This is such a weird, weird figure to exist in the year 2017. These retro figures are throwback to the classic World Wrestling Federation toys put out by Hasbro almost a full thirty years ago.
For those of you who were completely immersed in the world of professional wrestling as a 90’s child, these things were a CRUCIAL, MUST-HAVE item. I was more into Turtles and Robocop figures at that time, but whatever…
With that taken in account, this version of Sting stands out for several reasons. Flat-out, it’s an action figure with a look based on 1997 Starrcade Sting, shaped to resemble a WWF toy from 1991 but strangely features a photo of 2015 WWE Sting on its packaging. A photo that’s a weird photoshopped version of The Vigilante, one that removes his trademark soul-patch to help him more resemble his mini plastic effigy.
Dumb nit-pick regarding the packaging aside, the figure itself is actually a dud. His legs are fused together to give him a “Stinger Splash!” action that causes the figure to shoot up a bit when you push down onto his spring-loaded base. The original Hasbro Repo Man figure was designed this way, but it reminds me more of my older brother’s Ram Man toy from the 80’s Masters of the Universe line…
If you’re a kid who gets hit immediately with a wave of nostalgia over seeing these Hasbro lookalike figures, there should be nothing really stopping you from getting the entire line. They are both seemingly plentiful and cheap at Walmarts across the US, and I see people on Twitter going crazy for them in the UK at Smyths Toy Stores. I only bought it out of pure curiosity and due to the fact that I came across it while in the middle of nowhere for a work conference. I had passed on purchasing it originally but as soon the conference started up and presentations started to beat me down, I started to become oddly worried about missing my one chance at getting this rare, elusive Retro Stinger.
Needless to say, I excused myself and drove back to Walmart within the same day during a technical session on asphalt and superpave design (blugh).
Not sure if I’d grab any of the others from the series, but I haven’t really been tested again since this one. We will see if the upcoming Goldberg or nWo Wolfpac Sting will persuade me to buy.
40-year-old World Championship Wrestling fanatic/collector/hoarder. Safety officer by day, scanner of wrestling magazine by night.
He’s got posters on the wall, his favorite rock group’s KISS.
It’s so bad, it’s good
Got it
Chris Froehlich
Well you seen your Christmas present lol