The Mouths That Roared…And Chewed Turnbuckles

I may complain a lot, but I do try to be fair about it and admit when that complaining is unfounded. Initially, I complained about The Coliseum Collection. I don’t recall how public my complaining was, but I definitely groused a bit. “Here we go again.” “More expensive remakes of figures that we already have.” “The SAME Jake The Snake that we just got in the Legends line?” Well, I was wrong. Between the figures themselves, the packaging and the overall presentation I’ve really taken to the line. That’s why I was actually sad that the latest entry, Rowdy Roddy Piper vs George “The Animal” Steele, was met with a delay. In a few ways, which we’ll get to, these were actually the most anticipated Coliseum Collection entries to date for me, personally. No, we’re not seeing never before made names here. That’s not what The Coliseum Collection is about. We’re seeing top quality modern representations of the characters that made up the beloved LJN Wrestling Superstars line. It’s a true testament to that line that both of “the biggies” (Mattel WWE and Jazwares AEW) are paying homage in their own way at the same time. Let’s see the latest that Mattel brings to the table…and to the turnbuckle!

For as many Piper figures as have been produced I still feel that the longer haired look has been better represented than the short hair style. As far as Mattel goes, the short haired look was long due an upgrade. We were given a taste several years ago with the absolutely great “boxing” Piper figure and, thankfully, the head sculpt from that set is included here, as well. Steele is returning to the Mattel lineup for the first time in years altogether. Both of his previous releases were the same base figure. It was a nice figure but the torso was just a tad too thin for the bulky brawler. I always said that for your shirtless George Steele needs you’d go with the Jakks Classic Superstars version. Since the first Mattel release had a shirt, he was your “go to” for pre-match Animal. Now we’re hopefully getting definitive versions of both.

The packaging on these is grand. There’s no other way to put it. The sturdy and immense outer box featuring spectacular art of these legends opens up to house individual carded versions of the figures in packaging directly paying homage to LJN Wrestling Superstars. It’s a fun touch that the figures are even posed inside of the boxes the way that the old LJN figures were sculpted. The accessories are housed in the boxes below each figure which is were the old LJN posters would’ve been packaged. The Coliseum Collection is certainly growing, as evidenced by the back of the cards! Though he was shown on the back of the debut Coliseum Collection set, the SDCC exclusive Ultimate Edition Sgt. Slaughter is no longer shown on the back. It’s up to you to decide if he’s part of The Coliseum Collection or not, just as it is with the Hasbro LJN-styled figure on which this Slaughter is based. We know that The Hitman and The Anvil will be joining this card back next year. It should be noted that, unlike that SDCC Slaughter, the packaging since has not been 100% “collector friendly.” While you can certainly return these figures to look exactly the way that they came, several of those useless plastic restraints hold them into their individual bubbles.

You get plenty of accessories with these figures including a total of three heads for each and multiple hands. Piper has his shirt, microphone, belt and kilt while Steele includes his own shirt, turnbuckle and Mine. You don’t have to ask who Mine is, do you? Mine has long been a beloved (and pretty) face here on this blog and if you follow the blog on social media you just saw the real deal in an “ad” for this entry. Mattel was the first to bring Mine to the figure world (Jakks showed a bendy-styled prototype at a preview event, does ANYONE have that picture saved???) and it’s good to see him making his return here. The turnbuckle is from the Mattel New Generation Arena set but this one is cut at the top and includes removable “stuffing” for George to gnaw on. You’ll note the lack of red trim on Piper’s shirt and that is due to it being missing in the Piper LJN release. Prototypes of that figure showed the infamous Piper “panther face” shirt which will ultimately never be released. That shirt was white with no trim and LJN likely just replaced the panther with the “Hot Rod” logo thus bringing us what we got in the ‘80s and now on this tribute figure. Other figures in the Mattel line have had the on-screen Hot Rod shirt with trim included if you don’t already have it.

I like the array of heads and hands included. Since the two really aren’t far off in skin tone ultimately any hand here can be used on either figure. The hands that come attached to Steele in the package have only been released once before to my knowledge, with the NXT Cameron Grimes figure. For him they were used to grasp money. Here they’re perfect for George to clutch the turnbuckle. I love the new more pensive George Steele head sculpt, though I think we could’ve had our first no-tongue-showing head in the history of figures of “The Animal” had it been done a little different. Piper’s heads are great, too, especially the aforementioned one originally used in the boxing two-pack with Mr. T. This is exactly the face that you remember any time that Hot Rod was going off on a rant in Piper’s Pit.

I think we have the perfect George Steele here. It’s absolutely everything you’d want in “The Animal” and the body type is exactly right this time around. Does it make the original Steele releases useless? Not in my book. That one can represent ‘60s-‘70s Steele when he was making Bruno’s life a nightmare. As far as ‘80s “boom era” Steele ready to chew turnbuckles on Saturday Night’s Main Event and/or attempt to rescue Elizabeth from “The Not-so-Macho Man,” this is your Animal. Piper is great, too, and fits right in with the inaugural WrestleMania figures that we’ve seen over the past few years such as Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. As with most Piper figures I think it’s a tad too muscular, but with most wrestling figures your eyes will just overlook it. Picture Roddy running his mouth as only he could and a few extra bulges really don’t make much of a difference.

The Coliseum Collection has really become a highpoint of modern wrestling figure collecting for me. It isn’t so much the “Ultimate” body type. It’s the packaging presentation to the accessories to the availability. You know that with the latter I am a huge champion. Everyone should have a fair shot at getting everything introduced in a figure line. Even if it’s a short twenty-four hour window, in 2023 that’s enough time for anyone to pause and place an order on their phone. All three of the Coliseum Collection sets released thus far are available to purchase and that’s a great thing. If someone is just getting started with the line they should absolutely be able to go back from the beginning. With The Hart Foundation joining the ranks in 2024 it’s definitely a growing line. I would not even poo poo the idea of Mattel branching out to “What If’s” by including names who weren’t necessarily in the original Wrestling Superstars line but maybe could’ve been.

I also want a new Hillbilly Jim. Was there anyone more iconic in the original LJNs? Don’t go messin’ with my figure wants!

"Prime" Memorabilia Memories from Prime Time Wrestling

If you are a subscriber to WWE Network, you may have noticed an influx of classic content in the past few months. No one can seem to figure out just what causes the company to suddenly go on an uploading binge for the "Vault" section, but very few are complaining either. While the company may want you to believe that "Holy Foley" and "Camp WWE" are two of its most popular shows, I rarely hear from anyone that admits to watching those. Instead, it's the vintage shows and matches that I see the most feedback on. One of those shows suddenly saw its uploads stop just around two years ago, only to pick up in the last few weeks. That show? WWF Prime Time Wrestling.

Interestingly, Prime Time Wrestling is the show that I saw the most of as a kid, especially in my years as a casual fan. I was out with family during the day on weekends, so I really didn't partake too much in the classic "Saturday morning wrestling." Instead, I most recall catching Saturday Night's Main Event (after all, it was an event) and Prime Time. And even though the show went through a variety of hosts and formats, my brightest memories revolve around the Gorilla Monsoon-Bobby Heenan version.

I still prefer Monsoon with Jesse "The Body" Ventura as a commentary team, but the two didn't do too much hosting of Prime Time beyond some early episodes. The majority of the run featured "The Gorilla" and "The Brain" providing an often hilarious look at the goings on in the World Wrestling Federation. The chemistry between the two has never been matched in wrestling, obviously aided by their real-life friendship that was completely hidden on television. Okay, maybe a few times you got the feeling that Gorilla didn't completely hate "The Brain," but this was still the era of kayfabe.

Most wrestling television shows at the time didn't yield much memorabilia themselves. Heenan and Monsoon did have a few promotional photos together, but the merchandise of the time more or less centered around the wrestlers themselves. That being said, Prime Time Wrestling featured an absolute plethora of WWF items available in the era.

As with WWF Tuesday Night Titans, the LJN Wrestling Superstars figures were often present on the set of Prime Time. Monsoon and Heenan would utilize them to help illustrate the latest feuds between superstars, and would sometimes set them up to reflect the matches featured on that particular episode. On one segment, Monsoon laments that there wasn't a "Gorilla doll" available. You very much get the idea that he would have appreciated it happening, as it absolutely should have. One has to wonder if there was ever any consideration to the idea, considering how associated he was with the company.

The late, legendary WWF Magazine was also prominently featured. If Gorilla wasn't egging Heenan on about his men not being featured, the two would often cite photos and articles from the latest issue. And who could forget..."From the pages of the World Wrestling Federation Magazine, here's 'Update!'" That segment, which always displayed the latest magazine cover ("...on newsstands now!") was usually hosted by Craig DeGeorge, Lord Alfred Hayes, or Mean Gene Okerlund and spotlighted a recent major happening. And when Bobby finally made the cover in 1987? I'm sure "Miss Betty" was never happier!

As the WWF marketing machine grew and grew, so did the merchandise shown on Prime Time. When George "The Animal" Steele's buddy "Mine" started showing up, Gorilla informs us that we can in fact own it ourselves. We all know how few took the company up on that offer. The musical albums produced by the company were pushed heavily, as was the movie "No Holds Barred" upon its release. Posters, banners, and even Hasbro figures and Tonka Wrestling Buddies would eventually show up as set decor as the years went by. When the show changed formats in 1991 and started to feature a live audience, the merchandise faded away almost overnight. Advertisements were still there, but it just wasn't as fun without the camera focusing in on an LJN or Hasbro as the commercial break ended. And it certainly wasn't as entertaining without the Monsoon-Heenan pairing.

By 1993, Prime Time Wrestling was replaced with Monday Night Raw. No one can deny that Raw has had hundreds of memorable moments as the flagship show of the company and changed the way that wrestling was presented on television. Prime Time rarely advanced angles, as it was mainly a magazine/recap style show. Nonetheless, that was part of the magic. Prime Time featured matches that really didn't fit in anywhere else in the WWF lineup at that point. Some were good, some were bad, but Gorilla and Bobby always made it entertaining. Now that we know how much fun they were really having, it makes it just all the sweeter. And speaking of sweet, I'm sure that somewhere, in a place far greater than we know, our late, beloved Prime Time host knows that we did eventually get a "Gorilla doll"...

Mine!

Who in pro wrestling has a bald head, hairy body, and green tongue?  George "The Animal" Steele, of course!  But he isn't the only one.  From the same bizarre realm of the wrestling universe that brought us such luminaries as Mr. Socko, Head, and Rocco came a furry little plush creature that was as inanimate as it was adorable.  It wasn't around long, but many remember at as just another quirky moment in the career of an even quirkier wrestler.  Others know it is a very interesting, and uncommon, entry in the world of wrestling collectibles.  This plush Steele doppelganger is known simply as "Mine."

At the very tail end of his in-ring WWF career, Steele needed something new in his act. It was the second half of 1988 and "The Animal" had been playing to the hearts of the fans as the lovable and turnbuckle chewing buffoon for three years.  For nearly two decades prior, Steele had been a vicious ring villain who terrorized heroes such as Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales.  Although changing the gimmick would have fruitless at this point, adding to it was not out of the question.

As the story goes, Steele was on the road with his wife when Hillbilly Jim showed the couple an item that he had picked up to use in his in-ring act.  It was a plush doll of an animal minus the stuffing so that it appeared to be roadkill.  Steele loved that the item was easy to fling around the ring and incorporate into the often comedic side of his character.  Needless to say, Steele wanted something similar for "The Animal."

Told to design this new addition to his character, Steele took several things into consideration.  It had to look like a "friend" that "The Animal" would have.  It also had to be marketable as something children would want to own themselves.  After all, this was right at the time that Vince McMahon realized that he could market and make money off of anything.  With those qualifications and a simple name that could be uttered by even a man with a limited vocabulary as possessed by "The Animal," Mine was born.

The fact is that George Steele was only in WWF rings for a few months at best after Mine debuted.  The doll never made a pay-per-view or any other major event.  Steele was not even being used at events such as Survivor Series and Royal Rumble where the bottom of the barrel was scraped talent wise.  Nonetheless, the replica was produced and made for sale through the merchandise catalog and at live events.  Many WWF items that were sold solely through these channels have become desirable and sought after.  Mine meets that description in spades.

Whether it was Steele's low profile or just poor sales, very few Mine dolls show up these days.  It is a shame, as the toy is well made and those that have survived still have a lot of green-tongued life in them.  The merchandised example seems to be the exact same size as the ring-used version.  He has small circular patches of velcro on each "hand" so that he can hang from the ring ropes, just as he is on the cover of Steele's 2013 autobiography.  Interestingly enough, the cover is the sole reference to Mine in the entire book.

Mine returned to collectors conscious about a decade ago thanks to Jakks.  The prototype of the George Steele figure included in the WWE Classic Superstars line was holding a figure-sized Mine.  As much as this thrilled fans, they were equally as disappointed when the final product was released and devoid of any such accessory.

In 2011, figure collectors could finally rejoice.  The Mattel WWE Legends figure of Steele included Mine in all of his glory, complete with poseable arms.  What was interesting about this interpretation of Mine is that the furry sidekick has feet.  While none of the production versions of the actual Mine doll have feet, an early version that Steele carried around did in fact feature them.  It should be noted that this early version of Mine also has a much smaller bald spot on his head.

I actually have no childhood memory of Mine being used.  I remember watching "The Animal" long before his little friend came along, and vividly recall the green tongue, especially on the LJN figures of Steele.  My first recollection of Mine was of someone waving a Mine doll in the audience of the 1995 WWF Hall of Fame induction ceremony.  The moment was replayed several times in a televised recap of the event.  Shortly after I saw the doll in a merchandise catalog nestled in a WWF Magazine back issue.  Although that confirmed that they were planned to be sold, there never seemed to be one available for sale on the secondary market.

Years later, I can include myself in the small, but proud, group of collectors who own a Mine.  It's fun to own a replica of an in-ring item from back when those types of collectibles were few and far between.  It's also obscure enough to make for a great conversation piece.  After all, fans going back and watching wrestling from that era will know nothing of Mine without seeking out the television episodes that Mine appeared, or possibly a taped house show appearance.

As far as wrestling's inanimate characters, Mine is in a class by himself.  Mr. Socko, like his owner, wore out his welcome long ago.  Head created too much controversy, especially among soccer moms with agendas.  Rocco could have been something interesting, but seemed very out of place coupled with the streetwise Legion of Doom.  Mine grew to mythical proportions for a time when collectors wondered if it was ever even actually sold.  Now that we know that he in fact was available, for some of us it's like owning a piece of "The Animal" himself, just a heckuva lot cuter.

What's George's Is Mine, & Mine Can Be Yours, Too!

"You know that George 'The Animal' Steele is really a teacher, right?"

Surely I'm not the only one who heard that sentence time and time again growing up. Somehow, George Steele's career in academics was a well-known fact amongst children of the '80s and '90s. Maybe it was because the truth differed so much from the character we all knew and love.

George wasn't always an "Animal," though. Steele's original character was actually more of a beatnik, using phrases such as "Daddy-o" to punctuate his promos. Battling the likes of Bruno Sammartino and Gorilla Monsoon, George was a top of villain of the late '60s well into the 1970's. It was not until the 1980's "expansion" era that Steele became "The Animal" that so many of us know and love.

Although initially a Hulk Hogan nemesis managed by Mr. Fuji, George gained the love of millions shortly after the first WrestleMania and launched into his famous feud with Randy Savage. With the lovely Elizabeth overshadowing the Intercontinental Championship, Savage and Steele feuded throughout 1986 with Steele ultimately backing Ricky Steamboat's WrestleMania III title win.

Although the late '80s saw Steele's career wind down, The Animal still occasionally shows up to cause chaos and chew a turnbuckle pad. As one of the most unique characters to ever grace a wrestling ring, it's no surprise that George "The Animal" Steele has seen many different plastic incarnations.

The latest representation comes from Mattel in their WWE Legends line. With rumors running rampant that the line may soon be canceled amid veiled responses from Mattel, it would be a shame to see new merchandise of the forefathers of wrestling suddenly come to an end. Time will only tell if figures from wrestling's past continue to grace shelves next to today's entertainers.

Nevertheless, Mattel has done an admirable job with their WWE Legends thus far. It's always a plus when character specific accessories are included and this George Steele figure fits that description to a "T."

As nice a figure as it is, the Jakks Classic Superstars George Steele disappointed many collectors. While there were two versions of that figure released (one with painted hair and one with glued "real" hair) it was something which went unreleased that crushed fans. That would be the cancellation of Mine. Not yours. Mine.

When the Jakks Steele figure was originally shown it was to include the first figure of Mine, George Steele's late 1980's stuffed friend. By the time that the figure hit shelves, Mine was replaced by a recycled club and turnbuckle pad. This did not sit well with fans who expected more from the company known for the amazing Classic Superstars line.

Mattel has come to the rescue by finally releasing Mine. The green tongued little fella even has articulated arms ready to grasp onto his larger buddy as well as his trademark wristband proclaiming his name proudly. Another great inclusion is that of Steele's red-trimmed black shirt. Designed with velcro, the shirt is easily removable.

George's facial likeness is perfect with the green tongue hanging out as it should be. After all, who would want a Steele figure with the tongue in his mouth? George's infamous body hair is painted on and actually looks better than had it been flocked.

My personal "Public Enemy #1" in current wrestling action figures, the torso joint, is present but not bothersome. It actually helps improve on my only complaint of the figure. Like many Mattel WWE figures, George simply looks too thin to me. The torso joint actually adds a "roll" of sorts. Even in his early days battling Bruno, George was never that thin.

All in all, this is a very nice figure. The inclusion of Mine and the famous shirt actually make it an "ultimate" version of The Animal if that is something that you prefer as a collector. Although the "thin" factor is there, the long arms work well for George's famous stances.

My verdict? Make George and "Mine" yours!