BCA Custom Corner #5 - Razor's Edge, Part One

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to customize BCA figures throughout the era itself?

What did those people do with such limited resources early on?

For one thing, it took a hell of a lot of creativity and imagination to make their dreams come true.



One such example was The Razor's Edge Custom Wrestling Figures website which I stumbled upon recently by using the Internet Archive.

I've compiled a slideshow of only the WWF's Superstars as of right now, but I plan to add WCW and ECW characters in future posts. Fortunately, most of the images on the website could still be recovered despite being 11 years old.

The slideshow embedded at the top of the post gives you access to images of 24 WWF customs, most of which were created long before Jakks submitted its versions.

It is a very impressive bunch considering what the customizer had to work with, and figure fans today can appreciate the raw, seemingly effortless combination of parts for these BCA customs.

Owen Hart in his Hart Foundation attire might be my favorite because of the clean application of paint that was made to it. Not to say that one is better than the others, as I think there is something for everyone in Razor's Edge's work.

So, which is your favorite and what are your impressions of these customs?

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

- Alex

Variant Spotlight - Special Guest Referees

It's hard to believe that the Ringside Collection Series 1 Referee BCA figure was based on Harvey Whippleman.

In the words of current WWE champion The Miz: Really? No, really Jakks?

If his likeness in figure form never piqued your interest, there was always the alternative of a special guest referee figure of one of your favorite WWF Superstars.


Unfortunately, you would have to wait until more than halfway through the BCA line's existence (think spring 1999) to see the first repainted referee attire - Vince McMahon in the Judgment Day 3-pack.


Next comes Mrs. Foley's baby boy, Mankind, donning the vertical zebra stripes in the second Raw Is War 4-pack, this one released in the late summer months of 1999.


Finally, "Big Nasty"...err..."The Big Show" Paul Wight would be transformed into the world's largest referee in the No Chance 3-pack which was available in the fall of '99, or nearing the end of the BCA figure run.


Though none of these would be considered variants by figure collectors, they are exclusive repaints that were a special treat in the BCA line.

Only those three wrestling personalities would receive the treatment as Jakks had started the process too late in the game.

Or, one could assume that Jakks saw to it that the market wasn't flooded with referee repaints in every BCA boxed set, so they only greenlighted three of the many that were surely considered.

I mean, couldn't you picture them releasing a special guest referee Undertaker? Not to mention, it's a Festivus miracle that Austin never had a referee repaint of his own.


The concept would continue on through many other Jakks figure lines including RA and CS as special guest referee figures can never be put down for the count.

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

- Alex

LVJR - Clap your hands and S.T.O.M.P. your feet!

For the eleventh installment of my "Latest Vintage Jakks Receivings" posts I present to you the S.T.O.M.P. series in all its glory, or at least that's what I'm calling it.

I bought three separate MOC figure lots from the same eBay seller nearly a month ago for $67 shipped, or $3.72 each, as a birthday present to myself.

Years ago, I probably would have said that I gave myself the worst birthday present anyone could give (I mean, c'mon, S.T.O.M.P. figures?!?). But, as the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

I'm sure the origin of that quote had absolutely nothing to do with six-inch plastic toys depicting professional wrestlers in scuba, space and camouflage gear, but I can never be sure.

S.T.O.M.P. Series 2 "Underwater Siege" (from left to right): Rocky Maivia, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Headbanger Mosh, Headbanger Thrasher, Owen Hart and Chyna.

S.T.O.M.P. Series 3 "Space Domination" (from left to right): Kane, Undertaker, LOD 2000's Hawk, LOD 2000's Animal, Marc Mero and Sable.

S.T.O.M.P. Series 4 "Camo Carnage" (from left to right): Chyna, B.A. Billy Gunn, Stone Cold Steve Austin, HHH, X-Pac and Road Dog Jesse James.

Everyone should know by now the absurdity of the S.T.O.M.P. figure line and its nonexistent correlation to the WWF programming of the late 90s, but there is still something attractive about it.

Could it be the numerous accessories packaged with each figure that makes them special?

Is it the unidentifiable costumes worn by the wrestlers that makes us fantasize of all that could exist in another realm with our favorite WWF Superstars?

Are we all mindless sheep for buying into Jakks' concoction of horse crap otherwise known as S.T.O.M.P. figures?

Possibly.

All that matters is that I'm the fool who dropped $67 on these figures and you're the smart one in this equation. And every other one.

As you can see, there is a lot to take in here with all three complete series (Underwater Siege (#2), Space Domination (#3) and Camo Carnage (#4)).


Personally, I prefer series 2 and the underwater theme because, well, I've always liked when water and wrestling come together. Remember those old WCW Nitros during spring break when the ring was surrounded by water? Yeah, I don't know how that has anything to do with BCA figures either.

I remember always liking the Series 2 Owen Hart figure as a kid when I had used earlier BCA versions of the "King of Harts" for customs and that was all that was left. I've wanted to buy it again for a few years now, but I had hoped to be able to find the rest around the same time so I wouldn't have to spend as much.


And that's what I did. I probably never owned half of these figures, especially the Camo Carnage ones, when I was younger, but I feel like I can appreciate them more since I bought them myself.

It's just too bad the Camo Carnage series wasn't in scale with the original BCA figures, because some of the likenesses are great and the added articulation was a welcome gift from Jakks prior to the launch of the TTL line.

I think too often we try to compare the S.T.O.M.P. figures and Slammers figures with the regular BCA line and that just isn't fair. They should stand on their own accord and be judged for what they are and not what they aren't.

I guess the same could be said for anything, so maybe we aren't all that different from the S.T.O.M.P. figures that most despise.

Oh, who am I kidding, they're still horse crap!

My take: It's taken some time, but I'm beginning to appreciate the effort more than anything from the S.T.O.M.P. figure line. I can't speak for everyone, but I would suggest giving them a try if you can find the figures complete with accessories for a cheap price (under $3-4 each MOC).

If not the first three series, than definitely the Camo Carnage series since it almost shouldn't be classified with the other S.T.O.M.P. figures. They may be the most underrated figures to come out of the BCA era.

Fun fact: Of the three series shown in this post, Series 2 Headbanger Mosh is the only new S.T.O.M.P. head sculpt to never be reused elsewhere in the BCA line.

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

- Alex