Butterpillars from Taylored Curiosities

    Who didn't collect bugs in jars as a kid?  It was free entertainment and pretty harmless unless you were out there catching Black Widows.  I was a bit too rational as a child though, so I only kept em for a few minutes and let them go again.  Sure I poked holes in the lid so they could breathe, but no one could explain to me what they were supposed to eat in there.  Do they have some sort of insect food delivery that goes into action when their brethren is imprisoned?  We didn't have the internet then, so if your parents didn't know things you were out of luck.  And the Encyclopedia Britannica would only get you so far, so I practiced catch and release.  It would be interesting to me if someone could pinpoint the moment that compassion left me and I became a cruel old hermit.  Get off my lawn!!!!!!!

    Taylored Curiosities has taken us back to the innocence of childhood with these Butterpillars.  You can keep them in the jar as long as you want and never have to worry about their discomfort.  Poke a few holes just in case though.  They're on sale right now at http://tayloredcuriosities.bigcartel.com/.

Outsmart Originals at NYCC

    Did you ever notice that it's cool to put designs on shirts but not on pants?  Like, if you have pants with a design on it you are pretty much a deviant who listens to Insane Clown Posse and has a low credit score.  Think about it, when was the last time you saw anyone who didn't look like a drunken mugshot wearing pants with a design up the leg?  We have made it unacceptable in our society to express your artistic desires on your dungarees and I'm ok with that.  If Project Runway has taught me anything it's that you gotta edit.  Less is more.  Your jeans are the pallet cleanser between your t-shirt and your sneakers, a brief reprieve of visual assault from those that are checking out your hot bod.

    Outsmart Originals doesn't make artists series pants thankfully, or they would be in trouble.  They stick to tees and have a load of them coming to New York Comic Con.  MCA has collaborated with some of his artist bros to transform his Evil Ape character.  Lamour Supreme, Sergio Mancini, Scott Tolleson, Oliver Hibert, and Evoker are all putting their spin on the iconic little dude.  And Outsmart will also have a shirt from Frank Kozik that features a Day of The Dead kitty!!!!!!I haven't even seen it yet but I'll probably buy it anyway, cause that's how I roll son.  

    Can't make it to New York next month?  You can preorder them all right now at http://outsmartoriginals.storenvy.com/.

People Find This Site in the Oddest of Ways

    

Yes, this is indeed The Toy Viking headquarters.

    Looking at the data for how people stumble upon this website is kind of interesting.  Three people found me by doing a Google search for "plastic balloon animals."  One even made his way here with his inquiry about "cool mickey mouse graphic designs."  My favorite though, has to be the handful that did a search for "google" and somehow made their way to my little corner of the internet.  A dozen or so have found me through a few different Russian sites that probably now have me on some sort of government watch list.  Speaking of Russia, Sharon and I just watched a documentary called Miss Gulag on Netflix, that is about a beauty pageant held in a women's prison in Siberia.  Women is prison there are a lot different from the ones in the United States.  For example:  Those Siberian girls looked like they were doing an artsy fashion shoot for Vogue and not doing time for attempted murder.  While in the United States, I am scared of any woman that has been incarcerated due to their facial scar collection and the fact that they could probably take me.  When I used to work in the mall we would get groups of women from a local half way house and the way they would give you the eye reminded me of when two cartoon characters are starving in the desert and one of them begins looking like a turkey diner to the other.  But they don't let cannibals live in half way houses do they?  I figure if you partake in eating another person you are probably stuck in jail forever.  Maybe it was because I have a beard and it was the most manly thing they'd seen in awhile.  Call me old fashioned, but I'm leery of someone winking at me with a tear drop-tattooed eye.  

   I can't remember if I had a point to any of this at all.  

Dunny Evolved Launch Party at Kidrobot New York

    Kidrobot is releasing a new series of Dunnys during New York Comic Con and are having a little get together to celebrate.  You see that little flyer up there?  It has a lot of information.  Most of it is of some importance, but the RSVP info is probably what you should focus on right now.  And by focus on it I mean you should email that person and tell em you wanna go.  Cause if you don't you may be spending that chilly October night standing outside of Kidrobot New York while all the cool people are in there getting drunk and buying toys.  You'll have your face pressed up against the window, looking a bit mental and wishing you could be inside having fun.  So RSVP ya bum!  On a side note I will be driving back to the Pine Barrens of New Jersey while this party is happening because someone has to feed my cats, so I will need to live vicariously through you.  Don't let me down.  

More NYCC Exclusives from myplasticheart

    This guy looks like he would have a flavor.  Like orange mango or something.  That would be an interesting way to display your toys; by grouping together the ones that look delicious.  I seriously have too much free time.

    myplasticheart is releasing more info about their exclusives for New York Comic Con and that would include this Junior from Lou Pimentel.  It's a special Necro Candy Corn edition that will be available for $35.

    My wife went nuts when she saw this because she does the whole crochet thing too.  She's shown her work to people before and they've confused it with knitting, which is a huge faux pas.  Knitters and crocheters evidently have this whole east coast/west coat rap battle thing going on and if you confuse the two it's a quick way to lose an eye.  I expect when she meets Leesasaur they will make some gang signs with their hands that I won't understand but that will bond them for life.  

First Batch of NYCC Exclusives from Tenacious Toys

    The great blue takeover is happening at New York Comic Con this year courtesy of Tenacious Toys.  They have a giant collective booth with a ton of other folks that will form like some miniature city inside of the convention.  Word is they'll have their own post office, fire department, and grocery store, but I haven't been able to confirm this.  Seriously, it's gonna be huge.  These are some of the exclusives that Benny will have available just from his side of things.  Get ready to go into debt.

    MegaSeth is one of the best resin dudes I've ever seen and I'm glad I'll finally be able to see one in person.  This king of all that is metal from Lisa Rae Hansen is limited to only 5 pieces in this edition and each is hand made and only $60.  Me thinks I may need one.  

    Continuing with the blue theme are these Monster Embryos from Taylored Curiosities.  Pretty cute right?  I dunno how many were made or what they'll cost, but I'm betting they'll be cheaper than any cab ride in the city and a lot less dangerous.

    Is it a toy?  Is it art?  Will it unleash hellish beings who will wish to torture you if you try and open it?  Who cares (well the last part is kinda frightening to be honest) cause it looks cool.  Carson Catlin is a man with more patience than I've ever been able to muster.  You have to be zen-like to carve up toys the way he does with such precision.  Luckily these weren't all individually cut, or he may just have drive himself nuts.  Ten of these blue cubes will be available at $50 each.  

    Wait a second...this appears to be yellow.  How did this happen?  Just when you think you have a grasp on what's going on in the world they go and change things up on ya.  VISEone is the man behind this Zombie Goo figure and he will be at the convention to sign one of these 100 exclusives especially for you.  And they're only $40 each.

    Ok, all is now right with the world as we have returned to a more familiar shade of toy.   But talk about mixing it up.  We've seen resin, vinyl, and now plush!  Furry Feline Creatives made 10 of these hand made 15 inch plushies and they will be available for $40.  

    I'm sure there's gonna be more, but this is what I know about so far.  Go and say hi at booth #208.

KaijuMonster at NYCC

    Obviously, KaijuMonster wants all of my money.  If anyone is a fan of crazy monster toys be prepared to file for bankruptcy protection after New York Comic Con.  Just look at this lineup.  You have everyone from Max Toy Co., to Unbox Industries, to Guumon.  These are some heavy hitters and I can't wait to see the actual toys they'll have available.