This M.U.S.C.L.E. website is notable for two reasons: (1) it was the internet’s third M.U.S.C.L.E. website; and (2) it is a snapshot of the earliest days of modern M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting.
The site belongs to Tim Drage, who was one of the pioneer modern M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors. Both Tim and Darrin Vindiola were instrumental in constructing the first M.U.S.C.L.E. website, Darrin’s M.U.S.C.L.E. Page – which after only a few months became The M.U.S.C.L.E. Preservation Society. Patrick Gresham’s website arose second, and thirdly Tim constructed his own M.U.S.C.L.E. website.
Tim Drage's M.U.S.C.L.E. Website Main Page
Last Updated/Originally Posted:
The website was last updated on January 23, 2006. The update was the Mochi Ball video from Website Review #4.
Content: 3 out of 5
The majority of the information is out of date. As seen in the screen shot below, Tim points out that the three pictures figures “do not appear on the poster, but seem to be legitimate.”
X-2 and Light Bulb Guy Screen Shot
X-2 and the Light Bulb Guy have both been proven not to be authentic M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. Many of the “facts” presented in Tim’s Facts and Figures section appear to simply be emails he received about M.U.S.C.L.E.
Design: 5 out of 5
This website could be given a 0 out of 5 or a 5 out of 5, depending on perceptive. It could easily receive a zero because it is such an outdated, cluttered, confusing, difficult to navigate website. It has been given 5 out of 5 because it is such a wonderful snapshot of mid-90’s web design.
It is not easy to navigate or even find many of the sections, plus many of the links and emails no longer work. Using the brick pattern of a Flesh #3 figure also makes the site difficult to read and painful on the eyes. However, by spending a little time getting used to the site you are able to peer back at the earliest days of collecting.
Individual bootleg discoveries were being recorded and shared. Excited collectors were sharing the names they had given to their M.U.S.C.L.E. figures as children. Looking back, the website seemed to act as a message board that Tim managed and edited.
Pictures: 3 out of 5
As with many early websites the pictures are verily limited and grainy, with some sections being completed devoid of any graphics or pictures. This would have helped the loading time for the page, but by modern standards it seems archaic.
Surprisingly, when Tim used pictures they were nicely chosen. He was able to nicely edit the picture of Muscleman and Terri-Bull from the pack of the 4-pack. For the time, he also had some nice pictures of individual figures. Perhaps the most interesting pictures are from his write-up about Urusei Yatsura. In one of the episodes Tim felt that they were clearly referencing Kinnikuman figures and posted some screen shots.
Urusei Yatsura and Kinnikuman Connection?
Drunken Master?
Overall: 5 out of 5
This website receives a 5 regardless of the other scores. This website is a gem of the M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting community. It appears to be the only remaining original M.U.S.C.L.E. website in its original condition. Thanks to a website like Tim’s modern collectors are easily able to look up information on sites like Nathan’s MUSCLE Page or the University of M.U.S.C.L.E.
It is amazing to think about the rudimentary roots and explosive growth of both the internet and M.U.S.C.L.E. It is also exciting to think about the future possibilities for the internet and M.U.S.C.L.E. collecting.
