hoganvspiper
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Post by hoganvspiper on Mar 25, 2016 17:19:54 GMT -5
When I collected WWF Magazines back in the day, I recall a LJN Toy Fair picture that was my first glimpse of Vince McMahon, Outback Jack and possibly Billy Jack Haynes/King Harley Race. If I recall, Hulk Hogan was posing in the picture, but I wouldn't swear to it. I'm guessing the issue would have been the latter part of 1987 or even the first part of 1988. Does anyone know the picture/magazine issue I'm thinking of? |
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Mar 25, 2016 20:45:35 GMT -5
Could it have been the one used for Wrestling Ring ads in 1989/1990? It had one pic with the 1987/1988 wrestlers and another pic of the 1986-87 commons.
The one with Vince/Harley etc...was also used in a 1988 LJN catalog that also had pics of the stretch wrestlers.
I think there was also another promo photo or something that had information on when the particular assortments would be released. That, too, may have been the catalog. For example, the 1987 guys were already available while the new Hogan, Bam Bam etc...would be available in March 88.
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mesteve
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Post by mesteve on Mar 25, 2016 21:20:46 GMT -5
I know the Hillbilly pic is probably not the pic you're thinking of, but I thought I'd post it anyway, as I don't recall it ever being posted on this forum before. What I like about this pic is that I think I can spot at least three hand painted prototype figures. Vince, the referee, and maybe Jake the Snake. To me at least, Vince and referee obviously look different with their paint colors, and Jake's feet are much wider apart than what was released. I've noticed that some of the prototypes sometimes have more open or closed arms (Martel) or feet (Brunzell and this Jake), or the arms are positioned slightly different, but then the released figures tend to bend inward/outward a bit after they're cast in soft rubber, which makes sense. Also thought I'd post the second pic which everyone has seen, however this is probably the original photo of that pic, which is an early promotional LJN photograph, and which is much clearer than what you see in the magazines.   |
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jason1980s
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Post by jason1980s on Mar 26, 2016 9:39:23 GMT -5
Cool photos!
I never thought of it until now but I think the one prototype of Vince (in Hillbilly pic and the 1987 card back) the jacket is a lighter orange color. The released version (maybe in 2nd pic) is much darker which is more accurate to the real jacket color.
Also good catch on Brunzell's arm!
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hoganvspiper
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Post by hoganvspiper on Mar 26, 2016 9:42:42 GMT -5
I know the Hillbilly pic is probably not the pic you're thinking of, but I thought I'd post it anyway, as I don't recall it ever being posted on this forum before. What I like about this pic is that I think I can spot at least three hand painted prototype figures. Vince, the referee, and maybe Jake the Snake. To me at least, Vince and referee obviously look different with their paint colors, and Jake's feet are much wider apart than what was released. I've noticed that some of the prototypes sometimes have more open or closed arms (Martel) or feet (Brunzell and this Jake), or the arms are positioned slightly different, but then the released figures tend to bend inward/outward a bit after they're cast in soft rubber, which makes sense. Also thought I'd post the second pic which everyone has seen, however this is probably the original photo of that pic, which is an early promotional LJN photograph, and which is much clearer than what you see in the magazines.
Yes!! The Hillbilly Jim picture is EXACTLY what I was thinking of... Thank you!! Like all things, memory is not very reliable over time, and for some reason, I was thinking it was Hulk Hogan. Apparently Outback Jack, Harley and Billy Jack are not in the picture either. I think the new figures I identified at the time when I bought this issue on newstands were Vince McMahon (in what appears to be an organge jacket instead of red), and the Referee.
Can you tell me what issue this pic is from? Also, is there any caption that mentions new characters coming out such as Harley Race or Billy Jack?
Back in the day, it was almost a mystery to know what wrestlers were coming next since the card backs were not always kept up to date and did not list all the wresters. Once Ring Side? started posting ads, everything became clearer (although I still did not understand there was a Red Shirt Hogan until years later).
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hoganvspiper
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Post by hoganvspiper on Mar 26, 2016 10:16:58 GMT -5
Funny story about the Referee... LJN was supposed to send me one in the mail. They offered to send me a complimentary figure (for a reason I don't recall). They sent me a letter along with a form to fill out. There was a blank to fill in the name of the character I wanted. I needed a Referee for my matches, and the figure had not arrived in my area yet, so I chose that one. The letter said the new figure would ship to me in six weeks or something like that.
Every day I anxiously waited for the mailman and was hoping that package would arrive. I know the time went longer than whatever was originally stipulated and I was started to lose hope it would ever arrive. Finally, one day I had a brown box left on the porch from LJN!! I was so excited!! Unfortunately when I opened the box, there was no Referee. Instead they sent me Ted Arcidi!! I was so disappointed. Not only did I already have Ted, but they were falling off the pegs where I lived at the time. The only conciliation was a letter included in the box that listed the wrestlers currently available and the new ones coming. The letter is how I knew that Kamala, Adonis, Koko and Outback were scheduled. The letter also listed the Haiti Kid, which my friend and I got a kick out of. (Same letter that was discussed in another thread here.)
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mesteve
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Post by mesteve on Mar 26, 2016 11:37:25 GMT -5
hoganvspiper, glad this was the pic you were looking for! I don't know what magazine it came from though. I found it online a while back and just saved it with all my other LJN photos. And that must have been tough to receive an Arcidi figure when you had your hopes up for the Ref, which, by the way, I never owned as a kid. Had just about all the others except the ref. Got him for the first time years later after high school.
Jason, not sure if you meant Brunzell's feet? But that's what I was noticing. The positioning of the feet looks a little different to me, I don't know I could be wrong. But now that I look at the figure again, there's definitely something that looks different. Not sure what.
Cool detail too that they have the chest hair on Bam Bam.
BTW, I wonder how many of those letters are out there with Haiti Kid on them. I picked up a couple recently, and have plans to make a Haiti Kid custom at some point.
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hoganvspiper
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Post by hoganvspiper on Mar 26, 2016 14:21:34 GMT -5
hoganvspiper, glad this was the pic you were looking for! I don't know what magazine it came from though. I found it online a while back and just saved it with all my other LJN photos. And that must have been tough to receive an Arcidi figure when you had your hopes up for the Ref, which, by the way, I never owned as a kid. Had just about all the others except the ref. Got him for the first time years later after high school. BTW, I wonder how many of those letters are out there with Haiti Kid on them. I picked up a couple recently, and have plans to make a Haiti Kid custom at some point.
That pic was definitely included in a WWF Magazine, but since I sold my collection years ago, I couldn't say which one.
I never actually owned the Ref either. I never saw one in stores and when I didn't receive it from LJN, I slowly started to fade out of collecting the figures. The last figure I found in stores was Johnny Valiant. I saw the Tag Team of Strike Force, but didn't pick it up. I really wanted the Hart Foundation, but again, never saw them in stores. I bought the set from Ring Side via mail order when they started advertising. By then, I sold my other figures, but my desire for the Hart Foundation lingered on. I also bought Ted Dibiase and the Ultimate Warrior that way. Wish I kept them in the packages and held on to them.
I'm sure those LJN letters referencing Haiti Kid were a common item LJN would send out when corresponding with fans and customers. I would also think that protoypes of the Haiti Kid are out there somewhere, considering how close he was to being released.
Did you end up selling your Sgt. Slaughter bendie and other figures? You had some really nice items there. Do you know who Sarge went to?
BTW, phenomenal custom job on Andre. It's unreal!
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ozz
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Post by ozz on Mar 26, 2016 21:29:43 GMT -5
Nothing to add really, but I just love the stories. I remember seeing the ref a few times, and while I can't remember the name of the store it's just about on the tip of my tongue. It was a regional dept. store, nothing obvious, and my grandmother went there once in a while when she wanted a change from her usual places. Anyway, the only time I remember getting a figure from that store, it was between the referee and Elizabeth (gold). Obviously, I chose Liz. That must have been the only place I saw the referee and possibly Elizabeth as well. Can't recall any other rare ones there, or which commons they had at the time. Never saw any tag sets in stores, either, but had better luck at garage sales!
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Greensborohill
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Post by Greensborohill on Apr 12, 2016 13:41:21 GMT -5
BRING HOME ALL THE ACTION!! GET SOME SATISFACTION!!!
Love LJNs!
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dixol
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Post by dixol on Apr 15, 2016 11:57:42 GMT -5
hoganvspiper, glad this was the pic you were looking for! I don't know what magazine it came from though. I found it online a while back and just saved it with all my other LJN photos. And that must have been tough to receive an Arcidi figure when you had your hopes up for the Ref, which, by the way, I never owned as a kid. Had just about all the others except the ref. Got him for the first time years later after high school. BTW, I wonder how many of those letters are out there with Haiti Kid on them. I picked up a couple recently, and have plans to make a Haiti Kid custom at some point.
That pic was definitely included in a WWF Magazine, but since I sold my collection years ago, I couldn't say which one.
I never actually owned the Ref either. I never saw one in stores and when I didn't receive it from LJN, I slowly started to fade out of collecting the figures. The last figure I found in stores was Johnny Valiant. I saw the Tag Team of Strike Force, but didn't pick it up. I really wanted the Hart Foundation, but again, never saw them in stores. I bought the set from Ring Side via mail order when they started advertising. By then, I sold my other figures, but my desire for the Hart Foundation lingered on. I also bought Ted Dibiase and the Ultimate Warrior that way. Wish I kept them in the packages and held on to them.
I'm sure those LJN letters referencing Haiti Kid were a common item LJN would send out when corresponding with fans and customers. I would also think that protoypes of the Haiti Kid are out there somewhere, considering how close he was to being released.
Did you end up selling your Sgt. Slaughter bendie and other figures? You had some really nice items there. Do you know who Sarge went to?
BTW, phenomenal custom job on Andre. It's unreal!
I have all the WWF magazines from 87-92. I've never seen the Hilbilly pic before. It was never included in the mag. |
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hoganvspiper
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Post by hoganvspiper on Apr 18, 2016 8:23:39 GMT -5
That pic was definitely included in a WWF Magazine, but since I sold my collection years ago, I couldn't say which one.
I never actually owned the Ref either. I never saw one in stores and when I didn't receive it from LJN, I slowly started to fade out of collecting the figures. The last figure I found in stores was Johnny Valiant. I saw the Tag Team of Strike Force, but didn't pick it up. I really wanted the Hart Foundation, but again, never saw them in stores. I bought the set from Ring Side via mail order when they started advertising. By then, I sold my other figures, but my desire for the Hart Foundation lingered on. I also bought Ted Dibiase and the Ultimate Warrior that way. Wish I kept them in the packages and held on to them.
I'm sure those LJN letters referencing Haiti Kid were a common item LJN would send out when corresponding with fans and customers. I would also think that protoypes of the Haiti Kid are out there somewhere, considering how close he was to being released.
Did you end up selling your Sgt. Slaughter bendie and other figures? You had some really nice items there. Do you know who Sarge went to?
BTW, phenomenal custom job on Andre. It's unreal!
I have all the WWF magazines from 87-92. I've never seen the Hilbilly pic before. It was never included in the mag.
Are you a gambling man? I used to have all the WWF Magazines from 1983 to 1992. Check the 1987 and 1988 books again.
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dixol
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Post by dixol on Apr 18, 2016 11:16:51 GMT -5
I have all the WWF magazines from 87-92. I've never seen the Hilbilly pic before. It was never included in the mag.
Are you a gambling man? I used to have all the WWF Magazines from 1983 to 1992. Check the 1987 and 1988 books again.
I'll take that bet. I guarantee it is not in a WWF mag. Maybe one of the specials like Superstars or Posters, but not in the main magazine. I actually went thru all of them about 2 months ago looking for something unrelated. It's not in there. |
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