Hey, everybody, Welcome to the Major Wrestling Figure Podcast YouTube channel.

I'm Brian Myers and I'm Matt Cardona and welcome to the rise and Fall of Galub's WCW toy line, a.

Wrestling figure retrospective.

Are you ready to fight and step into the ring and take on stage?

There's me and my arrival, Rick Flair, and.

There's a total package Lex Luger.

Check out the toughest tag.

Team around, the Seiner Brothers.

These WCW Action figures are.

Just as tough and has mean as we are.

Wicks for the knee drop, He's sting escape Oh Tennis him up with the bloody slam.

The WCW wrestlers each sold separately from Galoup.

My darny better to take us on.

Tity is just as tough and mean as the stars they depicted.

Lewis galub Toys World Championship Wrestling Action Figures may have been short lived, but over time they've become cult favorites.

But how did this unique line of toys fall so quickly from store shelves?

Were they doomed from the start.

Let's tick a deep dive into the surprise story of a toy line that tried to supplex its way into kids' hearts, but tapped out far too soon.

Wock hew, I'll never put the whammy on you again, mister Lugar and.

Robinson WCW figures from Globe.

Are You Ready to Fight?

Founded in nineteen fifty seven, Lewis Galub Toys was a small, family owned import business based in San Francisco, California.

Initially, the company distributed toys and novelty items as a regional wholesaler with limited original product development.

In nineteen seventy, Lewis Galube became too ill to continue as president, and his twenty one year old son, David, dropped out of the University of Southern California to take over his family business.

By nineteen seventy six, alongside his brother Robert, David had grown the company into a one million dollar enterprise.

But their big break would come with Micromachines line of miniature vehicles that helped make Gloub the third largest US toy manufacturer by nineteen ninety eight.

With the explosion of professional wrestling in the nineteen eighties, Galub attempted to acquire the toy license for Titan Sports World Wrestling Federation Following success with their eighteen line, they offered twenty five thousand dollars to Titan Sports.

In nineteen eighty four, despite a handshake agreement, LJN Toy swooped in and outbid them with a whopping two hundred thousand dollars offer, eight times what Galube had on the table, leaving Galub out of the squared circle for now.

In nineteen eighty eight, Medium Mobile Ted Turner purchased Jim Crockett Promotions and rebranded it as World Championship Wrestling.

By nineteen ninety, ww was positioning itself as a serious competitor to the WWF with stars like sting, Rick Flair and Lex Luber.

Meanwhile, HASWRO had already secured the WWF toy license.

Galub saw an opening and signed a deal with Broose ww action figures, playsets, and accessories.

But the clock was ticking and the product fast.

Revealed that the nineteen ninety one American International Toy Fair were stars Lex Luger and the Steiner Brothers on hand.

The loops Core WCW line featured four and a half inch non articulated figures made of solid PVC plastic.

Unlike Hasmo's dynamic WWF action figures with spring loaded wrestling moves.

These were more akin to statues, miniature likenesses frozen in time, and yet kids found ways to play through Donkey doink impacts and storytelling driven play.

Last time we partnered with Garage Beer, things got a little out of hand.

But this time we're doing things more professional, classic, more class.

These guys, guys, what can't we enjoy them?

More polished, good idea.

It's a crisp, refreshing partnership.

Hilton integrity on teamwork.

And focus.

The first assortment of World Championship Wrestling Action Figures included six single packed action figures of wire wrestlers Rick Flair, arn Anderson, Sting, Lex Luger, Rick Steiner, and Scott Steiner, with each including a w S Championship title belt accessory fastened around their waist for added play value.

Eventually, Sting appeared in multiple color variants, arn Anderson's bald spot came in way, and even the belt fasteners were changed during production.

The second assortment introduced six new figures Barry Windham, sid Vicious, Ron Simmons, butch Red, Flying, Brian Pillman, and Tom's Inc.

But again production compromises followed unauthorized Nike swooshes, deco reductions, and figures based on reference photos of stars and sweatbants instead of ring gear.

Tag Team two packs included the Steiner Brothers, Doom Dudes with Attitudes and the Four Horsemen, adding slight variations to the Sting figures.

Once again, to complement the figures, Glub released the ww Slam Action Wrestling Arena, a compact playset with springboard ring steps, catapulting ring posts, steel cage, and even a working ring belt complete with hammer.

A deluxe fourteen inch figure Sortman was also introduced, featuring Sting, Lex Luger, Rick Flair, and Said Vicious, this time with limited articulation.

A role play child size belt rounded out the initial nineteen ninety one offerings.

Galoobs WCW products first hit Kmart and sales were reportedly strong, but that success proved to be a double edged sword.

By the time Toys, r US and other retailers placed large orders, most WCW fans had already bought what they wanted and demand had dried up.

The figures began appearing.

In discount chains like KB Toys and the US line was quietly discontinued within the year.

To make matters worse.

In June nineteen ninety one, David Glube was outed as president and CEO.

Within months, key team members, including national sales manager Robert Kanoff and Executive vice president of Marketing and Development Saul Jodell, also exited.

Although Gloob's WCW line effectively flopped in the US, the bell hadn't rung just yet.

In nineteen ninety.

Two, Galube distributed a second wave of remaining WCW products overseas through the United Kingdom through distributor Hornby Hobbies.

The first assortment redecorated ten of the twelve figures from NI nine one with new ring gear.

The next assortment brought in seven fresh sculpts and five new characters, Dustin Rhodes, Michael Hayes, Jimmy Garvin, Big Josh, and El Yanting.

UK two packs once again featured the teams of the Steiner Brothers, the Four Horsemen, and the Dudes with Attitudes.

For this time, they swapped out Doom for the Fabulous Freebirds plus The Slam Action Wrestling Arena playset got a revamp with the sound Slam and action ring, which included four real wrestling sounds thanks to a new sound module to make playtime even more exciting for kids.

The sound module was also available separately for those who already owned the original Arena playset, and it came bundled with the Fabulous Freebirds too.

Behind the curtain, even more was planned.

Prototypes for unreleased figures like PM News, Diamond Studd, and Ricky Morton exist.

There were concepts for a talking Sid Vicious, and possible electronic figures of Brick Flair, Lex Luger, the Steiner Brothers, and Moore.

There was even ideas for WW wrestling rods micromachine style vehicles emblazoned with wrestler logos.

In early nineteen ninety two, David Galub, alongside Kanoff, Jodell and inventor Rand Sigfried, formed the original San Francisco Toy Makers, eventually producing WCW toys again later that decade.

In nineteen ninety eight, Lewis Glub Toys, Inc.

Was acquired by Hasbro, Inc.

Absorbing its legacy into one of the largest toy empires in the world.

Despite its short shelf life, the Glub WW toy line has gained cult status today, these figures are beloved relics of the nineties wrestling nostalgia.

Their bright colors, rigid poses, and unique charm have found new life in the hands of collectors worldwide.

Fans appreciate the craftsmanship, even if the articulate was non existent.

These figures captured a moment in wrestling history, even if they couldn't pose for it.

So what was your favorite WCW item that was produced by galoub.

Do you own any of the rare UK releases?

Which prototype do you wish I'd seen the light of day?

Let us know the comments below and don't forget to like, subscribe and smash that notification bell.

For more wrestling figure history from the Major Wrestling Figure podcasts.

Check out the video on screen for even more information on Glob's ww figures featuring personal stories for myself Brian Myers, mst Maccardona and producer smart Mark Sterling.

Thanks for watching as always, scratch that figure Itch.

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