Hbreakid interviews Jakks, circa 1999

If there was any wrestling figure-related website I looked up to and frequented more than my browser's home page as a youngster, it would be Hbreakid's old digs.

Speaking of digs, I discovered his old Geocities page while searching the Internet Archive some time ago.


No, it's not the one with the cool graphics and emphasis on his incredible custom figures and accessories during Jakks Pacific's TTL era, but it's still worth checking out for old news reports toward the end of the BCA line.

Better yet, you can go back and read from a Q&A session that Hbreakid (HBK) recorded with Serge (SRG), an employee at Jakks in the late 1990s.

Here is a modified transcript (see: easier to read) of the two interviews, and it's all about the WWF's product from 1999.

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First posted: October 5, 1999

Transcript

HBK: Do you know why Jakks decided to switch their WWF line to all-plastic figures (TTL)?

SRG: To answer honestly, I'm not sure. It was a decision made by the big cheeses here. My best guess [is] they wanted to go in a new and, in their view, improved direction with the wrestling figures and TTL was the result.

HBK: Any plans in the making for a "Lion's Den"?

SRG: Yes. We still need approval from the WWF since Ken Shamrock is leaving to go back to the UFC and we're told he owns the rights to the Lion's Den. If the WWF decides to buy it and continue to use it in programming after Shamrock leaves, then yes, we'll definitely make it for sure.

HBK: Once Jakks comes out with superstars like Y2J, Acolytes and any other WWF superstars for Jakks' TTL line, what will Jakks do for their music? [Will they] make more Titantrons for 30 bucks a pop with new music?

SRG: That's a good question, and one I don't have an answer to yet.

HBK: Any plans for a crowd? Jakks should make [one] something like this. Are there any plans for one?

SRG: We're working on it.

HBK: And the last thing is...anything you can comment on [that] I didn't ask?

SRG: Look for the absolute best and most realistic-looking Billy Gunn figure you've yet to lay eyes on...in TTL Series 3, I think, [which is a] couple months away.

Credit to Hbreakid 2000

Now, for an extra special treat, here is an additional interview which I believe was recorded before the one in October '99.

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Transcript

HBK: Do you know if there are any plans to make a Hell in the Cell, Lion's Den or a Buried Alive set? Is there any that you know and I didn't list?

SRG: We've been trying to come up with a way to do Hell in the Cell while still maintaining playability. We were developing a Mini-Ring Buried Alive set but that's been axed until further notice.

HBK: Does the WWF play any role in who to create next or is it just up to Jakks?

SRG: Sometimes, in certain circumstances. The last wrestler we did upon Titan Sports' request was Dr. Death in Superstars 7. He's not a very big seller.

HBK: When does Jakks Pacific's contract with the WWF end? When it ends, will it be renewed?

SRG: I'm not exactly positive on the exact year it ends. I want to say 2002. I know it's in that ballpark. Will it be renewed? I don't know.

HBK: [Does] Jakks have any plans on making figures with knee and elbow joints like ToyBiz?

SRG: We have made figures like that. Check out S.T.O.M.P. Series 4: Camo Carnage. And, here's a tip: the first shipment of Camo Carnage has guns. The next shipment won't due to a new company policy: no gun accessories. So, get the one with guns now before they're in hot demand later.

HBK: Is there any chance we would ever see [an] Austin figure with a hand gesture?

SRG: Probably when we make an Austin holding a beer can. Probably never.

Credit to Hbreakid and Serge at Jakks Pacific

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What did I learn from those two interviews?

Well, it's pretty much the usual from Q&As with Jakks Pacific. You might learn one new thing that's due to come out, but it's mostly just filler or fluff.

You can see where the wheels were in motion for the later Hell in a Cell playsets beginning in 2001, but it's also interesting to see where the Lion's Den concept fell flat with Shamrock's departure.

I know that Jakks could have learned a thing or two from Hbreakid on how to make custom Hell in a Cell and Buried Alive accessories, as seen below.



Really, it's the kind of work you just have to admire from in front of your computer screen as a kid.

What was the highlight of the interviews for me, you might be asking yourself?

I'm not one to use the phrase that often, but Titan Sports deserves an epic fail for insisting that Dr Death be included in Superstars Series 7.

I would say I enjoyed a nice, hearty laugh at "He's not a very big seller", but that would be the understatement of the century.

At least we can all savor in the thought of Jacqueline's banishment to the Signature Series; what a disaster that could have been for the Superstars line.

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

- Alex

The Backlash series leaves its mark

If you've frequented the BCA thread on the WF forums, then I'm sure you have seen me reference the Backlash series from time to time.

And I'm sure you've also heard me say that it, not the Signature Series, was the official end of production for Jakks Pacific's BCA line of wrestling figures.

The many color cardings of the Backlash line are evident in this MOC figure lot.

The original Backlash series (more on that in the next paragraph) lasted all the way into the year 2001, believe it or not, with the fifth assortment, but most collectors may not remember much about it since it was relatively hard to find.

All five series were exclusive to Kay Bee Toys stores, and the same Backlash title was reincarnated later for the newer BCA style figures which eventually gave way to the cheap TTL figures that we all know and, well, don't really love as they clog up shelf space even today.

However, Jakks Pacific's intentions were good from the start - release updated repaints of previously-released wrestlers in the BCA line to appeal to collectors looking for "new" BCA figures after they were once thought to be dead and buried.

In some ways, the Backlash repaints are a lot like Frankenstein, except he was a little prettier.

It's a mixed bag of effort combined with detail from the folks at Jakks considering it was so late in the game that the BCA line was now operating under Sudden Death rules in quadruple overtime.


Series 1 arrived at KB Toys stores in the fall of 2000 and included such names as Big Boss Man, Edge, Hardcore Holly, HHH, Road Dogg, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and X-Pac.

WWF Backlash Series (KB Toys Exclusive):
Series 1 & 2 (Peach Carding)
Big Boss Man
The Rock (x2)
Road Dogg (Jesse James)
Shawn Michaels
Undertaker
X-Pac
Edge
Hardcore Holly
Stone Cold Steve Austin (x2)
Triple H (x2)
Kane
Al Snow

As you can probably tell from the checklist I've created, I need to figure out where the line divides between series 1 and 2. Clearly, there wouldn't have been two Rocks, two Austins and two HHHS in the same series, so one for each series makes sense to me.


Al Snow, Kane (shown above), Shawn Michaels, Undertaker and the other Rock/Austin/HHH figures must have come from series 2 then. Eight for the first wave and seven for the second wave, again, makes sense to me.

I would assume that the second series of the Backlash figures was released towards the end of 2000, but unfortunately I don't have a date to be sure of that.


I do know that series 3, which was changed to a blue color carding from the peach color used for series 1 and 2, was available in stores around March 2001.

Series 3 includes even more repaints of your favorite wrestlers, including Billy Gunn, Edge, Kane, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Test, Triple H and Undertaker.


Changing once again to a green color carding, the Backlash series reached its fourth installment during the heat of summer in July 2001. The line-up consists of Big Boss Man, Billy Gunn, Edge (shown above), Kane, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H and Undertaker (noticing a trend?).


Finally, the fifth series of Backlash figures was released on an orange card and is, for all intents and purposes, the absolute LAST series of BCA figures produced by Jakks Pacific with the original molds. Yes, there was a newer BCA style of figures introduced later that year, but this series here marked the official end of the BCA era in...October 2001.

Who's in it, you ask?

Al Snow, Hardcore Holly, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Test, Undertaker, Val Venis and X-Pac.

That's your final BCA line-up and it is not so much underwhelming as it is sad to see the line end on a bunch of measly repaints. Maybe that was all it was ever meant to be and I shouldn't have given it that much thought.

Everyone wants the best for whatever it is they feel invested in, and I'm no different as a collector. I want(ed) the best for the BCA line, but I'm thankful it was even given a second chance with the Backlash series.


Ironically, as it turns out, the series 3 Triple H figure is my favorite in the entire BCA line.

I guess it's never too late to make an impression.

For those interested in seeing pics of all of the Backlash figures, including the ones not shown above, click on the Checklist tab and scroll down to the Backlash line-ups for image links.

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

- Alex

LVJR - The Nine Lives of BCA

I could have timed this better, what with there being nine new purchases and this post (the tenth in a series of "Latest Vintage Jakks Receivings") missing the mark by one; it coulda been-uh contenda, I tell you!

*Sigh*

Oh well, worse things have happened, like being outbid on a S.T.O.M.P. Series 1 Undertaker when it COULD HAVE completed your Series 1 collection. But...I wouldn't know anything about that...

So, for the tenth installment of my LVJR posts, I bring to you nine 10 figures which are completely new to my rebuilt collection.


I bought these nine figures for the purpose of filling out a few series (Signature, Slammers and S.T.O.M.P.) that I haven't addressed in quite some time.

All nine were purchased from the same eBay seller for just under $25 shipped, or $2.50 each in mint condition.


For those unfamiliar with the aforementioned series, Signature figures include facsimile signatures (usually found on the thigh), Slammers figures have various action features (akin to the Hasbro WWF line from the early 90s) and S.T.O.M.P. figures are fantasy/fictionalized representations of the wrestlers with many unique accessories.


There certainly isn't a shortage of accessories in the S.T.O.M.P. series, but the decision to have them follow a particular theme which has no relation whatsoever to pro wrestling is...puzzling, to say the least.


However, each of these figures provides a suitable alternative to their regular BCA counterparts in case you, the collector, or your parents from back in the day were unable to find the preferred versions in stores.

That doesn't excuse Jakks Pacific for spending valuable time on lesser series when the Superstars figures could have been given more attention and more releases, but it's all a moot point now.

Although you can't see it with MOC images, the figures beneath the bubble are just as detailed as any regular BCA, so again give credit to Jakks for providing re-releases with the same amount of detail as the original releases.

Should we really give thanks for re-releases? I can just picture everyone violently shaking their heads to that question. Moving on...

Last time, I said that I hadn't reached my threshold yet for becoming sick and tired of Slammers figures and, to be honest with you, not much has changed.

On the contrary, I think I'm actually beginning to like them.

While the world collectively gathers brain matter splattered across its keyboard right now, I'll repeat that I'm actually beginning to like Slammers figures.

I'm not about to re-create any 60-minute mat classics with them, but the action features, specifically Goldust and Mankind's gorilla arms, wouldn't be so bad without the plastic levers protruding from their mid-to-lower backs.

Imagine if there had been added articulation for BCA figures and it wasn't obtrusive for play? I know it's a pipe dream, but the Slammers series did give us hope.

It also gave us our first 6-inch Kane figure and debuts for Dude Love, The Patriot and Taka Michinoku. So...there's that.


My take: Look, your first option should always be Superstars series figures, but there's nothing wrong with opting for the Signature or Slammers series. S.T.O.M.P., on the other hand, is...an acquired taste.

In most cases, you either like them or you don't, but I'm a perennial fence rider when it comes to S.T.O.M.P. figures. I can't choose sides, but I will recommend them to collectors of wrestling figures-from-a-different-universe.

Not quite "Masters of the Universe", more like "Servants of the Universe."

Fun fact: Forget King of the Ring 1996, "Austin 3:16" was born in Signature Series 1, which has the first Austin wrestling figure ever to wear the iconic t-shirt in plastic form.

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

- Alex