Variant Spotlight - Thumbs up for Off The Mat!

Remember when everyone loved the Off The Mat boxed set for the sole purpose of making a ridiculous number of customs with its parts?

In reality, the set was only good for one reason - Stone Cold Steve Austin in jean shorts with a removable vest (outside of the collecting community, this would sound quite awkward). Oh, and belts.

Can you imagine if there was a variant of this particular figure? Well, surprise kiddies, because there is/was one (or possibly more than one, but who can ever be sure?).


The difference? It has the infamous "thumbs up" arms instead of the regular arm parts with clenched fists.

There isn't much to explain here, but I can add to it that I've seen OTM Billy Gunn variants with the same "affliction", and now you can, too.

Now, considering that all four figures of the Off The Mat boxed set used the same arm parts, it would be safe to assume that there are Rocky and Roadie (Road Dog) OTM figures out there with the dreaded "thumbs up."

Have you ever seen them?

I'm sure he has.

More, more, more...I know how you like it

For once, I know I was dreaming.

Ever find yourself working on something one day and then unexpectedly thinking about it in the middle of your sleep later that night?

Yeah, I did that, but sadly it had to do with this blog.

I had dreamt that VJB consisted of nothing but elongated text, and the handful of comments I received were being made for the sake of ignorance.

So, as ridiculous as it may sound, I'm going to try and keep my posts much shorter in length so that it doesn't drown the reader with boring information (well, for everyone but me).

As a follow-up to my post about WWF Magazine scans, here are a few scans from Lee's Toy Review and White's Guide of BCA figures. None of these images were scanned by me, but credit to whoever's eBay listings it was that I copied these from.

First, I have a point-of-view shot of the S.T.O.M.P. Series 2 ad I showed you before, although this could also be found in the 69th issue of Lee's Toy Review.


Next, coming to you out of Lee's Toy Review #72 (October 1998, pages 50-51), here are MOC pics of Ringside Collection Series 2, Superstars Series 6, Slammers Series 2, the Survivor Series Mini Rings set, and Mick Foley's Triple Threat 3-Pack.


Here is one of the more interesting scans that I've ever seen which comes from White's Guide #34 (October 1997, page 48). It is the first time I ever remember seeing prototype images for three popular, early-release Jakks boxed sets: Buried Alive, Championship Title Series #1, and King of the Iron Rungs.


And, since I can't top Winter Princess Cinderella, here are some magazine covers featuring BCA figures (that's what this blog is about, right?!?).


By the way, feel free to scan in any from your own magazine collections, upload them, and I'll share them for everyone to see. Same goes for the Custom Corner installments.

Send all pictures to tmac152303@yahoo.com.

- Alex

Coming soon to stores, 11 years too late...

What better way to celebrate March Madness and the onset of spring-y weather than to travel back in time to mid-March 1999 for an AFR update on then-upcoming Jakks figures?

I know you can't see the connection right now, but it will come in time. Believe me.

I don't want to get your hopes up, as this information is not 100% confirmed by Jakks just yet (something about a Chinese New Year, I dunno...).

And, just to make things crystal clear (like a spring day!) for everyone out there, I'll bold all that glitters that is not gold or, in non-Smash Mouth-anese, all of the figures that were not released or figures/release dates that were re-scheduled.

Off we go...

Superstars Series 8:
Big Boss Man
Kane
Ken Shamrock
The Rock
Shane McMahon
Shawn Michaels

Superstars Series 9:
Bob Holly
Christian
Gangrel
Paul Wight
Undertaker (Ministry of Darkness)
Vince McMahon (with tear-away suit)

2 Tuff Series 4:
The Rock/Mankind
Stone Cold Steve Austin/Big Boss Man
Kane/Undertaker
D'Lo Brown/Val Venis

2 Tuff Series 5:
J.O.B. Squad
The Brood
The Godfather/Val Venis
Debra McMichaels/"Double J" Jeff Jarrett

Grudge Match 2-Packs:
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock (due out May 1999)
Ken Shamrock vs B.A. Billy Gunn (due out June 1999)

Deadly Games Series (a.k.a. Shotgun Saturday Night Series 3):
DUE OUT JUNE 1999
B.A. Billy Gunn
Edge
The Rock (with "$5,000 shirt")
Shane McMahon
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Test

Grapple Gear Series 2:
No Pain, No Gain (comes with wheel chair, crutches, stretcher)
Breakdown In Your House (comes with houseware)
Hardcore Rules (possibly comes with outdoor stuff, such as a stop sign)

Titan Tron Playset:
DUE OUT AROUND CHRISTMAS 1999
Comes with ramp, lights, and Titan Tron with a special device that scans the wrestler's figure and automatically announces their name, plays their entrance theme, and their entrance video.

S.T.O.M.P. Series 4:
DUE OUT APRIL 1999
Each has camouflage outfit and comes with guns and other accessories; the figures are also said to be more articulated.
B.A. Billy Gunn
Chyna
HHH
Road Dog Jesse James
Stone Cold Steve Austin (with bow and arrow)
X-Pac

Sunday Night Heat Series:
TARGET EXCLUSIVE, DUE OUT SEPTEMBER 1999
B.A. Billy Gunn
Road Dog Jesse James
The Rock
Sable
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Undertaker

D.T.A. Tour Series 2:
WAL-MART EXCLUSIVE, DUE OUT MARCH 1999
Al Snow
Blue Blazer
Edge
Jeff Jarrett
Steve Blackman
Undertaker

D.T.A. Tour Series 3:
WAL-MART EXCLUSIVE, DUE OUT APRIL 1999
Animal
Dr. Death
Droz
Hawk
HHH
Stone Cold Steve Austin

Bradlees Exclusive 2-Pack:
AVAILABLE NOW
Undertaker/Paul Bearer

"No Chance" 4-Pack:
KB TOYS EXCLUSIVE, DUE OUT JUNE 1999
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Vince McMahon
Paul Wight
?

Hardcore Champions 4-Pack:
TOYS"R"US EXCLUSIVE, comes with Hardcore belt
Big Boss Man
Mankind
Road Dog Jesse James
Bob Holly

Ministry of Darkness 4-Pack:
WAL-MART EXCLUSIVE, DUE OUT JULY 1999
Undertaker
Mable (Viscera)
Farooq
Bradshaw

Grapple Gear Figure Sets:
K-MART EXCLUSIVE
Kane (due out March 1999)
Mankind (due out April 1999)
HHH (due out May 1999)
Stone Cold Steve Austin (due out June 1999)
Undertaker (due out July 1999)

Mini Rings Boxed Sets:
Chaos in the Cell
Hardcore Rules

Maximum Sweat Series 2:
SCHEDULED TO CHANGE (MAY BE SERIES 3)
Big Boss Man
Gangrel
Mankind
Paul Wight
The Rock
Stone Cold Steve Austin

Not to mention, there was talk of a DX 4-Pack with removable cloth shirts for each, as well as the possibilities of Oddities figures, Goldust with a cloth robe, and a better representation of Droz.

Now, to decipher this list and point out the changes that were made.

• Superstars Series 8 and 9 were released as is.


• D'Lo and The Godfather were both rumored to be included with Val Venis in 2 Tuff Series 4 before the line-ups were finalized, but a Billy Gunn repaint would eventually be chosen.


• Debra/Jarrett was the only set of the four listed from 2 Tuff Series 5 that reached stores. The others were likely scrapped due to the end of a storyline or because the figures were made in another series.


• Bold dates means that the actual release date was significantly earlier or later than suggested.


• Several of the names rumored for the Deadly Games Series were/are available in Fully Loaded Series 2. Billy Gunn is not available in either.


• The Hardcore Rules Grapple Gear set came with ring steps, a broom, and a garbage bucket, not a stop sign or other outdoor items.


• The Titan Tron playset does not play entrance videos, and it could be purchased much sooner than Christmas 1999 as the first TTL-related product on the market.


• D.T.A. Tour Series 3 did not include Dr Death, Droz, or the Road Warriors/Legion of Doom; instead, a Godfather re-release, X-Pac re-release, street gear Ken Shamrock, and Christian with blood splattered on his shirt were made.


• "No Chance" was available as a 3-pack and did not require a fourth figure after all.


• Without a doubt, the Ministry of Darkness 4-pack would have been a huge success with new Acolytes and the debut of Mabel/Viscera to the BCA line, but the once-planned boxed set was scrapped. Undertaker and Viscera were available in a 2 Tuff Series 5 2-pack, but the Acolytes were never produced in the original BCA style. Prototypes were made for the newer BCA line in the mid-2000s, but neither made it past that stage.


• Mankind's Grapple Gear boxed set saw a release in 1999, but the others did not. The Rock had one and Steve Austin had a few of the Grapple Gear figure sets, but most were around the year prior (1998).


• I'm not aware of any Mini Rings sets with those names, but "Chaos in the Cell" was used years later for a TTL Steel Cage playset and "Hardcore Rules" was the name of the Grapple Gear Series 2 set.


• Maximum Sweat Series 2's rumored line-up is the actual line-up for Series 3.


• There was a BCA Goldust with cloth robe released in the Break Down In Your House Series, but a DX 4-Pack with cloth shirts and "improved" Droz are nowhere to be found.

Until next time, thanks for looking and have a nice day!

- Alex

A look back at BCA in print...WWF Magazine, that is...

I must have misplaced my rose-colored glasses (and, no, I don't mean the old HBK shades), as a recent purchase of mine reminded me of how dated the old WWF magazines read today.

I bought 34 issues of WWF Magazine ranging from January 1997 to December 1999 on eBay a few weeks ago, and I wasn't quite satisfied with what I received.

It wasn't just the content of the stories, but rather the scribbled on notes and loose/missing pages that irked me. However, there was something good that came out of my troubles - I spotted a few good Jakks Pacific advertisements that I've decided to scan for all to see.

Click on each image for a larger view.

First, check out this full-page ad on page 16 of the December 1997 (also, January & February 1998) issue of WWF Magazine with all of Superstars Series 5 (and Steve Austin ready for his close-up).


Next, who's ready for some S.T.O.M.P. Series 2?

No one?

You couldn't care less?

Well then, you'll take it and like it (courtesy of the July 1998 issue, pages 62-63)...




And, since I know you can't get enough of this wonderfully-accurate series depicting everyone's favorite WWF wrestlers from that one time they all went deep-sea diving together, here's another ad from the September 1998 (October 1998, as well) issue, pages 12-13.




Sure they are.

Anyway, here's one final BCA figure ad on page 14 of the February 1999 issue mentioning the double bagged exclusive Vince McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin figures with purchase of Royal Rumble 1999 on PPV.


As for non-BCA figures, here are a few good scans of Legends Series 1 (April 1998, page 37), Maximum Sweat Series 1 (October 1999, page 27), and the Internet-Active Stone Cold Steve Austin (November 1999, page 41).






I hope you enjoyed the look back.

Now, I needs to find me one of those talking C watches.