A Hasbro-Styled Manager? It's All Beautiful, Baby!

Pre-order to delivery in less than a week? That’s what I call a whirlwind! Indeed that’s how it went down with Mattel Creations WWE Retro 4-Pack 2. Unlike the first set which only lasted on pre-order for around five hours and then sold out, as of press time this set is still available. Is that good or bad? Overall in my opinion it’s a plus. I’ve long championed anyone and everyone being able to get a fair shot at these items. The “barely there” pre-orders for other Mattel WWE items that have literally lasted several minutes (if that) are atrocious and a stain both to the company and the hobby. Some will maintain that sellouts hurt the chances for future items of a similar nature to be offered, but if the market isn’t there it simply isn’t there. Personally I’d rather the item not exist at all if it’s going to be difficult to obtain and then become costly shortly after. I’m all for secondary market values but they have to be for the right reasons. “Manufactured” values, I’m looking directly at Jazwares and their “Chinese New Year” spokesperson long since said to be behind such decisions, should be enough to turn anyone off of a toy line. 

But applause to Mattel for making this set easy to get. Most of us have wanted managers in the Hasbro style for the better part of thirty-two years. Hasbro infamously omitted anything but wrestlers from their WWF figure line, a dramatic change from their predecessor LJN who included wrestlers, managers, announcers and even referees in the Wrestling Superstars collection. The first officially made and licensed manager in this style is “The Mouth Of The South” Jimmy Hart. Joining “The Mouth” in this set are his tag team The Hart Foundation consisting of Bret “Hitman” Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart as well as classic ‘80s baddie Nikolai Volkoff. 

The packaging style is exactly the same as the previous set. Shipped in the shipping box (just as these would arrive to a retailer were they sold that way) inside is a box holding the four individually carded figures. That box is styled in the Hasbro theme just as the individual cards and figures are and will remind longtime collectors of the old Jake The Snake’s “Snake” toy (it featured no proper name) box. The cards feature new renders of old photographs rather than just the photographs themselves. It’s an interesting choice and not one that everyone is behind. To be fair, a lot of the licensed Hasbro style “boutique” figure lines have also gone this route. The difference there is that those companies have used a better, firmer cardstock for the backs. The card backs on these have been very thin and thus easily damaged since the beginning of the Mattel Retro line back when it was sold at retail. It’s certainly “close enough” with many of the original nuances like the smaller lines have. We’ll never have exact Hasbro replicas and I think most have accepted that. 

Starting with Jimmy Hart, my most wanted figure in the set. It’s obvious from the start that the body is a repaint of the Mean Gene Okerlund figure from last time. I’m fine with that and really any Hasbro collector should be as it’s a classic vintage toy manufacturer move. The head is pretty much exactly what anyone should expect from a Hasbro Jimmy Hart. I could possibly have pictured a “mouth open” sculpt here, but it’s difficult to say what Hasbro would’ve done since they never ventured down this path. The megaphone is removable and reused from the Elite Jimmy Hart figures. He has a “Real Superstar Action” (the same as Mean Gene, of course) and I do feel that if Hasbro had explored non-wrestlers they would have included such mechanisms like with any other figure. The paint décor on the jacket is easily the best of the set and possibly the best Jimmy Hart design to date as far as attire goes. It’s not like I’ve been hiding it, but this is my favorite of the lot this time by far. 

Next we’ll switch to Nikolai Volkoff. This one stings a bit as I always loved seeing big Nikolai at shows and it pains me that this figure can’t ever be signed. I’ve said it before, but years before any sort of wrestling legends figure lines were produced I had always pictured Nikolai being among some sort of set of them. So far he’s been in all of them. He really needs to make it into the WWE Superstars line (the figures which pay tribute in design to the Remco AWA line) as he fits the ‘80s era that I feel should be stuck to with those figures. This Nikolai is a mixed bag. Seeing as that most Hasbro hat accessories were not removable, it’s ok that this figure reflects that. However seeing as that the figure has the hat attached I feel that it should be one hundred percent in entrance gear. It seems that the “USSR” shirt is now some sort of issue (look at the card back), but a plain red shirt or the jacket would’ve done well. I’m guessing that they didn’t use too much budget here. While the “Nikolai Kickoli” isn’t completely inappropriate for the legend (he did often use a “spin kick”), a “slam” mechanism would’ve been a much better choice. Frankly, I’m also tired of the non-Hasbro native kick mechanism. I think the absolutely horrible Retro Shawn Michaels figure that featured it is what originally soured me on it. Many are pleased that there is finally a Volkoff to go with the Retro Iron Sheik from years ago and I would have to agree with that sentiment. As I alluded to earlier I feel that he’s an iconic character from a beloved era and should always find representation because of that. 

The Anvil himself is back in Hasbro style. It wasn’t that long ago when the original Hasbro Jim Neidhart figure was reviewed here on the blog. This time we have “The Tank” in the look that he was originally designed to appear with in the Hasbro line. Before that figure could be released his style on WWF television changed thus we received “The New Foundation” version back in late 1992. This version was a polarizing figure ever since it was first announced and shown. Some loved it while others weren’t quite convinced of the body type. While it is perhaps a tad slimmer than most of our mental pictures of Neidhart, ultimately it works. As with Bret the singlet is painted on rather than molded, but don’t kid yourself into thinking that Hasbro never used this tactic. They did. The key with Retros is that modern design practices should usually be avoided. It’s about replicating the well-remembered standards of the past whenever possible. The face is great and the sunglasses are attached as is the case with all three of the Hart figures here. I like this one and while many probably feel that we should’ve seen him with the “clothesline” mechanism, we already had that with him thirty years ago. Not to mention… 

Our last figure in the group of four, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, has the much beloved “clothesline” maneuver. Seeing as that I always enjoyed tag team Bret more than single Hitman, this is my favorite figure of the Canadian legend in this style. I will say that it feels the figure has a bit of an identity crisis. The attire here (as well as with Neidhart) reflects the later, babyface version of The Hart Foundation while the head and the card back are of the earlier Hitman in the WWF. From my earlier statement it’s obvious that this doesn’t really bother me, it would just be interesting to know why they went this route. Some were looking for the earlier versions of The Hart Foundation with either black, blue or a combo, but seeing as that Jimmy is part of the set I actually think that the solid pink would’ve been a fun choice. Nonetheless I think Mattel did a great job here in bringing Bret back to this style for the first time in twenty-eight years. 

A lineup that had some on the fence proves to be another winner. Not perfect but I can’t recall any retro figures that truly have been. From rights issues to pandering to cost cutting or whatever else you want to cite, “perfect” replicas of past wrestling figures just aren’t going to happen. This isn’t a situation as with Star Wars where nearly identical replicas and “retro” versions of old characters are being pumped out. Even in that genre many of the same aforementioned issues exist. Nonetheless I do feel that these will appreciate in value as the years go on. Again, that’s a good thing and not to be confused with an item being made solely for that purpose. After a decade of the Hasbro WWF line being red hot with collectors, the figures show no indication of cooling off any time soon. Even some of the earlier Mattel Retro releases from just a few years ago such as Diesel and The Junkyard Dog have become hot items. Personally I had no problem obtaining them at the time and have heard that they even showed up in outlets such as Five Below. I don’t see the latter happening with these Mattel Creations releases, so as I’m so fond of saying…”get them while you can!” 

We already have a look into the future with this line. The next set is a tribute to four planned figures from the original Hasbro line that never saw the light of day, at least not in these forms. We’ve got Tugboat, Rhythm & Blues Greg “The Hammer” Valentine (Boxcar!), “All-American” Lex Luger and babyface Doink the Clown.  Prototypes have been shown but as the set we looked at today proves, you have to have them in hand before you can give any final judgement. Following that set we have another lineup of four featuring a figure that will CLEARLY be a winner just by viewing the prototype, none other than Jerry “The King” Lawler. Easily one of the most wanted omissions from the Hasbro line, despite being active as both a wrestler and announcer in that era’s World Wrestling Federation, there’s no evidence that he was ever even planned at the time. Another name who also needs inclusion in the WWE Superstars line, The King is once again claiming his throne. The other three to join him have yet to be announced. In addition, a pair of 2-packs starring the nWo will be hitting the biggest online wrestling figure retailer. Kevin Nash and Scott Hall will team in one with Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Syxx in the other. While I will pick them up, I’ll admit that I’m least excited for these. They could very well surprise me as the nWo’s inclusion in the WWE Superstars line was very well executed as I discovered once they were in my hand. 

Whether it be Hasbro, Remco or even LJN style, there’s something about retro…

Nighttime For WWEternia

Usually novelty wrestling figure lines end without much of a whimper. This one is a tad different. In 2021 Mattel announced that their Masters of the WWE Universe line would be coming to an end. While never easy to find due to being exclusive to Wal Mart, the line was unique in that it appealed to several kinds of collectors. Of course you have the folks that have to get everything, but plenty of Masters of the Universe collectors had trouble resisting these as well. You also had those such as myself who viewed these figures, sans their fantasy gear, as "extensions" to the legendary Remco AWA line. The figures in that line were made using the body types of Remco's fantasy figures which in turn were marketed to play alongside with Masters of the Universe and looked remarkable similar.

While today we're looking at Series 7, it's actually the penultimate wave. I'm not the only one looking at Series 7 as the finale of the series for a few reasons. For starters, Series 8 hit stores before Series 7 for unknown reasons. Series 7 also includes four character who are all new to the line and, most importantly to me, all legends. Our lineup is Bret "The Hitman" Hart ("Excellence of Execution"), Junkyard Dog ("Heroic Grabber of Cakes"), Andre the Giant ("Eighth Wonder of WWEternia") and Sgt. Slaughter ("Heroic Sergeant-At-Arms").

The four come in the traditional Masters of the Universe packaging (still used to this day) garnished with just enough changes to differentiate these from the main line. Sadly, the final couple of series have included a "Collector's Sheet" as opposed to a mini-comic, possibly highlighting Mattel's lack of interest in the line.

All four are solid entries in the line and, as with most of the figures in this line, somewhat resemble actual Masters of the Universe characters. Bret Hart is based off of Tri-Klops, JYD has elements of Spikor and Slaughter is very obviously a take-off of Man-At-Arms. Andre is about the only one who isn't easy to pinpoint. There were giants scheduled for the original MOTU line before it ended, but I'm not sure if Andre is supposed to resemble them. His appearance here actually reminds me of his costume in Cyndi Lauper's "Goonies" music video. You can't argue that Andre would fit into the line best. Who wouldn't want to see He-Man battle a menacing giant? And yes, this figure is large. Upon opening the figure you have to put his boots on yourself in order for the figure to be released in the same size packaging.

For me, Sgt. Slaughter was the most wanted figure for this line. Slaughter and Verne Gagne were the biggest glaring omissions in the Remco AWA line. We finally have a Sarge that fits right in to the AWA world. As with the others in this line that I've picked up, most will probably never wear their gear again. While the figures have been hit (Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior) or miss (Kane, Jake Roberts) as to whether or not you can utilize them as basic wrestling figures, this series pretty much hits the mark aside from Bret missing the singlet top. Slaughter concerned me the most and, again, he came out great. Even the hat and glasses are removable.

So far this series is a hot one. I lucked out and was able to grab a set when an online retailer briefly had them available, but most are probably going to be struggling with Wal Mart on these ones. The line replacing this one is another Wal Mart exclusive called "WWE Superstars" and is a direct homage to the Remco AWA line complete with cloth clothing and accessories. Thus far The Honky Tonk Man is the only one who truly strikes my fancy, but I'm sure we're in for some goodies. That being said, there were more wrestlers that it would have been fun to have had in "WWEternia." I pictured Bam Bam Bigelow as some sort of master of fire and Kerry Von Erich, literally a living embodiment of He-Man in his heyday, would've been amazing in the line.

Regardless, for a couple of years, you and WWE..."HAD THE POWERRRRRR!"

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--WWF SummerSlam 1995 Program

The day and hour of the publication of this blog entry marks exactly twenty-five years to the minute that SummerSlam 1995 began. It's a show that fans have been divided on since it happened. It's really an event that you either love or hate without much middle ground. I've documented my love for it previously, including on the twentieth anniversary of the event. While it's generally a bit out of my favored era of wrestling, other factors will keep it in a warm place in my heart forever.

Pittsburgh had long deserved a major wrestling event. There had been no major wrestling broadcasts to speak of from The Burgh since our Studio Wrestling show ceased taping in the early 1970's. There was even a short period in the late '80s when the WWF stopped coming here altogether. For the rich history and fan support that remained in the city, we easily deserved an early pay-per-view event in the Hogan era, but it did not happen. When word got around that we were finally getting a major event of our own, fans were more than ready.

While the Internet was in its infancy for most fans, I was already part of a small group on a local BBS (Bulletin Board System) and can still remember the bunch of us fervently looking forward to the big event. The on-sale date passed and I even attended an autograph signing with Diesel and Alundra Blayze the night before the event. Though wrestling was not at the height of its popularity by any stretch of the imagination, the city seemed to truly appreciate that SummerSlam was happening here. Taking nothing away from traditional wrestling hot beds like New York or Chicago, I think our fans truly appreciated it more after being starved for such an event for so long.

As the company did with several pay-per-view events that year, a special program was produced and sold only at the event. It's larger than an average WWF publication and has thicker, glossy pages. The company was still using the original SummerSlam logo that debuted in 1988 and its placement in front of their top guy, Kevin "Diesel" Nash, made for a compelling cover. I've since loaded mine up with autographs from talent who worked on the show, but I did indeed purchase it there. Each match on the card is given a brief write-up and accompanying photos.

The main event is a big part of the controversy around the show, with some feeling that it wasn't up to par with past events. It was a classic World Wrestling Federation affair: larger-than-life hero versus monster villain. "The irresistible force meeting the immovable object," as then-WWF President Gorilla Monsoon would have said. Perhaps the formula would have worked better a decade earlier, but the company was sticking to what it knew and I totally bought into it. I always enjoyed the work of Nelson Frazier no matter which gimmick he was portraying and he was sadly taken from us far too soon.

Some fans see the true main event of the show as being what was actually the penultimate match in the lineup. In a rematch from 1994's WrestleMania X, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon once again battled for the Intercontinental Championship in a Ladder Match. My dad forever after dubbed this one the "Ladders Match," as a second ladder ended up being brought in during the bout. It was an exciting match and Razor's popularity here really makes the viewer lament that we were never treated to a WWF Championship run for "The Bad Guy." 

Fans from outside of Pittsburgh are still surprised when I inform them that Bertha Faye's defeat of Alundra Blayze for the WWF Women's Championship was the first title change in our city, but it was. The former Madusa has always been underrated in my view and I won't even get started on my appreciation for Rhonda Singh. For Christmas 1995 I wanted nothing more than for figures of these two to suddenly be made. It only took us over two decades to finally get that Blayze figure. I'm not holding my breath for one of the late Miss Singh in any form, but it sure would be welcomed by more fans than just this one.

Pittsburgh was also treated to a casket match pitting The Undertaker in his signature encounter against Kama, The Supreme Fighting Machine. The feud would've been more interesting had Charles Wright's previous character of Papa Shango been resurrected, but at least we were treated to the beloved "Million Dollar Man" theme music seeing as Kama was a member of the Million Dollar Corporation.

While some fans were probably looking for a textbook Bret Hart classic, instead we saw an equally iconic match from the era where "The Hitman" was battling crazy baddie after crazy baddie. This is the event that saw the debut of Jerry "The King" Lawler's demented dentist, Isaac Yankem DDS. Of course the man behind the character would have a much bigger moment in The Burgh on pay-per-view just a few year later while capturing his first WWF Championship, but that's another story for another program review. Here we had a continuation of the long battle between "The Hitman" and "The King," this time without any unwashed feet.

The show was rounded out with matches between Hunter Hearst-Helmsley and Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly, a tag match featuring The Smoking Gunns and Jacob & Eli Blu, a hot opener with The 1-2-3 Kid and Hakushi, and Bodydonna Skip (Chris Candido) saw action against rival Barry Horowitz. Horowitz was a great talent who deserved to finally have a moment in the spotlight, and some theme music, no matter how brief it may have been. 

Perhaps my only lament is that then-WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna were not on the card. That fact robbed me of ever getting to see the mighty Yoko live and in-person. It should also be noted that, for reasons of which I've never seen explained, The Fabulous Moolah was present at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, at least earlier in the day. The legendary women's champion made a splashy exit out of the building through the thousands of fans waiting to get in. I've always wondered if she was originally scheduled to play some role in the women's title match or if perhaps she was attempting to do so. This would be a great question for Bruce Prichard. Hey hey!

Even if you don't own one, you've now had a "virtual" look through the 1995 SummerSlam program. For the reasons above, it will always remain a special show to me, as well as the fact that my father's birthday was August 31. Because of that, I'd always joked that I would take him to SummerSlam. My parents ended up taking me, and I still remember my dad returning from a bathroom break with the laminated event poster that was being sold at the merchandise stands that night. My dad would turn 75 this coming Monday. This entry is dedicated to him, the great man that he was, and, keeping in the spirit of the topic, his constant support of my fandom of the business that I loved so much.

Wrestling MarketWatch: Magazine Mayhem

Have there really been over thirty editions of our MarketWatch feature over the years? Sure, I just appropriated the title from CBS (my apologies to the "Eye"), but it's always a very fun feature to research and write. While I always champion the fact that collecting should be fun over profit, it is always a blast to see how much, or how little, certain items are currently selling for. It's the only way to have any sort of collectible "price guide" in this day and age. 

Seeing as that they increase and decrease in price perhaps more than any other form of wrestling memorabilia, we're once again looking at magazines. There are many wrestling magazine collectors out there, and for this edition we'll look at a variety of issues from various time periods that have recently seen movement on the market. As always, prices listed are for non-autographed versions.

*Where better to begin than 52 years ago this month? Batmania had swept the country thanks to the magic that was being created by Adam West and company on television every Wednesday and Thursday evening. Wrestling capitalized on the craze, though it was most prominent in Pittsburgh where strongman Tony Marino became "The Battman." Though he played the character for several years (and has the hair on the back of his head shaved into the Bat Signal to this day), his tag team partner dressed as Robin was short-lived. Both were captured in full costume on the October 1966 issue of Wrestling Revue magazine. While Batkids of the day probably readily scooped the magazine up from newsstands, it's a less common issue nowadays and recently sold for $31.

*Around 25 years later another colorful character would capture America's interest, that being Bart Man aka Bart Simpson. Bret "The Hitman" Hart made a cameo on The Simpsons right around what many consider to be the best era of the long-running cartoon. This appearance was immortalized on the cover of the May 1997 issue of WWE Magazine. Bret and Bart recently sold for $50 which is unusual for this particular edition.

*Going back to the late 1970's we see the fourth issue of the short lived Wrestling Action Magazine. The first in-house WWWF publication, this magazine has widely been featured here on the blog over the years, and thanks to editor Les Thatcher we've been able to chronicle the history of the highly collectible run. This issue features the war of the tag teams that was going on at the time pitting The Valiant Brothers and manager Captain Lou Albano against Larry Zbyszko and Tony Garea. The issue recently sold for $24.50 which is actually trending low for this magazine.

*Another titled to come from wrestling renaissance man Les Thatcher was the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine. One of my favorite covers in a run where it's hard to choose just one is from Issue Vol. 4 No. 5 featuring "Number One" Paul Jones and The Masked Superstar. If there were ever two stars who embodied wrestling in the Carolinas for Jim Crockett Promotions, it's these two gentlemen. The issue recently sold for $51.

*Finally we head back north in August/September 1984 with the World Wrestling Federation. "Rock N Wrestling" was at full steam and in the center of the mayhem were Rowdy Roddy Piper, Captain Lou Albano, and Cyndi Lauper. The three took the cover shot here, obviously on the set of Piper's Pit. As with many of the early WWF Magazines, secondary market value has rarely waned. This classic recently sold for $49.

From cartoon characters to pop singers to wrestling versions of Caped Crusaders, these issues embody the fun of collecting wrestling magazines from the past. What do you have socked away in "Mom's attic?" There could be great reading material up there...and a lot of value in it.

Wrestling In Other Venues

As big of a part of pop culture as professional wrestling is, it's always fun to see the business outside of the squared circle. While wrestlers can hold their own with icons and celebrities from across the spectrum, it's interesting to see how they interact. Sometimes it's the wrestlers themselves "visiting" in other forms of entertainment. At other times celebrities from outside of the ring will try their hand. Still, in other examples, various genres attempt to incorporate wrestling into their own brand, often with mixed results.

Wrestlers crossing over into non-wrestling television shows has been a staple since the '50s! It was then that Lou Albano "wrestled" the legendary Jackie Gleason in a sketch on the comedian's popular program. Three decades later, as Gleason and "The Honeymooners" were seeing a resurgence, The Captain appeared in an issue of a comic based around the beloved sitcom. In the story Albano is a relative of Ralph Kramden's neighbor Mrs. Manicotti. This, of course, leads the blustery bus driver into the wrestling ring.

Many wrestlers appeared on shows of all types, comedy, action, and drama alike. Hulk Hogan made many guest appearances during the '80s boom period as did Jesse "The Body" Ventura, Rowdy Roddy Piper, King Kong Bundy, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan to name a few. Andre the Giant appeared famously as Bigfoot on an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man. His appearance even spawned a magazine cover and an action figure! Later on, Andre would provide a giant challenge for The Greatest American Hero before landing his most famous role as Fezzig in the film The Princess Bride.

It was not unusual for shows to have wrestling-themed episodes as well. Family Matters, Laverne & Shirley, The Munsters, Boy Meets World, and That '70s Show are ventured into the squared circle, but my favorite has to be the episode of Mama's Family entitled "Mama Mania." GLOW's own Queen Kong and Mt. Fiji guest star as "The Masked Mabels," a corpulent female tag team who end up battling Mama and her daughter-in-law Naomi. The episode captures everything fun about the wrestling boom of the period.

In the '90s, Bret "The Hitman" Hart famously guest starred on The Simpsons. While his appearance on the animated hit was brief, it was memorable. Several years ago when toy company NECA unveiled a line of action figures based on famous guest stars who showed up in Springfield, "The Hitman" was one of the highlights of the collection.

But The Simpsons aren't the only cartoon characters who have encountered wrestlers. While I don't believe that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ever tangled with wrestling in their cartoon or comic book, the action figures are a different story. There have been figures of the Turtles dressed as WWE favorites over the past few years, but the first TMNT-wrestling hybrid figure debuted in the original line by Playmates Toys. "Shell Slammin' Mike" takes the orange-masked Michaelangelo and transforms him into a caped competitor complete with belt and pet snake.

Last but not least, we look at a man...err...bear who is a champion of children, and adults, everywhere. He may not be "The People's Champion" by name, but he certainly is in our hearts. Is there anyone who doesn't love this guy? Yes, he's the "Hundred Acre Wrestling Federation Champion" according to his belt, and I would imagine he rumblies...err...rumbles over the competition. Who else could it be?

Oh bother!

Big Action, Little Wrestlers

Collectors have long enjoyed figures in a variety of scales. Recently, it seems that smaller is better. Fans enjoy when they can take their favorite character to work and place it on their desk, perhaps set it in their car, or even just throw it in a bag to have wherever they go. The world-famous Funko Pop! vinyl figures, which have taken on just about every license that you can possibly think of, definitely helped in this latest trend. While there are WWE figures under the Pop! banner, with figures of the Young Bucks soon to join, it's even smaller Funko figures that we'll be looking at here, along with a rogue band of grapplers who fit right alongside.

Funko's WWE Mystery Minis combine the mini-figure craze with the trend of selling toys in the "blind box" fashion, meaning that you aren't sure which figure you will receive upon purchase. Although still caricatures, the Mystery Minis look a bit more realistic than the slightly larger Pop! figures. Two series have been released featuring Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, John Cena, Randy Savage, The Bella Twins, Rowdy Roddy Piper, The Ultimate Warrior, Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, Kevin Nash, Razor Ramon, Daniel Bryan, The Rock, Ted DiBiase, Bret Hart, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Goldust, The Undertaker, George "The Animal" Steele, Daniel Bryan, The Iron Sheik, Brock Lesnar, Steve Austin, Seth Rollins, Sting, Roman Reigns, and Randy Orton.

The figures are one solid hunk of plastic permanently posed in a signature look. Some of the likenesses are perfect (Piper, Goldust) while others could use work (The Undertaker) and a few have curious choices for design such as Nash (wearing tights) or Hogan and Savage (a mishmash of eras). Regardless, these little guys are fun to collect. A few that were featured in promotional materials, such as Mick Foley, thus far remain unreleased.

Meanwhile, the folks at Pro Wrestling Tees/Pro Wrestling Crate have come up with an "independent" alternative. Utilizing talent that is not signed to WWE, the "Micro Brawlers" line was born. Packaged in baggies with cardboard headers, talent from around the world and a couple of different eras have been included in this ever-expanding line. Already featured are CM Punk, Big Van Vader, Kenny Omega, Colt Cabana, The Young Bucks, Taz, Cody Rhodes, Joey Ryan, Marty Scurll, and Penta el Zero M.

You can tell at first glance that the Micro Brawlers borrow heavily in their cartoonish design from the Mystery Minis. Just look at the heads of the figures right down to their wrestling boots. The figures are very close in scale, however the Brawlers are somewhat thinner. The Mystery Minis are hard plastic, while the Micro Brawlers are an almost bendable rubbery material. While the Brawlers may not be as heavy as the Minis, you still just have to love them. The fact that a small company can produce cool little figures such as these is very impressive. In the same vein, it's interesting that some WWE licensed photos are being used on a few of the packaging headers.

Is it a battle? No way. It's two separate figure utilizing a similar design. The Brawlers are being marketed to their own audience online, while the Minis are targeting the vast WWE Universe. The Brawlers continue to add new stars, while nothing new has been heard on the Mini horizon in quite some time. Ultimately who wins? Those of us who realize that all of these brilliant diminutive wrestling figures compliment each other and combine to form a miniature world of wrestling crossing several eras.

It's a big deal!

Wrestling MarketWatch: WWF Magazine

As great as the other publications were, there was something special when you picked up an issue of the official WWF Magazine. It was glossy, all color, and all slick. The photos of WWF superstars and events were second-to-none since, for the majority of the magazine's heyday, outside photographers were banned from ringside. It combined all the "news" that was fit to print along with the legendary merchandise catalog and packaged it together in one nicely disguised additional piece of marketing. The superstars, the managers, the announcers, and even the ladies--they all made it into the magazine. While it may be gone today (aside from the occasional "special"), the decades of existing issues continue to stand the test of time.

In this edition of MarketWatch, we'll look at some of the recent auction sale prices of WWF Magazine. Instead of showcasing the milestone issues that have been largely covered here in the past, we'll focus on some of the less-remembered covers. As is usually the case, even if an autographed example is shown, the prices given are reflecting unsigned pieces.

*We kick it off with an issue from when the magazine was still bi-monthly. It was August/September 1985 and the "Rock N Wrestling Connection" was still in full force. Who was at the center of that era? Cyndi Lauper, of course. Who were three of the biggest baddies? Rowdy Roddy Piper, The Iron Sheik, and Nikolai Volkoff. All four of these WWE Legends (I would say Hall of Famers, but Lauper continues to be inexplicably snubbed) create a cover image that is pure '80s WWF. As discussed on this blog years ago, the keen reader will spot a photo inside of the issue of Fred Blassie that is more than obviously the inspiration for his LJN Wrestling Superstars figure. This issue recently sold at auction for $30.

*Still deep in the cartoony land of late '80s WWF brings us to the January 1989 issue. On the cover is none other than "that piece of garbage" (per Gorilla Monsoon), Brother Love. This was less than a year after the character debuted. If you've been watching the recent WWE Network additions of Prime Time Wrestling, you know that he was still a big deal from week to week, advancing many storylines on "The Brother Love Show." Decades later in WWE Magazine it was mentioned that this was one of the lowest-selling issues of all-time, but that could have been just a made-up blurb. Nonetheless, the issue featuring the man who "loooooooves" you recently sold for $20.

*October 1992 brings us one of the more underrated stars of the mid-90s (in my opinion, anyway), Tatanka. The Native American superstar may have come along just a few years too late, but I will always fondly remember his battles with Shawn Michaels, Bam Bam Bigelow, and IRS among others. He made an amazing cover shot, too, in his only official WWF Magazine cover appearance. Tatanka still actively competes on the independent scene to this day, and is one of the nicest superstars that you'd ever want to meet. He is very active with fans via social media, as well. This underrated issue just recently sold for $13.

*His voice may have sounded completely different, but Bret "The Hitman" Hart did in fact guest star on The Simpsons back in 1997. To promote the episode, he also shared the cover of WWF Magazine with Bart Simpson in May of that year. It's a bright, vibrant cover that would be very much out of place in the very-soon-to-be "Attitude"-filled world of the WWF just several months later. Why did Bret use a generic wrestler voice? As the story goes, he was originally to voice a fictional wrestler. When the produces of The Simpsons saw the fans go nuts for the star when he arrived for his recording, the decision was made to instead animate "The Hitman" himself. The issue recently sold at prices ranging from $10 to $25.

*She may be gone way too soon, but her groundbreaking legacy lives on. Chyna may have done some things to tarnish that legacy in her later career, but for around four years she was certainly an attraction unlike anything that the wrestling world had seen before. In my meetings with her, she was nothing but gracious. My copy of this issue is autographed, as it was always one of the main items that I wanted her to sign. I'm glad that it got to happen. The August 2000 issue of WWF Magazine, featuring the "9th Wonder of the World" in one of her most beautiful shots, recently sold for just $8.00.

Five issues is a tiny sampling, but many of the prices prove that the magazine is still very undervalued monetarily. As with so much wrestling memorabilia, prices will go up and down as time marches on. What's important, as always, is the value to you, the fan. Maybe you grabbed that Brother Love issue off of the newsstand in '89 or you couldn't believe that Bart was standing with Bret in '97. Memories are the true treasure that you can't put a price on.

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--1992 WWF Royal Rumble Program

Some call it the greatest Royal Rumble of all-time. In my opinion, they're right. It was a transitional time for the World Wrestling Federation with names who starred in various territories in the '80s finally calling the WWF their home. The biggest non-WWF star of the previous decade, Ric Flair, was among those wrestlers. Even before the event, it seemed obvious that the event was building to a Rumble win for "Naitch." After all, this was the first time when a Rumble win truly had meaning. The winner would become the undisputed WWF Champion. But what would happen after Flair came strolling out at number three? In an hour we would find out...

The program is a product of the time when the pay-per-view event programs featured unique covers and event pages, but also included the pages from the then-current monthly event program. The non-exclusive pages covered stars and angles pertinent to the time period. In this case, the imminent split of The Rockers and the reinstatement of "Macho Man" Randy Savage are among those featured. Great period ads, too. Who could forget all of the "Hulk Hogan Vitamins" jokes? I'd like to, but the ad is something that kids can look up to...and parents can trust.

Coverage of the event begins with an article mentioning all thirty scheduled participants. We've got Hogan, Flair, Savage, Jake Roberts, Sid Justice, The Undertaker, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Sgt. Slaughter, The Nasty Boys, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, IRS, Big Boss Man, Repo Man, Virgil, Ted DiBiase, El Matador, The Rockers, Skinner, Greg Valentine, The Barbarian, Jimmy Snuka, Rick Martel, Col. Mustafa, Texas Tornado, The Warlord, The British Bulldog, The Berzerker, and Hercules. Of course, we now know that Marty Jannetty and Brian Knobbs would be replaced by Haku and Nikolai Volkoff.

As was standard for the time, the WWF Merchandise Catalog makes an appearance next with the Spring/Summer lineup. Though the days of cameo appearances by Shane and Stephanie McMahon had long since passed (though Shane did referee at the Rumble itself), the catalog is still chock full of fun. I can still remember being extremely amused at the sight of The Undertaker modeling his own t-shirt. It just seemed so out of character and out of place, even in 1992. I also loved gazing at the photo of the mock WWF children's bedroom. I just had to make sure that there were no Hasbro figures shown that I was unaware of.

Next up is a feature on the scheduled WWF Intercontinental Championship match between Bret "The Hitman" Hart and The Mountie. In the days leading up to the Rumble, The Mountie took the Intercontinental Title from The Hitman at a house show where Bret was said to be ill. This would lead to Roddy Piper having his first taste of WWF championship gold when he dethroned The Mountie in a brief encounter at the Rumble. Though Hart and The Mountie did not do battle at this Rumble, they did in fact see action against each other two years earlier at the 1989 Royal Rumble in an opening six-man tag match.

The 1992 Rumble was filled out with three tag team matches. The opening tag greatly mirrored that of the previous year, especially in setting a great mood for the evening. 1991 saw The Orient Express battle The Rockers, while this year the Mr. Fuji-led team battled The New Foundation--Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart. The WWF Tag Team Titles were on the line when The Legion of Doom battled The Natural Disasters and finally The Bushwhackers took on The Beverly Brothers. These latter two tag matches did not amount to much. Earthquake and Typhoon would have been much greatly utilized as two more gargantuan threats in the Rumble match.

It's now been twenty-five years since the "best" Royal Rumble. The event not only featured the best-remembered Rumble match, but also the best commentary performance by the beloved team of Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. The Rumble included arguably twenty men who were bona fide main eventers in the business and saw the "60 Minute Man" reign supreme in the WWF's most famous "60 Minute Match." With a tear in my eye, Royal Rumble '92 just won't ever be topped.

Put that cigarette out!