The Flashback Elite Line
Welcome back if you have been here before and if it is your first time, thanks for checking the blog out and hopefully you'll be back for more.
Today I am going to take a look at the Flashback series from Mattel, each figure in the 3 sets came with something extra, either a part to a set or a BAF (Build A Figure) so let's get started.
As a fan of legends in the Mattel releases, I was looking forward to this line to see what we would get. Each series had 4 figures and the first series started off with Mean Gene Okerlund. Okerlund is probably more known for his time with the WWF but started off in the AWA before that and then would go on to work in WCW. This figure is a WWF based one, comes in a blue jacket with the option to swap it for a red one, I think the blue one is better myself. I have never really been into collecting managers, interviewers, ring announcers etc. but every now and then, something will crop up that I think is neat and I will try and get it. So, this set was a US exclusive so wasn't readily available here in the UK so had to pay inflated prices, I would never seek someone in the US to ship any US ex figures over, I'd always wait until a UK seller would get them in and buy them that way, still the same these days. When they first came out, I didn't pick up Okerlund either, I couldn't get him, or I had to prioritise what I was going to do with the money I had. I did eventually pick him up, probably about a month ago actually. So as mentioned at the beginning, each of these Flashback series figures came with something extra, and this series Okerlund was in came with parts to make a Summer Slam backstage interview set.
Next in the series was a WCW based figure and it was SYXX, who of course really made his name in the WWF as the 123 Kid. This was a great looking figure however it was the same head scan used on a previously released figure of X-Pac in DX gear, but it was a figure I wanted to get as soon as the opportunity arose, and I did.
Next up for me, is the figure of the series and is an Ultimate Warrior based on his look from the 1991 Royal Rumble. As you may know, at that event, Warrior went in as WWF champion and was in a title defence against Sgt. Slaughter and due to interference from Macho King Randy Savage, Warrior lost the title to Slaughter. Savage interfering was by him blasting Warrior over the head wis his sceptre and it just exploded, was quite the visual, you can watch it HERE. I bring this up because this Warrior figure actually comes with a sceptre in the package as well as a sky-blue strapped WWF winged eagle world title. Knew I had to have this one and it was the first from the set I got. On a side note, the Savage based on that night at the Rumble has been made into a figure and is amazing, it got released in a set of Royal Rumble figures in 2020 I believe.
The fourth a final figure of this set was Yokozuna, it's the only one I didn't get, yes, I do multiples of various wrestlers in my collection but as I already had a Yokozuna, I decided against it, plus, like with Okerlund, money at the time was an issue. I believe it would've been the third Mattel Elite Yokozuna after an early regular Elite line one (which I have) and a Hall of Fame one which came with two tag title belts.
Series 2 was another decent series, it started off with first time in the line Alundra Blayze, from about 1994 with the women's title. I don't have this figure as I don't collect the female wrestlers. This is because, as I am not being picky enough, I'll collect all sorts in various Mattel lines I have to draw the line somewhere and it's not just a money issue but a space issue too.
Next up was a Doink The Clown, I don't have this one either now, there was a Doink released in the Elite line years previously and although I didn't have it when this Flashback was released, I knew I wanted to get it as for me it's a better figure, I did get it and I was not wrong, that first Doink is great. I believe the look of the Flashback Doink is based on Survivor Series 93.
Next, we got the second Mattel Elite style Razor Ramon however this one is in street clothes and it was based on the look he had when he was filming vignettes on the streets of Miami before he actually wrestled on TV in the WWF, so if memory serves me right, this would be about 1992.
And the final figure, the best one of the series was the 'Heartbreak Kid' Shawn Michaels. The look is from around 1994 I believe, and I say this because the extra thing people got the chance to build from this set was the 'Heartbreak Hotel' a set Michaels used to use while doing an in-ring interview segment on WWF TV and I think it was from around this time.
And last but not least, we have the final series in the Flashback line and what a line-up it was. the word on the internet is that the last series was very limited, and so, the struggle began. the first figure in the line has become somewhat of a holy grail despite being released in the stores, albeit it in limited form. it was a first-time release by Mattel of King Harley Race. This figure on the secondary market has been going for ridiculous money, MOC is very expensive and loose is not cheap at all. I got offered one not long after it was released, loose I'd like to add and although I can't recall the price at this time, I think it is the most I have spent on a loose figure and probably the second highest amount I have spent on any figure (the most was on a MOC King Kong Bundy, which I recently sold as I obtained a loose one). When offered Race, I'm not going to lie, I was a bit dubious, so when paying I took all the relevant precautions, which is advice you should take from me.
If you are buying a figure from anyone you don't know and using PAYPAL, PLEASE pay using Goods & Services, yes, you may have to add 4% on top but, it protects you if your item was not to arrive, paying G&S you can put a claim in to get the money back via PAYPAL but if you pay Friends & Family, you are not covered. I have never had an issue like this but there are plenty of horror stories around where people are paying F&F and not getting their stuff and losing out. Also, something that has happened to me as well as others, you may get a seller say, "oh can you pay F&F please, my account won't accept G&S" ABSOLUTE rubbish, avoid those people like the plague.
Anyway, back to Harley Race, yes, it's a hard figure to track down, especially for a decent price, of course, if you want something enough, you'll pay the asking price, but note to self, know your limits.
Next, we got the second Elite release of Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat, it had been a long time since the previous one, way back in 2010/11 in the Legends line. Head scan was the same but whereas the first Steamboat was decked out in red, this one was all in white, it is VERY similar to the one that recently got released in the Fan Takeover line. had to pick it up as it gave me Wrestle Mania III vibes and that terrific match he had with Randy Savage when he won the IC title.
And finally, maybe, the series was rounded up with a 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, a figure I should have by the time you read this or soon after. Theres not much you can do with Austin figures, maybe give them accessories or like with most of them, release them with a different design on the entrance vest he wears. I can't be 100% on when this one is based on, but I think it may be 1996 and like Jake, it may from King of the Ring.
So, I said maybe it was the last one in the line and that is because this series didn't have a build a set like the previous two it had parts to build a figure and this figure was Shawn Michaels based on when he was the commissioner. These figures just don't come up that often, but I am after this one so please, if you are selling one or know someone who is, get in touch with me, I'd really appreciate it.
OK guys, that's it, please give me your feedback on the Flashback series, do you have any of them, if so, which ones, which are your favourites or, what ones would you like to get in your collection? Also, I'd genuinely like to know, how many people reading this actually own the Harley Race.
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Thanks for reading.
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