Figure Review #5 - Fully Loaded Series 1 Triple H

It was a career-defining moment for Triple H on the night of August 30th, 1998.


He claimed the Intercontinental Championship after a grueling 26-minute ladder match with The Rock at SummerSlam, much to the delight of the 21,588 Madison Square Garden-faithful in attendance.

Although he had been an Intercontinental champion before, Helmsley had never competed in a feud as high-profile as the one where he led DX to the front lines to battle with The Rock and his Nation of Domination in the summer of 1998.

Helmsley’s reign was a short one due to a legitimate knee injury he was facing at the time, so the WWF vacated ownership of the title and held a tournament to crown a new champion in October of the same year.

Ken Shamrock would become the eventual winner after defeating HHH’s DX stablemate X-Pac in the finals on the October 12th, 1998, edition of Raw is War.

Triple H’s third IC title win was delayed another 2-and-a-half years until April 2001, but he managed to bide his time with a measly four WWF Heavyweight Championship wins during that span. His ascension to the top of the company was quick and ruthless, hence why he earned the nickname “The Cerebral Assassin.”


But for fans of his from the days of spraying water on fans with a super-charged Super Soaker to the invasion of “Dubya Cee Dubya” with DX decked out in camo gear, there is always wrestling action figures to commemorate Triple H’s rise to superstardom.

Jakks Pacific did not waste any time in preparing an official release of Helmsley’s debut BCA figure in the “Bad Boys” Superstars Series 4 assortment in early 1997, but it wasn’t until series 6 was available in the fall of 1998 that an accurate mold of “The Game” arrived on the scene.


As was customary for any new release, multiple repaints and re-releases were commissioned of Triple H’s bulky Superstars Series 6 figure from late 1998 through 1999. One in particular, Helmsley’s Fully Loaded Series 1 repaint, struck the right chord with collectors since it captured a memorable moment in Triple H’s career – his IC title ladder match victory over The Rock at SummerSlam 1998.


Who could possibly forget the bright, shiny metallic purple attire that Triple H wore while in the midst of searching for his own identity in the WWF’s upper mid-card?

It was a favorite among fans and, soon enough, collectors too.


Fully Loaded Series 1 had plenty to offer those eager to add something new to their collections, but would Triple H’s figure depicting his SummerSlam 1998 attire live up to the hype?

Yes, to an extent it does, and it remains a favorite of BCA collectors, including myself, to this day, but there are a few flaws that I feel obligated to point out.

Head:

While there is a decent likeness to be had in the face, you wouldn’t know it by having to look past the glaring issue that is Helmsley’s bleach-blonde hair. Jakks experimented with a couple different shades for this sculpt in the BCA line, but this one does no favors for an otherwise good expression. Grade – 2.5/5

Torso:

I always liked this torso for Helmsley and felt that it fit him like a glove, but it could do with a little less definition. Grade – 4.5/5

Arms:

They’re big, maybe too big in some people’s opinions, but I think Triple H’s arms are just big enough to accommodate the torso. It’s a significant upgrade from the gorilla-like arms used for his debut figure, and they get the job done with limited articulation. The all-around thickness shaves off a few points for me. Grade – 4/5

Legs:

The logos are not a perfect match and painting over the belt mold as if to suggest that the belt buckle and loops are nonexistent is a no-no, but the lower half of this figure is what makes, well, the figure what it is! No, it’s not entirely accurate, but you have to commend Jakks for their effort. They truly did the best with that they had, and I guess that can be taken for what it’s worth. Grade – 4/5

Accessories/Other:

Triple H comes with a non-functional Super Soaker accessory, or “Blastin’ Bazooka” as Jakks calls it for copyright reasons, and it’s freaking awesome. Well, it doesn’t actually do anything, but just the concept alone was genius to include with a semi-commemorative Triple H figure.

If only I could find the clip of DX using their Super Soaker, but this will just have to do for now (completely off-topic, but it’s funny nonetheless).

Granted, a yellow ladder with silver rungs or Intercontinental title belt would have been more appropriate in capturing the essence of Helmsley’s SummerSlam 1998 win for his Fully Loaded Series 1 figure, but the Super Soaker is a great consolation prize. Grade – 4/5


Overall: 19/25

Considering that it is just a repaint of a previously-released figure, Fully Loaded Series 1 Triple H is, as I said before, good for what it is and it gets the job done.

I didn’t anticipate there being as many differences in the designs on the figure’s tights as compared with the actual attire worn by Triple H at SummerSlam 1998, but maybe it wasn’t meant to be a direct representation. And even if it was intentional, would it really be that noticeable without my having to do a closer inspection for this review?


Probably not, and I don’t think many collectors would care either way. It’s a solid repaint that I’m sure brought a lot of joy to kids of the late 90s who watched Chyna assist Triple H in winning the Intercontinental title from The Rock at the WWF’s annual summer spectacular.

The figure itself may not be spectacular, but the moment it represents is and will live on for future generations.

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

- Alex

BCA Custom Corner #4 - Joe/Shinzaki are ready to Rock

The fourth installment of BCA Custom Corner is unusual in that neither wrestler identifies with the Attitude era, but both Samoa Joe and Jinsei Shinzaki (Hakushi in the WWF) customs are technically BCA figure molds.

So, considering the purpose of this post is to commend others for their excellent work, I feel like both are worth showcasing on the blog.

Ianarchy over at FigureRealm.com is the creator or mastermind behind these two custom BCA figures, which sounds insulting to call them that since they are far better than anything Jakks Pacific could muster up.

First we'll start with Samoa Joe whose head choice is nearly indecipherable beneath all of the sculpting. Can you guess which BCA head was used? See the answer and how the figure was made here!

Samoa Joe:

For more images of the Samoa Joe finished product, look here.

Anyway, there is certainly a lot to admire with this particular custom. From the re-sculpted head and the flabby torso that is modified to near-perfection to the appropriate thickness of the arms and legs and detail, detail, detail, Samoa Joe is ready to go up against any other custom and kill the competition.

My favorite aspect would be the torso, because I know that when I see the work that's been done, I associate it with Joe. I don't know if it would elicit the same response from me if, say, the torso were used for another wrestler, but it does for Samoa Joe and that's all that's needed.

You've got to love the accessories too, but isn't it more impressive when the accessories aren't that big of a deal because the figure itself is so good? That's what we have here.

Shinzaki, on the other hand, was made from one figure only -- Superstars Series 8 "Team Corporate" The Rock. Want to see how it was made? Click here!

Jinsei Shinzaki:

For more images of the Jinsei Shinzaki finished product, look here.

He might not have symbols all over his body, but you can see the resemble to Jinsei's Hakushi WWF gimmick in the mid-90s. If there's any high-flying mid-carder from mid-90s WWF who should have stayed long enough to have his own BCA figure, it's Shinzaki.

The symbols along the outer portion of his legs look crisp, and I especially enjoy the cleft added to the toe of his boots. Shinzaki's upper body is phenomenal and another excellent torso choice which couldn't look better.

In my opinion, Shinzaki has Joe beat in the accessories department with the boomerang-like belt strap, but you literally cannot go wrong with either.

Good luck deciding the better of the two; I'll just be here trying to figure out which parts were used while I marvel at both sets of images.

If you would like your BCA customs to be shown in a future edition of BCA Custom Corner, please e-mail the images to me at tmac152303@yahoo.com with the subject "BCA Custom Corner."

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

- Alex

LVJR - Seeing Foley in threes

For the ninth installment of my "Latest Vintage Jakks Receivings" posts, I have stocked up just in time for Halloween in three weeks by adding three faces to my collection.

The three faces of Foley, that is.

I bought Mick Foley's Triple Threat boxed set, along with another item to be mentioned later on Twitter, from an eBay seller this past week for under $9 shipped. Although only one of the figures is new to my rebuilt collection, I figured that it was worth the purchase since I did rank it in my top ten list of the best BCA boxed sets back in June 2009.

As anyone who has followed pro wrestling over the years should know, Mick Foley (the wrestler) once alternated between three different characters -- Cactus Jack, Dude Love and Mankind -- while working for the WWF in the late 1990s; he even wrestled as all three personas in the same match at the 1998 Royal Rumble!

So, there was no doubt that Jakks Pacific would equally represent each of Foley's gimmicks in their WWF BCA figure line. Mankind was the first to receive a figure in the third Superstars assortment, then Dude Love followed as one of several figures to make their debut in Slammers Series 2.

Thus, Cactus Jack was the lone man out and collectors everywhere patiently waited to hear the news of Jack's arrival. That is where Foley's Kay-Bee Toys exclusive Triple Threat set comes into play (or display for all of you MIB collectors out there).

Mick Foley's Triple Threat, or "Faces of Foley" as it's more commonly known as, is best remembered for having the first Cactus Jack BCA figure at the time of its release, September 1998, but it was also a landmark set since it preceded Austin's Bad to the Bonz 3-pack as the first Jakks WWF boxed set to feature three 6-inch figures of the same person.

However, the initial price tag of $21.99 is sure to impress, well, no one.

It doesn't surprise me coming from Jakks and a store exclusive, but there is something to be said about the contents that lie within that rectangular packaging.

One regular BCA figure + two BCA-sized Slammers figures does not = the best possible Foley representation in my book.

It is the one reason why I could not rate the set higher was because of the two Slammers figures which, let's be honest, do not meet the quality of regular BCA figures sans the atrocious "action" features. Not to mention, both Dude Love and Mankind Slammers versions were incredibly easy to find in other Jakks series.

But I would never let that influence my decision to buy this particular set unless, of course, I were sick and tired of the Slammers figures and I'm happy to say that I haven't reached my threshold just yet.

I had to bite the bullet on the less-than-stellar condition of the pack that I won on eBay, but all that matters to me in the end is that the figures are still mint. They are diamonds in the rough, if you will.

The only accessory to be had is a fully-painted barbed wire bat which can be useful for each character, especially if they so choose to use it on themselves and keep coming back for more. That's the kind of Foley spirit I'm looking for in my figures!

I don't think two extra folding chairs would've been an issue for including in a 3-pack since it had been done before in the BCA line, but apparently Jakks didn't see it the same way.

Oh well, at least the packaging they did choose has some great graphics and a color pattern that is oddly attractive to me.

My take: You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the Fac...es of Foley!

But, seriously, it is a quality set which makes for a hell of a collector's item for anyone who claims to be a Foley or late 90s WWF Attitude Era fan. If you can find it for under $10 MIB, and it's not that hard to do, I would recommend taking a chance on it.

Sure, you won't be jumping for joy at Mankind's gorilla arms or Dude Love's bionic elbow (I'll throw in another "if you will" just because!), but Cactus Jack is truly a great figure considering its BCA limitations and all.

Fun fact: Cactus Jack's figure was re-released one more time in the No Holds Barred 3-pack (again exclusive to KB Toys) with Kane and Stone Cold Steve Austin, and he was never seen again in the BCA line.

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

- Alex

Know Your BCAs #1 - What to Buy, Consider and Avoid

It might not be your ABCs, but it's still worth learning.

Here's my advice on three figures to either BUY, CONSIDER or AVOID (See what I did there? Of course you did).


BUY: Superstars Series 2 Ultimate Warrior -
Warrior's debut Jakks figure included parts made specifically for him, but it has a certain flair to it that other first timers could only dream of having. Also, it's one of few BCAs that still retains some value on the secondary market. If you're looking to start your BCA collection off the right way or you just need to find the few remaining puzzle pieces to complete it, go for the Warrior's first of only two Jakks BCA figures, and don't look back.

CONSIDER: Managers Series 1 Paul Bearer and Mankind -
What a wretched move by a short and sinister man when Paul Bearer betrayed The Undertaker at SummerSlam 1996 and joined forces with the lowly Mankind, but it sure does make for a hell of a 2-pack, no? Yes, it does, and that's why you should consider this set of re-releases following Bearer's debut in the Buried Alive boxed set and Foley's in the Superstars Series 3 assortment. If you have the former figures then you probably won't need these, but it never hurt anyone to own two of Jakks' best attempts from the BCA line. Well, as far as I know it hasn't hurt anyone. Err, don't quote me on that!

AVOID: S.T.O.M.P. Series 2 Rocky Maivia -
It's not just the fact that it is a S.T.O.M.P. figure and it's pre-The Rock that we're talking here, it's the god-awful head sculpt which someone at Jakks thought slightly resembled the, well, I don't know who it's supposed to favor. Here we have another fantasy attire concocted by Jakks, but at least the WrestleMania XIV Series figure was a little more subtle in its approach. Not to mention, the scuba gear is not flattering and the only positive attribute I've discovered is that...this paragraph has ended! Geez, don't even waste your time with this one. "Die S.T.O.M.P. Die" is more like it.

Take it from me, I know my BCAs, and so will you.

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

- Alex

Figure Review #4 - Superstars Series 9 Paul Wight

After nearly four years of towering over foes as “The Giant”, Paul Wight’s contract expired with World Championship Wrestling on his 27th birthday (February 8, 1999) and he immediately signed on with the biggest show of them all, the World Wrestling Federation.


Wight debuted one day later at the WWF’s St. Valentine’s Day Massacre: In Your House pay-per-view when he interjected himself in the Austin/McMahon steel cage main event and accidentally (kayfabe) cost McMahon the match.

Although originally referred to as “Big Nasty” Paul Wight, he soon adopted the “Big Show” moniker which Wight uses to this day in WWE. It was believed that, upon entering the federation, Wight would headline a future WrestleMania with Steve Austin for the WWF Championship, but plans were changed which led to the fatal four way elimination match at WrestleMania 2000.

Wight’s tenure with WWF/E has brought him great success in and out of the ring over the past 11 years, but many still believe that his first year with the company could have been booked stronger. However, through the realm of merchandising, the WWF and Jakks Pacific created a big, bad show unlike any other.


Jakks Pacific’s BCA line had been progressing along with the weekly ratings for the WWF product in the year 1999 and it was going to get bigger and better once Superstars Series 9 hit store shelves. Pegs would look noticeably strained as they managed to hold the weight of one of the biggest Jakks BCA figures to date -- Paul Wight’s debut figure at a whopping 10.4 ounces in the packaging.

In comparison, the MOC Special Edition Series Exclusive Yokozuna only weighs 9.3 ounces, and two others sampled, Deadly Games Series HHH and Superstars Series 1 Razor Ramon, still don’t quite measure up to Wight at 7.0 and 5.5 ounces, respectively.

Standing with feet planted firmly at 6.5 inches tall, Paul Wight’s Superstars Series 9 figure is a man toy among boy toys (no, not you Shawn). It features a completely new mold from head to toe that was made specifically for the former “Giant.”

For as many great qualities as this figure has, Wight’s mammoth hands are what stand out the most. There isn’t anything else like the size of his hands anywhere in the BCA line.

Climbing up his tree trunk-like arms are rippling veins and muscle striations that the average figure would gawk at, but what’s amazing is that everything seems to fall in place just right. Despite its unusual bulky figure as compared with the majority of BCA figures, Wight managed to strike the appropriate chord with collectors of the time.

After all, scaling was never Jakks’ strong suit, but the potential for change was evident with the effort invested in Wight. It’s been said that Jakks planned months in advance and rushed the normal figure-making process to make a special case for Wight’s introduction to the BCA line.

It was one of the last great ventures for the BCA line, and there is a lot to like about it as one of the few highly-anticipated wrestling figures in street gear.

Head:

There is no question that Jakks hit the nail on the head (no pun intended) with Wight’s one-and-only BCA head sculpt. I suppose the hair color could be a little lighter and that might pose a problem for some reviewers, but I won’t take off many points for such a small flaw. Grade – 4.5/5

Torso:

You’ve got to keep in mind that this was from when Wight was in fairly good shape (although nowhere near his fitness level from his mid-90s WCW run), so I can excuse the slim waist. I would have liked to have seen a collared button-up dress shirt instead of just the regular button-up t-shirt, but now I’m just nitpicking. Grade – 4.5/5

Arms:

While his arms are unbelievably inaccurate as far as how they’re scaled to the body and their overall appearance, I’ve got to give Jakks credit for making it seem larger than life, so to speak. If we’re basing it off of the picture on the packaging insert than I’ve got to deduct points for there not being a watch on Wight’s left wrist, but again it’s not that big of a concern. Grade – 4/5

Legs:

Wight’s lower body is the most underrated aspect of the figure and the incredible texture of his black jeans is among some of Jakks’ best work in the BCA line. Throw in a shiny pair of size 22 5 E shoes and you’ve got yourself a perfect score. Grade – 5/5

Accessories/Other:

Wight comes with a black WWF scratch logo figure stand, and it doesn’t concern me that nothing else was included. Why, you ask? Because I doubt anything else could have fit in the bubble with him! That’s why I’m not going to penalize the figure by much since not only is he cramped as is, but there isn’t a whole lot else that could have come with a debut Wight figure that would make sense. Grade – 4/5

Overall: 22/25

I know it may come as a surprise to many of you that I’m actually writing a figure review [insert Kevin McAllister face here], but I am speaking the truth when I say that I want to give my readers a variety of blog posts that will keep them entertained and informed.

Reviewing Superstars Series 9 Paul Wight was a spur of the moment idea that I hope brings back the spirit of some of my older posts. Capturing the spirit is what it’s all about here at VJB, and Wight’s debut figure certainly meets the criteria for a worthy likeness to the real person.

If the only way to get through to the big show is by getting past this beast of a figure than, well, I don’t like the chances for the rest of our BCA figures.

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

- Alex