New Pop! Vinyl Figures from Funko

    I have a doctors appointment later today (standard gerbil removal, nothing to worry about)  and if I see anything that resembles this guy when I get there I'm running the other way.  Clown doctors are probably the scariest thing in the world.  Have you ever seen a movie with a guy that has access to face paint and sharp objects that ends well?  And he looks like he is trying to hug me.  I am not okay with that.  

    Dr. Blake Downs from Children's Hospital is the latest dude to be immortalized as a Pop! Vinyl figure from Funko.  He will be released May 23rd along with this Red Hulk dude:

    Why is Hulk red?  I dunno, I think he hates the regular green one or something.  Or he' got a thing bursting through walls with a pitcher of Kool-Aid.  

Smoke + Yellow Resin Raaar! Exclusive from DeKorner x Dynamite Rex

    No matter how many times I feature these guys I am always impressed by how cool they look.  I can't imagine it is easy to make a resin Raaar! figure, and it probably would have driven me mad trying to do so.  I have a general idea of how they get that nice shiny coating of resin on that skeleton, but I probably would have just given up and watched tv before I perfected the process.  Luckily for you, I don't make these guys.  Dynamite Rex does and they made this one exclusively for Dekorner.  50 of them will be available tomorrow (May 10th) at 10am Pacific time for $65 each.  You can get one for yourself and be marveled by the craftsmanship by going to http://www.dekornerstore.com/.

Custom Toys of the Week: Drone Series Munnys from The Given

    My brother in law is gonna be pretty mad that he didn't think of this first.  This Drone Series of Munnys from The Given combines vinyl toys with military models to create something pretty crazy.  Let's just hope our government doesn't get any weird ideas about building these for real and dropping them on some unsuspecting nation.  Or would they be the coolest weapons of modern warfare you've we've ever seen.  Hmmmmmmmm.  I know I wouldn't mind having a few to wreak havoc on some irritating people I know.

    While you can't buy these with military grade weaponry (yet) you can buy these custom toys right this instant.  Just go to http://thegiven.co.za/shop/ and one or all of these could be in route to your house.  Hide your secret weapons cache first though, just in case.

Help Save the Coney Island Mermaid Parade

    Normally, I wouldn't involve myself in what you do with your money.  But after seeing a certain business solicit for donations to put on an awards show as a way of further advertising their brand and the products they sell, I got kinda peeved.  So in light of that I thought I would tell you about an organization that really needs your help in preserving an American tradition and is even willing to give you cool stuff for your money.

    Coney Island is one of the coolest places I've ever visited in this country.  Sure there are tons of amusement parks and boardwalks that you can visit, but none of them have the unique vibe that Coney Island possesses.  The moment you arrive you feel like you've stepped into a world that is separate from anything else you've ever experienced.  It's hard to describe unless you've been there, and I'm finding it hard to put into words just how inspiring of a place it is.

    Like most of the coastal towns where I live, Coney Island was hit really hard by Hurricane Sandy.  With the help of generous volunteers they have slowly been able to rebuild but their budget has been depleted by the cost of repairs and the fact that the Sideshow and Museum haven't been open to patrons.  This has put the annual Mermaid Parade in jeopardy.

    For 30 years the parade has been a staple of this Brooklyn community and you can help keep it going.  A Kickstarter campaign has begun to help raise money and every donation is rewarded with things ranging from your name on a Thank You banner in the parade, to buttons, an event print from Frank Kozik, to actually riding in the parade in your own personalized port-a-potty.  Check out their page here and be part of preserving one of the things that makes this country great.  Plus, I've never been to it before and I really want to go this year.  

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/377116752/save-the-coney-island-mermaid-from-extinction

SDCC Exclusive Boba Fett from Hasbro

    Do you think anyone would jump bail if a guy looking like this might show up to your door and freeze you in a block of carbonite?  I don't think so.  But I would totally watch a show about it.  It would be an improvement from that guy with the poofy mullet and his inbred looking kids.  Who could take him seriously?  I can imagine Boba Fett ringing your doorbell and as soon as you open it just shooting you in the face.  TV could be so much better.

    Hasbro has started a new line of Star Wars figures called The Black Series and basically that means they're big, full of detail, and come in fancy packaging.  Boba Fett and his Han Solo accessory will be an exclusive to this year's San Diego Comic Con.  The figure is 6 inches tall, comes with a few weapons and jet pack, and is a bargain at $45.  I expect to see a bazillion of these on eBay the moment they go on sale.  

R2-A6 Flash Drive from Mimobot

    You remember R2-A6 right?  He was R2-D2's weird cousin with the lisp.  Mimobot created this limited edition flash drive to celebrate Star Wars Day, which I realize was this past weekend but if you want timely news you're better off with CNN.  I had things to do.  They only made 1000 of them and they can still be found for sale at www.mimoco.com.

Parasite Animals Pre-Order from Kikkake x Lulubell Toy Bodega

    How great are these?  The best things you've obviously seen all day would be the correct answer.  These Parasite Animals have been around for a little bit, but now we can get them in America without having to pay crazy shipping prices!  Take the money you would have spent on having them mailed to your house and buy more toys!!  Look how much better your life just became.

    Kikkake had this brilliant idea of taking cute little critter and planting them on top of a skull.  He could have stopped there, because it was already gold, but then he made some killer packaging for them with this bear that is all like "rawr, I'm gonna eat you and stuff cause I have glowing eyeballs".  And then it was the best thing ever but he wasn't done.  He then made a plastic puddle of blood that you can prop em up on for that extra gory effect.  Take my money now!

    You can preorder these guys right now from Lulubell Toy Bodega, who always have the craziest stuff I've ever seen in my life for sale.  And it always sells out (like those Siccaluna Bunnies.  I will never get to own one of those), so stop reading my gibberish and go and buy all of these.  

http://www.lulubelltoys.com/

Look at all the colors you could get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Where are the cats by the way?  Get on making some kitties Kikkake!!

Octovox from Alto x Creo Design

    The octopus is a fascinating creature.  They have 8 crazy arms that can do 8 crazy things al at once and they're smarter than any member of the Kardashian family.  So how come more people don't utilize them in toy design?  Alto and Creo Design are going to be releasing their take on everyones favorite cephalopod this summer with Octovox.  He's got the same crazy angular look that their other work has featured and I believe his color variations were inspired by different types of music.  I'm guessing that because he has a massive amount of speakers coming from the back of his head.  And it looks like he's giving us the double middle finger.  Sassy octopus.  

Chocolate Brown Helper Dragon from Tim Biskup x Rotofugi

    Today my stomach is waging war on the rest of my body.  I don't know what I did to piss it off so much, but it is angry.  This has nothing to do with this toy at all, I just thought I would take advantage of my public forum to complain and gather sympathy.  Ok, moving on.

    This is the latest, and possibly last, color of Tim Biskup's Helper Dragon from Rotofugi.  Why would I say such a thing?  Cause they're making a new mold for their Roto-a-Matic machine that will debut in the summer.  What could it be?  Nobody tells me anything, so your guess is as good as mine.  But while we wait you should buy this.  It's only $6 and available now at www.rotofugi.com.  

Super Series Sunday from Taskone x Tenacious Toys

Fact: Electric Mayhem was always a better band than Nickelback. Fact: The noises my stomach makes after eating bad lunch meat is more listenable than Nickelback. But we're not here to debate whether or not a certain group of Canadian musicians should be treated as terrorists, we're here to talk about these toys.

Taskone and Tenacious Toys are releasing three more figures in their ongoing Pillaging Pop Culture/Super Series Sunday collaboration. Get one blind box for $40 or all three figures for $100 starting tomorrow at 4pm Eastern time.

 

SDCC Exclusive Batusi Batman from Mattel

    This video may be the most awkward thing you see all day.  Batman strolls into a happening joint, meets a pretty gal, then gets roofied in his glass of orange juice.  But before he succumbs to the drugs effects he cuts loose with said pretty gal.  It's strange to say the least, and not surprising that drugs were involved.  Now you can relive this classic moment from tv for ever and ever in the comfort of your own home with the Batusi Batman from Mattel.

    The box is really the best part, as it features retro art from Shag, plays music, and has controls so you can make Batman dance.  This will first be available at this year's San Diego Comic Con and then online August 5th at www.mattycollector.com.

  

Spring Calaverita from The Beast Brothers

    What better way to celebrate the spring season than buying a new skull? You could clean your house, or dig your warm weather clothes out of storage and wash the gross mold smell out of them. That all sounds liked work to me, and that's for other people.

    The Beast Brothers are releasing this Spring edition of their Calaverita on Friday, May 10that 1pm Eastern time at www.thebeastbrothers.com. They only made 25 of them. That's not really a lot.

Pyramid Artifact by Mike Fisher x Oni Creations

    Yeah, technically this is not a toy, and technically I don't give a crap because it's cool. I have a ton of weird stuff that would look amazing sitting next to one of these Pyramid Artifact sculptures. And if the police find this in your house after you've been dead and your cats have nibbled on you it will most likely set off an intense investigation. They may think you were practicing for your amateur necromancy club that meets at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday nights. Or that you were just weird. Anything you can do to make someone's day more interesting is worth doing.

    Mike Fisher is the man behind this mysterious eye, and they were produced by Oni Creations, which is Frank Kozik's resin venture. The white version you see above is an open edition, the first 50 of which will release today for $55.

    This is the one I want though, for obvious reasons. It is the Eye of Odin edition and is made with clear and teal swirled resin. Only 25 of these were made and they will be $70 each. Give it a prominent place in your house or you will never see Valhalla.

    Both of these go on sale today (May 2) at noon Pacific time at www.frankkozik.net.

DeKorner Death Vader Exclusive from Broken Pigeon

    This toy is fantastic.  Darth Vader is ready to take you on a trip to the underworld, and no, there will not be any stops to use the bathroom.  He's a cyborg and I'm pretty sure he doesn't have to pee anymore.  

    Broken Pigeon has created 20 of these yellow and black marbled Death Vader as an exclusive for DeKorner.  You can get one for $45 May 3rd at 10am at www.dekorner.com.  But you already knew that because it says so in the picture.  Aren't you just too fancy for your britches.  

New 20 Inch and 3 Inch Dunnys from McBess x Kidrobot + Random Thoughts

    By now anyone who would be into this probably knows about it and has developed an opinion about whether or not they will be plunking down $400 to get the latest 20 inch Dunny from McBess x Kidrobot.  I will probably pick up his little 3 inch companion because A.) I don't have $400 to spend on anything that doesn't involve someone with a foreclosure notice and a lawyer and B.) The design doesn't really speak to me.  But that's ok, I haven't gone on tirades about hating Kidrobot and wondering if this is the end for them and threatening to sell everything I own that they made.  You know why?  Because I have other things to do.  And I take a more reasonable approach to things.  

    I don't have this crazy idea that everything Kidrobot produces is going to be something that appeals to me.  I've never walked into a museum and enjoyed every piece of art that I've seen.  Some I like more than others, some not at all.  It's not anyone's fault, it's just the way my brain is wired.  

    They are the most prominent company in the designer toy world and that makes them the biggest target for people looking to complain.  Message boards (especially their own) are filled with hate speech and tirades about what a crappy job they are doing.  I don't get it.  Toy collecting should be fun and if you've lost sight of that there are plenty of ways to sell your collection and take up another hobby, like cat breeding or ultimate fighting.  

    I like Kidrobot.  I like Dunnys and Smorkin Labbits and many other random things they come out with.  I like that they've introduced me to artists that I may have never heard of before.  I like that they've been able to carve out a huge path in America for designer toys to flourish so that more and more people are making more and more three dimensional art.  I like that many of my favorite stores exist because of them.  I like turtles.  

    At the end of the day these objects are there to make us smile while we're alive and to make up a killer estate sale when we croak.  Plus, I have to go to work and entertain my wife.  Complaining is something I have yet to be able to fit in my schedule.  In times like this I am reminded of the wisdom bestowed upon us by this generation's greatest philosopher, Sweet Brown:

    Oh, and the Dunnys go on sale May 9th for anyone that is still paying attention.

Dealmaker by Andrew Bell x mphlabs

    I don't trust sales people.  I don't care what it is you're selling, whether it be cars, insurance, boxes of kittens, I don't trust you.  I've had to be that guy that tried to get you to buy things you didn't want, or sign up for dumb rewards cards that you'll forget you have.  I hated pestering people and I hate when they do it to me.  I was buying something for my sister yesterday at a terrible establishment that I used to work at, and I couldn't just get what I wanted without being given the third degree.  I don't care what else in on sale, I don't care about your item of the month, and no, I will not try on a pair of jeans when all I want is a My Little Pony toy.  That's not even remotely reasonable and for that I hope you get rabies.  

    So this Dealmaker from Andrew Bell and mphlabs makes me a little nervous.   Just look at his face.  He's totally gonna get you to buy the undercoating and an extended warranty.  While his intentions may be terrible, I do like his overall look.  And he is supposedly one of the first ever figures made in the US in the traditional Japanese sofubi style.  You can get one for yourself this Thursday at 1pm Eastern time for $35 at www.myplasticheart.com.  

New Toys from Brandt Peters and Kathie Olivas

    I'd love to see a narwhal in person someday.  There a close second on my list to the great white shark, but seeing either one would make me extremely happy.  I guess you couldn't get in one of those shark diving cages to see a narwhal though, cause if he wanted to get close you risk getting impaled by his giant horn.  Has that ever happened before?  (UPDATE:  I just looked it up on Google and the only things involving "impaled" and "narwhal" seem to be in jest.  Looks like it is a silly thing to worry about).

    Mortimer the Mortician isn't as interested in running you through with his horn as he is in preparing your body for its eternal dirt nap.  This narwhal was created by Brandt Peters and come complete with a meat clever and a jug of embalming juice.  $60 will get you one of the four colorways you see here.  

    His friend Oliver was created by Kathie Olivas and resembles a rich little orphan that will one day grow up to defend the city of Gotham.  His little birdy pals supposedly like to feed on corpses.  Me think they should strike a deal with the mortician to make his work load a little less cumbersome.  $60 for each of the four colors that this masked boy come in.  

    Only 200 of each colorway of these figures were made by the folks at Artoyz Paris.  They should be releasing soon.

A Northern Bog from Frank Kozik x Skinner

    Do I even need to express the fact that I would punch your grandmother in the face to own this?  Cause I would knock that old lady out.  For one, I love the Ultrus Bog figure from Skinner, so right there I'm sold on this sucker.  And two, it was hand painted by Frank Kozik.  That's like putting platinum icing on a solid gold cake.  

    There will only be 9 of the Northern Bog figures made and they go on sale May 1st for $200 at www.frankkozik.net.  Do I even need to express the fact that I do not have $200 to spend on this?  I need like a layaway plan or something.  Give me 6 months financing Frank, interest free preferably!  I've got a credit score that makes Visa weep with joy.

Custom Toy of the Week: Ume Toys

    Some people spend tons of time customizing a toy and then call it a day.  Not Richard Page of Ume Toys.  After he spent countless hours making this Fonzo toy look all spiffy, he then customized the pictures he took of it!  It's insanity!  

    This will be part of the Fonzo Loves the UK event at The ShoGallery May 11th, where tons of other artists have also lent their creative minds to reinterpret the mascot of FreakStore.  

Super Series Sunday from Halo Seraphim x Tenacious Toys

    If the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park looked like this it would have been an entirely different movie.  Everyone would have just become friends and had a tea party and whatnot.  Probably would have played some board games, had a book club, listened to the new Decemberists album.  Would have been a pretty chill place.  

    These Nerdasaurus blind boxes will be going on sale tomorrow on www.tenacioustoys.com.  They were created by Halo Seraphim and cast by Scott Kinnebrew.  And they're cute.  Not everything can be skulls and Norwegian black metal.  Not until I am emperor anyway.

The Hell? from We Become Monsters

    I worked with a guy once that looked kinda like this.  while he did have fewer eyes, the tooth count is spot on.  He scared me in a sort of "I want you to come look at my train set in my basement, but ignore the pile of hatchets and chicken feathers" sort of way.  But in the company of other people, that were all able to quickly call the police, he was a nice guy.

    We Become Monsters makes some pretty crazy stuff and The Hell?  ranks right up there with the best of them.  He made seven of these guys, all hand made and all different colors.  Plus they're articulated, which can't be the easiest thing to do.  They stand 6 and 1/2 inches tall and will be $75 each.  They go on sale today (Friday, April 26) at noon Eastern time at http://webecomemonsters.storenvy.com/.  

X-Ray Alter Beast for C2E2 by Scott Wilkowski x Monster Worship

    This is the best thing you will see at C2E2 this weekend.  Forget the rest of the show and make a bee line to the Nakama Toys booth # 951 tomorrow to get the best toy you will see there.  Scott Wilkowski and Monster Worship got together and created this X-Ray Alter Beast made of clear vinyl with a super sick skeleton sculpture inside.  They will be available from 11:30-3:30 at the aforementioned booth.  Seriously, don't even pay to park if it means you can't buy this.  There are plenty of nice hobos that will take great care of your car and may even have it back in time for when you're ready to go home.  And the trunk may or may not be filled with fish.  It's a sign that you're best friends now.  

Ever Wonder How Toys Are Made? Some Insight from A Little Stranger

    Making a toy isn't as easy as it seems.  You don't just have an idea and watch it come to life while you sit on the couch eating Doritos and watching Dr. Who.  It takes work.  And clay.  And lots of money.  Most of the time we never get to see the process as it literally takes shape, but when A Little Stranger did the sculpting for the mascot of ToyConUK she was kind enough to document the process so we could get a glimpse into what it takes to make a cool vinyl toy.  She took the design from The Hang Gang, brought it to life in 3D, and then Unbox Industries had this sucker produced.  You can check it all out from start to finish over at her website http://www.alittlestranger.com/wordpress/.  

"Friend of the Forrest" Frederick the Beetle from Super7

    I like spring, it's a fairly decent season.  The one thing I don't like it that I have ants trying to make their way into my house and mooch off of me.  Now, I thought that once my cats got wind of these little invaders they would make quick snacks out of them but noooooooooooooooooo, they have become friends instead.  Their cat food is locked securely in an air tight container, leaving only the stuff I eat to feed their new little buddies.  Icarus eats everything else in the house, from shoelaces to shirt sleeves, and don't let a moth creep inside because that's his favorite bedtime meal, so I thought he would make quick work of them.  But these ants seem to be more entertainment than anything.  Irritating.

   I wouldn't mind it too much if this guy decided to move in.  Just look at that face!  I would share my Cheez-Itz with him no problem.  You can start your own infestation today when this "Friend of the Forrest" edition of Frederick the Beetle goes on sale.  Get him starting at noon Pacific time at www.super7store.com.

Double Heather Cheap Toy from Buff Monster x Healeymade

    It would suck to have two heads.  What if one of the heads had really bad breath and the other head never got any relief from it?  Or one of them insisted on trying hats on, caught head lice, and gave it to the other?  You just know one of the heads would be a filthy jerk like that.  I'm sure you could strike a pretty cool reality tv deal, but it just seems like a hassle to me.

    You may remember this toy in its original incarnation as Double Heather from the Garbage Pail Kids.  Well, Buff Monster changed her up a bit to include two of his signature ice cream scoops as heads and then had Healeymade cast them in resin.  These 4 versions will be available tomorrow through Buff Monster's website at www.buffmonster.com.  

Skeleton Labbit from Frank Kozik x Kidrobot

    I spilled the beans on this one a few months back (with permission I might add) and since then I have eagerly awaited its release.  Tomorrow the wait is over as Frank Kozik x Kidrobot release both editions of the Skeleton Labbit.  These are going to drive me mad because how do you display them?  Do you chose one side you like better?  Do you turn them sideways so you see a little of each?  Do you rotate them every other week like the kids of divorced parents?  Maybe you could get a little motorized display that spins slowly like the ones they use at auto shows.  Or you could just not over think things like I do and move on with your life.  Either way, these guys are $75 each and go on sale tomorrow, which is Thursday April 25th.  

    Kozik of course will have a bunch of these on his website for sale.  You can get em signed and shipped right from his international headquarters.  www.frankkozik.net

    And if you live in San Francisco you can go to the Kidrobot store tomorrow from 6-8pm and harass him in person.