"Toxic Goldfish" Toxigon Lottery from Mutant Vinyl Hardcore

    You know whats a weird popular thing online that I don't think anyone ever saw coming?  Zit popping videos.  And these aren't your run of the mill teenage grease pockets either.  I'm talking about giant-sized, cottage cheese gushing skin maladies that would challenge even the strongest stomach to get through.  Some of these videos have views well into the millions, making them on par with a new Taylor Swift video, and just about as watchable.  

   Just once I'd like for them to open up some giant growth on a dude's neck and have Toxigon pop out.  He looks like he'd be quite comfortable marinating under your skin until he was ready to wreak his own special brand of havoc on the world.  This "Toxic Goldfish" paint scheme really makes him look like some crazy biological anomaly that will one day have it's own daytime television commercial asking anyone who has experienced giving birth to a Toxigon to call some phone number and join a class action lawsuit against the makers of some new drug after it is determined that this crazy demon dude is the side effect of those pills you take just to be able to leave the house everyday and not freak out on people.  

    "Have you or someone you know taken the drug Prozac and as a result had a terrible hell spawn climb out of a skin blemish causing you extensive personal damage as you try to be the best parent anyone has ever been to such a hell-spawn even though his taste for flesh and vengeance on an unsuspecting world was greater than your capacity to love?  If you answered yes, you may be entitled to compensation.  We have lawyers who are also demonologists ready to take your case."

    Getting one of these beasts is actually a lot less painful than having one grow on the side of your neck.  You just have to enter a lottery and cross your fingers that you get picked.  Starting today (Friday, December 12)  at noon eastern time and lasting until tonight at 11:59pm eastern time, you can enter your pertinent details at http://www.mutantvinylhardcore.com/.  There are only 25 of these dudes to go around, so the winners will be announced on Saturday and invoiced for the price of the figure, which is $200 plus shipping.   

    

Toy Art Gallery Presents: Christmas Kaiju

   I'm a man with a lot of beliefs.  I believe we shouldn't have to pay for health care.  I believe the Flyers will win the Stanley Cup before I die.  I also believe that your holiday decorations should be so awesome that you just leave them out year round.  I'm not talking about your Santa Claus lawn inflatable or your snowmen bath towels, I'm talking about decorating with your collection.  Let Toy Art Gallery help introduce you to the world of permanent decorations during their Christmas Kaiju show this Friday.  All of your favorite artists have created stuff so amazing you won't have the heart to pack it up and forget about it 11 months out of the year.  Plus, it will save you time because you are always prepared for any festivities that may happen at your house.  Do you see what I do for you?  I'm better than Dr. Phil at improving lives.  Check out the list of artists below.

Resin Ornament Sets Featuring Argonaut Resins, The Jelly Empire, and Laura Alvarez

    I guess you could be lame and buy some Honey Boo Boo or Duck Dynasty Christmas ornaments from Wal Mart to fill your tree this year, or you could buy something much cooler and that won't make your family question your ability to feed yourself.  

     Argonaut Resins has created these holiday ornament sets in collaboration with The Jelly Empire and Laura Alvarez just in the nick of time to save your Christmas decorating blunders.  Each set comes with three sparkly handcrafted ornaments and will be available for sale starting tomorrow, December 12th, at noon eastern time.  Pick up a set or two at http://argonautresins.bigcartel.com/.

   

Whiskers of the Undead from Aesop Rock x Kidrobot

    I'll be the first to admit, I had never heard the music of Aesop Rock before.  Truthfully, I haven't really paid much attention to any rap after Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog in the early 90's.  That was back when rap would teach you about the crazy things that were going on beyond the perfectly manicured lawns and lemonade stands of suburbia.  It was an entire side of life I didn't know about and I found it fascinating.  My most influential musical times happened during the height of metal bands like Metallica and Slayer and then the whole grunge thing came along and I was really into that because it echoed my feelings as a teenager.  Rap music at the time was really similar when you think about it, it was just from a different cultural point of view.  The angst and alienation was all there, only it's manner of expression was different.  Now it seems like most of what passes as "popular" hip hop is only focused on how much material wealth the singer has or about how they're the best at what they do.   This self-aggrandizing is perfect for the generation that grew up with selfies and statues updates about what they're eating for lunch, but it is lost on me.

   I decided if I was gonna post about this toy I should know a little about the guy behind it, so I did a tad bit of internet research.  I listened to a few songs on iTunes, read a little bit about him on Wikipedia, and I was pretty impressed.  He seems like a thoughtful artist, someone who is not only a clever wordsmith but has the ideals behind those words to make his work compelling.  And he apparently likes cats, which is a big plus in my book.  So now let's bring it back around and talk about the feline specimen you see above.  

    Aesop Rock and Kidrobot are set to release this "Whiskers of the Undead" figure tomorrow and to say it is a striking piece would be to sell it far too short.  Artist Galen McKamy's hard work really shows and is beyond what you'd expect outside of their Black series of toys.  

   Now, something this intense doesn't come cheap, and at $250 it may grind your Christmas shopping to a halt, but that's why credit cards were invented.  Undead kitties need love too, ya know.   

Peter Kato is Gonna Make Christmas Even Cuter With His Latest Releases

    I don't know how people manage to live in those parts of the world that stay dark for months at a time, because the weather here has been depressing.  Though it's far from being as black as midnight out, everything is just covered in a shade of grey that makes you want to stay in bed till well after lunch time.  We desperately need something to brighten up our lives when the outside world refuses to, and that's where Peter Kato comes in with his festive resin creations.  

    There's bunnies everywhere!!!!!  There's sleeping bunnies, and polka dot bunnies, and even bunnies for your Christmas tree.  

  

    Ok, I know you just squealed with excitement, so let me give you all the pertinent details.  Everything you see above goes on sale tomorrow, December 11th, at 8pm eastern time only from http://peterkatoshop.com/.  These always sell out fast, so be ready to get down to business if you want one.  

     Now if you are of keen eye you might have noticed something that looks completely different/no rabbit like.  That is the work of Kevin Nam, who approached Peter about doing an internship with him.  Having no prior experience, Peter taught him as much as he could then challenged him to make his own toy.  The result is Big Top, which actually spins and has three separate hands that each represent either rock paper or scissors, so you can play against a friend or your most competitive cat.  They come in a few different colors and will be $30 each.  

Badleg Krampus from Goodleg Toys

    You know what my favorite reality show is on tv?  If you guessed on of those "Real Housewives" shows you can punch yourself in the eye for me.  The correct answer is "Beyond Scared Straight" where they send seemingly tough little brats to a real prison and make them cry.  The best is when they kids don't even need a convicted murderer yelling in their faces about how much fun cuddle time is, but when they start hysterically sobbing just by putting on the jumpsuit.  And they're always the kids that are like "I'm in a gang yo, I'll kill anyone if they don't know how bad I am" and they stand all of five feet tall and maybe weigh 80 pounds.  It is hilarious when they go from "I'm the baddest mofo you've ever seen, I'm gonna run this prison" to "where's my momma, I need my momma."  It's way funnier than Two and a Half Men ever was.  

   Watching little thugs have an emotional breakdown is one of my favorite past times, but don't you wish we would adopt some preemptive measures in the United States to maybe curb their behavior before having to send them off to a day of jail food and orange jumpsuits?  Enter Krampus.  It's high time we adopted this Christmas devil as part of our own holiday celebrations.  A rumored decedent of Loki, ol Krampus isn't into trickery as much as he is into stuffing bad kids into a bag and wailing on them with a stick.  And we could make a reality show about it and laugh as they scream and cry when the goat man shows up at their house.  That's must see tv.

    Goodleg Toys are offering up a preorder right now of their version of St. Nicholas's more fun counterpart.  Go right now to http://goodlegtoys.storenvy.com/ and ensure you have a secret weapon to make your little ones eat their vegetables and clean their room without complaint.  

Help Make Stegoforest Rider and Mossy Kappa Real Toys!!!

     I'm totally detecting a theme today.  If you guess what it is I won't smack you across the lips. You may or may not know Jesse Narens from his previous toy, the pictured Stegoforest, which in my opinion is pretty dang brilliant.  Well, some time has passed since that release and now it's time to make some more friggin toys, and stuff.  Help Jesse raise the funds he needs to make his newest creations a reality by supporting his Indie Go Go campaign.  Doesn't Indie Go Go sound like a hipster strip club?  Anyway, he's launched a campaign to get his new Mossy Kappa and Stegoforest Rider figures made in uber amazing Japanese vinyl, which if you didn't know, is like the platinum of plastics.  Follow this link, buy some col stuff, and help bring these to life.  Oh, and even if he doesn't get the entire amount funded, he's gonna cover the rest of the cash and everyone is still gonna get their toys.  

Rancid Raptor Blind Bags from James Groman x Lulubell Toy Bodega

    Did you see the trailer for the new Jurassic Park movie?  No, me neither, because a trailer for some indie space film called Star Wars came out and made me forget that other movies exist.  To say I'm excited for another Star Wars film is like saying Stephen Hawking is ok at math.  I'm so excited that I think I ruptured something, metaphorically of course.  I metaphorically ruptured all of my major organs with the excitement I could not contain.  Sadly, my health insurance doesn't cover things that can't be viewed on a CT Scan, so I might metaphorically die.  Metaphorically.

    But dinosaurs are still cool in my book, especially these little dudes from James Groman.  They're called Rancid Raptors, which makes them sound like bad mamma jammas, and they're available right this second from Lulubell Toy Bodega.  They're sold blind bagged, so you may get the standard army green version, or one of the random mixed in colors you see above those.  

Huffington Post asks "Are Art Toys Over?"

    Read The Huffington Post's original article here, and then proceed to my rant below.  

    Ok, now first I must apologize for wasting those few minutes of your life to read that.  Apparently a major journalistic site finds it completely acceptable to determine whether something that many people love is dead or not in such a boring little blip of an article.  The writer just decided to herself "hey, I wonder if like, Kidrobot and art toys are a thing anymore" asked two people what they thought, and concluded "oh, I guess so, kinda."  How do you start with a headline that obviously deserves a great deal of attention/research/forethought, and create something that could be rivaled by most 15 year old's Facebook posts about how their parents suck for not letting them go to the Lady Gaga concert?  

   Am I just a tad biased because I happen to be a collector?  Of course, let's not kid ourselves here.  But I'm also angry because someone actually got paid to write that article.  I toil away on this wee little website day after day just for the satisfaction of knowing people are reading this and hopefully enjoying it.  I've never made a dime doing it and I resent that someone could write something so boring and cash a check for it.  And she called us all hipsters, which is further proof that the writer really has no idea what she's talking about, and should probably stick to writing such compelling articles as "The Easiest, Most DIY Bacon" or "Packing for Baby's First Roadtrip."  Isn't that who you want to determine whether your favorite hobby is destined for the same fate as Beanie Babies?  

    She asked people's opinions about what she had to say, so why not bombard her with how you feel at this link.  

Christmas Worry Beans from Taylored Curiosities

    With 23 days left until Christmas I'm sure many of you are stressed beyond belief.  You're prematurely turning your hair gray, if you haven't pulled it all out by now, and your stomach seems unable to digest anything that you put in it.  Getting those perfect gifts for the ones you love can turn us all into nervous wrecks, so you need a little something to take the edge off.  No, I'm not talking about pills or anything else that shady dude down the street is always trying to sell you (start taking credit cards bro, no one carries cash anymore).  Transfer your troubles to these Worry Beans from Taylored Curiosities.  These little resin dudes will take the edge off without you having to needlessly wake up in a ditch in someone else's clothes with the riff from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida playing in an endless loop in your mind.  

     Plus, look how festive they are, all dressed up for Christmas and whatnot.  Get your set now at http://tayloredcuriosities.bigcartel.com/.

Purchase A Raffle Ticket Now To Help Nerviswr3k

     It's easy to get cynical this time of year.  You're stressed out because you have a ton of shopping to do and no time to do it and when you go shopping the experience can be anything but festive.  You've got traveling to plan, long lines at the post office, and your credit card companies are close to hiring Boba Fett to help them get paid.  Many of us find ourselves caught up in these things instead of what this time of year is really all about, and that's celebrating your friends and family and putting the needs of other people first.

    Recently, a member of Nerviswr3k's family passed away, leaving behind a young girl to take care of.  Of course this is going to be a rough time for everyone involved, but with our help we can ease their burdens just a little and help make the Christmas season a bit brighter.  Tenacious Toys is holding a raffle from now until December 10th, in which for $10 you will get a sticker pack with donations from Renone, Abe Lincoln Jr., and Sticker Robot.  Every penny of that money is going directly to Nerviswr3k's family.  Didn't I say something about a raffle?  Each sticker pack you buy is one entry into a raffle for some killer prizes, including rare toys and custom figures.  To get a sticker pack see all the prizes that are available, visit this link.  

Black Friday Sales Part 5!!!

Cometdebris

Blackbook Toy

Dirty Donny 

Black Friday Sales Part 4!!!

Uamou

DrilOne

tokidoki

K. Olin Tribu

Black Friday Sales Part 3!!!

Leecifer

DeKorner

Pobber Toys

Monster Factory

Black Friday Sales Part 2!!!

Art Attack Toys

Kidrobot SF / Woot Bear

Mad

The Loyal Subjects

Stone Cold Steve Austin WWE Icon Statue from McFarlane Toys

    Sharon and I just watched the Monday Night Wars episode about Stone Cold and there is no doubt in my mind, he was the greatest superstar in WWE history.  He was the epitome of the anti-hero, someone you could look up to when you hated your job, hated your car, hated whatever else it was you hated.  And you wish you could have reacted the way he did, just flipping your troubles the bird before solving them all with violence.  It's the stuff you dream about doing.  Real life is of course not like wrestling, because of laws and police and life imprisonment and blah, blah, blah.  But you gotta pay tribute to the guy who every Monday Night, made you think that you could just as badass as he was.  

    McFarlane Toys has released this as the latest in their line of WWE Icon Statues.  I don't know if it smells like cheap beer or not, but I know it's limited to only 500 pieces and each one comes with a piece of the ring skirt from Wrestlemania 17 when he fought The Rock.  Not only would this look great under your Christmas tree, but it would also be a good replacement as the focal point of your living room when your tree starts to turn brown. Surrounding it with lit candles and offerings of beef jerky seems appropriate.  Step up your decorating game at http://www.mcfarlanetoysstore.com/.  

Black Friday Sales!!!

Huck Gee

myplasticheart

Toy Art Gallery

Morgogg and Ogos from Skinner Releasing on Black Friday

    Black Friday is a tradition in America where people forgo any sense they may have once possessed in the name of bargains.  I have never personally taken part in this shopping phenomena/hell, but I have worked plenty of them to have an entertaining story or two.  My best one was the first Black Friday I ever worked.  I was employed by one of those big box stores the year that "Tickle Me Elmo" was the must-have toy.  Our store received four of them, and people camped outside our doors overnight trying to get one.  The store manager thought the most fair thing to do would be to line them up on the service desk (which was directly in front of these cold and already irritable people), unlock the doors, and let fate play out how it would.  I'm not sure whether he thought it was a good idea or he knew it was dumb and really just wanted to see what would happen.  The sight of the toy alone had sent the gathered crowd into a frenzy usually reserved for starving animals that happen to stumble upon a buffet.  The manager walked over, twisted the lock, and was knocked backwards by the unleashed tide of desperate parents.  They kicked, shoved, and clawed to get to this red plush toy and then I saw what was one of the craziest things I have ever witnessed in person.  A grown man, in an attempt to fend of a woman grabbing for his prize, turned and punched her square in the face.  I wish I was exaggerating this.  

   Having worked Black Friday in retail means that I will never participate in it as a customer, because people loose their minds over nonsense.  It's better to just stay home, finish digesting the unnaturally large meal you had the day before, and buy your presents online.  And let me tell you, no matter how long you wait outside of Target, they're not gonna have anything nearly this cool inside.

    Skinner is unleashing his newest creations this Friday in the form of Morgogg and Ogos.  This is the first time he has self produced toys, and he went freakishly large with these two thirteen inch madmen.  Sculpted by David Arshawsky, who worked on some of the most iconic toy lines ever produced, these two monsters will be first available in unpainted Gamma Ray Green for $300 for a set of two, or $175 each.  The only place to get them will be http://shopcriticalhit.com/ at noon Pacific time.  

    

Funko to Create Garbage Pail Kids Products in 2015

    Don't you just love how I summed up everything you need to know in the title of this post?  I totally just freed up your day to do other stuff.  You can finally go outside and power wash that sludge off the side of your house, or teach your cats to do something fun and become famous so you can live off of the ensuing merchandise money they make.  The day has just become your oyster, and you my friend have some pearls that need harvesting.  

X-Files Pop! Vinyl Figures from Funko

    Good lord did I ever have a crush on Agent Dana Scully when I was a teenager.  Not that the X-Files wasn't one of my favorite shows because of the great stories, but Gillian Anderson's character ensured I was glued to my tv every time a new episode aired.  Here's a six degrees of separation story for you:  

    Sharon and I used to be friends with a guy who worked on video games and other intellectual properties.  When he lived in Vancouver his boss was Gillian Anderson's husband (they're since divorced).  This is at the same time when people started cutting and pasting celebrities head's onto random naked bodies and evidently they used to torment this guy every time they found a new one featuring his wife (of which there were A LOT apparently).  How this dude never snapped and killed them all I'll never know, but that's pretty much how the story ended every time I ever heard it told.  I for one would have defended him in the hopes that I got invited over for dinner and could steal whatever I could fit in my pockets that belonged to her.  Ok, I don't steal, but the thought would have crossed my mind.  Though I could have taken her tooth brush and frozen it until they perfected cloning.  Imagine explaining that one to your wife when she asks why there's a toothbrush next to her Hot Pockets in the freezer.   

    Not only do you have to file your taxes next April, but you now have to buy these X-Files Pop! Vinyls from Funko.  Hopefully you get a nice refund so you can get them all and not have to pick and choose which ones you want.  See how I just want the best for you?  

Cinema Monster Alpha from Splurrt to Debut This Saturday

    You're stranded at sea, floating at the will of the ocean's current in your life boat.  Starvation has set in as you and your crew have eaten the last of your rations, and the constant exposure to the sun has pushed you to the brink of madness.  But then, just when it seems that all hope is lost, you spot land.  The glorious site of sand and palm trees reinvigorates your will to live, and you use what little strength you have left to guide your craft to shore.  The feeling of land beneath your feet is better than anything you could ever remember, and your euphoria guides you through the dense vegetation.  There you feast on tropical fruits, filling your shrunken belly to the point of sickness.  And then you hear it.  The most dreadful cry rings out from a creature you couldn't even imagine in your wildest dreams.  The comforting earth begins to shake, animals scatter towards safety, and trees are crushed as whatever this thing is comes closer and closer to you and the other survivors.  Your salvation is now your doom.

   I loooooooooove this new Cinema Monster figure from Splurrt.  He looks ripped from the stop motion world of Ray Harryhausen and ready to feast on some unsuspecting humans.  If you want to welcome this beast into your life you'll get the chance tomorrow at noon eastern time when these go up for sale.  No lottery involved in this one, just the luck of your computer and a good internet connection.  Oh, and you'll need $150, cause that's what he costs.  Buy me one at http://splurrt.bigcartel.com/.  

NECA Buys Kidrobot, Appoints Frank Kozik as King of All Designer Toys

    Thankfully people now have something to talk about other than Bill Cosby, how cold it is outside, and whether Obama is responsible for both.  Yesterday it was announced that uber detailed action figure company NECA had purchased Kidrobot for four magic beans and a Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card (kidding, I'm sure it involved more money than I've ever seen) and that Frank Kozik is the new creative director.  What does that mean for us collector folk?  Well, it probably means that our bank statements are gonna make us a little sadder each month because more of our funds will be diverted into buying cool toys that otherwise may not have existed.  While I'm sure it will take some time before the impact is felt in the product (toy making is slow business) you couldn't ask for anyone better to be in such an important position.  Not only does he create, but he collects, and he's been involved in every aspect you can be in the designer toy world.  Plus, he likes cats and you can trust a man that likes cats.

All City Style Custom Show at PIQ in Grand Central Terminal This Weekend

    New York can be an intimidating place, especially when it comes to the subway.  Not only is it confusing to figure out where you're going, but some of the stations look like they are preparing to film the next installment of the Saw franchise.  My best subway story, which I may or may not have told here before, started off innocently enough.  Sharon and I are standing on the platform, waiting for the train to arrive, and all of a sudden some lady pushes past us in disgust, continuously looking behind her, and mumbling "oh my God" over and over.  We turned to see what had got her in such a panic and no more than ten feet away from us was a grown man dropping the deuce.  Now when you think about pooping, which who doesn't, you picture someone squatting down.  Not this guy.  He was standing straight, sweat pants around his ankles, and growing a brown tail like it was as normal as checking your text messages.  Now try as I might to look away, I just couldn't.  It had nothing to do with the horror of what was happening as much as it had to do with making sure he came nowhere near us.  A man that will poop out in the open on a subway platform is a man that :

1.) is full of germs

2.) is probably a tad unstable and might decide that a stabbing is next on his to do list

    He finished his business, pulled up his pants, and got on the train like nothing was out of the ordinary.  We walked three cars up from where he got on (the recommended distance you should always have between yourself and someone who's committed such an act) and went about the rest of our day unable to speak of anything else.  

     My point behind this story is to say that the subway could use some sprucing up, and I don't mean with the random spattering of Scientologists and American Idol hopefuls it has now.  Bigshot Toyworks remembers a time when you could at least see colorful, albeit illegal, artwork adorning the sides of every train.  So much so that they created the All City Style subway train car so artists now can relive those days when Times Square was more Mad Max than Disneyland, and riding the subway meant getting an art show to go along with your mugging.

    A tone of artists have customized these cars to put on display this weekend at PIQ in Grand Central Terminal.  The show opens November 22nd and will feature tons of artists you know and love.  A listing of participants can be found in the picture waaaaaaaaay up at the top there.  

Sons of Anarchy Mystery Box from Mezco

     Good lord did you watch Sons of Anarchy last night?  Talk about emotional.  I won't spoil it for you in case you have it stowed away on your DVR because you were somehow unable to make time for it when it originally aired (what were you doing that was more important?).  And it's killing me a little on the inside because no one I work with watches it (they're bad people) and I wanna talk about it soooooooo badly.  Especially the brilliant scene when Jax and Nero are talking on the phone.  Uggh just call out sick and go watch it.

     If you watch Sons of Anarchy I'm guessing you're a person that spits danger in the eye.  You don't just live on the edge, you dangle from it with one hand while taking a selfie with the other.  You need a surprise at every turn, and that's why the S.O.A. Mystery Box from Mezco is for you.  It's kinda like gambling, but without the shame of signing over your Ford Focus when the Eagles fail to cover the spread against the Packers.  I'll miss that car.

     For $20 you get two official Sons of Anarchy products.  What will you get?  I don't have the slightest idea, but that's what makes it exciting.  Seven lucky people that order one of these will get an upgrade to a box featuring everything you see pictured above.  That's one for each season the show has been on the air, in case you're ever on Jeopardy.  Order yours from http://www.mezcotoyz.com/.  

Own the Final Battle Rat Colorway from Mike Sutfin

    I always get a kick out of spotting a rat whenever Sharon and I are in New York.  Not only are they the most famous rats in the world, but it always surprises me to see wildlife in the city other than pigeons.  The ones you see are still kinda cute, even though they're covered in muck and would probably steal a hamburger from your kid's mouth while leaving behind a healthy dose of plague.  But you always wonder whats lurking around in the abandoned subway tunnels and sewers that people don't get to see.  Rats that have evolved beyond anything we would ever want to imagine.  Maybe they look something like this.

    Mike Sutfin's Battle Rat is one bad rodent.  At least he gives off that air of badness by dragging that skull around.  It's pretty much the best method for conveying that you are not to be messed with.  You might want to leave it out of your profile pic on your dating website though.  It's best to wait until the third date to bring up your love for carting around the decapitated heads of your enemies.  

     This dude is the final colorway ever of this figure and is up for preorder right now at http://sutfin.bigcartel.com/.  He features some pretty intense paint techniques and you can interchange the heads to suit your moods.  And he's much safer than trying to tame one of those critters you find rifling through the trash in Manhattan.  You only make that mistake once.