a few of the choices this year, some which were reviewed on this blog and some that weren’t.

You know him and you love him. Virgil was back in 2023 with a new figure from Mattel. This is only the second action figure of Virgil in his wrestling gear to be produced and just the fourth overall. For such a ubiquitous character in the glory days of the WWF it’s hard to believe, but at least he’s finally getting his due. I’m not sure why the choice was made to do this one as a Build-A-Figure as he would’ve been a hugely popular character in the Legends series, but there’s always room for that, too, just change it up to the look he had in the Hasbro figure. (George Foreman on Nutrisystem?) While we’re at it, why not a “Bodyguard Virgil” Retro figure?

Andre the Giant, as usual, saw a multitude of new releases but none stood out to me more than the suited version finally released in Mattel Elite Series 100. It’s a look that’s been ignored for decades and was finally done, complete with a variant. The big man was perfect for all of the “35^th Anniversary of WrestleMania IV” celebrations that were held worldwide (you weren’t invited to one? Where were you?) and filled a gap in collections everywhere. My one gripe with the figure was that the huge “paw” hands that were used on about two Andre figures and a Big Show release several years ago were not included and seem to be forgotten by Mattel altogether.

Figures Toy Company added some absolutely great names to their Legends line with the first ever figures of Dr. Tom Prichard, Brad Armstrong and Mr. Hughes among others. Many collectors sleep on these offerings and will be sorry when they’re no longer available. It’s the one line that I would absolutely guarantee a monetary value raise for once they’re no longer in production. The company has also recently announced that going forward there will be a brand new body type for all future released figures. This could be a game changer with some of the unique names that only FTC is seemingly willing to make. As the kids say, “I’m here for it.”

The Coliseum Collection gave us some nice possibilities with Ravishing Rick Rude and Jake “The Snake” Roberts as well as the Rowdy Roddy Piper and George “The Animal” Steele releases that you saw featured here last week. I honestly think that Steele could be my “First Runner-up” this year, if I had one, and I’ll reiterate a point that I made last week: availability is key. All of The Coliseum Collection releases are still available to order at press time. Remember, one of the factors in my choice of “Figure Of The Year” is availability. No one should be left in the cold buying what is nothing more than a children’s toy. Speaking of toys, George came with plenty including a turnbuckle and Mine!

No one could talk “Figure Of The Year” without mentioning the first six PowerTown Wrestling releases. Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody, Verne Gagne, Kerry Von Erich, Lou Thesz and Magnum T.A. will forever be immortalized as the first figures in what will hopefully become one of the greatest lines of all-time. There were some hick-ups along the way and maybe a questionable marketing choice and tactic or two, but with the upcoming lineup announced I think we’re in for more FOTY possibilities in 2024. Let’s not forget their new “Remco” line, either! Dory Funk Jr, Wahoo McDaniel, Madusa, Junkyard Dog, Kamala and Jack Brisco will make up Ultras Series 2.

We can’t forget Mattel’s Mr. America, Gobbledy Gooker, Rhythm and Blues Greg “The Hammer” Valentine in both Elite and Retro formats as well as various entries from the Remco-styled WWE Superstars line. Perhaps the figures that could’ve caused another tie would have been Samu and Fatu. The Headshinkers were long overdo for a return to the action figure world. Nearly three decades, to be exact. While I got everything I needed from the releases I have to believe that some collectors didn’t end up with what I feel were the more desirable variants, The Samoan Swat Team versions. The boys had never before been done in this style as figures and it’s a shame to think that someone may not have been able to grab them. An honorable mention goes out to their manager, Paul E. Dangerously, who was released in the same series. It was “the mad scientist of wrestling’s” first figure in that look and name.

The winner? The 2023 Figure of The Year? From Junkshopdog it’s none other than Aja Kong. The Junkshopdog line should be familiar to anyone reading this. It’s a line based on the Japanese Popy wrestling figures of the early ‘80s. The fully licensed line has taken on names not only from the original era in which it replicates but also newer stars from around the world. You may recall their Bruiser Brody release reviewed right here on the blog several years ago. Recently the company was proud to announce that through a licensing deal with WWE they’re able to add Hulk Hogan to their lineup. This is especially fun since The Hulkster was indeed part of that original ine by Popy.

Aja Kong has long been one of my favorites. Her appearance in the line follows the release of fellow women’s wrestling star Bull Nakano who is equally amazingly captured. While I’d still like modern articulated releases of both of these ladies, the ability that the company had to take their unique likenesses and translate them perfectly to the Sofubi figure style is amazing. Another huge plus is that these figures come to you in one-hundred percent “collector friendly packaging.” This is a term used for decades which means that you can remove the figure from the packaging without damaging a single thing. Mattel has adopted this with their Retro line, but I’m not as fond of it there. In that line it’s a poor late-in-the-game change that disrupts the flow of the collection itself. Junkshopdog has been doing it since their first release. Best of all, while the company has had some sellouts on limited editions, most of their figures are available to purchase directly from them. No need to play the scalper game here. No “Biggin’” is buying his next bag of Cheetos off of the hard work of these guys, that’s for sure.

I’m looking forward to what 2024 brings us as far as wrestling figures. In my opinion Mattel has had disappointing “preview” showings and, aside from Virgil, the often bright lights of the Build-A-Figure sets have been huge letdowns. They’re also completely becoming slaves to retailer exclusives. Jazwares has seemingly lost as much steam with their AEW line as the wrestling company itself has. Why pre-order any of the figures when most characters are going to be clearance out at $4.99 by the end of year? Maybe it’s the smaller companies such as Junkshopdog that we should be looking to. The issue there is that for every Junkshopdog, which has proven itself to be a legitimate contender for your money, there are five or ten other little boys pretending to be toymakers with varying results. Caveat emptor.

We’ll be back next week to “wrap it up…”

More Legends Are Immortalized!

Can you imagine if the famed Classic Superstars line returned? What if it had never ended? Both are true, from a certain point of view. Without getting too Obi-Wan for anyone, let’s explain. Several years ago Figures Toy Company started a wrestling figure line built nearly identically to the Jakks WWE “Ruthless Aggression” style figures that included Classic Superstars. FTC has broken their line into separate smaller lines including Rising Stars of Wrestling and Legends of Professional Wrestling. Several of the figures have been featured here on the blog over the years, but I couldn’t wait to take a look at the newest releases. All of the latest released names are either brand new to the figure world or haven’t had a plastic representation in years!

Today we’re looking at Dr. Tom Prichard, Brad Armstrong, Mr. Hughes and Savio Vega. Talk about four who would’ve easily fit right into a CS series. Actually, they would’ve been a lot better than some of the names that we did get. In any case, I’m particularly happy for Dr. Tom. He was such a good wrestler who saw action in virtually every promotion and territory. He became a great trainer and to this day remains one of my favorite names to see at conventions. A random conversation that the two of us had in Charlotte a few years ago will always stick with me. I could tell that his late best friend was on his mind while we spoke. That would be another legend getting a first figure here, Brad Armstrong.

Nothing has changed with the packaging aside from the names on the back which we’ll get to. The clear plastic clamshells are cool and different from anything you’ll find in the stores. The figures can be replaced into the packaging but you will have to readd twist and zip ties if you want it to look unopened. I love that the cardbacks inside of the clamshells have nothing attached to them whatsoever. The inner tray is a separate piece, so if you choose to keep just the card, as I do, you get a nice, clean card that you could easily display if you desired. Accessories with Hughes and Vega are inconspicuously included in small plastic baggies around the feet of the figure.

The facial likenesses on all four are really good. In fact, I would have to say that Savio is far better than he looked in the photography, for whatever reason. They really nailed him which is nice considering his only other figures, from the early Jakks Bone Crunching line, are rather bug-eyed. Dr. Tom is absolutely perfect and I can just see him primping his hair as Jim Cornette announces him. Hughes is perfectly ferocious looking. The glasses are part of the sculpt which is fine considering he wrestles with them on to this day. Armstrong is really good and, like with Prichard, the hair style is down pat.

Each figure has some amount of soft goods and they all look great. Tom and Brad each have real working zippers on their jackets. Hughes is decked out just as he wrestled and does include his hat. Savio has a gold chain and is ready to defend the Caribbean. 

The best part is that these fit right in with the Classic Superstars figures that so many of us have loads of. That line had political restrictions as does Mattel’s Legends line today. It’s a great thing that in this era we have companies like FTC that will give us names that other companies won’t touch. It allows us to flesh out our collections while, at the same time, giving recognition to some of the stars who never got this particular honor. I’ve wanted a Mr. Hughes figure since those WCW and WWF runs thirty years ago. Here he is, suspenders, scowl and all! And the guys like Prichard and Armstrong who you could honestly consider to be some of the last territorial greats? Whether you photography, play or just display, these are the names that you need to flesh out those rosters. The Hulk’s, Dusty’s and Savage’s of the world are great and we love all of their figures, but what are they without an undercard?

You know what else is great? There’s no pre-ordering here. These guys are ready to ship. As always, I highly recommend you go to FTC using our link right here and be sure to use our special code: JWS_WRESTLING_MEMORABILIA for 10 percent off. You can also pick up many other legendary names such as Louie Spicolli (another new release!), Alex Wright (reviewed right here a few months ago), The Sandman, Francine and Jim Cornette in just about another color combination that you can think of. Order the four that you see here (or any combination of four or more) and you’ll even get free shipping!

What’s next from FTC? It’s been known about for awhile, but I loved seeing Dennis Condrey on the back of the card. He’ll be joining the line soon with his very first action figure along with Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane. I will continue to ask for a “wrestling tights” version of James E. Cornette, also. We’ll truly be in for some Smoky Mountain madness when that happens…

JW’s Wrestling Memorabilia Vlog Vol. 2

You want more vlogs? You got em! This time the vlog is back with two vintage figure unboxing sessions!

Enjoy and, as always, thanks for watching!

The Wonder Of Das Wunderkind

You did the dance. Don’t lie. I know during WCW Saturday Night, Worldwide or Monday Nitro you were moving right along with Das Wunderkind. Alex Wright was a fun wrestler. Young, energetic and maybe ten years too late. The world was already pretty cynical in the mid ‘90s (don’t even get me started about how bad it is now) and Das Wunderkind wasn’t getting the fan support that he deserved, although he certainly had his fair share. I always like to brag that, since he returned to Germany after WCW was sold, my parents are just about the only people that I know who met Alex. It was a chance encounter. They just happened to be shopping in a grocery store when Alex Wright was doing an appearance in the video section. Iggle Video for you nostalgic Pittsburghers out there. Sadly, I was out of town, but they did get me a personalized promotional photo.

While Alex Wright has yet to debut on the wrestling convention scene (there are always rumblings that someone will fly him over), he has returned to the action figure world. Many will remember his debut figure in the Original San Francisco Toymakers WCW line. While a great looking figure, due to the pose and immobility of the style there just wasn’t much that you could do with it. Still, it was a cool figure as were many in that line that was largely a throwback to both Galoob WCW and LJN WWF figures. Das Wunderkind is finally poseable thanks to his inclusion in the Legends of Professional Wrestling line from Figures Toy Company or FTC.

These figures all come packaged in plastic clamshells. While you can certainly place the figure back into the clamshell which snaps shut, you do have to remove the Figures Toy Company branded zip tie and the ubiquitous wire ties holding the figure to the tray. What I like is that upon opening you get a nice, clean card back perfect for saving. No plastic or tears here as nothing is attached to the card back, it simply fits inside the clamshell. The packaging for these has remained largely unchanged since the debut of the line, but the roster on the back continues to grow. While not shown on the Alex Wright card back, some figures have shipped where Dennis Condrey, Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane, Tom Prichard and Brad Armstrong are all on display. It sounds like we’re about to feel some true Smoky Mountain “madness” in the near future. Two incarnations of The Midnight Express AND the first Jim Cornette-led Heavenly Bodies? Along with the plethora of Corny figure options already available from FTC, it’s looking to be a good time for SMW collectors.

But back to WCW and the young prodigy of the mid ‘90s. The Legends of Professional Wrestling figures are designed based on the Jakks “Ruthless Aggression” style introduced for their WWE figures in the early ‘00s. Just like the latter, the LOPW figures are largely compatible with any other standard wrestling figure line of today, so Alex will fit in with other WCW characters out there. Most of the LOPW figures include some sort of accessory and Alex has what could undoubtedly be considered his signature one: his leather jacket. When you get down to it, the jacket is the surprising star here. FTC could’ve left it blank, but instead we get this awesome glittery design on the back. It almost makes me want to display this figure backward. Dancing, of course.

The facial likeness is very good and will bring to mind the wide smiles of everyone’s favorite German babyface, not to mention the distinct hairstyle. How could he have ever gotten rid of that million dollar hair? Oh, Berlyn. After that gimmick he just never brought it back. This facial sculpt would actually look perfect on a retro styled figure, too. Customizers take note! Alex is clad in red, however he did change it up now and then. FTC frequently releases variations of their figures so I wouldn’t be surprised to see another Alex Wright figure in a different color down the line. And speaking of when Das Wunderkind turned sour, why NOT a Berlyn figure at long last? Considering the era in which that character existed, I can only imagine high demand for that one.

A solid figure for a fun character and a wrestler who never got his true merchandising due. You want one? You got it. Head over to Figures Toy Company using our link and help the blog out in the process. Before you checkout don’t forget to apply our very own code of JWS_WRESTLING_MEMORABILIA to take 10% off of your order! It’s a win-win for all of us! While you’re there you can also pick up a set of the snazzy classic blue mats that you see outside the ring here. That’s not cardboard like some offer, those are foam mats that connect. Buy them once and you’ll never go back to photographing with the cheap stuff.

There are a ton of wrestling figure options and FTC should not be overlooked. In addition to Alex Wright you’ve got names like Francine, Scott Norton, The Sandman, Vince Russo, Chris Candido, The Blue Meanie, New Jack and many other Legends of Professional Wrestling available! There are also tons of independent stars in their Rising Stars of Pro Wrestling line not to mention rings, cages and any accessory you may need to fill your “figure arena!” Get to it, because the competition for “best wrestling figure photography” is getting stiffer every day!

There's A New Enforcer In Town

There are some figures that Mattel just won’t give us. Some for ridiculous political reasons, others because WWE holds a grudge. One of them doesn’t even have to have a given name. He could simply be “WWE Referee.” Yes, Mattel has brought us a few “guest referees” and Danny Davis, but after over a decade kids (and adults alike) still don’t have a proper modern WWE referee figure. The Mattel spokespeople who parrot the company lines say that it’s a WWE decision. It probably is, but it still makes zero sense. Could Figures Toy Company have provided the answer?

Just a few weeks ago FTC quietly unveiled not only a new figure but one in an entirely new style to emanate from them. Their “Ultimate Referee” is in a style very similar to the Mattel WWE Elite figures with multiple points of articulation. This is certainly a departure from the “Jakks Ruthless Aggression” style bodies used for the other FTC wrestling lines such as Legends of Professional Wrestling and Rising Stars of Wrestling. There’s no word yet on if this new style will find its way into any of the FTC lines with licensed names. One does tend to think that doing a referee in the style initially is a marketing test of sorts. Nominally priced, it was well worth the dive to see just how the new ref in town measures up and if he finally quenches the thirst for such a figure.

Packaged in a sturdy, fully illustrated cardboard box, you have no doubt who’s inside before you even open it up. Remove the bubble wrap and there you have The Ultimate Referee. He does indeed have articulation similar to “the leading brands” and the plastic feels like it isn’t far off from the type used by the “big guys.” His face is generic, as it should be. The referee should always blend in and we’ll expand upon that shortly. His left hand is open and can clutch the ring ropes or even a small accessory. The right hand is giving the “two” sign, which, aside from a pointing finger, is exactly what you want on a referee. There's been a lot of fuss lately over "pinless" figures. For those of you who enjoy that, this guy is indeed pinless. There isn’t much paint here since it’s a referee, but what is there is all good. You could easily apply a sticker or two if you want to give your referee some affiliation. If you’ve got a steady hand you could even grab multiples and paint a ref for each promotion. You could do WWE, AEW, NWA…

Early concerns, as with most wrestling figures, are with height. Our ref here is on the shorter side but by no means does this disqualify him. He’s taller than Mattel Rey Mysterio and that’s all you need. He does his job and does it well. As stated above, the best referees shouldn’t be noticed much. He’s there to count, argue with a heel or a manager and maybe even get intimidated or roughed up a bit. This is exactly who you need to do all that. Some have mentioned alternate hands or even heads, but for this price point you just can’t beat what you get. Certainly those things could come along with a future release. Perhaps even retro styled refs? Sure ‘80s bow tied refs would be great, but how about the less uniformly-attired officials of the ‘60s and ‘70s? An aging guy with a gut and a sour expression to match? I’d be all for it!

You need a ref and you can’t go wrong with “The Ultimate Referee.” He’s available at Figures Toy Company right now. Don’t forget that when you follow the link just provided you can use code JWS_WRESTLING_MEMORABILIA for 10% off of your order of $20 or more! Need a new ring? Steel cage? Chairs? Tables? Singapore canes? It’s all there to fully equip your arena. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, wrestling figure photography is hot. It’s the adult way to play with your toys. If you’re going to do it right, get all of the essentials. And if you don’t have a referee you have absolutely no excuse now thanks to FTC!

A Figure Where No Gimmicks Are Needed...But Some Are Thrown In Anyway

It's purely accidental that I have the two ECW Chris Candido figures autographed. The former Bodydonna just happened to be working several shows for my local independent promotion and both of his releases in the Toymakers figure line happened to still be hanging around on clearance at Toys "R" Us. It worked out great and they aren't two figures that you often see signed. Up until now they were the only figures of Candido. His run in the WWF was during a relatively dark time for toys as licenses were changing. He would've been a fun inclusion in the WWE Classic Superstars line, but I don't even recall chatter about it. Now, thanks to Figures Toy Company, we get to see what it may have looked like.

The latest release in the FTC Legends of Professional Wrestling is the late New Jersey native himself. For some reason the company has decided to release an "Early Bird Variant" limited to 100. Aside from a sticker on the front of the clamshell case proclaiming it as such, according to the company the later release will not include the three accessories present here. Seeing as that there was a new FTC release in the only other figure genre that I collect (1966 Batman TV series), I decided to put Candido into my cart as well.

You may remember the last figure in this series that I picked up, The Blue Meanie. As long awaited as he was, the quality of the figure proved to be a disappointment. While the company was using the same tooling as the Jakks "Ruthless Aggression" style figures, the materials used were just not the same. In fact, as shown right on this blog, Meanie was literally beside himself in the package as his head was detached upon arrival. I have since picked up a few figures in the sister lines put out by the company, those being Rising Stars of Wrestling and Ring of Honor, respectively. I reviewed one of those figures, Tama Tonga, last year. While there were improvements, the material quality by and large still wasn't there.

Before we go further, I will say that my feelings and findings as far as quality have not changed. There is great effort here but I'm still not seeing what we should be getting for the price point. The joints are tight, but I don't have the confidence that I could give this to a child and that it would remain in good condition for long. The trade-off is that we're getting characters we won't be seeing elsewhere. Mattel has little to no interest in ECW stars, so Figures Toy Company does seem to be filling that void. I would like to see more true old school legends, but they don't seem to be going that route at the moment.

Candido's head wasn't off in the package, but the towel was oddly nearly covering his face. I'm not sure why as the figure has a good likeness. It's probably exactly what we would've seen from Jakks. It isn't perfect, but it's much more him than the ECW figures were. There are some odd scars on his face, or what look to be scars anyway. This may just have been intended as shading on the face, but it's hard to tell. In any case, it doesn't show up in all lighting and I'm fairly sure it won't translate to the pictures here. The body is your standard "Ruthless Aggression" style which, again, is what we would've gotten had this been a "Classic Superstars" release. It's not exactly Candido but it certainly works.

The accessories included are a chair, a towel, and a pallet. I really like the pallet. It's plastic but it certainly has a wooden look. As much as pallets have been used in wrestling over the past two decades, I don't recall one being included with a figure before. The towel is the "Val Venis" towel from the Jakks days or similar to it. The chair has been the standard Figures Toy Company folding chair for many years. It reminds me very much of a folding chair at an indy show. Like maybe in a bingo hall. The one accessory that I'm sure will be included in the "regular" release is his elbow pad. It's cloth in a great nod to the Remco AWA line, even if it isn't intentional.

I don't know that we're quite looking at a $40 figure here, but it's Candido. He's probably not getting any more figures and who's to say that the regular release will ever happen? If it does, it will only be around $10 less. And since I opened one and I have seen at least one other opened example, you're down to 98 "early bird" versions left in the package. Speaking of the package, here's hoping that Francine, Scott Norton, and Alex Wright see the light of day sooner than later. They may all look like creepy composite sketches on that card back, but they're three more names I'd be willing to drop $30 each for.

Well, I'll Be A Son Of A Tongan King

In the "new world" of wrestling, most chatter is still on WWE and its up and coming rival AEW. There's also my favorite of the bunch, NWA (usually called NWA Powerrr due to the title of their show) as well as holdovers from past decades like Impact, Ring of Honor, and Major League Wrestling. But one company that has a chance to be a major player in the future, and in many ways already is, has been around since 1972. That company? New Japan Pro Wrestling.

NJPW has made major strides in the United States market in the past several years with its program on AXS television as well as the enduring popularity of "strong style." How far this can go is set to be tested with New Japan opening offices here in America. It has also been announced that a line of New Japan action figures will debut in the U.S. next year. While we have seen the logo on figure releases here in the States and a full line in Japan, this is the first figure line of the company to be readily offered to U.S. collectors.

While Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay are among those announced for the first offering, one name notably missing who instantly translates into an action figure by appearance alone is Tama Tonga. Fear not fans of this founding member of The Bullet Club, Tonga actually already has two figures. Several years old already, Tonga debuted as part of Figures Toy Company's Rising Stars of Wrestling line which included several New Japan stars who struck their own figure deals with the company. There are both painted face and non-painted versions. Here we go with the much more exciting painted version.

Several years ago Figures Toy Company decided to re-enter the wrestling figure game with three separate lines: Ring of Honor, Legends of Professional Wrestling, and Rising Stars of Wrestling. While exciting names were announced, many making their figure debuts, it was soon discovered that quality control on these was less than stellar. Figures were arriving to consumers with loose or broken limbs and the quality seemed brittle as best. The Blue Meanie figure was reviewed on this very blog with somewhat of a bad taste in this author's mouth after the figure arrived with its head popped off in the packaging.

To their credit, Figures Toy Company responded to the concerns voiced both here and elsewhere on the Internet. They promised that the quality would rise with future shipments. While that did not help those of us who purchased the already-shipped items, it did improve the odds of the company getting another chance.

With Tama Tonga, I would have to say that the improvements are there with room for more. The loose limbs and popped heads aren't here, but this figure still does not feel as well made as the Jakks product on which the design is based, at least not the early Jakks figures which were fairly sturdy. The look of the figure, as with many of these Figures Toy Company figures, is superb. From the facial sculpt to the detail on the attire and vest, it is a great looking figure. These figures fit perfectly with the Jakks WWE "Ruthless Aggression" style figures, and Tonga looks great posed with figures of his father, King Haku.

The packaging on these is also unique with the resealable "clamshell" packages that Figures Toy Company also uses for their retro superhero and TV lines based upon the classic Mego figure molds of the 1970's. Drawings of the stars are used in lieu of photos, probably to avoid any copyright issues. I don't particularly care for the way many of these figures are twist-tied into the plastic trays within the bubble. It makes many of the figures look as if they're in some sort of bondage. That, coupled with the fact that heads and other parts have been found disassembled in the packaging, keeps me from getting any of these autographed. It should also be noted that despite Tonga being a major star for New Japan, the companies logo does not appear here as this is not an NJPW release.

It's hard to give a green light to actively pursue these figures due to the quality issues coupled with price point. It's difficult to find them under $30 per figure. On the other hand, the company is bringing us names like Meanie, Francine, Vince Russo, PCO, and others who've never had a figure and likely won't ever again. Will Tonga even appear in the upcoming New Japan line? Status unknown, but if you're concerned about owning him at all you may want to pick one of these offerings up while the price point is at the aforementioned $30. As unpredictable as wrestling is, the demand for its stars is as equally enigmatic.

The Blue Meanie Dances Again

I've said it numerous times over the years. If any wrestler was meant to be an action figure, it's The Blue Meanie. It's a crime that he didn't have one during his stints in ECW and WWE. Now in 2017, following the year when Magnum T.A. finally received a figure, The Meanie is dancing into our collections. Does he live up to almost two decades of expectations? Let's take a trip to Pepperland and find out...

The Blue Meanie's first figure is part of Figures Toy Company's new Legends of Professional Wrestling line. The line is just one of several either started or planned by the company, also including figures under the Ring of Honor and Rising Stars of Wrestling banners. Also included in the first wave of Legends of Professional Wrestling figures are Jim Cornette, New Jack, and PJ Polaco (Justin Credible).

My friend and fellow wrestling/Blue Meanie fan Kerry Huffman did a great review of the figure on his YouTube channel shortly after it was released. Knowing that he was anticipating the figure as much as I was, I admit that I was a bit concerned after the review. Loose arms? Surely this had to be a one-off mistake. Another friend had mentioned to me that he had similar issues with some of the figures from the Ring of Honor line. Nonetheless, I was determined to investigate myself.

My Meanie actually had a different problem upon arrival. He was so excited to join my collection that he lost his head! The figures head was completely off the body when I received it. Thankfully I was opening the thing and, admittedly, did not take this issue to the company. Still, this has to be a concern for the many collectors who will be keeping the figure carded. Despite the figure being packaged in a reusable "clamshell" case, you still have to remove a Figures Toy Company zip tie to open it. When that's off, it's technically no longer "mint on card." You can purchase the zip ties from the company, but I can't see many doing that. I've heard of ways to remove these without cutting them, but I wasn't messing with that since this one was being opened anyway.

I was able to pop the head back on upon opening the figure, but then the loose arm situation reared it's ugly head. You can "balance" the arms occasionally, but generally the arms simply hang. Your Meanie isn't really going to "dance." There are issues with the wrists as well. Though these figures are based upon the Jakks "Ruthless Aggression" design, these are not the exact sculpts. The plastic used isn't quite the same quality either. There's a plastic folding chair included as well, but this is just a castoff from Figures Toy Company's line of wrestling figure accessories originally produced many years ago. There isn't too much of a reason for it to be included, but I don't see it taking up much of the figure budget, either.

It isn't all bad. The cloth shirt and shorts are great and add a lot to the figure. The facial sculpt is perfect and could actually not be any better. Meanie has previously said on social media that he deliberately had the design done as a mix of "eras" of The Blue Meanie and it really works. This is the look that I've been picturing all of these years. The shorts have a tendency to slip, but that's often a trade-off when using cloth accessories. Besides, isn't it just like The Meanie to be flashing some buttcrack to the audience? The belt is a separate piece from the jeans which does look good. The knee pads are very similar to their Jakks counterparts and stay on firmly.

It's very hard to recommend purchasing this figure at the current price point. On one hand, this could be the only time that an iconic cult character in wrestling ever sees a figure. Plus, there's already a bWo Stevie Richards figure out there to go along with it. At almost $40 after shipping, though, it's a steep investment. If you're opening the figure, the loose arms and other production issues hurt it. If you're keeping it carded, will the head pop off? Between the latter and the price point, I have decided against purchasing a second one to have signed. I was also interested in the Cornette figure, but may end up putting that off as well.

Following Figures Toy Company for a long time, I do understand their position. Their figure lines of all genres are niche. They do not sell them in stores and are generally only available online. The price points have to be high to pay the bills. That being said, low quality out of the box just isn't acceptable. Being a diehard fan of the 1966 Batman tv series since I was a child, I have collected many of FTC's figures from that line and have seen much better quality control there. These wrestling lines deserve that, too.

Figureless Legends Get One More Shot At Immortality

Just when you thought that Mattel and WWE would be the sole wrestling figure source for the foreseeable future, a new "renaissance" of sorts hits the hobby. It's been no secret that Figures Toy Company has been busy creating the debut figure line for Ring of Honor for quite some time. Just this past week, the first four figure heads were unveiled, including Kevin Steen, much to the surprise of many. Steen, now known as Kevin Owens in NXT, is the first "Throwback" figure for the line, and it will be interesting to see if we also get a Mattel figure of the man in the same calendar year.

Figures Toy Company has also announced that they will be producing two addition lines: one of current, non-contracted, indy wrestling talent, as well as a new Legends of Wrestling line. It was not that long ago that I featured the original Figures Toy Company Legends of Wrestling figure line here on the blog. That line still contains a few stars of yesteryear who otherwise would not have an action figure.

As trivial as it may seem to some, I've heard some celebrities claim that they really didn't realize that they had "made it" in their profession before they saw their own action figure. No matter why it was produced, it's an honor. In a way, it's the modern day form of receiving a statue. Having your likeness immortalized in a form that will stand the test of time would be humbling to most. While so many wrestling greats have had this honor bestowed upon them, many still have not. Others deserve that chance again. Mattel has once again stepped it up as far as producing stars of the past in their WWE line, but it just hasn't been enough. Though the company has gone a bit deeper in character choices, they're still playing it safe and attempting to produce stars that kids just might know, ignoring the wants of the more mature collector.

Through various forms of social media including Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit, Figures Toy Company has slowly released information regarding these new figure lines. For starters, all of the lines will feature the Jakks "Ruthless Aggression" styled bodies. This is not a huge surprise considering that the company has used the body style for other figures. This is particularly notable for the Legends line as, in a way, this will be the second revival of Jakks legendary Classic Superstars line. The original line went into character depth that had never before been explored as far as wrestling action figures. When Jakks and TNA joined forces, the style was briefly revived with the "Legends of the Ring" line that produced, among others, Sting and Jeff Jarrett. Should all go according to plan, we will see yet more legends joining the compatible style.

Until more signings and announcements are made, we can all speculate just who will see inclusion in the line. As both FTC and logic will tell us, the wrestlers cannot be ones under current deals with WWE or other companies. Those deals generally end without much of a fanfare, leaving fans to figure out just who will and won't have a shot. I've previously taken a look at stars who've never had an action figure, but now that there is a new hope for these figureless folk, it's time to see who has a realistic shot.

Many times over the years I have publicly lamented the lack of a Magnum T.A. figure. The man was destined for the top of the business when his career was tragically cut short. Mattel had positioned Magnum for a WWE Legends figure, but callously went back on their plans. I spoke to Magnum about the figure last year at the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Fanfest. He had indeed been contracted and paid for the figure, but didn't have much hope that his young sons would ever get to play with it. If I had to choose one figure for the line, it would obviously be the man known as Terry Allen.

It's amazing to me that men who played such an important part in the early "television era" of wrestling such as "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers and Verne Gagne have never been immortalized in plastic. It could be argued that they wouldn't appeal to children, but Figures Toy Company has proven with other lines that they're quite aware of the adult collectors. These lines will likely be tailored to them, leaving hope for these NWA and AWA pioneers.

Gagne really should have received a figure in his own AWA line produced by Remco. It's actually quite surprising that he didn't. Had the line gone on a year or so longer, perhaps a Verne complete with He-Man-esque physique (as the Remco line is so infamous for) would have made it to store shelves. A few who did make it to the AWA line such as Larry Zbyszko, Nick Bockwinkel, and Stan Hansen could all use some modern-day representations.

Speaking of modern-day, how about a man who still competes on the independent wrestling circuit today? Not only is he an ECW original and a WWE alumni, but I have always felt that he was the one wrestler who was absolutely made to be an action figure. I can only be talking about The Blue Meanie. Perhaps the most fan-friendly wrestler around, Meanie continues to entertain those fans on shows around the country. What puts Meanie even more into the "has to be made" column is the fact that he could fit into two of the upcoming FTC lines, either Legends or the independent stars.

If you've followed me at all over the years, you know that I have a soft spot for the female legends of the ring. While I realize that some just would not be marketable in the figure world, there are quite a few that would be coveted as figures by fans. Missy Hyatt and Leilani Kai have both stated that action figures are just about the only things missing from their long careers. Other great candidates would be Baby Doll and Wendi Richter. The various Halls of Fame for the pro wrestling world are filled with female stars who never got their due. Maybe this time around we can see female figures of more than just the usual suspects.

Last but not least, I would love to see figures of the territorial stars. They may have had a cup of coffee or two in the big time, but these guys were the true warriors of the road while going up and down the highways and bi-ways of the '70s , '80s, and '90s. These are men like Dick Murdoch, Exotic Adrian Street, Ronnie Garvin, and Tracy Smothers. Tag teams like The Andersons, The Blackjacks, and The Heavenly Bodies. The boys (or their families) deserve that one last payday, and we fans deserve remembrances like these to honor their work. I'd bet that Blackjack Mulligan prototype is still hanging around somewhere...

From here, I leave it to Figures Toy Company. As a fan of their "ReMego" line of figures based on the 1966 Batman television series, I can tell you that they will work hard to bring fans exactly what they want. These names are just an example of exactly what collectors are looking for. The Classic Superstars line didn't end as it should have, with many loose ends and disappointments. This is the line that can change that. I wouldn't bet against it.