Sure, He-Man and Skeletor hold the spotlight in terms of Masters of the Universe popularity, but if I am being honest, my favorite characters have always been a little more down stage. Mer-Man is by far my favorite, but I count Spikor, Whiplash, Scareglow, Mantenna, Mossman and Fisto amongst my personal top-tier pantheon of MOTU weirdos. Another character who I have always loved is Clamp Champ. I have vivid memories of his figure from when I was a kid, and I think he has always been criminally underrated.
Sure, he was one of the later figures in the line, and he was released alongside amazing freaks like Scareglow and Ninjor, but his gimmick and place in the mythos have always been really important to me. To this day, I LOVE his weapon. The clamp thingee is the perfect balance of action feature and functionality that is perfect for a line that personifies gimmicks. Plus, since he was released alongside the long-awaited King Randor, he always served the Eternian liege’s personal body guard, putting his importance to the overall military power structure on the same footing as Man-at-Arms and Teela. So, he has always been a champ to me. Wokka wokka.
So, seeing Clamp Champ land Origins this early makes me one happy MOTU fan. I love the character, but I get that he might not be as important to everyone, so I was a bit surprised when he was announced, but pleasantly so, and the fact that he is a deluxe figure is even more surprising. He did not really strike me a character who needed such a release, but since his clamp has an action feature and is larger than most weapons in the line, it makes sense. Plus, now we get his Classics clamp, an extra hand, and an additional portrait, so I am not complaining at all.
Like all Origins figures, the packaging presentation from the graphics to the illustrations is on point. As this is a deluxe figure, the card is much wider like the Battle Armor figures to accommodate the large and extra accessories. I have a slight tinge of remorse every time I open one of these figures due to the great packaging, and I am not usually prone to such feelings. The bubble does a nice job of showing off everything included with the set, so for shelf appeal, this is very dynamic.
Clamp Champ, like his vintage counterpart, is a pretty straightforward figure. He is built on the He-Man base with his signature armor added, and the blue and silver look great together. The set includes the normal open left hand, but also a second grip hand to help accommodate both clamps, something that can be enjoyed by a deluxe figure. The set also has two heads, one that matched his vintage expression, and one that has more gritting teeth for an “angrier” look. This option is nice, but nothing I expected or even really need, so I am glad people have a choice. I pretty much know that I will use the “vintage” head after I take pictures and pretty much leave it that way.
As mentioned, Clamp Champ gets his classic “power pincer” clamp, as well as the smaller Classics addition in this set, so he will be ready to trap all the foes. The updated throwback design on the main clamp is very much “just how you remember” and the action feature works via a button the top. The red pincers do well to trap his enemies, so it can make for some nice posing and display options. The small clamp does not move or have an action feature, but it is a nice piece to add to the repertoire to “give ‘em the clamps!”
This is fun figure! Like I said, I have always loved Clamp Champ and this Origins release does a great job of presenting the character and giving him a bit of an extra pop. If you are collecting MOTUO, you certainly don’t want to miss this figure, so head over to BBTS and get a pre-order clamped down. Yes, I am sure you see what I did there.
*Thanks again to Mattel for sending this sample along for a feature.
