Pulp Arcana Studios: Bearing the Lantern

Howdy Planeteers!

For this week, I had two different motivations for choosing the figure to review.

The first motivation was all about wrestling. Recently, I decided to get back into professional wrestling for the first time in years. It felt like something fun to watch with my son and talk about with friends. I also realized that wrestling figures make up a huge portion of the action figure collecting world, and it was one category I had completely ignored here on Pulp Arcana Studios. I figured I’d dive in, start watching again, and pick up a figure to put through its paces.

As one does when answering the siren song of the squared circle, I started looking through the current roster to see what caught my attention. Being a horror fan, I was immediately drawn to the WWE’s Wyatt Sicks faction. This group of horror-coded maniacs had exactly the kind of pageantry, atmosphere, and theatricality I love. They also had one of the greatest introductions in sports entertainment history. This was going to be my group. I caught up on the lore, the storylines, and the wrestlers behind the characters, excited to see where things were headed next.

And then, the very next day, WWE released them.

Needless to say, that left me a little crestfallen. Still, I decided picking up a Wyatt Sicks figure or two would be a good way to honor the talent and creativity behind the group. That led me to the Ultimate Edition Uncle Howdy as my first wrestling action figure review.

My second motivation for this article had less to do with wrestling and more to do with the company behind the figure. It suddenly occurred to me that I had never reviewed a Mattel figure before. Honestly, I was kind of floored by that realization, but sure enough, not a single Mattel release had made its way into a Field Report yet.

Mattel, of course, is already one of the biggest names in toys thanks to brands like Barbie and Masters of the Universe. But their role in the action figure world is about to grow even larger. Next year, Mattel will take over both the DC Comics and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licenses, putting them in position to become arguably the biggest player in the space. I wanted to see firsthand what their figure game looked like at the collector level.

So whether you’re here as a wrestling fan, a toy collector, or just curious how Mattel stacks up against the competition, we’ve got you covered as we look at the WWE Ultimate Edition Uncle Howdy.

A PULP ARCANA FIGURE FIELD REPORT Mission Brief:  

Artifact Identified:

Uncle Howdy

WWE Ultimates

Mattel

OUT OF THE CRATE:

Before we get into the packaging itself, I should probably explain Mattel’s WWE figure lineup. Or rather, lineups, because there are actually three distinct tiers.

The first tier is the basic, or “Main Event,” line. These figures sit under the $20 mark and are primarily aimed at kids. The likenesses are solid, the articulation is fairly simple, and the figures are built to be durable and playable. The second tier is the Elite series. This is more of a collector-focused line, offering improved detail, stronger articulation, and a handful of accessories. The goal here is to give fans a quality version of their favorite wrestler, whoever that might be.

Finally, we get to the Ultimate Editions. These are premium collector figures that step things up with multiple heads, extra accessories, soft goods, and interchangeable limbs for entirely different looks.

Ultimate Edition Uncle Howdy uses a simple red-and-white color scheme for the packaging. For something as bombastic as professional wrestling, the presentation is actually pretty subdued. The focus is placed squarely on the figure itself, showcased prominently through the large clear window. Every accessory is fully visible and arranged in a clean, appealing way.

My immediate thought was that this packaging was designed specifically with collectors in mind. It feels meant to sit on a shelf or hang on a wall, with plenty of space left open for an autograph. Even though I’m not personally displaying it that way, I genuinely appreciate that Mattel clearly considered collectors throughout the design process.

THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS:

Once out of the box, there’s a lot to like here. Overall, Uncle Howdy looks great. The character design itself is fairly dark and understated, but the important details still stand out nicely. Naturally, the face mask and long white dreadlocks become the focal points immediately.

The figure includes three different portraits. I always appreciate the ability to swap expressions around, though I do wish there had been a little more variety between them. Two of the portraits are very similar, with only slight changes around the mouth. The third, featuring a more open expression, adds considerably more personality. All three portraits feature bright blue eyes that catch the camera beautifully, while the sculpted texture in both the hair and beard looks excellent.

The body details are solid as well. Silver buttons on the shirt catch the light nicely, and the lower body includes a subtle plaid pattern layered over the black pants. I would have liked that pattern to be slightly more pronounced, but when the light hits it correctly, it looks fantastic.

One feature I especially appreciate is the interchangeable arms. One set gives you the bare-armed in-ring appearance, while the other features black sleeves that pair with the overcoat for a completely different entrance look. If you’ve spent any time around Pulp Arcana Studios, you already know I’m a sucker for figures that offer multiple display options, and this one handles that concept really well. The coat-and-sleeves combination especially sells the dramatic entrance aesthetic. Honestly, I kind of love it.

Uncle Howdy also comes with an additional set of open hands, a top hat for the entrance gear, and the iconic Wyatt Sicks lantern. The lantern is excellent, and the hat fits securely on all three portraits. Overall, it’s a very thoughtful accessory loadout where everything serves a direct purpose. I came away genuinely impressed.

 

MOBILITY AND MANEUVERS:

As you’d expect, articulation is a huge deal for wrestling figures, and this WWE Ultimate absolutely delivers. You all know I’m a sucker for a good butterfly joint, and this figure features deep butterfly articulation that allows the arms to come far across the chest. That range of motion makes recreating wrestling moves feel dynamic and natural, and I dig that a lot.

The arms also feature smooth bicep swivels, excellent double-jointed elbows, and strong shoulder mobility overall. I was initially worried the interchangeable arms might lead to loose joints, but thankfully that hasn’t been an issue at all. Everything feels smooth and secure.

The ab articulation was another pleasant surprise. Instead of the hinge setup used in the WWE Elite line, the torso here uses a ball joint, which allows for a surprisingly effective crunch and range of motion. I’d still take a little more movement if offered, but what’s here works quite well.

I’d heard some complaints about the drop-down hips beforehand, but on my copy they worked perfectly fine and added useful extra range. Combined with double-jointed knees, thigh swivels, and both ankle and toe articulation, the figure can hit some impressively low and expressive poses.

One of the things I was most curious about with this figure was what it might tell us about Mattel’s upcoming DC Comics line. If Batman and Superman end up with articulation comparable to this, DC collectors may have a lot to look forward to.

 

RECOVERED EVIDENCE:

FINAL RECKONING:

I fully understand that professional wrestling, while hugely popular, still occupies a somewhat niche corner of collecting. But wrestling is undeniably toyetic, and this figure captures that perfectly. It looks great, moves beautifully, poses like a champ, and includes a genuinely useful selection of accessories.

If you currently watch wrestling, or even grew up with it at some point, check to see whether your favorite WWE superstar has an Ultimate Edition available. Pick one up, grab another figure to take the fall, and have yourself a little desk match. It’s hard not to have fun with something like this.

  

RELIC RATING:  4.5 out of 5

This figure is genuinely impressive and a lot of fun. If this is what Mattel is doing at the premium collector level, then I cannot wait to see what they bring to the table next.            

Filed by Mark Gelineau of Pulp Arcana Studios for Fanboy Planet

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