Black Wampa… urban myth or reality? Only you can decide as TVTA takes you on a journey tracing the origins and adventures of this infamous toy in our special report.

1. Of the Unicorn. Woodcut illustration from the book The History of four-footed Beasts and Serpents by Edward Topsell. 2. Black Wampa by Artoo-Detour. 3. Hoaxed photo of Loch Ness Monster. 4. Patterson–Gimlin film frame N°352 of Bigfoot. 5. Ivan Bilibin, 065, Zmey Gorynych, the Russian three-headed dragon. 6. E.T.

Is this a Lili Ledy black Wampa or a cruel hoax?

The black Wampa (‘Wampa Oscuro’) has been the subject of much debate over the years as to its authenticity as a genuine Star Wars toy produced by the Mexican toy company Lili Ledy.

Forum tomfoolery?
Sources cite that it all began back in early 1980 just before the film release of The Empire Strikes Back, when a failed communication directive between Lili Ledy and Lucas Film Ltd led to the birth of the black Wampa.

Doctor Dengar’s superb TIG guides gave us our first glimpse of the elusive black Wampa VS its Kenner brother.

Other sources cite the 1983 ‘Mas crédulous fan de la Guerra de las Galaxias’ competition held by Lili Ledy to win one of ten black Wampas specially produced to coincide with the film release of Return of the Jedi.

Were you one of the ten lucky winners? Mr Tree-Ent’s wonderful limelight holds some unexpected surprises!

So, facts? Or simply evil plots hatched by Star Wars internet forum geeks to fool the collecting community into believing in the existence of black Wampas?

What if TVTA was to tell you that we have been given a translated transcript of a completely unverifiable but exclusive 18 second interview recorded on a dictaphone in 1983 with a Lili Ledy mailing department employee who managed to talk briefly about the mail-away exclusive before being tragically shot dead by what we can only imagine as a sniper on a roof ?

Pretty chilling eh? But, maybe this is just another example of an elaborate hoax fuelled by elements from the dark side of vintage toy collecting. You thought scammers were bad enough, right? Repro-makers, shill bidders and back-doorers? Surely nothing in the history of Star Wars collecting will ever compare to being shafted by an imaginary toy… if indeed this turns out to be the case! For now, TVTA cannot say for certain if the black Wampa exists or not. Like you, we can only look at the evidence available in the darkest corners of vintage Star Wars collecting forums, and try to pick out the facts from fiction.

It’s on the cover of a licensed book!!!

Proof at last? No, this beast is only related to the Wampa family, and is in fact a Trompa. Look it up. It’s real. But is anything ever real?

Black Wampa ate my Lili Ledy Han Bespin…

Lili Ledy Han Bespin, prepare to meet your shaker-maker!

Video killed the radio star!

Black Wampa: “I just can’t get this damn TV set to work!” Power Droid: “Put me down, or else I’ll tune into the Holiday Special!”

A design for life

Danger. Have you seen this black Wampa design aimed at the clothing market? Do not approach. Keep Tauntauns and young Jedis safely indoors.

Waiter, there’s a black Wampa in my soup!

Here are 10 facts / fictions about black Wampa. Award yourself 4 points for a correct answer; deduct 2 points for an incorrect answer; do not collect £200 (unless you’re selling a relatively hard-to-find loose variation of a figure which under normal circumstances would cost £35 tops, but in today’s FBooky-driven BS market makes you want to puke because it has gone right through the roof; miss one turn if an old man performs a jedi mind trick on you; and finally, for 3 points – make the opponent on your left perform an impression of Chewbacca.

1. Black Wampa has appeared in a published Lili Ledy reference book – so he must be real, right?
2. Black Wampa has been spotted in many vintage-looking photos on the interweb.
3. A black Wampa can be briefly seen in the distance behind Luke as Luke grapples up an AT-AT in The Empire Strikes Back.
4. Black Wampa is rumoured to be George Lucas’ favouite Star Wars toy.
5. The black Wampa paint spray masks were found in a wheelie-bin on the car park and site where Richard III’s bones were discovered in Leicester.
6. The black Wampa paint spray masks were found on the car park of the Walkers Crisps factory in Leicester.
7. The black Wampa paint spray masks were found on the car park of a Doritos Crisps factory in Mexico.
8. Music star Rick Springfield owns 3 black Wampas!
9. In Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette, a black Wampa figure is partially hidden under a pair of Converse sneakers.
10. Bonus COO question! (award yourself 100 points). The correct Country Of Origin mark for the Lili Ledy black Wampa is: (a) family IIIa, second cousin, twice removed, 29g, deep scar, Vader factory. Or (b) family IIc, father-in-law, 42c, very messy scar, Made In Honduras.

Answers next week!! Good luck!

So…

Black Wampa: a true Mexican toy or a monstrous myth? A Lili Ledy legend or a rock-solid reality? Only you can decide. The truth is out there, partially frozen in the wastelands of Hoth, covered in pizza sauce and Tauntaun entrails. May the force be with you. Graarrk! (Always let the Wookie have the last word).

discoclaimer: TVTA has done it's best to seek accurate info and cannot be held responsible for anything. If you know of any black Wampas please report them to your local collecting community group. No Tauntauns were harmed in the making of this special report.