Category: Gaming & Collectibles

Stuff to fill your shelves and entertainment unit with.

10 Weird & Cool Werewolf Items on Etsy

After a year of being cooped up, everyone with an Etsy shop has gone bonkers. These 10 items, all discovered and sent to me by my wife Tandye, explore a broad range of Etsy’s increasingly wild “werewolf zone”.

Werewolf RPG Miniature from Creature Armory

This is a 3D render of a tabletop RPG miniature that you can have “printed in high quality resin” in a variety of sizes. I’m not usually big on the flesh-ripping style of werewolf transformation, but this is cool.

The Wolf Pack werewolf & hellhound history paper goods collection

A gift-wrapped collection of historical werewolf ephemera. If you’re going to repurpose royalty-free text and images from the past, this is how you do it!

Three Wolfman Moon art print

2008’s finest meme, recapitulated lycanthropically. Artist Kyle Morton has rendered two classic werewolves and added his own (superior?) interpretation, which you can have for yourself as a 10×15″ print.

Monster print oven mitts

There’s only one werewolf in the pattern of these monster oven mitts, but he’s being taken for a walk by a little witch girl. You can’t argue with that. Don’t even try.

Werewolf Playing Cards

Writes the artist: “I spent my time in quarantine developing my very own set of playing cards. The Kings are Werewolves, the Queens are Vampires, the Jacks are Villagers.” Enough said!

Tabletop Shadow Puppet Theatre

This portable multi-piece shadow puppet theatre has 17 characters and a dozen backgrounds – enough to re-enact many of the classic fairytales. If you brought this into my house, many of those stories would receive shocking re-interpretations that involve the Wolf having dinner.

Horror High! Werewolf Linocut Print

“A hand-printed 13x13cm linocut of a chill stoner werewolf” is my activation phrase, and what happens when I get activated? I smoke a lot of weed and play Scott Pilgrim on my Switch until I fall asleep. I think this werewolf would do the same.

Anatomically correct werewolf figurine

I want to say right at the top: this is a very cool hand-made 31cm-tall posable werewolf figurine. Great fur, cool face, and I even like the big fluffy tail, which is unusual for me. But it is billed as “anatomically correct”, which means it does have a penis. I don’t know why you would include that level of accuracy in a figurine while only putting four fingers on each of its hands, but here we are. And there it is.

Oleana the Werewolf Queen

This is another 3D-printed werewolf miniature, but unlike the one at the top of this list, she’s calm and composed. According to her description, if you fuck with her friends, she won’t stop until you’re dead. I respect all of this, even if I do think a werewolf holding a weapon is like wearing two hats at once.

Werewolf Nerd Gold Enamel Pin

Last but certainly not least, here is a 4cm x 4cm hard enamel lapel pin that appears to have my face on it. It’s not actually me, but as an aspirational werewolf with perpetually worried eyebrows and nerdy frames, I feel well-represented. Of all the werewolf objets d’art in this post, this is the only one to currently reside in my Etsy shopping cart, and I am going to wrap up this post so I can go finish the purchase.

NECA Toys teases “American Werewolf in London” Kessler-wolf figure

Last week, NECA’s Twitter account (hi, Randy) posted a photo of what looks like a collectible figure version of the Kessler-wolf from An American Werewolf in London. The accompanying text is from a relevant Creedence Clearwater Revival song. You know the one.

AWiL figures are cursed, and not in the fun “grow claws” kind of way. As Bloody Disgusting reports, this isn’t the first AWiL werewolf figure to be teased by a collectible company, but none of the other figures ever made it to market. NECA certainly has the chops to do a good job making and packaging the figure, but can they get it into the hands of customers?

NECA is known for producing high-quality figures from beloved horror and sci-fi franchises, but lately, they’ve also gained a reputation for accepting pre-orders through toy sellers, and then just kinda missing their projected release dates. Often by months, with no official acknowledgement. As with so many delayed or cancelled things, Covid is likely to blame, but no one likes waiting in silence for a thing they bought while simultaneously being teased with new things to buy. I have friends who are still waiting for figures that were ordered in 2020, and I’m checking daily for a shipping notification on a figure that was meant to be out in January or February.

When can people buy this NECA American Werewolf in London figure? What will it cost? How big is it? Will other characters from the film appear as figures as well? No one knows, and frankly, I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for more info. You can ask Randy about it, and if he’s had a good breakfast, he might respond.

“Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood” is out now

This isn’t a review, because I – Angela – do not review anything anymore, I don’t really care for the whole World of Darkness setting, and I’m so mired in gaming’s yesteryears that I’m currently replaying The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on my DS. Cyanide’s highly-anticipated action role-playing game is one of those werewolf artifacts that seemingly everyone is excited for, but which is so clearly Not For Me that all I can responsibly do is tell you that it’s out now, and you can buy it. It’s available for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X, and can be found on Amazon or your preferred digital retailer.

If you would like a review, I can safely point you to this video by Cannot Be Tamed, whose gameplay footage and assessment of the lore and mechanics lines up with the vibe I’d been getting over the past few months.

Would you care for an informed and nuanced editorial assessment of this game and its place in the historically rocky landscape of Werewolf: the Apocalypse video games? Keep an eye out for a guest post by a friend of the site and W:tA veteran. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this take, which has all the nuance of a grouch (me) posting off the cuff on Discord (which is where it’s from):

It seems unwise to make a game in a lore-heavy setting and cut out all the interesting lore. If you’re going to do that for the sake of making the game more appealing to casual players, I think your best angle is to present the game as one where you get to be a cool scary werewolf who rips shit up. That approach requires that your werewolf have, like, a transformation scene, and combat that feels & looks visceral. You know, the things that might make a werewolf action horror game fun. I don’t see any of that either.

Omega Studios Werewolf Figures

Got some bare shelves and some disposable income? Friend of the site PenningtonBeast found a good way to solve both conditions. Omega Studios is preparing to release a line of nine original werewolf (and werewolf-inspired) figures under the banner “Dawn of Monsters”. They’re billed as action figures and “collector’s items suitable for all ages”. Each is 9″ tall, with 20 points of articulation. The initial round of figures was funded by a Kickstarter project that received 978% of its goal, and now the line is being distributed exclusively through BigBadToyStore.

Here’s the lineup, with selected images to follow. Note that there aren’t any official images of the Mid-Transformation Werewolf or the Undead Werewolf, and that Garm the Cursed is a CG render. Presumably their designs were still being finalized when BigBadToyStore set up the products.

  • Fenrir
  • Hati
  • Skoll
  • Garm the Cursed
  • Undead Werewolf
  • Anubis
  • Cerberus
  • Mid-Transformation Werewolf
  • Werepups

Fenrir, Hati and Skoll were part of the initial campaign. There’s an attempt to tie them into a flimsy story concept, but it looks like Omega dropped that pretense once the stretch goals unlocked the other characters. I think that’s a good idea – the designs are cool enough that we don’t need a retread of the “alpha / alpha’s mate / alpha’s grudging nemesis” thing.

BigBadToyStore lists the figures as being available in February 2021, so if you missed your chance to pledge to the Kickstarter campaign, here’s your chance to get one or some or all of these werewolf action figures!

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest

I’ve heard good things about Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest, but I kept pushing it off my mental radar because it’s an ongoing problem with me that I never make time to play video games. Luckily, Werewolf News reader Denise wrote in with a great capsule review, which she graciously allowed me to share:

I would like to recommend Werewolf the Apocalypse: Heart of the Forest to the werewolf fans out there. It’s a visual novel that’s on Steam as of today; set in the World of Darkness tabletop roleplaying series. Though the game is somewhat short compared to similar Choose-your-adventure/visual novel type stories I’ve played, the atmosphere and art are top notch. You play a character, Maia, and through choices, her personality evolves into one of the various “classes” of Werewolf; warrior, talesinger, shaman, and the like. You can play her as rage-filled and impatient, or introspective and friendly, and others in between. I’m also a fan of the WtA RPG, and I think it does it justice. I’m not sure how approachable it’d be for those that are new to the setting, but I think it’s a decent story on its own.

Denise’s review and the game’s “Very Positive” Steam rating make me feel quite confident that, against all odds, there is a good W:tA game for you to play on macOS, Windows or SteamOS right now!

Round-up of 4 one-of-a-kind werewolf Etsy finds

Every now and then someone – generally my wife Tandye or my friend Viergacht – sends me an especially cool werewolf doll they find on Etsy. They’re all one-of-a-kind art objects, handcrafted by artists whose interpretations of lycanthrope aesthetics are wonderfully diverse. Enough of these links have accumulated in my open browser tabs that it’s time to share them all here. Click on any title or image below for the Etsy product page.

Considering the state of the world right now, it feels especially important to note that these are expensive luxury items on which many of us don’t have the resources to splurge. However, if you’ve got the financial stability, supporting artists is an extremely cool thing to do!

The Rougarou – needle felted fantasy art doll

This posable friend from the bayous of Louisiana looks incredibly soft and hold-able, which is a dangerous deception because they will absolutely chomp your hand if you try to grab them.

Gray Raven, the werewolf shaman

I generally don’t go for any werewolf that reps the “shaman” look or who carries a weapon while in werewolf form, but the bared fangs, gnarly claws, and overall craftsmanship of this polymer clay & faux fur demand that I make an exception.

Ville Rockmusiker Wolf

Listed as an “anthropomorphic furry”, this polymer clay and alpaca wool creation is indisputably a doll version of Tandye if she was a werewolf.

Galiana / Blythe Classic Werewolf girl

The four things I can tell you about this munchkin:

  • she’s a collaboration of two artists, based on a Blythe fashion doll
  • she has four different eye types that can be swapped out
  • she’s the most costly of the four dolls in this post
  • she is my daughter and I love her very much

Again, these are all one-of-a-kind, so if you see something you like, act fast!

Werewolf & Wolfman Paws by John Pinkerton

Ohio artist John Pinkerton makes all kinds of sculpted monster collectibles under the name The Monster Sandbox. My wife Tandye brought two of his creations to my attention – he’s one of her favourite artists – and I loved them so much that I ordered both of them before I wrote this post.

The Werewolf Paw is a 10″ replica werewolf hand that perfectly represents what I wish my hands looked like when the moon is full.

The highly detailed paw seamlessly combines sculpted fingers and claws with dark fur, to create a realistic looking piece that looks like it came straight from a taxidermist!

The Wolfman Paw is a more “classic” interpretation of a lycanthropic paw, with shorter fur and an ISO standard plaid sleeve.

Inspired by old tales of lycanthropy, this handcrafted sculpture of a Wolfman Paw brings legend a step closer to reality for fans and collectors.

According to John’s Facebook page, there’s a Black Friday sale on all weekend, so if you like these werewolf paws as much as I do, now’s the time!

No haunted house or cursed castle is complete without this bust of “The Hound”

This 17.50 inch polystone sculpture by Kurt Papstein for Level52 Studios is the perfect addition to any empty plinth in your shadowy hallway or bare space between dread grimoires in your library. I also think it would look amazing on my rickety $30 Ikea shelf, but then, I’m not a wealthy insane baroness who lives in a dilapidated castle, so I have to make compromises.

From Level52:

The Hound is a super-sized new addition to the Busted Series by Level52 Studios. Sculptor Kurt Papstein has managed to capture the untamed ferocity of this nocturnal nightmare in stunning detail from its bright, ruthless eyes to its gaping maw and flowing mane. Add this beast to your collection, and you’ll have to do a double take when stepping into the room. Maybe this time it IS lunging at you!

Standing at a truly massive 17.5” tall and produced in polystone, this finely crafted creature arrives in Level52’s signature premium packaging. The Hound will make an excellent watchdog to guard your other collectible treasures.

The Hound is available for pre-order from Level52, Sideshow Collectibles and Big Bad Toy Store for around $276 USD. It’s slated to ship in the first quarter of 2020.

Shout Factory’s “The Howling” Statue

Shout! Factory typically deals in deluxe home media movie releases, but this summer, they’ve teamed up with PCS Collectibles to bring werewolf fans something special:

…an exclusive, officially licensed and limited-edition statue based on Joe Dante’s classic werewolf film THE HOWLING. This special offer comes in two variants – one available at shoutfactory.com and the other for pick up at San Diego Comic-Con 2019.

This statue looks like a scaled-down, simplified version of the two-foot-tall monster PCS released in 2016.

Unless you have a time machine, you’re too late to get in line for one of the Comic-Con variants, but the shoutfactory.com version is still available – and it’s marked down to $64.99 USD!

The Underworld Lycan Vinyl Statue from Star Ace Toys has tons of detail, great butt

I kind of liked the werewolf designs in the Underworld movie series. The designs have changed somewhat as the series continues its slide towards direct-to-digital purgatory, but they’ve remained consistently monstrous in a way I find appealing. I know that puts me in the minority, but I’m going to stand in my truth: you don’t need a hairy chest, a classically lupine head, or a tail in order to be a badass-looking werewolf.

Collectible company Star Ace Toys has got a new addition to its “super-vinyl” series (which I originally read as “super-villainy”) that will interest my fellow Lycan-enjoyers: a 32cm soft vinyl Lycan statue based on the creature design from Underworld: Evolution. It’s a super-detailed rendition that captures the vascular, gangly Lycan look, and which includes a curious mixture of modelled hair and fluffy synthetic hair. And, like, not to objectify monsters or anything, but this Lycan has a great ass.

Here’s the product copy from Star Ace’s site:

In the “Underworld” movie series a war rages in the darkness where humans cannot go. The vampires battle the werewolves or Lycans in a centuries-old war. The Lycans can transform from human to a fierce snarling beast, but still retain their human reasoning. This 32cm tall vinyl figure represents a Lycan ready to go into battle, his mouth wide open showing his sharp teeth and his claws out, ready to rip apart his vampire foe. This figure features synthetic hair attached to the head sculpt to better represent the look of the Lycan.

As of this post, Star Ace lists the statue as a pre-order product, due out “4th Quarter 2019”. If you’re in North America, you can put in your pre-order with BigBadToyStore, who list the Deluxe edition (which includes a more detailed base) for a very reasonable $189.99. I imagine other online retailers will have it soon, and for true good karma, you can always check your local comic shop to see if they’ll order it for you.