Play Imaginative Tweaks Trexi Design

    Play Imaginative have made a few design modifications to their signature platform toy Trexi.  The greatest thing about this new look is the arms and legs are much more posable than before.  Where you could once only turn a leg from left to right, they now can move front to back, which gives you a little more flexibility in how you display them.  The arms are further apart allowing for a much greater range of motion.  Overall I really like the changes and applaud Play Imaginative for being brave enough to change a figure that designer toy collectors have loved for years.    

DC Little Mates

    Oh my God how have I never heard of these?  They're called DC Little Mates and I want them all.  Evidently these were manufactured by a company in Spain and only available in Europe.  They are 2 and 1/2 inches tall and amazing.  I've been on a serious Batman kick since playing Arkham City, so needless to say all of the Gotham characters are my favorite, but I'd be happy to get any of them.  A bunch of websites have them up for sale for all of us needy Americans, so they're not too hard to find.

New Domo Qees coming in 2012

    Toy2R head honcho Raymond Choy sent out this picture to his Facebook followers earlier this week.  It's a sneak peak of the new blind boxed Domo Qees.  While it's hard to make out a lot of the finer details, from what I can see the figures look to be as cool as they usually are.  They will release in April of 2012, just in time to take your tax refund money.  I'll put up better pictures when they are available.

Amazing Van Models from Dirty Donny

    When I was younger I dreamed about getting a ton of money and buying a Dodge Viper.  There was something about that car that drew me to it and while I was waiting to make my millions (still waiting mind you) I decided to put together a model of it.  I got the kit, the paint, and the glue and went to town on that sucker.  By went to town I mean I glued most of the parts to my hand and the finished product looked like it had been in a horrific accident involving mass casualties.  My days of building models seemed to be forever behind me until I saw this.  This is Vantasy from artist Dirty Donny, a fully customizable Chevy van straight outta the 70's.  You get multiple decals to change up the look however you want so yo can make the ultimate party wagon.  This is the first of 3 that he's doing for AMT and will be released in early 2012.  I just hope there's a sticker of a valkyre riding a polar bear as she descends into battle.  Or a nice wizard would be ok too.

FatCap Series 3 From Kidrobot

    January 26th marks the long awaited return of Kidrobot's FatCap toys.  14 designers have lent their interpretations to the series, including a a few that really surprised me.  Jon-Paul Kaiser (doing his first toy for Kidrobot), Julie West, and Kronk are welcome additions to the toy line that focuses heavily on street artists (hence the spray paint can design).  These will be blind boxed at $9.95 each and there are two different figures that come with every case purchase.  Those who buy a case in the United States will get a special edition toy by Sket-One, while everyone else in the world will receive one from Scribe.  This is a very cool series and features some of the best designs ever used on this platform.

Toy Soldier Android

    The holiday toys keep coming and this one is courtesy of Gary Ham.   These go on sale December 14th at 11am and 11pm Eastern time, so you have two chances to score one that day.  As with most toys these days, production issues pushed its release back a bit, so if you want to get one of these to display for Christmas you better order as soon as they go on sale.  Click here to get yours.

More Holiday Goodness from Maqet

    Maqet is bringing out all the big guns to celebrate Christmas.  In addition to the Heathrows from Frank Kozik and the create your own kits, they've added a ton of stuff to their site to help make your toy collection a bit more festive.  Scott Tolleson adds to figures to the mix, the candy cane inspired Bernie an the elf named Saint Bernard.  Both can be had for $35 each.

   If you dig teddy bears you have 4 different ones to choose from, all created by Shin and Nao. Three of them are sporting different shades of plaid and the fourth is transformed into a snowman.  They are $25 each.

   My favorite of the bunch is this tattooed version of Santa Clause courtesy of Yosiell Lorenzo.  Evidently Santa is released on parole every Christmas to do his thing and then has to immediately report back to serve his life sentence.  What did he do?  Well, for $25 you can ask him yourself and pray he doesn't shank you for irritating him.

New From Super7

    For most people Friday means the last day of the work week, the day that every once in awhile includes a man in a hockey mask killing college coeds, or that annoying Rebecca Black song that makes suicide look so attractive.  For Super7 it means new toys.  Check out their dual-headed collaboration with Secret Base, the ZombieFighter, who can be yours for $65.  Or maybe you're more into giant wart hog mutants, in which case you'll wanna plunk down some chips for the Paul Kaiju creation known as Partyball.  He's a tad cheaper at $35.  Or maybe you've want them both so you can get one step closer towards decorating your house with nothing but toys and Ikea furniture.  Realize your dreams today at noon Pacific time at www.super7store.com.

Boba Fett Bank from Diamond Select Toys

 
     I love my cats, but I don't trust them with my money.  Every time I look under the bed I find dollar bills in quantities that make me think a tiny stripper must live under there.  A very tiny stripper.  But just as soon as I'm about to call the evening news about my scandalous elf who is working her way through law school I also discover piles of cat toys that had long vanished.  My cats have been hoarding all my money!!!!!  Diamond Select Toys must have heard my plight for a secure place to stash my cash and created this.  Boba Fett will keep their furry little mits off my monies.

Don't believe me that my cats are robbing me blind?  This is what I caught on hidden camera:

Lunartik Presents Mr. Tea

    Oh my God.  Oh my God this might be the greatest things I've ever seen.  I'm not even kidding this time.  It's Mr. T, in a tea cup.  I pity the fool who doesn't preorder this amazing toy from Lunartik.  There's only 100 of them made and they come signed and numbered by the artist himself.  Click here right now and then email me to let me know how much better I just made your life.  If you don't buy it Mr. T himself will come to your house and punch yo momma square in her face.

Metallica Monopoly

    Have a metal head in your family that also loves a quiet night at home playing board games?   Then have I got something that will make your Christmas shopping list that much shorter.  It's Metallica and it's Monopoly, all in one big package for $42.99.  Ummmmmmmmmmm, wow, it's really harder than I thought to be positive about this one.  I'm gonna go put on Master of Puppets and pretend like this never happened.  

Toys R Us Exclusive Ugly Doll

    Check out this guy I discovered while reading the Sunday paper (it's still a viable media source for anyone over 30).  He is a Toys R Us exclusive and retails for $19.99 or you can get him for $7.99 with any Ugly Dolls purchase of $20 or more.  They say he's an Uglydog, but I think he looks like my cat Icarus, who you can see below:

   The resemblance is uncanny, except for the whole cyclops thing.  But I swear he has that same scarf.

G.I. Joe Gets the Anime Treatment

    I first saw these figures at New York Comic Con and have since seen them for sale at a few different stores.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles got the anime treatment a few years back and the results were not that good.  But recently Thundercats have relaunched with the same look that these figures have and it seems to not only make the original fans happy, but it is also exposing them to a new generation that completely missed out the first go round.  With that being said these reinterpretation of G.I. Joe was kinda weird to me at first, like they where blaspheming something sacred from my childhood.  But the more I look at them, and the more I think about kids playing with the same toys today that I did 20 years ago, the more ok I have become with their existence.  I just hope their parents will let them open the packages and dig up the backyard the way I did to create an entire world they can play in.  I still have figures with the grit of dried mud clogging up their joints.  I'm sure many people will collect these and stow them away in a box or leave them to collect dust on a shelf, but the love I have for toys today comes from the extent to which they aided in building my imagination, something nearly impossible to do through cardboard and plastic.  I hope the kids will love them now as much as I did then.

The Hammer of Thor Bottle Opener

    There are times in one's life when one needs a device to rescue a tasty beverage from the clutches of an evil glass prison.  If you are to free your mead from the grasp of all that is unholy, you should probably do it with Thor's Hammer!  Diamond Select Toys will be releasing Marvel themed bottle openers in 2012, with the first being the mighty Mjolnir.  Wield the power of Asgard while you unleash refreshment among your friends!  Just don't hit anybody with it.

Feroshi the Dino Slug from Shawnimals

       To close out 2011, Shawnimals has created a dinosaur/slug hybrid that is probably slow moving but looks like it would bite the crap out of you when it caught up.  Limited to 100 handmade pieces, Feroshi will go on sale December 7th right here for $30 American dollars.

Ajee Kosplay

   I was lucky enough to attend this year's New York Comic Con and while I was there I got to meet the artist behind this toy.  Her name is Ajee and she had these on display but unfortunately they were only samples and you had to preorder the figure a wait a few months for it.  As soon as I got home I pulled out my already tired credit card and snagged one.  Now almost 2 months later I get a package from France and guess what's inside?  I was so excited to finally have it that I thought I'd snap a few pictures and share them with you all.
   This figure is even cooler in person than it looks here.  The sculpt is amazing and the manufacturing is spot on.  I own plenty of figures with flaws in them, whether it be a paint smear or the molds just not lining up properly, but this figure has none of those.  Definitely the best quality control I've ever encountered.  And I love how the piece just looks like it is part of some epic story line that is begging o be told.  There seems to be much more to it than just plastic and paint.
    If you need one for yourself you can now buy them directly from the artist on her website.  They also come in all black and glow in the dark, but the black and white was obviously my favorite and really brings out the angular design.  By the way, these were made by Bonustoyz Epz who have to be commended for their attention to every detail.

Jesse Hernandez Calavera Dunny Release info

     I already told you that this was coming, but now I have the date and the price.  Jesse Hernandez and Kidrobot will be unleashing this 8 inch Calavera Dunny on December 15th.  There are only 1000 of them in the world and they cost $75.  Being that December 15th is also my birthday, I feel Kidrobot should send me one cause I like it and I managed not to die this year.  Believe me, staying alive was not as easy as I make it sound.  It took hard work, dedication, and the knowledge that my wife is too pretty to scoop the cat litter.

Wonder Woman Ame-Comi figure from DC Direct

   
   I love these figures from DC Direct.  They take classic female characters from the extensive history of DC Comics and give them the anime treatment.  You'll have to wait until March to get this new version of Wonder Woman, but I figured I'd tell you about it anyway so you have time to decide whether or not a life of crime might be beneficial to your toy collection.  It will set you back $70, so no one would fault you for going all Jesse James on a couple of banks.  Not Jesse James the womanizer mind you.  That would just be weird.  

Kozik x Maqet Holiday Heathrows

   Not really known for doing toys that are warm and snuggly, Frank Kozik has decided to bring the cute with these Holiday edition Heathrows.  Made by the super geniuses at Maqet (I'm not even being sarcastic, it blows my mind how they make these things) each one stands 3 inches tall and you get both for only $50.  Not many set were made, so if you want physical evidence that Kozik has a softer side, you better act soon.

Occupy Cybertron with the Super Sucklord Dec. 7th

    Everyone's favorite contestant from Work of Art is not sitting around and crying about his elimination from the reality show.  Instead he's being insanely productive and continuing his quest for ultimate world domination.  He's coming loaded with his classic bootleg figures as well as his first attempt at an 8 inch Mego style toy.  He'll also have miniature protestors and jewelry made by his girlfriend.  There will be a DJ, free trading cards for anyone in costume, and enough craziness to give you stories to tell for years to come.  So if you're not lame and in the New York area, you need to spend your December 7th at End of the Century from 7pm-9pm.   

Shawnimals Ninja of the Month 2012 Subscriptions

   Shawnimals makes awesome ninja plushies that you know you need in your life and for only $400 you can guarantee that you get every one that he hand makes in 2012.  You get one plush per month, plus they send you lots of extra stuff that they have lying around and think you would like.  The subscriptions go on sale December 5th at shop.shawnimals.com.  

Frankenmonkey Glow in the Dark version

    I have several of these figures that Atomic Monkey has released.  I have a brown one and a black one, and their little brains come out and they glow in the dark and freak my cats out at night.  Not content with just the brain shining brightly in the dark, now the whole dang monkey glows.  For $45 though, I think this is a figure that customizers rather than collectors will pick up.  My other monkeys have such great detail to them that is missing from this one and that kinda bums me out.  It will be interesting to see what a good artists can turn this blank canvas into.

Super7 Neapolitan Milton Set

    My wife likes ice cream a lot.  No matter how cold it is outside we always manage to make our way to the frozen food section and she always manages to con her way into some, which leaves very little room in the freezer for food that will actually keep you alive.  While not edible, I'm sure she would appreciate this brand new set of Miltons from Super7.  Available in Strawberry, Vanilla, and Chocolate, this Neapolitan bunch can be had individually for $25 per flavor or as  complete set for $70.  You can get your hands on them tomorrow, December 2nd, at noon Pacific time on their website.

GIANTmicrobes: Final 2011 Products

   GIANTmicrobes can make anyone who is mildly afraid of germs (this guy) let his guard down and accept a little illness into his life.  To end 2011, you can now cuddle up with your very own plush Dengue Fever, Fruit Fly, or C. Elegans.  They're $8.95 each and promise not to make you bleed from your orifices or give you raging diarrhea.  Wal-Mart doesn't guarantee those things.  

Toy2R Qee Flash Drives

    I just saw this online and am really shocked these haven't come out before.  Then I was even more shocked when they said it was an "overseas collaboration", which now just means if you really want one you have to not be too lazy and search a bit on the internet.  Go on, you know you'll need a place to store all that stuff you labeled "Taxes 1998" when the Mrs. finally catches on.

Jesse Hernandez Dunny **Update**

    I posted about this about an hour ago and now I can show you what the finished product looks like.  Jesse Hernandez and Kidrobot will be releasing this 8 inch Dunny in December and it looks pretty killer.  I love the feathers going around the head and the overall minimal design (compared to the Jaguar Warrior Dunny) of the figure.  I'm sure in another hour they'll announce the price and edition run, but for now you can marvel at how amazing it is and know that you have to leave someone off of your Christmas list so you can buy it.  I'm sure they were pretty heinous anyway.

Jesse Hernandez x Kidrobot Dunny Teaser

    Jesse Hernandez posted this image on his Facebook page today.  Looks like he and Kidrobot will be teaming up for another 8 inch Dunny.  Can't wait to see what the final product looks like.  

Introducing Creo Design

    I'd love to take credit and say that I did a massive amount of work in discovering the folks at Creo Design, but they in fact found me.  What makes that even better is that the toys they are producing are really cool and different from what I'm used to.  Check out guy above named Lawhill.  He was designed by Akinori Oishi and is based on a place in Scotland that the artist had never actually seen before.  For you history buffs you can read a little about it here.  Creating a character based on the design of a physical place is not something I've seen before and possibly why I find this guy so fascinating.  Check out their store if you're as smitten with it as I am.

   Next year you'll also be able to purchase Chebaka from Russian artist Serg Basargin.  Very minimal design wise, yet it still grabs your attention and leads to many possibilities in the realm of customization.  Hopefully they make a blank one, or create an artist's series, that will allow for different interpretations.

Black Friday Sale by Bonustoyz

    Bonustoyz are getting in the spirit of Black Friday shopping by offering up an awesome sale on all-black figures.  Pick up the brand new Kosplay figure from Ajee (as seen above) or Cody from Jon Knox.  More than this will be available tomorrow and they are shipping them free anywhere in the world.  That alone is a deal you can't pass up.  The sale starts at 8am Paris time.  Check it out at http://www.bonustoyz.com/.

Toy2R Black Friday Sale Starts Now!

    25% off of everything in stock at www.toy2rusa.com. That pretty much speaks for itself.  And you don't have to wait until Friday, so it would be in your best interest to get moving and buy some stuff already.