Okay so yesterday I heard whispers about the new TMNT WWE Series 2 hitting stores. Got that familiar itch, you know? Needed to see these ridiculous mashups for myself. Grabbed my keys, hopped in the car, and started the usual rounds.
The Hunt Begins
First stop was that big box retailer near the highway. Brutal luck. Wrestling section was picked cleaner than a turkey carcass after Thanksgiving. Just empty pegs staring back. Saw another collector dude looking equally bummed, we shared a knowing nod of suffering. Went down to the collectible aisle… same story. Shelves looked like they’d been looted.
Next, tried a couple of smaller hobby shops. The first one? Guy behind the counter just shrugged. “Nope, haven’t seen ’em.” Felt that collector dread creeping in. Second shop was slightly better. They actually had some! But only the basic Donatello as Bret Hart. Grabbed him, obviously. No sign of the others, especially not the Shredder chases. Guy said they might get more later. Yeah, heard that before.
Checking Out Donnie “The Hitman”
Got home, ripped that plastic off Donnie. Packaging is decent, like the last series, but man it takes up space. Figure itself? Solid.
- Sculpt is wild – Donnie’s got Bret’s shades and his signature leather jacket over his shell.
- Posing is good, classic Bret pointing pose.
- Paint on mine was mostly clean. Little bit of slop on the sunglasses, but not terrible.
- Got the championship belt accessory, feels a bit cheap but looks the part.
- Articulation feels stiffer than series one. Neck barely moves. Hope that’s not a trend.
Not bad, overall. Solid starting point.
Diving Into Reviews & What’s New
Couldn’t find much else locally, so hit the usual fan sites and collector boards online. Scoured them hard. From what I’ve pieced together and seeing reviews from guys who actually snagged stuff:
- The big new thing is the Shredder Chase Figures. Seriously rare finds. One version has the white mask. Looks awesome, super villain vibes. The other… purple hood? Not bad. But finding these? Good luck. Seen people already paying insane aftermarket prices. Pure madness.
- Mikey as Rey Mysterio Jr. – Looks fun! Masked and all. Hope they did the articulation right for flips.
- Raphael as “Macho Man” Randy Savage – Looks gloriously over the top. That bandana! That cape! Oooooh yeah! Need him.
- Leo as Ultimate Warrior – Crazy face paint, ripped tassels. Perfect match for Leo’s intensity. Another must-have.
- Splinter as Paul Bearer? That urn? Genius weirdness. Creepy factor is high.
- The packaging gets a slight refresh, but honestly? Who cares about the box long-term? Just the figures.
Saw some complaints too. Poor paint apps are definitely showing up again on some figures. One review showed Raphael Savage where the red paint on the knee pads bled onto the black shorts. Big oof. Seems like QC is a dice roll, same as always.
The Wallet Damage & What’s Next
Donnie was retail price. But chasing the rest? Gonna hurt. Online pre-orders I saw were already inflated. Seeing Shredder chases going for 3-4 times the price? Just… no. My plan is brutal and simple:
- Hit local stores weekly. Pray for decent paint jobs popping up. Won’t hold my breath.
- Maybe trade some duplicates from last series? Worth a shot.
- Accept I might never get those Shredder chases without selling a kidney. Fine. Mostly.
These always hit in waves anyway. Patience sucks, but it’s cheaper.
Displaying the Madness
Got Donnie next to my older TMNT WWE figures. That baseball bat display case I bought last year? Running out of room. Fast. Need another one. The Shredders, if I ever luck out, definitely need their own spotlight shelf. Might look killer with some dark backing or simple lighting. Gotta plan ahead.
Overall? Another wild crossover wave. Figures look mostly great on paper (and Donnie feels mostly solid), QC is spotty, chases are like unicorns. Standard collectible chaos. Feels kinda good to be back in the hunt, even with the frustrations. Gonna keep grinding those store runs. Wish me luck on that Macho Raph!
