SDCC Mattel Reveals - An Overview

Hello all, it's been quite a while since I have written a blog, I have been laid up with sciatica, I hope none of you ever have to go through it, terrible pain.

So, it's that time of year again, San Diego Comic Con time and it's the time of year us wrestling figure collectors realise we are going to be hit in the pocket big time as Mattel reveal a myriad of action figures they will be releasing in the coming months. We get to see actual figures and pictures of upcoming figures and we always are surprised with what we see and this year is no different. So much stuff has been released, I am starting this after the first day of reveals and I imagine I won't cover everything.

So, let's start with what I always regard as my favourite line (more so the original line) the Legends Series. So, we have series 15 about to hit the UK via independent sellers and we knew what was coming in series 16 with an updated APA (Faarooq/Bradshaw in ring gear when part of the Undertaker's Ministry), Rey Mysterio based on his ECW One Night Stand 2006 look and the final one, which is also the chase figure is Molly Holly. For long time followers of mine, you will know I don't collect female figures, which as a Legends completist, hits hard, I do have the Chyna from a couple of series back but that was an exception to the rule, I wanted to have all the 'DX Army' complete (the final one, X Pac is in series 15) but I am passing on Stacy Keibler in Series 15 and will be passing on Molly in series 16.

Series 17 will see The Dingo Warrior; (above) this is of course the Ultimate Warrior before he became Ultimate for his WWF run. It looks like it comes with an Ultimate Warrior head too to give a look of his early run in the WWF but the Dingo Warrior head is outstanding, I am guessing some people will buy 2 and display him with both heads, not me as Legends cost us here in the UK pretty much double the price of what they are in the US, I really wish they were more readily available here but in the US they are Target exclusives. 

Also, we are getting another Ken Shamrock figure, well two, as he'll be the chase, looks like the same scan as the one we got in the Elite line sometime back but that one came with a robe, these haven't been shown with a robe but they may include them.

 

The next one was a bit of a surprise; it is AJ Styles (right) from his brief stint in WCW. he wasn't there long; I recall him being there with his NWA Wildside buddy Air Paris. There were a few online unfamiliar with his stint there and couldn't quite tell who the figure resembled. I don't know why but it gave me vibes of the American Dragon figure released by Mattel some time back of Daniel Bryan when he first came into the WWE via the original NXT before it was a brand of its own like it is today. 

And to round the set off, even though he has had plenty of figures, it his first singles figure in the Legends line (he had one way back when with Marty Jannetty in the Matty Collector line of Legends) and that is Shawn Michaels. When I first saw it, I was like oh its' very much like the RSC exclusive one we got previously, which is a great figure by the way, but then I noticed his ring jacket had red colouring but his tights had black. I posted on twitter that it looked like a bit of a 'mish mash' but people sent me pics of him in similar gear, I'd say it was very early into his solo run after the split with Jannetty.

Onto most peoples favourite line, the Ultimate Edition. First off I have to talk about a two pack that will be on offer from Mattel Creations, it's ANOTHER Hulk Hogan (man, they are flooding the figure market with Hogan's be that Ultimate's or normal Elites, more to come later) the other figure is Terry Funk in his mid-80's WWF run complete with poncho, cowboy hat, chaps and branding iron, if this sounds familiar it is basically an UE version of the figure he had in the Legends line back in Series 2. These are somewhat a love letter to the LJN's especially the Hogan. They are Ultimate Editions and I collect all the male ones so I need to grab these somehow.

 

Other UE's shown were the next ones following Roman Reigns and another Jeff Hardy and they are another Brock Lesnar, this time with updated head scan and another Ultimate Warrior (left), this will be the third in the UE line and not only that but we have had it before in the form of an Elite as it was part of the Defining Moments line but this time and to borrow a line from Kyle Peterson, all the bells and whistles of an Ultimate Edition. As much as I loved the Defining Moments one it was lacking, the face scan wasn't great, the ring jacket was missing a piece but as you can see by the picture of the UE one, that has all been addressed. We also got to see the UE Goldberg, I think it is an Amazon exclusive and I think it maybe the final exclusive to them in the UE line.

We also were shown another UE Bret 'Hitman' Hart. This one is in all pink with jacket and all. It's very reminiscent of the RSC exclusive Elite from back in the day but something just seems off with this one, looks to have a high hairline again and I'm not sold on the glasses, maybe they will change when it's time for it's release. I wasn't a fan of his original UE so hopefully the final version of this will be cool.

Onto Series 3 of the Ruthless Aggression, there will be a John Cena, Shelton Benjamin and the final one in this wave is one I have been wanting for a while to go with Scott Hall and X Pac and that is a WWE version of an nWo Kevin Nash. The RA line, another one exclusive to the US is not one I am really going in on, from the first series I am getting Shawn Michaels and Batista but not Lesnar (I have an RSC exclusive figure that is very similar but again, it's the cost). I am not really planning on getting any from the second series and I'll only grab Nash from this third one.

 

A series of the Royal Rumble figures were shown, first there was a Brie Bella, a Vader, VERY similar with his first Mattel release, the fact of pin less joints etc. is not a selling point for me, if the figure looks the part, then that's all I need. There will be another Rey Mysterio, a second Elite style Damien Priest and the BAF with this set is Dok Hendrix (Michael PS Hayes). Hendrix of course was the interviewer when Steve Austin gave the famous "Austin 3:16" blurb at King of The Ring 1996. I want the BAF of course but honestly, none of the 4 figures you need to build him, a decision to make when they become available.

Onto another PPV set that will come with a BAF and that is Survivor Series. I think Bill over at Mattel has been listening to the fans because when there was a vote for what choice of UE Ultimate Warrior people wanted in the Fan Takeover vote (which was won by the Wrestle Mania VI Warrior) the Survivor Series 90 Warrior was an option and the one I and I know many others, wanted (plus we'd had the WM VI one in the Elite line twice before) and now we are getting it, albeit in Elite form rather than UE. There is also a Becky Lynch, AJ Styles and Drew McIntyre, the latter being from his original WWE run when he looks really young, it has been done before but this one comes with a ring jacket. The BAF for this line is a suited 'Ravishing' Rick Rude and Mattel really have us here because not only is it figures we probably don't all want (I only want the Warrior tbh) but with the BAF we have 2 heads. If you recall, back in the day RAW was taped and Rude, as the 'insurance policy' of DX was on a show with a full beard then on the same night on a live WCW Nitro with just a moustache, oh those were the days when people were jumping sides left, right and centre (I wonder if we'll ever get a Lex Luger from when he turned up on the debut edition of Nitro to the surprise of everyone?) So, unless you can pick the parts up on the secondary market, you're going to have to buy all 4 figures for the BAF and if you want both versions of Rude, one to go with DX and one to go with a WCW set up, well.......

 

Elite 96 was shown, and as I mentioned earlier, we have more Hulk Hogan's (above). this look I think was from around 1991, no description needed, toy can see the picture of it here. Also in Series 96 Kofi Kingston, the first Ilya Dragunov, Brock Lesnar (left), the first Elite I think with the updated head sculpt, there will be a King Nakamura and the chase figure will be female wrestler, Scotland's own, Doudrop.

Elite series 97 was shown starting with a demented looking Alex Bliss, then we had first time in the Elite line Omas and he comes with the RAW tag team title belt, we also have a Ronda Rousey, King Xavier Woods,  with crown and Sceptre (he will also be the chase), we also will be getting a Seamus with jacket, face protector and bowler hat.  

OK guys, I will leave it there for a look at day one of the reveals. I have seen other bits but hopefully I'll get the chance to write about them over the weekend.

Anyway, let me know what you have seen that impresses you and you really want to pick up.

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Thanks for reading guys.