Krampus

Feels like we've been here before. Have you been naughty or nice? This half-goat/half-demon is here to punish all of the misbehaving children - in fact, it looks like he already has one in his basket! Krampus is ready for Krampusnacht with his makeover. We already told you all about Krampus the last time Funko made a POP! of him, so how about this time we tell you about Krampusnacht? Saint Nicholas, the Turkish bishop whose life and deeds inspired Santa, has his feast day on December 6. The night before, there's a big blow-out where people get loaded and men dressed in ornate Krampus costumes do their best to frighten delinquent children. As a party held the night before a religious observation, Krampusnacht is basically an Alpine Mardi Gras or Halloween. At its core, this Krampus is the same creature as the last one - not the same sculpt, mind you, but the same design. Funko's art team did not sit down and create a new monster, they took the same monster they had and did him in a new way. So that means this one has the same cloven hooves, the same curling horns, the same fangs and fur and tail... it's the same individual, but not the same molds. His tongue is not sticking out of his mouth this time, and his eyes are red, rather than black. For one thing, this Krampus is not carrying a child on his back. He's still got some insolent little ragamuffin in his possession, but not on his back: he's traded the studded leather satchel for a wicker basket, and it sits on the ground in front of him, with a terrified child (wearing old-fashioned clothes) peering over the rim. The basket even has a pair of shoulder straps, so this time the chains Krampus wears are purely decorative. Or, well, the ones Santa uses to bind and control him, but just that, no secondary uses. Of course, the chains aren't the only thing he's wearing. While the figure from two years ago was naked, this one is wearing a hooded red robe. The robe looks like it's been torn and re-stitched many times over - presumably this Christmas monster has trouble being delicate with his clothes, and someone keeps repairing it for him. His horns poke out through the hood, rather than it sitting behind them, and the hood and the lower edge of the robe have white fur trim. Nine golden jingle bells are spaced along the front of the hood, so he must be festive when he walks! The POP! Holidays line is certainly not moving very fast: the previous Krampus was #14 in the series, and this Hot Topic exclusive is #15. (Why aren't the Peppermint Lane figures part of it? Probably because they have their own branded name and thus their own numbering. Still seems like a missed opportunity.) If you missed the old Krampus, you now have a chance at getting one; and if you didn't miss it, this one is different enough that you won't feel like you're double-dipping. -- 12/27/19

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