Toy Story of Terror Combat Carl— Mattel's 7" Action Figure Collection—REVIEW

Brand new from Mattel as part of their award winning Toy Story 7" action figure collection, here we have Combat Carl straight from the classic Halloween TV special, Toy Story of Terror! I've been SO excited for this release ever since I saw it revealed a few months back and I'm thrilled to have finally tracked it down with the help of some friends. 

I feel like with each new Mattel 7" release lately, they get harder and harder to find (some have yet to even come to the US and have hit the UK, Mexico and Canada first). This one currently can't be found at really any mainstream store (not at Target, Walmart or Amazon as of this posting) and has only been found by collectors at very random stores like Nordstrom Rack, Meijer Groceries and even some local toy shops. So here's how I got it [!]: My friend Today I Grew Up (you might know him from YouTube) was kind enough to give me a heads up that, through some investigating and searching hashtags on Instagram, he was able to find a locally/family owned toy store in Pennsylvania (called Big Smile Toys) that had a couple of these Combat Carls in stock! I messaged the shop on Instagram and they kindly got back to me right away letting me know they had one left available. I called to pay over the phone and Big Smile Toys sent it right to my house for a very generous price ($14.99 + around $8 shipping). This thing is selling for over $100 on eBay right now—Crazy! So needless to say, I'm super grateful to both Today I Grew Up and Big Smile Toys. A big thanks to both of them once again!

This is an excellent figure. It's sturdy/well-made, has great molded details/paint application, has a spot on likeness to the character, can stand up well on its own and has loads of articulation (14 points). What more can you want in an action figure? I also love that Mattel once again has included the removable hand feature, just as they did in 2014 with their original 4" scale Combat Carl from the Toy Story of Terror Gift Pack. Such a fantastic little movie-accurate touch—the hand pops out and snaps back in with ease. Retail price is $9.99, but price will vary slightly depending on where he's sold.

Just as a reminder, this figure isn't meant to be a full-sized 12" scale movie accurate replica, so don't expect that. This Combat Carl stands at around 8.5" tall and is purposely designed to be a part of and in scale with the rest of Mattel's 7" collection.

 

 Take a closer look at him out of the packaging! Solid.

 

Lastly, here's a comparison shot of this new 7" scale Combat Carl standing next to Mattel's original 4" scale Combat Carl from the 2014 Toy Story of Terror Gift Pack (left) and the two 7" Scale Combat Carl Jr. figures from Mattel's 2019 Antique Shop Adventure Pack (right). Be sure to check out my reviews and let me know your preferred Combat Carl figure in the comment section below!

 

 

I think that just about covers it, everyone! This figure certainly gets five out of five stars from me. I love when Mattel releases figures of the "not as obvious choices", like side and background characters. I really hope to see more of those in this line—especially from the shorts and TV specials! Who would you love to see made in Mattel's signature 7" figure collection? Shout it out down in the comments.

I'll update this post as soon as this figure becomes more widely available, but right now your best bet finding him is at Meijer, Nordtrom Rack or eBay using this direct link to current listings.

Also check out my detailed video review on my YouTube channel and be sure to like and subscribe for more content like this!