Trick or Treat Through 31 Days of Toy Terror: Finger Lickin' Pistol Whippin' Captain Spaulding from House of 1000 Corpses by Trick or Treat Studios

 

   Today's review just might help set the tone for a lot of the reviews to come this October as it actually centers on two ways that the main theme for 2026's 31 Days of Toy Terror is applied: It's both from a piece of media that is set on or around Halloween (House of 1000 Corpses) and it's an action figure from Trick or Treat Studios, a company who has been putting out some incredibly delightful retro styled action figures that feel like they're based on action feature driven toylines from the late 1980s and 1990s, so it has Trick or Treat in the name. Is that a stretch? Ahh, who cares, right? I've admired these from afar for a year or two and with this year seeing toys from some of my favorites like Day of the Dead, Army of Darkness, and Trick 'R Treat, I thought these might be well worth a look as they're some of the coolest horror toys being produced today. I started working on these reviews back in June and I was expecting the Army of Darkness and Trick 'R Treat figures to be released in August but that doesn't seem to be the case now. That made it a bit tougher for this year, especially with having so many reviews already done prior to October, but I've tried to make it work (though this year does have some more random figures put in just for fun). Now, let's talk about Finger Lickin' Pistol Whippin' Captain Spaulding...

   Played by the late Sid Haig, Captain Spaulding is the most recognizable character from Rob Zombie's 2003 horror film House of 1000 Corpses. For years I basically avoided the film as it just didn't seem like something that would appeal to me. I do like some of Rob Zombie's music but outside of his two Halloween films, I had never seen seen any of his other films until the last year or two when I caught House of 1000 Corpses on a streaming service. It's a wild movie for sure. Not great and not terrible, but certainly very unlike anything else I can recall. Sure, it definitely draws inspiration from so many horror classics, but it really is a very unique and strange film. It's gross, yes, but it's kind of fun with a really impressive cast of oddballs. Trick or Treat Studios released this series of action figures in 2022 and they included five action figures and a carrying case with a build-a-figure spread across every release except for Captain Spaulding. I guess they decided that he would be so popular that they wouldn't need to do anything extra to push him. Let's check out Captain Spaulding, the patriarch of the Firefly family and the proprietor of a gas station and fried chicken joint that also houses Captain Spaulding's Museum of Monsters and Madmen, after the break...

The Facts:

Height: 5 3/8ths (not including his hat)

Articulation: Swivel hips, swivel shoulders (with action feature), swivel biceps, and a swivel head.

Accessories: Revolver, bucket of chicken, and fried chicken

Original Retail Price: $25 dollars

Year of Release: 2022

The Packaging:

* These figures come on blister cards that aren't overly retro in style but they do evoke the action figure packages of the late 1980s and early 1990s with cross-sell art, bio cards, and names that reflect the specific action feature of the figure. There's a little bit of art to show off how to use the action feature and even a collectible proof of purchase cut out. 

The Positives:

* Captain Spaulding is instantly recognizable here. He's very reminiscent of toys from Kenner's Police Academy or Beetlejuice toylines and he reminds me of what a Captain Spaulding figure would look like if he came from an animated series. You know, kind of like NECA's Toony Terrors designs. Captain Spaulding is a big guy but he's sculpted in a bit of a wide legged stance. The sculpt is accurate to the source material bit it does seem intentionally a bit soft. There are quite a few paint applications, however, capturing his red, white, and blue clown suit. He's a guy who loves the good ol' U.S. of A. and a good slaughter!

* The portrait isn't bad here. Sure, it looks animated and like a toy from 30 or 40 years ago, but that's really part of the charm. There is quite a bit of detail here, including Captain Spaulding's beard that's covered by paint. His little hat is quite tall and is permanently attached to his head. He's pretty wild and definitely feels like a 1990s action figure. It's weird having this guy in hand as it gives you that uncanny feeling of a toy that you know didn't exist when you were a kid, but who feels like he should have. 

* The detail on Captain Spaulding's pants legs isn't bad at all. The paintwork is pretty clean and vibrant, definitely capturing his weird and wild outfit.

* Captain Spaulding has a couple more joints than the classic five points of articulation as he's not just sporting swivel hips, swivel shoulders, and a swivel head, but he also has swivel biceps. Those swivel biceps allow for more poses as his elbows are bent, so rotating the biceps causes the hands to love in and out from his body. The main joints are all fairly restricted, though. Well, the hips aren't too bad but the arms are attached to the action feature and the head only turns so far. Still, the figure feels fairly sturdy (though a bit lighter than you'd' expect) and it captures the action figure style it's paying homage to quite well. Here's a short video showing off the action feature:

* He's "Pistol Whippin'" Captain Sapulding, so he does come with a pistol. It's an oversized, very inaccurate revolver, but it is kind of cool in an early 1990s accessory kind of way. In the movie Captain Spaulding uses a Colt Lawman MK III to kill some robbers at this gas station, so presumably that was the inspiration for this accessory? Again, comically oversized but fitting for this line's style and aesthetic. 

* Since he's also "Finger Lickin'" Captain Spaulding, he comes with a fried chicken drumstick. It's a simple little piece but it's also kind of neat. Getting a piece of food as an accessory is pretty unique and quite fun due to the novelty of it. 

* Want more than one drumstick? How about an entire bucket of Captain Spaulding's world famous fried chicken? You don't have to take Exit 13 off Route 1 in Ruggsville anymore; just grab a complimentary bucket with the purchase of this figure! This is another cool accessory with great paintwork on the bucket. Just keep Gwildor away! 

The Negatives:

* The chicken drumstick is a cool accessory but it's tough to get Captain Spaulding to hold it properly. It's a bit smaller than his grip and, since the pistol really stretches his grip, it really can only just sit there. When you use the action feature, that chicken goes flying!

   While the Kenner Star Wars inspired action figures are what most people think of for faux retro action figures, I really like these toys from Trick or Treat Studios that feel like the late 1980s and early 1990s action feature driven lines. I'm not a huge fan of House of 1000 Corpses but the over the top aesthetic of these action figures that feels like something truly from the 1990s really appeals to me. I can appreciate the design and the though experiment involved in making these feel like toys that "might" have existed if the film had somehow came out a few years earlier. Captain Spaulding is a Good and a 1/2 figure and likely the biggest draw in this particular line. 


This is the first figure of Captain Spaulding I've reviewed on the site.