Build-A-Figure's Revisted

 

Credit to @WrestlingDaze

Welcome back all but if it's your first time visiting the site, thanks for checking us out, I hope you'll be back. 

A while back, I did a blog giving a history of sorts of the BAF (Build-A-Figures) but this time I want to revisit the line and talk a bit more in depth.

I am a big fan of the line, I don't have them all, not by a long shot but I have some of the rarer ones which I'll get onto as we go along.

I think the idea is a very good one from a business point of view, as many have the same or similar moulds as the majority of BAF's are figures in suits there's not much new tooling that is needed by the factory, maybe just for the heads.

As some come with basic sets it's another way for Mattel to get collectors to buy basics which they probably wouldn't normally do, I have done this myself to try and get parts for a particular one, and I have to say, the basic figures I needed to do this were very expensive but the parts were just too hard to get hold of so I had to do this, you can buy a lot of them complete in full on the secondary market but the prices are high and although buying a couple of basics with the parts is high, it's not as high as paying for certain completed BAF's.

 

Danny Davis

 

I'd be interested to know what BAF's people have, I recall my first one being a Paul Bearer, this was bought complete and the parts for that were in a basic set. Mattel went on to release another Paul Bearer down the line in the Hall of Champions set so there was another way of getting a Bearer.

I mentioned earlier, most are figures in suits but there are exceptions to the rule, like in the previous Wrestle Mania set, parts for 80's/90's referee Danny Davis, as Davis also had a stint as a wrestler in the 80's while connected with Jimmy Hart and the Hart Foundation when they were villains, it'll be interesting to see if we get that figure, be that as a BAF or otherwise. Down the line, we are getting Dominik Mysterio as a child in BAF form, it won't be one I'll be seeking out IF I don't buy the 4 figures that are needed to make it. As of writing this, I can't find out what the 4 figures will be in that set, please hit me up on twitter (@WrestleFigsUK) if you know.

 

Paul Ellering

 

There is a BAF Jimmy Hart coming, this will be part of the next Royal Rumble set, the 4 figures for that are an early Earthquake, Yokozuna, Big E and Dakota Kai. I have two Earthquake's already, a Yokozuna and a Big E, albeit an old one from an early Elite series and TBH, it's in a bad way and never been on display as long as I can recall, those who know me know I don't collect female figures so at this point, I don't know what I am going to do, no really need for the 4 figures but do want the BAF, I do have the only other Jimmy Hart figure that was in the Hall of Fame series but this new one looks the part, not seen an actual sample piece but I believe it comes with a striking pink jacket.

I had a similar issue with the last Royal Rumble set, it consisted of a really poor looking Edge, another Goldberg, Chyna and a Shawn Michaels based on his WM IX look. I collect all Michaels figures so this was the only one I got from this set. I think I bought the BAF Paul Ellering on the secondary market, was one I really needed in the collection.

 

Commissioner Michaels

 

I think the next BAF on its way is the Vince McMahon based on his Wrestle Mania III look, comes in a series that has an excellent looking Michaels based on his retirement match at WM XXVI, another Stone Cold Steve Austin (I will pick it up as I try and collect all Austin Elites), AJ Styles based on the Boneyard match he had with The Undertaker and the final one is similar to one we have had before, it's a Bret hart based on his look also from WM XXVI, we have had this figure before, it was in a Summer Slam set that I think was a Toys R Us exclusive however, the guys at Mattel, as I mentioned in my reveals piece, said this upcoming on was more accurate to the gear he actually wore in the match rather than the previous release.

 

Jim Ross

 

Anyway, back to the point at hand, BAF's, as stated I have the Davis, Bearer and Ellering ones and there a number of suited ones but I have just the three but cost me a pretty penny to buy them.  The first was Jim Ross, still his only Mattel figure and Jazzwares are yet to release one for him in the AEW line, I have the Commissioner Shawn Michaels one, to get this one you had to have all the figures from the Flashback series that consisted of Ricky Steamboat (WM III), 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, Jake 'The Snake' Roberts (both based on their looks from King of The Ring 1996) and the final one in the set was the elusive King Harley Race, expensive loose let alone MOC. I have all 4 from the set but were purchased loose so had to buy the Michaels on its own, still shiver at the price I paid.

 

JJ Dillon

 

The final BAF I have is JJ Dillon, which was comprised of parts from a Flashback basic WCW set, this was a tiresome exercise to try and complete, I was luckily enough to get the head (originally came with a Booker T) for free of a follower on instagram, I bought the legs on ebay (but do have the figure they came with, a suited Ric Flair) and the torso/arms I had to buy the figures on card those parts came with, the torso with a Lex Luger (I also used the head on an Elite body for a custom) and the most recent purchase which I paid way more than I should have was a Sting just to get the arms for JJ. If there is any interest for the Sting or Luger with different head, please get in touch and we'll discuss a deal, the Luger in fact is on my selling page on instagram which you will find a link to at the end.

So, that's it guys, I have discussed the BAF's that I have myself, on the lookout for complete Teddy Long/Booker T/Howard Finkel/Michael Cole so if any of you are selling any of these, please get in touch.

Thanks for reading, all my links can be found HERE