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Pickstarter: The Ultimate Guidebook to Hasbro WWF Wrestling Action Figures

Hasbro‘s 1990 acquisition of the World Wrestling Federation toy license led to what at that point was the greatest wrestling toy line ever made, and one of the all-time great toy lines. Replacing the giant rubber non-poseable figures from LJN, each character could execute a spring-loaded wrestling move, and the facial likenesses, in an era before laser scans and McFarlane Toys, were surprisingly accurate. The line is so beloved, in fact, that last year the current now-WWE license holder Mattel began making modern superstar figures in the same style, and this year brought out an exact replica of the old Hasbro ring playset for them to battle in.

And now some avid collectors want to publish the definitive history of the line. Thanks to a Twitter tip from out friends at Comics Culture Cabal, we came upon the Kickstarter project by Manchester, UK-based Lee Roberts. His team have been in contact with former Hasbro employees, concept designers, and even some of the wrestlers sports-entertainers themselves.

Donations are taken in English pounds, but if you can spare $350, the reward is a custom Hasbro-style figure of your choice. The parameters of choice aren’t specified, but presumably the intent is to make a figure that was never actually available (I always wanted Brother Love, myself). Could it be one inyour own likeness? You’ll have to contact them to find out.

But if you’ve ever wanted to know what happened to the Rhythm and Blues Greg Valentine, or who would have been in the next series (Men on a Mission, believe it or not), and hear from the people who actually worked on the line in greater detail than an hourlong show like The Toys That Made Us will ever do, this is a Kickstarter to keep an eye on, as it appears headed for success.

Are you ready to read the real story behind “Real Wrestling Action”? Tell us your favorite Hasbro figure in comments.

Images: Kickstarter/Wrestling Superstore

 

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