Topps Enters The Divas Revolution

Is it the "Divas Revolution" or "Women's Revolution?" Either way, the ladies are back with their own trading card collection thanks to Topps. Though I'd definitely consider this a new line for a new year, these cards actually started hitting shelves late last year. The set was initially thought to be a Wal Mart exclusive, but the blaster boxes have also been spotted at Toys "R" Us. Speaking of which, if you aren't a fan of blaster boxes you're out of luck. Thus far the 51-card boxes are the only way to get these cards at retail and it seems as if it will remain that way.

Opening a box will yield you a mix of fifty cards from the base and subsets as well as one relic or autograph. The cards are wrapped all together in one foil wrapper and, to be honest, look like a Chunky bar. You know..."what a chunk of chocolate!" But inside isn't candy of that sort. Instead it's Topps first set solely devoted to the female WWE superstars. Fleer did several "Divas" sets over a decade ago, but those focused only on the then-current females. Although there were some diamonds in the rough then, the stars were more for show than athleticism back then.

The base set contains the odd number of 43 cards. Perhaps Topps was looking to secure more names from the past? We see new WWE cards for Wendi Richter, Torrie Wilson, Ivory, and Kelly Kelly among others, but I must admit that I'm biased as far as my favorite. For the first time since 1986 there is a new WWE-licensed product of my friend Leilani Kai. The picture used is exactly the same as one of her cards from thirty years ago in the WWF O-Pee-Chee set, but it's still a cool thing to see.

There are also numerous subsets that largely mirror those in the regular Topps WWE subsets. Power Couples, Rivalries, and Champions are just several featured. It's never a bad thing when Miss Elizabeth and Sensational Sherri show up. I particularly like the Champions cards, showing the stars with the various incarnations of the title. Charlotte receives two cards in this subset, one featuring the Divas Championship and the other showing the current WWE Women's Championship. It's interesting that this set was still in development when the "Divas" tag was dropped, yet the term is still used as the title.

My pull? As usual, Alicia Fox. I love "Foxy" and feel that she's one of the more underutilized female stars. Still, I wish it had been an autograph rather than a boring relic. Interestingly, the mat relic is said to be from WrestleMania XXX back in 2014. I guess they have more pieces of mat lying around than they know what to do with. It's really time to update the most humdrum of relics, mat pieces. How about some ring rope tape? Locks of hair? Sweat on a paper towel? Anything!

What we have in Divas Revolution is a unique set that almost feels like a test. If the blaster boxes sell well this time around, will we see a wide-release sequel with packs and hobby boxes? There are enough female stars of the past and present to warrant it. Is the demand there? I would think so. No WWE trading card product, no matter how repetitive, ever seems to hang around long. If you see a blaster of Divas, pick it up and show your support! Even if you suffer, I mean, "luck out" and pull a mat relic, you'll get fifty other cards from a unique set filled with some great talent.

Back To Wrestling's Future...2015 Edition

In my book, nothing says "trading cards" like thick cardboard and a nice matte finish. No gloss! It's what many of us grew up on, and it's why I really enjoy the Topps Heritage cards. The company produces a few different sports under the Heritage banner. Even some Star Wars card sets have been done in a retro style. After a three year wait, Topps has once again revived the WWE Heritage brand.

Once again, a 110-card base set is surrounded by several subsets and seemingly endless hits and parallels. In the Heritage sets it's the base cards that I enjoy the most. In 2015, Topps is celebrating thirty years of WWF/WWE cards. The base card design is based off of the Topps 1985 baseball set. Seeing as that the 2012 WWE Heritage set already used the 1985 Topps WWF design, this was a good choice.

The base set is divided into Legends, Divas, WWE Superstars, and NXT Superstars. There is some crossover, however. The Divas section includes some retired ladies and superstars such as Christian and Santino Marella are thrown in with the current WWE roster. The NXT section features Kevin Owens, Sasha Banks, and Charlotte, but the card designs were switched to the Superstars and Divas designs, respectively, presumably at the last minute.

An abundance of stars, both past and present, has given Topps the ability to spread names, and gimmicks, throughout the set. Some stars only appear in subsets while others such as Alundra Blayze, Eva Marie, and Pat Patterson, make their sole appearances on autograph cards. Even more names, especially NXT midcarders, only appear on relic cards featuring clothing, turnbuckle, or mat swatches. Many big stars such as Ric Flair, Lex Luger, and Terry Funk are only on tag team or group cards. It's an interesting switch likely due to the rights to so many stars being available this time around.

The 2015 subsets include NXT Call Ups, Then & Now, and Rookie of the Year. The latter two are based in design on the Topps 1985 Baseball "Top Prospects" and "Father & Son" subsets, respectively. The "rookie" cards are very nice and mark the first WWE year of thirty different Superstars, not their first year in the business. Yet another subset yields just eight cards and uses art from the WWE 2K16 video game. Of these cards, Paul Heyman makes his lone appearance in the whole set and is a major stand-out.

There is also a ten card subset spotlighting the New World Order. I do believe that these ten cards are replacing what would have been the final ten in the Hulk Hogan tribute subset which was spread out over past sets. It's cool to see Miss Elizabeth and Big Bubba Rogers show up, but they should have completed the Hogan set. Although technically these cards are a subset, since they aren't retro in style I don't technically count them as Heritage. They are glossy and on the modern, thinner, card stock. It's a shame that Elizabeth didn't get an actual Heritage card with a classic '80s shot, but there's always the next set.

A hobby box (twenty-four packs) is guaranteed to have two "hits" inside. These hits can be an autograph, relic, or printing plate. This is the first WWE Heritage set to utilize the ever-growing in popularity "on-card" autographs. For those unfamiliar with trading card sets, it has long been practice for the signers to autograph rows of clear stickers which are then affixed to the cards. In recent years the companies have been switching to getting the autographs right on the card itself. In my hobby box, I pulled a Jack Swagger shirt relic and a Roman Reigns autograph.

For the best shot at obtaining something special like an autograph, as usual your best bet is a hobby box. In the results that I've seen so far, one has been either an autograph or a redemption card for one, so the odds are looking good. This hasn't always been the case with past Topps sets, where autographs can sometimes be slim pickings. Target has been carrying single packs and Wal Mart once again has exclusive Sting cards (and a shot at his autograph) in their jumbo packs and blaster boxes.

I've been asking for this set for three years. Topps delivered. It isn't my favorite Heritage set, 2012 still holds that distinction, but it's close. I think it might be tied with Heritage II back in 2006. I don't see myself going as crazy getting this set signed as I did with 2012. There are too many tag team cards to make me want to make it a project, but I already know a few that will end up in my signed album. Some of the "Rookie of the Year" cards practically scream "get me autographed!" How can I ignore that?

I've admitted before that a Heritage set every year probably won't ever happen, but I hope that Topps doesn't make us wait three years again for the next one. Two years would be perfect to make the thirtieth anniversary of the 1987 Topps WWF set. The patriotic design of that set is begging to be redone with another great mix of current stars and legends.

Maybe even including...a stick of gum?

Mattel & Target Deliver Hall Of Fame-Level Stratusfaction

In many ways, Trish Stratus was the modern day pro wrestling success story. Upon her debut, no one expected Trish to be more than a pleasant piece of eye candy who managed a few wrestlers and then faded into obscurity. The Canadian beauty made fools of all of us, and we couldn't be happier about it. Very few questioned it when Trish was announced for the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2013. She had earned and deserved the honor.

This year, Mattel revived their WWE Hall of Fame figure line as a Target exclusive series. Several years ago some Hall of Fame labeled figures were released through K-Mart, but were essentially repackaged Mattel Legends figures. This new series features four WWE Hall of Famers in new outfits and designs. Our lady of the hour, Trish Stratus, joins Sgt. Slaughter, The Ultimate Warrior, and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the first series. Stratus and Slaughter have proven to be the most popular.

To begin with, this is the first (and possibly only) figure of Stratus as a brunette. This is the hair color that she has kept since retiring from wrestling and utilized in her WWE returns and outside ventures. It makes the figure fun and different, while the unique Hall of Fame package design helps in that regard as well. The head is the same as the earlier Elite Flashback figure of Trish with tweaks to the makeup and, of course, the hair coloring. Her hair has had less of the "feathering" in her brunette years, but I'm not complaining. The makeup on the old figure which she has not worn in recent years helped make the face look more like Trish, but you can still tell that it's her without it.

The attire is based on her WrestleMania XXVII appearance. Her presence was one bright point on a rather abysmal show. Sadly, she was also saddled with Snooki. Who? Anyway, if you lift up the back of her long locks, you'll see that Mattel went the extra mile and applied her "Brunette Mafia" logo to the back of her shirt. Shortly after the figure was released, Trish herself commented on Twitter about the "cuteness" of detail on the figure, "especially the butt." Awww, Trish...

Included is the WWE Women's Championship accessory. Trish is the only figure to have included this belt so far, as it debuted with the first Mattel figure of her. It would have been nice had a small plaque been included with this figures as was with Bruno Sammartino, but I understand budgetary measures. Trust me, it's nice to have a Hall of Fame line at all.

The choice of attire makes this Trish figure a bit more flexible than the first. Her initial figure was based upon the almost bellbottom-esque pants that she wore around ten years ago. The more shape-hugging attire here allows Trish to perform the "Chick Kick" and other maneuvers with ease. I really like the gloved hands, as well. Trish looks a lot tougher here while maintaining her trademark sexiness. Look out, Ronda!

This figure takes me back to sitting in the Garden on the night that Trish delivered her speech. I thought that it was one of the best of the night and her use of props, which has since been copied, was a great addition to her career story. I may be in the minority, but I'd love figures based on some of the more unique Hall of Fame looks (Trish in her dress, bald Bruno, tuxedo Hulk), but then I remember that these are action figures and not...induction speech figures.

The Hall of Fame Trish gets a big thumbs up from me, but you may have to take to the secondary market if you haven't already found one. Plenty were produced, but Trish and Slaughter were very popular. Series 2 featuring Hulk Hogan, Eddy Guerrero, Yokozuna, and Tito Santana as well as a Four Horsemen set are on the way. Even though the idea of a "First Time In The Line" Diva figure in a store exclusive set is insanity, I'd love to see Trish's "Team Bestie" pal Lita in a future set. The Hall of Fame line might also be a good way to get some managers like Jimmy Hart and Bobby Heenan out, not to mention Paul Bearer who has only seen the Mattel light of day overseas.

In the meantime, we now have two different flavors of "Sweet Stratusfaction!"

The State of Wrestling Collecting Address--2015 Edition

After a solid month of nostalgia with the 25th anniversary of Hasbro WWF, February seems like a good time to look at the present and future.  The last time that I did a "State of Wrestling Collecting Address" was back in the summer of 2012.  WWE was focused solely on their upcoming 1,000th episode of Raw.  We had yet to hear the battle cry of "...for just $9.99" but trends and hashtags were already status quo.  Tout it out, anyone?  Regardless, 2015 has already opened with a lot of promise as far as the future of the business and, of course, its merchandising.

While any numbers have yet to surface, New Japan Pro Wrestling's WrestleKingdom 9 got quite a bit of buzz here in the United States.  That buzz was, in part, due to Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling presenting the show on American pay-per-view with Jim Ross and Matt Striker on commentary.  It seems that NJPW may finally gain a wide audience in the US with a new television show in the states as well.  I would love to see a WrestleKingdom 9 Blu-Ray release as well as a new line of NJPW figures.  I don't think that there has ever been a better time for the latter.

On the American front, Mattel's WWE line won't be the only new wrestling figures available in 2015.  Figures Toy Company has announced that their Ring of Honor figure line should debut this spring.  Series are expected to have four figures each and will have plenty of accessories, including gold-toned belts.  The company has also expressed interest in producing a new line featuring wrestling legends.  This could greatly fill the void left when Mattel decided to focus on more recent "Flashback" figures.

TNA is still a great unknown.  Although the company is back to regularly taping television, it still feels as if nobody is at the wheel.  Is their relationship with Jakks continuing?  Time will tell, but more waves of repainted figures won't satisfy anyone.  Now that Awesome Kong is back with the company, it's time to get her a full-sized figure.  Rockstar Spud and his act seems to scream "action figure," as well.

Of course, nothing stops the WWE merchandising machine.  Even though they no longer have a monthly magazine, I counted four different publications in January that featured WWE talent on the cover (The Authority and Eva Marie each on a different version of Muscle & Fitness, Brock Lesnar on PWI, and The Undertaker as shown).  One of those was the annual WWE Photos Of The Year issue.  That, coupled with the release of a WrestleMania preview magazine in recent weeks, shows that the company is still producing in-house specials.

Mattel seems to be churning out more product than ever, just in time for WrestleMania season.  Hulk Hogan, Rusev, Doink the Clown, Paige, Bo Dallas, Emma, and Razor Ramon are just a few of the names making their Mattel debut in the next few months.  The upcoming unveilings at Toy Fair should only add more exciting names to that list.

Mattel has also seemingly found a new retail partner for exclusives.  After their exclusive Rocky Maivia during the holiday season, Target has received a special series paying tribute to the WWE Hall of Fame.  Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Ultimate Warrior, Sgt. Slaughter, and Trish Stratus comprise the set.  Packaged in Hall of Fame-styled packaging, the series includes the first figure of Stratus as a brunette.

We're only into February yet already have a ton of new wrestling merchandise to look forward to. Our wallets can share in the excitement, as they look to lose more and more weight as the year progresses.

Speaking of new things for 2015, I now have a second blog!  Josh Culture is an off-the-top-of-my-head look at the things that I enjoy, adventures, food, and yes, even wrestling. This week, my first wrestling story, a trip to Abdullah The Butcher's House of Ribs & Chinese in Atlanta, debuts on the blog. For the many of you who have wanted to hear my stories interacting with wrestlers, trips, events, and more, this is where they will be posted!  Don't forget to follow the blog's twitter @JoshCultureBlog, as well!  Now there's two times the blogging fun!  Check #JoshCulture out at http://joshculture.blogspot.com!

Topps Travels The Road To WrestleMania

Has the wrestling world ever changed as rapidly as it has since WrestleMania XXX?  Survivor Series is just around the corner and most everyone imagined that Daniel Bryan would still be battling at the top of the card.  Instead, injuries have kept him away since spring.  The "headlining" legend of WrestleMania, The Ultimate Warrior, should have been continuing his renewed relationship with WWE, but was struck down with a heart attack at the conclusion of the weekend.  Even planned changes such as the break-up of The Shield, the uncertain status of the Wyatt family, and the killed momentum of Cesaro have completely changed the WWE landscape since the company "let the good times roll" back in April.

In the latest WWE trading card set, Topps takes us back to that exciting and optimistic night, as well as the events that led up to it.  This is the third Topps WWE product of the year, and the one that will carry it through the holiday season.  Single packs and "blaster boxes," the latter automatically containing a relic card, are available.  Hobby boxes guarantee two "hits" (relic or autograph) among the twenty-four packs.  While relic cards are fun, I always prefer an autograph card.

The 110 base cards are very nice this time around.  While I prefer the "year" sets with individual superstar cards, this set goes in order of the events leading up to WrestleMania XXX.  The photos used are very crisp and, in most cases, very well chosen.  Although many fans, including myself, are at times dumbfounded at some of the WWE's presentation, I always note that the talent level is fantastic. These superstars translate just as well onto trading cards as they do into action figures, proving that the WWE marketing machine is still in full force.

Subsets have been a popular trend in trading cards for quite awhile now, and we get some new ones this time around.  First up are sets dedicated to The Ultimate Warrior and "The Queen of WrestleMania," Trish Stratus.  Both are brightly colored, neon green and pinkish purple respectively, and highlight two stars who made it bigger during their careers than many originally imagined.  Next is a 22-card set dedicated to The Streak, including a 21-1 card from this year. Finally, a 60-card subset celebrates the 30 years of WrestleMania.  While it's a nice subset (any time that Greg "The Hammer" Valentine gets a card is good with me), licensing limitations hurt what could have been. Yokozuna gets three very similar looking cards in a row due to this.  Bret Hart returns to WWE cards in the Topps 2015 set, but he was obviously needed here.

In breaking a hobby box, I did not assemble a complete base card set as I did with the WWE 2014 series.  There are parallel cards to the base set, which basically amounts to different colored foil lettering.  I understand that there are collectors of these variations, but I don't get the excitement.  Boarders?  Sure. Lettering?  No.  As far as "hits," I happily received both a relic and an autograph.  Former Funkadactyl Cameron was my autograph, while a Cesaro WrestleMania XXX mat relic was the other hit.  A great memory from back when Cesaro should've been shot to the moon and wasn't losing to...lesser talent.

Road To WrestleMania is a good set.  Not great, but good.  If can get a good deal on a hobby box as I did, it's worth it to see what you pull.  You can't help but think that the Ultimate Warrior would have had autograph cards in this set, but it was not meant to be.  This is definitely one of the better "action shot" sets that have been produced.  Topps WWE 2015 is already set for February, and will include Hart as previously mentioned as well as the returns of George "The Animal" Steele and Sgt. Slaughter.  At risk of sounding like a broken record, how about a return to Heritage for the second half of 2015?  After all, it isn't one of my Topps reviews unless I plea at the end!

My Favorite Events--WWE Hall Of Fame 2013

Favorite wrestling events don't necessarily need to include actual matches.  Honoring this great business and its stars can be equally as thrilling and memorable.  While there are many nights like this on a calendar year thanks to various wrestling institutions, the one that gets more attention than any other is the annual WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.  Since 2004, the event has been held on the night before the biggest annual show for the company, WrestleMania.

2013 saw my first pilgrimage to WrestleMania, which of course meant that I would be attending the Hall of Fame.  Initial rumors claimed that a certain 90's supergroup would be inducted that year, not particularly thrilling me.  Not long after, rumors of Bruno Sammartino finally burying his 25-year-long grudge with WWE also began to surface, including word that "The Living Legend" would finally take his place in the Hall of Fame.

As we all know by now, Sammartino did indeed join Bob Backlund, Booker T, Trish Stratus, Mick Foley, and Celebrity Wing Inductee Donald Trump in filling out the Class of 2013.  Held in a Hall of Fame level venue like Madison Square Garden, the atmosphere only enhanced what would have been a magical night no matter the location.

Unlike some years where the speeches tend to lag, almost every inductee had something memorable planned as part of their special moment.  Mick Foley had the first finishing move and pinfall to take place at a WWE Hall of Fame ceremony when he dropped his elbow onto Chris Jericho, lying prone on stage, while CM Punk counted the pin.  Trish Stratus brought several props to her induction as well as the announcement of her pregnancy.  Booker T capped off a tremendous speech with his famous Spinaroonie, while Bob Backlund was simply...Bob Backlund.

Bruno Sammartino was positioned as the "main event" of the evening, as was appropriate.  Tickets to the ceremony did not sell out until after the Sammartino announcement, thus cementing the night as "The Living Legend's" 188th such accomplishment in Madison Square Garden.  I know that I am not the only fan who could never have imagined attending a Sammartino-headlined MSG show, but it happened.

In his speech, Foley pointed out that it would be hard to ever top the 2013 Hall of Fame class.  He was right.  It could be argued that any of the wrestlers inducted in 2013 had the potential to "headline" a Hall of Fame class.  All five were world champions and each left a lasting imprint on the business.  All were also alive to participate, which in the world of wrestling sadly isn't always the case.

The event was also the first of its kind to actually see a bit of merchandising.  While a program is produced for every Hall of Fame ceremony and shirts have been marketed for the past few years, 2013 saw a bit more.  Mattel designed their Bruno Sammartino figure as a homage to the event, complete with accessories of the podium and a WWE Hall of Fame plaque.  In their Best of 2013 set, Topps included trading cards with photos from the event.  A few of their autographed insert cards used these photos as well.

Aside from possibly changing the celebrity inductee (I enjoy The Donald, but Cyndi Lauper would have fit even better), I don't think that we could have gotten a better Hall of Fame in The Garden.  Since most of my favorite events took place before I was old enough to make an effort to attend them, the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame was the perfect storm.  Stars from the past shining one more time in the mecca of pro wrestling, a landmark that will soon be history itself.  "Standin' In The Hall Of Fame," indeed.

Mattel Attempts To Deliver Some Stratusfaction

'Tis the season for new figures and reviews!  With a bevy of new Mattel WWE items, just in time for the holiday season, we have yet another new product highlight and review.  New characters and even some familiar faces getting the "Elite" treatment have been showing up here, with the latter being the topic of today.  It's a Hall of Famer and it's a female character.  Add those two qualifications to it being one of the most popular WWE stars of the past decade and that makes it a must-review product 'round these parts.

I'll admit, I was wrong.  I, like many other fans, didn't have much hope when Trish Stratus made her WWF debut.  Walking out on stage, it was obvious that she had a presence, but there was no way that this girl was going any further.  Her voice quivered on the mic and it was apparent that she was being utilized for all of the wrong reasons.  Thirteen years later, I sat in Madison Square Garden watching this same woman, albeit with different colored hair, take her place in the WWE Hall of Fame.  Never judge a book...

Trish always gives so much credit to Fit Finlay who has widely been noted for helping the in-ring talents of the female stars of that era.  Most fans will agree, he did an incredible job.  I've often said that Trish would be "the new Moolah" as far as her wrestling career went.  While Trish retired much earlier than the women's wrestling pioneer, her ability to create an exciting match and captivate the audience of the WWF/WWE was right on par with her predecessors.  Trish "got it," and I don't believe that we've seen the last of her yet.

It's fitting that, following her Hall of Fame induction, Mattel introduces Miss Stratus into their figure line.  Although she had many figures in the Jakks WWE collection, the Mattel female sculpts have thus far proven to have much more playability.  Trish versus Kaitlyn, Alicia Fox, or The Bella Twins?  Mattel is making it happen.  But did the company fulfill Trish's oft-proclaimed promise of "Stratusfaction Guaranteed?"

Elite Series 24 is the last before a packaging change.  Unlike some of the female (and male) Elite figures, Trish does not seem to float in the package.  She could perhaps have been placed a bit higher in the bubble, but overall she settles nicely next to her accessory.  She is the only "Flashback" figure in this series, which also includes The Miz, Ryback, Wade Barrett, Rey Mysterio (surprise, surprise...but at least it's a cool costume), and Dolph Ziggler in a celebratory pose with the World Championship (from the old days when he was mistakenly booked as something other than an undercarder).

I'm all about figures feeling like you've got your money's worth.  For a female figure Trish surprisingly has that feel.  It's no Tensai, but it isn't a light figure at all.  There's substance here, and for the price of these figures, that's what we should be getting.  Trish's attire is an outfit that we're all familiar with, and one that I recall her wearing on many occasions.  The figure has elbow pads, and although the artwork on the box doesn't picture them, I'm sure that she wore these at some point as well.

In the package, I wasn't that enamored with the facial likeness.  The more I look at it, the more I like it.  It's not perfect and isn't as good as Jakks likeness of her circa 2004, but it's undeniably Trish.  The absolutely perfect hair sculpt helps a lot.  As with the last Elite female figure that I reviewed, there seems to be sloppy paint apps on the face.  These are usually removable, but it just shouldn't be happening.  There isn't anything that a mint on card figure collector can do about something like this, so it does need to be addressed on Mattel's end.

Now we get to my favorite part, the accessory.  Trish comes fully equipped with the WWE Women's Championship belt.  This is the first time that this women's belt has been produced by Mattel.  Jakks attempt at this belt was less than pretty.  Aside from Moolah and Mae Young who had padded hips under their outfits, the belt never fit any female figures correctly.  It was made on the scale of the other belts for the male figures which was a crucial mistake.

The Mattel version is a vast improvement.  From a detailed soft strap complete with "engraved" WWE logos to full paint apps to just simply being smaller, this belt is one of the top selling points of this figure.  It will fit virtually any female figure that you can find perfectly.  Well, you may have a bit of trouble fitting it on A.J. Lee, but skeletons shouldn't be winning championships, anyway.  Since this belt is no longer in use in WWE, it's hard to imagine when this design will be released again.  If you want to own this belt for your figures, this is the place to get it.

What else can I say?  This newly-minted figure of wrestling's newest mommy is a winner.  For the price of an Elite, you feel like you're getting a quality, well-designed figure with a great accessory.  As with almost any female figure that I review, if you want her you'll have to snatch her up when you see her.  She's packed one per case, she's a popular Hall of Famer, she has a desired accessory, and the holidays are coming.  Though I'm usually a champion for the cause of pre-1990's characters being made as Elite Flashbacks, this figure does have me wondering just what kind of magic Mattel could make with Lita.  Back to the drawing board!

Wrestling MarketWatch: WWE Hall of Fame 2013

There's no doubt about it, the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2013 is shaping up to be the biggest of all-time.  With two of the all-time greatest world champions and three main eventers of the past decade announced thus far, there's no denying the star power.  Whether or not this is a good thing for the future of the Hall of Fame being an annual event remains to be seen.  While Bruno Sammartino could've been THE inductee of 2013 and Bob Backlund, Booker T, Trish Stratus, and Mick Foley easily could've "headlined" their own years, it's only a matter of time until the talent pool of inductees runs dry.  We'll let WWE worry about that, however.

We're here, as always, to talk about memorabilia.  In this edition of "Wrestling MarketWatch," we'll take a look at some of the recent selling prices involving several of this year's Hall of Fame inductees.  As I frequently remind collectors, recent selling prices are the only way to gauge the monetary value of an item.  Of course, value to you as a collectible is much more important than a sale price.

*There's absolutely nowhere better to start than with "The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino.  It's still surreal to think that we are just weeks away until Sammartino returns to WWE programming.  Scheduled for the Hall of Fame, WrestleMania XXIX, and Raw the next night, it's about time that members of the "WWE Universe" who are unfamiliar with "The Living Legend" begin brushing up on their history. 

Being the icon that Bruno is, it's no wonder that he has tons of classic memorabilia available.  Two decades ago he was personally involved in the production of one of my favorite card sets, the Legends of Wrestling.  The trading cards were produced by Imagine Inc. in Pittsburgh which is the same company that originally published Sammartino's autobiography.  The card set was available in three variations with the third variation including autographed cards of legends such as Buddy Rogers and Lou Thesz.  The set has not always seen the selling prices which it deserves due to the fact that the autographed cards aren't "certified" as pre-signed cards are today.  The autographs are obviously very authentic and it was actually Bruno who was instrumental in getting the other legends to sign.  Bruno's autograph card recently sold at a still-undervalued $35.

*Around ten years ago I used to tell everyone that Trish Stratus was "the next Fabulous Moolah."  While she didn't go for the career longevity that Moolah enjoyed, I still feel that Stratus will be remembered in the same class.  Trish took what could've been a forgettable career as a valet, manager, and generally generic blonde Diva and became an accomplished and entertaining wrestler.

Perhaps these accomplishments are the cause of her solo DVD release to be soaring in demand as of late.  The FYE exclusive collector's edition of "Trish Stratus--100% Stratusfaction Guaranteed" has recently sold for between $130-$150.  Earlier DVD releases will sometimes randomly see a rise in price and demand, but this one has done so at a time in which its star is about to shine as bright as ever.

*Mick Foley was the first legend announced for the Class of 2013 and figured to be the "main event" induction of the evening.  This changed with the announcement of Bruno Sammartino, but Foley's induction will still undoubtedly thrill his legions of fans who remember the glory days of his hardcore madness.  Sitting at about eye level to the roof of the cell that June night in Pittsburgh 15 years ago, my own unique vantage point of Foley's immortal "bumps" will always be seared into my brain.

Foley's crazy characters have made some great action figures, but Cactus Jack has never been captured quite as well as in the Jakks Classic Superstars version.  The "1 of 3000" version which was exclusive to Toy Fare magazine is especially sought after and includes Cactus Jack's most famous hardcore "toys."  Recently this figure (unsigned) sold for $100, which is about four times the original cost.

*The Celebrity Wing is about the only true disappointment for me regarding the Class of 2013.  While Donald Trump is very deserving due to his involvement in five different WrestleMania's, the night belonged to Cyndi Lauper.  Nonetheless, "The Donald" is going in this year, hairpiece and all.

After hosting two WrestleMania's on his properties and appearing ringside at two others, it was WrestleMania 23 where Trump got involved in the action.  The 2007 event saw Donald back Bobby Lashley against Vince McMahon's Umaga in a "Battle of the Billionaires."  Mainstream media attention was gained due to the "Hair vs Hair" stipulation involving the coif's of McMahon and Trump.  The program for this event recently sold for $30, an average price for the roller coaster values of WrestleMania programs.

*Bruno Sammartino isn't the only member of the Class of 2013 to be champion under the WWWF banner.  Bob Backlund held that title for six long years, becoming a legend in the arena that will now see his Hall of Fame induction, Madison Square Garden.  Backlund has long been rumored to have turned down previous invitations to the Hall of Fame.  These refusals paved the way for a perfect induction in the building where it belonged.

A king of 1970's magazine and program covers, Backlund has had little in the area of action figures.  The Jakks WWE Classic Superstars line produced his best figure, and one that has appreciated in value since its release.  Both carded and loose examples have been hot at auction as of late, with the former selling for around $50 (unsigned) and the latter bringing in around half of that.

New York City.  Madison Square Garden.  The Legends of Wrestling.  An unbeatable trio that will come together to form one of the most amazing nights that WWE has ever produced.  Congratulations to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2013!