I've Seriously Upgraded My
ECW Action Figure Collection!
A few years ago, we first wrote about the ECW action figure collection, a very cool yet underrated line from the late-1990s that never received its just due among merch collectors.
Although I never found this line -- created by The Original San Francisco Toy Makers -- when they were originally sold, I'd acquired about ten of them on the secondary market (read: eBay) in recent years. And even after those first ten... somehow I just knew this collection would to be revisited going forward.
Here are some of my more recent acquisitions...
While Little Guido probably isn't the first ECW figure most fans would clamor to have... it's actually a pretty inspired choice. The likeness of the future Nunzio is uncanny and you probably need a Little Guido to do battles with the likes of a Yoshihiro Tajiri or Super Crazy (neither of which I have yet.... anyone interested in parting with loose figures on the cheap?). Plus his expression here of fighting with the audience is just... incredible (not to be confused with Justin Credible, whom he's headlocking here.)
Raven is probably one of the other wrestlers to have figures in WWE, WCW, TNA and ECW... including this beaut from his brief return to the company. Now.... is this the greatest Raven figure ever created? Probably not. I don't like the beard, for example - even though it's probably loyal to his look around the time. But this certainly gets the job done... you can really appreciate the details like his leather jacket, ripped shorts and low-cut boots. I like everything except for the shitty generic shirt that says "Raven" on it.
Although these ECW figures aren't as nuanced to wrestler's physiques the way, say, the current crop of Mattel figures are... the next three figures use a generic "larger" body type and do so well. For example, you've got to love the way they've portrayed Rhino here -- a big, bruising badass, with a permanent scowl on his face, perfect for delivering the "GORE! GORE! GORE!" or making life miserable for the likes of Rob Van Dam.
Balls Mahoney may very well be one of the most underrated figures in this entire series, just because it's so... different. Yes, his physique is roughly the same size as Buh Buh Ray Dudley's is, but he just seems.... larger than anyone else. Plus he's rocking blue shorts and two different color tights (silver and black) underneath. It's just a really awesome, different look for the big guy, helping set him apart.
Finally in my collection (or at least, "finally, until I get my hands on the likes of Jerry Lynn, Steve Corino or Nova"), we have Axl Rotten. Another big, bruising dude, Rotten also his name on his shirt - though at least they make it look like a logo and not just a generic "Raven" look. Plus he has (at least some of his) tattoos, fists wrapped with tape for a Taipei Death Match, and he looks like he has a good 50 pounds on his opponent Sabu here, which just completes the look.
Are the OSFTM ECW figures the greatest wrestling figures of all time? No.... but they're certainly not without their charm. You can tell the creators put a ton of effort to make each character distinct, which is exactly what you want in an "extreme" company.
I'm glad I decided to start supplementing my meager collection, and now I need to find the remaining figs on the cheap (plus the different color variants if I decide to become a completist) to truly create a true E-C-Dub vibe in my collection.