Saying Goodbye To The (Gentle) Ugandan Giant

 With all of his well-documented health battles, wrestling fans have long been preparing for the death of "The Ugandan Giant" Kamala. That being said, preparedness doesn't make it one bit easier. When word of his death swept the wrestling world, the fear that Kamala caused in fans for over three decades suddenly turned to sadness. In those decades we had all come to learn that he was truly a gentle giant.

Even as a child I never found myself actually scared of anything fictional. There were two exceptions to that in the world of wrestling. Ironically, both of those men were favorites of mine as well. After all, deep down we all enjoy being scared. The two that put fear into me? Harley Race and Kamala. Race, with that grizzled look and just-gargled-with-nails voice, looked like he could take out anyone. As for Kamala with that haunting wail and nightmare-inducing mask? I didn't even want to THINK of what he could do to anyone.

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Kamala many times within the last twenty years. I also had the luck of seeing him wrestle live against various opponents including several matches against longtime rival Jerry "The King" Lawler. Kamala always gave his all to the fans both in and out of the ring. That continued even as many of us peeled back the curtain and began to realize that he wasn't the "headhunter" as portrayed on television and was instead a sweet southern gentleman.

I can't even pretend to have the Kamala stories that his peers such as Lawler, Jimmy Hart, and David Isley likely shared in the days following the giant's passing. What I have instead are reflections of someone who is living proof that Kamala did his job damn well. He made me believe that he was a scary savage capable of taking apart anyone who dared step into the ring with him. A wrestler cannot strive to anything higher than drilling undeniable realism into the heads of the fans. That was Kamala and he made it seemed effortless.

But something else came along with the fright factor of Kamala that probably pleased the promoters just as much: utter coolness. The character had an unreal look that will never be duplicated. It barely needs to be said that the look translated perfectly into merchandise like action figures and magazine covers. Who can forget their first glance at that LJN WWF figure in the menacing stance? Do I even need to remind you of the infamous cover of Sports Review Wrestling featuring The Ugandan Headhunter seemingly living up to his moniker...and spearing the head of Hulk Hogan?

The man is gone, but we have yet another body of work and a legacy that will go on as long as people are studying the rich history of the industry. Thank you, Mr. Harris, for being a true credit to hard working people everywhere who put their all into what they do and in turn bring a lot of joy to others.

James "Kamala" Harris

1950-2020

Giving True Thanks...

Seeing as that for more than a few years this blog has been published on Thursday, we've had quite a few topics with a Thanksgiving theme. Wrestling has a long tradition on the November holiday, dating back to large live events across the country. Most fans know that those shows eventually evolved to the early incarnations of Starrcade and Survivor Series being held on Turkey Day.

These days, the superstars are home with their families on Thanksgiving. It's a double-edged sword, seeing as that an after dinner event could possibly still be a great draw. On the other hand, who should really be working on such a family-oriented day? Although a great discussion, it's not what we're moving towards here.

It was actually Instagram that put this week's thoughts into motion. I recently opened an Instagram account for the blog (@jws_wrestling_memorabilia), as if this entity needed more of a social media presence. In thinking of a Thanksgiving photo post, I decided that last year's creation would be suitable since it would be "fresh" to Instagram. Due to recent events, I almost changed my mind.

The photo that I shared around last year as a Thanksgiving blog greeting featured one of my favorite characters, "The Ugandan Giant" Kamala. As a slight takeoff of the time that Kamala "ate" a live chicken on Tuesday Night Titans, my photo featured Mattel's very realistic Kamala figure eyeing up a nice representation of a gobbler. Just several days ago it was revealed that James Harris, the man behind the Kamala makeup, was hospitalized and on life support.

The health struggles of Mr. Harris over the past few years have been well documented, including but not limited to the man losing his legs. With the grim news of his hospitalization, I immediately dreaded memorializing the man in the very blog entry that you're now reading. Obviously if that were the case, Instagram would have to wait a few years before seeing the picture post that I described.

Amazingly, as of press time the news is that James "Kamala" Harris has been removed from life support after regaining the ability to breathe on his own. While he likely has much recovery to do, the news elicits a huge sigh of relief from his friends and fans. In his honor, I did in fact post the "Kamala's Thanksgiving" photo on Instagram which you will also find at the end of this blog entry.

Instagram postings nor even wrestling memorabilia are the true story here, though. A message that cannot be preached enough, Thanksgiving Day or otherwise, is the fact that we really should be thankful for all that we have. If you have the time and ability to be reading this blog entry right now, even that shows that you have things to be thankful for. You have time to be sitting and reading something that, on most weeks, is a pure enjoyable read and has no bearing on life as a whole. On my end, I am thankful that I have the time and means to bring it to you. It also says that you have an Internet connection of some sort, which makes your life a lot easier no matter how much you may deny that fact.

And what about Mr. Harris? We can be sure that he is thankful for being alive, as is his family. As Jim Ross reminds us, tomorrow is not guaranteed. If you're fortunate enough to have even one person in your life, take the time to think about them. Don't take them for granted. Savor each day that you have with them. Enjoy the present...

The 25th Anniversary of Hasbro WWF--Part 3

 As we roll on in the month-long 25th anniversary celebration of Hasbro WWF, it's interesting to note two other silver milestones in wrestling for 2015.  WrestleMania VI, my personal favorite edition of the event, will be celebrating the big 2-5 and in November, the character of The Undertaker will have been tombstoning his way through WWF/WWE rings for twenty-five years.  Who could have imagined that the latter, what easily could've been a throwaway character, would be iconic a quarter of a century later?  I have a feeling that "The Phenom" will show up in our Hasbro remembrances eventually, but for now here are the five for this week...

*For as big as they were, the Von Erich family did not see an action figure until "The Texas Tornado" hit shelves in 1992.  A great likeness coupled with a "Real Wrestling Action" that fit his actual finishing move, the Tornado was a great addition to the Hasbro lineup. The sad reality was that the figure was released less than a year before the untimely death of Kerry Von Erich.  That being said, Von Erich did several known autograph appearances in that time period and was known to be a gracious signer regardless.  Does a signed Texas Tornado Hasbro figure exist?  Time will tell should one ever surface, but until then we have a great figure of one of wrestling's most storied and charismatic legends.

*Kamala may be beloved now, but in his ring days "The Ugandan Giant" was terrifying.  The mask, paint, spear, and wailing battle cry were enough to scare any young fan and make the big man fascinating at the same time.  From Andre the Giant to Hulk Hogan to The Undertaker, Kamala was a formidable foe for all. Hasbro brought collectors the second action figure of the headhunter, and I can still remember the day that I found it.  A small mob of kids were crowded around the Toys "R" Us Hasbro WWF section, so I knew something good had to be there.  It didn't take me long to notice the yellow borders of the newest figure set. It took even less time for me to decide that Kamala was joining my collection that day.

*Hasbro was no stranger to Sgt. Slaughter.  His deal with Hasbro's bread and butter, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, is legendary and made him a household name and pop culture celebrity.  However, this figure was his first to officially be produced under the WWF banner.  It has an interesting design, as his attire is patterned after gear wore in a photo shoot and not actually in the ring, but it fits the Hasbro style perfectly. I doubt a more perfect facial likeness of Slaughter will ever be captured.  Sgt. Slaughter was the first wrestler that I ever met, was in the first tag team match that I ever saw live, and the first (and only) male wrestler to sit on my lap.  At ease!

*There's no doubt that the One Man Gang would have made a cool looking Hasbro figure, but Akeem was absolutely made to be in the line.  As "The Gang" himself tells it, Vince McMahon wanted a more colorful character than the "OMG," thus Akeem was born.  "The African Dream" hasn't been seen in WWF rings since shortly after the figure was released in 1990 and it's a shame. The One Man Gang has made a few token appearances, but with all of the goofy WWE humor, we need at least one more appearance from the former Twin Tower.  Rumor has always been that Akeem was to have been in the WrestleMania X-7 Gimmick Battle Royal, but that Gang had lost too much weight to fit the costume.  These days, the big man is once again large and in charge.  It's time for Akeem to jive down the aisle, one more time.

*Talk about having the "look" of a wrestler, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart fits that bill.  The Hasbro figure captured that.  Though many of us would have preferred "The Anvil" in original Hart Foundation attire, instead we got him in the baggy pants of The New Foundation.  His partner in the latter team, Owen Hart, did not come along until a year later.  If ever you could hear an action figure verbalizing his catch phrase, it's this one.  The Hasbro "Anvil" is screaming "Yeah Baby!" and cackling just as he performs one of his flattening clotheslines.  Hasbro also captured the oft-jiggling paunch of Neidhart as well as they did his facial features. 

A tornado, an anvil, a Ugandan headhunter, an African dream, and a real American hero.  A battle royal if there ever was one is forming among these Hasbro elite, and next week we add another five to the fray!

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.

The Thrill of the Hunt--Is It Gone?

It's a question asked in every collecting community over the past fifteen odd years. Is the thrill of the hunt gone?

Sure, it's been a lot easier in the past two decades to hunt down items once lauded as "holy grails." A collector doesn't even have to leave the house in order to build an enviable hoard in this day and age. Of course, it'll cost a pretty penny.

The most recent controversy in the wrestling action figure world has been Mattel's decision to release future figures in the WWE Legends series exclusively through their Matty Collector website. While the process has proven to be easier than ordering figures from other licenses with exclusive items sold through the site, many collectors are still unhappy.

For one thing, the figures are about double the price that they would've retailed for in stores when including the shipping costs. Releases are also limited to one new character per every couple of months. While these are viable qualms, some collectors feel that simply clicking a few buttons, entering a credit card number, and playing the waiting game just doesn't have the same "feel" as finding new shipments of the figures in stores.

On the flip side, ordering collectibles online saves the time of searching, gas money, and the disappointment of coming away from a store empty handed. We live in a world where instant gratification is key. Building a collection without all that trouble may coincide with that fact. Maybe "the hunt" for collectors has gone the way of the telegram or the pager.

eBay, with its many flaws and injustices, has become the absolute only way to gauge the value of an item and subsequently is the only place to get the most money when selling. Bringing your collectible to a collectors show or convention? Great. 500 people may see your item. If you're lucky, one of those people just may be willing to pay $10 for it. On eBay, anyone in the world who is looking for that particular collectible can easily find it, provided that you've listed and described it properly. Perhaps only two people want your item. If they want it bad enough, they may bid it up to ten times what you would've gotten at that convention. The eBay fees suddenly seem like a small price to pay for such massive exposure.

But is the hunt still there? Many sellers either don't know what they have or don't want to mess with eBay. That's where the thrill of the hunt still lives on. People often ask me how I've amassed such a collection. I don't hide the truth. Instead, I pass it on hoping that others will follow suit. I let items "fall into my lap." Sure, that magazine might be gaining prices upwards of $50 on eBay, but why pay that? If someone has the resources to do so, more power to them. I would rather wait knowing that with a proper search, patience, and maybe a bit of luck, that item will most likely find its way to me eventually, provided that it isn't a one-of-a-kind piece. A good example recently happened to me with the infamous November 1970 issue of The Wrestler. The issue features one of the goriest and best selling covers in wrestling magazine history. Bobby Heenan's face, enveloped in a "crimson mask" of blood, takes up the entire cover with the headline, "My God, Bobby! What Happened To Your Face?" While I have wanted to own the issue for quite a few years, it was not until a few months ago that I found the magazine for sale at the very reasonable price of only two dollars at a show. A much more wallet-pleasing rate than it has been selling for online in recent years.

And how about garage sales, flea markets, and rummage sales? It wasn't that many years ago that LJN WWF figures were popping up right and left at venues like these. One flea market in my area had two elderly women on opposite sides of the sales floor with large displays of wrestling figures for sale each and every weekend. You haven't lived until you've heard a smokers voice that would make Lucille Ball sound like Justin Bieber barking out names like "Jimmy Hart" and "Hercules." They were hard bargaining, middle-aged, business women who wouldn't give up their secrets as to where they obtained their rubber treasures. For $5 each, those treasures could easily become your own. That's the thrill of the hunt.

Certainly kids should still be able to feel it as well. After all, that's who these toys are really made for. We're just butting in on their territory. I can fondly remember a day in the fall of 1993 when, upon entering Toys "R" Us, a near riot seemed to be occuring in front of the Hasbro WWF figure display. The yellow carded series had hit retail! HBK, Razor Ramon, Kamala, Owen Hart, Crush, and Nailz were suddenly available to enter Hasbro rings nationwide! As I made my way through the sea of children and plucked a figure of "The Ugandan Giant" from the peg hook, I knew that feeling. The feeling of having a plastic representation of another of my heroes to play with and collect. The feeling of being able to recreate the jungle cry of Kamala's theme as he lumbered down the "aisle" of my bedroom floor. The feeling...of the hunt. It was a great feeling, and I hope that kids still feel it as they lay their hands on that brand new figure of Brodus Clay or Madison Rayne. It's why I love collecting and why many of you do as well.

I'm starting to think that the hunt isn't really gone at all. It's a frame of mind. It's about enjoying what you're collecting and what you've already collected. It's about coveting the awesome and fun items that have come from the great sport of the squared circle that we all love so much.

Damn. I love wrestling.

House of Nuts: Meeting the Crazies of Wrestling

Each year at this time I come to the same conclusion: pro wrestling is one giant Halloween party. Sure, since the 1980's that has become more and more true, but the industry has always had more than its share of colorful characters. Let's not forget that names like Pampero Firpo, The Sheik, and Abdullah the Butcher all originated more than 50 years ago!

Most wrestling fans would be lying if they told you that at least one of these outlandish, colorful, and many times untamed characters wasn't among their favorites. The matches that most of these men produce aren't exactly "Funk-Brisco classics," but I've always found that the happiest wrestling fans are those that can find enjoyment in all aspects of the sport. Like a connoisseur of music that appreciates the differences in genres, the best wrestling fans appreciate each and every style presented on a particular wrestling card.

Meeting these men can be an equally wild and crazy experience. What fan watching wrestling on a Saturday morning all of those years ago could ever imagine standing next to "The Ugandan Giant" Kamala or grappling with George "The Animal" Steele over just exactly whose friend "Mine" really is?

In actuality, many of these men who chewed anything from raw meat to turnbuckles are among the nicest and most down-to-earth gentlemen that you would ever want to meet. As one of the most memorable characters of 1980's WWF action, Steele barely spoke more than a handful of words. Although it was always the rumor of the schoolyard that "The Animal" actually taught school, it is not until you meet the man himself that you truly grasp the idea. And how about Kamala? The jungles of Uganda were actually the shrubs of Jerry Jarrett's backyard and the gibberish-speaking headhunter is in reality a well-spoken southern gentleman.

That isn't to say that meeting these men destroys the illusion. On the contrary, seeing just how gigantic Kamala actually is would probably surprise most fans. Other crazies of the ring such as Ox Baker barely change outside of the ring with growling, yelling, and even...singing.

Of my encounters with the various screwballs of the squared circle, it's one of the most recent that stands out like no other. Although he never actually had a match, fans of late '80s and early '90s WWF action will clearly remember Jameson. Beginning as a character on the short lived "Bobby Heenan Show" and later "managing" The Bushwhackers, Jameson was an unkempt poindexter who for the time was the go-to guy for comic relief in the World Wrestling Federation.

The man who portrayed Jameson, an actor by the name of John DiGiacomo, has made several wrestling convention appearances this year, most recently at Legends of the Ring in New Jersey. While some fans may question why a character such as his would appear at a wrestling convention, I've mentioned in previous entries that these shows always strive to book "fresh" guests to keep fan interest. Jameson fit that bill perfectly. Any fan who still had reservations about meeting a side "character" such as this was put at ease as soon as Jameson entered the room...and also put into stitches. Jameson's quirky antics were funnier in person than they were twenty years ago on Prime Time Wrestling. Just like George Steele and Mine or Kamala in his full makeup and costume, Jameson rekindled the magic of wrestling's zany best just one more time.

Still yet, there are some crazy characters of wrestling that shock the fans of today in another way. While many assumed that the "Wild Bull of the Pampas" Pampero Firpo was long gone, fans that attended the 2011 NWA Fanfest in Atlanta were proven very wrong. Although he looked quite different from his glory days from the 1950's through the 1970's, Firpo seemed as happy to meet the fans as they were to meet him. Equally as amusing was hearing his colleagues marvel at how shocking it was to see the wildman without his trademark hair and beard.

Though characters such as the Boogeyman still occasionally pop up today, the days of the truly crazy, offbeat, and zany in professional wrestling are all but gone. They'll be back. Fans will only be able to take so many cookiecutter overly muscled types before they're yearning for facepaint, bald heads, and back hair resembling a brillo pad.

Halloween--The Wrestling Spooktacular

There is no holiday better fit for the world of professional wrestling than the one that falls on the 31st of October. Since so many heroes and villains of the ring wars "dress up" to "scare" their opponents and even the fans, it's no wonder that countless Halloween costumes over the years have been inspired by the likes of Hawk, Animal, and even...Hulk Hogan.

Keeping with the theme of memorabilia, it's often the more colorful or bizarre grapplers that make for a better action figure or trading card. While many purists would prefer a wrestler in black tights with arms outstretched in a grappling position, others just live for the face paint, leather, and other outlandish qualities that so many Halloween-esque stars have had. The following will be a look at some of those stars and other "scary" situations from the squared-circle.

Before getting to the grapplers themselves, there's no greater connection to "All Hallows Eve" and professional wrestling than the WCW pay-per-view event called Halloween Havoc. From 1989 to 2000, Havoc was always one of the most anticipated yearly WCW events, usually due to brutally bizarre gimmick matches. The first event featured an electrified steel cage main event pitting Sting and Ric Flair against Terry Funk and The Great Muta. Four legends in their own right, the teams were joined by the late, great Gary Hart and special guest referee Bruno Sammartino.

While early stars such as Pampero Firpo, Maurice "The French Angel" Tillet, and even The Sheik certainly qualify as spooky stars, it wasn't until the '80s that the grotesque were brought out front and center. The Road Warriors and Kamala highlighted many magazine covers during the "Decade of Decadence," with the March 1984 Pro Wrestling Illustrated cover perhaps being the most famous in the magazine's history. The cover, featuring Hawk and Animal illuminated in "horror lighting," was even chosen by the magazine as one of its ten best.

While WCW had Halloween Havoc and The Road Warriors and Kamala were products of the territories, no one can deny that the WWF/WWE has had the craziest cast of characters come through its rings.

The power of Paul Bearer's urn, the worm-eating maw of The Boogeyman, and the vomit-inducing powers of Papa Shango are just a few samples of the "supernatural" happenings to come from Stamford, Connecticut over the years. Even women's wrestling legend The Fabulous Moolah broke out a smoking cauldron and that pesky "horror lighting" along with her charge Leilani Kai.

The Road Warriors did indeed cross through the WWF in several stints before Hawk's death in 2003, but one WWF-born tag team continues to smear their face paint in rings throughout the world to this day.

"Here Comes The Ax...Here Comes The Smasher..." In 1987, Demolition were looked at as Road Warrior knockoffs. As the weeks and months progressed, Bill "Ax" Eadie and Barry "Smash" Darsow proved that they were far more. Taking nothing away from Hawk and Animal, Demolition carved out a style all their own, combining great brawling with excellent wrestling skills. While the debate over which team was better will forever go on, the teams both hold their place in the history of wrestling...and intimidation!

But what about the superhero powers of The Hurricane, hideousness of Bastion Booger, and hilarity of ECW original The Blue Meanie? All worthy contenders showing different sides of the "Wrestling Spooktacular" spectrum.

Events. Tag teams. Comic book heroes. Meanies. They all fit this category nicely. But one wrestler truly deserves to be kept for last.

The Lord of Darkness. The Phenom. The Reaper. A character that probably wasn't intended to last longer than a year or so, much less twenty.


The Undertaker. What more can be said that hasn't already been written? Few superstars have captured generations of fans as Taker has. A comparison to Andre the Giant would not be out of the question in terms of being on top of the game for such a length of time. Rolling into his 21st year in the WWE, Taker continues to cement his legacy as one of the best "big men" in the game, and without a doubt the king of "The Wrestling Spooktacular."

I hope you've enjoyed this look at some the most bizarre competitors, events, and concepts in ring history. I could not include everything or everybody, so let me know if you feel your favorite was omitted. Happy Halloween!

Makeup...Skirts...You'd Think I Was Reviewing Barbie...

This "doll" doesn't drive a Ferrari.

Kamala. Kimala. The Ugandan Headhunter. The Ugandan Giant. Whichever variation you prefer, it makes no difference in the end. Kamala was, and still is, one of the most imposing gimmicks in the history of pro wrestling. How else could you describe a man well over 6 feet tall with a tribal mask, shield, spear, makeup, and who is also limber enough to jump in the air, nearly do a split, and touch his toes? A human cougar.

No, not that kind of cougar.

Dreamt up by Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett to be introduced into their Memphis wrestling promotion, Kamala went far and beyond what could have been a simple, one-dimensional gimmick.

Lawler. Hogan. Magnum. Undertaker. Andre. The Von Erichs. Kamala warred with them all and is still going strong on the indy circuit, and in the occasionally "big league" appearance, to this day.

It's not surprising that a wrestler with such a colorful character and amazing shelf life would still have new merchandise nearly thirty years after debuting.

In the second series of Mattel's WWE Legends line, Kamala receives the action figure treatment yet again. How does this rendition of the belly-slapping cannibal match up to previous incarnations?

Kamala has had four previous figures from the LJN WWF line, the Hasbro WWF line, the Figures Inc. Legends of Professional Wrestling line (not pictured), and the Jakks WWE Classic Superstar line. Each had positives and negatives with the new Mattel figure being no exception.

I've been somewhat critical of the new Mattel WWE figures, as I simply haven't warmed up to them yet as many have. Between the regular line and the Legends, they all seem to feel a bit thin to me. While this may be more realistic, a wrestling figure should always be a bit larger than life.

Starting with the positives, the facial likeness is second to none and easily the best a Kamala figure has ever seen. It matches perfectly to the drawing (copied directly from a widely seen WWF photo) featured on the card and is done in an expression we're all used to seeing from Kamala.

Another plus is the accessories. While no Kamala figure has yet had his spear, Mattel has included his tribal mask (previously only produced by Jakks) as well as his necklace and shield. Only the Hasbro Kamala figure previously included the necklace which was not removable in that version.

The accessories are spot on, and the shield is based off of Kamala's 1992-1993 WWF run. The WWF's prop department either created or purchased the shield originally for Tony Atlas' brief 1990-1991 run as Saba Simba. For anyone who was ever interested in creating a custom action figure of Saba Simba, this figure is a must have.

Another interesting feature regarding accessories is the skirt. While the skirt is cloth, it is actually attached to the figure between the torso and waist. This ensures children (or those hiding in their basement "arena") that Kamala's skirt will not come off in play, thus exposing his black underwear.

The height is perfect on the figure, however the weight could use some work. While the torso is thick, it simply isn't thick enough. There even seems to be a hint of abs present. Weight on the arms could use some work as well. Kamala's looking just a bit buff.

Posing these Mattel figures always seems a bit difficult. While Jakks often had joints that were a bit loose at times, the Mattel joints seem a bit stiff. The joint that truly bothers me, and seems to be becoming an industry standard, is the midsection joint of the torso. This joint was never a factor in my childhood toys and I will never see the point of it. I cannot see how it would help kids play with the figure nor even pose it.

Bottom line? It's a nice figure and one that's definitely worth picking up. It has issues (abs) but it also has the best facial likeness and accessories of any Kamala figure ever released.

The entire second series of Mattel WWE Legends also includes Terry Funk, Jimmy Snuka, Iron Sheik, Jake Roberts, and Rick Rude. If you enjoyed this review, drop me a line at any of the social networking links below, or on here, and I may do a similar one with another figure from the series.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/JWs-Wrestling-Memorabilia-Blog/306682871103

http://twitter.com/JWsWrestlingMem

WWE Cards Are "Topps" Again With Adult Collectors

Nothing like a punny title to start off an entry. It is based off of fact, however.

It's been almost a year since a true, serious, card set has been released for the WWE. With the current direction of the product, it's also completely understandable. Collectible dog tags, poker-style chips, and "Rumble Packs" largely looking like a card version of the WWE Kidz Magazine have dominated the store shelves. Kids who are enthralled with the ring wars of Cena, Orton, and The Miz, among others, have been buying these items up like hot cakes. Adult collectors, looking for everything that serious card collectors look for, haven't had much to look for.

That is, until now.


Within the past month, Topps WWE 2010 cards have hit stores. Featuring 110 cards in the basic set, 6 subsets, 2 autograph subsets, 2 swatch subsets, and 1 autograph/swatch subset, any enthusiasm lost in the other 2010 releases should quickly rebound.

Parallels, a current staple in card collecting, are included as well featuring different colored borders of the basic 110 cards. Blue parallel bordered cards are limited to a run of 2010 each, while gold borders are limited to just 50. Even rarer red bordered cards are limited to just 1.

The unique subsets combine superstars from all facets of WWE including past and present stars and divas. Sets titled "World Championship Material," "National Heroes," and "History of" mix stars such as The Undertaker, Nikolai Volkoff, and Chris Jericho among many others, providing glimpses into title reigns, home counties, and the careers of these stars.

Autograph and event-used item collectors should be equally appeased, as several combinations of each are seeded into the set. Both single and dual-signed cards are included, with the dual autographs featuring some stars known for teaming and others known for heated in-ring rivalries.

The swatch cards, featuring swatches of superstars attire, come in both the "Superstar Swatch" set and the "Superstar Super Swatch" set, the latter of which features an extra large swatch.

Also up for grabs are "Superstar Signature Swatch" cards, which seem to be included via redemption card insertion. Included in this set is "The Game" himself, Triple H, who has not been included in an autograph subset in many years.

For those of you like me, it's the basic cards which are the most fun to collect. Simple, basic, shots of all of your favorites. While the WWE Legends cards, the final 32 cards in the basic set, includes an amazing array of the best of WWE's past, it's the inclusion of the original 8 NXT Rookies that had me truly pleased. Great studio shots cropped with the NXT logo and a yellow sidebar make these cards a fun extra.

For those collectors who like to get the cards signed themselves, photo-wise this is a great set. One drawback is the high gloss on all cards aside from the "ToppsTown" subset. While the gloss has become somewhat of an industry standard, it was nice to have the four WWE Heritage sets for ease of autograph purposes.

All in the all, the set is beautiful and well produced. New ideas for subsets are always welcome, and many show up here. With the parallels, autographs, and swatches, there's truly something for everyone.

Each pack contains 7 cards. I have yet to open a pack that did not include at least a blue parallel card. Blaster Boxes, 10 packs and an additional relic card featuring a piece of the mat from the 2010 Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, are available at most retailers. Hobby boxes featuring 24 packs are available at many card shops. The hobby box that I opened included one swatch card and one autograph card.

Special thanks to Chris Holmes!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...

Peter Pan had the right idea. He never grew up. Growing up, most folks can't wait to be older and subsequently try to act more mature. When they do get older, they realize that a lot of things that were magical to them as children are gone for good. Sometimes the particular idea is still there, such as Christmas morning, but that feeling of wonder simply fails to return. Thanks to an annual event every August, the children of classic wrestling worldwide can once again experience the magic and wonder that they grew up with.

This coming August 5th through 8th in Charlotte, North Carolina, promoter Greg Price brings his ninth Fanfest to life. Fanfest is an event to not only get autographs and pictures with your wrestling favorites, but to actually meet and mingle with them as well. Since the entire event is centrally located in the Charlotte University Place Hilton, it's not uncommon to be seeing stars the minute you enter the building.

Like most wrestling fanfests or conventions, the stars themselves are divided into two groups: featured stars and vendor guests. The featured stars are there to be part of the VIP admission package which entitles each guest to autographs from the legends at designated times, while vendor guests are stars that are, in a sense, sponsored to come to the event by independent dealers. These vendors charge a fee for photos and autographs with this group of stars.

Nearly one-hundred stars will be on hand throughout the 2010 Fanfest weekend. Among this years featured legends are Harley Race, Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr., "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, Kamala, Greg Valentine, Danny Hodge, Tony Atlas, Mr. Wrestling II, Jerry Brisco, Tully Blanchard, and Jim Ross among many others. Sting, Mae Young, Sid Vicious, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Sunny, and modern stars such as Mickie James and Shelton Benjamin highlight the vendor guests.

Labeling Fanfest as a simple autograph convention would be a gross misrepresentation. It's a legitimate dream-come-true weekend for classic wrestling fans. The weekend will be kicked off on the night of Thursday the 5th with a lakeside barbecue at the hotel featuring Jim Ross' famous sauce and an appearance by Good Ol' JR himself. Also that night are Fanfest's famous question and answer sessions. This year's sessions will feature a roundtable discussion with mystery guests followed by the always entertaining Jim Cornette who has become a symbol of Fanfest.

While autographs and photos fill the days and Q&As kick-off the weekend evening activities, the Friday and Saturday evening events are immense enough to be their own separate draws. Friday night is the annual Hall of Heroes banquet also hosted by Mr. Cornette.

The Hall of Heroes is a special event honoring many of wrestling's greatest legends and is everything that the WWE Hall of Fame should be. Stars inducted in previous years such as Wahoo McDaniel, Blackjack Mulligan, The Anderson's, and The Fargo's will be joined by the 2010 Hall of Heroes class which consists of Joe Blanchard, Danny Hodge, Mr. Wrestling & Mr. Wrestling II, Reggie Parks, Billy Robinson, and Johnny and Greg Valentine. Each star is inducted by a fellow legend and each living inductee is scheduled to appear.

This year, many fans are eagerly anticipating Jim Ross' induction of his long-time friend Danny Hodge. Hodge, the first wrestler to make the cover of Sports Illustrated, is almost universally considered to be one of the greatest wrestlers who ever lived. Via his website and Twitter account, Ross has expressed what an honor it will be for him to induct Mr. Hodge and may be anticipating the event as much as the fans.

Saturday night will feature a world-class wrestling event highlighted with not just a main event, but an NWA World Heavyweight Championship defense. Current NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce will defend the storied title against the hottest free agent in wrestling today, Bryan Danielson aka Daniel Bryan. Also on the card will be the finals of a hot tournament currently being held in the Charlotte area called the NWA Future Legends Cup. Top those off with appearances by legendary journeyman Mike Jackson and Skandor Akbar and his Devastation Inc. and you have a card that would blow most indy action out of the water.

All the descriptions in the world cannot truly convey the NWA Fanfest experience. The real magic comes from the memories made during the weekend combined with the memories from years gone by. Who would have ever thought, sitting in front of a tube television watching their favorite Saturday morning wrestling show, that they one day would be rubbing shoulders, talking, and even eating with the stars who appeared larger than life on the small screen? At Fanfest that unreal dream is accomplished in spades.

I know that I can speak for nearly every "Fanfester" when I say that within the next week, the feeling inside is like that of a child on Christmas Eve. Fanfest is an amazing event that is unlike any other. The above is not an advertisement, it is simply a personal testament that I would be remiss in not sharing. This will be the fourth Fanfest for my friends and I, so please stop and say hello if you see us. If time permits, I may even do some blog entries direct from Fanfest.

Being an eight-hour haul for us, Fanfest is our summer vacation and we wouldn't have it any other way. If you've ever been on the fence about attending, this is undoubtedly the year to start. Don't let yourself miss out on anymore of the memories.

For more information on NWA Fanfest, please visit NWALegends.com.

Just when you thought the classic era of wrestling was all but dead, Fanfest proves otherwise. Through the fans and stars who lived it, real professional wrestling is very much alive. Join us in Charlotte to find out for yourself.

Pictures (L-R From Top) Include: 2009 NWA Fanfest Programs, Ric Flair looks on while Danny Hodge and Ole Anderson reunite, Jimmy & Angel Valiant reunite with "Number One" Paul Jones.

IWC Night of Legends 2009

As you may remember from my first entry, wrestling fanfests and conventions up and down the east coast are something that myself and many other collectors look forward to each year. It's become quite the experience, both good and bad, but my crew (dubbed "The Pittsburgh Posse" by the fine guys that run Signamania) has attended quite a few of the major shows over the past five years or so.

In the coming weeks, with the Spring shows fast approaching, I'll most likely post an entry acting almost as a guide to the ever-growing world of these shows. However, this entry is actually about a show that took place just last night. While it is actually a wrestling show with actual matches, due to the names featured it has become somewhat of a kick-off point each year for my wrestling autograph opportunities.

The IWC has long been one of the most well-kept secrets of the independent wrestling scene. Promoter Norm Connors has been running the Pittsburgh-based company since 2001, and it was in August of that year that one of his posters caught my eye. Jerry "The King" Lawler was advertised for a show no more than ten minutes away from my home, and I've been following the company ever since. With names like Dusty Rhodes, Eddy Guerrero, Bret Hart, Mick Foley, Matt Hardy, Chris Candido, The Midnight Express, Demolition, Christopher Daniels, and CM Punk (as a regular from '01 till his signing with WWE) appearing for Norm, how could I stay away?

As a result, IWC provided many early autograph opportunities I otherwise would not have had. That, coupled with a great array of local talent made for great show after great show. In 2004, the IWC started running an annual show to benefit the Little League in the town of Franklin, Pennsylvania. This show, dubbed "Night of Legends," has indeed featured many of the all-time greats still active on the independent scene. Last night was the fifth Night of Legends show (2006 was run by a different promoter who produced less than half of the talent advertised and subsequently skipped town) and the fanfest "feel" of the show was in full force. The show is proceded by a question and answer session with several of the stars, followed by an autograph session. This years legends included George "The Animal" Steele, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Sgt. Slaughter, Kamala (replacing Greg Valentine), The One Man Gang, Cowboy Bob Orton, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Mr. Hughes, and the ubiquitous Virgil. Yearly mainstays The Patriot (Tom Brandi...not Del Wilkes) and Pittsburgh legend Lord Zoltan (early '80s WWF jobber Ken Jugan) were also on-hand.

Yearly, these shows draw on average of 1,000-1,500 fans, which is nothing to sneeze at. Also, when I use the word "fans," I mean FANS! I'm not talking of sit-on-your-hands-pretending-I'm-in-Japan fans who only clap at flippity-flop moves, I'm speaking of true blue "It's still real to me, damnit!" fans who see live wrestling once a year--at this show! Add in the mix of a ton of children and older fans, and you have the type of crowd that many of the younger guys will never have the opportunity to work infront of again.

While it is amazing to see a lot of these legends still wrestling, a huge draw for my crew is the autograph signing. As with most signings, autographs and photo ops are not free, however they are cheaper than at your regular wrestling convention or fanfest. On average most of the stars will charge between $5-$10 for an autograph or photo op. Kamala was charging a flat rate of $5 to sign everything you had, while George Steele was charging $10 per item or photo.
One trick of the hobby is to politely ask the star for a bulk rate on multiple items. For example, I had five items for Jim Duggan to autograph, and he more than fairly charged only $15 to autograph the whole lot. Sgt. Slaughter, on the other hand, did me a small favor. I've met Slaughter multiple times in the past twenty-one years and he has been a complete joy everytime. A man standing at his table taking the money informed me it was $10 per item. I had four magazines in my hand and opted to only get two signed as Slaughter is a more common fixture on the scene. After signing the two I chose, Slaughter asked me to hand him my other two magazines, and proceded to sign those as well--for free. And remember, while Virgil has a "used car salesman" attitude, you can almost always haggle him down to what you feel is a fair price.
Ultimately, it was another worthwhile trip. This will be the first time I can remember talent on the show not appearing to do gimmicks (autographs & photo ops) which became the case with Bob Orton and The One Man Gang (which in the case of the latter was due to a late arrival). My crew has met with both gentlemen before, so our biggest wish in their case was getting to see them wrestle--a wish that was indeed granted.

A sample of items I had autographed at the show (clockwise from the top left): WWF's early Victory Magazine (Slaughter was surprised seeing this), WrestleMania VII program, WWF Program 192, Hasbro Hacksaw Jim Duggan #1, WWF Magazine Holiday '84, Pro Wrestling USA Program from '85, WWF Magazine 9/89, original 1984 George Steele promo photo (he loved this).