'Tisn't The Season, But That's Not Stopping NECA From Releasing Krampus Figures

Hopefully by now everyone has taken down their Christmas decorations — unless we have some folks who are just of the mind that every day is Xmas, like Earth Day. In which case: have I got news for you! The toy company NECA is coming your way with Krampus action figures.

You know Krampus: he's the titular horned, hoofed title monster in Michael Dougherty's 2015 horror comedy, which also stars Adam Scott and Toni Colette. NPR calls him the Anti-Santa. He's the one who puts coal in your stocking and, in some traditions, kidnaps naughty children while Santa busies himself with bringing good cheer to the nice ones.

Toy Fair New York 2022 was originally scheduled to take place over the weekend, from February 19 to 22, but it was cancelled last month due to the ongoing pandemic. Because of that, NECA has been circulating some images online of its upcoming toy releases. One such image offers a tease of its Ultimate Krampus figure, which comes with a number of accessories. Krampus himself hasn't come down the chimney yet, but Teddy Klaue the evil bear, Perchta the twisted cherub, and the insane jack-in-the-box harlequin, Derr Clown, are here to herald his arrival.

Below, you can see some of Anti-Santa's little helpers, courtesy of Bloody Disgusting. Anyway you look at it, Christmas has come early.

When not writing superhero films or making Godzilla sequels, Dougherty has carved out a nice niche for himself as a purveyor of holiday horror. First, there was "Trick 'r Treat," his 2007 Halloween-themed anthology. Then, there was "Krampus," a movie where "the shadow of Saint Nicholas" wipes away a tear from a child's eye ... and then laughs in their face and drops them in a fiery pit.

At this time, I would like to review some of the lyrics of the song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." When taken out of context (or even heard in context), these lines from that old song sound like horror taglines:

You better watch out. You better not cry.

He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake.

Santa Claus is coming.

How much do we really trust this "Santa Claus?" Who's to say that Krampus isn't the real Santa, shorn of all merriment and holiday pretenses?

NECA's Krampus figure is expected to arrive this holiday season. As the song goes, you better watch out for it. And for goodness sake, be good, or else Krampus might eat you.