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Rocket's Columns

Ask the Rocket #4 (10/10/2003)
Ask the Rocket #3 (11/10/2002)
Ask the Rocket #2 (11/01/2001)
Ask the Rocket #1 (10/09/2001)
Figure Wish-List (06/29/2001)
Aren't "Characters" Gimick Enough? (05/06/2001)

Ask the Rocket #4
1) I notice the different wrestling company logos at the top of your site pages. Are these the only companies who have put on offical wrestling figure lines?

NO. Not at all. There are many Japanese promotions which I haven't even touched on yet, including Zero-One and Noah. There are also additional lines, by the companies I do have listed, which aren't featured on my site. Check out some of the other sites on my links page to find information on additional lines.

2) Which wrestling figure is your favorite?

Wow, that's a tough one. I'll go with the figure that first got me into collecting... the 1992 CMLL Ultimo Dragon figure!

3) Is there a Japanese figure of Mick Foley?

No.

4)What ECW figure is the rarest of the bunch?

Well, it's actually not just one figure. I believe the rarest wrestling toy from the Original San Francisco Toymakers is actually the ECW Ring set which comes with exclusive versions of Rob Van Dam and Sabu. There are obviously some ECW figures that are rarer than others, but I've seen the Ring set sell on eBay for over $100.00. They're pretty hard to come by these days.

That's it for this installment of "Ask the Rocket". You can email me your questions at coloradorocket@hotmail.com.

Ask the Rocket #3
1) How can I get ahold of some of the 12" Japanese figures may by Inspire?

These are some of my favorite Japanese figures. They are indeed hard to find. Your best bets would be to send an email to the people at www.sportsjapan.com and www.tucoldvideo.com. Both sites have many more Japanese wrestling figures than they advertise on their site, and have contacts in Japan that they deal with. It's also good to frequently check eBay. Every VERY once in a while, one will turn up there.

2) Which wrestling promotion would you like to see come out with a figure line?

Most non-independent wrestling promotions already have their own figure lines. However, although I know it will ever happen (or won't happen for some time) because of their small market, I'd really like to see a figure line from NWA TNA. For those of you not familiar with NWA TNA, they're a weekly Pay-Per-View program that airs every Wednesday night on In Demand PPV. They feature many established stars like Jeff Jarrett and Scott Hall, as well as the best pool of young fresh talent in this country today. I'd love to see figures made of Malice, Sonny Siake, AJ Styles and Low Ki.

3) Why are there so many WCW figures that were only released in the United Kingdom?

That's a very good question. I wish I had an answer, but I can only venture a guess. For some reason, it appears that WCW released much of their merchandise to the United Kingdom before releasing it in the United States. I have no idea why. When WCW was suddenly bought by the WWF, my guess is that the most recent WCW figures by Toy Biz were already shipped to the United Kingdom, but hadn't been released in the United States. These figures, then, never made it to U.S. stores. Therefore figures that were probably not meant to be UK exclusives, ended up that way. I'm guessing the same thing probably happenned in 1991 with the Galoob line. In that case, however, I'm guessing the WCW contract with Galoob may have just run out.

4) I've heard somewhere that there are two versions of the WWF LJN Billy Jack Haynes figure. One has "Oregon" printed on his trunks and one doesn't. Is this true?

Well, I thought I knew the answer at one time, but now I'm not sure. I too had heard the same thing, and actually thought I had sold one without the printing, back when I first started collecting. However, every one I've seen since, has the printing. I'm not sure if I imagined the non-printed version or not. Any help would be appreciated.

That's it for this installment of "Ask the Rocket". You can email me your questions at coloradorocket@hotmail.com.

Ask the Rocket #2
1) Is the ECW figure line a good line to collect?

My opinion is that it is a GREAT line to collect! I believe that the ECW figures, made by the Original San Francisco Toymakers, will be as collectable as the AWA figures are now. Like the AWA, ECW was a smaller struggling promotion who could not compete, from a business sense, with the WWF. However, ECW had more heart, and left the wrestling fans with a lot of great memories.

2) Did the ECW 2 packs ever hit the market- "Air Raid" & "Grudge Match" etc?

No. Unfortunately, ECW went under before these figures were released. It's a shame, because they looked very cool.

3) At a dollar store I found a WCW gross - out figure of SID VICIOUS - which reminded me a lot of the WWF Maximum Sweat figures. I'd never seen one, until I bought that one. Is it rare? Or is it possible to get the entire set (which is just a Goldberg and Sting I believe.)?

The WCW Gross-Out figures are fairly rare. It doesn't appear that they were released in many stores. They do appear quite a bit on eBay, however. I believe Kevin Nash is also in the set, and you should be able to collect all of them. There was a Bret Hart prototype made for this line too, but was never released.

4) On the back of one of my WWF LJN MOC figures, there's a picture of a Ricky Steamboat figure who has red and black pants. Can I find this anywhere?

Unless you can get your hands on a prototype, which is highly unlikely, the answer is no. The figure on the back of the LJN packages was a prototype. This version was never released. Instead LJN released the version with all black pants.

That's it for this installment of "Ask the Rocket". You can email me your questions at coloradorocket@hotmail.com.

Ask the Rocket #1
Let me first state that I am, by no means, the leading expert on wrestling figures. However, my hobby has involved a lot of research into the world of wrestling figure collecting, so I do feel I could be of some help to those of you who have questions. Since the initial launch of my website, I have received many questions via email. For the first "Ask the Rocket" column, I'm going to answer some of the my most frequent questions. If you would like to ask me a question, you can email me at coloradorocket@hotmail.com. I will post selected questions on this page in future "Ask the Rocket" columns. That being said, let's start:

1) Where do you buy your figures?

Believe it or not, this is the question I get the most. It really depends. I usually buy newer figures at stores like K-Mart and KB Toys. I've bought most of my figures, however, over the internet. Many have been purchased off of eBay. Others have been purchased of of wrestling figure web sites. For a list of some of my preferred sites, check out my Links page.

2) Would you be willing to sell any of your figures?

No. I do sell some loose figures from time to time on ebay, but none of my MOC wrestling figures are for sale.

3) Do you own all of the figures you have pictured on your site?

No. While I do own many of them, some were borrowed from other sources for the main purpose of describing the figure lines they belong to.

4) Where can a find a FMW Hayabusa figure?

Unfortunately, this has become a very hard figure to find. There are four color variations of this figure. Even though the blue version is the least rare, all versions are very rare. At one time, I would see this figure on a few Japanese sites, but all of those sites seem to have sold them all out. You're best bet now would probably be eBay. I see some there from time to time.

5) Will Toybiz be releasing any more WCW figures?

A few months ago, I would have said no. However, Toybiz just released the WCW Unleashed line with Shane Douglas, Mike Awesome, Kidman, and Vampiro. It also appears that they will release one more line called "Ring Rage" which will feature Scott Steiner, Booker T, Sting, Bryan Clarke, and Brian Adams. There has been a rumor, that for some reason, Brian Adams will no longer be released. I'm not sure if this is true.

Figure Wish-List
I'm sure everyone has a figure wish-list. You know, that favorite wrestler of yours that you wish had a figure, but probably never will. I know I have mine. I'm fairly sure the following figures will never be produced, but in a perfect wrestling figure world, here's to the top 10 figures I would like to see the most. They are in no particular order:

Big Vito (with hat and kendo stick) - Big Vito is one of my all-time favorite wrestlers. He was such a great character in WCW. There's just something about that "Italiano-tough guy" persona that really began to strike a chord with wrestling fans. Unfortunately, WCW management wasn't paying any attention to the fan response he was getting. If his momentum would have been built upon, I truly think Vito would have been a major player in the new WCW. He would have made a great figure.

Norman Smiley (with shoulder pads, and hardcore accessories) - The "big-wiggler" himself remained one of my most anticipated figures for many months once I heard the rumor that he might replace someone in the WCW TNT series. It never happenned though, and I'm not sure why. At times, Norman was one of the most "over" guys in WCW. I remember watching one of his return matches after he was out for several months. As soon as he motioned for the "big wiggle", the fans responded with a pop that rivaled a Goldberg spear! No joke! "Screaming Norman" was one of the most creative characters I've ever seen in wrestling. Like Vito, WCW didn't capitalize on Norman's popularity, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that Norman wasn't marketed well. Hey, what about a Norman/Ralphus two-pack!!!

Crowbar & Daphney Two-pack - Okay, you're probably beginning to see a pattern here with all of these former WCW stars, but I promise, I'll get into the other promotions' stars as well. Daphney is obviously one of the greatest women characters in wrestling. She is incredibly fresh and original. She's not just there for eye-candy, and she always adds a lot to the match. Crowbar is one of the most gifted and entertaining young wrestlers today. He's proven that he can work with every style wrestler and his character never fails to entertain. Ofcourse, WCW let them both go. I REALLY hope these two are reuinted in the new WCW, but we'll have to see. The two had some nice chemistry and an interesting love-triangle going there for a while - another promising angle cut short. I'd love to see these two make it to store shelves someday, but I won't hold my breath.

Mikey Whipwreck (with torch and gas can) - Okay, I'll admit that a torch and a gas-can aren't the most marketable accessories to sell to kids, but keep in mind that this is a "wish-list". I have no doubt that had ECW not gone bankrupt, Toymakers would have released a figure of Mikey. Toymakers was very good about making figures of much of the ECW roster. Considering how popular Mikey's last "pyro" character was (prior to his retirement), I'd say he would have been a shoe-in. However with ECW and Mikey now gone from wrestling, I can kiss those hopes goodbye.

Magnum T.A. - As ridiculous as it might sound, I actually believe we're more likely to see this figure made before any of the names above. I really hope Figures Inc. includes Magnum in one of their future "Legends of Professional Wrestling" lines. Magnum was one of the most promising wrestling new-combers at one time, comparable to Goldberg. A car-accident ended his career early, yet he remains a big name from wrestling's past. I'd love to see a figure of him made as a tribute.

Hugh Morrus - Hugh's the guy on my list that I'm actually pretty confident will have a figure in the future. The WWF management seems pretty high on him, so I'd expect a WCW Jakks figure before too long. If anyone deserves it, he does. It was at times difficult for me to watch the beginning of a push for Hugh, only to see it dwindle two weeks later. The guy has always had so much talent and ring charisma. He was a diamond in the rough, who no one was letting rise to the occasion. Vince Russo finally got behind the "laughing man" and he was a big part of WCW up until the buy-out. It's nice to see him finally get some respect. I'm looking forward to seeing the figure in stores.

WCW Cruiserweight Madness! (featuring 10 of WCW's top cruiser-weight wrestlers) - This would be an amazing set. I love the idea of having a set devoted to the cruiserweight division. These guys deserve a lot of respect and have always been "over" with the fans. Why not give them their own set? Let's see, I think I would include: Shane Helms, Chavo Guerrero Jr., KweeWee, Kaz Hayashi, Yang, Shannon Moore, Evan Karagious, Elix Skipper, Kid Romeo, and Jamie Noble. Man that's a great idea!

Juventud Guerrera "The Juice" - Being a big fan of the luchadores, I actually would have loved for Guerrera to be in the AAA Kelian line. It seems like he would have been a perfect fit, but I'm pretty sure he was a relatively new face in AAA when that line was released. I would have liked to have seen a WCW figure made as well, but it never happenned. I loved Juventud's character when he was the "Juice". He was kind of a "goofy heel", and his color commentary was hilarious. I also really liked the Rock impressions he would do. Funny stuff. I think it would be kind of cool to incorporate his personality into the figure, but I'm not sure how that could be done. Maybe he could be giving the people's eyebrow or something.

Nikita Koloff - Nikita Koloff's one of those wrestlers who made a big impact in the old NWA and WCW. While others from this period were represented in the figure world by AWA's Remco line and WCW's Galoob line, Nikita never had his own figure. I think he would be another great addition to the "Legends" line. Although he didn't wrestle for many years, he's well remembered as a pretty fearsome heel, and later a huge baby-face.

The Evolution of Kanyon - For my last pick, I'll choose something WAAAYYY out there. There is no way this would even be considered, or even make any money if released, but from a personal aspect, I would love this set. I really liked Toybiz's "Evolution of Sting" six figure set. I would have changed a few things, but overall, I really liked the concept. Now imagine the same theme, but spawning Kanyon's career. You'd start with his "construction worker" look when he was part of that "Men At Work" tag-team. Next would be Mortis (this would be a super cool-looking figure), complete with skull and staff. Then we would have his look from his days with the Triad (DDP and Bam Bam Bigelow). Actually WCW Toybiz already made this figure. Next we would have Chris "Champaigne" Kanyon, complete with hat, sunglasses and shiney jacket. And last, but not least, "Postively" Kanyon, with his mock-DDP gear on. Man I would love this! I'm sure the WWF will start a completely new character with him, so why not add one more figure to the set! Once again, a completly absurd idea, but this one was kind of just for fun.

Aren't "Characters" Gimick Enough?
There's something about wrestling figure manufacturers that's always boggled my mind. They sometimes come to the conclusion that wrestling, in general, isn't strong enough of a theme to sell figures. They think that an additional theme needs to be introduced to make the characters more interesting.

We've seen Jakks come out with lines like "STOMP" and "Camo Carnage", where the wrestlers are dressed in futuristic military gear. Toybiz used this same idea with their "Slam force" line. What are these companies thinking? Do they think the average wrestling fan is more likely to buy a figure of their favorite wrestler dressed like G.I. Joe?

Now we come to the "Maximum Sweat" and "Gross-Out" wrestlers. Apparentally what kids really want to do is make slime come out of Sid Vicious' head. Uh, I doubt it.

And last but not least, my personal favorite - WCW Ringmasters. The idea behind this line was to take the wrestlers' signature moves and make literal themes out of them. Here's a few examples: Goldberg's move is the "Jackhammer", so a figure was made of him in a construction outfit; Jericho's was the Liontamer, so he came complete with a lion, training chair, and whip. And how can we forget Lex Luger who comes with an executioner's mask over his face - a bizarre interpretation of his "Torture rack".

People buy wrestling figures because they like wrestling. The whole concept of wrestling is an original and entertaining idea by itself. Why are additional gimicks needed? Kids who play with figures aren't going to like them. Collectors certainly won't like them. What's the point? If new ideas are needed for figure lines, why not concentrate on making figures of new wrestlers - the guys who haven't had figures made of them yet. Figure fans want diversity, not obscurity.