Relation between Galoob/Justoys/OSFTM and Kmart

[jason1980s]

I was on a Galoob kick recently on google and came across a site that mentioned the 1990 line fizzled out early because Kmart got the first shipments and by time any other stores got shipments fan interest had waned.

This makes a little sense to me because I remember getting the OSFTM figures in March 1995 at a Kmart and don't recall finding them anywhere else until KB later in the summer. Did WCW have any kind of deal with Kmart? It seems very WCW like to send figures to a store, first, that's not really known as a "toy store."

Are OSFTM and Galoob related given the molds of the first few series?
Also, was there any relation with Galoob and Justoys or were both just coincidentally dealing with WCW at the same time and used the same outfits. I think only Z-Man, Sting, Flair and Luger were different outfits. Plus Doom in both series had their photo op sweatpants used for the toys.

I don't recall where I got the Galoob 1990 series or Justoys except I feel like I got Flair and Arn at KB. But I do remember Steiner Brothers and I think Flair/Arn 2 pack at Value City all the way into late 1993.

[@Chair.Shot]

The very first time I saw OSFTM was at Target. In fact, a lot of the ones I bought were from Target…but I can’t recall them being sold at Kmart. Definitely saw them at TRU as well.

Galoobs I had seen at Toys R Us and KB. Nowhere else.

[POWERSOFPAIN83]

First time I saw the OSFTM WCW figures were at Caldor. I also saw them at KB Toys when they were marked down to like $4 a figure. I would buy as many as I could at that price. Lol

[jason1980s]

KB seemed like they had a semi exclusive contract with OSFTM. It seems like once series 1 was done (Kmart), that series 2 and 3 were only found in my area at KB or Toy Works which I think was with KB. The harder plastic articulated figures from 1998 and on, I think those were pretty much found by me at Targets. I do remember seeing DDP and Raven at KB and of course their mark up was so much higher. I really don't remember Toys R Us ever having Galoob or Toymakers or if they did it was very rare. I don't think TRU had Justoys WWF Bend-ems either, I know they were always at KB for like $2.99.

[Deleted]

Apr 10, 2022 12:45:05 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

Are OSFTM and Galoob related given the molds of the first few series?\

OSFTM was started by the ex-WCW team from Galoob. It explains the style of figures they went with at first, although not the scale).

[@Chair.Shot]

Apr 12, 2022 10:35:36 GMT -5 @jabulio said:

Apr 10, 2022 12:45:05 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

Are OSFTM and Galoob related given the molds of the first few series?\

OSFTM was started by the ex-WCW team from Galoob. It explains the style of figures they went with at first, although not the scale).

Weren’t they from LJN?

[Deleted]

Apr 12, 2022 14:01:24 GMT -5 @Chair.Shot said:

Apr 12, 2022 10:35:36 GMT -5 @jabulio said:

OSFTM was started by the ex-WCW team from Galoob. It explains the style of figures they went with at first, although not the scale).

Weren’t they from LJN?

Nope. OSFTM was ex-Galoob guys, they told the atory on The Toys That Made Us. In terms of former LJN guys starting companies to make wrestling figures, you're probably thinking of Jack Friedman founding Jakks.

[@Chair.Shot]

That’s not what I was thinking of as I’m well aware of Jack’s story. For whatever reason I was thinking some former LJN guys had gone on to work for OSFTM and that’s why they went with the LJN style figure (although notably smaller).

[3Lephant (Naptown Icon)]

WCW wouldn't have played any roll in the figures' distribution, other than maybe saying which talent should be included. If Kmart was getting items first, it might have just been coincidental or come down to which retailer would put in their orders first. I can't confirm this, but I feel like I read or heard somewhere a while back that Dusty had asked Galoob to include people like PN News? Someone with more WCW timeline knowledge could probably shoot that down if not true.

Galoob's license with WCW wouldn't have been exclusive. WCW Bend-ems were possible through Just Toys relationship with Turner, I don't think they made a deal directly with WCW. They were originally called WCW Twistables, all Bend-Ems 1989-1990 were called Twistables. With the license with Turner, they were also making Twistables/Bend-Ems for others like Tom & Jerry, The Wizard of Oz, and others.

I didn't start collecting WCW at retail until 1997. I recall buying a ton of WCW OSFTMs at Kmart, while we would walk next door to Walmart to buy the WWF Bend-Ems. Hope that helps a little! I also did a complete history video of Just Toys & Bend-Ems for Youtube, you can find by searching Just Toys Bend-Ems Complete History (by Figure Collections).. Might help with more of the backstory!

[Rasslin.Bros]

I only remember seeing Galoobs at Toy Liquidator and Big Lots as a kid. They were 4/$10 at Toy Liquidator, which is why I bought some lol

[wholefnshow420]

Galoobs in 1990 only saw at Kmart and a few times in kb then a few years later at big lots and value city which was singles and 2packs

Toymakers in 1994 only saw series 1 at Kmart toysrus Walgreens Johnny's toys and kb only saw the 2 packs at toysrus

Toymakers in 1995 series 2 only saw at Johnny's toys Ames and hills only saw 2 packs at hills

Toymakers 1996 series 3 only saw at Johnny's toys big lots and kb 2packs was only available through magazine order

Toymakers 1997 nitro vibrators only saw at toysrus kb Kmart Walmart Johnny's toys and Ames 2 packs was also Ames

Toymakers 1997/1998 nitro face/heels only saw at kb and big lots

Toymakers 1998 action features series 1 only saw at Kmart toysrus kb Meijer Biggs Ames and Johnny's toys

Toymakers 1998 series 2 only saw at toysrus kb Kmart Walmart big lots Ames Meijer and Biggs

Toymakers 1998 series 3 only saw at Walmart kb big lots and Walgreens