The Powers Return!

Another entry so soon? Well, the last one was very unexpected. As for this one, once I had these figures in hand I knew I’d have to sing their praises. Like a lot of my work, you should know going in that, more often than not, I’m actually going to like what I’m reviewing. In my decade and a half of doing the blog, Topps was the only company kind enough to send me product to review. I’ve never forgotten that. As for everything else, it’s out of my own empty pocket. So generally you’re not going to see a review here of anything that I truly despise, unless it’s part of something else, i.e. one figure in a set.

The “boutique” figure makers that have popped up over the years, mostly producing retro figures in the spirt of the Hasbro WWF line, have largely run hot and cold. This one is too detailed. That one isn’t detailed enough. This person doesn’t belong in this style. Why do we need another version of this wrestler in this style? You can take any of those complaints and add about fifty more. And don’t even get me started on the egos of some of these “businessmen.” Early on I came to a conclusion not unlike one that I follow for most of my collecting: if I don’t like it, I don’t buy it. Some majorly pathetic folks can afford to just buy everything. That’s not collecting. It’s stocking up to feel as if it gives them some sort of clout. If someone going out and spending money impresses you, you should probably stop reading this blog and see a shrink. Those are the types that I sit back and wait for the fire sale on. Their hefty and undeserved paychecks won’t last forever and the “collections” will start hitting eBay. But maybe I’m just a sadist with bad karma.

Anyway, we’re here to talk about two of the NICEST guys in the wrestling business, The Warlord and The Barbarian. I don’t think I’ve heard a bad thing about either, aside from idiots who might critique their in-ring work. Those are the clowns who don’t understand that wrestling isn’t all flips and mat sequences. It’s getting over, being memorable and making money. While both of these guys are still making appearances, I highly doubt it’s because they need to. It’s because, if you’ve ever met them, you can tell that they both genuinely want to be there.

Ok, enough anger, I promise. Let’s get to these figures. This set is put out by the group now known as Epic Toys. I’m still not sure of the details of what happened with the late Chella Toys but something went down and the company seemed to split. At least there are several companies currently that I think rose from the Chella ashes. I could be wrong about that, but I’m not here to talk about failures. Epic Toys has done a spectacular job thus far since taking over at least a portion of the former Chella line. I had passed on the initial pre-order for The Powers of Pain and regretted it once they hit collectors hands. Thankfully a second batch was made and that’s what we’re looking at here today.

The two-pack comes in a very familiar looking package with the card back greatly resembling the Hasbro two-packs of yore. The biggest difference is that this is “collector friendly” the figures can be removed without damaging a thing. Mattel has begun doing this with their retro line, however they also started adding a sticker tab so that the figure isn’t technically “mint” if you open it. That doesn’t exist here.

I’m very mixed on the concept across the board. While it’s nice and convenient, for whatever reason I’m not as keen on getting them signed in this style. I can’t say that I never will. I recently had the Mattel Retro Wendi Richter signed (it was from a set before the sticker arrived), but for some reason I’m just not as big on it. I prefer the traditional card back and glued bubble combo when it comes to getting them signed. Just a personal preference.

Whatever your feelings are on that, you WILL want to open these. These are absolutely 100% the closest “retro” figures we’ve gotten thus far to actual Hasbro releases. No, there isn’t any “Real Wrestling Action,” but the style and sculpts are absolutely right there. These could’ve been popped into Series 1 and a non-collector would be none the wiser. The PoP were still very much a team in this look when that series was designed so it isn’t out of the question that they COULD have been done then. Both figures also have the look of two original Hasbro poses. The Barbarian most closely resembles Hulk Hogan #1 or Sid Justice while The Warlord looks almost exactly like a redesign of Hogan #3. I absolutely love these designs/sculpts.

Some may have an issue with the soft goods entrance gear, but why? The Berzerker was released with soft goods. They’re a perfect balance of detailed and not-too-detailed. Although I’ve always felt that it was probably a wrestler’s tall tale, but for years the story has went that Mary Tyler Moore wanted to buy The Barbarian’s “fur” at WrestleMania VI. She probably made a joke that got taken too far, but it’s cute and the figure here brings it to mind.

The Barbarian is so under utilized in the figure world. I’m very much hoping that Epic takes on his “antlers” look as a single release. As for getting your hands on these, I wouldn’t even want to look at eBay prices and unless Epic does another release that will be the only way to go. They could do single carded releases if the demand is there. I just don’t want the company to get overwhelmed. They have, in my opinion, a retro coming that, in design, could even outdo these two (will you all please rise?), as well as the long awaited retro debut of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. What really killed these boutique releases for a lot of us were the constant announcements and no product. Slow and steady wins the race. However you look at it, the retro ring is getting crowded.

So I came back for a few weeks. I have two ideas in the pipeline so I guess we could make a few more entries to round out the year. One is regarding a set that is scheduled to ship this year (although, you never know…) and another that, well, it might be one of the oddest ones I’ve done. Is it really memorabilia? Is it merchandise? It certainly features merchandise, in a sense. Regardless, I feel like talking about it and you can make your own decisions on whether it belongs here or not.

Maybe we’ll visit with The Von Erich boys yet again, too. This blog always was a “World Class” kinda affair.

Introducing...The Warlord

Over four years ago here on the blog I predicted that Mattel would "never go the Powers of Pain route." I like to admit when I'm wrong and I was indeed incorrect. In that entry I was reviewing the initial Mattel release of The Warlord which represented his look from 1990-1992. As he and many others had just become involved in a class action lawsuit led by an ambulance-chasing lawyer (the suit was ultimately thrown out), it was said that the figure just escaped cancellation. While the WWE/Mattel stance on those who were involved in the lawsuit is still murky at best, we finally have another version of The Warlord in the line.

This figure of the burly brawler represents his "Powers of Pain" look. The tag team with The Barbarian began in the NWA and lasted until 1990 when the team was split up in the WWF. The figure is an exclusive to Wal Mart and is part of the "Collector's Series" program that I've lamented many times on this blog.

The packaging has never been among my favorite designs, but I don't hate it. It works for the purpose. I'm glad to see some new, very attractive packaging taking its place shortly. With the combination of The Warlord naturally being a larger figure and only one extra pair of hands included, there isn't much floating in the bubble to distract from the figure if you're a carded/boxed collection. I will admit that this is one that I picked up an extra of for autograph purposes. The Warlord is wearing his Powers of Pain entrance gear inside the box and it looks great. Just looking at the box it's hard to fathom that we're getting this figure from Mattel, but it's certainly not the first surprise to come over the years.

There's a ton of detail in this figure from the removable arm band to his name on the back of his entrance vest. There was some initial whining from the peanut gallery as part of "Powers of Pain" is missing from the text on his leg. It was covered in real life as well. You either want realism or you don't. Like a lot of instances in society these days, they want it both ways. In truth there isn't an unrealistic part of this figure. You can argue that it's easier to get a good likeness when face paint is involved, but you still have to some semblance of a good facial scan/sculpt. The torso is the same as used from the first Warlord figure and obviously fits the bill.

Other criticism for the figure, again unfounded in my view, was that there are no known plans for a figure of The Barbarian at this time. Mattel has made it very clear that, in one of their better moves, they are fully on-board with making a half of a tag team should the partner become available for them to make somewhere down the line. The "British Bulldogs" version of Davey Boy Smith is another recent example of this thinking. I damn the company on a lot of things, but this isn't one of them. Give us more unique looks like this. 

A few weeks ago I spoke of a then-upcoming figure review where I'd look at a "Figure of the Year" candidate. This is it. In addition to being a great figure, in my view a "FOTY" must be widely available. While some have come across the figure in brick and mortar Wal Mart stores, it has been available for at least a month on their website. If you wanted this one you have no excuse of not having it. That is how all figures should be, especially cool and unique ones like this. And remember, just because a figure is easily available initially does not mean that it can't gain value in the future.

Now WWE, it's time to widen the legends variety. Bring us The Barbarian!