Welcome to the first Blood Bank of December! This week’s Blood Bank is taking a holiday spin. With the release of Michael Doughtery‘s Krampus today, it is only fitting to focus on a Krampus centric crowdfunding campaign. Lucky for us, it is not another Krampus movie. Over saturation of the market is a real problem and if this was to promote another Krampus movie, we may be in trouble. Instead of a Krampus film, we will be showcasing the newest idea from Warpo Toys; Don’t Cuddle The Krampus retro collectible toy line.
Last year Warpo made a name for themselves with the highly demanded and successful line of H.P. Lovecraft inspired retro action figures called With Legends of Cthulhu. The style of the horror writer’s toy line was like the 1970s retro action figures. The company was founded out of passion by three friends who are die-hard collectors; Bryan Katzel, Tommy Baldwin, and Eric Lefeber. “We dreamt of a company that would create new product lines for collectors that look indistinguishable from their retro counterparts – so we started Warpo to make them for ourselves.” To create the classic style, the team brought in artists from the time period they are attempting to recreate for the proper perspective. They want to create familiar products that have never been seen before; not remake the toys but to expand the collections with new worlds.
With the campaign ending on December 10, 2015, Warpo‘s next venture is a throwback to 1986 when monsters and gross-out toys ruled the market. Based off the myth of Krampus, they are in the process of crowdfunding for the Don’t Cuddle the Krampus line
If you are unaware who Krampus is at this point, go back under your rock, after we give you a quick recap. For centuries the legend of Krampus ruled European countries as the anti-Santa Clause. If the children were nice, Santa would deliver them presents but if they were naughty, a visit from Krampus was in order. Some stories have Krampus swatting children with rusty chains and others have the beast kidnapping the naughty kids. He would take them back to his evil lair where he would grind them up for a delicious meal. Over the past decade, Krampus has made his way to the western hemisphere with this year being labeled the year of Krampus;
The ever growing popularity prompted Warpo to take on the task. Since the toy can be for children, they are taking a unique approach. Making the monster less scary, but more misunderstood to appeal to the child audience. Warpo‘s vision is not to blindly terrorize children but to scare the bad kids straight.
The Krampus toy itself is presented in incredible detail and is the first of it’s kind. Being accompanied by three naughty kid pillows, this Krampus will always be busy. The figure itself stands about 18.5 inches and remains at 11 inches wide. He is stuffed with premium plush using soft faux-fur fabrics and a corduroy stomach. The face is molded out of soft plastic with the horns and ears applied with detailed deco. The hooves, claws, and tongue are all made out of soft vinyl while the tail is fabric with a faux-fur tip. Krampus comes with a vinyl belt/sash with plastic buckle and the Naughty Kid bag with the Krampus logo printed upon it. Krampus also comes with his very own plastic molded chains. As for the kids they are a bit smaller at 7.5 inches tall and 5 inches wide. The 3 unique characters all made in a classic 80’s style are stuffed pillows with printed fabrics.
As all crowdfunding campaigns present, Don’t Cuddle The Krampus is not skimping on the amount of awards being offered. For the lowest donation you receive an awesome t-shirt with the logo printed on it and exclusive access to a downloadable background. As the donation rises the rewards become more lucrative. Although sold out, they were offering an early bird reservation of the toy. Now you have to go with the deliverable pack which means not only do you get a Krampus and his 3 Naughty Kids, but a second set with a deliverable sack for a friend who deserves some Krampus in their life. Pass that level, a unique gift is offered. The Krampusnact pack offers a set of the Don’t Cuddle The Krampus toys along with an exclusive one of a kind, hand made Krampus mask created by Erik Pertl Artworks. But probably the coolest perk is the Make Yourself A Naughty Kid Perk. As the name suggests they will make a Naughty Kid look just like you along with the original set. As the campaign went on, Warpo added add-on gifts for those who donated a particular amount. Still available are add-ons like mugs, stickers, a knitted beanie, and many other Krampus themed gifts.
Although they have set their goal at $70,000; their sights are set higher. Warpo has a few stretch goals that are sure to please any Don’t Cuddle The Krampus fans. The first three stretch goals will allow them to create more unique Naughty Kid pillows. The last stretch goal sits at $160,000. With that amount of money donated they will be able to make the Krampus toy in full on glorious 80’s colors.
If you head on over to the Kickstarter page, they show you the creation of the Krampus toy from conception to production. Warpo‘s goal is to have the toy line released next September, in time for the holidays. Their timeline can only occur with your help. The team has already worked long and hard to get the line this far. They are so close to reaching their goal and need just a little bit more of a push. Follow the important links below to share their campaign. Or share this article to get more attention. If you cannot donate monetarily, you can always spread the word. Remember this We Are Indie Horror’s BLOOD BANK; where every drop counts!
