World Getting You Down? Escape To A Different One…

Ah, finally we’ve hit November! My favorite time of the year is upon us. I’ve never been a big Halloween guy. It’s ok, but get me to the week of Thanksgiving until Christmas Day and just put me in a never ending cycle of that thirty-odd-day span. Take a few days out for birthday depression (getting old…) and it would be utopia. “These are a few of my favorite things,” as it were. You know what else is one of my favorite things? Figure photography. It truly brings me happiness and I know that I’m not the only one. While I love wrestling memorabilia collecting as a whole, I think that there’s just something special about the art (oh yes, it’s art) of creating and/or recreating the moments we either loved or would like to have happened.

As I said a number of years ago on this blog, action figure photography is the adult way of playing with your toys. Best of all, you’re creating something that you can share. While there are a few ways to share that content, Instagram certainly seems to be the chosen method. I have a certain love for the Instagram account The_Figure_Arena (I wonder why…) and I’m thankful for everyone who has followed. That being said, I’d love to see a platform solely for figure/toy photography of all genres. There are certainly enough fans out there who partake. Instagram started out as a great thing, but now they can delete you at the drop of a hat. Meanwhile, teenagers being disgusting get a pass, but that’s the way of the world. Get off my lawn.

I think the real key is getting the most out of it with very little. What do I photograph with? My iPhone. Lighting? I was using battery operated desk lamps that cost around $5. While I still have one of those, there’s a great three pack of quarter-sized LED switch lights on everyone’s favorite A-Z online retailer that also costs around $5. How about that fog? A humidifier. It’s really smoke and mirrors at its finest, just like how the best movie special effects are done. Admittedly, the backgrounds that I use are costly. They’re nice, but overpriced. I just like the simplicity of not having to create my own. They’re easy enough to find in a search. I won’t plug the company as they’ve never been receptive to me in any form of social media. I guess my photography isn’t good enough for them. Hey, I like it!

I don’t need to tell you where to get the figures. Photograph whichever ones you want! If you’re reading this you probably already have a ton. While the modern day Mattel figures of the world may make the most realistic photos, the classic Hasbro line or any of the “Retro” sets that have been spawned since can be just as charming and appealing to look at. Honestly, one of the best pieces that can be used for figure photography is still the Mattel WWE New Generation entrance. I dare you to even try and take a “bad” pic with that thing in the mix. Sure, it’s not useful when trying to capture other eras, but I’ve seen people do real well by stretching it a bit. I’d never say no to seeing Dusty dance out under the neon!

To be perfectly honest it doesn’t take any real photography talent, either. I took a photography course or two in college, but I really don’t remember anything from it. I’ve gotten better by trial and error. “This lighting looks better for this era.” “What would it have looked like had these two had a match back in ’87?” “I could put this shirt on this figure and it makes it fit in with these figures.” I’m sure that I’m not the only one who hears these lines in their head. A sharp eye, an odd angle or two and twenty outtakes that will never see the light of day. After all that, you’ll have your shot. The best part? Thanks to digital those outtakes don’t cost you a cent anymore.

It’s a fun and cost-effective hobby. Nearly everyone has a smartphone. Some cheap lights as I’d said above. You can grab a basic ring for about $20. And as we all know, most modern figures go on clearance. This world is way too miserable and serious for us to take ourselves too seriously. My response? Let’s play with some toys. Speaking of playing with toys, I’m going to get preachy for a moment but it’s all in the name of goodwill at this time of year. If you have an Ollie’s nearby, why not grab some of the TONS of action figures that they’ve gotten in and make up a bag for Toys For Tots? It won’t break your bank and there are literally dozens of figures at most of their locations from which to choose from. It absolutely warms my heart to think of a child, not expecting a thing, getting a figure of Rey Mysterio or Grogu. It’s a small gesture that fits right in with the topic at hand. Grab yourself a new fig, grab three for the Tots.

Let’s get the Holiday mood going early here with fun and giving. The world needs it.

Even for adults...it's O.K. to play!

There's no doubt that society is ever changing. For better or for worse ideals and situations that were once unacceptable to the general public have rapidly been making a complete 180. No, we're not getting political here. We're staying on the track of collecting but perhaps in a bit different manner than usual. Collecting action figures hasn't always been the most accepted practice. To some it's just "collecting dolls." But what about playing with them? Surely only kids do that. Interestingly enough, adults have found a new way to "play" with toys ranging from superheroes to Star Wars to wrestling: action figure photography.

Go ahead and plug that hashtag in on Instagram. You will be amazed at what you see. Real events and matches recreated. "Dream" bouts and settings that never occurred. "Bookers" creating their own promotions and lineage. Even custom figures of wrestlers who never truly existed. It's all there. Taken with cameras ranging from professional jobs to the one packed right in your cell phone. Go ahead and look around. See what there is to see. I'll wait.

Did you see all of those cool pics? The truth of the matter is that "action figure photography" is an adult way to play with toys. And it's accepted. Did you take a gander at the "likes" and "follows" that these account receive? Escapism. Art. Fun. Whatever you want to call it, it's here to stay.

The action figure manufacturers themselves have totally helped. Figures are becoming more and more realistic every day. You're hard-pressed to find a wrestling action figure these days that doesn't have interchangeable hands included, not to mention heads and of course clothing and accessories. With varying ways to make a single figure appear visually, a crafty photographer can place that figure in any number of different situations with a variety of interesting results. Even mixing accessories and outfits from a variety of different releases can surprise the most seasoned toy photographer.

There are even some companies away from the licensed groups that are getting in on the action. Any variety of dioramas and backdrops can be found to make these photographs completely immersive. Sure, the Rebels can hop aboard a starship or Batman can surprise The Joker in a dark alley, but now wrestling rings can be set up in full-sized arenas. Need a backstage area and/or locker room? You're covered there, too. And of course there's no substitute for imagination and a little elbow grease. Heck, Mattel has supplied some fantastic interview backdrops as cardboard backing with some of their releases over the years. You didn't throw that packaging away, did you?

Believe it not, I'm of the opinion that this hobby will have a lasting effect on the collectible market itself. With more and more buyers opening their figures to have some fun, less will be left boxed. While some will argue that these modern figures are mass marketed and thus will never hold the same value as their counterparts from the past, just point out how lack of proper distribution (thought I'd avoid that word in this entry...) on some of the figures instantly cemented their collectability.

Now then, open up that Mattel King Harley and take a great pic!

A Slammy Award Winning Product

Since the days of the LJN WWF Wrestling Superstars line, wrestling figures have had fun accessories. Belts, foreign objects, even pets. One accessory, around since the LJN era, has eluded the hands of wrestling figures even when one legendary star was noted for carrying one (or two) to the ring. There has even been a full scale replica released. That missing item? The Slammy Award. Finally, over thirty years after the introduction of the coveted award, Mattel has enabled figures everywhere to "take home" that very trophy.

Though the accessory was originally released as a bonus with specially marked "Basic" WWE figures, Mattel wasn't done there. As part of the Toys "R" Us WWE Network Spotlight series, a playset called "Slammy Awards Anarchy" was produced. Similar in style and packaging to the "WWE Behind The Scenes Brawl" set from a few years ago, this release is another environment that figures can be posed with away from the ubiquitous ring. The design is based upon the more recent Slammy Award ceremonies held on RAW. They weren't quite as interesting as the '80s events of the same name, but then again, Kaye Fabe was the director in those days. No one could top her work.

The meat and potatoes here is the backdrop. It's essentially three pieces consisting of a "curtain" piece and two "glass" ends, one of which has breakaway panels. You also receive a podium with microphone, breakaway announce table, one Slammy Awards-labeled chair, a camera, and, of course, a Slammy Award for good measure. An additional Slammy instead of the camera would have been better, but I guess we're looking at "play value" for the kiddies here. If you feel the need for additional trophies, the "chase" figures that included them can be found at below retail prices all around the Internet.

The backdrop is cool looking, although again I could have done without the "play value" with the breakable window. Still, we probably aren't ever getting a Barber Shop set, so you could have Shawn dispose of Marty this way. A cardboard Slammy Awards sign fits above the backdrop. It looks good enough in photos, but appears sort of cheap in person. Most kids would bend this thing in five seconds. The podium is the same one that was included with the Bruno Sammartino figure aside from being molded in a deeper blue color. This is still one of my favorite Mattel accessories to date, so it's cool to see it reused.

The announce table adds a lot, as it is always a coveted accessory. It seems to stay together a bit better than the one included with Shane McMahon. Perhaps the only thing that would have been better if included was one of the larger-than-life Slammy Award trophies that once adorned the stage, even making WWE Hall of Fame ceremony appearances for a few years. Tony Atlas claims that a famous photo taken of him slamming Hulk Hogan was used as the reference for designing the Slammy Award. Whether or not that fact is true, it did make for an impressive cover of Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

This is a fun set that is still to be found at some Toys "R" Us stores as the chain fades into memory. Due to the uniqueness, I could definitely see demand and value rising over the years as collectors decide that they want to add a little "anarchy" to their collections. Even the legends would look cool displayed here. With the amazing "King" Harley Race figure being released by Mattel this year, you could even recreate his infamous 1987 Slammy Award brawl with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. Gorilla Monsoon and livestock sadly not included.

Mattel Goes "Behind The Scenes" In WWE

Here on the blog it seems that we've kicked off 2016 with a full month of WWE toys, mostly from Mattel. Now we're capping it off with a playset. Many figure lines that I collected as a child had playsets. G.I. Joe had spectacular bases, Masters of the Universe had castles and grottos, and even The Real Ghostbusters had their legendary firehouse. Unfortunately, wrestling playsets were usually limited to rings. Despite kids dreaming of locker room sets, an interview area, or even a Piper's Pit, the non-ring areas were usually relegated to whatever makeshift playset that a child could conjure up.

Jakks and Toybiz were the first to create additional play areas for their respective WWF and WCW figure lines in the 1990's. Despite the TitanTronLive figures being a relative disappointment, the actual Tron playset was extremely popular and likely proved to manufacturers that non-ring playsets would indeed sell. Mattel has carried this idea into the next generation, with several entrance playsets being introduced. One such set even integrates tablets in order to play your favorite entrance videos.

It was another Mattel playset that recently caught my eye. This set is the WWE Behind The Scenes Brawl. Admittedly, I pay less attention in general to these playsets than the figures themselves, but all seems to indicate that this set was originally released in the middle of 2015. This set contains all you need to recreate the backstage interview area currently utilized on WWE programming. Included is the curtain backdrop with logo sign and "lighting," a mesh "screen" that opens like a double door, a mounted camera, free-standing lighting rigs, three opening barrels, and a microphone.

You may recognize some of these pieces. The curtain backdrop pieces were included with individual figures in a Toys "R" Us exclusive set several years ago. The one figure that I picked up in that set, Mark Henry, included the older logo sign as well as a flat screen monitor that could easily be used with this set. In that release, the curtain was black and not the maroon hue that we have here. The camera, sans the stand included here, has seen several releases including most recently with the J & J Security figures.

The set is quick and easy to assemble. Once the backdrop pieces are snapped together, everything else pretty much goes wherever you decide to place it. I picked this up as something that could be used as a nice display, but you're never too old to imagine some play possibilities. What if WWE launched a World Championship Wrestling-style studio show? Plop a ring down, set an announcer or two in front of the curtain, and have wrestlers roar through the mesh "entrance." It's 6:05 all over again!

Perhaps the most fitting figure for this set is coming very soon. Despite the prototype not having a microphone-holding hand, Renee Young's first figure will be a perfect companion to this set. As the most important and impactful interviewer in WWE since Mean Gene Okerlund, I'm looking forward to the Lunatic Fringe's number one fan taking her rightful place "Behind The Scenes" in the Mattel line. In the meantime, Mattel has given us Jim Ross, Michael Cole, and Jerry "The King" Lawler to conduct interviews, hopefully with more commentators to come. A Mattel Mauro Ranallo, anyone?

The set is fun, but not flawless. I could have done without the barrels, although I understand why they are included. Smash away, kids! I'd have preferred more equipment, or even some anvil cases. For a price of $35, some of the lights should really work. It couldn't have cost much to put some tiny Christmas lights above the curtain to give forth at least a small glow. That being said, the set is selling for above retail on the secondary market. It's popular even without special effects. Once Renee is released in a short while, I wouldn't be surprised if the playset becomes even more popular.

I like this set a lot. I'd have spent hours with such a set as a kid, just cutting promos. I made my own such backdrops back then, but an official item just makes it all the cooler. Kudos to Mattel for seeing the value in extending the fantasy.

Mine!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Memorabilia That Takes You Into The Ring...

Putting the action figures, video games, and other toys aside, there are some wrestling items that can truly make you feel as if you're a part of the action.  These toys and collectibles can best be classified as "role playing" items.  In the same vein as replica championship belts, holding or wearing these trinkets can transport you into the boots of the superstars of the ring.  A sampling of this style of collectible from various eras is what we'll be looking at today.

The most famous "role playing" toy in the wrestling world is without a doubt the Wrestling Buddy.  The "buddy" phenomenon began in 1990 with Tonka Toys picking up the WWF license.  These printed pillow people were designed for children to be able to "wrestle" with their favorite World Wrestling Federation heroes and villains.  The first series included Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, and Ted DiBiase followed by a second series of Jake Roberts, the Big Boss Man, and the Legion of Doom.  WCW and Mexico's CMLL followed suit with Wrestling Buddy-styled toys of their own, but the WWF characters remain the most remembered.

1990 also saw another classic WWF role playing toy produced, although not quite as well remembered as the Wrestling Buddies.  A company called PlayTime Products introduced an official WWF Microphone toy.  While there have been other WWF and WWE microphone toys produced since, this is still the only one to pattern itself after the classic WWF mic held by Mean Gene Okerlund, Howard Finkel, and so many others in the '80s and '90s.  Several wrestling sounds and a voice amplifier can be utilized when a nine-volt battery is attached, but it's the look of this toy that really makes it something special.  The box, featuring a classic "Let Me Tell Ya Somethin', Mean Gene!" photo of Okerlund and Hogan, only adds to the fun.

The boom of wrestling toys of the early '90s produced yet another such item, this time as an extension of the popular Hasbro WWF line.  It is not uncommon for manufacturers of action figure lines to branch out into other toys utilizing the same license.  Hasbro did this with Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior dress-up kits, but a less remembered item is the Jake "The Snake" Roberts Snake toy.  Hitting shelves in late 1991-early 1992, the snake was packaged in a squarish box featuring Jake and one of his snakes.  Inside was a green drawstring bag that resembled Jake's ring-used bag aside from being much smaller and including the "Jake The Snake" logo.

The snake itself was tan with brown spots and didn't really closely resemble any of Jake's snakes.  Was it Damien?  Perhaps Lucifer?  It's any one's guess really, as no specific name is mentioned on the packaging.  The item was probably designed roughly around the time of the on-screen "death" of Damien and subsequent debut of Lucifer.  The toy didn't last long on shelves, as Jake departed the company shortly after its release.

If the snake didn't creep you out, fast forward to the present day and the most recent role playing items released by WWE.  There's no doubt that among the WWE debuts of 2013, no superstars garnered more interest than the Wyatt Family.  Led by Bray Wyatt, this band of backwoods brawlers are sure to receive some interesting action figures in the coming year, but their first pieces of merchandise include several role playing items.

Wyatt, the bearded spokesman of the group, is known for his fedora.  One of his underlings, Erick Rowan, strikes fear into the hearts of many WWE Universe youngsters with a mask of a sheep's head.  Both of these items are now available from WWE and appear to be exact replicas of both.  Although the Wyatt Family aren't exactly heroes, it once again proves that merchandise of either heels or faces is desired by fans as long as it's interesting.  These two items fit that description perfectly.

Role playing items are fun, but just a small example of some of the great wrestling memorabilia out there.  If you're new to the blog, you may not be aware of our Facebook Fanpage.  Join the page for frequent updates, hundreds of photos of memorabilia, and much more.  It's a great supplement to the blog!

Squinkie Mania!

 Occasionally there is some wrestling memorabilia produced that leaves you shaking your head.  Sometimes, you're buying and enjoying those very items while still shaking your head.  It all comes with the territory of being a wrestling collector, especially in the days of a "PG" rated wrestling product that is partially marketed to children.  When a popular toy license such as WWE collides with a children's toy fad, the possibilities can be endless.  Behold...WWE Squinkies.

What the heck is a Squinkie?  Basically, it's a squishy rubber figure a little under an inch high that comes in a plastic bubble.  They're sort of like toys that you would get out of a machine at a store, but they remind me exactly of the "Power Ups" contained in bubbles in some of Nintendo's Mario Party games.  Instead of obtaining them in machines, they are purchased in packs of twelve with nine of the characters showing and three obscured in colored "mystery" bubbles.  Produced by Blip Toys of Minnetonka, Minnesota, the WWE Squinkies were all released in 2012.

The first three sets intrigued me upon their arrival in stores.  A mix of current stars and legends is rather odd for a toy basically aimed at kids, but I wasn't complaining.  At around $13 a pack, I originally had decided to hold out.  Recently, I picked up the first three sets for a mere $2.99 per pack.  I then discovered that two more sets were produced, with slightly different card art and all new characters.  Amazingly, these sets were also already being clearanced out.

If you were a child of the '80s, you may remember Coleco's "Mash'ems" toys.  These remind me of extremely scaled down WWE versions of those toys in that they're deformed figures that can be mashed down yet bounce back to their original shape.  The likenesses are very hit or miss, but most from the first three sets can be easily deciphered.  59 different characters in all have been produced (60 total, two versions of Rey Mysterio were made) and include Triple H, The Rock, John Cena, Sin Cara, Brodus Clay, Kevin Nash, Goldust, Big Boss Man, Yokozuna, Sgt. Slaughter, Kelly Kelly, CM Punk, and Hornswoggle just to name a few.

As mentioned above, each pack contains three "mystery" figures that are packaged in colored bubbles.  Seeing as that their names are listed on the back of the packages of the first three sets, I'm not sure what makes them such a mystery.  The mystery figures of Series 4 and 5 are a different story.  While "silhouettes" of the mystery figures are shown, the names are not.  Vickie Guerrero, Beth Phoenix, Alex Riley, and Jimmy Uso are fairly easy to figure out, but it took Blip Toys to confirm that the other two are indeed Dusty Rhodes and David Otunga.  It isn't obvious to figure out just by looking at them.

Although the first three series are very distinct as to who each Squinkie is supposed to represent, the same cannot be said for 4 and 5.  Since each Squinkie is basically a head, hands, and feet, very little shows of the body.  Most of the characters in those final series have dark hair, black shoes, and non-descript facial features.  Upon first glance I thought that The Shield were in one of the sets, but it turned out to be Tyler Reks, Justin Gabriel, and Mason Ryan.  The worst is undoubtedly The Great Khali who is wearing wrist tape and looks like "Prime Time" Brian Lee.  That being said, these last two series contain all four Divas in the collection and anything that includes Dusty is okay with me...even if it barely resembles "The Dream."

What I really like about these toys is the depth of the line.  Cena, Randy Orton, and Sheamus are on any kind of merchandise you can imagine, and rightly so.  When mid and under carders make merchandising, it makes me smile, as does the inclusion of Legends.  As a kid, I would be thrilled that the likes of Curt Hawkins and JTG were in this line.  Even Squinkies need to job to other Squinkies!

Though it seems that Squinkies started as primarily a girls toy property, other boy interests such as Marvel Super Heroes have been produced as well.  Further research shows that some cool toys that utilize the Squinkies while in their bubbles, such as claw machines and the like, are also available.  It's a shame that it looks as if no such add-ons will be produced for the WWE Squinkies, although it would be interesting to hear if any were ever on the drawing board.  There does seem to be some generically styled Squinkie peripherals available, one of which includes a small wrestling ring.  Perhaps some of those could be used to create a game with the WWE stars.

These little guys (and gals) are quirky and fun.  The likenesses, especially with the later examples, aren't always quite there, but you can't expect much from a figure that is under an inch tall.  Many collectors love any wrestling figures that are of odd scales and designs.  These sets would fit right in.  Now may be the time to snatch them up, as I'm sure they are hitting clearance in many areas just as I found them.  At full price I would most likely pass, but for a little over $20 for sixty figures, you can't go wrong.

"A Squinkie, A Squinkie, A Wonderful, Wonderful Toy!  Fun For A Girl And A Boy!"  Ok...so I stole that from Slinky, but hey, it's wrestling!

WrestleMania XXIX Weekend: The Memorabilia

WrestleMania weekend is so big that it deserves two entries!  Last week I took the opportunity to tell the story of my own "WrestleMania Moment."  The experience, which I have dubbed "The MetLife Miracle," certainly made my first live WrestleMania one for the books.  I had also briefly skimmed over the memorabilia and other memory-making activities that took place in the NY/NJ area, so in this second installment we'll take a bit of a closer look in that direction.

For the past several years it seems that every independent wrestling promoter wants to "piggyback" on the success of WrestleMania.  You can't put them at fault, as nowhere during the year will you find a bigger collection of wrestling fans in one metropolitan area.  As scary as that may be to some, it can also mean big bucks.  Still, with all that New York City has to offer, I'd venture to say that those promoters had more competition than ever before.

Many autograph and photo opportunities took place under the WrestleCon banner.  Wrestlers from the past and present were booked into the convention, meeting many fans for the first time.  While regular conventions draw a few fans from other countries, WrestleMania attracts hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world.  These fans seemed to take advantage of the opportunities presented and met dozens of stars that they have admired for years.

Of course, the fans aren't the only ones who find themselves feeling a heckuva lot younger.  In my many years of attending conventions, one of the highlights is always seeing the stars themselves reunite.  How often do you see your former co-workers?  Rarely if ever?  The same goes for professional wrestlers.  While they may spend a lot more time with their co-workers than us regular folk do, when places of employment change they often lose track of each other in the very same way that we do.  These shows allow the stars to reconnect and reflect on years gone by.  The difference between our co-workers and fellow wrestlers is that no matter the era or company where they may have work, wrestlers ALL seem to know each other.  It's a beautiful thing.

Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Bret Hart, Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, and Jushin Liger are just a sampling of some of the major names that met with fans during the weekend.  WWE even permitted William Regal to make a rare appearance due to the company pulling Bruno Sammartino from the event in order for "The Living Legend" to do media.  As thrilling as of the above names are to meet, my money is still on stars like Butch Reed, Heidi Lee Morgan, Barry Horowitz, and Tony "T.L. Hopper" Anthony as far as the true highlights of the show.  The above four are among names that simply do not do many appearances on the circuit and are always the ones that bring forth the true "wows" when reflecting upon the event.

As far as memorabilia from the weekend, nothing can truly top the WWE's marketing machine.  Open to all without a ticket of any kind, the WWE Superstore was a destination all weekend right in MetLife Stadium.  Entrance themes and promo videos blared as thousands of fans passed through the doors to stock up on WWE goodies.  Shirts, hats, piggy banks, programs, belts, action figures, and so much more filled the store to the brim.  Anxious fans and shoppers equally filled the WWE's tills after paying the prices asked.

That isn't to say that the store was completely devoid of bargains.  In the previous entry I showed my own personal favorite item, the WrestleMania pullback taxicab toy.  At only $10 it was a unique and inexpensive collectible that looks great as a paperweight for your WrestleMania tickets or just to recall memories of the weekend.  Much of the apparel offered at $35 and up has already starting appearing at reduced prices through WWE's online shop.  If you ever wanted that WrestleMania ballcap or beanie bear, there hasn't been a better time to stock up.

Based upon the past, one major future collectible is the official program for WrestleMania XXIX and the WWE 2013 Hall of Fame ceremony.  While it has the largest price tag ($25) of any WWE program in my memory, it is without a doubt the most massive WWE program in history.  The program is taller and thicker than any live event or pay-per-view oversized program previously produced and is stuffed full of great content.

The WrestleMania side features a profile on each match from the event
(including the cut 8-person tag team match) as well as new "capsule" profiles on each of the previous twenty-eight WrestleMania events.  Also featured is a photo of nearly each and every person currently under contract with WWE.  This includes all of the NXT stars, many making their first appearance on official WWE merchandise.  Next to each photo is a space where, in theory, you could obtain an autograph.

The Hall of Fame side features some very nice shots of the 2013 class and a look back on all previous Hall of Fame classes.  I greatly miss the smaller, unique Hall of Fame programs of the past.  I realize that those days are gone, but it could be a thought to produce a smaller program exclusively available at the ceremony itself in addition to having the Hall of Fame portion in the WrestleMania publication.  A small request that will go unanswered, yet still needed to be said.

So now that the 29th edition of WrestleMania is over, surely the marketing must be as well.  Wrong!  I'm sure that in the coming months there will be a Toys "R" Us exclusive figure series commemorating the stars, moments, and ring gear from WrestleMania XXIX complete with the NY/NJ logo right on the package.  Will I be all over them?  You bet!  Anything that reminds me of "The MetLife Miracle" and the weekend that was has a home in my collection.