The winner was selected by adding all of the participants to a list in Excel. Then each participant was assigned a random number and the list was sorted. This super-scientific method resulted in the winner being: Eric Nilla.

The winner can contact the University of M.U.S.C.L.E. with shipping information, and the University of M.U.S.C.L.E. will also reach out to Eric Nilla. If shipping information for the winner cannot be secured within 10 days, then the prize will go to the next person on the list.

Thank you again to all participants and congratulations again to Eric Nilla.

UofM Computer Lab

Watch Facebook (UofMUSCLE.com) and Twitter (uofmuscle) for more updates.

Because this is such a beautiful, unique, and desirable figure the requirements for this contest are a bit more complex than the previous contests:

1. The contest will end Friday August 6th at 10AM EST.
2. All entries must be emailed to the University of M.U.S.C.L.E..
3. Entries need to include 5 things:

I. Who was the photographer of the “M.U.S.C.L.E. picture” featured on Handwriting Connections 2?
II. What link was posted on the UofMUSCLE.com Facebook page on June 29, 2010?
III. What Twitter users have added uofmuscle to a list?
IV. What did uofmuscle post on Twitter on August 4th and August 5th?
V. How many years were the prices of Satan Cross auctions tracked for Economics 200?

4. If you meet all of these requirements, then you’ll be entered into the drawing for the figure.

If there are any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the University of M.U.S.C.L.E..

Please remember, the ultimate goal of the M.U.S.C.L.E. Figure Giveaway is to have fun.

Submissions can be sent to the University of M.U.S.C.L.E.. Thank you in advance for all submissions!

The Current Collection

#2 - Warped Arms

If you have M.U.S.C.L.E. figures with factory errors or damage, please email a short explanation and pictures to the University of M.U.S.C.L.E..

Tyler's Collection

Memories are funny things. The passage of time can cause them to change or even be completely forgotten. There are some memories that don’t fade. They act as tent poles to the story of our life. These memories are called “flashbulb memories.” They are vivid and can seem like they happened only moments ago. For Tyler Larkins finding a #153 figure as a child is a flashbulb memory.

“As a kid, I collected them to play with them. It became an obsession to find the claw that my brother and I saw on the commercial. I still remember the day vividly when I was looking through the blurred packaging of all the flesh 10 packs at the ZCMI toy store. I finally found one with a claw at the bottom and screamed out loud – one of the most vivid memories of my childhood! I think my mom bought the thing for me just so I would shut up.”

Tyler was mesmerized by the number of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures as wells as the wonderful variety of figures. His love of WWF wrestling only increased his infatuation with the intergalactic wrestlers. However, Tyler was not alone in his love of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. He remembers the figures permeating the entire neighborhood. Even today when Tyler looks at some figures he will get a rush of memories about specific childhood friends and their various sandboxes or basements.

As a child, the experience of trading M.U.S.C.L.E. figures is often a central part. Because Tyler’s neighborhood was completely infiltrated by M.U.S.C.L.E. figures he vividly remembers the trading with other kids. One particular instance was especially noteworthy:

“When the color versions were released, my brother and I had a makeshift yard sale to unload all of our flesh figures to raise money to buy the new colorful ones. Most of the neighborhood kids had no idea about the exciting, blue, green and red MUSCLEs awaiting them in stores, and I remember thinking that we were really pulling one over on everyone. How times change! Today, the flesh versions are by far my favorite, and I regret selling those first ones.”

With Glass Case

“I was floored that each of those little pink guys actually had names!”

Glass Case

“Over the past few years, I have gravitated more towards only picking up a new figure or item if it looks good and fits well into my existing collection. I have never felt compelled to collect all 233/236 MUSCLE, because I am not crazy about all the figures. I have quite a few MUSCLE and Kinkeshi hidden away in a box under the stairs because displaying all of them does not appeal to me.”

With such a diverse collection it might be hard for some collectors to select one piece of their collection which they love above all others. Tyler is not like other collectors in that regard. He knows exactly which piece is his favorite part of his collection.

“I have MIB Flesh 28 packs that I picked up from Plastic Dreams in NJ back in 1998. They were case fresh, and I only opened them once to verify once and for all the correct numbering of which figures were included in the 28 pack sets. That information was sent to Nathan way back when, and has been used ever since on his site.”

28-Packs

Tyler’s collection may grow, contract, and almost continually change but there are some constant aspects to it. The first is that Tyler is very particular about his figures. Broken and/or dirty figures have no place in his collection. Especially frustrating to him are figures with writing on them or figures that have been damaged by a child biting on them.

Because his collection has a certain fluidity to it Tyler has a rather interesting approach to tracking his collection. He simply takes a picture of his collection every time he adds a new piece. While he sometimes has a box or two hidden away, the pictures are actually quite easy for him to take. His collection resides on two seven foot display shelves, and a glass display case.

Tyler’s collection may be well organized, but it does not preclude him from injecting M.U.S.C.L.E. into other aspects of his life. He has M.U.S.C.L.E. figures in his office and a figure hanging from his rear view mirror. These few additional figures provide him a wonderful connection to anyone that feels some connection to M.U.S.C.L.E. figures.

“I am reminded on a daily basis that I am part of the community. It amazes me how many times people come up to me at work, and say, ‘hey, I remember those guys!’ I find it a great segue to bring others back into the community. I say ‘back,’ because I think for the most part, all current MUSCLE collectors were also once collectors back in the 80s.

Kinnikuman

Thanks to Kinnikuman, M.U.S.C.L.E. will never fade away from Tyler’s consciousness. However he sees some things being necessary to keeping M.U.S.C.L.E. alive for other collectors.

“I would like to see more of what you [the University of M.U.S.C.L.E.] are doing – reaching out to others, making them feel welcome and giving them a chance to be a noted part of the community. I also like the idea of people sharing finds and resources.”

“While I love all the other MUSCLE sites out there, UoM, makes me think and remember like no other site can. MUSCLE is what started it all for me.”

Tyler is certainly a devoted and experienced M.U.S.C.L.E. collector. With such a focused and disciplined collection it is not surprising that his advice to other collectors is succinct, “Collect what makes you happy.”

Tyler’s suggested LRG websites:

- Kaikodo.net
- Mandarake.co.jp

The entire M.U.S.C.L.E. community thanks Tyler for sharing his story!

If you would like to be a featured collector, please complete a questionnaire and provide photojournalistic pictures of your collection. Again, the focus of the pictures are not to solely highlight M.U.S.C.L.E. pieces, but rather how those pieces actually exist within the collector’s life. If you: (1) have any questions about the questionnaire or pictures; or (2) would like to submit your questionnaire and pictures, please email the University of M.U.S.C.L.E..

Sociology 300 Questionnaire (Word Version) – Click to Download
Sociology 300 Questionnaire (.txt version) – Right Click and Save

Left Angle

Right Angle

Top Shelf - Left

Top Shelf - Middle

Top Shelf - Right

Bottom Shelf - Left

Bottom Shelf - Middle 1

Bottom Shelf - Middle 2

Bottom Shelf - Middle 3

Bottom Shelf - Right

Normally a loose belt with a few Flesh figures does not demand any special recognition. However, in the world of M.U.S.C.L.E. minutia, this auction is quite noteworthy.

The seller of this auction has taken several clear and highly detailed pictures of the belt. Two things immediately stood out because of the quality of the pictures: (1) the belt appears to be silver instead of gold; and (2) the back of the belt buckle is different.

The seller has been asked about the color of the belt, but has not yet responded with an answer.

The second, and indisputable, feature of this auction is the back of the belt buckle. The University of M.U.S.C.L.E. documented an example with the number two above the “© TOEI/YUDETAMAGO 1985.” However the back of the belt buckle in the auction has a number one above the “© TOEI/YUDETAMAGO 1985.”

This level of minutia is hopefully interesting to M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors, but very unlikely to influence bidding – without more data. It would be helpful for M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors to inspect their loose M.U.S.C.L.E. Battlin’ Belts. There could be equal numbers of “One” and “Two” belts floating around. It could delineate between the window-box belt and the solid-box belt. Or it could simply be a mark to identify the mold used for the belt.

There could be other collectors with silver belts. It is simply too soon to tell if the “Silver Belt” is a true variation or a singular anomaly likely due to too much camera flash and plastic deterioration.

If you have any corroborating pictures and information, please email the University of M.U.S.C.L.E..

It is also worth noting that there is a severely warped Terri-Bull (#2) figure. Knowing that it is being sold along with the belt might suggest it warped from being imprisoned within one of the figure cases. However, none of the other figures appear to have suffered any warping. This figure will be added to The M.U.S.C.L.E. “Warp.”

As for the auction, the final price will be $40.

Auction Screen Shot

Auction Picture

Auction Picture 2

Auction Picture 3

Auction Picture 4

Auction Picture 5

Auction Picture 6

Auction Picture 7

The following 12 drawings were created by Kevin Mayle and posted on the predecessor to LittleRubberGuys.com – the American Kinnikuman Information Archive (AKIA). It should be noted that the Nazi character is not a M.U.S.C.L.E. figure, but a Kinnikuman figure. It has been included in the grouping because the earlier days of M.U.S.C.L.E. fan art had limited contributors.

If you have any drawings, paintings, painted figures, or any other fan art that you would like featured, then please send them to the University of M.U.S.C.L.E. with a brief explanation of the pictures, plus the date (as close as possible) of its creation.

Invasion T-Shirt

MUSCLE Things shared his design at the website cheaptoyland.com.