Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,485: Wampa (with Luke Skywalker, Solo/The Last Jedi Line Look)

WAMPA with Luke Skywalker (Hoth)
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Class A Vehicles
Item No.: Asst. E0325  No. E1689
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, bandolier
Action Feature: Force Link 2.0 sounds, removable arm
Retail: $7.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: the Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Wampas are powerful, furred bipeds that dwell in the snowy wastes of the ice world Hoth.  These hulking predators have razor-sharp fangs and claws, yet move with surprising stealth, relying on their white fur for camouflage while hunting prey such as tauntauns.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Nearly every decade, Hasbro (or Kenner) gives us a Wampa.  We got one in 1980, and 1997, and then another in 2004, and now another new one in 2018 - and it might be the best yet.  I love the simple cord arm-smack of the original, and the bloody arm stumps we've gotten since are neat - but I never really loved the bloody mouths.  This new one looks perfectly nice, and as far as I can tell it's a new sculpt with the most limb articulation on a 3 3/4-inch scale Wampa yet.  So it's a keeper.

Every time we get a new Wampa I'm a little disappointed no cave came with it - the last one had some ice chunks, this one doesn't.   It's just a big guy with Luke, but it's a good big guy.  The lfet shoulder, both elbows, knees, and ankles have ball joints with swivels at the neck, hips, and right shoulder.   This is about as good as these get, and the right shoulder can be sliced off with a bloody stump left behind.  The designers did a great job sculpting it and painting his horns, claws, slips teeth, toe beans, palms, and nose with a light dusting of yellow to imply shading and/or urine.  (Obviously, I'm kidding about that.)   The deco is about as good as we usually get, mostly because there's not a lot of room for improvement - at this point, the most dramatic change Hasbro could make would be to do a Wampa without facial blood. 

The main draws of this toy will be just having a toy of the Wampa - the last new mold was a while ago - and the sound chip. Since the new Force Link 2.0 band comes needing a Day 0 firmware update, I can't test it - but I can say that the elbow and knee joints make for a surprisingly new experience with a Wampa toy.  He can finally hunch over a bit to look like he might eat some Tauntaun, and I love that functionality is finally here.  After all, most of what we saw it do was smack Luke in the face and, in 1997, hunch over lunch. 

You no doubt have a few Wampa toys by now, but this may be one of the best.  I love the 2004 ice set-up, but as figures go this one has a better sculpt with more articulation and great deco.  I like the new face better too.   Shaggy, cute, mean, and just so gosh darn nifty, this is the best Wampa figure for the 3 3/4-inch collector.  If you ask me.  And you did, by reading this - it's just unfortunate that it's one per case with an assortment cramming yet another Rathtarr on store shelves.

Packaging Notes: This is a comical waste of space - the box is mostly empty.  The Wampa is tucked behind a window showing Luke, so about 70% of the packaging is empty, wasted space - this happens a lot. Sometimes it's because an item is thin and log, but in this case it's just a huge waste of space.  A great toy, but the unboxing experience can be an important first impression - and this one has a great toy in a lousy, empty waste of a box.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,485: May 28, 2018