After Nearly Three Decades The “Orange Cards” Have Arrived!

Few unproduced figures in any genre have been more speculated upon and discussed than the fabled Hasbro WWF “orange card” series that would have been released in early 1995. The Hasbro line was beloved in its day and, around ten years ago, saw an amazing boost in popularity even among fans who weren’t among the original collectors. Even with all of the classic characters that were produced, that last series remained a huge topic among fans. Now Mattel, continuing their WWE Retro line, is finally bringing an orange carded set to life complete with two names who were originally slated for the wave way back when.

The newest Mattel WWE retro four pack contains “All- American” Lex Luger and “babyface” Doink the Clown. They were both scheduled for the orange carded Hasbro series and likely would have been repaints of their earlier releases. Joining them in this Mattel set are Tugboat and “Rhythm & Blues” Greg Valentine. These two were both planned for earlier in the Hasbro line however ended up produced as Typhoon and regular blonde Greg “The Hammer” Valentine due to changes in the actual wrestling product. For the third time this set is exclusive to Mattel Creations and isn’t scheduled to hit brick and mortar retailers.

The four are individually carded but, as with the previous two series, come packaged in a box that reflects the individual card art. The pictures of the stars are once again renders based on photos rather than actual photos as Hasbro used. The Tugboat and Valentine images are near exact to what we would have imagined from Hasbro. Luger and Doink are off and the choices are questionable. With all of the great promotional photos of Luger in his Lex Express days (many of which you’ve seen right here on this blog), it’s a great question as to why they used Luger’s head from a later WCW image. The Doink image is clearly based off of Matt Borne who never wore this particular outfit. Don’t misunderstand. The figure is pure Ray Apollo aka “good/happy/babyface” Doink. If you’re looking to get it autographed he would be the man to do it. But for whatever reason the image presented is of an earlier costume and is without a doubt Borne.

Looking at the figures one by one we’ll start with Tugboat. The Tugster is a character who definitely would have fit in the original Hasbro line. As mentioned above he was indeed planned, but The Natural Disasters became a team and Typhoon was born. From what we’ve seen of what was planned, the design of that figure is a bit different from what we’ve gotten, but I think I like this better. We all remember the Hasbro Akeem figure and Tug will bring him right to mind. The hat is not removable nor should it be. There’s a Mattel Elite from several years ago that fills that need. This is your Hasbro Tugboat and does great justice to one of the favorite “Uncle Fred” characters.

Up next is Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. I think most fans wanted this figure since he was mentioned on card backs and even shown in a famous Toys “R” Us magazine ad. Personally, I was always much happier that we received regular Valentine. While I loved Rhythm & Blues as much as anyone, the regular Greg was much better for playing with. Because I always had a love for the “rough and tumble” wrestlers like “The Hammer,” that figure ended up with significant play in my world. Now we finally have the R&B version or “Boxcar” as Gorilla Monsoon nicknamed him. Again, it’s not a direct casting of the original or anything but the basic sculpt and “Real Wrestling Action” matches the prototype. I love that some of the detailing on the jacket is molded and unpainted just like the prototype seemed to have and that the released Honky Tonk Man Hasbro did have. Like many of you I'm tired of the Mattel "breakaway" guitar, though this one seems to be staying together a bit better so far. I do appreciate that in recent uses they've been creative with coloring it. This version matches the Hasbro Honky Tonk Man guitar. The one released with the WWE Superstars Honky Tonk Man figure is done up to look like the LJN version as the WWE Superstars line is an interesting mishmash of both that line and the Remco AWA line.

Our All-American hero, Lex Luger, and Doink the Clown are next in the spotlight. Alleged prototypes of the originals have surfaced in recent years. I say alleged as they’re questionable at best. Needless to say, there isn’t much different that could have been done with either. This is what we would’ve gotten and that’s that. I’m not crazy about the “slam” Retros that move in the middle, but they’re not the worst figures done, either. The hair on Doink would’ve been rooted like the original release was and the move would’ve been a “punch” rather than the “twist/clothesline” deal that we have here. While they fit better with the “orange card” theme, they’re definitely the weaker part of the set compared to Tugboat and The Hammer.

Both this set as well as the previous one (The Hart Foundation & Nikolai Volkoff) are available through Mattel Creations. This set has seen a $5 price increase in a sign of the times. The first set done through Mattel creations (Okerlund, Piper, Orton & Mr. T) which sold out in five hours has since popped up on other retailer sites. How and why that happened is unknown. Do I advise going for these? Absolutely. There are a lot of folks out there making licensed retro wrestling figures. I was gung ho on some of them, lukewarm on others. At this point, despite a little good released product (though nothing near what has been promised), most have been disappointing in how they handle their business and the privilege of working with the stars and collectors alike. Faults aside, Mattel cranks them out and has improved their methods and ease of getting them to fans. These figures also have the “wrestling action” that the Hasbros did. For many reasons the “boutique” releases do not. While it doesn’t bother me when purchasing a character that I really want from “the other guys,” it becomes a more glaring omission when other issues pop up.

We’ve got a non-Mattel creations Retro set coming up (two nWo 2-packs that I won’t be breaking the door down for) and at least one more four pack through the Creations site. That set is confirmed to include the long-awaited Jerry “The King” Lawler, complete with the spring-loaded punch action that many of us loved from the original Hasbro line. There’s a certain character recently announced for an Elite Legends figure who I would love to see in Hasbro form. I’m not sure if it’s too late for him to appear in that set, but I’d feel sort of cheated if he never received a retro. You’d love to see it, too. And I do mean love.

In the meantime, Toot Toot!

The Centerpiece Of The New WWF Generation

What were you doing twelve months ago? If you’re reading this blog there’s a good chance that you were thinking it would take forever for a year to pass. That’s because, again, if you’re reading this blog there’s a good chance that you were smart enough to back the Mattel Creations WWE New Generation Arena set. We were told all along that it would ship in August of 2022 and sure enough the arrivals have begun. I never seem to win the shipping time lottery, but for whatever reason my orders were among the earliest to ship. This is usually not the case and quite honestly I was due. The large online wrestling figure store that’s barely two states away from me takes at least two weeks after everyone else to get my orders to me so believe me, I suffer enough. 

Now what is currently shipping is everything that’s in the main box. The entrance way, the ring, Diesel, Doink and even the ring skirts are all here. What isn’t here is the item that, to some, is the highlight of the whole deal, 1994 Macho Man Randy Savage. Since the figure doubles as commentator Savage it’s presumable that is why the commentary table and chairs set will be shipped with him. What did ship here all fits into one big box. The outer case that it fits into is just like how it would’ve shipped to the store. Seeing as some won’t see the item as “complete” without it, you may want to hold onto that box. It should also be noted that once you open the shipping case the whole set is really no longer sealed. There’s a tremendous “display box” like you would purchase off of the shelf were it sold in stores but the ring pieces are packed into smaller bags and even the Diesel and Doink figures aren’t taped shut. Doink has those annoying plastic tab holders around his ankles like many Mattel figures do but really once you open the case nothing is truly sealed. This may be of some concern to boxed collectors, but I never found much use in keeping the Ultimate figures carded/boxed with all those heads and things floating around. Really though, you’ll soon see why there’s not much to be concerned about with this set even if you end up not liking it. 

For me the highlight is the entrance way. No, you’re not getting the actual WWF logo. I think if you’re not over that fact after two decades it may be time to get out of the hobby. What you are getting is the type of add-on/playset that most of us have wanted for thirty years. I know I wasn’t the only one who made a cardboard facsimile of the famous neon WWF entryway shortly after it debuted at WrestleMania VIII. It just looked cool. Now we have it. It lights up. It has a variety of lighting patterns just like the real one. While I wouldn’t say it was worth the $250 to back this thing all by itself, it definitely eats up a good $100 chunk. This thing is substantial and large. In fact, it may even be a bitter bigger to scale with the figures than the real one was to the real superstars. In any case, this alone could be the centerpiece to an amazing looking shelf display surrounded by figures. In case you have one on the way be sure to have four AA batteries on hand to get started. I considered embedding a video to show how cool the lighting is, but rather just head on over to Instagram (@jws_wrestling_memorabilia) and check it out there! 

Next up is the ring itself. Honestly this is my least favorite portion of the deal and I kind of figured that it would be. I just cannot warm up to any “Real Scale Ring.” They’re always just too big if you ask me. This one does have some features that I like as well as some things that I don’t care for. I will say that it was one of the easier scale rings to assemble. The easiest was the Raw ring that Mattel lied to us in order to get us to purchase by saying that it would be the only way to ever get “old man” Elite Goldberg. Well, that turned out to be a joke. Nonetheless the ring didn’t have much assembly required. The worst are the Jakks and Jazwares versions where it takes two hours to set the damn things up. I think I may have assembled the Classic Superstars versions twice a piece. The Jazwares AEW version that I was forced to buy in order to get the first female referee figure? That one was assembled for the photos on this blog. I don’t expect to deal with it ever again. 

The frame of the ring Is easy to build and the faux-wood (they’re plastic) planks are made to resemble how a real wrestling ring is assembled. I do like how the pieces are rather nicely separated into individual bags which were mostly in cardboard dividers. The wooden planks are in three sections and they do seem to stay in. The canvas mat wasn’t too bad to deal with either. There are still wrinkles like all of these mats, but I like how holes in the canvas attach to plastic hooks on the bottom of the framework. I like the color blue chosen for all of the visible plastic pieces. Ignoring the skirts this really could be any era of WWF ring. That’s a very good thing. I didn’t fiddle with mine too much but I didn’t like how the skirts rise above the side of the apron. Again, it may take some fiddling but they protrude just a bit too much at the top as shown in the pictures. That being said, it’s cool that we have basic WWF, In Your House and WrestleMania to choose from. 

The one thing that I couldn’t believe, in a bad way, was when I opened the turnbuckles. While I did appreciate that one of each four turnbuckles is connected to the ropes making it easier to space them out (something that’s always been an issue on most Real Scale Rings), I could not believe that one of the red turnbuckles has a huge, unsightly materials tag sewn right on. It just hangs there. Now most will just cut the thing off, but this has never been on any ring before to my knowledge. It’s completely unsightly. I have yet to attempt to remove mine, though I will and hopefully without doing any damage. It does ensure that most of these that are assembled and go on display will never truly be “mint” as no one is going to want that thing showing. Mattel, what were you thinking here? 

Like I said, it’s one of the better Real Scale Rings but I’d have preferred a bit smaller. The assembly is actually a tad fun in a sense and I can already envision some wrestling figure photography being done with partially assembled rings. A fight breaks out before the show and spills into the arena where the ring crew is setting up? I’m ready to do it. Also it should be noted that two of the cardboard trays that the pieces ship in are the small “crowd” backdrops that were promised later in the hype phase. They’re fun and what I’ve included in the photography here. They’re not as detailed as the third-party crowds that I usually use in my reviews, but I didn’t want to confuse people into thinking that those larger backdrops are what’s included here. These smaller ones would also work great next to the entry way on a shelf display as mentioned earlier. Tons of possibilities for display and play! 

Now onto the figures! We have two definitive “New WWF Generation” characters in Diesel and Doink the Clown. As noted earlier “Macho Man” Randy Savage in his WrestleMania X/commentator outfit will be shipping to backers at a later date, so I’m sure I’ll throw a review up for him as well just to complete the set. Let’s face it, he’s going to be another highlight in the ever-growing Mattel Macho collection. While Diesel was “The Leader of The New Generation,” I feel that we’ve gotten enough of him. The fact that it’s “Ultimate” really means zilch to me. It’s an excuse from them to charge more for a couple of extra accessories. That being said, this one came out far better than I’d imagined. The faces are dead on and it truly does resemble Kevin Nash in the era when “Diesel Power” was running roughshod over the WWF, if not so much at the box office. He headlined my first live attended pay-per-view (SummerSlam 1995) as champion and for that I’ll always have a soft spot for the “Big Daddy Cool” era. In fact, despite its numerous flaws, “The New Generation” is just about the last era that I’ll re-watch with any frequency as I find most of the Attitude Era impossible to get back into all these years later. 

While Randy Savage was the most hyped in the lead up, I think Doink the Clown is the figure that will lead to the most regret from anyone who didn’t back this thing. This figure is great. It is indeed Matt Borne as only he wore this guise. It’s early Doink. The Doink that tripped up the Big Boss Man. The Doink that beat Kamala. The Doink that injured Crush! You get three heads and three hairstyles. I’m not so sure that it was advertised, but just like the first Mattel Doink release, the “wigs” are all interchangeable. Add that to the mallet that was present in at least one early promo photo and his jacket with the “squirting” flower (no, it doesn’t really squirt) and you truly have the Ultimate Doink. Savage will indeed be popular but due to the nature of the release of this set monetarily speculation has been the name of the game here. My bet is that Doink will be the star of the secondary market show. There are plenty of Randy Savage figures to go around and 1994 was hardly a key year for him. They never have any need to release this Doink again. My bet would be seeing another release of the most common Doink look (the first Mattel release) down the line with updated removable hands, etc. If you truly want original, evil Matt Borne you had to have backed this set. 

It's interesting to think how there will be just as much complaining about obtaining this set as there would be for a store exclusive, yet everyone had exactly the same opportunity to get this as anyone else. You backed it? You got one. You backed five? You got five. Make no mistake, the secondary market prices will only rise for this. The ring itself and Diesel will be the easiest to obtain. The ring will be released in other forms, though not necessarily the classic blue. Diesel isn’t different enough from other releases to warrant super high prices, though the “Ultimate” label is a necessity for some. The entrance, Savage and Doink are the gold here. In a way it’s a cautionary tale. If there’s something you feel that you’re ever going to want, you do what you have to in order to afford it when available for the initial price. There’s a similar crowd-funded item from a completely different toy line that I didn’t take advantage of. With the prices of that item now, the only way that I’ll ever own one would be in some form of re-release. Thankfully that company made it clear that they reserved the right to re-release the item down the line. Will they? Who knows. Mattel made it clear with this set, however, that apart from the ring coming back in some form the rest of it is one and done. Is it worth the prices that they’ll be selling for? Absolutely not. But it was definitely worth the $250. I’m confident that my readers were smart enough to back this thing and with you all I share my congratulations and have but only one other thing to say: let’s play!

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--WWF Magazine January 1995

Ahhh 1995. The New Generation. A gimmick that I never necessarily bought into, although I did appreciate that so many of the characters and talent that I started enjoying through wrestling were still around. The cover of this magazine featured three of those with King Kong Bundy, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, and Jameson. So despite the '90s being well documented as a time that I least like to remember and have probably written about the least on this blog over the past decade, here we are. Let's take a look at what the World Wrestling Federation was made of during one of its most tumultuous times.

As evidenced by the cover, this is the 1994 Christmas issue. Although magazines are all but a memory now, for those of you who are too young to know, periodicals were usually dated far ahead. We would have purchased this off of the newsstand just as Christmas trees and Kris Kringle were fresh on our minds, thus King Kong Bundy dressed as Santa Claus.

I used the word "tumultuous" above to describe the WWF at this point in time and that was no exaggeration. In front of the cameras the fans were dealing with a constant trade-out of talent in an attempt to introduce new stars and create new superstars. This didn't always work, thus displayed by King Kong Bundy being a lead heel on the roster. Behind the scenes the company was dealing with the fallout of the infamous steroid trial that saw Vince McMahon front and center. In a rare acknowledgement of McMahon as being more than just an announcer, a two page article tells of the trial and McMahon's appearance with Chet Coppock discussing some very real-life situations.

We get a preview of "Caged!," which was the first entry in what was to be a regular series of magazines labeled as "WWF Limited Edition Collector's Series." While there only ended up being two editions, these magazines were to take a look at specific concepts such as steel cage matches and Monday Night Raw. The "Caged!" issue featured glimpses at many matches that were otherwise largely unseen back in the day, seeing as that many of these "blow-off" encounters were either dark matches or limited strictly to house shows. The shot of Rowdy Roddy Piper hoisting both the WWF and Intercontinental Championship belts has always been a favorite of mine.

The magazine had other interesting features that weren't part of the WWF's standard operating procedure back in 1995. There were both "The Informer" and "The Bite" penned "secretly" by Vince Russo. Both offered "rumor and innuendo" of "insider" information that pretended to pull back the curtain in an era where kayfabe still lived in a loose sense. "Rookies to Legends," in this issue featuring George "The Animal" Steele, looked at superstars from the past in an era where only current talent was mentioned 99% of the time. To appeal to the kids, we had video game reviews as well as the merchandise catalog showcasing overpriced (for the time) Hasbro WWF figures at $9.99 a pop, as well as now-coveted items such as the Doink the Clown teddy bear, complete with Dink bear.

Jeff Jarrett got a load of coverage in the magazine. This issue may show why. Double J has always had a relationship with Vince Russo and in this particular spread the writer is even shown speaking with Jarrett. This time Double J has invaded Las Vegas complete with showgirls and celebrity impersonators. A later issue has Jarrett, along with The Roadie, invading Hollywood and hobnobbing with the likes of "Golden Girl" Estelle Getty. Talk about a clash in my interests with me being an unashamed lifelong fan of the geriatric foursome as well as Double J.

This issue also features the second annual "Dubious Achievement Awards." It's a humorous look at the then-current goings on in the World Wrestling Federation. I remember the 1993 version being a bit funnier, but here we do get a rare shot of Heidi Lee Morgan in WWF Magazine (battling Bull Nakano) as well as one of the few mentions of announcer Charlie Minn. Though I was still an avid WWF viewer at the time, I recall not knowing who Minn was. I do believe that he hosted WWF Action Zone at the time, which I did not view or record for whatever reason.

We wrap up with a look at the WWF Holiday Wish tour, Lowdown (a collection of news worthy blurbs), a puzzle game, and "Scoop Sullivan," a largely forgotten back page cartoon. Though I missed many stars of my earlier childhood, at the time I still ate these magazines up. They were what I ultimately wanted to get into then. Thankfully, as an adult, I got to live out that dream albeit briefly. In 1995, I doubt I had many more Christmas wishes other than that...

Return to the Heartbreak Hotel

Remember the '90s? Some of us would love to forget them. Still, the decade carried a dramatic shift in pro wrestling and saw the business thrive. Right before the "Attitude Era" swung into full effect, the WWF still had a cartoony style about it. The latest WWE Elite Flashback Series, exclusive to Wal Mart, brings to plastic four of that era's stars as well as a well-remembered television segment proving that maybe the '90s weren't all that bad after all. Maybe. We'll see.

I'll again repeat how much I love the 2018 box design. It's simple and to the point, but can be altered to reflect what's inside depending on the individual series. These Elite Flashback boxes have great color, not to mention the "classic interview backdrop" behind the figures. When the design changes I'll be greatly disappointed. I won't hold back the fact that these boxes have propelled me to buy more figures to keep in the box for eventual signing purposes. When the design changes, I can see that dropping off again.

As anyone who has read this blog could have already predicted, I'm going straight for the highlight here. Who would that be? Alundra Blayze. The women's wrestling star of worldwide fame has never before been made into an action figure. Finally, here she is, looking very much like the day that I first met her back in 1995. Included with her is the very championship belt that I saw her lose the night after I met her nearly 23 years before the date of this entry's publication.

In addition to Blayze we have Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, and Doink the Clown. When you collect, and open, all four figures, you create the set for HBK's interview segment, The Heartbreak Hotel. It's a unique concept that seems to be ending with the next series where a Build-A-Figure will again be included with the Elite Flashbacks.

The Heartbreak Kid is stellar. No detail was spared despite this being a store exclusive set with a "building incentive." These sets which require you to "collect 'em all" in order to build something is one of the only ways that I'll purchase a figure of someone like Michaels. Don't get me wrong, he was one of the greatest. He just isn't in my personal top favorites and he already has an overabundance of available figures.

Ramon seems to reflect his look in his 1992 vignettes and the detail is once again overflowing. The toothpick, the chest hair, and the removable chains and shirt combine for a great design. This is the kind of never-before-made version of a popular character that I love to see. Rounding up the set is the Ray Apollo version of Doink. This is definitely babyface Doinkster, and it would be great to see Dink produced somewhere down the line. It should be noted that unlike the first Mattel Doink release there is only one wig included here and it is not removable.

While many would say that Michaels is the star of this set, let's be real. It's Alundra. She's beyond overdue for a figure. Her popularity in Japan makes it amazing that she doesn't even have a figure there. The inclusion of the 1993-1995 WWF Women's Championship belt does not hurt, either. I also have a feeling that Mattel isn't going to want to lose out on the tooling of either Blayze or her belt. Can't you imagine a street clothes version complete with belt and garbage can somewhere down the line? A Madusa-Rick Rude pack would be pretty cool, too, but I think we can keep that in our dreams.

It would be nice to have a 1993-1995 contemporary of Blayze, as well. Leilani Kai would be my number one pick, seeing as that she is a friend, but she isn't as closely associated with that run despite wrestling Blayze at WrestleMania X. My other top pick would be Bertha Faye, but I just can't see it happening. The most thrilling and maybe somewhat possible choice would be Bull Nakano. She just feels like a name that those at Mattel would be behind and I can only imagine that they would do an amazing job on her striking visage. Still, I have a feeling that we may end up with Luna. Don't get me wrong, I loved Luna and miss running into her at shows. She was a sweetheart and a heckuva talent. It's just that Jakks put out two very cool versions of her already. That being said, I won't turn down a third effort for her if Mattel so chooses.

This is a great set and, like the first Flashback Elite wave, it will go fast. Prices will eventually settle just as they did for those, so don't panic if you can't find them initially. In fact, Mattel has churned out so much product that September is scheduled to be another "Mattel Month" here on the blog. For four weeks in a row we'll be featuring some of the best new figures of the year from Mattel.

Is my preliminary choice for 2018 Figure of the Year, Mean Gene Okerlund, about to be dethroned? Did Alundra Blayze just do that? We shall see!

What's that, Mean Gene?

"Give me a break, pal!"

The 25th Anniversary of Hasbro WWF--Part 5

What a month it's been!  Twenty-five of my favorite Hasbro products in honor of the 25th anniversary of the line.  Like any list, it's all objective! Fans are always getting riled up over WWE "Top" lists, but it's all a matter of opinion.  The various incarnations of Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart didn't make my list, but Andre the Giant and Greg Valentine may not have made yours.  As a kid, you may have buried Demolition or Razor Ramon in your Hasbro rings while they reigned supreme in mine.  Everyone has their favorites, and from 1990 to 1994, Hasbro gave all of us a lot to choose from!

*My list was in no real particular order, but if I was forced to pick a favorite, it may very well be the Doinkster. Hasbro went above and beyond with the Clown, complete with newly sculpted parts and, best of all, real rooted hair.  This is definitely a "heel " Doink the Clown, based on his well-remembered early days as portrayed by the late Matt Borne.  It was always cool when the announcers would tout what a great technical wrestler Doink was despite his clownish appearance.  It added another layer to the already sinister character.  For the record, Matt Borne is the Doink pictured on the cardback.  I'm thankful that I was able to have one signed before his untimely death.

*Another item that disappeared from shelves as quickly as it arrived was the Royal Rumble mini-ring.  The three mini-figure four-packs were plentiful in the Summer of 1992.  Unfortunately for those who missed out, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Ted DiBiase were among those that were available only with the ring.  For whatever reason the ring only seemed to ship once and wasn't available very long thus leaving the figure packs to rot on shelves for years.  Retail disinterest was the likely culprit, but had the ring been released at the same time as the figures it may have been a different story.

*Cool, cocky, bad, and another great figure from Hasbro.  Honky had long passed his days as one of the top heels in the WWF, but his figure was still planned and released.  He wouldn't have been the same without his trademark guitar which, coupled with his "Real Wrestling Action," came crashing down on many other wrestlers.  Even with other figures of Honky from LJN, Jakks, and Mattel, the Hasbro is probably still my favorite.  It even has the jumpsuit belt that other manufacturers "forgot."

*Bam Bam Bigelow always came across as a perfect action figure. Flames, tattoos, and a whole bunch of "mean."  I found the figure on the day of the 1994 Royal Rumble.  Much to my surprise, Bigelow ended up having a singles match that night as he took the place of Ludvig Borga in a bout against Tatanka. Bigelow and Tatanka, both graduates of Larry Sharpe's Monster Factory, were always well-matched opponents. Though he never quite made it as far as he should have, Bam Bam had his moments and, in my mind, is a great future WWE Hall of Fame candidate.

*Speaking of those who should be in the WWE Hall of Fame brings us to
my favorite tag team of all-time, Demolition.  I still remember being so conflicted about how to purchase Smash.  His single figure was fairly plentiful along with Ax, but the same Smash also came in a tag team set with Crush and their pre-match masks.  The two-pack became difficult to find, so for awhile Ax had to fend for himself in my Hasbro ring. Perhaps just a lonely Masked Superstar?  Eventually, thanks to a lone Demolition set at my local Service Merchandise store, the trio was united and took on the LOD, The Bushwhackers, Doom, The Horsemen, and The Steiner Brothers (thanks to Galoob for the last three).  I even remember an epic singles struggle over the Intercontinental Championship between Smash and Marty Jannetty that mysteriously ended when Hasbro released a sneaky fellow known as Repo Man.

Twenty-five items for twenty-five years.  A revival of the Hasbro style would be a no-brainer.  It would couple the secondary "action feature" lines that are made to appeal to kids with figures that older collectors would snap up in an instant.  Why hasn't it happened?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Maybe the manufacturers just want to "leave the memories alone..."

Going Back To The Beginning...Of Monday Night Raw

As of the time of this writing, we are just days away from the launch of the WWE Network.  In the weeks since the new venture was first announced,  it has become one of the most polarizing topics in not just the world of wrestling, but in all of entertainment.  Will it change not just the viewing of WWE product but other forms of entertainment?  Will it cause more duress for the already struggling (and overpriced) cable companies?  Will the content of the network fulfill the needs of wrestling fans of the past, or just the modern day WWE Universe?  To be honest, we've had little facts given to even begin to answer some of these questions.  Others can only be summed up with the age old adage that "time will tell."

Twenty-one years ago, this same company also changed the face of their business, albeit in a slightly smaller scope.  What would eventually become the flagship program of the late '90s professional wrestling boom, Monday Night Raw, was launched on the USA Network.  Many fans are hoping that past episodes of this wrestling phenomenon will be available on the upcoming WWE Network.  In the meantime, a somewhat overlooked DVD release that has been available for a few years has already offered the best of the early days of wrestling fans favorite Monday night television destination.

"WWE Raw-The Beginning-The Best Of Seasons 1 & 2" was released on DVD in 2010.  While not a season set with each and every full episode that many fans have long asked for, this four-disc set was released long after it became apparent that WWE had no intentions of releasing full episodes or pay-per-views for much of anything from the past.

The early years of Raw are very different from what current fans think of the show as today.  The idea was to have a wrestling show emanating from smaller, more intimate locations where absolutely anything could happen.  Many of the segments featured squash matches, where big name WWF superstars were pitted in one-ended contests against preliminary talent.  Although these are occasionally done today if the situation calls for it and preliminary talent still exists (i.e. Dolph Ziggler), the business largely abandoned that sort of presentation once the competitiveness of the Monday Night Wars called for nonstop stars to capture all-important ratings. 

Nevertheless, these early episodes usually contained one quality "main event" match, and those are ultimately what is presented here.  The WWF had not quite adopted their "New Generation" mantra of the mid-1990's, and it may surprise some as to just how many '80s stars continued to shine here.  From the unarguable first classic match of Monday Night Raw featuring Mr. Perfect vs Ric Flair, to a generous dose of the greatness of early Doink the Clown (as portrayed by Matt Borne), the WWF roster of the time was nowhere as weak as some critics would have you believe.

When I mentioned the Doinkster, I wasn't clowning around.  From the cover of the collection to at least ten appearances in the set itself, the Doink character is firmly represented.  Beneath the paint, Doink had an incredible technical wrestler in Borne.  That, coupled with great psychology and his ability to actually make the character evil, leaves little doubt as to why fans fondly remember Doink's initial WWF stint.

Taking us from the birth of Raw in 1993 to the very end of 1994, we are treated to nearly two full years of superstars and storylines.  While some angles were still progressed on WWF Superstars, you can see how Raw slowly began to take over the reigns of flagship show.  The brief 1993 return of Hulk Hogan, the rise of Bret Hart to main event status, and the reign of terror that Yokozuna held over the WWF championship scene are all here.  Pepper that with lots of Razor Ramon, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Lex Luger, and even some of my favorites in Jeff Jarrett and Rick Martel, and you have quite the set.

What I really enjoyed were segments and vignettes that really haven't been replayed or re-released by WWE all that often.  Things like Jarrett's "Double J" intro vignettes and Jim Cornette shockingly debuting on Raw while Bobby Heenan explodes with joy are finally here to be seen once again in original broadcast quality.  Even some of those wacky early Raw commercials and the infamous July 4, 1993 "Bodyslam Challenge" have made it onto the set. 

Monday Night Raw, like everything else in wrestling, was a completely different animal then.  For those who weren't around then and only know the current product, the differences would probably be jarring.  I know that the new product will never go back to smaller venues due to business, but certainly something from these days could be incorporated into the style and look.  Seventeen years of the screen, stage, and ramp that came with the "Raw Is War" title are about ten years stale already.

Complaining aside, I think what really grabbed me about this set was the aforementioned mixed roster.  Back then watching these shows first run, it never hit me that such a wild mix of talent made up the then-WWF Superstars.  In retrospect, the 1993 roster is a lot like the WWF lineup of ten years earlier.  A mix of veterans, up-and-comers, and no real cornerstone star of the promotion.  In '83, Backlund was stale to many WWF fans.  In '93, Hogan was stale to many WWF fans.  And while The Hitman would never reach the plateau that the Hulkster did, these men would both eventually become that cornerstone star of their respective eras.

Overall, this is a surprisingly fun set that deserves at least one go-around in the DVD player.  Seeing as that I did not miss viewing a single Raw episode as it was aired until a good fourteen or so years after its debut, I can tell you that these DVDs really capture the feeling and atmosphere of what Raw was.  Some rumors have said that the WWE home video lineup will be available on the upcoming Network.  If that turns out to be the case, this set might be one to dog ear for required viewing.  Whether it does show up or doesn't, this is a four-disc set worthy of space on any shelf...uncut, uncensored, and uncooked.

The Goodbyes Of 2013

Traditionally we utilize the final blog entry of the year to say our last goodbyes of the year.  The goodbyes are not to the good events and memories of the past twelve months, but rather to the names in the business that have left us.  With the vast amount of folks who have given us so many great moments in and out of the squared circle, it is inevitable that we will lose a bunch each year.  It is an unforgiving business that often directly or indirectly causes premature and untimely deaths, while other notables of wrestling live to ripe old ages.

A sampling of those we lost in 2013 includes Count Billy Varga, Mark Starr, Ella Waldek, Don Carson, Cyclone Negro, Spike of The Mod Squad, Tito Montez, Paul Bearer, Roland Alexander, Doug "Gashouse" Gilbert, Vivian St. John, Gene Petit, Angelo Savoldi, Jackie Fargo, Corey Maclin, Frenchy Bernard, Dutch Savage, Al Green, Matt Borne, Buck Robley, Hector Garza, Reid Flair, Ron West, Dennis Hall, and Geeto Mongol.

Three of the names above, although varying in age, are still particularly shocking to me because of the vibrant appearances that they made at various types of wrestling functions not that long ago.  The first of the three to pass, Paul Bearer, is probably the one that received the most mainstream press as well.

Bearer, who also had a memorable pre-WWF wrestling career as Percy Pringle III, is one of the few managers who crossed over into pop culture even more so than many wrestlers.  While one could argue that it was his association with The Undertaker that caused this, no one would've noticed a cartoonish mortician character if Mr. Bill Moody hadn't given it his all.  When kids of the early '90s imitate a wrestling star that they grew up watching, it's most likely going to be Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, or Paul Bearer.  His ubiquitous and shrill moan of "Ohhhh yesssssss!" at ringside took the character far beyond probably even what the WWF ever intended.  The fact that the character carried on in WWE storylines after Moody's passing is both a great tribute to the late manager and something that would have simultaneously thrilled and humbled the man himself.

Matt Borne was yet another man who breathed three-dimensional life into what could have been a very one-dimensional character.  Doink the Clown was another '90s WWF personality that is remembered by many fans, but it's the hardcore devotees who recall that Borne's portrayal of the character was what really made it great.  Borne was Doink when the character was two things underneath the grease paint: a pure wrestler and pure evil.  His exceptional in-ring skills were greatly backed up by Borne's ability to show that this was not a nice clown at all.  Taking nothing away from Ray Apollo who took over the role, Matt Borne WAS Doink.  Taking nothing away from Borne, who had a stellar career in various other promotions, Doink WAS Matt Borne.

And what can you say about a man that ruled during the "wild west" days of the business and inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps?  That's "Fabulous" Jackie Fargo.  If yet another book ever needs to be written about someone in the wrestling business, Fargo should be the subject.  The stories told both by Fargo and by many of his peers probably haven't even scratched the surface regarding his life and times.  The North Carolina native is one wrestling legend that, years from now, I will still be so thankful that I had a chance to meet.  While others my age, born just as "The Fabulous One" was retiring from the ring, would have little interest, I knew from the moment that I shook his hand that I had encountered someone very special.  So long, pally!

Not a comprehensive list by any means, this was just a small remembrance of some of the fascinating wrestling lives lost this year.  May they all find eternal peace, something that some of them were unable to lock onto in life.  And in the case of Mr. Fargo, who I still cannot ever imagine resting, may they keep on strutting towards that great ring in the sky...

Wrestling MarketWatch: Creepy Collectibles

Clowns, the walking dead, voodoo priests, and morticians.  Standard symbols of Halloween...and professional wrestling!  Let's face it, without these crazy characters there would be a whole legion of fans who may never have discovered wrestling.  The Undertaker, Sting, and Mankind are just a few of the masked and/or costumed superstars that have inspired both dreams and nightmares for their fans, not to mention countless pieces of memorabilia.  In the spirit of the season, this latest edition of MarketWatch takes a look at recent market values of some of the "spookier" wrestling memorabilia ever to grace the shelves.  All values listed are for unsigned examples.

*We start with a figure set that we last visited in MarketWatch about one year ago.  No doubt countless children (and adults) in the '80s and '90s went "Trick or Treating" dressed as Hawk and Animal, The Road Warriors.  The leather, spikes, mohawks, and facepaint of the Legion of Doom was enough to terrorize anyone and has left a lasting imprint on pro wrestling to this day. 

Their very first action figure set was produced by Remco for the AWA line in 1985.  Although Hawk and Animal were released in a two-pack, their manager Paul Ellering was later included as well.  Complete with collars, chaps, belts, and Ellering's shirt, the trio recently sold for $49 out of the package.  A year ago, the set in the same condition sold for $100 which even at the time I had noted was rather high.  I will forever contend that if you're going to include the Road Warriors in a figure collection, this is the set to have.

*If the nightmarish tag team list is topped by the Road Warriors, the list of singles stars can only be headed by The Undertaker.  For over two decades The Undertaker has captivated fans by taking what could have been a one-dimensional gimmick and turning it into a wrestling legacy.  Countless cosmetic changes have helped keep the character fresh over the years and those looks have translated well into memorabilia.

As part of a special FYE store exclusive set, the WWE Hell In A Cell DVD collection was packaged with mini busts of either The Undertaker or Kane.  The likenesses on these busts were incredible and quite the deal when found on clearance.  Recently the set with The Undertaker mini bust sold for $56 in the box.  Outside of the package, the bust alone went for $15. 

*In the past ten or fifteen years, it seems to be almost fashionable to announce that you're afraid of clowns.  I, personally, never understood the fear, but to each his own.  The WWF may have been a bit ahead of it's time in late-1992 when they introduced the character of Doink the Clown.  Though the character later became a fan favorite, the original Doink was an evil clown played to the hilt by the late Matt Borne.

The first action figure of Doink is also the best.  Hasbro went out of their way to make the figure unique and included rooted green hair and a completely new mold.  The figure has always been popular, but in my opinion is still undervalued.  Recently selling for $25 on the card, the figure is one of the many highlights of the Hasbro WWF collection.

*You can't talk about Halloween and professional wrestling without mentioning WCW's Halloween Havoc pay-per-view event.  The October spectacular often included special gimmick matches, themes, and even whacky wrestling stars.  Havoc is one event that I always had hoped WWE would bring back as they did The Great American Bash for a short time, but it was not to be.

Turner Home Video's WCW releases were always a bit quirky, whether it be having the wrong years printed on the box or odd composite photos of wrestlers.  The second Halloween Havoc event is a great example of this.  Halloween Havoc 1990 is called "Terror Rules The Ring" on the official video release.  The Halloween Havoc title is listed nowhere on the box.  Since the tape was, after all, released during the Jim Herd WCW regime, any crazy guess as to why this happened might be accurate.  My best theory is that since the actual video was obviously going to be released way outside of the Halloween season, the Turner execs reasoned that sales and rentals would do better without it being labeled "Halloween."  Nevertheless, many of the Halloween Havoc videos still command a large secondary market price, with 1990 recently pulling in $50.

*One of wrestling's most beloved "creepy" characters left us earlier this year, but is still with us in spirit.  Paul Bearer, forever to be remembered as The Undertaker's macabre manager, passed away this past March.  His legacy has already continued in wrestling with a controversial inclusion in the Undertaker-CM Punk feud that culminated at WrestleMania 29.  A WWE Hall of Fame induction is set to follow in 2014.

One of Bearer's first action figures was produced in the Jakks WWF Managers two-pack series.  Packaged with Mankind and the famous urn, Bearer is as ghoulish as ever with the infamous pale face and jet black hair.  These managers sets are still among the more desirable figures in the "Bone Crunching Action" collection, and Mankind and "Uncle Paul" recently sold for $20.

They're creepy, kooky, mysterious, and maybe even spooky, but any wrestling collection just isn't the same without them.  In fact, they top any pieces of candy that might fall into your treat bag.  Happy Halloween!