The BCA Line

Haha yes! I'm sure it will be a great day for all.

Series 3 was likely never going to happen. One of the last bits of info I have comes from this report to Figure Zone in January 1999. Even if that were true, which I have my doubts about, I'd expect to find more on a proposed third wave but I haven't thus far. Once Jakks opened up spots in their main Superstars line for Shane McMahon AND Commissioner Michaels in suits, not to mention the three special guest ref figures introduced in '99 via store exclusive boxed sets, I believe that pretty much spelled the end for Ringside Collection.

Thanks for the kind words. I really enjoyed contributing to the BCA videos. The pleasure's been all mine to see these ideas of yours come to fruition.

It's also important to remember that "news", in the loosest sense of the term, was flying all over the place during the heyday of AFR and FZ, and regardless of which "side" you were on (god, remember figure site wars?), you'd be completely remiss, in 2019, to suggest that the camps of either Matt Pearson or Aaron Morgan could be absolved for making things up on the fly in order to draw more eyes to their respective sites. So, so, so, so, so many "leaked lineups" came out in those days that RC3 is really just the tip of the iceberg.

This is gonna be a bit long, but I saw in the first post that stories & memories were welcome in this thread. So here goes:

BCA is where my collecting started. I used to hit TRU every now and then, and would always find my way down the wrestling aisle. Anyways, by the time Series 3 was out, I saw a Diesel figure and had to have it. Then I found a Goldust. Both were the re-releases, but I didn't know a thing about that type of stuff. Anyways, I was sold. I bought every character they had there, from Bret, Owen, HBK, etc, as well as whatever 2 packs were out. $5 a piece, $10 for a 2 pack. Couldn't beat it. Also I should note, there were pegs and pegs full of the figures, I wouldn't say 100 figures, but quite a few dozen. Selection was ridiculous.

Now keep in mind, this was the summer of 1997. Diesel & Razor had already been gone from WWF for a year+, so I found it odd Diesel was still there. (I got the only one). So I kept up with each series as they came out. I remember I couldn't find Series 4 Austin, who was just turning into a mega star, so when series 5 came out, I bought 2 since it was the same figure.

Back in these days there was barely an internet market, and I didn't have an up to date performing computer, so it was all about ads in PWI magazines. Wrestling Superstore always had a page listing all the figures for sale and prices. I needed Razor & Ultimate Warrior, as well as either the regular Undertaker, the Glow In The Dark Undertaker, or both....but for months I swore I'd never buy them for $15 each. Too rich for my blood (at the time). Felt like a rip off. Anyway, needless to say, I ended up calling them and making a phone order for those figures, plus the exclusive Diesel/Razor 2pack for a whopping $30.

Loved collecting BCA's, it's where it all started for me. I made it through the entire line. Got the first set of TTL's, hated them, and quit collecting.

Side note: I had LJN's as a kid, but I wasn't "collecting" them. They were my toys. Missed the Hasbro line, even though I loved the figures I saw here and there. In fact, during the BCA run, and me getting a competent computer, I accumulated about 50+ collection of Hasbro's. When I sold them off I got $40 for 1-2-3 Kid. That one and Bam Bam Bigelow were my favorites. The value of Kid now is crazy!

Good times.

Edit: Correction, Bret wasn't in the first boxset, it was Undertaker as world champ. My memory failed me.

I loved that first belt set. The figures, the belts, the look of it MIB was just excellent to me at the time.

Now this thing here was awesome (pic credit to amazon)


As far as the second set of belts, shown below, that Road Dogg, the small head and the forward facing hat, on a scale of 1-10 was like a negative 2. Both Billy hair & face, and Rock's face were terrible. And SCSA, well, kinda hard to mess him up since 90% of the time that's what he looked like on Raw anyways, and he made up about 1/3 of the BCA line by himself.

pic credit "carmella4301"

The order goes:

Championship Title Series (#1) - Fall '97
Off The Mat - Fall '98
Hardcore Champions/Championship Title Belt Series (#2) - Fall '99 (released simultaneously)
Total Attitude Grapple Gear - Late Fall '99

Here are pics of the TRU Exclusive Hardcore Champions and Total Attitude sets (not mine):

Back to BCA's, Series 7 was such a pain in the you know what, if I ever see just a Dr Death figure swinging on a peg by himself, I'd have nightmares. That XPac figure was in such high demand over here. Don't remember when I found them, but it was after going to multiple TRUs lots of times.

Series 8 is when it got real for people, at least for me. I mean Shane, HBK, Shamrock were top notch (at the time), but that Bossman figure was like a Holy Grail. I always looked at it as one of, if not the, best BCA ever. After looking for them like crazy-I made a special hour long trip to a TRU an hour away and found the whole spread. Hardest to find at that point, so the ride was worth it.

man...$20 for 4 figures & 4 belts

we had it SO good back in the day

I had bought Jerry Lawler in series 4.

I was such a cheapskate that when the 2 Pack with Lawler & Brian Christopher came out, I refused to spend $10 for 1 figure that I already had, even though it was the first Brian Christopher that came with it. Different attire, but Christopher ended up in the Best of set at the end of the year, so I got him then.

Funny. These days I wouldn't have given it a second thought. Would just buy. IT'S $5!!!! lol

Man, I was so happy with that new Triple H head mold (Is that what you call it? I want to say scan out of habit). That first figure was cool but this was an such an upgrade, torso too. It actually reflected his look at the time, I was a big DX mark. Still am.

Love that Pillman figure. The series it came from, another story. I just thought it captured his look very well, even though it was a bit different from the main BCA line. I was also a big fan of the Crush, Chainz, Skull & 8 Ball figures. Only 1 of the Harris Bros was released, until the end of the year Best of line, correct? Otherwise you had to buy two 2-Packs.

I never understood why they used that torso for Edge. Edge was never that big in his entire career, let alone then. My hate for Edge (until he became a real player when he won the belt) carried over to his figure I guess.

Love the pics, bring back a lot of memories.