Growing up as a child in the ’80s I was blessed to watch some of the best villains in movie history: Hans Gruber, Johnny Lawrence, Biff Tannen. While these big named villains will forever live in infamy, there are some villains that just don’t get the same amount of love as the Ed Rooney’s of the world. This week, I wanted to take a look at some of those unsung villains that are finally starting to get some of the respect they deserve in collectible form.
Bolo Yeung: Kung Fu Autograph Edition Tribute 1:3 Scale Statue by PCS
If you’ve never heard the name Bolo Yeung, I can guarantee that you’ve probably seen some of his work. He did 71 movies prior to taking on the role that many of us remember him most for: the infamous Chong Li from Bloodsport. A quick disclaimer about this statue: This isn’t Chong Li, it’s Bolo Yeung. While not an officially licensed Bloodsport item, there’s little doubt that Bolo would be perfectly dressed for the final battle of the Kumite tournament. There’s also a Frank Dux Jean-Claude Van Damme companion piece that will get you even closer to the action. At 1:3 scale, this statue is an imposing 23 inches tall with a wide stance of 19.5 inches. Bolo is BIG. This is a mixed media statue which means that the body has been sculpted and those beautiful red shorts are made of actual fabric. It’s a great look given the fact that there isn’t much here besides Bolo’s chiseled physique and movie star good looks. This is a signature edition with a limited run of 100 and while that comes with a considerable price tag, it’s still probably easier than entering the Kumite tournament yourself.
Masterverse Evil Tyrant of Eternia Skeletor by Mattel
The Masters of the Universe movie might have been the first time that many of us used the phrase: “That’s not my (insert beloved franchise here)”. This was most definitely NOT our MOTU. There were some bold choices made and many of those have been discussed at length in various documentaries over the years. One thing that can’t be disputed is the fact that Frank Langella made the most of his opportunity to play the live action version of Skeletor. While others might have approached their roles for the paycheck, Langella wanted the role so his four-year-old son could see his Skeletor play foil to Dolph Lundgren’s He-Man. He spent every moment on screen chewing scenery like a starving man at a buffet. Langella’s Skeletor had been made available previously by Mattel in the MOTU Classics line, but now he will receive a wider release as part of the Masterverse line. You can look for the Dark Despot at retailers next Spring.
WWE Superstars Mr. T by Mattel
While this isn’t exactly a Clubber Lang figure, it wouldn’t take much to turn out a decent custom using the recently revealed Walmart Exclusive Mr. T from the WWE Superstars line. With soft goods and a ton of accessories, you can get multiple looks for the Pittier of Fools. If you’re not familiar with this line, the figures are built on the same bodies as Masters of the Universe Origins and feature interchangeable parts across both lines as well as the Masters of the WWE Universe line that Superstars replaced. These figures are a lot of fun and Mattel has done a nice job selecting a variety of Superstars across the decades of WWE history. Mr. T will be a nice addition to the Superstars roster.
