By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist

In Brief: WWE has published more than 500 magazines since 1983. With the recent cancellation of WWE Magazine, here’s a look at the Top 10 most popular issues.

Like many other magazines that were once ingrained in pop culture, WWE Magazine is no more. After more than 30 years of publication, WWE is canceling its monthly magazine as a part of recent budget cuts.

The publication started of as World Wrestling Federation Victory in 1984, and after just three issues, the switch was made to WWF Magazine. It was a bi-monthly publication from April/May 1984 through April/May 1986, and then became a monthly publication.

In contrast to the Apter mags of the time, which were printed on traditional newsprint, WWF Magazine was printed on slick color paper with creative layouts and graphics. The magazine regularly included pullouts and posters, trading cards, and more.

There are many long-time wrestling fans who still collect WWF and WWE magazines today. So what makes an issue of WWE Magazine collectible? There are a variety of factors, including scarcity, condition, historical significance, trading cards … and Divas on the cover or in the centerfold. Yep, many of the most sought after issues are from the late-1990s, and feature Sable mostly nude on the cover or Stephanie McMahon in the centerfold.

Here’s a look at 10 of the most popular – and valuable – issues of the many incarnations of WWE Magazine from 1983 to 2014. Keep in mind that this lists only consists of regular newsstand magazine such as WWF Victory Magazine, WWF Magazine, WWE Magazine, and WWF Raw, and does not include programs from live events and pay-per-views, WWF Spotlight magazines, or special Divas publications. Those will be covered in future PWTorch Collectibles Columns.

The Top 10 List

(10) WWF Magazine November 2000.
Who’s on the cover: Triple H.
What it sells for: $10-20.

What makes it significant: By November 2000, Sable, Sunny, Chyna, Trish Stratus, and others had already taken their clothes off and posed seductively for WWF Magazine. Stephanie McMahon, who was the focus of the WWF’s programming for much of 2000, decided it was her turn. Stephanie didn’t show nearly as much skin as the previous Divas, but her double-sided poster makes this one of the most popular WWF Magazines today.

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(9) WWF Magazine May 1997
Who’s on the cover: Bret Hart and Bart Simpson.
What it sells for: $10-25

What makes it significant: The cover features a cool shot of Bret Hart and Bart Simpson, with a clever headline that reads “The ‘Bart’ Foundation.” The issue included a feature article hyping Bret’s appearance on “The Old Man and the Lisa” from the eighth season of the Simpsons. At a time when the WWF was getting hammered in the ratings by WCW, this was a rare mainstream appearance for a WWF wrestler.

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(8) WWF Magazine June 1987
Who’s on the cover: Stars of WrestleMania III.
What it sells for: $5-15.

What makes it significant: From 1983 through the first half of 1987, WWF Magazine was only published six times a year. That changed with the June 1987 issue, and WWF/WWE Magazine would be published every month for the next 27 years. This issue featured a recap of WrestleMania III, the biggest wrestling event in history at that point. There was also a two-page spread on Missy Hyatt, announcing that her new talk show segment would replace Piper’s Pit. This was a head-scratcher for many readers, because most fans never even saw her on WWF television.




(7) WWF Raw Magazine January 1998.
Who’s on the cover: Sunny or Sable.
What it sells for: $15-25.

What makes it significant: In the mid-1990s, Vince Russo gradually turned WWF Magazine from a slick, corporate “sports entertainment” publication into something akin to Maxim. Never was this more evident that the January 1998 issue of WWF Raw Magazine, which featured two “collectible” covers of Sunny and Sable. The magazine included plenty of bikini and semi-nude shots of the two women.




(6) WWF Magazine September 1995.
Who’s on the cover: Shawn Michaels and Sid Vicious.
What it sells for: $15-50.

What makes it significant: There’s really nothing special with this issue itself, but inside of the magazine was the first trading card of a young Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. This has become the most valuable of all of the WWF Magazine trading cards, usually selling for at least $30 and sometimes close to $100 for a copy with a high grade. The magazine itself sells all over the place, from as low as $15 to as much as $50.

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(5) WWF Raw Magazine September/October 1996.
Who’s on the cover: Steve Austin.
What it sells for: $10-20.

What makes it significant: The times, they were a changing for the WWF in 1996. The cover of this issue captures Steve Austin’s King of the Ring win with a black and white photo, with the blood on Austin’s face displayed in a bright red. This issue also included a photo spread of Marc Mero and Sable, one of the first times that the WWF had used a scantily clad woman to sell magazines.

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(4) WWF Raw Magazine November/December 1996.
Who’s on the cover: Sunny.
What it sells for: $15-45.

What makes it significant: The WWF had placed the stunning Sunny and a bikini-clad Alundra Blayze on the covers of its publications before, but this was the first time the company went with an overtly sexual cover. The cover has Sunny clothed in lingerie, with a teaser that reads, “Victoria move over!!! They’re Sunny’s Secrets, and they’re RAW to the max!!!” The excessive exclamation points and capital letters let you know that this was clearly a Vince Russo special. This issue also plays up Raw Magazine’s “for the mature fan” campaign by promising an “UNCENSORED interview!!!” (there’s Russo again) with Brian Pillman.




(3) WWF Magazine July 1996.
Who’s on the cover: The Ultimate Warrior.
What it sells for: $10-50.

What makes it significant: By 1996, Vince McMahon had lost Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and a host of others to WCW. McMahon was so desperate he brought back the Ultimate Warrior after a nearly four-year absence. This issue shows Warrior on the cover, and sealed inside is the first issue of Warrior’s comic book. Incidentally, by the time this hit the newsstands, Warrior had been suspended and was on his way out of the WWF. Sealed issues with the comic book inside are hard to find, and usually sell for around $50.

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(2) WWF Magazine Issue #1.
Who’s on the cover: Hulk Hogan.
What it sells for: $50-100.
What makes it significant: After three issues as “World Wrestling Federation Victory,” the WWF re-launched the company publication as WWF Magazine. The first magazine has a cover date of April/May 1984, and shows Hulk Hogan on the cover during his earliest days as WWF Champion. This magazine is very tough to find, especially in good condition. Most copies sell for around $50, with graded copies selling for $100 or more.

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(1) WWF Victory Magazine #1.
Who’s on the cover: Jimmy Snuka.
What it sells for: $75-150.

What makes it significant: This is the ultimate trophy for collectors of WWF Magazine. In pre-Hulkamania 1983, the WWF launched its first corporate publication with Jimmy Snuka on the cover. Three issues of WWF Victory Magazine were published before the publication was rebranded WWF Magazine. It is very difficult to find a copy of this magazine, and the black cover makes it very condition sensitive. Rough copies can sell for $50-75, and graded copies in excellent shape can get $150 or more.




PWTorch Collectibles Specialist Michael Moore can be reached at michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MmooreWriter .

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