McFarlane Legends and Customs

One of the few collectibles I actually indulge in are the Todd McFarlane's SportsPicks. I'm pretty picky, and only collect a very few players I like, although my collection is growing too quickly. I usually grab most of the Legends series, always the 6 inch variety.

At my original website, 1972 Summit Series.com, I've been quite vocal in my desires for McFarlane to come out with more specific releases, particularly regarding the legends series. Of course I've been telling anyone who will listen that I'd pay big dollars for a 1972 Summit Series set. But as of yet there is no sign of such a gem. So I must wait like all fans, and hope.

Well, not all fans. Some fans are blessed with an incredible talent and a lot of creativity and patience. The end result is customized McFarlane figures of the 1972 Summit Series!

Brent Zaharia is one such fan. He spends countless hours repainting McFarlane originals. His international hockey collection includes Vladislav Tretiak, Valeri Kharlamov, Alexander Yakhushev and Ken Dryden. He is currently working on a 1976 era white jersey Tretiak, as well as a Tretiak-Paul Henderson set.

Zaharia, a native of Kamloops, BC, does this for fun, though sells some on Ebay. It takes him some 6 hours each on average. He generally uses figures from early series, because their faces are usually more anonymous than the improved recent releases. He even customizes goalie masks where possible.

A hockey fan for more years than he can remember, Zaharia has a soft spot for the players of yesteryear. Old-school goalies are a personal favourite for him, as evidenced by a collection that also includes Terry Sawchuk, Billy Smith, Bernie Parent, Johnny Bower and Rogie Vachon. Other skaters include Guy Lafleur, Ray Bourque, and, perhaps rarest of all, Wayne Gretzky in a WHA Indianapolis Racers jersey.

I personally endorse Zaharia's work. He's done a Tretiak and a Canucks-1994 trio for me personally. He does a great job so be sure to check out his website.