A Bad Guy Of Many Colors

“The Bad Guy” is one of those characters who will never fade away. He started in 1992 as a “Scarface” rip off and, due to the previously untapped charisma of Scott Hall, became one of the best loved WWF stars of the 1990s. It’s actually weird to think that Hall only portrayed the character for roughly four years. It certainly feels a lot longer. It’s also weird for me to think, after doing some research for this blog entry, that I own all but two Mattel figure releases of the character, those being one of two Basic releases and the original “purple” release in the Defining Moments line. Those are actually probably the only two Razor figure releases in all that I don’t own, but this isn’t about me. This is about a Bad Guy…or two.

Like the Elite Legends line, the Ultimate Edition Legends line is also exclusive to a certain bullseyed retailer, though we have seen plenty of Ultimate Edition legends figures released by other means. This is the first to have a proper “chase” figure. Personally, I feel that the whole “chase” deal is out of control in every corner of the wrestling figure world, even if it has yielded us some great alternative looks. I wouldn’t have reviewed this figure had I not had both to present to you. Since there ended up being an opportunity to grab the chase at retail price (remember folks, I’m not an “influencer,” these companies send me nothing), we’re gonna dive in and look at both.

The Ultimate Edition packaging has changed little since it was first brought out. It’s very functional for what it houses, but I just wouldn’t ever have the desire to get these autographed with hands and things just floating around. You get that with Elites occasionally, too, but it’s much more obvious here. It’s a great showcase for why these figures are supposed to be “ultimate,” I just don’t think that it lends itself to carded/boxed collecting. I actually feel a bit guilty when disposing of some of these Ultimate Edition boxes, but it isn’t my fault that there’s so much material there. I didn’t design them and, on the flip side, I have absolutely zero room to keep them.

The difference between the regular and chase editions is interesting. I’m guessing that the purple version is the chase due to the aforementioned purple Defining Moments release of many years ago. The reason I say that is that the regular version is so much more interesting. Though the look is totally authentic, I don’t recall the yellowish gold vest with red trunks ever being done as a figure before. The vest showed up in an early Jakks figure and the trunks on the iconic Hasbro, but together? As you can tell by my comments, I greatly prefer the regular version. This is the Razor I’d have displayed with Ric Flair for a ’92 feel, if I did displays. Don’t get me wrong, the solid purple is great, too, and of course takes us back to the Hasbro re-release.

In either release you get three different heads, four sets of hands (including the thumbs up hands that it felt like Mattel didn’t want to do for the longest time), the vest, the gold necklace and the Intercontinental Championship belt. The "Ultimate Edition" torso has never struck me as worth the extra cost, but considering Razor's broad shoulders it does work here. The logos are well done everywhere including on the backs of the vests. The heads are probably the best ones we've seen to date as, for whatever reason, Hall was a tough likeness to nail down as a figure. Most over the years turned out too cartoonish. These, especially the smiling face, are just right.

I have to split this one down the middle. Both are great figures, but unless you happen upon a chase I don’t think I can recommend needing to necessarily break any doors down to get this one immediately. Unless you’re a huge Razor fan, of course, which in that case commence breaking. We’ve had other great figures of him before and, to me, the “Ultimate” stylings don’t make a huge difference. The red dot retailer is known for constant sales both in store and online. With the higher price of these Ultimate Edition figures it’s sometimes better to just wait. The stores tend to do a lot of clearance, too, although there’s no real guarantee with that.

Just be sure that you take care of them. Why? Because… “Something happen to these figures, something happen to you, chico…”

Three Decades Of Raw

I still remember sitting down to watch the first episode of WWF Monday Night Raw. How in the world was that thirty years ago? It does feel like a long time ago, but three full decades? I would imagine that some reading this blog weren’t even alive then. Those of us who were around and collecting never could have imagined the figures that we would have today. I miss those days. As we all know by simply looking at the news, the real world is three times worse now. At least we have fun toys to get us through the doldrums. One of those items is our topic in this entry and what a way to mark the 30^thanniversary of Raw!

A Target exclusive, Mattel’s Elite RAW 3-pack contains three characters fairly ubiquitous with the early days of Raw as well as a set piece that many of us have wanted for years. Handsomely packaged in a large window box, you get to see everything included. For whatever reason the extra floating hands and other accessories don’t bother me as much here as they do in single release figures. I’m actually not sure why that is. Maybe because there’s more in the window that your eyes are drawn to? Nonetheless it’s a great box and I’d love to see similar ones done with older stars, perhaps in the classic baby blue motif?

Included in the set are The Undertaker, Razor Ramon and, per the box, The 1-2-3 Kid. We’ll get to my phrasing in a moment. For some the really big sell for the set is the inclusion of the large “R,” “A,” and “W” letters that made up the Raw entrance for several years. Honestly, I’m not sure that I would’ve jumped on this initially if it weren’t for their inclusion. I’m a huge fan of set and diorama pieces. That, coupled with some great discounts through the Target app and I couldn’t go wrong. Full entrance gear for Taker and Ramon are included as is the $10,000 money bag as well as handfuls of money. Why the money bag? Because Razor had to lure the Kid with money in order to get a rematch back in ’93, that’s why!

The Undertaker will be the draw for many. Personally I greatly limit my purchases of him. In fact, I usually only get new figures of him in manners such as this, where he’s part of something else. I have nothing against him, I just wasn’t ever a huge fan and there are countless figures of him. This is a good one and one that I’m glad was included with something that I was purchasing anyway. The duster, tie and hat are all removable and done very nicely. The former two are soft goods which is always a plus. He has two sets of hands, one set being for his “raising the lights” entrance pose. The hair in front of the face is great and the legendary gaze from behind is spot on. Fans of The Undertaker will honestly want this set for this figure alone.

Next up we have “The Bad Guy” clad in green! It’s a nice figure and comes with the oft-requested “thumbs up” hands. Mattel, if you still have the rights to Hacksaw Jim Duggan we need an update, pronto. How about inclusion in the Legends line with a chase? One version can be black trunks with white kneepads, the other with the classic WWF blue and blue? I’m giving you ideas and you’re throwing money away. We need “thumbs up” Hacksaw! Anyway, back to Razor. The head/facial likeness is fine but I do think it could be better. Scott Hall figures never look 100% spot on. I’m a huge fan of the green here, though, and it definitely fills my need for brightly colored figures.

Onto the 1-2-3 Kid. Let’s get something straight. This is an entirely new character. I know they can’t/won’t market it as such, but this is a never before done wrestling figure. This is not the 1-2-3 Kid. This is The Lightning Kid. We’re talking GWF vintage, here. I love this. While I initially thought that the Raw entrance set was my selling point here, for whatever reason I didn’t realize until I opened the set that Mattel actually gave us L. Kid. As I’ve documented in the past, I’m a huge fan of what Mattel would call a “deep dive” into a wrestlers past. While The Lightning Kid was pretty high profile for a few weeks until he became “The 1-2-3 Kid,” I’m still considering it a good inclusion into this small subset.

Last but not least is the Monday Night Raw entrance. We all knew going in that the letters would be a tad smaller than real life, but that doesn’t bother me a bit. They could’ve cheapened out and given us some kind of heavy stock cardboard, but they didn’t. These are full molded plastic. Six rubber-ish “stands” (two for each letter) are included and pop on to prop up the entrance. I think that the stands should be just a little bit longer as I’ve had some tipping, but I still love this. The letters are separate so you can spell out “RAW” or “WAR” or “ARW” or whatever you please within the confines of the three letters.

I like this one. It has a little bit of everything and was released at a perfect time, just as the early days of Monday Night Raw are on the nostalgic minds of many. For as big as he was, Razor is still a tad underdone in the figure world. He has a lot, but not as many as you’d think. I do feel that he’s one that falls under, “if you weren’t around then you wouldn’t understand how popular he was.” Beloved for sure, but you had to be there. The Lightning Kid is my sleeper here and nearest and dearest to my heart. I love first time legends, even if Mattel isn’t marketing as such. Will it be hard to find? With the current climate of many items being produced in large quantities it could be plentiful a bit, but there’s just no way of knowing. If you like any of the characters or want the fun entrance pieces it’s worth it for sure.

Time to get RAW!

Remembering The Bad Guy...

When time marches on, those steps often echo with a blunt thud. Scott Hall dead at 63. Wasn’t Razor Ramon an active WWF star in his prime just a few years ago? It was decades ago, but those decades feel like weeks. It’s a grim reminder of our own mortality. Even though Hall was one of the wrestlers often pegged as one who was at high risk for dying young, he found a turnaround in his life. 63 isn’t young, but these days it isn’t exactly old either. My own observations of the man tell me that heart is what kept him going and what allowed him to remain in the hearts of others even in tumultuous times. 

Even when a television program, one of two that are both quite infamous for witch hunts disguised as documentaries, “profiled” Hall a few years ago and pulled out every skeleton that there was in the closet, fans and friends never seemed to give up. Credit should be given to these shows for building audiences with a topic so similar to “shooting fish in a barrel” that they barely have to try. Hunting down and damning bad behavior of professional wrestlers is just about second in ease only to doing the same for NFL stars. My hat is off to those scammers, but that’s another story for another time. What matters is that despite this occurring just several years before his death, Hall is getting the positive posthumous recognition that he truly deserves.

 I often point out the wrestling names of the 1980’s that literally everyone who grew up in that decade would know: Hulk Hogan, The Macho Man, Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake fly to mind. Say what you want about any of them, those are the characters and names that stuck out. For the 1990’s, the name Razor Ramon is at the top of the list with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. While he fit the often still cartoonish world of the WWF, he brought a certain mystique and coolness that stood out. Wrestlers have often used a variation on the phrase “the men want to be me and the women want to be with me.” That was the Razor Ramon character to a tee without ever having to utter it. 

It's interesting to think that Hall spent nearly a decade in the business before becoming “The Bad Guy.” Some fans probably didn’t have a clue at first that the cool and cocky Ramon was “Big Scott Hall” of the American Wrestling Association and other territories just several years earlier. He was essentially a Magnum T.A. character who didn’t fit the role like Terry Allen did. Why? Because it wasn’t Scott Hall. It took the WWF’s ways of promotion and character development, with a bit of thanks to WCW’s gimmick for Hall of The Diamond Studd, to bring out the star in the man. 

That WWF promotional and marketing machine is also what leaves us with so many mementos of the man. While Hall did have a great figure in the Remco AWA line and a few program and magazine covers, Razor Ramon’s marketable visage found itself all over the world and continues to be on store shelves to this day. That wave continued when Hall became one of the founding members of the nWo and pretty much adapted the Ramon character to that role. If you don’t own an actual figure of Hall in some form, are you really a collector? From Remco to Hasbro to even a Funko Pop, he’s out there for you to add to your shelf. 

I had the pleasure of meeting the man several times over the years and have nothing but good memories. My favorite would be when, while signing his March 1993 WWF Magazine cover appearance, he told me how he actually signed a few in random visits to 7-11 stores and left them in the stores for fans to find a signed copy. He was that proud of the issue. Honorable mention would be when he stopped me while I was walking through a convention to admire the Dusty Rhodes t-shirt that I was wearing. He went on to praise “The Dream” and talk about how much he owed to the late legend. If you know me, you know that I loved that moment. 

Some of the other stars who’ve fallen pray to personal demons and similar traps of the business will never fully escape the scrutiny that follows them and their legacies. Scott Hall rose above it, I do believe, in part due to the fact that he never said that he was perfect. He was never going to come out and say “I’m 100% perfect and fixed and cured.” It wasn’t reality and it wasn’t the type of person that he was. He owned up to the fact that changing who he was would be something that he dealt with for the rest of his life. He didn’t seem to take it for granted and when he slipped up there was full admission by the man himself. To me, that’s truly what it means to be “oozing machismo.”

Scott Hall -- "Razor Ramon"

1958-2022

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--WWF SummerSlam 1995 Program

The day and hour of the publication of this blog entry marks exactly twenty-five years to the minute that SummerSlam 1995 began. It's a show that fans have been divided on since it happened. It's really an event that you either love or hate without much middle ground. I've documented my love for it previously, including on the twentieth anniversary of the event. While it's generally a bit out of my favored era of wrestling, other factors will keep it in a warm place in my heart forever.

Pittsburgh had long deserved a major wrestling event. There had been no major wrestling broadcasts to speak of from The Burgh since our Studio Wrestling show ceased taping in the early 1970's. There was even a short period in the late '80s when the WWF stopped coming here altogether. For the rich history and fan support that remained in the city, we easily deserved an early pay-per-view event in the Hogan era, but it did not happen. When word got around that we were finally getting a major event of our own, fans were more than ready.

While the Internet was in its infancy for most fans, I was already part of a small group on a local BBS (Bulletin Board System) and can still remember the bunch of us fervently looking forward to the big event. The on-sale date passed and I even attended an autograph signing with Diesel and Alundra Blayze the night before the event. Though wrestling was not at the height of its popularity by any stretch of the imagination, the city seemed to truly appreciate that SummerSlam was happening here. Taking nothing away from traditional wrestling hot beds like New York or Chicago, I think our fans truly appreciated it more after being starved for such an event for so long.

As the company did with several pay-per-view events that year, a special program was produced and sold only at the event. It's larger than an average WWF publication and has thicker, glossy pages. The company was still using the original SummerSlam logo that debuted in 1988 and its placement in front of their top guy, Kevin "Diesel" Nash, made for a compelling cover. I've since loaded mine up with autographs from talent who worked on the show, but I did indeed purchase it there. Each match on the card is given a brief write-up and accompanying photos.

The main event is a big part of the controversy around the show, with some feeling that it wasn't up to par with past events. It was a classic World Wrestling Federation affair: larger-than-life hero versus monster villain. "The irresistible force meeting the immovable object," as then-WWF President Gorilla Monsoon would have said. Perhaps the formula would have worked better a decade earlier, but the company was sticking to what it knew and I totally bought into it. I always enjoyed the work of Nelson Frazier no matter which gimmick he was portraying and he was sadly taken from us far too soon.

Some fans see the true main event of the show as being what was actually the penultimate match in the lineup. In a rematch from 1994's WrestleMania X, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon once again battled for the Intercontinental Championship in a Ladder Match. My dad forever after dubbed this one the "Ladders Match," as a second ladder ended up being brought in during the bout. It was an exciting match and Razor's popularity here really makes the viewer lament that we were never treated to a WWF Championship run for "The Bad Guy." 

Fans from outside of Pittsburgh are still surprised when I inform them that Bertha Faye's defeat of Alundra Blayze for the WWF Women's Championship was the first title change in our city, but it was. The former Madusa has always been underrated in my view and I won't even get started on my appreciation for Rhonda Singh. For Christmas 1995 I wanted nothing more than for figures of these two to suddenly be made. It only took us over two decades to finally get that Blayze figure. I'm not holding my breath for one of the late Miss Singh in any form, but it sure would be welcomed by more fans than just this one.

Pittsburgh was also treated to a casket match pitting The Undertaker in his signature encounter against Kama, The Supreme Fighting Machine. The feud would've been more interesting had Charles Wright's previous character of Papa Shango been resurrected, but at least we were treated to the beloved "Million Dollar Man" theme music seeing as Kama was a member of the Million Dollar Corporation.

While some fans were probably looking for a textbook Bret Hart classic, instead we saw an equally iconic match from the era where "The Hitman" was battling crazy baddie after crazy baddie. This is the event that saw the debut of Jerry "The King" Lawler's demented dentist, Isaac Yankem DDS. Of course the man behind the character would have a much bigger moment in The Burgh on pay-per-view just a few year later while capturing his first WWF Championship, but that's another story for another program review. Here we had a continuation of the long battle between "The Hitman" and "The King," this time without any unwashed feet.

The show was rounded out with matches between Hunter Hearst-Helmsley and Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly, a tag match featuring The Smoking Gunns and Jacob & Eli Blu, a hot opener with The 1-2-3 Kid and Hakushi, and Bodydonna Skip (Chris Candido) saw action against rival Barry Horowitz. Horowitz was a great talent who deserved to finally have a moment in the spotlight, and some theme music, no matter how brief it may have been. 

Perhaps my only lament is that then-WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna were not on the card. That fact robbed me of ever getting to see the mighty Yoko live and in-person. It should also be noted that, for reasons of which I've never seen explained, The Fabulous Moolah was present at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, at least earlier in the day. The legendary women's champion made a splashy exit out of the building through the thousands of fans waiting to get in. I've always wondered if she was originally scheduled to play some role in the women's title match or if perhaps she was attempting to do so. This would be a great question for Bruce Prichard. Hey hey!

Even if you don't own one, you've now had a "virtual" look through the 1995 SummerSlam program. For the reasons above, it will always remain a special show to me, as well as the fact that my father's birthday was August 31. Because of that, I'd always joked that I would take him to SummerSlam. My parents ended up taking me, and I still remember my dad returning from a bathroom break with the laminated event poster that was being sold at the merchandise stands that night. My dad would turn 75 this coming Monday. This entry is dedicated to him, the great man that he was, and, keeping in the spirit of the topic, his constant support of my fandom of the business that I loved so much.

The Legends Return

I'll admit that during the first official go-round of this series, I had yet to be the fan of Mattel that I would become. Sure, this hit me right where I live, the legends of wrestling, but early reports from inside the manufacturer seemed to suggest that they were less than enthusiastic about bringing my heroes of the squared circle to plastic. The six waves that did make it out felt very begrudgingly done. Then the plug was pulled. While there were classic stars peppered throughout other series and even a few sets here and there once again dedicated to the giants of the past, the official WWE Legends collection was done.

Picking up right where they left off, Mattel has finally brought us Legends Series 7. Exclusive to Target, the series contains Razor Ramon, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine in the latter's debut in the Mattel line. A fourth figure, an early version of "crow" Sting was scheduled but ultimately pulled due to the WCW icon's contract expiring.

The packaging is a mixture of the current Elite figure boxes and the previous Legends series carding. While I've liked other designs more (Hall of Fame, Hall of Champions, and Elite Flashback to name a few), this is very suitable. I was actually not a fan of the original Legends packaging and I'm sure that opinion is expressed in a blog entry or two from all those years ago. I felt that the huge bubble was distracting compared to the size of the figure. The smaller boxes feel more compact and are a good home for the figure and accessories, while still retaining the Legends style artwork that many collectors love.

Starting with The Bad Guy, Razor Ramon is my least favorite of the bunch only because he's the '90s star, whereas my tastes skew a bit earlier. I like the figure and had no plans on passing it up, it just doesn't hold the same place in my heart as the other two do. Razor is in a unique style and look that has never been done before in figure form. Included are his vest, chains, and two sets of hands. Some collectors were in an uproar as the "thumbs up" hands shown in the prototype didn't end up making it to the final product. I'm generally not sold over extra hands and things, so I'm perfectly fine likely seeing those released with a new Hacksaw Jim Duggan or other character somewhere down the line. Collectors who don't open were upset as some of the Razor's had the chains placed above the hair of the figure, this making it look rather goofy in the packaging. Some reports stated that the chain was left completely off, though I don't know that it was confirmed.

Bobby "The Brain" Heenan makes his third appearance for Mattel, this time in a landmark design. Heenan is packaged in his weasel suit, a costume that was used in gimmick matches for at least a decade with opponents ranging from Greg Gagne in the AWA to The Ultimate Warrior in the WWF. Heenan would lose the match, be knocked unconscious, and wake to find that he had suddenly sprouted paws and a tail. Let the tail chasing ensue. While the costume is great, the highlight for me is that we finally get a mass released figure of Heenan in wrestling gear. Don't forget that "The Brain" is often labeled a very underrated wrestler. Some have complained that the legs of the figure are "pant" legs painted flesh tone, but for whatever reason this does not bother one me one bit. I love the thing.

Another item worth mentioning regarding the figure is the inclusion of the "pointing" hand. While the lack of Razor's "thumbs up" hand didn't bother me, "The Brain" having the ability to point to his greatest asset is incredible. It should be noted that with the inclusion of Heenan's jacket from his Fan Central figure as well as the pants from either Pat Patterson or Jerry Brisco, you can create what is perhaps the "ultimate" Heenan figure done to date.

Note that I listed this as the first mass released figure of "The Brain" in wrestling gear. I'm not forgetting the Jakks Classic Superstars figure which was also in wrestling gear and the infamous weasel suit. The main problem with that figure is that it was a Toy Fair exclusive limited to 100 pieces. It's hard to really say that a figure is out there for people to collect when so few were deliberately made. The second issue is that it utilizes the torso used for Chief Jay Strongbow and Ivan Koloff among others. Heenan never wore this style of singlet. Can you imagine a company going to all the trouble of making a weasel suit and then skimping out on the figure itself? Ah, Chinese New Year.

Finally, we hit The Hammer. Right off the bat I will do a complete 180 with my above criticism of Jakks. Their version of Valentine's robe was simply better. I don't know if it was the small piece of Velcro that held it closed or the general thickness of it, but this Mattel version feels and looks somewhat cheap in comparison. Getting to the figure itself, it's a perfect replica of Greg as he appeared in the late '80s. The facial expression and the hair are on par. What was also a cool inclusion is the "Hart Breaker" shin guard best remembered for being a point of contention in The Hammer's feud with "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. The shin guard clips on and is easily removable if you're not looking to represent that time period.

When I was first able to pre-order this series months ago, I felt that perhaps a lot of the distribution problems with Mattel were finally coming to an end. I was very wrong. Not only did these figures begin hitting stores before the pre-orders began shipping, but as of press time some have still not shipped. Add that to a very disappointing "pre-sale" for Legends Series 8 and I'd say that we're right back where we started.

That being said, the next few entries will also likely deal with new Mattel product. The next, a look at another full series and another much desired legend, will also include a realization regarding a certainly retailer and these figures, which seem to become more and more like gold every day, and not in a good way.

Return to the Heartbreak Hotel

Remember the '90s? Some of us would love to forget them. Still, the decade carried a dramatic shift in pro wrestling and saw the business thrive. Right before the "Attitude Era" swung into full effect, the WWF still had a cartoony style about it. The latest WWE Elite Flashback Series, exclusive to Wal Mart, brings to plastic four of that era's stars as well as a well-remembered television segment proving that maybe the '90s weren't all that bad after all. Maybe. We'll see.

I'll again repeat how much I love the 2018 box design. It's simple and to the point, but can be altered to reflect what's inside depending on the individual series. These Elite Flashback boxes have great color, not to mention the "classic interview backdrop" behind the figures. When the design changes I'll be greatly disappointed. I won't hold back the fact that these boxes have propelled me to buy more figures to keep in the box for eventual signing purposes. When the design changes, I can see that dropping off again.

As anyone who has read this blog could have already predicted, I'm going straight for the highlight here. Who would that be? Alundra Blayze. The women's wrestling star of worldwide fame has never before been made into an action figure. Finally, here she is, looking very much like the day that I first met her back in 1995. Included with her is the very championship belt that I saw her lose the night after I met her nearly 23 years before the date of this entry's publication.

In addition to Blayze we have Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, and Doink the Clown. When you collect, and open, all four figures, you create the set for HBK's interview segment, The Heartbreak Hotel. It's a unique concept that seems to be ending with the next series where a Build-A-Figure will again be included with the Elite Flashbacks.

The Heartbreak Kid is stellar. No detail was spared despite this being a store exclusive set with a "building incentive." These sets which require you to "collect 'em all" in order to build something is one of the only ways that I'll purchase a figure of someone like Michaels. Don't get me wrong, he was one of the greatest. He just isn't in my personal top favorites and he already has an overabundance of available figures.

Ramon seems to reflect his look in his 1992 vignettes and the detail is once again overflowing. The toothpick, the chest hair, and the removable chains and shirt combine for a great design. This is the kind of never-before-made version of a popular character that I love to see. Rounding up the set is the Ray Apollo version of Doink. This is definitely babyface Doinkster, and it would be great to see Dink produced somewhere down the line. It should be noted that unlike the first Mattel Doink release there is only one wig included here and it is not removable.

While many would say that Michaels is the star of this set, let's be real. It's Alundra. She's beyond overdue for a figure. Her popularity in Japan makes it amazing that she doesn't even have a figure there. The inclusion of the 1993-1995 WWF Women's Championship belt does not hurt, either. I also have a feeling that Mattel isn't going to want to lose out on the tooling of either Blayze or her belt. Can't you imagine a street clothes version complete with belt and garbage can somewhere down the line? A Madusa-Rick Rude pack would be pretty cool, too, but I think we can keep that in our dreams.

It would be nice to have a 1993-1995 contemporary of Blayze, as well. Leilani Kai would be my number one pick, seeing as that she is a friend, but she isn't as closely associated with that run despite wrestling Blayze at WrestleMania X. My other top pick would be Bertha Faye, but I just can't see it happening. The most thrilling and maybe somewhat possible choice would be Bull Nakano. She just feels like a name that those at Mattel would be behind and I can only imagine that they would do an amazing job on her striking visage. Still, I have a feeling that we may end up with Luna. Don't get me wrong, I loved Luna and miss running into her at shows. She was a sweetheart and a heckuva talent. It's just that Jakks put out two very cool versions of her already. That being said, I won't turn down a third effort for her if Mattel so chooses.

This is a great set and, like the first Flashback Elite wave, it will go fast. Prices will eventually settle just as they did for those, so don't panic if you can't find them initially. In fact, Mattel has churned out so much product that September is scheduled to be another "Mattel Month" here on the blog. For four weeks in a row we'll be featuring some of the best new figures of the year from Mattel.

Is my preliminary choice for 2018 Figure of the Year, Mean Gene Okerlund, about to be dethroned? Did Alundra Blayze just do that? We shall see!

What's that, Mean Gene?

"Give me a break, pal!"

Big Action, Little Wrestlers

Collectors have long enjoyed figures in a variety of scales. Recently, it seems that smaller is better. Fans enjoy when they can take their favorite character to work and place it on their desk, perhaps set it in their car, or even just throw it in a bag to have wherever they go. The world-famous Funko Pop! vinyl figures, which have taken on just about every license that you can possibly think of, definitely helped in this latest trend. While there are WWE figures under the Pop! banner, with figures of the Young Bucks soon to join, it's even smaller Funko figures that we'll be looking at here, along with a rogue band of grapplers who fit right alongside.

Funko's WWE Mystery Minis combine the mini-figure craze with the trend of selling toys in the "blind box" fashion, meaning that you aren't sure which figure you will receive upon purchase. Although still caricatures, the Mystery Minis look a bit more realistic than the slightly larger Pop! figures. Two series have been released featuring Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, John Cena, Randy Savage, The Bella Twins, Rowdy Roddy Piper, The Ultimate Warrior, Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, Kevin Nash, Razor Ramon, Daniel Bryan, The Rock, Ted DiBiase, Bret Hart, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Goldust, The Undertaker, George "The Animal" Steele, Daniel Bryan, The Iron Sheik, Brock Lesnar, Steve Austin, Seth Rollins, Sting, Roman Reigns, and Randy Orton.

The figures are one solid hunk of plastic permanently posed in a signature look. Some of the likenesses are perfect (Piper, Goldust) while others could use work (The Undertaker) and a few have curious choices for design such as Nash (wearing tights) or Hogan and Savage (a mishmash of eras). Regardless, these little guys are fun to collect. A few that were featured in promotional materials, such as Mick Foley, thus far remain unreleased.

Meanwhile, the folks at Pro Wrestling Tees/Pro Wrestling Crate have come up with an "independent" alternative. Utilizing talent that is not signed to WWE, the "Micro Brawlers" line was born. Packaged in baggies with cardboard headers, talent from around the world and a couple of different eras have been included in this ever-expanding line. Already featured are CM Punk, Big Van Vader, Kenny Omega, Colt Cabana, The Young Bucks, Taz, Cody Rhodes, Joey Ryan, Marty Scurll, and Penta el Zero M.

You can tell at first glance that the Micro Brawlers borrow heavily in their cartoonish design from the Mystery Minis. Just look at the heads of the figures right down to their wrestling boots. The figures are very close in scale, however the Brawlers are somewhat thinner. The Mystery Minis are hard plastic, while the Micro Brawlers are an almost bendable rubbery material. While the Brawlers may not be as heavy as the Minis, you still just have to love them. The fact that a small company can produce cool little figures such as these is very impressive. In the same vein, it's interesting that some WWE licensed photos are being used on a few of the packaging headers.

Is it a battle? No way. It's two separate figure utilizing a similar design. The Brawlers are being marketed to their own audience online, while the Minis are targeting the vast WWE Universe. The Brawlers continue to add new stars, while nothing new has been heard on the Mini horizon in quite some time. Ultimately who wins? Those of us who realize that all of these brilliant diminutive wrestling figures compliment each other and combine to form a miniature world of wrestling crossing several eras.

It's a big deal!

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--WrestleMania XI Program

Here we are once again, just days before the annual tradition known as WrestleMania. This year, we're all anxious to see the in-ring WWE/WrestleMania debut of Sting, The Undertaker's first WrestleMania match that will not be part of "The Streak," and just exactly how the WWE will handle a title picture that some fans aren't happy about. You can read my predictions on WrestleMania 31 (or "Play Button") on my other blog here, but for now we're going back twenty years to 1995. It must be long ago, as the champion going in and coming out of that WrestleMania is going into the Hall of Fame this year. Yes, the WWF was running on "Diesel Power."

The WrestleMania XI program is the first one to be over-sized. It was also not sold on newsstands. Technically the program from the year before was not either, although a variation of what was offered did show up. Since it wasn't sold outside of that weekend's events, it's the first of the WrestleMania programs that has seen a rise in demand. A complete version will include a poster stapled in the center. For the record, the poster is just a larger version of the logo/cover design.

Upon opening the program, we are treated to celebrities before we see any actual WWF Superstars. Nick Turturro, Salt-N-Pepa, Jonathan Taylor-Thomas, and Jenny McCarthy all appear. Even twenty years ago, I was very underwhelmed by this grouping. Though I may have raised an eyebrow or two at McCarthy, it wasn't until a few years later that she was singled out on my radar. Regardless, this was a fairly relevant cast of characters for the era, even if I was personally unimpressed.

The biggest celebrity of the evening appears on the next pages with the WWF Championship match. She was, of course, Pamela Anderson. The winner of the 1995 Royal Rumble won the WrestleMania title shot and Pam's accompaniment. I'd have preferred to see Dick Murdoch and Pam together, but we don't always get what we want. Like the celebrities, this main event was a product of the times. The show was "New Generation" through and through.

The last match of the show is next in the program, and certainly garnered the WWF a ton of mainstream attention at a time when the company was failing in that regard. The grudge match between Bam Bam Bigelow and football legend Lawrence Taylor was standard at best, but the angle itself was well-crafted and, as mentioned, gained the company the press that it wanted...then, now, and forever. The poster was placed right here, blocking out Nikolai Volkoff, Steve McMichael, or any of the other teammates of the participants that you might want to see.

Next we have the championship matches for the Intercontinental and Tag Team titles, respectively, with Razor Ramon battling Jeff Jarrett for the former. The tag team champions, The Smoking Gunns, put their titles on the line against Owen Hart and a mystery partner. Just as it was in the television build, the silhouette of Owen's partner is obviously not who it turned out to be, the mighty Yokozuna. Between my love for Yoko and Owen and not caring too much for the Gunns, I do believe that this was the most memorable moment of the night for me.

Our last two pages finish up the event with three more matches. Mr. Bob Backlund battled Bret Hart in an "I, Quit" match, The Undertaker faced King Kong Bundy, and The Allied Powers (Lex Luger and Davey Boy Smith) went up against Jacob and Eli Blu. King Kong Bundy receiving another WrestleMania match eight years after his last was yet another highlight for me, a kid always fascinated by monster heels. On the other foot, Luger's final WrestleMania match is as lackluster as his first two. Dutch Mantell makes his WrestleMania debut here managing the Blu twins as Uncle Zebekiah. He would return to the big show eighteen years later as Zeb Colter.

WrestleMania XI is a favorite of very few fans and, aside from Bigelow-Taylor, the event largely plays out like an "In Your House" event, which were first announced at this show. While some events and moments from this era still hold up or contain special memories for fans (SummerSlam 1995 is a personal favorite as I was there), it is easily one of the weakest times in all of wrestling history. The glorious "bright" WWF era of the late '80s and early '90s was trying to mesh with the "edginess" of the rest of pop culture. It didn't work.

In any event, grab yourself a copy of this years program and enjoy WrestleMania XXXI!

Hall Of Fame Merchandise--2014 Edition

I steal a line from Jerry Lawler each year, but it's true: the Hall of Fame is my favorite night of the year in WWE.  It has plenty of detractors, but the one thing that cannot be denied is that in the eyes of the mainstream public, the WWE Hall of Fame is *the* Wrestling Hall of Fame.  As long as WWE is around, it will be the most recognized and accepted, especially if the rumored plans of a brick and mortar version come to full fruition.  In an industry like wrestling, you can't really say who should or should not be celebrated for their career efforts, but I think last year's long-awaited inclusion of Bruno Sammartino should satisfy many.

Being present for Sammartino's induction last year is a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.  I've already told why it meant so much for me to be there, at Sammartino's 188th sellout of Madison Square Garden, so I can only pass along some advice to anyone attending the events of WrestleMania XXX weekend: get to the Hall of Fame!  This year's class is another star-studded list of superstars from a variety of eras.  While no class will ever top 2013's in the minds of those who were there (and many who weren't), 2014 is definitely a class without a weak link in the bunch.

The Ultimate Warrior, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Lita, Paul Bearer, Carlos Colon, and Scott "Razor Ramon" Hall make up the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2014 along with Mr. T for the Celebrity Wing.  Each of these names made an undeniable impact on their respective eras (or area in the case of Colon) and therefore spawned multiple pieces of merchandise in their likenesses.  In honor of each inductee, we'll take a look at some of the most memorable items to come from these stellar careers.

Although some may not have actually seen him wrestle, most children who collected wrestling action figures in the '80s know the name Carlos Colon.  He was the figure in the Remco AWA line that came packaged with Abdullah the Butcher.  It was a no-brainer, as Colon and the Butcher have had countless battles in the past three or so decades, including many on the island of Puerto Rico.  Colon's figure is memorable for its bright orange (or red) cloth singlet, but the scarred forehead of the figure makes the likeness perfect.  Colon, the owner of Puerto Rico's WWC, is also the father of Primo and Carlito and uncle of Primo.

Another man who likely made his first impression on young wrestling fans of the 1980's was Scott Hall.  A solid hand in the AWA among other areas, Hall made his toy debut just as Colon did, in the Remco AWA line.  "Big" Scott Hall was another Magnum P.I. lookalike similar to Magnum T.A., but the mustached star would go through several identities until finding his greatest fame in 1992 as Razor Ramon.  "The Bad Guy" seems to be the incarnation of Hall that WWE is focusing on for this induction, but there is no doubt in my mind that the man who "Oozes Machismo" will return to the Hall of Fame again as a founding father of the nWo.

After 2013's induction of Trish Stratus, it is only fitting that her #1 contemporary should follow suit.  Amy "Lita" Dumas was not only one of the top female wrestlers of the late' 90s and early 2000's, but also one of the biggest sex symbols ever to hit WWE.  An unconventional look, an aggressive attitude, and the feeling that any fan could "hang out" with the redheaded beauty helped cement her legacy in the business.  It was those qualities that landed her on so many magazine covers of the day, both with and without her partners in "Team Xtreme," The Hardy Boys.

It was only a year ago at this time that the entire world was mourning the death of Paul Bearer.  The legendary manager of The Undertaker, famous the world over for his ghastly look and unmistakable wail of "Ohhhhh Yes!", left a legacy that will likely never be matched.  A manager was never so closely associated with his charge as Bearer was with The Undertaker.  Despite not being a regular wrestler, Bearer's unique persona still lent itself to countless pieces of memorabilia.  I can still remember the excitement when the first Paul Bearer figure was slated to hit stores.  The figure is part of JusToys WWF Bend-Ems line, and was originally included with the Bend-Ems ring.  The ring was first slated to include Dink, but when Doink and his midget companion were being phased out, Bearer was made as a very suitable replacement.

Jake Roberts may be as well-remembered for his exploits away from the business as he is for his in-ring work, but there's no denying that he provided countless great memories for fans of the '80s and '90s.  Roberts had a fine career before he began carrying bagged pythons to the ring, but it's that image that is best remembered.  My favorite Jake "The Snake" Roberts item is one that was featured not long ago in these pages: the Hasbro Jake Roberts "snake" toy.  For what could have been several reasons the snake is not named, nor does it closely resemble any of Jake's more infamous pets.  Even still it is one of the most unique and fun WWF items from that era.

The "main event" induction of the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame will more than likely be for a man who is no stranger to main event status, The Ultimate Warrior.  The Warrior, as controversial a superstar as there ever was, will no doubt provide one of the most memorable induction speeches ever to grace the Hall of Fame stage.  Over the years, his action figures have been some of the most memorable as well.  Hasbro, Jakks, and Mattel have all provided some great representations of the Warrior, but the LJN version was the first.  As part of its final series packaged on black colored cards and released by Grand Toys of Canada, the Warrior is one of the most desirable in the entire line.  The figure captures the wild then-futuristic look of the Warrior while still allowing it to fit in with the rest of the line.

Memorable merchandising is only what we focus on here on the blog.  There's much more to these men and women than just that, and we'll be reliving so much of that in just a bit over a week from now.  With the Hall of Fame ceremony scheduled to be broadcast on the WWE Network, there's no excuse for anyone in the United States to miss my favorite night of the WWE calendar.  And if you do?  Well, I pity da fool...