{"id":59404,"date":"2018-05-04T17:40:38","date_gmt":"2018-05-04T22:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=59404"},"modified":"2018-05-04T17:40:38","modified_gmt":"2018-05-04T22:40:38","slug":"collectibles-column-raven-talks-action-figures-comics-and-the-raven-effect-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2018\/05\/04\/collectibles-column-raven-talks-action-figures-comics-and-the-raven-effect-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Raven Talks Action Figures, Comics, and the Raven Effect Podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-3633454446\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><div class=\"m_5150591226370568862gmail_signature\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>Every good supervillain has an engaging backstory \u2013 or backstories. The Joker, for example, might have been a down-on-his-luck comedian who snapped after one bad day. Or maybe he was an everyday blue collar worker who resorted to a life of crime. Or maybe he was always just the psychopathic uber villain with the creepy clown makeup who made Batman\u2019s life a living hell.<\/p>\n<p>The same can be said for Scott Levy. In an earlier life, maybe he was the musclebound Scotty the Body. Or maybe he was the flamboyant Scotty Flamingo dressed in neon pink. Maybe he was the spoiled rich kid turned manager Johnny Polo, whose mismatched clients included a monster who survived a nuclear meltdown and a couple of would-be Mounties.<\/p>\n<p>Or maybe, after all these years, he\u2019s really just Raven.<\/p>\n<p>After several years in the business, Levy found his identity as Raven, the brooding, jaded Gen Xer dressed in a leather jacket and jean shorts with a flannel shirt tied around his waist \u2013 not to mention a T-shirt that often featured a comic book hero or villain.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/jakks.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-59406 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/jakks.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/jakks.jpeg 333w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/jakks-200x300.jpeg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As a kid, Raven was an avid comic book reader.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI loved them,\u201d Raven said during a recent interview with the Torch. \u201cI had so many favorites. It\u2019s just great storytelling when it\u2019s done right \u2013 great characters and great storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Raven was a fan of DC Comics, particularly Batman. It\u2019s not surprising that Raven, who is well known for his sharp intellect and quick wit, was drawn in by Bruce Wayne\u2019s alter ego.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBatman was always my favorite because he had no actual powers,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was his brain that was his superpower, and his motivation and dedication.\u201d<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2449968922\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Like many others who were devoted to comics as kids, Raven grew up and moved away from them. He rediscovered his love for comics during the early days of the Raven character in ECW.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI grew up and I got too old for (comics), because they were too immature; they were written for kids,\u201d Raven said. \u201cBut then around 1990 they started writing them for adults, and somewhere around \u201995 I got back into it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Raven he has collected over 30,000 comic books, 200 superhero statues and 100 pieces of related artwork over the years. While he has kept his collection in storage, he stopped reading comic books a few years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt got too expensive,\u201d he said of the comic book hobby. \u201cI was spending so much money on new comics every week it was ridiculous. Plus I had no place to store them. Then DC, when they changed to a whole new history for the 50,000<sup>th<\/sup> time, it was one time too many. It seemed like the gettin\u2019 was good, so I just quit cold turkey.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-59407 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/osftm.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"301\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/osftm.png 615w, https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/osftm-199x300.png 199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>The comic book influence on the Raven character can be seen on several of his action figures. A late-90s Toy Biz WCW figure, for example, has Raven wearing a T-shirt with a picture that looks an awful lot like Marvel\u2019s Daredevil. In 2001, Jakks Pacific produced a figure of Raven with the Punisher\u2019s skull logo on his shirt.<\/p>\n<p>Some wrestling collectors might be surprised to hear that Raven\u2019s favorite figure from his career is a WCW Grip \u2018n Flip figure from Toy Biz, which had magnets in the hands and was sold in a two-pack with Diamond Dallas Page.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe one I used to like the best was the one that had magnets in the hands,\u201d Raven said. \u201cNot because it had magnets, but because it was the best made one and the one that looked the most like me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe first WCW one (an OSFTM figure from 1997), I have (Tommy) Dreamer\u2019s body for some reason,\u201d Raven added with a laugh.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3234423376\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Many collectors prefer Raven\u2019s Jakks Pacific TNA Legends of the Ring figure from 2011, but Raven has his own gripe about that particular toy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe first TNA one (from Toy Biz in 2006) looked pretty good,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the second one (from Jakks), that leather jacket was enormous. It was like I was wearing my dad\u2019s coat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Raven initially didn\u2019t save many mementos from his career, as he didn\u2019t \u201cwant to be a mark for myself,\u201d he said. His ex-wife \u2013 who Raven says is still his best friend \u2013 convinced him to save some items. He has one of each of his figures and several other items, along with his vast collection of comic book items.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve got tons of crap,\u201d Raven laughed. \u201cI spent a lot of money on it. Now I\u2019d like to sell it on eBay, but I\u2019m too lazy. It\u2019s way too much of a headache for me. Someday I\u2019ll find someone to do it for me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One item Raven did keep is a mask given to him by LA Park, the original La Parka of WCW fame. In 2012, Raven, Dreamer and Super Crazy took on LA Park, the current La Parka and Super Parka in Mexico. LA Park asked them to try to rip his mask off during the match.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/toybiz.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-59408 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/toybiz.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"278\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe couldn\u2019t get it to rip, so he had to rip it himself in the ring,\u201d Raven chuckled. \u201cHe acted like he was keeping us from ripping it but he was actually doing the ripping, which goes to show how good of a worker he was. After the match I thought that would be a pretty cool souvenir and he was like, \u2018Here, take it.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Today Raven stays busy with the Raven Effect podcast on the Jericho Network on Westwood One. The podcast, which Raven describes as \u201cwrestling adjacent,\u201d is different from many other podcasts hosted by current and former pro wrestlers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s two kinds of podcasts that wrestlers do,\u201d Raven said. \u201cOne is an interview like Jericho does \u2013 which he\u2019s great at, so why would he need me to do it? \u2013 and two, a wrestling recap. Konnan does that, (Vince) Russo does that, everybody does that. I don\u2019t follow the current product, so it would be disingenuous. But I do think what I have to say is kind of interesting, and I can be quite amusing, and I think people want to hear the opinions of celebrities that they\u2019re fans of.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Raven\u2019s cohost on the podcast is his old WCW chum Chad Damiani, who Raven has dubbed \u201cBusby Berkeley.\u201d According to Raven, the two rarely talk during the week, because the podcast is their friendship.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t need to talk during the week because we\u2019ll talk on the podcast,\u201d he said. \u201cAnything personal we want to talk about we\u2019ll just bring up there, unless it\u2019s something really personal \u2013 and then we\u2019ll definitely bring it up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>New episodes of the Raven Effect Podcast are available on the Jericho Network on Westwood One each <span data-term=\"goog_909377405\">Monday<\/span>. Follow Raven on Twitter @theRavenEffect.<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOW CHECK OUT THE PRIOR COLUMN:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2018\/04\/21\/collectibles-column-trading-cards-and-action-figures-of-bruno-valiant-and-paul-jones\/\">COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Trading Cards and Action Figures of Bruno, Valiant, and Paul Jones<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><i>PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore can be reached at\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"mailto:michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com\"><i>michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com<\/i><\/a><i>. Follow him on Twitter @MMooreWriter.<\/i><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-3653903201\"><div id=\"pwtor-194957236\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Every good supervillain has an engaging backstory \u2013 or backstories. The Joker, for example, might have been a down-on-his-luck comedian who snapped after one bad day. Or maybe he was an everyday blue collar worker <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2018\/05\/04\/collectibles-column-raven-talks-action-figures-comics-and-the-raven-effect-podcast\/\" title=\"COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Raven Talks Action Figures, Comics, and the Raven Effect Podcast\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":59405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,52,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-specialists_collectibles","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2018\/05\/CollectiblesRaven.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59404"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59409,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59404\/revisions\/59409"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}