From The Musty Yellowed Pages—Wrestling’s Main Event March 1984

When thinking of ‘80s wrestling magazines certainly the Weston/Apter mags and the official WWF Magazine come to mind, but they weren’t the only boys on the block. Often you would find other titles with some great photography and perhaps even peeks at wrestlers that you didn’t see in the other publications. Most of those are discussed nowadays as “The Napolitano Mags” as their editor was legendary photographer George Napolitano. These titles were often just as visible at the newsstand as Pro Wrestling Illustrated or The Wrestler and were even perhaps a bit less “kayfabe” than those books. In this look back we’re going thirty-nine years into the past to March of 1984 with Wrestling’s Main Event. Ric Flair following his NWA Championship win at Starrcade 1983 is our lead story and cover picture.

The magazine, published by Pumpkin Press in NYC, was a mere sixteen bucks for a full year subscription back in 1984. Not even $2 an issue! No wonder Haku himself, King Tonga as he was known then, is letting us know that this publication is numero uno. I wouldn’t disagree with the man, even being the true sweetheart of a guy that he is. It should be noted that Les Thatcher is listed on the staff here. In addition to wrestling, announcing and training, Thatcher helmed many wrestling magazines of the ‘70s including Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine and WWWF Wrestling Action. Both of those titles have been covered extensively here on the blog over the past near-fifteen years. Les has always been kind enough to share memories and stories of these magazines both for publication here and in comments on social media.

The official rankings are a bit different and less extensive than in other wrestling magazines of the day. One page covers what seems to be the contenders for four major championships, listing those champions above all else. The NWA, WWF, AWA and WWC Championships are the titles featured. WWC action featuring Carlos Colon, Abdullah the Butcher, Bruiser Brody and others was featured more than once on the covers of these titles. Unlike the other magazines which tended to shy away from bloody covers as the ‘80s dawned, the Napolitano mags still seemed to go by the old adage that “red equals green.” Still, it wasn’t as prevalent as the blood-soaked covers of the ‘70s were. I love going through old rankings sections and counting who all I’ve been lucky enough to meet over the years. Counting all of the champions and contenders on this page only four eluded me. That number may go down to (and stay forever at) three soon, but I never count my chickens.

Up-and-comers who weren’t getting much press at the time were often featured in these pages. A great write-up later in the issue features a very young Dr. Tom Prichard, but early in the pages we get an article on someone who’s a favorite of many, The One Man Gang. The OMG is obviously not too far removed from his early incarnation as Crusher Broomfield. The long hair was a great look and possibly made him look even more maniacal than he did with the later mohawk. Of course, I’m partial to Akeem The African Dream, but I’ll take George Gray in any shape or form. He’s a great guy and was a great big man wrestler. The article tells of how he’d recently been managed by both J.J. Dillon and the sort of lost-to-time “Gentleman” Jim Holliday.

The Gang is shown in an epic battle with Florida hero Mike Graham. Are you ready for your centerfold? Feast your eyes on more Graham than you thought you could handle. In all seriousness, Mike Graham gets bad talked these days for no good reason. It seemingly stems from his appearances on the old WWE Legends of Wrestling roundtable shows, but come on. He acts just as braggadocios as virtually anyone else on that (great) show did. In my meetings with Mr. Graham I found him to be nothing but kind, humble and engaging. I treasure the autographs and memorabilia that I have from him and was saddened by his untimely passing and its circumstances. If anyone says that he wasn’t over, they know nothing of the Florida wrestling legacy. I wish that he were still here to celebrate it.

Next we have my pin-up. No, not Jimmy Garvin. Sure, we all love Precious and her Remco AWA figure. There was even the original Precious (yes, before Jimmy’s wife, Patti) for a spell. But the best of them all, in my view, was Sunshine. If there was ever a “girl next door” look, she had it. Sadly, for various storied reasons, she wants nothing to do with the business today. She should be out there milking it like some who had far less visibility than she did, but we have to respect her decision. Nevertheless, here she is flanking Gorgeous Jimmy himself. The article discusses Garvin’s feud with David Von Erich, a World Class Championship Wrestling classic, for sure!

As with most old magazines when chronicled here, we have to dive into the seedy side. This is usually near the back pages, in black and white, and somewhat hidden. While there are plenty of black and white pages in this title like most magazines of the day, they’re all slick. These magazines also seemed to feature much more color (and not just blood…) than their rivals. While the ads are much tamer than some from the ‘70s that have been featured in this blog, they’re really no less shady. Mail-order brides? 8mm film? Wholesale fishing equipment? Don't threaten me with a good time, right? The last listing is probably the most amusing. For only $3.95 you could get your hands on a newsletter with information on a certain infamous viral infection. Who did you write to in order to receive this fountain of information? “ROH.” See, decades before Ring of Honor was making wrestling magazine headlines you had yet another ROH getting print in the back pages.

What better way to end this than with a hoe down? But this isn’t just any hoe down. This is Scott Casey’s Texas Hoe Down in San Antonio. Casey hosted droves of Southwest Championship Wrestling fans in addition to Bobby Jaggers, Buddy Moreno, Alex Perez, Mando Guerrero, Ricky Morton and El Santo Negro. If the pictures are to be believed, there was music, dunk tanks, Hoe-Down Queens and smiles all around. I can only imagine the stories that could be told out of this one. On second thought, maybe those stories best go untold. Just call it a hunch. I must say, though, that there is a definitely a joke to be made when “Scott Casey” and “Hoe Down” are used in the same sentence. I’m sure that a good time was had by all.

Like with all of the magazines shown here on the blog we can’t show every page. Check out Instagram (@JWs_Wrestling_Memorabilia) this weekend for even more goodness from the issue and while you’re at it, give a follow!

Wrestling MarketWatch: Hidden Gems

Just when all seemed pretty okay in "the new world of wrestling," our window into seeing new content from the past just may have closed. At least a bit. It seems that the WWE Network's weekly additions to their Hidden Gems section are coming to an end. Whether this is a permanent end has yet to be determined, but many of us have consistently looked forward to the weekly release of something either rarely viewed or downright never-before-seen. It was just a few weeks ago that one of my top requests suddenly popped up.

How do the Hidden Gems tie into memorabilia? Let's take a look at recent selling prices of items related to some of the stars who've been featured in the Hidden Gems section. As always in MarketWatch, prices listed are for unsigned examples.

*So just what was that top-requested Hidden Gem of mine? I don't know that it was my most-wanted, but it was certainly something that I'd always wanted to see. When WWE Network decided to post Survivor Series Showdown 1992, they didn't just leave us with the original show as broadcast on USA Network. They also included many dark matches that occurred at the same taping. What I was most interested in seeing was a never-aired platform interview conducted by Mean Gene Okerlund. His interview subject? Jimmy Garvin. In an obvious tryout for an announcer or manager role, Garvin plays heel while reviewing the then-upcoming Survivor Series card. A fun fact learned upon viewing is that a sound byte of Garvin from this interview was used for the "Are you ready for the Survivor Series?" line that comes at the beginning of the 1993 WrestleMania song. Garvin had just come off of his WCW run as part of the Fabulous Freebirds. The U.K. exclusive Galoob figure produced from that run has recently sold in loose condition for prices ranging from $20 to $80.

*WCW itself was featured in one of the longest Hidden Gems. World Championship Wrestling produced two "All-Nighter" specials in 1994 and 1995, respectively, featuring matches spanning the run of the company to that point. Only the 1995 version has made WWE Network as of yet, but it would be nice for the first version to show up eventually to "complete the set." After his arrival in '94, Hulk Hogan dominated merchandise for the company. Around this time, a cool toy race car convoy set based on The Hulkster was produced by Matchbox. The set recently sold for around $40.

*A major treat with Hidden Gems is getting to see many of the legends from the territorial area in matches and situations that we haven't seen before. One of those stars is "Dirty" Dick Murdoch. Not only is the Texas outlaw featured in several full show uploads, but also with his most famous tag team partner, Dusty Rhodes. In the most recent Hidden Gem featuring Murdoch, the Waxahachie-born grappler is shown battling Harley Race in a match uploaded to memorialize the recent death of the latter. Murdoch's only figure, a "Big Head" from Japan, recently sold for $12.

*Answering the wishes of many fans, full shows from various companies have been included as Hidden Gems. Many of these shows were even thought not to exist. Among these shows were several complete Great American Bash cards from various years. While a match here and there may have been featured on NWA television or even a home video release, it's likely that the full events had not been seen aside from those who bought a ticket to attend. A show from the 1988 Bash tour was uploaded and the corresponding program recently sold for around $40.

*While a variety of promotions have been featured, World Class Championship Wrestling featuring The Von Erich family may have topped the rest in terms of frequency. David, Kerry, and Kevin Von Erich have all appeared in rarely seen matches against foes both foreign and frequent. While WCCW and the boys produced a variety of merchandise, it's the board game that often gets the most talk. Produced at a time when generally only the WWF was churning out such merchandise, the WCCW board game recently sold for $125.

I can't see Hidden Gems going away for good. I certainly hope not, anyway. If what has been uploaded already is any indication, more exists on tape than we ever thought possible. And if the company has Garvin's infamous "tryout" interview, you know those pay-per-view dark matches exist...

Fundraising With The Von Erichs

There are some legendary names that pop up on this blog more than others. Bruno Sammartino. Dusty Rhodes. Jerry "The King" Lawler. Rowdy Roddy Piper. Not only are they some of the best of the best, but they also have a ton of great merchandise to write about. A lot of those items are little featured elsewhere. But when you really want to see things that you didn't know existed in the world of wrestling memorabilia, you look to a family name. You point the car towards Texas and you set out to find the once-rabid fans of the Lone Star State's favorite wrestling sons, the Von Erich Family.

Thankfully, many of those fans saved much of the classic Von Erich and WCCW memorabilia of their youth. Those are the same fans, a large percentage of which were female, that you can still see on any episode of World Class Championship Wrestling. Aside from the board game and apparel, much of what was saved could be classified as ephemera. Photos, programs, and even newspaper clippings. If a Von Erich boy was even mentioned, you can bet that the article or blurb was clipped and saved.

Today we're looking at some programs, but not of the traditional style that many are familiar with. These three programs are from cards held at the W.G. Thomas Coliseum and benefited the local high school band. I must admit, I love these things. Not only are they different from most wrestling programs in size and shape, but they capture the fact that, as big as World Class became for a time, the biggest names in the promotion were still working local shows like this.

The three events were held on 3/20/1984, 10/13/1984, and 3/9/1985. Each program lists four matches with ten minute intermissions apparently peppered between each match. The first show featured Ice Man King Parsons vs Super Destroyer, Chris Adams vs Jimmy Garvin, Kerry Von Erich vs Kimala, and Kevin Von Erich vs Michael Hayes. The second included Buck Zumhofe vs Bill Irwin, Ice Man King Parsons vs Norvell Austin, Mike Von Erich vs Gino Hernandez & Andrea The Giant, and Kevin Von Erich vs The Missing Link. The 1985 show had a Captains Match, John Mantel vs One Man Gang, The Fantastics vs The Midnight Express, and Kerry Von Erich vs Gino Hernandez.

What a time capsule these are, maybe even more so than a standard wrestling program. Not only are they full of good quality WCCW promotional photos, there are endless advertisements from the sponsors. An eatery called Clown Hamburger certainly makes their "Double Meat Hamburger Plus French Fries And Medium Drink - Only $2.19" sound delicious. How about BOGO mesquite smoked chopped bar-b-q sandwiches from Buff's Bar-B-Q Barn? And I'd be remiss not to mention that all three programs include a $1.00 off coupon from the local K-Mart Pharmacy on your next prescription.

But what about the wrestling? Can you imagine getting to see the legendary Gino Hernandez live? How about his partner, Andrea The Giant? We all know her better as Baby Doll, of course. You know that The Fantastics and The Midnight Express gave it their all in a tag team classic. And seeing the Von Erich's in battle against classic opponents such as Michael Hayes and Kamala? Did the fans in attendance realize what was taking place before their eyes? If they were as rabid as those that were always shown on television, I imagine that they may have.

And as with so many items from the era, you never know when

you're in for a surprise. You've seen these stars being mobbed for autographs on their way to the ring, from the ring, and IN the ring. Those signed items are still out there, you just have to know where to look. Opening to the first page of that 10/13/84 program yielded one of those surprises. A rushed, yet unquestionably authentic, Mike Von Erich autograph. It's even in red pen.

Vintage items like these are what continue to remind me why I love pro wrestling. A few old, wrinkled pieces of paper stapled into a pamphlet can contain a treasure trove of memories. A split second decision could have found these being hauled off to a landfill years ago. Certainly that was the fate of many of these items, but thankfully examples like these have survived. That K-Mart Pharmacy coupon may no longer be valid, but the rest of the value found in these pages will last for eternity.

The WWE Hall Of Fame Adds A Wing On Badstreet

 Wrestling's rebels. Wrestling's rock band. Wrestling's Southern brotherhood. However you view The Fabulous Freebirds, the boys are finally back in town, Dallas to be exact, and taking their rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame. The wait for it to happen almost became a rib on Freebird front man Michael P.S. Hayes. When was one of the most successful teams in history going to be formally recognized by the company that has become the proprietor of wrestling? 2016 is the long-awaited year.

To be honest, the Freebirds have a place in any wresting Hall of Fame. They were revolutionary. They drew money wherever they went. They turned the Dallas territory completely around and made World Class Championship Wrestling the titan that it was in the 1980's. While Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, and Cyndi Lauper were the mainstream-covered "Rock n Wrestling Connection," the Freebirds made up its Southern rock cousin.

Hayes will enter the WWE Hall of Fame along with Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, Buddy Jack Roberts, and Jimmy "Jam" Garvin. Some are already decrying the fact that Garvin is involved, citing the fact that he wasn't part of the original trio. He was, however, part of the second Freebird ride on the national stage while in WCW. Not to mention that "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin always seemed to be an unofficial Freebird as part of the Von Erich-hating heels of WCCW. If Michael Hayes considers Garvin to be a Freebird brother, that's good enough for me.

The Fabulous Freebirds had an element of realism that's missing today. As is frequently pointed out with Stone Cold Steve Austin and other personalities that made it big, what you saw in the ring was just an extension of the real persona. Hayes, Gordy, and Roberts really were a rough and tough group of rebels. There was no suspension of disbelief necessary when the 'Birds talked of clearing barrooms and downing more than their share of Jack Daniels. Hayes was the brash leader. Gordy the enforcing muscle. Roberts the grizzled older brother. It worked.

The 'Birds made their name all over including in WCCW, UWF, AWA, WCW, and even briefly in the WWF. Some look at it as a shame that the latter run was ill-fated, but I believe that it was for the better. The group would eventually have been watered down and/or broken up. Rumor has it that Vince McMahon may even have planned to run with Hayes on his own. The possibilities are endless. It's that AWA stint that provided many fans of the generation, especially youngsters, with their favorite pieces of Freebirds memorabilia. Though a run in Verne Gagne's promotion may seem ill-fitting for the wild Freebirds, it was there that the trio saw their first action figures. Still one of the most popular sets in the lineup, the Remco-produced Freebirds come complete with their signature entrance gear. Garvin was also part of the line, to add to the chaos.

But while on the subject of merchandise from 'down Badstreet, you can't leave out the infamous Michael P.S. Hayes "Off The Streets" album. The record has starred on this blog several times before and the "glamour shot" of the album and its components seems to be one of the most frequently "borrowed" pictures. It just seems to turn up everywhere! Whether or not it's the "centerfold" of Hayes that's included with the album that causes all the excitement is anyone's guess, but it's an awesome item regardless. Wrestling's original rockers with an album and their own anthem. It doesn't get much better than that.

Thanks to the WWE Hall of Fame we'll soon be walking down Badstreet one more time. Hayes is a longtime WWE producer while Garvin largely (but not completely) distances himself from the business. Gordy and Roberts passed away in 2001 and 2012, respectively. They were a unique group that, like most good things, were often imitated but never duplicated. They left their mark both with the fans and on the business itself. Had they not been assembled as a group, aspects of the history of the industry would be completely different. That is what makes Hall of Famers.

And what about that WWE Hall of Fame? It ain't no "Home Sweet Home," it's a "Home Sweet Misery!"

Revisiting The Danger Zone...

After years and years of collecting this stuff, it's come to an interesting head. Nowadays, it's the more bizarre and wacky the better as far as items that I like to add to my collection. Seeing as how bizarre and wacky wrestling can get at times, it's no surprise that many items exist that reflect those words. That's probably why many of the items that were put out by Jim Crockett Promotions in the 1980's really appeal to me. JCP loved producing shirts and bandanas but didn't always seem to understand their target demographic. That's where the 1988 Danger Zone Calendar comes into the picture.

Many remember the classic commercial that played at the beginning of the Turner Home Video wrestling cassette releases as well as on television. Starrcade and Great American Bash videos, complete with Jim Cornette's famous scaffold bump, were pushed to no end. In addition to those event tapes, a compilation known as The Danger Zone was offered. As an extra bonus, fans were given a special 1988 Danger Zone swimsuit calendar with their order. The sizzling shot of a bikini-clad Missy Hyatt on the cover may have drawn in many male fans, but the inside probably made very few bedroom walls.

You see, aside from Missy Hyatt and Precious, the swimsuit calendar was filled with the male stars of NWA Wrestling. This favored many female and maybe even some male fans, but the majority of NWA viewers were probably less than pleased. In all honesty, the calendar is well-produced and rivaled any calendar that the WWF released at the time as far as quality. It's full-sized, has a fantastic glossy cover, and even promotes the aforementioned Turner Home Video releases on the back. It's just...full of gents.

Looking at it from another angle, it does reflect the large amount of talent that filled the company at the time, shortly after Crockett's buyout of the Universal Wrestling Federation. One wonders why some other female talent who either had been or were affiliated with Jim Crockett Promotions at the time weren't contacted to be part of it. Certainly the male-to-female ratio could have been evened up a bit with a little bit of Dark Journey or Misty Blue Simmes. Why it ended up the way that it did was anyone's guess. Perhaps they were just looking to offer "something for everyone."

Nevertheless, female fans of Shane Douglas, The New Breed, "Sweet" Stan Lane, Michael P.S. Hayes, "Hotstuff" Eddie Gilbert, "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin, Terry Taylor, Barry Windham, Mike Rotundo, Sting, and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams had to be satisfied. Those looking for Animal, Hawk, Arn Anderson, and JJ Dillion were disappointed. It's just one of those things. In fact, it's one of those bizarre and wacky things in the world of wrestling memorabilia that I wouldn't change for the world...aside for maybe a shot of Baby Doll and the envelope.

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--1987 Great American Bash Program

With it being July, Mid-Atlantic Fanfest on the very near horizon, and the recent War Games DVD/Blu-Ray release from WWE, this edition of "From The Musty Yellowed Pages" was a no-brainer.  Always one of the more popular Jim Crockett Promotions publications, The 1987 Great American Bash program has a lot going for it.  The colorful and fittingly patriotic cover is the most obvious, but a lot of people have never had the chance to dive inside.  It isn't easy to obtain and often sells for fifty dollars or more when it does pop up on the secondary market.

I have no one to thank more for my particular copy than an anonymous group of elderly women.  Around twenty years ago I was at a library book sale in a neighboring town.  In the back of the crammed basement, I spied this wrestling artifact tossed among the children's books.  Needless to say, once I figured out exactly what I had discovered, there was no putting it down.  It was but a few years earlier that I had gotten into learning about wrestling's glorious past, and the 1987 War Games video was something that I was already very familiar with.  Upon arrival at the checkout table, the gracious ladies who were in charge must've found my love for the publication charming.  Although my family made other purchases, the ladies told me that I could have the red, white, and blue relic absolutely free.  My JCP program collection was off to an amazing, and quite affordable, start.

It was about ten years following my lucky find that I began to use the program as an autograph project.  Manny Fernandez, Skandor Akbar, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Dusty Rhodes, J.J. Dillon, Paul Jones, Ricky Morton, Jimmy Garvin, Ric Flair, Nikita Koloff, Jim Cornette, Tully Blanchard, Steve Williams, Magnum T.A., Ivan Koloff, Robert Gibson, The Barbarian, Bob Caudle, and Road Warrior Animal.  Amazingly, I even managed to have each signature signed in blue.  It was more of a coincidence at first, but it certainly adds to the flag motif.  Beginning with Dusty Rhodes, twenty signatures fill the cover.  My rule was that as long as the talent is shown and/or mentioned inside, they're welcome to sign the cover.  The twenty illustrious names are

Interestingly, the program does not kick off with War Games coverage.  The tag team and UWF championship sagas are instead featured at the front.  Following a Business Reply Mail card advertising NWA tapes from Turner Home Video, a great photo of eight of the ten men from the original War Games match is shown.  "The American Dream" appears more cocky than any of the Four Horsemen in this photo, but that's simply "Dusty being Dusty."  Curiously this photo does not include Paul Ellering or JJ Dillon.  Regardless, it's a great shot that would induce a boatload of memories from any NWA fan.

A page made up solely of graphics breaks down that first War Games match.  It's obvious from the effort shown here that the company truly felt that a lot was riding on this one match.  They had every right to believe that they had something special in their hands, as this was a concept that lives on with so many fans to this day.  One can only wonder why no effort was made to put this on pay-per-view.  While they obviously hoped to make this a concept to pop the individual live gates, it is interesting to ponder if anything could've played out differently had they opened the match up to thousands of other curious fans via pay-per-view.

The following ten pages are photo capsules of each of the ten men involved in that first "Match Beyond."  Ellering and Dillon are not omitted here and are highlighted in photos showing both their wrestler and managerial sides.  It should be noted that the photography in this program is glorious and vibrant as it is in many of the JCP publications.  It's a shame that more items like these weren't made by the company, but that all goes back to the much-discussed marketing problems of the company that extended far beyond the Ted Turner purchase of the company in 1988.

Following the War Games profiles, many other wrestlers, matches, and angles which were important on the '87 Bash tour are featured.  The company was obviously hurting with the loss of Magnum T.A. just a few months earlier.  Fortunately, Magnum was well enough to make appearances by this time and gets a full page to himself.  Text and photos discussing his appearance in Dusty's corner against Tully Blanchard on television appear, but a notation of Magnum now being in the corner of Dr. Death in a battle against Dick Murdoch is mentioned.

Initially, so many of the autographs on my copy were obtained at the 2004 Fanfest over Thanksgiving weekend.  One of the wrestlers to sign it was "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin.  After signing the cover, Garvin asked me if this was the program with "the great bloody picture of me against Flair."  I assured him that it was and we flipped to it where he took the time to sign it again.  Not only is the shot another example of the great photography, but a rare example where a wrestler recalls something about a piece of memorabilia.  Remember, in that era talent rarely had to the time to see these items let alone collect them.  This is sadly why many wrestlers have no clue as to what is out there, but it also makes it all the more special when a recollection is made when obtaining an autograph.

This has always been one of my favorite wrestling items between what it represents, how it ended up in my collection, and now that I've had so many of the original participants sign it.  These are the items that keep the memories of these events and concepts alive.  WWE may own the footage, but you're only going to see what they want you to see.  It's these vintage pieces that show you just how epic, raw, and real it was to many fans...and continues to be today.

Remco Randomness: The AWA Variants

I make no bones about it, I love the Remco AWA action figure line.  Admittedly, I came to the party a bit late.  Though there is home video tape footage of an AWA program being on the television in my presence as a child, the WWF *was* wrestling in my house growing up.  That being said, when I came across a box of AWA figures at a flea market in the early '90s, I not only knew most of the faces, I was downright ecstatic.  I may have thought that the Jimmy Garvin figure was Steve Williams and didn't have a clue who the Curt Hennig figure was (can you blame me with that likeness?), but I was amazed that Larry Zbyszko, Stan Hansen, and others that I knew from the magazines and limited WCW viewing actually had figures.

As I grew, my collection did as well.  In 2013 I'm finally to the point where I'm only two figures shy of a full basic set as well as missing some accessories and variants.  The latter is what we'll be exploring today.  While I'm not usually that interested in action figure variants, the Remco AWA figures had some very fascinating differences that tie into the whole mystique of the line.  Although they had the AWA license, these figures, like most Remco toy lines, were only a few steps above being discount store toys.  It's not that they weren't made well, but they capture the primitive toy making techniques that were state-of-the-art a decade before the AWA line hit shelves.  This point is driven home by the fact that the line had only a couple of different body types for every figure, crude packaging art, and so many variations that it's almost as if each figure was handmade by a different person as opposed to being a mass-produced product.  It's these negatives that combine to make a giant positive: the finished product was awesome.

Beginning with the famous "muscular" or "fat" body types, you have to go no further than one of the many gems of the line, Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy.  The "Fabulous Freebird" brawler is a favorite Remco of many due to the fantastic facial likeness of the late star.  Where the body types often lacked, the incredible facial likenesses made up tenfold.  Looking past a few questionable examples such as the aforementioned Hennig, many of the facial likenesses are better than the scanned figure faces of today.  Gordy's face is perfect and the "fat" body type was aptly chosen as "Bam Bam" was a thick grappler.  At some point during the run of the line, Remco also produced a "muscular" version of Gordy.  Since the heads of these figures can be removed with some effort, years ago it was not uncommon to come across a collector questioning if "muscular" Gordy figures actually came from Remco factories.  Enough of these have since surfaced for that to no longer be in question.

I'm a much bigger fan of the "fat" Gordy, as the figures with that body are also taller than the "muscular" body figures due to the style of the former having longer legs.  Another example of figures in the line being produced with both body styles are Jimmy Garvin and the tag team of The Long Riders.  Brothers "Wild" Bill and the late Scott "Hogg" Irwin were a biker tag team that are actually more remembered these days because of their inclusion by Remco as opposed to their days in the AWA.  No matter the body type, this tag team came equipped with some great accessories including sunglasses, caps, duster jackets, and a black vest for Scott. 

Going back to the great facial likenesses, Remco actually made a running change to then-AWA Champion Rick Martel.  The original Martel facial likeness captured his personality to a "T."  The exciting youngster had yet to become the arrogant "Model" remembered by so many WWF fans, so a smiling face and well coiffed hairstyle was just the ticket.  After awhile, Rick Martel figures began shipping with a similar yet different face.  In fact, he began to look a helluva lot like Jim Brunzell.  The long standing story is that since Brunzell had moved onto the WWF and his "High Flyer" partner Greg Gagne was now teaming (both in the ring and on the action figure shelves) with Curt Hennig, the company was left with a surplus of Brunzell heads.  Instead of having them go to waste, Remco began painting the Brunzell heads with the dark brown paint of the Martel design instead of light brown.  Presto, a different looking Rick Martel figure began to appear in stores.  Whether or not this story is exactly true, there are plenty of Rick "Brunzell Head" Martel examples out there.

There's at least one more Martel "head" variant out there, and he has a Zbyszko variant to keep him company.  Most of the standard AWA figure heads are soft and can actually be squeezed a bit with some light pressure.  While it isn't one of the more talked about variants, there are at least Martel and Zbyszko figures out there made of a harder plastic as opposed to the rubbery substance of most.  The detail on these harder heads is also a bit sharper and helps capture the likenesses a bit more.  It's currently unknown when these changes happened, but I would venture to guess that these are earlier versions.

All Remco AWA discussion has to end with talk of the infamous "Mat Mania" series.  This was the final series of figures to be produced and the only one to feature single carded figures.  The Rockers, Buddy Rose, Doug Somers, Nord the Barbarian, Boris Zhukov, and Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie were all new to the line, but four older figures were also re-released on single cards under the "Mat Mania" banner.  These re-releases were Ric Flair, Nick Bockwinkel, Paul Ellering, and referee Dick Woehrle.  Worhrle had previously only been available in the boxed "Battle Royal" playset.  Most, but not all, of these "Mat Mania" figures included an "All-Star Wrestling" copyright stamp molded onto their body below the usual Remco stamp.  After owning many different examples of almost every AWA figure throughout the years, I have seen this stamp on versions of Flair, Bockwinkel, and Woehrle leading me to believe that these "stamped" variants are indeed ones that were released on "Mat Mania" cards.  Seeing as that some of the "Mat Mania" exclusive figures don't always include that "All-Star" stamp, I'd venture to declare that's it impossible to decide if all of the single carded re-releases actually had the stamp.

Is all of that confusing enough?  Just another day in the life of a Remco AWA collector.  Another fun day, that is.  Collectors of other Remco action figure lines love these toys for the exact same reasons.  It's a charm that is completely missing from the toys of today and will never be recreated.  That is unless we get a "retro" wrestling figure line somewhere down the line.  Don't scoff at the thought!  An independent company recently began marketing a line of "fantasy" figures as a direct homage to Remco's legendary 1980's toys.  The company even used some of Remco's original sculpts.  The line is called "Realm of the Underworld" and stars a heroic figure aptly named "Hercules."  Taking a look at that figure, you may just recognize the head.  It's none other than a remolded and adjusted Nord the Barbarian!  Maybe my dreams of a Remco-styled Verne Gagne figure will still come true after all!