Heads, Belts...And More Pancakes!

As I revealed a few months back, I went on a kick of pre-ordering the Elite sets. It just feels easier than searching the stores anymore. If you're pre-ordering from Ringside, it's a lot faster, too. I believe I have one more set pre-ordered as of press time and then a smattering after that. If you know me, my reasons for pre-ordering Elite 79 may be a bit baffling to you. There isn't a Legend or "Flashback" to be had and there are a few names who've had countless re-releases. There are, however, two who should be relatively difficult to find in stores and some quality re-releases. Plus, wallet permitting, who isn't spending to keep happy and sane these days? Well, I'm certainly not rich but I do like sanity and fun, so here we are.

In this lineup we've got Io Shirai, Bobby Fish, Big E, Xavier Woods, Daniel Bryan, and Roman Reigns. Elite 79 brings us exactly one "First Time In The Line" figure and another who really hasn't seen a wide release. I'm also a big fan of what I deem "definitive" or "ultimate" versions of a star. No, not the overpriced "Ultimate" line which has seen some nice releases, but rather a regular released figure that usually includes some sort of accessories or maybe even just decor that gives you the feeling that you don't need another release of this star. I'd say that we get three of those here, as well.

The packaging is your standard release for this year and probably into next. I'm still not crazy about it and I still preferred the previous boxes, but it is what it is. I have bought very few extras to keep carded lately for a few reasons, but this is assuredly one of them. One plus point is that there are very few "signs" cluttering up the window. The "True FX" logo has been moved to the top cardboard. Another plus is that most of the figures fit the packaging well, so there isn't much "floating." We've still got the issue of all the heads and hands scattered about which is a double-edged sword. I love the inclusion of these and completely understand why they're boldly on display, but it's definitely one of the factors as to why I have little desire to keep any of these in the package.

Kicking it off, the latest version of The New Day is complete. Yes it is. Joining the Kofi Kingston from Elite 78 brings us Big E and Xavier Woods, the latter of which easily sees his "definitive" release here. Woods comes with Francesca II as well as his "UpUpDownDown" championship belt and alternate head. The latter, after some research, appears to have been inspired by a promo at SummerSlam 2019. His sunglasses and hair are meant to resemble Stevie Wonder and they indeed do. The belt, from his popular YouTube show of the same name, is made of molded rubber similar to the Mattel Hardcore Championship, but looks very nice nonetheless. Big E is lacking wrist tape (did he stop wearing it at some point?) but has a welcomed new expression and another plate of pancakes. Combined with Kofi the trio does look great. I think I'm finally done with the boys in figure form, but I've said that multiple times.

I remember when Daniel Bryan having an action figure was a true novelty. If you're a longtime reader you'll remember it, too, as I recall reviewing it a decade ago. Here we are again in what I also feel could be a "definitive" figure. This is one that, had I not ordered the set, I probably wouldn't have picked up right away until I learned of how cool it really is. Not only does it come with two distinctively different hairstyles for the popular former indy darling, but something about the inclusion of the "grappling" hands really puts it over the top for me. The "shaggy haired" head is also another example of how scary good this True FX stuff is. As I do with the Survivor Series Jeff Hardy released last year, I feel as if I'm looking at a real human face here instead of just an action figure.

Bobby Fish is one that will be heavily hunted and fly off of the shelves. He's in a popular faction in a popular brand and was yet another indy darling, albeit to a lesser degree than D-Bry. While it isn't a "First Time In The Line," the only previous way to get a Mattel figure of him was in the Undisputed Era boxed set along with Adam Cole (not going to do it...) and Kyle O'Reilly. O'Reilly is coming back with a matching figure in Elite 80 and will include the second half of the new NXT Tag Team Championships that is started here with Fish. Of the "new" NXT championship designs, the tag team belts are the only ones that I prefer over the old ones. These figure-sized versions look great, but the strap itself is a bit too big for the figure and "hangs" a bit at its tightest. As for Fish himself, I think I do prefer the first release, but we'll see when O'Reilly hits my hands and this blog.

Roman Reigns has recently stated that he's going to start wrestling with his shirt off. As with most figures of the Samoan superstar, this is already possible. This figure is no exception, but what I most appreciate is the inclusion of the "smiling" head with pulled back hair. I believe that this is the first time that this head has been used for an Elite figure. It also includes the "Hang Loose" hand sculpt which we've already seen with Samoa Joe and Matt Riddle. For some reason I'm a sucker for it. Look out, Instagram, for a grouping of those three figures on my account.

Rounding out the group we have the figure that will be the most popular of the bunch, Io Shirai. The Japanese star joins Asuka and Kairi Sane in Mattel's WWE group of joshi. She comes with an amazing soft goods jacket complete with "furry" hood and some alternate hands. I'm not big on the alternate hands with the female figures as for whatever reason they feel as if they could break easily, but I'm not saying to get rid of them, either. The figure is insanely short in stature which is true to life yet still a bit jarring when compared to others. That's how "wrestling figure wave budgets" are made and how lineups are decided: for big figure like Roman you sneak in a shorter star like Io.

This is the happiest you'll ever see me with a wave of nearly all re-releases and current stars, but I am. I cannot see myself ever needing another Bryan, Reigns, or Fish. It's questionable that Shirai will ever get another figure, but I'm not sure that I would need it, either. You simply cannot say "never" with The New Day with their variety of looks, but I wouldn't wait on Woods if you're interested in the belt or "Stevie Wonder" head. Another word of caution is that this set will likely be hitting stores just as the Christmas buying season begins. Between that and everything under the sun being wonky this year, I'd either pre-order this bunch or grab them the minute you see them.

Oh yeah. Right. This is Mattel. You have to do either no matter what time of year...

The Wrestling Classic Figure Review--Kelian AAA Konnan

Opening vintage toys has always been a touchy subject with collectors. To some it's almost taboo. Why open one up when there are plenty of loose examples around? Why destroy another boxed or carded version of which will never be replaced? There are plenty of answers to those questions, the most obvious being personal decision. If you own something you can do with it whatever you please. But it was a chance bargain purchase and reconnecting with a fellow collector that led me to the topic of today's entry.

Longtime collector extraordinaire Chris Pesqueira could be considered "The King of the Minty Loosies." He has made purchasing vintage action figures and opening them into a science. You see, he's not opening just any vintage figures he can get his hands on. He understands the importance of carded collecting. It's also not cost effective. By searching out boxes and cards that aren't exactly in the best of shape he isn't really doing any disservice to carded collectors who usually want pristine packaging. In turn he also isn't spending the small fortune that one of the nicer examples can yield. He's simply getting a beautiful loose figure in mint condition that he can proudly add to his collection.

I've long considered opening a carded 1994 Kelian AAA Konnan figure that I've owned for about a decade. I had initially purchased it to be signed, but the lucha legend no-showed the same event twice and I haven't run across him since. The packaging was not great to begin with, but for my purposes it was "good enough." Some creases and bubble cracks were part of the deal and something I was very much willing to live with considering that the Kelian figures aren't ones that you come across every day. Often times a signature will drown out any flaws, at least to my autograph-loving eyes.

Recently I came across a deal for another carded Konnan. This example was in much better shape at what I felt was a very reasonable price. Why not buy it and open up the old one? The thought of finally having the particularly colorful figure in a loose mint example complete with stand wasn't something that I felt I could pass up. I did it and here we are today.

The Kelian AAA line is a lot of fun. It's often confused with The Original San Francisco Toymakers CMLL line from the same era. The difference is that the latter had far less characters produced (a total of six) and is better remembered in the United States as they ended up at Dollar Tree stores around the country. I'm not the only one with fond memories of grabbing Vampiro and Ultimo Dragon right off the shelves. The Kelian AAA line is best known for having the first Rey Mysterio Jr. figure, which has a price that has soared as high as the man himself.

Like the aforementioned Toymakers CMLL line and their later WCW figures, the Kelian AAA wrestlers are solid with no articulation. They make up for that in detail. The colors are absolutely beautiful and are really showcased on this figure thanks to this being the era where Konnan was literally colorful from head to toe. It's a fairly good facial likeness as well in a line where more of the characters were masked than were not. My memories of this era Konnan largely stem from his feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts that did great box office business. Like many, I followed the conflict through the pages of Pro Wrestling Illustrated and its sister publications which seemingly covered it monthly.

Another advantage to opening a Kelian AAA figure is that you're going to get the AAA logo stand included with each figure. It almost never shows up when these figures come up for sale loose and is a surprising inclusion in an era where things like this weren't the norm.

Remember, toys were meant to be played with. Even if you aren't playing, maybe you just want a nice, shiny figure on display instead of a beat up used one. It makes perfect sense and is nothing that any collector should feel guilt over. If you're spending the money it's yours to do with as you please.

Now, if you're thinking of opening that carded LJN Dynamite Kid...

War Games: The Playset Beyond

Sometimes adults just need their toys. No, this isn't that kind of blog entry. If you're 30 or above there's a good chance that you've been yearning for a War Games playset for many years. It's something that many of us fashioned ourselves in various manners, but there's something about an official release after so many years that's ever so satisfying. Is it exactly what we've wanted since the '80s? Maybe not, but it's a helluva lot of fun and there's no way I was going to let this release go by without it being immortalized here on the blog.

Several years ago War Games: The Match Beyond finally came to WWE as part of NXT. Though the company ended up changing a few things from the original concept in order to adapt to the current style of wrestling, it was still great to see the match return after so many years. As I've stated many times, I don't watch today's product in any sort of regularity, but as an admirer of MANY of the current crop of talent I will often seek out and view individual matches to keep tabs on my favorites. Thanks to WWE Network, this is very easy to do and far more enjoyable than sitting through current full shows. The NXT War Games matches are among those that I have gone back to watch and I will say that most of them have very much honored the legacy of the classic concept.

Enter the toy. When it was announced I first feared that it may be a tad too gimmicky. Many of the rings and playsets that Mattel has produced have focused on "breakaway" pieces and other special features designed to appeal to the children who will be playing with them. This doesn't always carry over to the adult collector who is, ahem, using these things for display. Regardless, I just had to pre-order one. Although the set has apparently hit shelves outside of the United States, domestically the item seems to be a Ringside Collectibles exclusive. Seeing as that the set qualifies for free shipping, it really isn't too bad of a deal.

The box contains two rings, two cages (with six sides instead of eight as this is War Games), as well as two ladders, a table, and a chair. Those unfamiliar with the NXT version of War Games may be asking where the roof is. It has been done away with in the modern incarnation of "The Match Beyond." While I scoffed at this at first, it does lend itself to the current style of pro wrestling. Does it in any way take the roof away from all of the classic War Games matches? No it does not. Case closed. The included accessories have also found their way into the recent War Games matches, which justifies their presence.

The rings are both fully black. This is something that I love as, though the NXT has been released like this previously, it's a departure from the plain white mats. They're the Mattel spring rings which I've grown to greatly enjoy over the years. The ropes are unlike any I've ever encountered in a toy ring over the past thirty-five years. They seem to be the same stretchy material as other ropes, just without the fabric feel. They look good and again are something different. We'll see how well they hold up over time. The rings also have two plates that cover the gap between them. They're easily removable and replaceable should you not need them for a certain match.

One thing that you may notice from the accompanying photos is that I do not apply all of the stickers. There are more ring apron labels as well as turnbuckle and mat stickers. WWE branded rings have rarely had a logo smack dab in the middle of the mat, so I simply leave it off. The turnbuckle stickers tend to peel and fall off. As I like to photograph my figures and thus present wrestling in all eras, I go by the old adage that "less is more." Sure, the cages may not have roofs, but that didn't stop me from creating a fantasy classic War Games event the minute that I assembled the set. In something that isn't as evident in the photos, foot pegs on all of the corner posts have been added to the Mattel ring post mold to aid anyone from Road Warrior Hawk to Ricochet in their aerial feats. 

As mentioned above there are a few "breakaway" pieces in the cages as well as the door that enable you to toss someone through the fencing. I don't know that it's particularly realistic, but it's something that anyone could have some fun with. I positioned the breakaway pieces towards the back, but these are also the pieces which fold down so that you can reach into the cage for play. On the downside of the design, there are gaps between the cages on the sides. Perhaps my love of this thing is blinding me, but the gaps simply don't even come into play when I'm taking the thing in as a whole.

The cages clip or even slide easily onto the rings. There's nothing stopping you from using the vintage styled rings that Mattel has done instead of the NXT rings. How about a WWF vs WCW War Games match? Mattel has even done an ECW ring that could be used or of course the other various pay-per-view and TV program themed rings. The possibilities are endless.

I've sort of jokingly told a few select friends that they're going to be invited over to play with this. As old as we all are, I'm not ruling it out. This set is a ball. It should be pointed out that Mattel has also recently released a "Wrekkin'" ring and cage as a Target exclusive. The box was designed to match the motif of the Legends series of figures in an effort to get you to buy everything together on that rare Target run where you run into all of it. The promotional material for the set actually implores you to purchase two of the rings to create War Games. It's certainly possible, but I still prefer the official War Games set. It's what so many of us have wanted for so many years.

Enough talk. Choose your teams. Let's play.

Saying Goodbye To The (Gentle) Ugandan Giant

 With all of his well-documented health battles, wrestling fans have long been preparing for the death of "The Ugandan Giant" Kamala. That being said, preparedness doesn't make it one bit easier. When word of his death swept the wrestling world, the fear that Kamala caused in fans for over three decades suddenly turned to sadness. In those decades we had all come to learn that he was truly a gentle giant.

Even as a child I never found myself actually scared of anything fictional. There were two exceptions to that in the world of wrestling. Ironically, both of those men were favorites of mine as well. After all, deep down we all enjoy being scared. The two that put fear into me? Harley Race and Kamala. Race, with that grizzled look and just-gargled-with-nails voice, looked like he could take out anyone. As for Kamala with that haunting wail and nightmare-inducing mask? I didn't even want to THINK of what he could do to anyone.

I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Kamala many times within the last twenty years. I also had the luck of seeing him wrestle live against various opponents including several matches against longtime rival Jerry "The King" Lawler. Kamala always gave his all to the fans both in and out of the ring. That continued even as many of us peeled back the curtain and began to realize that he wasn't the "headhunter" as portrayed on television and was instead a sweet southern gentleman.

I can't even pretend to have the Kamala stories that his peers such as Lawler, Jimmy Hart, and David Isley likely shared in the days following the giant's passing. What I have instead are reflections of someone who is living proof that Kamala did his job damn well. He made me believe that he was a scary savage capable of taking apart anyone who dared step into the ring with him. A wrestler cannot strive to anything higher than drilling undeniable realism into the heads of the fans. That was Kamala and he made it seemed effortless.

But something else came along with the fright factor of Kamala that probably pleased the promoters just as much: utter coolness. The character had an unreal look that will never be duplicated. It barely needs to be said that the look translated perfectly into merchandise like action figures and magazine covers. Who can forget their first glance at that LJN WWF figure in the menacing stance? Do I even need to remind you of the infamous cover of Sports Review Wrestling featuring The Ugandan Headhunter seemingly living up to his moniker...and spearing the head of Hulk Hogan?

The man is gone, but we have yet another body of work and a legacy that will go on as long as people are studying the rich history of the industry. Thank you, Mr. Harris, for being a true credit to hard working people everywhere who put their all into what they do and in turn bring a lot of joy to others.

James "Kamala" Harris

1950-2020

From The Musty Yellowed Pages--WWF SummerSlam 1995 Program

The day and hour of the publication of this blog entry marks exactly twenty-five years to the minute that SummerSlam 1995 began. It's a show that fans have been divided on since it happened. It's really an event that you either love or hate without much middle ground. I've documented my love for it previously, including on the twentieth anniversary of the event. While it's generally a bit out of my favored era of wrestling, other factors will keep it in a warm place in my heart forever.

Pittsburgh had long deserved a major wrestling event. There had been no major wrestling broadcasts to speak of from The Burgh since our Studio Wrestling show ceased taping in the early 1970's. There was even a short period in the late '80s when the WWF stopped coming here altogether. For the rich history and fan support that remained in the city, we easily deserved an early pay-per-view event in the Hogan era, but it did not happen. When word got around that we were finally getting a major event of our own, fans were more than ready.

While the Internet was in its infancy for most fans, I was already part of a small group on a local BBS (Bulletin Board System) and can still remember the bunch of us fervently looking forward to the big event. The on-sale date passed and I even attended an autograph signing with Diesel and Alundra Blayze the night before the event. Though wrestling was not at the height of its popularity by any stretch of the imagination, the city seemed to truly appreciate that SummerSlam was happening here. Taking nothing away from traditional wrestling hot beds like New York or Chicago, I think our fans truly appreciated it more after being starved for such an event for so long.

As the company did with several pay-per-view events that year, a special program was produced and sold only at the event. It's larger than an average WWF publication and has thicker, glossy pages. The company was still using the original SummerSlam logo that debuted in 1988 and its placement in front of their top guy, Kevin "Diesel" Nash, made for a compelling cover. I've since loaded mine up with autographs from talent who worked on the show, but I did indeed purchase it there. Each match on the card is given a brief write-up and accompanying photos.

The main event is a big part of the controversy around the show, with some feeling that it wasn't up to par with past events. It was a classic World Wrestling Federation affair: larger-than-life hero versus monster villain. "The irresistible force meeting the immovable object," as then-WWF President Gorilla Monsoon would have said. Perhaps the formula would have worked better a decade earlier, but the company was sticking to what it knew and I totally bought into it. I always enjoyed the work of Nelson Frazier no matter which gimmick he was portraying and he was sadly taken from us far too soon.

Some fans see the true main event of the show as being what was actually the penultimate match in the lineup. In a rematch from 1994's WrestleMania X, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon once again battled for the Intercontinental Championship in a Ladder Match. My dad forever after dubbed this one the "Ladders Match," as a second ladder ended up being brought in during the bout. It was an exciting match and Razor's popularity here really makes the viewer lament that we were never treated to a WWF Championship run for "The Bad Guy." 

Fans from outside of Pittsburgh are still surprised when I inform them that Bertha Faye's defeat of Alundra Blayze for the WWF Women's Championship was the first title change in our city, but it was. The former Madusa has always been underrated in my view and I won't even get started on my appreciation for Rhonda Singh. For Christmas 1995 I wanted nothing more than for figures of these two to suddenly be made. It only took us over two decades to finally get that Blayze figure. I'm not holding my breath for one of the late Miss Singh in any form, but it sure would be welcomed by more fans than just this one.

Pittsburgh was also treated to a casket match pitting The Undertaker in his signature encounter against Kama, The Supreme Fighting Machine. The feud would've been more interesting had Charles Wright's previous character of Papa Shango been resurrected, but at least we were treated to the beloved "Million Dollar Man" theme music seeing as Kama was a member of the Million Dollar Corporation.

While some fans were probably looking for a textbook Bret Hart classic, instead we saw an equally iconic match from the era where "The Hitman" was battling crazy baddie after crazy baddie. This is the event that saw the debut of Jerry "The King" Lawler's demented dentist, Isaac Yankem DDS. Of course the man behind the character would have a much bigger moment in The Burgh on pay-per-view just a few year later while capturing his first WWF Championship, but that's another story for another program review. Here we had a continuation of the long battle between "The Hitman" and "The King," this time without any unwashed feet.

The show was rounded out with matches between Hunter Hearst-Helmsley and Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly, a tag match featuring The Smoking Gunns and Jacob & Eli Blu, a hot opener with The 1-2-3 Kid and Hakushi, and Bodydonna Skip (Chris Candido) saw action against rival Barry Horowitz. Horowitz was a great talent who deserved to finally have a moment in the spotlight, and some theme music, no matter how brief it may have been. 

Perhaps my only lament is that then-WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and Yokozuna were not on the card. That fact robbed me of ever getting to see the mighty Yoko live and in-person. It should also be noted that, for reasons of which I've never seen explained, The Fabulous Moolah was present at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, at least earlier in the day. The legendary women's champion made a splashy exit out of the building through the thousands of fans waiting to get in. I've always wondered if she was originally scheduled to play some role in the women's title match or if perhaps she was attempting to do so. This would be a great question for Bruce Prichard. Hey hey!

Even if you don't own one, you've now had a "virtual" look through the 1995 SummerSlam program. For the reasons above, it will always remain a special show to me, as well as the fact that my father's birthday was August 31. Because of that, I'd always joked that I would take him to SummerSlam. My parents ended up taking me, and I still remember my dad returning from a bathroom break with the laminated event poster that was being sold at the merchandise stands that night. My dad would turn 75 this coming Monday. This entry is dedicated to him, the great man that he was, and, keeping in the spirit of the topic, his constant support of my fandom of the business that I loved so much.

I Pity The Fool!

Yes, I went there. But how can you not? Someone who truly put the WWF on the map and helped make wrestling the amazing entity that we knew it to be in the '80s is FINALLY taking his rightful place in collections worldwide. He's a man who's no stranger to merchandising or action figures, but due to licensing has been relatively missing from actual WWF/WWE collections. You may know him from the A-Team, but to wrestling fans he was that celebrity friend of Hulk Hogan who helped the then-WWF Champion battle the evil trifecta of Rowdy Roddy Piper, Cowboy Bob Orton, and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. To the world he was one of the biggest stars of the 1980's. He's Mr. T.

This figure served as an announcement of sorts that the licensing rights to Mr. T were finally available to manufacturers of WWE products. Word of a Mr. T WWE-branded Funko Pop figure had made the rounds, but the unveiling of this figure sealed the deal. It's Mattel's 2020 WWE San Diego Comic Con exclusive. Following last year's "Slim Jim" Macho Man Randy Savage, the company knew that it once again had to go big to make an impact. Seeing as that it is indeed an exclusive and meant to be as such, I will refrain from complaining too much about distribution. This figure was not meant to be widely available nor in stores. More on that at the end.

Early hints released on social media showed the "First Time In The Line" symbol which greatly resembled the classic Coliseum Video logo. It does indeed appear on the package, but to see it you have to break the seal on the outer box. A sturdy cardboard makes up the outer box which resembles Mr. T's famous chains. The superstar was well known for his "bling" well before the phrase was coined. At this point a great dilemma pops up for collectors who don't open their toys. Do you break that seal so that you can see the figure? Is it not truly mint then? In actuality it's all down to personal preference. I can't imagine owning an action figure and not being able to see it.

Once the outer box is removed we see why the Coliseum Video logo was parodied. The inner box is a tribute to those great VHS clamshell boxes, specifically that of the first WrestleMania. While this figure is not based on that look (another point we'll explore), the art is clearly taken from it right down to the "electrified" ring ropes. Upon opening the clamshell we get photos from WrestleMania and the build to it and on the other side of course the figure itself. Yet another dilemma appears as Mattel has included a removable plastic film over the tray that the figure is in. Do you remove it? It's cloudy if you don't. It should be noted that at this point you can actually lift the plastic bubble out of the clamshell box. And while I won't be getting mine autographed, where would you get the autograph if you did? How much would you remove?

The figure itself is a combination of two looks. The camo shirt is based on promo photos from his brief 1987 World Wrestling Federation run as "special enforcer." The gear underneath is from an appearance on Saturday Night's Main Event. Neither are really iconic wrestling looks for T which, again, will be addressed at the end. Included are a plethora of accessories including the aforementioned shirt, belt, wrist gauntlets, and the famous chains. "Wrestling hands" sans the famous rings are also included. With all of these accessories the look is very adaptable. 

The body used is pretty spot-on. I always found it funny how pumped-up and immense Mr. T looked outside of wrestling. Next to the WWF superstars, he looked very small. Perhaps I'm the only one who felt this way, but I guess that's Hollywood magic. The face sculpt/scan is good, but could be better. I see Mr. T in it, but I don't necessarily see him standing there. He actually looks more like older Mr. T, perhaps during his WWE Hall of Fame induction, than he did in 1985.

It should be noted that while this is Mr. T's debut as a WWF/WWE figure, there was an earlier Mr. T wrestling figure. Galoob Toys, who had the rights to Mr. T thanks to the A-Team licensed, released a "Wrestling" figure of the star complete with "Real Wrestlng Robe." It was a re-issue of the A-Team figure with new packaging and accessories, but was the closest that collectors had until now.

This is a great figure with an outstanding, if not overdone, presentation. The outer box worked for Savage last year as it was to resemble an unopened box of Slim Jim snacks, but I'm just not sure it's necessary here. I like the Coliseum Video-esque clamshell even if in the final execution it actually looks more like the WWF Columbia House Collector's Edition VHS releases of the early '90s. All in all it's a fun and splashy debut for a long awaited character which is exactly what Mattel intended by making it their San Diego Comic Con exclusive.

Now, as promised, I will get to the attire. It's easy to see why this was chosen. It's two lesser known looks for T in the WWF. Since this is a figure that not everyone will get their hands on, it makes sense that the more recognizable looks will be saved for more mainstream releases. A two-pack of T and Roddy Piper recreating their boxing match from WrestleMania 2 ("What The World Has Come To") has already been announced. An inclusion in Mattel's Masters of the WWE Universe line has been revealed as well combining three 1980's pop culture phenomena by merging T, wrestling, and He-Man. I could easily see two more looks being released and I know exactly how I would release them. I would include T in his WrestleMania wrestling gear as part of the standard Elite line and then do a two-pack of T and Hogan as they appeared on the poster artwork. Aside from training gear and a few different t-shirts (WrestleMania, Hulkamania), Mr. T would be fairly complete at that point.

Mr. T is here and we're about to have more of him than we ever imagined. Next week we're celebrating an anniversary. What is it? One that's near and dear to my Pittsburgh heart, that's for sure.

Superstars, Flip Flops, & Pancakes

It's certainly a hot close to summer for Mattel. It feels that there is new product every week, though a trip to the store certainly wouldn't indicate that. If you're wise, you've figured out how to obtain these figures without too much of a drain on your time or your wallet. I will never get the train of thought that "the hunt" is fun. As much as I tell myself that THIS will be the entry where I don't rant about it, each time that I review Mattel product I can't help but go there. It's a crying shame that the hobby is being ruined like this. Nevertheless, here we go with another round of Elite figures.

Mattel WWE Elite 78 is another lineup with a good mix. Unlike in the Elite 77 review, the "Collector's Edition" figure is being included. The reasons for this are that the packaging on this "Collector's Edition" matches the other figures in the case. The other reason is that for me, all seven figures shipped together. I guess an unofficial third reason is how fantastic this "limited" figure is, but we'll get to that in a bit. This time we've got R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Matt Riddle, Naomi, Drake Maverick, Randy Orton, and Superstar Billy Graham. It should be noted that I've never uttered the name "Drake Maverick" in my life. To me you could not get a more unique wrestling name than "Rockstar Spud," therefore that is who he will always be to me.

The packaging is your current very red-and-white standard window box. Nothing offensive about it, but nothing remarkable either. Again, the full rectangle boxes of the last several years were far superior and honestly gave the line a bit of class. These current ones look dollar store-ish to me. They just do. If I were a carded collector (and I only am in autograph situations which are getting fewer and fewer) I would be very bothered by the extra hands and heads floating around. I understand why it's done. You need to see what you're getting. As a loose collector I certainly appreciate anything extra. But it does cheapen the aesthetic when leaving these things in the box.

I'll get to why I purchased (no free review merch on this blog, pal!) the entire set in a bit, but I do want to say that there isn't a weak figure in the bunch. Even characters with endless releases such as Kofi and Orton have much needed updates here. I believe that the plate of pancakes may have been released with some Basic New Day figures, but this would be the first Elite to include the flying breakfast treat. With the matching Big E and Xavier Woods (the latter will be the sleeper hit of the next wave) coming shortly, it's good to have the former WWE Champion here. I haven't purchased a figure of "The Viper" in years. This one seems to be a bit thicker as far as physique, has a great face scan, and some worthwhile accessories such as the entrance vest and signature pose hands.

Naomi is a fan favorite who has long deserved an Elite. Complete with her green-strapped championship belt, there is also a "chase" version of this figure in different "Feel The Glow" attire. I still feel that they're squandering her marketability by using the name "Naomi" instead of her real name Trinity Fatu, but what do I know? 

"The Original Bro" was certainly made to be a figure and in this case art imitates life. Just as he resembles "KVE" in person, the first Matt Riddle Elite figure takes me right back to the Elite figure of Kevin Von Erich. Some are complaining about the size of the arms used on this figure, but it isn't really bothering me. I love the inclusion of the "hang loose" hands that we're starting to see used more and more with appropriate characters. Riddle probably takes the title for "most accessories" in this wave with an abundance of hands, soft goods jacket, head band, and flip flops. Altogether they really make this an epic Elite. I prefer the yellow color of the Basic, but make no mistake, this is a great figure, bro.

In a cool move by Mattel, the epic battle over the 24/7 Championship finally comes to the figure world with R-Truth and Drake Maverick. The Spudster at last gets an Elite and a ring gear figure all in one release, while Truth was long overdue for an update. The 24/7 title doesn't have the shiny "vac" look, but it's not bothering me here. The tag title with the Kofi in this set had the same issue and if it were the first release of that particular title I would probably be bothered. Maybe it's because the green strap of rhe 24/7 title just pleases me. In any case, these are two solid additions to the lineup. Spud looks a bit tiny in the package, but he's Spud. He's a small guy.

Finally we get to the Collector's Edition. Unlike with Elite 77 where we had three "Flashback" figures, our only wrestler from the past in Elite 78 is right here. The man of the hour. Too sweet to be sour. He eats T-Bone steaks. He lifts barbell plates. He's sweeter than a German chocolate cake. Ok, I'm done. But seriously, who ever thought that we'd get Superstar Billy Graham in the Mattel lineup? The thought is unreal. What else is unreal? The figure itself. The main event should always go on last and here we are. They could've thrown this into their "Ultimate" line becauae this truly is "The Ultimate" Billy Graham.

Not only do we get classic WWWF Champion Superstar Billy Graham from the '70s, but with the switch of a head we suddenly have '80s "comeback" SBG. Yes, for the record, Graham did wear these particular tights during both runs. An interesting point, however, was brought up to me by longtime friend and collector extraordinaire Mike Girasia. When exactly did Superstar Billy Graham wear a boa? Of course I flashed back to the first Jakks WWE Classic Superstar release that included a soft goods boa. Then I thought that I definitely had a magazine cover with a boa-clad SBG. Upon a few searches, I simply could not find any evidence of Graham wearing a boa. Could this be something thrust upon us by figure manufacturers? The Superstar was certainly flashy enough to wear one, but did it happen?

Another helluva fun lineup from Mattel. I recently came to a realization regarding these figures as collectors get more and more frustrated trying to find them. I've never been one to give free advertisements, but Ringside Collectibles has truly alleviated some of the issues that were turning me away from this hobby. Yes, you may pay a bit more (though Ringside itself pays more to get the figures in advance), to get the best deal you have to buy complete sets (which isn't always ideal with repaints in the lineups), and it isn't the best option for collectors outside of the U.S., but I've truly found peace in my hobby by ordering from this company. While I've been dealing with them for years, due to the terrible distribution of Mattel and the greed of those who seemingly have nothing better to do with their lives than hop from store to store searching, I've settled on simply pre-ordering. I don't know that I'll review every set, but at least I'll know that I'll have the figures that I want delivered to me without some jobless slob running to the store just to make a few bucks on the 'Bay. Keep your overpriced plastic figure, virus, and backwards baseball cap, but clean your Cheeto fingers before you tip your Uber driver.

I've never been one to mince words, and there you have it with both Elite 78 and the state of the hobby in general. I feel as if there may one more Mattel review this month before we go back to a different direction for a bit, but I pity the fool who would miss a single entry.