Blast From The Past!
  • 06/03/2005 (12:00:00 am)
  • Michiel de Graaf

This is my first column for WrestlingFigs and I hope you will enjoy it

This is my first column for WrestlingFigs.com and I hope you will enjoy it.

 

In my columns I would like to show you parts of my collection. I hope to show you figures you don’t get to see very often or figures that most of us have long forgotten about.

 

When I first started collecting Wrestling Figures back in 1990 I never thought that my passion would be so out of control 14 years later. By now I have amassed nearly 5,000 figures and countless rings, play-sets, DVDs, videotapes and other wrestling merchandise. I do not limit myself to one particular brand and just collect what I enjoy having, but mostly enjoy hunting for. To me the hunt and the chase are sometimes more of a thrill than to actually find a rare figure.

 

As some of you may know, my true passion is collecting Vintage Wrestling Figures and odd bits and pieces of Wrestling history and memorabilia. Sometimes people think that I do not enjoy Jakks figures. Nothing is further from the truth as I believe Jakks makes unbelievable figures nowadays.

 

In this column I’d liked to focus on one of my favourites and the first WWF/E toy-lines LJN. It’s one of the first lines that I started collecting.

 

When I first started to watch WWF/E wrestling Hulk Hogan was champion and all other talent had to take a backseat to The Hulkster and job for him. I remember vividly rooting for the heels as every single one of them was trying to get their hands on the precious gold which was securely around Hulk Hogan’s waist.

 

One of those opponents was (now Hardcore Legend) “Terrible” Terry Funk. Little did I know that this man already was a legend back in the 80s both in the USA and in Japan.

 

After going for Hulk Hogan’s title unsuccessfully Terry Funk also had a major feud in the WWF in the eighties with the late great Junk Yard Dog. The feud cumulated at WrestleMania 2 when Terry and his brother Dory Funk Jr. (Vince McMahon insisted on calling Dory Funk Jr. “Hoss” by the way) wrestled and beat Junk Yard Dog and his partner Tito Santana. 

 

Standing an impressive 7 inches and made by LJN toys nearly 20 years ago in 1986 this figure captures Terry Funk really well. Sporting his cowboy gimmick he had back then. LJN didn’t have the benefit of real scan back then and had to actually sculpt likeness of each wrestler. In this case they have done a great job as the likeness of Terry Funk is dead on.

 

As accessories Terry Funk is complete with his famous cowboy hat and his branding iron. Please notice the detail on that branding iron. It has two crosses, because obviously Terry Funk hailed from “Double Cross Ranch in Amarillo, Texas”.

 

Downside to all of these LJN figures is that they are made with solid rubber and that the paint is prone to chip rather easily. When buying these figures loose you should be double checking if the figure has any paint loss. Also check if all accessories are included like Terry Funk’s hat and branding iron.

 

Other downside is that LJN lack any articulation whatsoever. You will not find any joints on a LJN figure.

 

But these figures still oozes that vintage feeling for me and I still get excited when I can get my hands on a packaged LJN figure from time to time. These figures have stood the test of time.

 

One other fun thing to note about the LJN wrestling figures that they each came with a rolled poster depicting the wrestler as being in “The Main Event Tonight”.

 

These posters are often lost or have thumbtack holes in them from being hung to the wall. Because they are often damaged these posters are probably even more rare and more sought after than the figures themselves.

 

If you can get your hands on this figure I would advise you to do so if it is complete or preferably MOC. Terry Funk doesn’t have many figures and this is one of his best ànd one of the best LJN figures around.

 

This would make an excellent addition to anyone’s wrestling collection.

 

-“STOMWIJF” Michiel de Graaf.

 

 

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