When I first got into professional wrestling the action figures at the time were made by Hasbro. They were small figures that could only move certain ways, but I would come to see them as a step up from the LJN figures which preceded them. Though the LJN figures were larger, they also had no point of articulation so everything you wanted to act out about a match you literally had to move the figure to the proper position which was often times difficult (Think Gumby)
Following Hasbro, WWE had their action figures made by Jakks Pacific for the rest of my collecting days. Jakks initially started with Bone Crunching Action (BCA) figures, which were that soft rubbery feel of the LJN figures only scaled down in size (Though still larger than Hasbro) and given more mobility. From there, Jakks went into the Titan Tron Live (TTL) series, which was a more modern take on action figures with moveable elbow and knee joints (on most of the figures), which lead way to the Ruthless Aggression (RA) style and eventually they would end on Deluxe Aggression (DA) which was just a more articulated version of the RA style.
Throughout the days of collecting wrestling figures, the two biggest WWE wrestlers will probably always be Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage. While they both had figures in the LJN (before my time) and Hasbro (during my time) days, neither would receive a Jakks BCA figure. In fact, Hulk Hogan would have a TTL style figure, but those are often regarded as some of his worst because of the size of the arms and such. When Jakks started a Classic Superstars line (In RA form, then eventually DA as well), Hulk Hogan was included to give him some great RA style figures, as well as a few DA figures.
We fast forward to the present and Hulk Hogan is still getting DA figures made by Jakks, though now they are called Deluxe Impact (DI) and are under the TNA banner not the WWE banner. While that happens outside of the WWE, in the world of the WWE, Macho Man Randy Savage has had his first action figures made under the WWE logo since the Hasbro days as he has had numerous Legends figures now as WWE has partnered with Mattel. Granted, in the 1990’s Hulk Hogan and Macho Man both had figures made whilst in WCW, but let’s forget about that because, well, yeah, we’re talking WWE figures here.
So my biggest wonder in all of this is why it’s taking so long to get Hogan and Savage on the same page. We’ve gotten seemingly everyone else (Except for a few) since the Hasbro days. If Jakks didn’t make someone in their Classics line, odds are we’re going to see them in the Mattel Legends line. The only person we know for sure we won’t ever get is Owen Hart due to ongoing legal issues and the fact that his widow hates the company that ultimately killed him.
But not only have we had names like Bret Hart, Andre the Giant, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude, Jake Roberts, Roddy Piper and Ultimate Warrior appear in the Jakks Classics line for the first time under the WWE banner since the Hasbro days, they have also all be remade in the Mattel Legends line as well.
So the good news for collectors come in the fact that Macho Man figures have been produced and are currently in stores. The bad news for collectors is that Hulk Hogan will not be made by Mattel so long as he is in TNA.
Now if you want to break it down to the WCW era wrestlers, like Sting and Ric Flair, well, Sting has never had a figure produced under the WWE banner, however he does have Jakks figures now which can go with the Jakks WWE figures in the RA and DA style. Ric Flair has had a figure in pretty much every style WWE has had aside from BCA and now Mattel. Is it too much to hope for a world where one day maybe Hogan, Savage and even Flair can come together and exist on the same figure platform?
When I really started thinking about it, I saw it as some kind of grand conspiracy that has to do with pacing yourself. Jakks always said they wanted to pace themselves with the Classics line, and Mattel has said the same thing. So if you look at the last of the Jakks run as being the “Hogan era” of action figures, well then the current Mattel must be the “Savage era” of figures. I don’t see why WWE and Mattel would end their partnership any time in the foreseeable future because the relationship just seems to benefit both parties so well. But I’d like to hope that some time down the line Hulk Hogan will have a Mattel figure and even be in a two pack as both an ally and a rival to Macho Man. This would be the third and final phase of giant wrestling figure collecting where all of the big names would finally come together.
I also wonder if one day we won’t see an Owen Hart figure, hopefully under the guidance of Mattel. Martha Hart is the one who stands in the way of that idea currently, but with no disrespect intended to her whatsoever, everyone dies eventually. That might be the last little highlight after The Mega Powers finally unite in action figure form.
And while I thought the idea of Hulk Hogan leaving TNA and being able to be made by Mattel was crazy once, I honestly don’t see anyone other than Hogan who would be so fitting to induct Savage into the WWE Hall of Fame. On top of which, Mick Foley has left TNA and is headed back to WWE and presumably into Mattel action figure form as well. Will the same happen with Ric Flair down the line? Only time will tell. But if we can get Hogan, Flair and even eventually Owen Hart made by Mattel, I think a lot of collectors will be left very satisfied.
