Best U.S. wrestling action figure line

[Joe Neglia]

Anyone collect these things? I used to, but stopped a few years back. Thinking about getting some of the WWE Classics line though, they look pretty nice. So if you have (or had) any of these, which ones did you think were the best?

WWF (LJN) - the "Granddaddy" of them all. 8" tall, made of solid rubber and completely unposeable.

WWF (Hasbro) - the line from the early 90s that had all of the weird, unrealistic body-shapes and usually only had poseable heads and arms.

WWF (Jakks) - the current and longest running line. Started off sloppy with really crappy sculpts (and the first Steve Austin was cross-eyed), but over the years have started creating a top line, including the aforementioned sub-series, WWE Classics, which has given us not only Bruiser Brody and Brooklyn Brawler, but upcoming: Zeus and Tank Abbott!

WCW (Galoob) - WCW's first attempt at "figures" these were like miniature versions of WWF's LJN figures. No poseability, but a decent first try. Too bad that P.N. News figure never made it past the prototype phase.

WCW (San Francisco Toymakers) - You can probably STILL find these at some dollar close-out stores. Larger than the Jakks figures from their competitors, these came with "realistic" vibrating action. Creepy.

WCW (Toy Biz) - A much better-sculpted line, these quickly started to slip into silliness, especially with the sub-set of characters dressed as their gimmicks (Bret Hart with tommygun, Goldberg with actual jackhammer).

ECW (San Francisco Toymakers) - An improvement over SFT's WCW line, but still a little clunky. Very short-lived.

AWA (Remco) - Early line that included the likes of pre-Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig, a buff Larry Zbysko and Abdullah the Butcher. Built in the same style as the popular He-Man figures of the time period.

TNA (Toy Biz) - Still a fledgling line, but they made a Shark Boy figure.

Legends of Professional Wrestling (Figures, Inc.) - One of my personal favorites, and a precursor to the current WWE Classics line. Detail wasn't fantastic, but had some neat choices (Ox Baker, Eddie Gilbert, "young" Bruno Sammartino). Released all of their figures in regular and "bloody" versions.

[Pierre the Renaissance Man]

The Jakks Bone Crunchers. I just dont like the new ones.

[rockymelvin]

I voted Toybiz TNA figures. They aren't perfect by any means but the better ones in the line are the best US made wrestling figures ever with much better detailing and articulation than any of their rivals which is good going for a line that's still fairly new. And they make a Shark Boy figure
IMO Jakks make some of the worst action figures on the market,period. The headsculpts are usually nice but the constant recycling of the same few body parts and the poor detailing on the majority of figures (even the vastly overrated Classic Superstars) really bring the quality down. If only US wrestling figures could reach the same quality as those from Japan

[x]

I picked the Hasbro line of WWF toys. I have every one ever made. I messed them all up though. I played with them so much my parents thought I was autistic.

I had one LJN WWF figure. It was a ricky steamboat. I painted his face because his arm was in a claw position. I made him into Kane. I now realize his arm is like that for arm drags.

I hated the WCW Galoob ones. It used to piss me off how there arms didn't move at all. Like my Ron Simmons one has his arm connected to his stomach. But they all came with title belts. I used to smear off the WCW logo and write WWF, IC and TAG on all of them so I could use them on my Hasbros.

I never really got into any of the ones afterwards. I do love the commercials with the Legion of Doom slamming the Bone Crunching action ones inside there lockers.

I like the old WWF pillow buddies. I remember they only had 4 at one point. A Hogan, Savage, DiBiase and Warrior. My neighbor had Hogan and Warrior. I had Savage (Macho King) and DiBiase. (I was a smark before I knew it.) We were all excited because we "Collect(ed) them all!" My Savage got into a fatal accident in a match with my dog once when I was at school. I still have my DiBiase. My nephew wrestles it now.

[-Lithium-]

Which was the one WCW line where when you squeezed they legs, there arms move...

[Chainsaw]

Oh god...the ECW toy line...

I've got to go with WWE/Jakks. They do great figures, especially the Legends series.

[WHATAMANOOOVER]

Too bad I don't collect anymore because the new Jakks Classics lines are amazing. And hell, they're basically doing every single person to ever work for WWE/WWF and even some WCW/ECW fellas.

[shemmy86]

Which brand was the one who released ripoff characters of the attitude era and was later put into someone bought this? Those figures ruled, because of their awesome cheesiness.

[comahan]

gillbergaholic said:

The Jakks Bone Crunchers. I just dont like the new ones.

Same. I had sooooooo many of those.

[MichaelRBoh]

i like the wwe legends the best.

[Alucard]

Haha, I had a few of the "vibrating action" WCW figs, barely posable and if you actually made them wrestle eachother their paint would smudge off something awful. It should be noted they later on released a series of non-creepy-vibe figures that had action features but were still not very posable, their only real use was the "big gold" belt some of them came with.

Jakks BCA have a special place in my heart, but I can't get used to the new style Jakks stuff. I respect their making legends though, I wish I had picked up that classic series Flair w/ robe a while back.

ECW figures were pretty cool imho, come on, who doesn't want tiny New Jack in their pocket?

BUT, my favorite right now, bar none, TNA's line. They are awesome. As mentioned: Perfect? No. But close. See, as a kid, my favorite toys were always the super-posable ones, such as super-posable Spiderman, I always thought to myself "this thing is so cool, and it can do every wrestling move imaginable, why can't they apply this to wrestling figures?", well, Marvel Toys did just that for the TNA line. Sure, the Series 1 figures weren't perfect, with their action features and whatnot, but they have MORE than redeemed themselves in more recent waves. If you're someone who likes to display figures in "action poses", this line is the best.

[Rocky Van Heineken]

Hasbros were awesome when I was a kid. The BCA Jakks were great too.

[Joekishi]

I liked those big Rubber LJN ones, i'd beat people up with Hacksaw.

[Spyke the Pacers Fan]

I like the WWE Jakks figures. Not great, but good.

I'll have to check out the TNA ones, sounds pretty cool... SHARK BOY! Must buy!

I have one of the "vibrating" WCW figure. It's The Giant (Big Show) and all the paint has come off and it looks like he's naked... which makes it creepier.

[SHAKEMASTER TV9 is Don Knotts]

I prefer the Jakks classics. And i certainly don't mind having Tank Abbot or Zeus.

[LARIATOOO!]

My Ultimate Warrior LJN looks pretty sweet.

[Cyno]

WWF/E's Jakks line, followed by WCW's and TNA's Toy Biz (soon to be Marvel Toys) line. I love the Legends line of the Jakks series, plus their very accurate toy title belts. For $10 a pop, it's pretty nice for a plastic and foam replica until you can get the real ones. WCW's and TNA's figures had very good sculpting and are pretty articulate, too.

The worst was probably San Francisco Toymakers' figures. Ugh.

[thwak is T.hawk]

I still have this huge (and I mean huge) vader toy lieing around and I have no idea who made it, I want to say it's the wwf rubber ones but I don't know if vader was in the wwf when those were made.


anyway I'll go with the hasbro line just because of the fact that you could press down on snuka's body, then his whole body would go down to his feet, then you released it and he'd fly in the air for a splash!!!

[THE Dinobot]

WCW's Toy Biz figures were neat. Especially since some of 'em vibrated, that was mega-fun.

I have a huge massive collection of WWF/E and WCW toys, still in the package, up until a few years ago. Still purchase the occasional Legend figure every now 'n then. Also have a ton of other figures, too, but they have nothing to do with rasslin'.

[Joe Neglia]

dinobotbprime said:

WCW's Toy Biz figures were neat. Especially since some of 'em vibrated, that was mega-fun.

I don't remember any of the TB ones acting as self help tools. Those were the San Francisco line.