San Diego Comic Con, or SDCC, is here and it’s time for the annual SDCC 2023 WWE Reveals. As always, I try to break down the reveals as soon as they happen. I always focus on the legends and flashbacks for Elites and Ultimates, and SDCC 2023 brought out quite a few updates.
Amazon Exclusive Wrestlemania X Ladder Match 2 pack:
40 Years of Hulkamania 3 pack:
1984 Hulk Hogan
1997 Hollywood Hogan
2002 Hollywood Hulk Hogan
Elite Legends:
Not many legends upcoming in the Elite line, but this Paul Bearer and chase version look great.
Then, Now, Forever, Together Box Set:
This set looks pretty good, with the controversial addition of Becky Lynch. Many fans felt a bigger name should have been here. The Rocky Maivia is a direct re-release of the Target exclusive from a few years back.
This box was slated to arrive at Target in fall 2023, but has already hit the stores and I already have mine! The Hogan and Austin are the gems of the set.
Target Legends Series 21:
Target Legends Series 22:
Hulk Hogan IWGP version
Hulk Hogan IWGP Chase Version
Capt. Lou Albano
The Sultan
Rumor has it that The Undertaker is slotted here, but no confirmation on that.
Target Legends Greatest Hits Series 1:
Bruno Sammartino (Elite Series 25)
Ultimate Warrior (Flashback Series 2)
Honky Tonk Man (RetroFest)
Terry Funk (Elite Series 41)
British Bulldog (Legends Series 3)
This series is pretty great for those who might have missed these guys before, and great to save on the wallet for those of us who already have these. I may get Warrior for the correct belt, and Honky Tonk for the correct color jumpsuit, but the rest are likely passes.
Target Legends Series Ultimate Editions:
Ultimate Warrior (Summerslam 91)
Yokozuna
Yokozuna Chase Version
This Ultimate Warrior is a work of art. I thought the Wrestlemania 7 was the best Ultimate Edition they could do, but here we are. Yokozuna doesn’t look too different from the elites he has, but still looks good.
Walmart Monday Night Wars Series 1:
Stone Cold Steve Austin
The Undertaker
Scott Hall
Hulk Hogan
Build a figure: Lex Luger (Nitro Debut)
This series will be interesting. Hopefully Walmart follows through and gets these figures to the shelves.
Walmart Monday Night Wars Series 2:
HHH
Fake Diesel
Rey Mysterio Unmasked
Kevin Nash
Fake Diesel is a very deep cut, but an interesting piece of Monday Night War lore. Maybe Fake Razor is around the corner. The Kevin Nash has a new twist, where the cap is molded onto the hair piece, instead of an oversized hat to fit the hair. Unmasked Rey was a surprise as well.
Walmart Monday Night Wars Series 1 Ultimate Edition:
Bret Hart
Rowdy Roddy Piper
Bret is an Ultimate version of his first Defining Moments figure, and still has the wrong sunglasses. Hopefully he also gets his trademark four hearts on his leg. Piper has a kilt he never wore in WCW, but otherwise looks pretty good.
Walmart Monday Night Wars Series 2 Ultimate Editions:
1999 Mankind
1997 Eddie Guerrero
This Eddie looks like it will be fantastic, and an Ultimate Mankind from the night he won the title for the first time will be a big hit.
WWE Elite Survivor Series:
Once again, Jerry Lawler quietly has one of the best elites of the entire year. The Shawn was a much-requested look, but the tights are supposed to be brown. There is also a Kevin Owens and Charlotte Flair in this wave. The Build a Figure is 1999 British Bulldog.
Ringside Collectibles Exclusive:
Three Faces of Foley:
These all look fantastic. The Dude Love is a great improvement over DudeGate from 2018. Mankind looks fantastic, and the Cactus Jack is a WCW version which is a newly released look for him. This is a strong set, available for preorder now at Ringside Collectibles.
Retro Series 4 packs:
2 Packs Series 2:
Billy Gunn and Road Dogg
Chyna and HHH
Series 14:
Vader, Jerry Lawler, Undertaker, Paul Bearer
Series 15:
Hulk Hogan, Wendi Richter, Muhammad Ali, Big John Studd
The Vader/Undertaker/Bearer/Lawler set and the Wrestlemania 1 set will be available on Mattel Creations. The DX set will be on Ringside Collectibles. My thoughts: HHH is an upgrade over the horrible series 2 jumper version, but would have been better if it was X-Pac. The Wrestlemania 1 set would all be horrific shelf warmers other than Hogan, but as a box set, they will move. Mr. Wonderful should have been here to help complete the Main Event. The Vader group is a home run and I’m looking forward to them the most.
SDCC 2023, In Conclusion
This was Hulkamania in figure form, as Mattel showcased 13(!) Hulk Hogan figures at SDCC 2023. There was not a lot else to offer though, in terms of creating excitement for upcoming Legends/Flashback figures. The Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania sets usually have some good figures, but this year that’s 8 passes for me. The re-release Legends and some of the other offerings will also be easy passes for me. We still have time to see what else is coming, so happy Hunting!
