10 Years...

I still remember typing up that first blog entry. Little did I know where it would all lead. Who would have thought that a weekly blog about wrestling memorabilia would take off? When no one else is tackling the same sort of thing, readership will grow. Even with interest in the wrestling business at a fairly low point at the time, people came to read. Maybe it was because a huge chunk of the content was nostalgia. Either way, if you've read this blog at any point in the last decade, thank you! And before I continue, I apologize for this anniversary entry being stream of consciousness to an extent, but it just feels right in this case.

I always tried to keep the same mission: to enlighten and entertain using wrestling memorabilia. Though I did occasionally stray discussing other topics within wrestling, I constantly attempted to tie it into at least some collectibles. I also did my best to keep the content positive. It's easy to write negatively and sadly there are a lot of negatives in the wrestling business to write about. Did I stray? Sure. But you all enjoyed my infamous New York City encounter with A.J. Lee. I'm told that even Jay Lethal mentioned it in a shoot interview. Even with a little bad came some good.

It was interesting to see the highs and lows of readership from week to week depending on the content. As a rule wrestling action figures always attracted more readers. Looks through musty old magazines did far less. But as far as feedback, the latter always seemed to attract more. How does that work? Even I don't know. The posts covering the excitement around Greg Price's Charlotte Fanfests were usually well-received also. While they weren't 100% memorabilia related, I always had demand for more meet-and-greet stories. While many of those tales are being preserved for different avenues in the future, I couldn't ever resist spilling a few of them.

Dusty, Bruno, The King, and Piper are just a few names who I feel were written about more than others around here. I never thought that I would be writing memorial entries for The Dream and Hot Rod back in 2009, but time marches on. Autographs have also always been a staple, considering I myself am a huge collector of them. I know that doesn't ring true for every collector, but I appreciate you staying on if it's not your thing. While I don't think that every single piece of memorabilia needs signed, more often than not I will purchase an item if I think that it has autographing potential.

In case you missed the last entry of 2018 and haven't been keeping up with this years offerings, the blog is no longer weekly. For one thing, so much of what I've wanted to cover initially has been done. Another reason is that my time doesn't allow me the pleasure of getting an entry in weekly. If a writer is truly enjoying the content, the output will be that much better. If I'm rushing through to get an entry done just for the sake of getting one done, it isn't going to be good. For another truth to be revealed, my personal interest in the current product is at an all-time low. I have not seen a weekly program in well over a year and no longer regularly watch the monthly pay-per-views. While I love so much of the current talent, the presentation is nearly the complete opposite of what I want to see. Therefore, my coverage of current memorabilia suffers.

With all of that being said, we're nowhere near being over. When I have a great topic it's still just as fun as it always was to maintain this blog and continue the journey. I have several ideas lined up for the near future and still maintain all of the branches of the blog on social media through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. While the tales of wrestling memorabilia are now told in various ways outside of the blog that you're reading, it's a sincere hope of mine that you all still have a big spot in your heart for the original. You may not have a Thursday evening destination any longer, but remember to visit now and then.

In another decade we'll be reflecting on twenty years right here. Mark my words.

Counting To Five, One Last Time, In The 500th Post...

I truly thought that the 500th post on this blog would be a more festive occasion. I also thought that the next time that I'd write about King Kong Bundy it would be finally celebrating his inclusion into the WWE Hall of Fame. I was wrong on both counts thanks to the surprises that the wrestling world, and life, often throw at us. This is not one of the fun surprises.

I last saw King Kong Bundy in person last year. He was, as usual, in good spirits. From my experience, Bundy liked making conversation, and jokes, with every fan who came up to him. He seemed to be a genuinely good guy who was no holds barred in regards to the business that he topped for a time. He spoke his mind and, whether or not that is what kept him from being more celebrated in the "WWE Universe," I don't think that it mattered to him.

King Kong Bundy is one of the first wrestlers that I remember knowing of. Somewhere exists an audio tape where a very young me quickly utters "KING KONG BUNDY! JUNKYARD DOG!" There's no doubt, though I was a casual fan at best in those early years, that I had good taste even as a youngster. I was thrilled by the larger-than-life gladiators. These weren't visuals animated onto the screen or actors in movies largely made up--these people were REAL. Bundy was as widely immense in life as he was portrayed on the screen. Was there any question that he broke Hulk Hogan's ribs? Of course not! How could he have splashed the man and NOT severely injured him?

King Kong Bundy also never seemed to overstay his welcome. You might say that he could have had a much more fulfilling career had he not strayed from the business. A WCW run may have been fun. It's also surprising that he didn't do more in Japan. Alas, as alluded to above, he was his own man. You get that feeling that he did what he wanted to do. He also headlined WrestleMania. And, after all, WrestleMania 2 was what the world had come to.

I will also say, without a shadow of doubt in my mind, that King Kong Bundy was vastly underrated. I know that I had said this long before his passing, possibly even somewhere on this blog. I think that so-called "work rate" is bunk (something that I know I've touched on before here), and that it really doesn't draw a dime. Unreal characters do. That's what Bundy was. Not to mention, he was crisp. Watch a Bundy match. Does he ever really look lost? Nope. He knew what he was doing and could do it with the best of them. He could adapt to opponents of any size, and let's not forget that backwards bump where he literally seemed to hover in mid-air. The latter thanks in part to that famous 1987 Topps trading card illustrating the move.

Bundy is another one who's presence at conventions I'm really going to miss. The legends are fading fast. Cheers to those of you, such as myself, who were lucky enough to take part in the past twenty or so years when conventions and meet and greets for wrestling really took off. We were able to meet scores of wrestling stars of our youth. Many of these greats, like King Kong Bundy, are now gone forever.

Thanks for The Avalanche and the five count, KKB. If anyone could be labeled one-of-a-kind, it was definitely "The Walking Condominium."

King Kong Bundy

1957-2019

Mego Enters The Wrestling World, Fifty Years After Creating The Action Figure

As a child I knew all of the various superheroes, but the only one that captured my fascination and has kept with me for nearly forty years was Adam West's Batman. As did many children, I had Batman toys but none that were really Adam and the gang. Due to licensing reasons these just didn't exist until around five years ago. The closest thing around was a line of 8 inch clothed action figures by a company called Mego. In the 1970's, Mego's "Worlds Greatest Superheroes" figures were treasured by a generation of children growing up on then-fresh reruns of the 1966-68 Batman TV series. While the figures of Batman, Robin, Batgirl, The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman weren't spot on recreations of the TV characters by any means, this is what they had. Mego also had success with figures of characters from The Dukes of Hazzard, Wizard of Oz, Star Trek, and Muhammad Ali just to name a few. Sadly, by the early '80s, changes in the industry and some bad decisions saw the company close. Though I didn't own the Mego figures myself, I did learn of the company, which closed right around the time that I was born, since those toys were the closest thing from the era of the show.

Fast forward to 2018 and Mego Corporation has returned. Beginning with an exclusive contract with Target (opening up to more stores in 2019), the popular 8-inch figures have returned with a mix of new properties and recreations of past successes. Most recently a line of "Legends" has slowly been released including Ali, Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee, and Elvis. But the big news on this blog? Mego has finally produced a wrestling figure. Who bigger and better to start with than Andre the Giant?

Andre has had more than his fair share of figures over the years, including two Mego-styled figures by Figures Toy Company years ago, but here he is as the first official Mego wrestler. The style is his heel 1987-1989 "black strap" look, and seeing as that Mego is synonymous with the 1970's, I'd have preferred "afro" Andre as pictured on the back of the card. The strap is on the wrong side, as it was the first time that this look was transformed into an action figure by LJN for the Wrestling Superstars line back in 1989. It can be removed and switched around, but Mego has included a small piece of adhesive on the back so that the strap stays in place.

If you're looking for an exact likeness with your action figures, you should not be collecting Mego. It wasn't possible in the 1970's (although MANY Mego figures across the licenses had great likenesses regardless), and that has been reflected in the revival of the company. If Mego had returned only to produce figures resembling those produced by other companies, what would the point have been? Andre is 8 inches tall, just like the other figures by Mego. He isn't any taller, nor is anything but his head any bigger. While some may be off-put by this, it's very charming. Aside from the era of Andre being represented, this is the Andre figure you would've had back then.

In addition to the removable singlet, you get a folding chair and a thin plastic championship belt. Both again retain Mego charm, but have little value compared to the accessories included with the Ali figure and others. The chair is small and theorized by the fine folks at the Mego Museum forums to have been intentionally produced as such to look tiny in the hands of the Giant. It does not actually fold and unfold. The belt is made with what could best be described as the plastic that might be used for a wristband or a sale tag at a retail store. It is thin. The design is obviously based off of the WWF "winged eagle" belt with any copyrighted markings removed.

This figure isn't for everyone. Me? I love it. Though there may have been earlier examples, Mego really revolutionized the action figure. I continue to love the rich, and fun, history of the company and have embraced its return. It's a throwback that's not only sticking to its roots but adding to them. I understand why Andre was added to the line, and that doesn't necessarily mean we'll see more wrestlers, but it would be cool. I would love to see more '70s stars of the ring produced by Mego. Bruno, Dusty, and Mascaras? I'll even take a '70s Andre. At $12.99 a pop, how can you go wrong?

Long live The Giant, and the return of Mego.

Starting The Year Off Sadly & Silently...

As if enough living treasures from the wrestling world weren't already snatched away in 2018, we begin 2019 with yet another loss. It was just last week when I was writing about Mean Gene Okerlund who had been my favorite action figure of the year. This week, the world is mourning his death.

Mr. Okerlund's health problems over the years have been no secret. He came clean about one of his kidney transplants in the WWE Legends House series, yet in personal appearances he clearly hid any pain and suffering from which he may have been enduring. He never needed any aide to walk nor did he show major signs of age or exhaustion. He seemed to be the same Gene Okerlund that we grew up watching.

Perhaps that is why this one hits so hard. Certainly 76 isn't young, but in this day and age it isn't "old enough," either. Us children of the '80s who grew up with the World Wrestling Federation television network virtually narrated by the voice of Mean Gene figured that we would have him around. Sure, many of the wrestlers have left us, but those golden tones of the iconic announcer would be there far into the future, right? Sadly, along with the sound of Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, among others, another legendary voice of the era is silenced.

For me, Gene was always the voice of authority on those broadcasts. You believed in what he said and the stars and stories that he talked about were believable. How could you doubt what he said? The grudges like Andre and Hogan, Warrior and Rude, DiBiase and Roberts were just as vicious as he claimed. If he said that the world was talking about WrestleMania, then you'd better follow his advice and get on the horn and order the show on pay-per-view right now.

And speaking of the world...no one sold the '80s WWF tagline of "What The World Is Watching!" better than Mean Gene. His voice, coupled with the dramatic camera flight over water and canyons ending with thunder and lightning. You know the intro. And while the company has had other intros since, there will never be a better one. In fact, I would love for the company to one day bring back that slogan and use his authoritative voice. If Macdonald Carey can still tell us about the sands through the hour glass decades after his death, then Mean Gene can stay with us, too.

This is another gentleman that I will greatly miss showing up at conventions and events. You always knew that you were in for a laugh when Mean Gene was there. Of the many stars that I've met, I may have the most stories involving him. From asking a well-inebriated Mean Gene about the infamous SummerSlam sign blooper to seeing him pour on the charm just as he did so often on-camera, my memories will last forever, just as will all of yours.

From all of your "good, close, personal longtime" friends in the wrestling world, thanks for the memories, Gene. You weren't putting any of us on, you were a helluva guy.

Mean Gene Okerlund

1942-2019

The Winds of Change...

And with that we wrap up yet another year. It's hard to believe. It's also hard to believe that in just a few months we'll be celebrating ten years of the blog. More on that in a bit. First, I must address your questions, "Where are the J\/\/ Awards? Is the coveted 'Joshie' not being awarded this year?" Well, yes and no. There will be a Figure of the Year named, but other than that we have seen the last of the awards. To be simple and to the point, there just isn't enough great new merchandise out there anymore to warrant so many awards. That, coupled with the news at the end of this entry, should explain it.

How about that "Figure of the Year?" Just who is it? In a year with many great figures, the top choices reviewed on this very blog, I must go with one that hit fairly early on. It would be the first Mattel WWE release of none other than everyone's good, close, personal, longtime friend, Mean Gene Okerlund. While it was a retailer exclusive (an ever-growing blight on the Mattel line), the Gene Mean figure was near-perfect. Many had issues keeping one arm attached while the other became a burden when switching it out to change the included blazer colors. Ultimately the greatness of the likeness won out.

It didn't hurt that Mean Gene is one of the most beloved wrestling personalities of all-time. On camera he was a complete character, often with a stronger personality than many of the wrestlers. That helped those lacking in the "mic skills" department, however, as Gene knew how to bring a story out of them. Off camera, he's exactly as you would imagine. Mr. Okerlund still tours the appearance circuit frequently, so if you have the chance to meet the Hall of Famer, take advantage of the opportunity.

There is one more J\/\/ Award for 2018. That would be the "Thanks For The Memories" award. For the first time since that award started, this individual is very much alive and well. This gentleman always let me know how much he'd love to one day be awarded a "Joshie," and there has never been a better time. The 2018 honoree is a man by the name of John Wroblewski, known to many as Johngy. A journalist with a strong mainstream background, I first discovered " Johngy's Beat" many years ago thanks to his frequent coverage of meeting wrestlers and other celebrities. Soon, Johngy began featuring me on his site and in-turn greatly helped the success of this blog. Thank you, Johngy, for all of that help. We *will* finally meet one of these days, and maybe I'll have a physical "Joshie" for you at that point. Did you all notice his resemblance to Jay Leno? I mention that in hopes that I can join an elite club. I'd be remiss if I did not mention the photo here, with both of the 2018 J\/\/ Award winners celebrating the news.

And with that, J\/\/'s Wrestling Memorabilia Blog moves in a different direction. This is the last weekly post of the blog. By no means is the blog ending, I've simply come to the decision that weekly posts are no longer sustainable. It was not an easy choice, but many things factored in. We will still be looking at the best in wrestling memorabilia and memories, but on a less structured basis. The tenth anniversary is rapidly approaching, and there is no way that we won't all be celebrating. Keep an eye on us on all forms of social media including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit for information on when new entries post. Trust me, this blog isn't going anywhere...

...and if you like the blog, you'll love the book. Stay tuned.

RIP 2018 -- Legendary Losses of Many We Thought Were Immortal

As our favorite stars age, they begin to fade away. In the world of professional wrestling, dozens of those individuals are leaving us each year. For the past fifteen or so years, it's been an overwhelming trend. 2018 held many shockers, including one that many of us thought would truly live forever. This annual entry remembers just a few of those names, but as always is no sleight on any who may have been overlooked.

This year saw the deaths of Bruno Sammartino, Big Bully Busick, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Don Leo Jonathan, Dynamite Kid, Nikolai Volkoff, Brian Christopher, Brickhouse Brown, Johnny Valiant, Masa Saito, Matt Cappotelli, Frank Durso, Paul Jones, Rockin' Rebel, Big Van Vader, Larry Hennig, Dick Slater, Chris Champion, Doc Dean, Mt. Fiji, Frank Andersson, Jose Lothario, and Villano III.

The Pittsburgh wrestling community was rocked to its core with the death of Bruno who was the cornerstone of a once thriving wrestling hotbed. There is no doubt that with his passing, the Pittsburgh wrestling scene as it was is gone forever. The deaths of Busick, Valiant, and Volkoff also factor into the Steel City, with all three having major ties. In December, journeyman Frank Durso also passed. Nicknamed "Slip Mahoney" by the late voice of Pittsburgh wrestling Bill Cardille, Durso ended up getting back into the local independent scene up until a few years ago and possibly enjoyed his greatest fame.

Dick Slater's death was not unexpected due to many issues over the past decade. Though he spent time in nearly every major organization of his era, one must wonder if his career could have been much more than it ended up being. Though not a national household name, Slater had the respect of fans and peers alike for his in-ring work and truly living up to his WWF nickname of "The Rebel."

Paul Jones was always a personal favorite of mine, though I only came in on his managerial career. Looking back at old footage, reading the magazines, and hearing the enthusiasm and testimonials of so many old school fans at the Charlotte Fanfests over the years, the real "Number One" really came to life. Possibly too small to have caught on nationally, Jones was a bonafide superstar in areas like Florida and the Carolinas. He was also a really fun guy to talk to who kept it real with fans in his later years.

The list of 2018 almost seemed endless as it continued to grow. A variety of situations, circumstances, and ages surrounded these deaths. All we have left are the memories, carried by each and every fan who these individuals touched. As the rings get emptier and the convention guest lineups get shorter, the ring in the great beyond just grows more crowded.

To paraphrase Jim Cornette, "They aren't making any new legends."

A Very Dusty Christmas

Here we are, Holiday 2018, with more living proof that The American Dream still lasts. If you've been a good little boy or girl this year, you may just end up with Big Dust under your tree. Though "The Dream" has had Elite style figures before, this is his first inclusion in the actual Elite lineup. Keeping with the holiday season, where better to take a look at this figure than beside the Christmas tree? Warning: if fake white Christmas trees offend you, I would go no further. Personally, I think Christmas trees of any make, color, or material are eye candy...canes.

As we go into 2019 with Mattel making many fumbles along the way that have already been documented here, it looks like we're keeping something positive: the rectangle packaging! My love for it has been well described on this blog, as has my dislike for the flimsy plastic/cardboard "backdrop" stands. The latter? Seemingly gone! They looked terrible, were cheaply made, and could not have been appealing to the kids or adults who are buying these figures.

New to the line is what is being called "True FX." Touted on the bubble of the packaging, this is supposedly a new digital scanning tool. We know it isn't used on this figure, as this Dusty facial likeness has been utilized on figures for nearly a decade. It's a good likeness, but not as good as the Dusty figure included with the Target exclusive WCW ring set. For whatever reason, that sculpt/scan has not been seen again to date.

What I love about this figure are the accessories. You get Dusty's truckers hat, sunglasses, elbow pad, "Big Gold" belt, two interchangeable fists, and removable t-shirt. Along with "True FX," interchangeable hands are another new feature going forward. So far, they seem relatively easy to switch in and out. I don't know that it's necessary to include them with every character, but it's a lot better than the aforementioned stands. The hat fits well, but the sunglasses want to pop off. They are not as snug as those recently released with JJ Dillon and Ric Flair.

The key here is the t-shirt. It's a reasonable facsimile of the old NWA/Jim Crockett Promotions "American Dream" shirt that Dusty frequently wore. Though you do have to remove the elbow pad to put it on, it fits Big Dust very snugly. Honestly, it will look even better on the Target exclusive Dusty that I mentioned above, which is ultimately the better figure. Still, this is a very nice figure on its own merits. The belt is the standard release with the WWE logo, but it is what it is. It's just nice that we get yet another accessory included.

A nice treat from Mattel to end 2018 and begin the new year. This certainly covers more ground in the Dusty Rhodes figure world, although there are still three more looks that I'd like Mattel to tackle: jacket, red polka dots, and early 2000's/ECW. Let's be honest, though, I'd purchase any figure of The Dream that any company decides to put out. He is my all-time favorite, I have many personal memories with the man, and The Dream does indeed live on.