| Are you a collector of Sports Memorabilia? | | | | that they would be producing Major League |
| Looking for something unique and different? | | | | Baseball figures. |
| Something authentic? | | | | This announcement heralded a great personal |
| Something for a gift or present? | | | | triumph for Todd McFarlane who had been unable |
| If so then McFarlane's Sports Picks action figures | | | | to secure the MLB license for sometime. In fact |
| are exactly what you need. | | | | McFarlanes solicitations were pretty much ignored |
| McFarlanes are one of the top action figure | | | | and the figures he sent as samples were returned |
| manufacturers in the world. They have been | | | | unopened until he bought the Barry Bonds 750 ball |
| producing action figures since the mid-nineties and | | | | for $2,000,000. The, suddenly they began to take |
| have since gained a worldwide reputation for their | | | | notice of him and granted McFarlanes a license for |
| excellent sculpting, paintwork and detail. | | | | producing official MLB figures gaving him his fourth |
| Initially the company concentrated on horror and | | | | license in a top North American sport, after |
| movie related figures like so many other | | | | clinching contracts with the NFL, NBA and NHL. |
| manufacturers. One of their most popular series | | | | Since their initial release back in 2001 McFarlane's |
| of figures was their Movie Maniacs line which | | | | Sports Picks figures have gained a huge following |
| included the likes of Michael Myers, Freddy | | | | with both collectors and fans due to their |
| Kreuger, Chucky and Leatherface. | | | | excellent detail and sculpting and as a result they |
| Company founder and creator of the Spawn | | | | have become the benchmark by which others are |
| comic book character, Todd McFarlane, gained | | | | measured. |
| popularity writing and illustrating on the Spiderman | | | | McFarlane's have lovingly and carefully recreated |
| comic book before creating Spawn. | | | | some of America's greatest sports personalities, |
| Much of the company's core products have as a | | | | including the likes of David Ortiz and Barry Bonds |
| result been centered around the Sawn character | | | | in the MLB, Wayne Gretzky and |
| but over the years McFarlanes have broadened | | | | Each of the individual lines also includes several |
| their appeal and the licenses that they have. | | | | different series general consisting of: |
| Todd McFarlane has always been an avid collector | | | | - A regular series- these are the regularly |
| of sports memorabilia as well as part owner of | | | | released figures, i.e. Series 1-19 |
| the Edmonton Oilers hockey team so it was only | | | | - Legends- generally veteran players who have |
| a matter of time until they started to produce | | | | either retired or have been voted into the Hall of |
| sport figures. | | | | Fame |
| After many months of painstaking negotiations | | | | - Collectors Edition- Specially released and limited |
| McFarlane's finally announced that their inaugural | | | | edition figures generally only sold through the |
| set of Sports Picks figures would be released in | | | | Online Collectors Club |
| 2001. | | | | - Exclusives- These figure are generally event, |
| The inaugural set of figures was for 6 NHL | | | | stadium or exhibition exclusives only available at |
| figures. Initially many fans, and collectors, were | | | | these specific places for a limited period or |
| skeptical as to whether McFarlane's could produce | | | | exclusive to a distributor or retailer such as |
| figures of the standard that the fans would not | | | | Diamond Comics or Wal-Mart. |
| only demand but expect and at a reasonable. | | | | As a one time player and lifelong collector of |
| But once fans and collectors were quickly won | | | | sport memorabilia this has given Todd McFarlane |
| over when they saw the excellent quality of the | | | | the opportunity to use his company's vast talents |
| sculpting and paintwork as well as care and | | | | to produce figures that would be truly |
| attention to detail. Each figure was an exact | | | | representative of the players and that fans, |
| replica of the player complete with all the relevant | | | | collectors and the player would be proud of. |
| logos and emblems on their kit and any relevant | | | | Each 6 inch figure comes in its own classic |
| equipment or paraphanialiar | | | | McFarlane's Sports Picks clamshell packaging, |
| The choice of hockey rather than basketball or | | | | accessories and apparel and a custom base for its |
| football may seem a strange choice to many but | | | | display. |
| don't forget that the decision was highly influenced | | | | Lines currently available in the McFarlanes Sports |
| by Todd McFarlane who is not only a huge | | | | Picks series are: |
| hockey fan but also part owner of the Edmonton | | | | - NBA Basketball |
| Oilers hockey team. | | | | - NHL & NHPLA Hockey |
| After the huge success of the NHL figures, | | | | - MLB Baseball |
| McFarlane's managed to negotiate contracts for | | | | - NFL American Football |
| the remaining North American sports with its | | | | So, if you're into sports and look for something |
| pinnacle being the announcement in Feb 2002 at | | | | other than cards to collect then these is probably |
| the American International Toy Fair in New York | | | | just what you're looking for. |