Chasing Dynamite

I’m not going to get into all of the controversy surrounding this figure and its manufacturer. The troubles (and supposed rebirth) of Chella Toys are well documented elsewhere. I will get into a personal issue that I have with something involving today’s reviewed item, but that’s a bit different. I will say that although it’s unfair to lump all of the smaller wrestling figure producers into this (PowerTown has yet to release any product and we haven’t even entered the original shipping period given and Junk Shop Dog consistently knocks it out of the park on all levels), the bloom is off the rose when it comes to the “boutique” lines. Missed production dates, product not living up to promise and, in some cases, even radio silence have become the standard across the board. It isn’t a good thing. For these lines to sustain and go as deep as many of wish that they would, alienating the consumer that keeps them alive in the first place is the last road to travel. Again, you all know what I’m talking about. Personally, I’m largely done letting many of these small time folks hold my money for an unspeakable amount of time. Oh, I won’t get it unless I pre-order? I guess your product isn’t in my collection, then. It’s that simple. Again, PowerTown and Junk Shop Dog should be left out of this. They have yet to do anything wrong with their original offerings and they aren’t listing dozens of “upcoming” names when they’ve shipped little to nothing else.

But you’re here for the toys and not the drama. If you are here for drama, as mentioned above, I’ll rant a bit. Nonetheless, those of us who pre-ordered long ago finally have the “Uncensored Collection” Dynamite Kid in hand. This series, by Chella Toys or whatever they’re going to go by in the future, was designed to fill in some gaps in the Mattel WWE line. In fact, even way back when only renders were shown the figures looked remarkably like Mattel WWE Elite product. Dynamite and Sabu were the first announced and it didn’t hit my radar if any other future names were thrown out there. As mentioned, the pre-order wait time was long due to various issues, but Mr. Billington has finally shipped.

The packaging is nice and simple. There really isn’t anything keeping you from placing it completely back into the box. I don’t recall removing any tape or ties or anything of the sort. The box is glossy with a nice plastic window (remember those?) and holds up to anything from the big guys. In fact, the lack of ties and plastic bands makes me like it a lot better than the stuff from the big guys. The window showcases the figure nicely and, although extra hands are included, you don't have to see them "floating" in there.

Is this a Mattel? It obviously isn’t, but boy does it look like it is. That’s what we were promised and what we’re receiving. There have been some questions if legalities will come into play from Mattel, but certain those issues were sorted out seeing as that this is a licensed product. I would think so, anyway. The plastic feels a tad different than your standard Mattel. I wouldn’t call it cheaper or any less quality. I’ve had some flimsy Mattel figures in my hand over the years and this doesn’t feel like them. There’s a bit of a larger gap in the right leg joint on mine, but nothing to be upset about. The facial likeness isn’t perfect, but it’s there. Would Mattel have given you any better? As with all facial scans/sculpts, who is to say? After all of these years collecting we should all have come to expect by now that getting likenesses down pat will never be a perfect science. This guy should really fit right in with the Davey Boy Smith Elite released last year.

He should. But mine does not. I mean, it’s right there…aside from the fact that mine has blue on the tights. For certain, the additional blue on the front is a definite look for The British Bulldogs. We all remember the blue. But the Mattel Davey doesn’t have the blue. I ordered this figure, as did many others, with the belief that it would fill the gap when Mattel was only able to produce one half of The British Bulldogs. Since opening it I’ve actually learned, through other collectors that I received a chase. The white is the more common variant. A chase? On an expensive figure that you have to order? That isn’t in stores that you can “hunt?” Mattel did it with their SDCC Sgt. Slaughter, but that was just the packaging. A boutique figure designed to have a SPECIFIC needed look has a chase? Excuse me?

Sure, I should be happy that I received a chase. I’m not losing any sleep over it. If your life is so good in today’s world that you can get upset over wrestling figures being an incorrect color, please direct me on how to live your lifestyle. That being said, this figure was made to match the other. There’s no reason to have a “chase” if you can’t “chase” it. If someone wants the “chase” do they have to keep ordering figures until they get it? The “chase” concept already works terribly in a brick and mortar store based product. Now we’re extending it to boutique lines? This should have been offered as a separate variant to buy on its own if it just had to be made. Am I returning it? After all of the time it took to receive it? No. But it only helps my personal policy of greatly limiting pre-orders with these smaller outfits. Now if they chose to send me a spare head to pop onto a Davey it would certainly go a long way with me, but that’s just a pipe dream. I’m stuck with the figure not matching as it was specifically designed to do and that’s that.

At the end of my reviews I usually recommend whether or not you need the product in question for your collection. If you want a chance at a Dynamite to match your Davey I guess you may want to try. But at boutique prices who has the money to take a gamble like that? I certainly don’t and I am a bit perturbed that the choice was made for me. When Target does similar it’s a quick trip to the store for a return and another order to try again. This isn’t Mattel nor is it Target. Caveat emptor.

The Great Mysteries of Wrestling Memorabilia: Figures

FAQ (or Frequently Asked Question) files are soooo 1995. Sure, they answer a lot of questions. But who wants a boring text-only FAQ when you can have a whimsical, fully illustrated, and entertaining blog entry? We get a lot of questions both in e-mail form and on the Facebook Fanpage regarding a lot of the same items. A lot of those questions are "mysteries" of sorts that have been scuttling around the wrestling memorabilia community for years. In some cases even decades.

This new series here on the blog (ANOTHER series?) will focus on answering, or at least attempting to answer, many of the better known mysteries of the hobby. This first installment will cover the items that probably bring the most traffic to this blog: action figures.

If there's something that you're dying to know the answer to regarding any form of wrestling memorabilia be sure to drop us a line. I'm sure that there are even enough "mysteries" regarding wrestling figures to do another installment entirely on that.

Without further ado, in a homage to the great urban legends website Snopes, here we go...

Mystery: Was a final "orange" carded Hasbro WWF figure series planned and/or produced?

This one has been around since the online wrestling collecting community was largely based on the AOL Grandstand sports community. In early 1995 when the Hasbro WWF line was finishing up, collectors were hungry for more. Just as the last series of green carded figures hit Hill's Department Stores and a small number of other retailers, a rumor of an orange carded series spread like wildfire.

Figures rumored to have been in the set included any combination of Diesel, Jeff Jarrett, Bastion Booger, "All American" Lex Luger, "face" Doink the Clown, "heel" Owen Hart, and Men on a Mission. Certainly if the line had continued we would've seen many, if not all, of these figures produced.

The truth of the matter is that no one shred of evidence has ever presented itself regarding validity of this rumor. Although it was widely believed back then and is still very much remembered today, it was most likely just the wishful thinking of an overzealous fan. Combine that with the fact that the Internet was still a very new tool for many thus making it even easier to spread such a story. I think this one can finally be put to bed.

Mystery: Which poster is inside of the single carded British Bulldog LJN figures?

The single carded versions of the LJN WWF tag team members have always been some of the more coveted pieces in the line. There may be none more so than the single carded British Bulldogs. Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith seem to have been produced separately in far less quantities than the other teams. This idea is backed up with the fact that LJN did not even bother to print up backer cards for the Bulldogs, but rather just utilized Hulk Hogan cardbacks. While the company did produce proper "poster holders" with the Bulldogs individual names, it's a mystery as to just what is inside those holders.

The LJN posters are beloved by many. Featuring great art (and later photos) of each wrestler, it was a very appealing bonus for kids who not only had a toy to play with but a poster to hang in their room as well.

Single posters have never surfaced of Dynamite and Davey Boy. The posters included with the LJN Tag Team sets would not fit in the single packaging. Just what is beneath the paws of the Bulldogs?

Some would venture to guess a Hulk Hogan poster. Perhaps it could be the "wrestling moves" poster included with the WWF Referee figure. Until someone has the guts to open a very valuable figure, this shall remain a mystery. That someone will not be me.

Mystery: Were any Hasbro Kamala figures released with a moon on the stomach?

Anyone who remembers the Ugandan Giant knows his body paint like the back of their hand: two white stars on the chest and a yellow moon on the belly. When Hasbro released their version of Kamala in late 1993, fans were scratching their heads. Why was there a yellow star on the stomach instead of the moon?

Fans have voiced much speculation over the years, but none can come up with a viable answer to my question: Why has whatever caused Hasbro to change it not effected every other Kamala figure before or since?

My theory has always been that it was simply a production error that wasn't corrected. Hasbro figures were fairly limited after the first two years. If you saw a character in stores that you wanted it was wise to pick it up. Chances are that you weren't going to see it again. Aside from a few choice figures, most wrestlers were released in one series and one series alone. Adding to that the fact that stores were ordering the figures in much smaller numbers, there weren't to be any running changes for a simple detail such as that.

Although a few sales samples are said to exist, the majority of the ones floating around now are custom made. Regardless of the final product's inaccuracy, the Hasbro Kamala is still a great figure of one of the all-time great ring characters.

Mystery: Were figures of Smash, Bad News Brown, Brother Love, etc. ever produced by LJN?

This one is the LJN equivalent of the aforementioned Hasbro "orange card" rumor, although this time we have actual evidence of consideration by the company.

For the last series of LJN WWF figures which was actually produced by Grand Toys out of Canada, the cardbacks took a drastic turn from how they had appeared throughout the rest of the run. In lieu of showing pictures of other actual figures available, live action shots of wrestlers were used. In addition to the wrestlers included in the final series (also known as the black carded series), shots were shown of wrestlers whose figures were being re-released on black cards (Elizabeth, Randy Savage, and Honky Tonk Man among them) and also of wrestlers who were never released as LJN figures. The wrestlers included in this latter group are Bad News Brown, Brother Love, The Bushwhackers, Demolition Smash, and The Barbarian.

While it's not known if these ever made the prototype stage, their inclusion on the cardback indicates that LJN intended to produce these characters. Fans have long clamored for photos of prototypes of these figures, but after over two decades nothing has yet surfaced.

These are the mysteries that baffle collectors worldwide. Some remain unanswered, while others can be sent to the incinerator...hopefully unlike any Luke or Butch LJN prototypes...

*****************************************

In a sad repeat of the last entry, I once again want to mark the passing of a legend of the wrestling industry. Tully Blanchard reported this morning that his father, Joe Blanchard, passed away at the age of 84.

Mr. Blanchard was much more than just the father of a founding Four Horsemen member, in actuality he was a wrestling renaissance man. After a stellar career in the ring, Blanchard went to the opposite end of the industry becoming a promoter and booker. Many fans will remember his Southwest Championship Wrestling promotion that was actually the first wrestling program ever carried by the USA Network.

In 2010, Blanchard was inducted into the NWA Hall of Heroes by another member of a famous wrestling family, Dory Funk Jr. With his extremely strong faith, I'm confident that Mr. Blanchard has now reached his ultimate reward.

Wrestling MarketWatch: High End Hijinx

With the financial state that pretty much the entire world is in, it should be amazing to anyone that many collectibles are still selling for the prices that they do. While I'll still argue that it's a buyers market as far as wrestling memorabilia is concerned, many items are still getting well over $50 in the secondary market.

In this installment of our recurring "Wrestling MarketWatch" series, I'll take a look at some of the recent selling prices on various items that have went above and beyond what many would think their value might be. As always, I caution that "value" is simply what someone is willing to pay for an item at a specific time. Should you go to sell the exact same item you may not get nearly the same price. It's all about supply, demand, and advertising/describing the item properly.

*We'll start with a perennial favorite among both wrestling collectors and children of the early '90s who've grown up and want their toys back. The Tonka WWF Wrestling Buddies have stood the test of time in terms and popularity...and durability. While these toys do fetch high prices there are also a ton of them out there. That can only bring one conclusion: fans simply like these things! What's not to like? Fun cartoonish caricatures of your favorite early '90s WWF stars that are sized and made to be WRESTLED with. While prices vary depending on which wrestler it is, the very popular Ultimate Warrior buddy has recently been selling for around $50 out of the box. If you've got the box, the Warrior and other stars can soar to $100 and beyond.

*Back to the year 1966 and cartoon characters of a different kind. While Bruno Sammartino ruled the northeast, he obviously couldn't be the sole hero of the area with the evil threats of Killer Kowalski, Gorilla Monsoon, and other villains of the mat. In Pittsburgh, the champ had help and an ally in the form of The Battman. No, not Batman. The Battman. Yeah. Trademarks you know. Well, the original outfit (and sidekick) would've never stood up in court these days, but nonetheless the Pittsburgh area had its own wrestling Dynamic Duo. Veteran wrestler Tony Marino virtually had a second career portraying the ring's version of the Caped Crusader. To this day, the 80-year-old Marino wears Bat Signal-shaped hair on the back of his head. Back in '66, the character made the cover of the October issue of Wrestling Revue magazine. Although certain covers of the now-defunct magazine have always sold well, this particular copy of the magazine recently sold for an amazing $202! Holy Rasslin' Relics!

*Although they didn't have quite the marketing machine of the WWF at the time, Jim Crockett Promotions produced a nice selection of merchandise that has become much sought after in recent years. The last major merchandising venture that Crockett would embark upon before being bought out by Ted Turner was a partnership with Wonderama International. The company ended up producing a set of NWA Wrestling Supercards. Featuring The Four Horsemen, Dusty Rhodes, Sting, The Road Warriors and hordes of others, the set is massive (around 350 cards) and, due in part to the offbeat nature of some of the photos used on the cards, a load of fun to collect. Since the set is indeed so massive, the easiest way to obtain one is by purchasing a complete set. These sets often include original cardboard boxes designed for the cards. Recently a set with box sold for $65. Although that isn't quite pocket change these days, I still advise collectors to pick this set up when they see it.

*I've discussed the WWWF Wrestling Action magazine quite a few times. It's a five issue set that just happens to be the first publication sanctioned by the WWWF. Prices have never been stable on these ranging from $10 to well over $100 for each issue depending on when you decide to buy. All five issues, as described here, have amazing covers chronicling the late '70s WWWF. The last issue, which is actually under the WWF banner, recently sold for $53. This and other recent prices for the magazines indicate to me that demand is on the rise again. While each issue shows up on occasion by no means are they common.

*Finally we come to a favorite of so many collectors: the LJN WWF figure line. Like with so many collectibles, packaging can often be the key to value. The LJN tag team figures greatly resemble this remark. Although the tag team sets show up somewhat frequently and usually obtain several hundred dollars each, the tag team figures packaged on cards and sold separately are a whole different story. The Killer Bees, Hart Foundation, and Strike Force individually carded would be a treasure to anyone but The British Bulldogs have become the most fabled of them all. The figures are even backed on Hulk Hogan card backs as opposed to having "clip and save" file cards of Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid. Examples of each were recently sold at auction for $1,700 (Davey) and $1,009 (Dynamite) respectively marking the highest known prices for individually sold wrestling figures in recent memory.

What kind of treasures do you have stashed away? Would they carry the monetary bite of the Bulldogs or the ultimate popularity of Wrestling Buddies? As I always remind everyone, the true value is how much it's worth to you as an item. You can't go wrong investing in what YOU like. Holy Final Thought!

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

WWE Magazine, March 2007, Page 12

Although the pages of a four-year-old magazine probably aren't quite yellowed, I could think of no better "Musty, Yellowed Pages" segment to tie in with the recent selling price of the LJN Dynamite Kid.

In '07 the publishers of WWE Magazine decided to use a few photos of some of my items. I decided to highlight the Dynamite Kid LJN figure, as even toy magazine price guides were listing astronomical values for the figure and I myself had seen less than five examples of the piece. Despite TWO fact checking calls from the magazine, they still misquoted me by proclaiming the figure to be a "rare one-of-five" figure. I had told the magazine on three occasions that I had only ever SEEN around five or less in my collecting years. To this day I have still only seen around eight floating around, although I'd guess that a few more do exist.

Regardless of their mistake, I was still honored to be in the magazine. Now I'm writing about them. Coming full circle? Maybe.