Some Favorite (and Least Favorite) Items of the Stars

As the season where I do most of my wrestling-related trips draws near, it brings back floods of memories. An interaction, a moment, a word, an item. This is a hobby where nearly every piece of memorabilia has a story, especially those that bear autographs. Did the star have anything to say when he or she signed that particular item? Sometimes even the most silent stars will comment on certain treasures. It may surprise some that a man of few words like Harley Race would know the history of his own action figures, but he absolutely does. Many can pinpoint the exact time and place where a photo was taken. And some will even make sure to note when a figure, card, or photo is their favorite.

One of the first stars that I can recall commenting on something being their "all-time" favorite is a man who is no stranger to classic photos. "The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino does indeed have a preference in the absolute library of photography that exists chronicling his career. The photo features Sammartino sitting in a posed studio shot. The black and white photo also features a hint of the classic WWWF Championship belt, the original of which is missing in action. The photo has been distributed many ways, but even appeared as a trading card in the 1991 Wrestling Legends set.

Speaking of cards, a man who is still active in WWE has his favorite, dating back to the WCW days. While you might think that Dustin Rhodes would choose a card of his legendary Goldust character, it's actually the opposite. Showcasing the classic southern style of "The Natural" Dustin Rhodes, the card is straight from the WCW Main Event card set produced by Cardz in 1995. Though Dustin has other cards in the set, this one is from a number of cards produced that highlight individual moves. At that point in time, no one was more associated with the bulldog than Rhodes. The photo is an amazing action shot from his match with Blacktop Bully at SuperBrawl V.

One of the top enemies of the Rhodes family once commented to me on his favorite action figure. It was as the Jakks WWE Classic Superstars figure line was in full force, and Arn Anderson was signing many examples of his new figure on that particular day. While Jakks made several figures of Anderson, they did tend to be a bit more buff than "The Enforcer" actually was. While signing my Galoob figure of himself, he commented to Dean Malenko and me that he preferred the vintage figure due to it having a much more lifelike look to it. Seeing as that it's one of my all-time favorite wrestling figures, I could not have agreed more.

Another favorite figure of mine, maybe more so due to presentation factors, did come from Jakks. This one is of a legend from both ECW and WWE, Rob Van Dam. Limited to 5,000, this particular RVD figure not only features the classic "Rob-Van-Dam" pose, but also reflects the brief period when the high-flying star held both the ECW and WWE Championships. Also included is a soft goods ECW t-shirt to fit the figure and a briefcase to reflect RVD's time as "Mr. Money In The Bank." What's also nice is that the figure was packaged in a style where the figure and accessories are showcased as opposed to the packaging itself. At a signing in Atlanta, RVD told me that this was indeed his favorite figure of himself. Who could disagree?

Of course, a few stars have "least favorite" items, too. One that really sticks out to me is from former TNA Knockout SoCal Val. How the beautiful redhead could have any "least favorite" pieces is beyond me, but she does have one photo that she doesn't particularly care for. In the promotional Impact Wrestling 8x10, Val is wearing a blue polka dot bikini. Val has told me several times that she doesn't care for the photo as she feels that she looks "12 years old" in it. Well, I know most fans would agree with me in that she looks like a full-grown woman in the photo, but you can be the judge with the provided image. Just don't take too long "examining" the photo. It is there solely for science.

And while many might think that Ole Anderson would only have "least favorite" items, I've only ever heard him gripe about two. Those are his two cards from the 1988 NWA trading cards series by Wonderama. To be fair, neither picture used is particularly great. especially the "dancing" card, as he put it. I paraphrased the rest of his description to keep the blog family friendly. Oh that Ole!

Thankfully, most wrestling stars embrace their merchandise. It's a record of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into their careers. Learning of all of these favorites listed here was solely by accident. Maybe I should start asking about more for future reference? Stay tuned...

The Heritage Of Topps WWE Heritage

 There are a few things that I frequently ask for here on the blog. I'm sick of asking, you're sick of reading the pleas, something has to give. It has. This Summer, Topps announced the return of their WWE Heritage trading cards after a three-year absence. Coming this November, the 110-card base set will be accompanied by various subsets, relic cards, and on-card autographs. A few weeks ago, Alundra "Madusa" Blayze released a picture via social media of her signing the cards, so there is one confirmed signer.

The Heritage releases are the only modern wrestling trading cards that truly excite me. I anticipate their infrequent releases and as much as I wish they were released once a year, maybe it's better that they aren't. I usually purchase several hobby boxes and individual retail packs. Only with the Heritage cards do I try to assemble several base sets, and of course set aside many for autographs. The Heritage sets take me back to the trading cards of my youth, right before everything in the card world, sadly, went glossy. This 2015 set is based upon the 1985 Topps baseball design, a series that I'm very familiar with. They're cardboard, the way that trading cards should be, and the matte finish makes them very easy to obtain autographs on.

Beginning in 2005, Topps rolled out their first four WWE Heritage sets. The best of these sets was Heritage II which had a design based on the 1963 Topps baseball cards. Among my friends this is known as the "Wonder Bread" set. This nickname came from none other than Rob Van Dam. The extreme icon was signing his card in the set for me and proclaimed that "this is the set that looks like they came from a package of Wonder Bread." The cards do have a colorful design and great studio shots. What also makes the set fun is that while the 1963 baseball design is limited to the base, there are exclusive cards released in other avenues that utilize the same style. WWE Magazine and Jakks action figures included cards of Roddy Piper, Sgt. Slaughter, and Lita among others. Even more names such as Jeff Hardy and Linda McMahon were further added in the Topps Chrome release of the series.

Following those first four sets, WWE Heritage became a subset. The Topps WWE 2011 set featured a 50-card Heritage subset in the style of the 1962 Topps baseball cards. Just as with Heritage II, I have a personal wrestler-given nickname for this set. While signing his card, Kevin Nash called it a "Bowman." Bowman Gum was another trading card producer until Topps bought out the rival company. While we have yet to see any WWE Heritage produced after the Bowman style, the nickname will stick with me for this set.

Finally, in the last glimpse of Heritage until this year, Topps released the 2012 set. Based on the 1985 Topps WWF set, these are my favorite of the Heritage sets to date. Even the hobby boxes themselves were a nod to the past, being based on the Canadian 1986 WWF set from O-Pee-Chee. I think that the biggest appeal for me is that these are wrestling cards based on wrestling cards, rather than based on other sports designs. Admittedly, there aren't too many old wrestling card designs to pay tribute to, but I would still like to see a Heritage set based on the 1987 Topps WWF design.

After that quick refresher course in Topps WWE Heritage, it's time for the 2015 edition. With plenty of chase cards planned and the all-important autographs, it should be an extremely fun set to collect. There is also another product, WWE Undisputed, coming from Topps a month earlier. These are being aimed at a "high-end" collecting market and are basically a set of just autographs, relics, and parallels. Thanks, but no thanks. Give me the basic, vintage-styled, cardboard goodness of Heritage!

2013 TNA Live Set Feels A Bit Like A Rerun

I've had good luck with the various TNA trading card offerings over the years.  A 1 of 1 Hulk Hogan autograph and a Sting autograph top the list of "hits" that I've pulled, so I have nothing to complain about as far as the past goes.  However, with the newest TNA product from Tristar, I feel that the overall design and feel has just been done too many times.  Are my feelings biased because of a rather unexciting series of hits in this particular box?  It's possible, but let's take a look at what the TNA Live set has to offer the masses and you just might agree.

This set is actually already about six months old.  Since I had a rather "ho hum" feeling from previews of the set, I decided to wait until boxes were reduced in price a tad until I acquired one.  Although Tristar makes no claims to it, recent boxes of their TNA product have contained a complete set amongst the packs.  TNA Live is no different, so at the very least you should be able to build the 99 card base set with the purchase of a hobby box, in addition to seven hits.  Those hits include three autograph cards (one will be a multi-autograph), one memorabilia relic, one short-print card, and two parallel cards.

As I mentioned above, I was less than thrilled with the hits in this particular box break.  To be fair, I'm also hard to please.  If there isn't a Hogan or Sting autograph in the box, I'm going to be more toward the disappointed side.  They're the autographs that everyone wants.  They're the ones that, for those who care, will bring the value in the future.  While the Bobby Roode's, Gail Kim's, and even Jeff Hardy's of the world are out scribbling thousands of signatures each weekend at TNA Live events, Hogan and Sting are not.  That isn't to say that myself and tons of other collectors are starving for Hogan and Sting autographs, but those are simply the ones that you are mainly looking to pull from a TNA box.

I'm not one to believe in internal "power plays" over merchandising, but it is rather funny that the first three cards in the base set are Hogan, Hogan, and Hogan.  Yes, the Hulkster, Brooke, and Hulk and Brooke together are cards #1, #2, and #3, respectively.  If you've read this blog before, you should automatically know that I don't have a problem with that.  I'm a fan of the Hulkster, although not necessarily in his current role, and I don't even have much of a problem with Brooke.  She may not have much business being a focal point of storylines, but she's a more believable promo than Ziggler, the Internet darling.

The whole roster, as of a few months ago, is nicely represented here.  Similar to Tristar's previous offering, TNA TENacious, the base set has a bit of an identity crisis.  Some cards are studio shots while others are action shots.  I've always been a fan of in-ring posed shots, and there are actually quite a few here.  Folks who have not seen a card release in awhile such as D'Lo Brown and Al Snow return in this set, and there are cool "group" cards for the TNA referees and Aces & Eights.  Even Tommy Dreamer makes a cameo receiving a beatdown at the ill-fated Brooke Hogan-Bully Ray wedding.

As usual, we're presented with some nice rookie cards including some Gut Check competitors.  A personal favorite of mine, Taeler Hendrix, makes her debut as do Kenny King, King Mo, Joey Ryan, and Sam Shaw.  Sam who?  I must've missed that week of Impact Wrestling.  I could forgive Tristar for giving a card to someone who totally fell below my radar, but then I noticed that Jessie Godderz has two cards in the set.  If it weren't for his brief association with a talent like Tara, I wouldn't have a clue as to his identity either. 

In addition to Gut Check, several other subsets are featured within the base set including "TNA Then & Now."  This subset features several Impact Wrestling stars pictured as children.  These cards can produce some amusing comments and actions at signings.  This time around Gail Kim and Tara's cards are sure to produce some "ooh's and aah's," but the TNA Parents Association didn't seem to dig too deep when fishing for early photos of Brooke Tessmacher, Robbie E, and Mickie James.  No "Beautiful Baby" contest winners amongst those three, folks.

Overall, I'd recommend to wait until the price drops even further on these cards.  While there are some cool rookie cards, all could be obtained individually.  Tristar is very big on autograph cards and other "hits," and that is definitely the market that they try to focus on.  They know that many are, sadly, buying the boxes just to score a big "hit" and make some money.  This has caused the company to get very complacent on the base cards.  I'm still begging for a "Heritage" style set.  Obviously they couldn't use classic designs like Topps does, but I'm sure that they could produce a very vintage looking set, without gloss, for the many fans who prefer such styles.

The next TNA series from Tristar is to be called "Glory."  This set, coming in October 2013, will feature on-card autographs.  Any Topps WWE or Tristar TNA product that has featured autographs have utilized autographed stickers that are then applied to the cards.  On-card autographs, which are obvious right on the card, are popular with collectors across the board and the set should be a hit based on these hits alone.  While they'll definitely be something to look out for, I doubt that we'll get an item quite as amusing as the TNA Live Hector Guerrero card.  Not since the 1988 Wonderama Ole Anderson "Dancing Queen" card have we had such an unintentionally (?) hilarious photo inserted into a set.  "Latino cheesecake?"

PWI: COVERing Wrestling For Over 3 Decades

September 1979 was quite a long time ago.  That is the cover date of the first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated.  It's also quite a long time for a product to last on the shelves.  Despite ups and downs in the wrestling industry, not to mention with magazines in general, PWI has stood the test of time.  With the cover being a huge selling point of any periodical, you have to sit back and think that PWI's amazing gallery of cover photos has helped that success.

You would have to think that even in the jaded world of the year 2012, making it to the cover of PWI should still mean something to a wrestler.  Like that first action figure or appearance in a video game, it is definitely a career highlight.  In some cases, wrestlers have never looked better than on the cover of PWI.

The Road Warriors almost always looked intimidating, but possible never more so than on the famous PWI March 1984 cover featuring "the boys" highlighted in "horror-style" lighting.  The infamous Four Horsemen?  Drenched in gold, the elite stable proved that the NWA contained the top heels in the business on the cover of PWI's December 1988 issue.  Even Shawn Michaels has told the story of imitating Ric Flair on the April 1984 cover right before entering the business himself.

Personally, I can't pick just one.  Like all of my other "favorite" things in pro wrestling, I've narrowed it down to a top five list.  With thirty-three years of magazines in the can, it was no easy task.  These are simply the issues that appeal to me the most visually while simultaneously capturing the feel of what professional wrestling is all about.

*May 1981--Ricky Steamboat

One of the best in one of his early successes.  A vintage wrestling champion pose from one of the greatest wrestling champions of all-time.  And we cannot forget what many of you will undoubtedly point out...Ricky Steamboat with a mustache.  Wrap it all up into one package and you have this cover.  This is the first of several memorable PWI covers featuring Steamboat, but in my opinion the best.

The cover also illustrates the variety of press given to the various regional territories of the time.  Steamboat is wearing my favorite version of the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship.  Barry Windham is listed as "Florida Titleholder."  Although in just a few years the business would be heading towards national domination, it's interesting to look back and realize that so many fans got their glimpse of a variety of stars solely from publications like PWI.

*December 2002--Rob Van Dam

Beginning in 1991, the PWI 500 is the magazine's annual ranking of the top five-hundred wrestlers in the world.  Always controversial, this particular issue is always a great seller as well.  In 2002, it was Rob Van Dam who took the coveted number one position.

Featuring bright colors and RVD in his classic pose, I don't think the number one spot has ever been featured better on a PWI 500 cover.  Tearing up the then-newly rebranded WWE, Van Dam did indeed have a banner 2002 and is continuing to add accolades to his career a decade later.  My only problem with the cover is that this issue was produced during a time when the famous Pro Wrestling Illustrated logo was taking a backseat to the PWI abbreviation.  That wasn't enough to knock it out of my list.

*August 1986--Randy Savage

From his high-flying style to his endless wardrobes, The Macho Man may just have been the most visual wrestler of all-time.  In my opinion, this cover may have been the grandest that he ever looked, and that is most definitely saying something.

Entering the ring in purple and gold, Savage is stealing the spotlight as he always did.  The photograph used captured a perfect sparkle to the cape that always made the cover "pop" to me.  The opening video to the "Macho Madness" WWE DVD release had a similar sparkle, but that was video.  This was a simple photo, some luck, and an unforgettable legend.

*June 2008--Ric Flair

Celebrating a cover where the goal was to celebrate covers.  Just when you thought Flair couldn't have any more iconic PWI covers, we're thrown a curveball.

Around the time of his WWE retirement, PWI highlighted his 25 best covers from their family of magazines.  Clad in a pink feathery robe in front of a collage of his past covers, "The Nature Boy" looks as regal as he did in his entire career.  Stylin' and profilin', indeed.

*November 1983--Harley Race

Harley Race and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.  I really don't have to go any further, but of course I will.

I've gone on and on before about how, to me, Harley Race personifies professional wrestling.  He had the perfect look to be a wrestler, the perfect voice to be a wrestler, and the technique to match it all.  He adapted himself several times to remain relevant in an ever-changing business, but it was undoubtedly his eight times as champion in which he was at the top of his game.  This cover sums it all up perfectly.  Race frequently adds "Best in Sports" to his signature.  A more fitting inscription there never has been.

Those are my "five faves."  Everyone will, and should, have their own list.  Whether it be a well-read copy from years past or a newer example suitable for framing, these covers capture wrestling regardless of condition.  And of course you just can't beat having an issue autographed in the cases where it's still able to be done.  I've witnessed countless times where the wrestlers themselves can't take their eyes off of the various items presented in front of them by fans.  Where covers like these are concerned, it's no wonder.

My Wrestling Favorites--Part 3 of 5

Back for more? Of course you are! If you're just joining us, "My Wrestling Favorites" is a five-part series where I discuss my five favorite current wrestling stars and my five all-time favorite greats of the game. Controversy and fun have abound in the previous two entries, and I'm sure that will be no different in the third installment. Let's begin...

1 of 5 All-Time Favorites: Hulk Hogan

Love him or hate him, I challenge anyone to argue that he isn't the biggest star that the sport has ever seen. I can remember as a child marveling at the fact that even my grandmother knew who Hulk Hogan was.

I've mentioned before that I feel I'm the luckiest kind of wrestling fan. I enjoy both the athletic side and the entertainment side equally, as long as they don't stray too far in one direction. Hulk Hogan definitely plays more toward the entertainment side. Seeing as how Hogan's popularity boom helped to usher more of that entertainment into pro wrestling, it's easy to understand why fans of previous eras aren't fond of the legend. As far as growing up during the "Rock n' Wrestling era," only the most jaded fan who feels that they're "too cool for the room" will completely deny ever being sucked into the Hulkamania magic. Even if you loved his opponents, as I did, at one point or another you felt chills as "Real American" played and The Hulkster lived to fight another day...and another monster heel.

Hogan also does not get enough credit for his in-ring skills. A look at his work in Japan will show you that The Hulkster could in fact wrestle, but didn't incorporate it much as far as his stateside character went. What he did do here worked. It drew money. It made him the biggest star that the industry had ever seen and probably ever will. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

A list of Hogan merchandise may also be second-to-none. Although the stars of the "Attitude Era" such as Steve Austin and The Rock certainly come close, the length of their careers on top are nowhere near that of Hogan's. Shoelaces, lunchboxes, shampoo, shirts, pajamas, hats, shoes, underwear, and even a cartoon--you name it, Hulk had it.

While even I went through a bit of Hogan fatigue around the time he joined WCW in 1995, his captaining of the nWo was a well done reinvention. It also made a return to the red and yellow all the sweeter. Though some feel that he has overstayed his welcome in the business, I feel that there will always be a place for Hulk Hogan. The WWE has tried to market Hogan as "The Babe Ruth of Wrestling." I've always enjoyed that moniker and hope that "The Immortal" continues to go in that direction as long as Father Time will allow.

1 of 5 Current Favorites: Rob Van Dam

Although he's been around for two decades, RVD is indeed a current star. For various reasons, Van Dam is one of the few ECW originals who has been able to remain a star no matter where he goes.

Controversy seems to come natural in my "current" choices and this one will be no different. Despite the nostalgia, ECW doesn't hold up in this fan's eyes. Sure there is some replay value as there is with all wrestling, but the fact is that so much that made ECW innovative is run-of-the-mill in today's product. With WWF and NWA wrestling from years past you have presentation and style that fans long for today. Clones and reintroductions of ECW have been attempted too many times and in turn watered down the original. Chunks of the style and presentation of ECW that have been inserted, albeit terribly, into the current product have in no way helped the matter.

RVD is probably the brightest star to make his name in the promotion. While some would say that his best days are behind him, Van Dam still goes out of his way to give an entertaining match full of innovation in an otherwise stale environment. It's telling that the man still has hoards of admirers, some of whom were not even alive when RVD was first making his mark.

Although names such as Rocca, Snuka, and Savage are often credited for high-flying wrestling innovation in the United States, Van Dam long ago earned his right to be alongside of them. Even today, watching a Rob Van Dam match is different from matches of nearly any other wrestler. As mentioned in some of my other favorite profiles, it's a case of having the complete wrestling package. With RVD, you get a unique style, charisma, and skill that many other wrestlers would love to have all rolled into one.

Due largely in part to his wide array of singlet designs, Van Dam has had a variety of action figures over the years. The favorite of many and even Van Dam himself is the "Limited to 5000" figure produced by Jakks exclusively for Toys "R" Us. The figure is based upon Van Dam's duel reign as ECW and WWE Champion. Both belts, a figure sized ECW shirt, and a "Money in the Bank" briefcase are included as accessories. Van Dam has told me that despite it being his favorite, he himself does not own one. For those of you with one, I have just given you a way to become a "Five Star" friend of the man himself.

Wait. A friend of who?

Rob...Van...Dam! (I couldn't resist.)

Fanfest '11: The Aftermath

The phrase "a great time was had by all" may be overused, but it is certainly a fitting description of NWA Legends Fanfest 2011. Old friendships were renewed. New friendships were formed. Dreams came true. Treasures were uncovered. Memories were celebrated.

The event kicked off Thursday night with a trio of question and answer sessions. Bill "Masked Superstar/Demolition Ax" Eadie was up first sharing stories and memories of his entire career including great stories of friends and colleagues.

The second session featured controversial wrestlers "Dr. D" David Schultz and "Continental Lover" Eddie Mansfield. Both well remembered for their 1985 "20/20" television appearances, Mansfield did not entirely endear himself to the crowd with outspoken and long winded opinions. Schultz, on the other hand, chose his words wisely and came off to fans as a man very satisfied with how his life turned out. Mansfield seemed eager to convince not only the audience but himself that he had the same feeling regarding his own path.

The night wrapped up with a great showing from one of the all-time legends, Stan "The Lariat" Hansen. For a man who is usually quiet outside of the ring, Hansen was very humorous and lighthearted in his stories of the squared circle.

Friday kicked off with an opening look at the vendor room and a very special opportunity. Hansen's new autobiography was available for the first time with the legend present to autograph every copy. Most fans were unable to pass up a deal such as that.

While vendor tables were fewer in number than in previous years, there were still many treasures to be had. The original Michael Hayes "Off The Streets" LP and a production sample of the new Jakks Legends of the Ring Raven figure (purchased from the man himself) are just two of the items that I was able to covet. Hard-to-find publications, ring-worn gear, and even highly desired Wrestling All-Stars trading cards were also being offered with the latter going for as low as $1 per card.

Legends of not only Georgia Championship Wrestling but the entire wrestling world began to appear in both the main and autograph rooms. Ole Anderson, Mr. Wrestling II, Thunderbolt Patterson, Ron Simmons, Greg Valentine, and Jimmy Snuka were among the names available to meet.

Friday night was capped off by the annual Hall of Heroes banquet and induction ceremony. This year my friends and I were joined by some of the legends of ladies wrestling including Joyce Grable, Judy Martin, and Leilani Kai. Miss Kai, who was interviewed in our preview entry, was brand new to the wrestling convention scene and seemed to have an absolute blast. I've far kept it from secret that meeting the former WWF Women's Champion was a Fanfest opportunity which I was most looking forward to. The "Glamour Girl" went above and beyond for her fans and I'm certain that we've not seen the last of "The Hawaiian Princess!"

After the dinner was completed, James J. Dillon took the stage to induct the 2011 NWA Hall of Heroes Class. Superb inductions were made for Gordon Solie, Ronnie Garvin, The Assassins, Ted Turner, Ray Stevens, and Masked Superstar, but the highlight of the night for many was Sir Oliver Humperdink's special moment. Passing away earlier this year, Sir Oliver may not have been physically present to accept his honor but no one could have given the legendary manager a more dignified and touching induction than longtime friends Mick Karch and Diamond Dallas Page. Through their words and memories every fan could feel Humperdink's presence in the room, likely flanked by old friend Gary Hart.

Saturday featured opportunities to meet many more legends including rare appearances by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Superstar" Bill Dundee, Dick Slater. Paul Orndorff gave an amazing scoop to legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter. "Mr. Wonderful," looking in great shape, announced that he was indeed cancer-free. His WrestleMania partner, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, himself a survivor of the disease, also made several appearances throughout the day. The coolest event surrounding "Hot Rod" was a photo op including his Starrcade '83 opponent Greg Valentine and the original dog collars used in that brutal contest.

The majority of the wrestlers at Fanfest look forward to the event as much as the fans. One superstar who has been clamoring to attend the event for years is Rob Van Dam. Because of RVD's busy schedule, a Fanfest appearance simply hasn't been in the cards--until 2011. RVD's enthusiasm and love of the business showed as he met with each and every fan in addition to many legends. Also like many of the other wrestlers, Van Dam was captivated by each and every piece of memorabilia that he autographed.

There are also always "surprise" guests that show up. From wrestlers tagging along for the ride with another colleague to ones simply coming to visit old friends, you never know just who might pop up at Fanfest. This year my favorite "bonus" meeting was with midget wrestling legend Darling Dagmar. A sweet and gracious lady, Dagmar had an extensive wrestling career and was simply happy to be there visiting friends. I hope more fans than just myself took the opportunity to ask for a photo and autograph from this legend who was more than happy to oblige.

Saturday night saw an off-site card of matches featuring current indy competitors such as Adam Pearce, Colt Cabana, Reid Flair, and Gunner. When that was all said and done, the "main event" for many came in the form of Roddy Piper spinning yarns in the form of a show entitled "All My Rowdy Friends." Reading Piper's tales is one thing, getting to hear the master himself tell the stories in uncensored form makes for a night that wrestling fans will treasure forever.

Sunday saw a quiet last day but definitely had no lack of star power. Tully Blanchard, Baby Doll, Masked Superstar, Tony Atlas, and "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase were among the signers for the morning with DiBiase returning for a Sunday worship service later that day.

I honestly cannot cover everything that went on at Fanfest nor could I even begin to convey the fun and unforgettable experience that it truly is. Promoter Greg Price has said that the 2012 Fanfest (back in its home city of Charlotte) may very well be the last. With five different Fanfest events under my belt, I know that come Hell or high water I'll be there to feel that indescribable feeling one more time.

TNA's New Era...In Cards

Back in the late '80s and early '90s when collecting sports cards was at it's peak both as a hobby and for monetary gain, wrestling wasn't really in on all the action. Sure, there were some great card sets produced both domestically and abroad, but by and large they simply didn't have the collector demand that those McGwire and Jagr cards did.

In the past decade, the trading card market has both died and been reborn. Most hobbyists point to dealers and collectors who took the fun out of the cards and simply saw dollar signs instead of stats and sticks of bubble gum you could break a tooth on.

Sets that include autographs, pieces of memorabilia, and other "chase" cards have seemingly helped bring the hobby back to a happy medium. While kids still get to collect their favorite stars, the adults get something to "chase," and if they so choose, make some money on.

Wrestling has caught onto this, with both WWE and TNA producing sets featuring autographs, Diva and Knockout "kiss print" cards, pieces of tights, shirts, and even ring mats. While WWE had a nice multi-year showing with their various Topps Heritage card set releases, a company called Tristar has nicely handled TNA's trading card offerings.

Tristar's latest release has gotten attention in both the wrestling and card collecting worlds. A 90-card basic set (featuring Hulk Hogan in the first 7 cards) combined with seemingly countless autograph and parallel cards have had collectors fighting over both packs and boxes.

Tristar has even limited the number of "hobby boxes" (the boxes containing packs that you would purchase individually at a hobby store) which contain a guaranteed two autographs as well as several other chase cards.

For those simply into the autographed cards, there's a better solution. "Blaster" boxes which are sold for around $20 at both hobby and major department stores each contain 24 basic cards and 1 autograph card. Seeing as that a hobby box only contains 2 autograph cards and cannot be found for under $80, it's much more economical for the autograph collector to buy up these Blaster Boxes. With cards like one featuring the autographs of all three of The Beautiful People and former leader Angelina Love or another featuring the autographs of Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting, and Kevin Nash, it's quite the fun hunt.

With the basic set featuring both the TNA standbys and new faces such as Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy, Orlando Jordan, and Generation Me, there really is something for everyone in this set. I have noticed a smaller amount of Knockout cards in this set, most likely due to the popularity of the separate Knockout card series. Another interesting note is the fast time frame Tristar produced these cards in. Some of the pictures used in the set date only two months prior to the sets' release.

While this isn't one of my MarketWatch updates, I will leave you with this: if you were to ask me to name some wrestling collectibles that I feel will rise in value, you've got them right here. Between the autographs, subsets, limited run, and buzz around this set, you couldn't do much better.

New era in TNA? Yes. New era in wrestling cards? Absolutely.