LVJR! ... It's Austin and the Backlash bunch!

Well, gee, it's been a while, hasn't it?

Almost like attending an awkward five-year high school reunion with people you really wouldn't care to forget about for another five years.

No? It's not like that, you say?

Oh, that's right.

It's like someone who allows a full month to pass with not even one miniscule update to said person's BCA figure blog.

Ouch.

Rest assured, I have kept busy.

I graduated from college after successfully completing (re: barely scraping by) a final research course, and my official degree will be delivered by the end of September.

In the mean time, I've received other notable items in the mail, though I'm sure N64 game cartridges and Jakks Pacific WWF wrestling figures will not look good on a resume.

Or so I've been told. By common sense.

But it will benefit those of you who haven't forgotten about this little ol' site, as here is the eighteenth installment of VJB's "Latest Vintage Jakks Receivings" series of posts.

I purchased several MOC Jakks BCA and TTL figures from an eBay seller (oftimespast, who I would greatly recommend) about a month ago and included was the last Signature Series figure I needed to complete the set, Series 6 Stone Cold Steve Austin, and five Backlash Series 4 figures I've been after for years.

Even though I ended up paying more than I usually would because of combined shipping charges, each figure cost about $6-7 shipped, I was more than satisfied with my purchases.

Signature Series 6 Austin uses one of my favorite figure molds, originally from the Austin/Rock 2 Tuff Series 5 2-pack, and the detail on the Backlash Series 4 figures is surprisingly good for being the second-to-last BCA figure series of throwaway repaints.

What more could you ask for then? Besides accessories, of course.

A few changes I would make to these figures that I think would be vast improvements:

1. Darker shades of blonde hair for Edge and Triple H; a dirty blonde shade would work fine for both (see: their respective Backlash Series 3 figures).

2. Detailed tats or simply scribbling lines on the underside of 'Taker's arms to give it that wrap-around effect; still, it's a very good effort for what it is (same goes for his final Backlash Series 5 figure).

3. You won't see it here, but there is a dreaded "thumbs up" arm variant for the Backlash Series 4 Austin. Oh, right, my suggestion? Burn the "thumbs up" arms. Every last one of them. In fact, Mr. Garrison sums up my thoughts nicely on that particular BCA arm mold.

So, with that being said, I'll leave you with a few detailed shots of the figures.

My take: Repaints are always a mixed bag, so try not to overspend (whoops) and, if you're not in the business of collecting every BCA figure (and if there is such a business, I wonder what it pays...), pick and choose the figures that fit best with your collection.

If you're a fan of late 1999/early 2000 attire repaints, then the Backlash Series is for you.

The Signature Series has its own collection of gems (a future post, perhaps?), and it shouldn't be looked over on account of measly facsimile signatures.

Fun fact: With the purchase of the Signature Series 6 Stone Cold Steve Austin figure, I now have one of every Signature Series figure.

However, I still need the Signature Series 3 torso variants for Austin, Edge, and Triple H.

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

- Alex

LVJR - S.T.O.M.P. Series 3 Sable Prototype

I own a BCA prototype.

No matter how many times I repeat that to myself, it still hasn't quite sunk in that a one-of-a-kind BCA figure is in my possession.

I waited patiently (albeit nervously) this past Monday night close to 10 p.m. EST, slowly counting down the minutes and seconds for one very special eBay listing.

It was for a S.T.O.M.P. Series 3 Sable prototype that I knew from the moment I spotted it last weekend it had to be mine.

Not because I was a fan of Sable, since I'd like to think my pre-pubescent days are behind me, nor was it because I get my thrills from unpainted crazy demonic-looking female wrestling figures, but because the BCA line means that much to me.

To own a prototype of ANY BCA figure is some sort of an accomplishment for me, and I certainly hope this won't be the last experience.


For the seventeenth installment of VJB's "Latest Vintage Jakks Receivings" series of posts, I present to you the Sable prototype I grossly overpaid for to the tune of $55.81 shipped.



Eh, you only live once, so three cheers for stupidity and financial irresponsibility!

Thank you, thank you.

However, I wasn't the only fool bidding on this item; the final bid ended approximately at my maximum bid of $51.91, so either someone else was attracted to its alluring dullness or the seller scammed me by covertly increasing the bid with another account.

Oh, well.





Before getting into the specifics, here is the item's description from the listing:

"You are bidding on a WWF S3 Stomp Sable PROTOTYPE. This is a "never been released" figure. First shot. It was unreleased due to the outfit being too revealing and the breasts being too large. I've included some WWF package labels. The figure is in excellent condition."

Upon closer inspection, there were several changes made before production.

• The Sable prototype uses the same back hair piece as the actual figure, though the front hair piece (the bangs set across the face) is conspicuously missing. I'll have to get in touch with the seller again, but I don't believe this piece had been considered yet for the figure.



• Unlike the actual figure's top, the Sable prototype is very revealing. As was mentioned in the description, the breasts are larger due to the bikini top sculpt (the straps meet in a crossing "x" pattern across the top of her back) and, believe it or not, her nipples are visible in the sculpt.




• The Sable prototype is wearing a much smaller bikini bottom compared to the width and thickness of the actual figure's lower torso. The prototype's ribs are more visible and the belly button is placed lower on the torso, as well.



• The right arm of the Sable prototype is a completely different sculpt with an open, claw-like hand, which leads me to believe that the incorporation of grasping a whip accessory had also not yet been considered for the figure.



• The left arm is the same, though I found it interesting that the thumbnail of the prototype appears longer in its unpainted form.


• The final difference I spotted was in the heels where the hard plastic prototype sculpt feels more stabile than the actual figure. Also, there is no hole underneath the prototype's left shoe where a WWF stand's peg would fit for display.

Personally, and I'm not just saying this because I own it, I prefer the overall sculpt of the prototype to the actual S.T.O.M.P. Series 3 figure.

Of course, it probably was too revealing for children to have in their collections, but it's a shame that Jakks never salvaged the sculpt for an online or mailaway exclusive.


My take: Hopefully, I'll have more to tell about this figure and its origins when I contact the seller again for more information. It's undoubtedly a unique prototype that had the potential for becoming a great figure.

Would I advise others to bid the same as I did? No way.

Was it worth $55 and change? What do you think?

Clearly, it's an unpainted figure with limited appeal and should not be considered as some kind of holy grail for BCA or Divas figure collectors.

It's good for what it is, but apparently it wasn't good enough to be made.

Fun fact: As far as I know, and that goes about as far as my mailbox reaches, I'm the only owner of this particular S.T.O.M.P. Series 3 Sable prototype.

Oh, yeah, and I blew $55 on it! That's a fun fact for...well, not me.

In the end, this is for all of the collectors who came to see me and for all the..erm..collectors who want to be me!

*Does "the grind"*

*Throws out back*

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

- Alex