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.