Check out that figure!

With all of the options for wrestling action figures these days, it’s hard to believe that there are greats who still remain without a figure. About three times over the years I’ve taken to this blog to list my top oversights in the world of wrestling figures. Wrestlers, who despite the opportunity, just haven’t made it into figure form. I’m going to go back over those fifteen names, as well as a few others, and see just who is left without a figure amongst the squared circle’s best and/or most colorful. 

For a few reasons among the most shocking to me to never have a figure was The Blue Meanie. Here’s a wrestler who looks like a living cartoon character or action figure yet he did not have one. Add that to the fact that his most active years were during an era where nearly everyone was getting a figure and it becomes more baffling. Finally around five years ago The Meanie received his first figure. It’s been followed by several others with even more on the way. My favorite is the “Hasbro/Retro” styled figure from Chella Toys. While the character wasn’t around during the Hasbro era, the design of those figures completely fits him. 

Magnum T.A. was such a huge territorial star that sometimes his popularity is lost on those who only grew up on wrestling that didn’t include the mustached grappler. He would’ve been a good fit for inclusion in the Remco AWA line where stars from other areas were produced and should have been a must for the Jakks WWE Classic Superstars line. After being announced then cancelled for the Mattel WWE line all hope seemed to be lost. Magnum himself even told me that he was hoping to see it produced for his two (then young) sons. Terry Allen finally appeared as a figure in the Mattel WWE “Lost Legends” set, though Magnum was actually the only figure in the set who hadn’t previously been produced. The former NWA star has another figure upcoming which will be mentioned again at the end of the entry. 

Pat Patterson’s wrestling glory days were over by the time of action figures, but there were still a few missed opportunities. Jakks should have included him either during his run as a “stooge” for Vince McMahon in the “Attitude Era” or in the aforementioned Jakks WWE Classic Superstars line. Neither happened despite Patterson being planned for the latter. Mattel finally produced what is thus far the only figure of Patterson. Thanks to the company making the “stooge gear” removable, you get a perfectly good wrestling version of Patterson underneath. I’m glad that the Montreal-born star lived to see his action figure produced. Another accomplishment in a life and career full of them. 

While Tommy Rich still hasn’t seen a poseable action figure, “Wildfire” has joined the ranks of Pint Size All-Stars, a line that also saw the first figure of “Fantastic” Bobby Fulton. The “Pints” are an opposing subscription box company’s answer to Micro Brawlers. While both lines feature legends, the former often seems to include more of the old school stars. The Pint Size All-Star of Rich comes complete with the NWA Title around his waist. Jim Barnett not included, mmmmmyboy. I have a feeling that Rich could see another figure from any of the current boutique companies. 

While my initial lists had rules such as not including women wrestlers and non-wrestlers who hadn’t received figures (love both, but those lists are massive), I must give an honorable mention nod to James J. Dillon. For various reasons most of us felt that we would never see Dillon in figure form. It was hard enough to get the managers with WWF fame produced. Up until recently there weren’t any smaller companies doing figures. JJ himself even said that he was on a short list of names for Jakks NOT to include in the Classic Superstars line. What happened? Mattel shocked us all and produced him as a Build-A-Figure. With as much as JJ has done in the wrestling business, including but not limited to being “The Leader of the Four Horsemen,” it was well deserved. 

Others from my lists are on their way to plastic immortality. Dino Bravo, Gillberg and Mr. Hughes are all set for release in retro-styled boutique lines while Verne Gagne is slated for release in a line to be known as “Power Town.” This line is being produced by Greg Gagne and others from the Remco AWA days. The second Magnum T.A. figure is set for release here as is another legend who’s never seen a figure release: Lou Thesz. This is the type of line that would include names like Tommy Rich should it succeed. It should also be mentioned that soon to be joining the Figures Toy Company Legends line are Dr. Tom Prichard and Dennis Condrey, both names who have long deserved figure recognition. 

Yet there are still others mentioned in my past blog entries on the topic that remain figureless. Those stars would be Buddy Rogers, Dick Murdoch, Ron Garvin, Pedro Morales, Blackjack Mulligan, Chris Adams and Tracy Smothers. Any of those names would be prime candidates (and big sellers) from any of the smaller companies. Hopefully revisiting this topic in another ten years will see us placing these names and more in tiny rings of all sizes.

Introducing The 2021 Figure Of The Year...

Isn't it January 2020? As hard as it is to believe, as of press time we're hours away from January 2022. I don't have to list the reasons why time is flying faster than ever. Did we even have Christmas this year? If we did I think I missed it. On the bright side we did have another great year of wrestling figures and a wider variety than in decades. Mattel, Jazwares and all of the boutique companies have brought us a bevy of wrestlers of all shapes and sizes from the past, present and future. My wallet is already cringing at what 2022 will bring. Before we examine the power of the winner, let's check out my runners up.

My criteria is not only based on the figure itself, but also distribution. If there wasn't an easy way for collectors to get their hands on a particular figure, it won't be my Figure of the Year. For example, despite being one of my favorite Mattel WWE figures of all-time, their King Harley Race of several years ago would never have won the award. Had he been in a regularly distributed set I can't see anyone else having won that year. 

Coming close to winning two years in a row was The Ultimate Warrior. Another of my all-time favorite Mattel WWE figures was last the 2020 winner, WWE Legends Ultimate Warrior. That figure famously depicted him in his final WWE appearance just hours before his death. I still can't believe that we have the figure in our collections. Another great Warrior hit our collections this year, this time depicting his WWF return at WrestleMania XII in 1996. A Ringside Exclusive, the figure is still available thus certainly making it obtainable. The detail is absolutely amazing and the paint is second-to-none.

From Jazwares and All Elite Wrestling we have two runners up, both also seeing releases as Ringside Exclusives. The first is the TNT Champion Cody Rhodes. Handsomely packaged in a window box that doubles as a Double Or Nothing entrance stage, this was the first release of the AEW TNT Championship belt. Cody seems to be currently facing a backlash that has plagued more than one top star over the years. In a decade he will be talked about glowingly among most fans. Mark my words. Of course, it could all be an invention of the toxic Twitter twits in their basements.

The second AEW figure on my list is referee Aubrey Edwards. A truly pioneering figure, it's the first time that a female wrestling referee has been immortalized in plastic. The figure also looks like they simply shrunk Miss Edwards down to six inches. It's that spot on. I would've preferred that she had been released on her own as opposed to having to purchase an expensive "real scale" ring in order to get her, but I know that I'm not the only one who took the plunge. I also had the chance to talk about the figure with Miss Edwards shortly before its release. She couldn't hide her happiness.

The smaller "boutique" lines are just getting started and in my opinion we'll have a lot more of these figures showing up as runners up in 2022. My inclusion for 2021 is none other than The Blue Meanie. Perhaps the most "toyetic" wrestler ever, The Meanie has been very underrepresented over the years as far as action figures. He has two more coming in 2022 including a repaint of this one. This release not only captured Meanie but also that slightly cartoonish Hasbro style. Chella Toys is doing a great job with their Wrestling Megastars line and I do predict that they will ultimately end up as the most cherished of all of the "retro" styled figures.

Our winner? The Warlord. Yes, he was part of Mattel's "Collectors Series" program and an exclusive to Wal Mart, but there was ample time to order him from their website even if you never saw him in stores. I was blown away by the detail on him from the face paint to the tights to the entrance gear. Perhaps the only thing that could've made him better to me personally was had he been in the WWE Legends line. Of the packaging from the past several years (since Mattel dropped the rectangle boxes) the Legends colors and design appeal to me the most. Will we ever get The Barbarian from Mattel? Maybe. But this half of The Powers of Pain turned out a real champ.

We're now coming up on the third year where the blog has no longer been weekly. When I began the blog in 2009, and even further back in the '90s when I published my newsletter, very few people were writing about wrestling memorabilia. I hate to declare that the blog is antiquated, but I feel that blogging as a whole is going the way of physical print media. People want podcasts. I've been told by many that I should go the podcasting route. If I were to do so, wrestling memorabilia would not be the topic. It's overexposed. That being said the blog isn't going anywhere. I still have ideas that I would like to explore with more undoubtedly ready to pop up. For those of you who continue to read the blog, I truly appreciate you.

You can't wipe out this Blue Meanie!

It's nearly limitless as to who we may receive in figure form in the future. Aside from two names in particular, literally anyone who has stepped foot into a wrestling ring now has a shot at plastic immortality thanks to what I like to call "boutique" manufacturers. These are small outfits who are legally obtaining the rights to produce stars of the ring in figure form. As I discussed a few months back in my review of the Bruiser Brody figure by Junkshopdog, it's all about what you like and what you decide to include in your own collection. While I expect to see more from Junkshopdog (Terry Funk, The Road Warriors, Dynamite Kid AND Bull Nakano) on this blog in the coming months, for this entry we're shifting gears to a group known as Chella Toys. Based in the U.K., Chella Toys has been making waves with a line called Wrestling Megastars that attempts to continue the beloved Hasbro WWF line.

Chella Toys began with a figure of NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis. While figures of indy star Ethan Page, Dynamite Kid, Hayabusa and Bull Nakano (who would've thought we'd get two figures of the joshi legend?) are upcoming, the second release stars none other than The Blue Meanie. Following this blog for over a decade as I'm sure you have, you know that I feel Meanie has been very underrepresented in the action figure world. Despite being a living cartoon character Meanie did not receive a figure in either his ECW or WWF runs. This was probably due to timing. Several years ago he finally saw a plastic representation in the Figures Toy Company Legends of Professional Wrestling line, but that one suffered greatly in quality. In the mean(ie)time, The Blue Guy did join the Micro Brawlers mini-figure lineup.

I think we've finally gotten the Meanie that we all deserved. Shouldn't the most beloved cartoony wrestler join the ranks of the most beloved cartoony wrestling figure line? In a word, yes! He's here and he's dancing. The Meanie comes packaged with "Josh Shernoff." I've guested on podcasts but I generally don't listen to them. From what I understand, seeing as that Meanie's shirt is from his "Mind of the Meanie" podcast, Shernoff is his co-host. The inclusion has divided a lot of fans. For me, it took away the burden of wanting a second set to get signed since I just really wouldn't want a podcast host to sign anything. I'm sure he's a great guy and is thrilled to have a figure. It's not a bad figure and comes with a very cool removable "Mind of the Meanie" microphone accessory.

The main event here is Meanie. How great is this little guy? The pose, the facial expression, the short shorts. This is what we've all wanted for a couple of decades. The folks at Chella Toys obviously have a great grasp on what made the Hasbro WWF line as popular as it is even today. It captures the spirit in a way that many of the Mattel retro figures quite honestly didn't. Even the backer cards on these Chella releases (I own the Aldis figure as well) are of the same thickness of cardboard that Hasbro used all of those years ago. The Mattel stuff was, for lack of better terms, cheap and flimsy. Is it that expensive to get a better quality cardboard for loyal fans paying good money? Chella Toys doesn't think so. They delivered.

Two aesthetics that may be cons with fans do exist. Some collectors probably would've preferred a different shirt on the figure. Seeing as that his podcast is probably something that he'd like to promote, it's easy to see why that shirt was used over a Blue Meanie or bWo shirt. Even though I've never heard the podcast I don't mind the shirt at all. It even promotes his social media accounts on the back. The other issue some may have is with the "Real Megastar Action." As a take off on the classic Hasbro "Real Wrestling Action" of each figure in that line, the Wrestling Megastar line has followed suit. The difference is that it's tongue-in-cheek and none of these figures have an action beyond you posing them. I actually think it's rather cute and the classic "action" callout on the card is much more endearing than a useless stand or an even more worthless advertisement for an app game. Mattel, I'm looking at you.

What a great new addition to the Hasbro-styled collection! I went the eBay route on these through a reputable United States based seller. There is apparently an "official" distributor of these in the U.S., but by many accounts that individual is less than trustworthy. For future Chella Toys releases I'll probably stick to eBay. I definitely want to get my hands on a Bull and probably a Dynamite who is designed to match the Hasbro Davey Boy Smith. Another independent toy maker is bringing out a Hasbro-styled line as well, so I could see possibly picking up some of those and reviewing them as well. But until then...

Meanie Dance!!!

My Five Favorite Micro Brawlers

No matter where you look, stylized mini figures are all the rage. It may have started with the never-ending Funko Pop! line, but it's branched out into just about every kind of pocket-sized figure that you can imagine. Wrestling, as popular as it is, has it's share of varieties, but our focus at the present are the Micro Brawlers. The line, created by Pro Wrestling Tees, has taken a plethora of independent stars, legends, and foreign stars and combined them to form quite the stable of micro stars. Of all of the names that have appeared so far in the line, here are my top five picks.

When you're talking wrestlers made to become a toy, you're literally screaming the name "The Blue Meanie." Just seeing his first action figure in recent years, Meanie has become one of the more recent entries to the Micro Brawlers line-up. Clad in his bWo shirt, the Meanie is posed doing exactly what he should be doing, The Meanie Dance! Meanie also fits in perfectly with the line, qualifying as both an indy wrestling star and a legend of both ECW and WWE.

As far as characters go, there's never been a crazier one than Papa Shango. I have no idea how a Papa Shango figure outside of the WWE banner is legally allowed to be made (complete with a WWE picture on the header card), but here we are. If Shango is allowed to be made, does that mean that other Charles Wright characters, such as The Godfather, are fair game as well? Time will tell, but Papa Shango was certainly the perfect one to start with.

Someone seeing his first introduction into the U.S wrestling figure market is Kazuchika Okada. The current IWGP Champion has taken the country by storm and can easily be cited as a big part of New Japan Pro Wrestling's banner success here in the states. His trademark pose and colorful entrance gear make this an irresistible figure to add to your Micro Brawlers lineup. "The Rainmaker" is also slated to be one of the first figures in the upcoming NJPW action figure line to be released stateside.

Announcers rarely see too many figures, but Jim Ross isn't just any announcer. Good Ol' JR is the first broadcaster to break into the Micro Brawlers line and hopefully will not be the last. Can you imagine a Micro Brawler Jerry Lawler to stand at his side? I'm not saying that it will happen, but it's certainly not a bad idea. With his recent resurgence in popularity, a Tony Schiavone Micro Brawler would be pretty damn cool, too. Nonetheless, JR may actually be my favorite of all of the Micro Brawlers thus far. Unexpected and unique, grab this Sooner while you can.

In a bittersweet entry to the line in 2019, we received a Micro Brawler of King Kong Bundy the same year as his untimely passing. While Bundy has had many figures over the past 34 years, this is the first Bundy to be posed demanding his infamous "five count." Bundy was another character who was made to be an action figure, just by looks alone. No one has any idea if this will be the final figure of Bundy, but it's certainly one that you'll want to add to your lineup.

It's fun to pick and choose who you want. There are many names that I'm unfamiliar with, mainly independent stars, who I choose to pass on. That only leaves more room on the shelf for the absolute home runs like the five shown above.

Now the question, as asked many times in wrestling before, has got to be: "Who's next?"

The Blue Meanie Dances Again

I've said it numerous times over the years. If any wrestler was meant to be an action figure, it's The Blue Meanie. It's a crime that he didn't have one during his stints in ECW and WWE. Now in 2017, following the year when Magnum T.A. finally received a figure, The Meanie is dancing into our collections. Does he live up to almost two decades of expectations? Let's take a trip to Pepperland and find out...

The Blue Meanie's first figure is part of Figures Toy Company's new Legends of Professional Wrestling line. The line is just one of several either started or planned by the company, also including figures under the Ring of Honor and Rising Stars of Wrestling banners. Also included in the first wave of Legends of Professional Wrestling figures are Jim Cornette, New Jack, and PJ Polaco (Justin Credible).

My friend and fellow wrestling/Blue Meanie fan Kerry Huffman did a great review of the figure on his YouTube channel shortly after it was released. Knowing that he was anticipating the figure as much as I was, I admit that I was a bit concerned after the review. Loose arms? Surely this had to be a one-off mistake. Another friend had mentioned to me that he had similar issues with some of the figures from the Ring of Honor line. Nonetheless, I was determined to investigate myself.

My Meanie actually had a different problem upon arrival. He was so excited to join my collection that he lost his head! The figures head was completely off the body when I received it. Thankfully I was opening the thing and, admittedly, did not take this issue to the company. Still, this has to be a concern for the many collectors who will be keeping the figure carded. Despite the figure being packaged in a reusable "clamshell" case, you still have to remove a Figures Toy Company zip tie to open it. When that's off, it's technically no longer "mint on card." You can purchase the zip ties from the company, but I can't see many doing that. I've heard of ways to remove these without cutting them, but I wasn't messing with that since this one was being opened anyway.

I was able to pop the head back on upon opening the figure, but then the loose arm situation reared it's ugly head. You can "balance" the arms occasionally, but generally the arms simply hang. Your Meanie isn't really going to "dance." There are issues with the wrists as well. Though these figures are based upon the Jakks "Ruthless Aggression" design, these are not the exact sculpts. The plastic used isn't quite the same quality either. There's a plastic folding chair included as well, but this is just a castoff from Figures Toy Company's line of wrestling figure accessories originally produced many years ago. There isn't too much of a reason for it to be included, but I don't see it taking up much of the figure budget, either.

It isn't all bad. The cloth shirt and shorts are great and add a lot to the figure. The facial sculpt is perfect and could actually not be any better. Meanie has previously said on social media that he deliberately had the design done as a mix of "eras" of The Blue Meanie and it really works. This is the look that I've been picturing all of these years. The shorts have a tendency to slip, but that's often a trade-off when using cloth accessories. Besides, isn't it just like The Meanie to be flashing some buttcrack to the audience? The belt is a separate piece from the jeans which does look good. The knee pads are very similar to their Jakks counterparts and stay on firmly.

It's very hard to recommend purchasing this figure at the current price point. On one hand, this could be the only time that an iconic cult character in wrestling ever sees a figure. Plus, there's already a bWo Stevie Richards figure out there to go along with it. At almost $40 after shipping, though, it's a steep investment. If you're opening the figure, the loose arms and other production issues hurt it. If you're keeping it carded, will the head pop off? Between the latter and the price point, I have decided against purchasing a second one to have signed. I was also interested in the Cornette figure, but may end up putting that off as well.

Following Figures Toy Company for a long time, I do understand their position. Their figure lines of all genres are niche. They do not sell them in stores and are generally only available online. The price points have to be high to pay the bills. That being said, low quality out of the box just isn't acceptable. Being a diehard fan of the 1966 Batman tv series since I was a child, I have collected many of FTC's figures from that line and have seen much better quality control there. These wrestling lines deserve that, too.

Another 5 Wrestlers...Who Never Had An Action Figure

I still don't believe that there is a bigger victim of the "Wrestler That Did Not Get An Action Figure" crime than The Blue Meanie.  As a wrestler in two different companies that had action figure deals during the late '90s wrestling "boom" period, it's mind boggling to think that The Meanie, who looks like he was thought up exclusively to become an action figure, never had one.  It's an even bigger crime that he did not find his way into Jakks WWE Classic Superstars line which had a nice selection of ECW stars amongst the many series.

The Meanie's absence in plastic, as well as that of Dino Bravo, Buddy Rogers, Verne Gagne, and Dick Murdoch, was the subject of a blog entry here back in 2011.  The topic conjured up some great discussion both here on the blog and on our Facebook page that even made me second-guess one of my initial "top five" choices.

Two years later, it's time to revisit this fun and ever-discussable topic.  Once again, the list is limited to male wrestlers that would've had a decent shot at being produced as an action figure at some point in time.  Although they are among my favorite names in wrestling, again I am not including female wrestlers, managers, announcers, and other non-wrestling types.  This is simply because figures of these stars aren't always included in the plans of toy companies.  I could probably make a list of twenty female stars alone if I were to include them.  In no particular order, here we go again...

#5--Ronnie Garvin

Ronnie is perhaps the one wrestler that I would go back to include in the original list.  Garvin would replace fellow '70s and '80s star Dick Murdoch.  "Hands of Stone" was mentioned in the comments section of the original entry and I still cannot believe that I omitted him.  Coming to the WWF in early 1989, Garvin was just a tad late for the planning of the final LJN WWF figure series.  He was still with the company in time for the design of the first couple Hasbro WWF figure lines, but he would've been another great Jakks Classic Superstars candidate.  A towel and "big gold" belt would've been top accessory choices for the crew cut coiffed grappler.

#4--Pedro Morales

Although his heyday was in the 1970's, many fans forget that Pedro was still with the WWF well into the next decade in various capacities.  With Ted Arcidi and S..D Jones in the LJN WWF figure lineup, Pedro would not have been out of the question.  As with all of the wrestlers in this feature, he also would've made a spectacular Jakks Classic Superstars figure.  As a former holder of both the WWWF Championship and the WWF Intercontinental Championship, Morales is long overdue.

#3--Pat Patterson

One of the great regrets of the greatest wrestling figure line of all-time, Jakks Classic Superstars, is that many announced figures of the later few series never saw production.  Pat Patterson was one of those figures.  It is likely that Pat was to be in wrestling gear rather than a representation of his later role as one of Mr. McMahon's "stooges," but any version would've been welcome.  Similar to Morales above, it would've been ideal to include the Intercontinental Championship with Patterson, the first holder of the title.

#2--Blackjack Mulligan

While his son Barry Windham has seen many figures over the years, the same cannot be said for Blackjack.  Like Pat Patterson, Mulligan was slated for a Classic Superstars figure.  The difference between the two is that a photo of the Blackjack Mulligan prototype was released.  An amazing facial likeness as well as simple and effective details made fans mouths water, but it just wasn't meant to be.  It would be nice if Jakks were somehow able to release the figure as a "Legends of the Ring" figure, but hope for such an opportunity seems extremely dismal.

#1--Magnum T.A.

The golden boy of Jim Crockett Promotions for a few years in the 1980's is a top choice for many collectors.  When Mattel polled fans as to which WWE Legends figures should be produced, Magnum belly-to-belly suplexed the competition.  A prototype was shown and all seemed well when suddenly the figure fell into the same pit of "cancellation" that the Jakks Blackjack Mulligan was lost in.  It's unknown if Magnum will find his way into the Mattel Elite "Flashback" position that other previously-planned "Legends" have, but I would personally bet against it.  Mattel is much more content producing "Flashback" figures of stars who have had endless figures in the past and it doesn't look like a change in their business plan is coming anytime soon.

Another five worthy contenders.  I can see revisiting this topic once again down the line, perhaps breaking a few "rules" that I've imposed on the first two lists.  Between now and then, one can only wonder which deserved wrestlers will finally get action figures...

The Top 5 Wrestlers...Who Never Had An Action Figure

For stars in all forms of entertainment, getting an action figure can mean different things. Some embrace the honor that it is, looking at it as "immortality in plastic." Others seem to make light of it or simply just don't care.

Nine times out of ten it seems that pro wrestlers really enjoy it. These days nearly every wrestler that makes it to WWE gets a figure, but what about twenty years or so ago? The Jakks WWE Classic Superstars line certainly helped more wrestlers of the past get figures that were otherwise overlooked. Who ever thought that grapplers such as Ron Bass or Rocky Johnson would finally get figures literally decades after their careers ended?

Although that amazing figure line helped "clean up" the unmade list, the fact of the matter is that there are still major wrestling names who have never had a plastic likeness made. I'm not talking about names like Frank Gotch, Strangler Lewis, or even Lou Thesz who came way before the action figure era. I'm talking about stars who made their names around the time that wrestling figures became commonplace on store shelves and in children's toy boxes.

This entry contains five wrestlers who need action figures desperately. I did use a couple of guidelines while making my list. The five names are strictly male whose greatest claim to fame were their in-ring years. Since most manufacturers concentrate on actual wrestlers, I have not included managers, commentators, or female stars. As much as I'd love figures of Sir Oliver Humperdink, JJ Dillon, The Glamour Girls, and Bob Caudle, companies like Hasbro, Galoob, and others just weren't interested in marketing more than male wrestlers. Even today, the companies struggle to make female and non-wrestler figures. Without further ado, here is my top five (in no particular order)...

#5--The Blue Meanie

What wrestler ever looked more like an action figure than ECW's best dancer? Colorful, fun, and a favorite of fans everywhere, a figure of "Da Blue Guy" would've easily been a great seller. Although The Meanie's ECW career did not coincide with the release of the company's action figures, his various WWF/WWE stints or inclusion in the Classic Superstars line would've been an ideal opportunity for a Meanie figure. And don't even get me started on how great the figure would've looked autographed!

#4--Dino Bravo

As far as the era of the LJN and Hasbro WWF action figure lines, NO ONE was more overlooked than "Canadian Strongman" Dino Bravo. A regular member of the roster during portions of both lines, Bravo just did not get an action figure. Fans have speculated that the violent nature of Bravo's death kept Jakks from including him in the Classic Superstars line. Word has been that his family is all for the production of a figure, so I hope that "Canada's Strongest Man" eventually gets his plastic due.

#3--Verne Gagne

This is one that I'll never understand. The man owned his own wrestling company WITH an action figure deal and still did not receive a figure. Although it's possible that Remco thought that an action figure of a balding, middle aged man wouldn't sell, based upon some of the toy company's other ideas I don't buy this theory. I certainly wouldn't think that it was Gagne's ego, either, although that's another story for another time. Verne is another who was overlooked in the Classic Superstars line, but the figure wouldn't satisfy me the way that a Remco version would have.

#2--Dick Murdoch

No folks, "Captain Redneck" didn't have an action figure. While he wasn't in any of the major companies for any great lengths of time during their initial action figure deals, we certainly should have seen him in the Classic Superstars line. He also would've been a great candidate for an action figure out of Japan where legends such as Mil Mascaras, Dory Funk Jr., and Antonio Inoki saw their inclusion from this list eliminated.

#1--Buddy Rogers

Including this "Nature Boy" was a decision that I went back and forth on. While his wrestling days were over for all intents and purposes by the era of figures, Rogers is one of the names that transcends eras. One could argue that Thesz should be included if Rogers is, but Rogers had the larger than life "sports entertainment" value that should have made him one of the very first Classic Superstars figures. Gorgeous George also falls under this umbrella but is disqualified due to the existence of a very rare puppet/doll of "The Toast of the Coast." Rogers had no figural representation whatsoever.

There you have my own personal top five. Before you ask, Magnum T.A., Kevin Von Erich, and Terry Taylor all have figures either released or slated to be released in the near future thus eliminating all three of those worthy contenders. Did I forget someone? Maybe you're unaware that a certain wrestler made it to plastic? Let us know here or on the Facebook Fanpage!

Halloween--The Wrestling Spooktacular

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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