As far as action figures are concerned, Fred Ottman is having a heck of a year.
Even if you don’t recognize his given handle, if you are a classic wrestling fan, you will know at least one of his former monikers. That man who was Tugboat and Shock Master saw WWE Elite figures of those incarnations release last year, and now his (aguably) best know persona, Typhoon, comes to the Elite line via the new Walmart-exclusive Then/Now/Forever series. Oh, and to make matters even better, Typhoon is being released alongside his partner Earthquake to form one of the most intimidating, and one of the biggest, tag teams ever assembled: the Natural Disasters.
Man, it was a big deal when Hulk Hogan’s pal Tugboat turned heel and teamed with the frightening and hated Earthquake to form that scary team. Those two where big and menacing on their own, and when you had them in the ring together, you were dealing with 800 pounds intimidation, and after giving Hogan the what for, they quickly ascended up the tag team ranks. The Disasters feuded with the Legion of Doom, and under the tutelage of that pipsqueak Jimmy Hart, they became the Tag Team Champions before making a surprising face turn, and like so many others before them, just faded away.
Personally, I always like Earthquake better as a singles threat because he had a chance to war with some of the biggest names in the WWF at the time, and Tugboat was so goofy it was hard to not be entertained, but Disasters made a lasting impression on me, and I am glad to have Ottman and Tenta in their matching garb in the Elite line. Mattel keeps on plugging away on the classic rosters that I love, so while these are just technically variations, the figures look great together, and I am always up for more tag teams.
The paint deco on these two is really the most notable thing in terms of what is “new” for these guys. Earthquake is, I believe, a straight-up repaint of the iconic blue singlet figure released last year, and while the overall theme is the same from one to the next, this red and black scheme definitively representative of Tenta’s tag run. It looks good complimenting Typhoon’s singlet, and I like how their knee pads alternate from red to black. These colors fit in well with the Hart Family’s unofficial scheme, and the previous Hall of Fame Jimmy Hart goes well with these two in the display. Typhoon does reuse some pieces that are new to him, but the bare legs and boots match his in-ring look just fine.
Now, I know the quality control on the WWE Elite line can be hit and miss at times, and that is usually reflected in some of the paint details and joint quality, but overall, I have had very good luck. These figures continue that trend, and I find the paint on both of them to be particularly nice. Both Earthquake and Typhoon’s singlets have some pretty intricate details, and the stamp pattern used for the design and lettering is crispy clean. Additionally, Earthquake’s distinctive tattoo come out nicely and with much brighter colors than the previous release.
Finally, both of these figures include a classic tag title belt, so I know those accessories alone will help sell these figures. They are appropriately fitted in that neither of the them are large enough for Earthquake and Typhoon to wear, so your figures are going sport the straps over their shoulders, just like in real life. Now, I live in a terrible vacuum for WWE figures, so Robokillah was nice enough to grab these for me, but like all figures with belt accessories, be careful when you see these guys in the store, and make sure some jerk has not pilfered the strap from the package.
Hey, it feels good to tick another classic tag team off of the list in the Elite line, so let’s make the Powers of Pain next, shall we? As an ’80s wrestling guy, I am thankful for this new T/N/F as it gives me more chances to more of the guys from my favorite era. Between this line at War-Mart, and the Hall of Fame line at Target, we are making good progress, so I am looking forward to seeing what each will offer as the year goes on. Hopefully we will see more at Toy Fair during Mattel’s showcase this Sunday. The Natural Disasters are great figures, and a welcome addition to my squared circle display — they are ready to put the hurt on Hogan, the Legion of Doom and all the rest.
