"We're All Mad Here"
The most important thing to have as a collector, besides tons of cash and lots of patience, is a friend with the same interest as you. Nothing enhances the moment you score an amazing toy than knowing someone who would be tormented by your find. There are entire online forums dedicated to people showing off their collections; the problem with those is that you don’t get to wallow in the envy that is plastered on each person’s face as they drool over your thirteen Ikea Detolfs worth of Kaws. Of course, it does help if they are into the same artists or style of figure as you; otherwise your bragging will never reach its full potential.
When I met Erica we discovered that we both shared a healthy obsession with the work of Tara McPherson. She had managed to buy a few of her toys and a print while all I had acquired was a case full of jealousy. My competitive nature suddenly kicked in like a screaming Valkyre descending from Asgard. Armed with a credit card and a computer I hunted down the items she had and the few she wasn’t able to get. The next time I saw her we didn’t even get into small talk before I brought up my recent acquisitions. The smile on her face grew bigger with each toy I mentioned; a smile that I mistook for happiness at my good fortune and keen internet hunting skills, when in reality it was driven by something far more sinister. “I went to New York last weekend and met her at a book signing.” This was a complete disaster. How on Earth could I measure up against such a pilgrimage to see the actual art goddess herself? There had to be something out there we both coveted more than anything…
That very thing was handed to me by Fate itself. McPherson has released a full size Circus Punk that was one out of only a hundred and hand signed on the bottom. This was like finding the Holy Grail and being able to use it to catch dust on your entertainment center. This was big and I needed a way to gloat that was unprecedented in our collecting relationship. I needed to throw a tea party.
I gathered everything necessary to capture this stunning portrait: clothing to fit the occasion, a small table, a few doilies, and my wife’s tea set from when she was a child. My new Circus Punk took a seat of honor and was surrounded by various other characters. Now all that was left was to take the picture.
Sitting on the floor in a suit and making small talk over tea with one’s collectibles can bring many thoughts to the person documenting the event on film. The first thought could involve the word “genius,” bringing forth the maniacal laughter of an arch villain; the other could include the word “sociopath” and leave them coming to grips with the apparent limits of your own sanity. This is why the tripod was invented; it doesn’t judge.
The campaign of revealing the image to her had to be extravagant and hit her from every side to maximize its impact; the true definition of “shock and awe.” I sent it to her cell phone, emailed it to all of her accounts, and put an 8x10 glossy in the mail to her home address.
It turns out the second most important thing to have as a collector are TWO friends that share your interest in case the first one doesn’t appreciate your sense of humor.
The fine folks at Diamond Select Toys will be unleashing Series 2 of their Universal Monsters line just in time for Halloween. Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Bride of Frankenstein will each stand 7" tall and be available exclusively at Toys R Us this October. I think all three of them would look quite nice riding atop my wife's My Little Pony Collection.
This was released today and is almost sold out on The Loyal Subject's website, so consider this a public service announcement to not wait any longer and get one before they're all gone. The Lava editions of any of Joe Ledbetter's toys are always the most sought after so get that credit card ready and order yours now!
I wait all year for New York Comic Con, and I didn't think there was anyway that I could get more excited about it. Today, I was proven terribly wrong as the Cultyard added more guests to their already amazing guests from the world of designer vinyl toys. Andrew Bell, Ron English, Tara McPherson, and Erick Scarecrow have been confirmed for awhile and are staples of any good convention on the east coast. But this year attendees will get to meet artists that rarely make the trip to this side of the country for appearances. Angry Woebots, Marka27, Skinner, John Paul Kaiser, and Lamour Supreme will all be in New York to sign for and meet their fans. Get your tickets now because NYCC sells out every year and you don't want to miss the spectacle. 
I don't know what it is with me and high priced collectables lately. Maybe it's wishful thinking, or maybe it's just that everything that is really cool is becoming really expensive. Check out this 1:4 scale Harley Quinn statue from DC Direct. Ms. Quinn stand 16" tall and is and features her little hyena buddies with mouthfuls of bad news. Lots of hand painting a attention to detail make this figure really stand out and worthy of their "museum quality tag." It can be yours for $325, which really isn't that bad when you consider the amount of work that went into it and the size of the piece itself. Plus check out the costume, cause it is actually tailored. You won't see that quality of work on Project Runway.
If you're a video game nerd like I am, then you have probably already marked your calendar for the day Batman Arkham City is released. Now you have another thing to look forward to in the form of this Robin and Joker 2 pack from Mattel. Based on their characters in the game, these figures are the perfect companions to the already released Batman and Two-Face set that have already been filling out the shelves of Target and other stores. You will have to wait a bit for these, as they won't be released until November, but you can preorder them now from Entertainment Earth to ensure you get em. 
