Trick or Treat Through 31 Days of Toy Terror: Pumpkin Snoopy (Black & White) from Peanuts by Just Play

 

   Despite not being too frightening (though he has worn masks, been a were-beagle and a vampire bat, and even dressed up like the Frankenstein Monster), Snoopy is definitely a Halloween icon. Charles Schultz always played up the holiday in the Peanuts comic strip, knowing how important it is to children, and the release of the 1966 animated special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was a celebration of not just Halloween but so many other elements of that special time of autumn, too. While the minifigure I'm looking at today isn't specifically based on that special, it is fitting for Snoopy to dress up like a Jack o' lantern. This minifigure came out a couple years ago in full color at Five Below (and maybe other retailers; I'm not sure if he was an exclusive or not) and this year he has returned in a black & white colorway. I love Snoopy and have a shelf of different Snoopy figures both because of my love of the character and because he has long reminded me of my beloved jackabee (Jack Russell/ Beagle mix), Crouton, who passed away last summer. He was an old fellow when he died, but he came to us as a stray over 15 years ago and while we first thought he was brown, a bath revealed that he was white with black speckles, kind of like Snoopy. Crouton also had a red collar and he kind of sat in that vulture pose that Snoopy often took. Sure, Halloween is a time for candy and ghouls and watching terrifying movies, but it's also a time for nostalgia, and sometimes nostalgia is remembering those we've loved and lost. This one is for you, Crouton! Join me after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 2 1/4ths inches

Articulation: None

Accessories: None

Non-Scalper Price: $5 dollars

Comparison:

* Just for fun, here's a shot of this year's black & white Pumpkin Snoopy (left) next to the 2024 Pumpkin Snoopy in full color (right). Same sculpt, just in a greyscale colorway. Obviously the full color Snoopy is more desirable, but the black &white color scheme is also kind of neat, matching not just classic horror movies but also the black and white comic strip panels. 

The Positives:

* Here's Snoopy! He's clearly in a great mood and is showing off his Jack o' Lantern costume. Snoopy looks adorable, as usual, and has his arms and legs poking out of the costume. This is a very simple figure but the proportions look accurate and the pumpkin costume fits the pup well. Whether you want to pretend he's in a black and white classic horror film or you just appreciate that he's in black and white like a comic strip from the newspaper, Snoopy is celebrating in style. 

* Snoopy's head is pretty simple but that's clearly the style of Peanuts, right? Everyone is fairly simple and yet they all convey such a wide array of emotions. Snoopy looks absolutely pleased with himself. I love the pumpkin stem hat he's wearing on his head. Too cute!

* The Jack o' Lantern face isn't just painted on; it's actually sculpted, making it a rather nice looking detail on such a simple figure. 

* Check out Snoopy's little tail popping out of the costume! That's adorable. This really is quite a nice minifigure. 

* Snoopy stands securely upright, so he's easy to pose on a little knickknack shelf without worrying about him toppling over. I like the pose: It makes me think that Snoopy might have been hiding inside of the Jack O' Lantern costume, pretending to be just an average Jack O' Lantern, and now he's popping out to surprise and startle everyone at a Halloween party. 

   Pumpkin Snoopy is a tiny little guy, sure, but he's also only $5 bucks. He's a simple little minifigure and not as bright as his more colorful counterpart, but he still makes for a neat Halloween themed figure. I know he's smaller than most of the Super7 ReAction Snoopy figures but you could probably easily fudge him in there. Heck, there are multiple little sets of Peanuts collectibles he could easily fit in with, too. He's cute, inexpensive, and festive. That's a Great take on this little pup. There's also a black and white Frankenstein Charlie Brown and Lucy as a cowgirl available, though I skipped those. I'm just more of a dog person, I guess.

Looking for more of Snoopy? I've also reviewed the Funko POP! Snoopy #330, Forever Fun's Snoopy's Doghouse Display, and a Peanuts Halloween Sound Clock.

For more figures from Just Play's Peanuts check out the following:

Charlie Franken-Brown