SUMMARY:
From JAKKS Pacific in 2003, this two-pack consists of a prominent WWE tag team of the mid-80’s: B. Brian Blair (with the moustache) and drop-kick specialist: “Jumping” Jim Brunzell, both in 6¾-inch form. Their attire consists of: yellow-and-black vertical striped trunks with matching wristbands for Blair (and white wrist tape on Brunzell); firmly attached black rubber knee-pads; and each with a variation of yellow-and-black wrestling boots. Blair also has white knuckle tape on his right hand. These Bees wouldn’t be complete without their yellow-and-black fabric masks to bewilder evil opponents and, whenever necessary, the referee.
Their limited mobility and ripped sculpting is a precursor to that of current WWE-Mattel ‘basic’ figures. Specifically, each figure’s articulation points allow or won’t allow: 1. Their heads turns both ways, though Brunzell’s head appears more flexible. However, Brunzell’s head is in a permanent nodding position. 2. 360-degree rotations are possible with the arms. The arms also bend at the wrists and elbows, so a classic bicep curl pose is possible. 3. The upper body will bow, but the waist & abdomen don’t move. 4. Sporting okay flexibility, the legs can bend at the knees and ankles, but they can’t extend into splits. Walking and kicking poses are workable. 5. Neither the legs nor the calves rotate.
REVIEW:
In terms of their resemblance to Blair & Brunzell, the likenesses are close, aside from the embellished physiques. Even Blair’s brown mullet and moustache are spot-on. In terms of production quality, these figures are well-sculpted and sturdily built. The paint quality is high-caliber. Their faithfully-rendered masks will tend to sag because the nose hole is slightly too big. For posing, the Bees stand up well when their feet are properly positioned. However, there aren’t peg holes in the bottom of the feet for display bases. Their elongated feet are instead protected by a ring at the bottom of each boot sole to provide balance for standing poses. For those remember Blair & Brunzell’s high-flying antics, seeing this fan-friendly duo again makes a welcome treat.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The sole extra is their detachable yellow-and-black masks. The masks are baggy enough to easily put on and take off.
PACKAGING:
The packaging is simplistic but effective. It offers some cool nostalgia re: the Bees’ wrestling legacy.
BRIAN & ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
