Clamp Champ
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Clamp Champ is a fictional character from the popular Masters of the Universe franchise. He is a member of the Heroic Warriors, a warrior who wields a powerful clamp weapon, which can firmly hold any opponent. As the master of capture, he possesses tremendous physical strength necessary for operating the clamp, and is also a master of stealth with super-senses of hearing and sight. A guardsman at the Royal Palace of Eternia, he acts as bodyguard to King Randor and Queen Marlena. Clamp Champ is notable as being the only black character in Mattel's original Masters of the Universe Toyline.
[edit] Character history
Clamp Champ was introduced into the Masters of the Universe toy line in 1986, one of the final figures to be released. Notable for being the only black figure in the line, he makes his first appearance in the Mattel mini-comic "The Search for Keldor", which showcases his battle skills and fearless nature.
In the US comics produced by Marvel, Clamp Champ makes a few appearances of which perhaps his most notable is the final two-part storyline Lifetime, in which He-Man's Sword of Power is lost in time and Prince Adam travels into the future to recover it. An aged Clamp Champ is one of a handful of rebels who still side with Adam's future self. When the young Adam arrives the rebels agree to attack "Castle Skeletor". In the process, Clamp Champ suffers a heart attack trying to retrieve the Sword of Power.
The UK comic series by London Editions also features him briefly, as a warrior who gains acceptance into the Royal services after coming first in the Eternian Games. His recruitment as bodyguard for King Randor allows Randor to give his Captain of the Guard, Teela, a promotion into higher ranks.
As the accompanying cartoon by Filmation had been cancelled by the point of Clamp Champ's introduction, he never made any animated appearances. Given his late introduction into the toy line, Clamp Champ's appearances throughout all media have been minimal.
Clamp Champ was going to be featured[citation needed] in the 2002 relaunch of the franchise, but the toy line and cartoon were discontinued before he could be introduced. It had been said in an interview with one of the people involved with the production of the show that he was to be the next Master to appear. His figure for the relaunch was released by NECA in their Masters of the Universe mini statue line. These statues are the same size as the figures that were being released by Mattel, but lack movable joints.
