“It’s been a while

Since I reviewed a bunch of figs

It’s been a while

Since my last Retro”

Welcome back to the LONG anticipated (by who?) return of WWE Mattel Memories. Did you miss me?

With the price of retros going back through the roof, it seems like a good time to jump on the bandwagon and churn out some content jump back in and review the last few series of figures!

If you’re new hear or maybe forgot, we’ve been taking a LONG stroll down memory lane, reviewing each and every figure in the beloved early-90’s Hasbro WWF line, as well as the recent tribute line of WWE Retros by Mattel.

If this sounds exciting to you, or you just need to reorient yourself, LUCKY FOR YOU I’ve got 19 links in the barrel and I’m ready to fire!

• WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series One
• WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series Two
• WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series Three
• WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series Four
• WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series Five
• WWE Mattel Memories: Retro Series Six

• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series One
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Two
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Three
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Four
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Five
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Six
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Seven
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Eight
• WWF Hasbro Memories: Series Nine
• Video Review: Hasbromaniacs Hasbro Ring Replacement Sticker Kit
• Video Review: Hasbromaniacs Guide To WWF Hasbros

• WCW Galoob Memories: Series One

OK, let’s get to it!

SERIES SEVEN

Series Seven is the first series of Mattel WWE Retros that were released in 2019 – the first of FOUR.

Like the last few Retro series, Series Seven includes four different figures. It’s a 50/50 mix of old and new school here, including a new version of an absolute classic name from the Hasbro days.

In GLORIOUS news, Mattel has DITCHED THE TERRIBLE BASES (!!!) for Series Seven. I know it’s odd to cheer about losing an accessory, but as you are aware, I have always hated the bases. They’re not custom to each wrestler’s feet, so not all of them stand right on their own base. So lazy! Also, they just take away from the overall Hasbro vibe of the Retros.

Since we’re still promoting the WWE Mayhem game, the figures are now packaged with a drop code that can be scanned to use in the app. Guess what – I also FINALLY played the game!

It’s actually not bad at all and pretty fun. If you have all the Retros, you basically bring those figures into your stable in the game and can use them to fight (and they’re like Level 3 characters instead of basic Level 1). I’d recommend giving it a shot if you’re into modern game apps like that.

Series Seven also reverts from the red card borders back to the classic blue. As you can guess, my “keep things like the old ones” meter is twitching up on that decision. The back of the cards are still a mess, but you gotta take what you can get.

Anyway, on to the little wrestling men!

CHRIS JERICHO

GRADE: B+

We kick things off with Chris Jericho finally making his debut in the Retro series. Interestingly, it’s not the classic “Y2J”, instead drawing from Jericho’s last WWE run. We’ll call it The List Chris. Or Scarfico. This Jericho was most notable for his pairing with Kevin Owens, which culminated in the ill-fated Festival of Friendship. After a Wrestlemania 33 match with KO, Jericho only made sporadic appearances on WWE programming. This was in 2017!

With Jericho doing his own thing in NJPW (and a few months out from helping lead the AEW revolution), it’s kind of odd that Mattel would choose to produce a List-era Jericho in 2019. It just seems like a classic top-knot Monday Night Jericho or sparkle jacket would be more in order.

Anyway, we get what we get and, overall, this Jericho figure is nice. The likeness is decent, and this is definitely a heel Jericho given the expression. My only complaint is his van dyke is too angular. Sharp? Does that make sense? He looks a little too much like Doc Holliday in Tombstone.

I like the mold, which you may recognize from the Retro Series 2 Stone Cold figure, among others. That jointed clothesline arm is pretty versatile, and Jericho uses it to help perform his Authentic Superstar Move, The Codebreaker.

As far as gear, Jericho is fairly detailed. The scarf accessory is a little bulky but a nice touch. The back of his trunks look awesome, with the “G.O.A.T.” label on there. I would have loved to see a List accessory, but oh well.

FYI, I picked up this whole series at once over on Megalopolis.toys. Because there’s no joy in collecting anymore.

KURT ANGLE

GRADE: B+

Your Olympic Hero also makes his debut in Series Seven. While Kurt was having his final in-ring run at the beginning of 2019 (culminating in THAT Wrestlemania 35 match with Baron f’ing Corbin of all people), Mattel chose to dip back into the past for their tribute to Angle. How do I know? He has hair!

It’s almost jarring to see Kurt Angle with hair, it seems like he’s been bald forever now. Expression-wise, I could’ve used Kurt looking a little cockier. Other than that, I think Mattel nailed it. Just a legit athlete in his stars and striped best.

Kurt’s ASM is the Angle Slam, which he performs using the jointed abdomen we saw back in Retro Series 1 John Cena. The jointed abdomen is probably my least favorite new action that the Retros have added, but I don’t hate it. I just think it makes the figure look a little dis-joint-ed. HA!

90’s Kurt Angle is a little bland aesthetically, but a nice addition to the line.

SHAWN MICHAELS

GRADE: C+

Blech. Why U Mad, Shawn?

This figure is ugly. His face definitely has some Shawn Michaels-ness to it, but it is not 100% HBK. Why is he so angry? Shawn’s been a face for decades! The ponytail is another thing that is correct IN THEORY, but in execution just doesn’t look like Shawn’s hair ever looked. If it wasn’t for the gear, I’d think this was a mid-life crisis William Regal.

Shawn was issued in 3 different versions in the old Hasbro line, but this is his first Retro appearance. I like that they used a 2000’s era Shawn look. The details on his tights look really great. And his ASM – the Sweet Chin Music with the spring loaded leg – is spot on. That ASM is kind of a reverse of what we saw debut with Sami Zayn in Series 6.

Shawn is our first Butter Face Retro I think. Given that the classic “Sexy Boy” era Shawn figure is one of the all time favorite Hasbros, it’s sad that Mattel whiffed on this.

Like I said way back in Retro Series 2 – WHY AREN’T THEY GIVING US DX???

SHEAMUS

GRADE: A

Wrapping it up with my favorite figure in this series – the Celtic Warrior himself. One could say I respect the hawk. If any figure in this series brings to mind the spirit of the old Hasbros, Sheamus is your guy.

Sheamus was winding down his successful run as one-half of The Bar with Cesaro in early 2019. As a side note, The Bar may be one of the most underrated tag teams of all time. They were like The Brain Busters of their era, except more successful. And it’s not like their era wasn’t packed full of great tag teams (New Day, Usos, heck even The Hardys made a cameo). It would have been cool to get a Cesaro Retro too, but you can’t argue that Sheamus has had the more successful career overall.

Mattel killed it on Sheamus’ likeness. I mean, pale and a mohawk, he was an interesting guy to Hasbro-ize to begin with. And his expression looks like he’s 2 seconds away from Brogue Kicking you in the face.

Speaking of the Brogue Kick, Sheamus has that spring-loaded leg ASM feature that lets him perform his signature move. It’s super fun if you like kicking people, and who doesn’t?

Big fan of Sheamus’ gear too. It’s simple red tights and knee pads, but the little details on the front of his tights that mimic a kilt really shine. So have you teamed up Sheamus and Roddy Piper yet?

WRAP-UP

RETRO SERIES SEVEN GRADE: B+

Retro Series Seven doesn’t have quite the star power of Series Six, but it keeps thing even at a level around “good”. If Shawn Michaels’ likeness hadn’t been so clunky, this would be an A- set. When you create a Hasbro-style HBK, you’ve gotta come hard.

Overall, I’d say this is a really good step. No more bases, better cards, high quality picks for the wrestlers. Shining star and sleeper is definitely Sheamus – he’s the Retro you didn’t know you needed. A must have.

That wraps it up for Series Seven. Stay tuned! I’ll be back (hopefully) shortly with a look at Retro Series Eight!