Another year of Ringside Fest has come and gone, but never before has there been such an enormous display of new and upcoming figures or such a versatile fan/toy company interaction as there was with Mattel this year.

Mattel was on hand at Caroline’s Comedy Club for Ringside Fest 2010 along with The Miz, Kane, and Chris Jericho, and the company had an epic, interactive display of their WWE figures and even participated in an in-depth question and answer session with the attending fans. Through the Q&A and their displays, Mattel showed off quite a few new, exciting products as the fruit of their partnership with WWE, as well as some obligatory teases.

On display was Legends Series 4, previously shown off at San Diego Comic-Con, in addition to the debut of Legends 5. On display from the new series was Macho Man Randy Savage, Akeem, Bam Bam Bigelo, and  “The Model” Rick Martel. Macho Man was his classic look from the 1980s, complete with t-shirt and sunglasses.

Even more exciting was the display of WWE Defining Moments Series 1 and 2. The previously announced Shawn Michaels and Randy Savage from Series 1 were on display, including the first physical appearance of the packaging. The Defining Moments packaging is large and clear, showcasing the front, back, and top of the figure with event relevant photos and background information. The Series 2 display included Ultimate Warrior, his attire matching up with the Series 1 Savage from Wrestlemania VII, with an epic duster jacket with an insane amount of detail depicting the ongoing battle between Warrior and Savage. Also included in Series 2 is The Rock, with an inspired choice from the classic Monday Night Raw segment, “This is Your Life”, the highest rated segment in Raw history. He’s got “The Rock’s $800 shirt” and a Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection jacket, instantly making it a must own figure.

Revealed in Mattel’s Elite Series 8 was the first Elite versions of Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, William Regal, and Evan Bourne. Sheamus and D-Mac will include the WWE Spinner Championship Belt and the current Intercontinental strap, respectively. There was also an Undertaker with a brand new jacket mold, reminiscent of the one he’s worn at PPVs in the last year or two.

As for the Basic series, Mattel showed off their very first figures of Maryse, Natalya, and Chris Masters, along with some new sculpts for previously released characters like Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes. It should be noted that they also displayed updated packaging; the carding and style is generally the same, with an updated print font.

On the title belts front, Mattel revealed a brand new US Championship and the WWE Tag Team Titles, both available soon.

Mattel also officially debuted a brand new line at Ringside Fest. Though we had seen teases at SDCC, WWE Rumblers, a mini, stylized line of 2-packs was announced. Fans of Mattel’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold Action League 2-packs will know what to expect. These are small, cartoony renditions of your favorite WWE Superstars that will come packaged with a lot of great, kid-friendly accessories that allows you to accurately and cheaply recreate the entertainment of WWE.

In terms of the Q&A, Mattel was open with the fans about what they could, couldn’t, and want to do with the WWE license. They emphasized that they are always present on the message boards, listening to what the hardcore collectors want.

First, some things that are definitely out of the question: Jeff Hardy, Chris Benoit, and Owen Hart figures will not be happening.

On the plus side, they did give a big “yes” to the following: Magnum TA, Alberto Del Rio, Daniel Bryan, and Wade Barret. As for character suggestions that got the bob-and-weave or the classic  “we’re always looking for new characters” were Goldberg, Vampiro, Great Muta, Chyna, Trish Stratus, Lita, and old school guys like Pedro Morales, Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, and Don Muraco, noting that those last few depend on the overall sales of the Legends line. Let the rumor mill surge!

Mattel noted that they are looking to include different things from the entertainment and introduce a lot of new products, particularly NXT, steel cages, an MP3-player compatible Titantron, 12 inch figures, ring announcers and referees, and interview sets like the VIP Lounge or Highlight Reel.  They even said that concerning WWE celebrity Hall of Famers, nothing is out of the question, it’s just a matter of getting the individual contracts.

Concerning new Rey Mysterio figures, the prayer tattoo that has yet to be included on any figures will  likely never happen, as it presents legal issues due to its content. Similarly, the much desired Joker Rey Mysterio from the 25^th Anniversary of Wrestlemania presents some legality issues, but is being looked into.

For the complete coverage of Mattel’s WWE presence at Ringside Fest 2010, check out the Recap of the Q&A Session and photos of their display.

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