Friday, May 3, 2013

Chocolate Brown Helper Dragon from Tim Biskup x Rotofugi



    Today my stomach is waging war on the rest of my body.  I don't know what I did to piss it off so much, but it is angry.  This has nothing to do with this toy at all, I just thought I would take advantage of my public forum to complain and gather sympathy.  Ok, moving on.

    This is the latest, and possibly last, color of Tim Biskup's Helper Dragon from Rotofugi.  Why would I say such a thing?  Cause they're making a new mold for their Roto-a-Matic machine that will debut in the summer.  What could it be?  Nobody tells me anything, so your guess is as good as mine.  But while we wait you should buy this.  It's only $6 and available now at www.rotofugi.com.  

Super Series Sunday from Taskone x Tenacious Toys


Fact: Electric Mayhem was always a better band than Nickelback. Fact: The noises my stomach makes after eating bad lunch meat is more listenable than Nickelback. But we're not here to debate whether or not a certain group of Canadian musicians should be treated as terrorists, we're here to talk about these toys.

Taskone and Tenacious Toys are releasing three more figures in their ongoing Pillaging Pop Culture/Super Series Sunday collaboration. Get one blind box for $40 or all three figures for $100 starting tomorrow at 4pm Eastern time.

 

SDCC Exclusive Batusi Batman from Mattel






    This video may be the most awkward thing you see all day.  Batman strolls into a happening joint, meets a pretty gal, then gets roofied in his glass of orange juice.  But before he succumbs to the drugs effects he cuts loose with said pretty gal.  It's strange to say the least, and not surprising that drugs were involved.  Now you can relive this classic moment from tv for ever and ever in the comfort of your own home with the Batusi Batman from Mattel.

    The box is really the best part, as it features retro art from Shag, plays music, and has controls so you can make Batman dance.  This will first be available at this year's San Diego Comic Con and then online August 5th at www.mattycollector.com.



  

Spring Calaverita from The Beast Brothers


    What better way to celebrate the spring season than buying a new skull? You could clean your house, or dig your warm weather clothes out of storage and wash the gross mold smell out of them. That all sounds liked work to me, and that's for other people.

    The Beast Brothers are releasing this Spring edition of their Calaverita on Friday, May 10that 1pm Eastern time at www.thebeastbrothers.com. They only made 25 of them. That's not really a lot.

Pyramid Artifact by Mike Fisher x Oni Creations



    Yeah, technically this is not a toy, and technically I don't give a crap because it's cool. I have a ton of weird stuff that would look amazing sitting next to one of these Pyramid Artifact sculptures. And if the police find this in your house after you've been dead and your cats have nibbled on you it will most likely set off an intense investigation. They may think you were practicing for your amateur necromancy club that meets at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday nights. Or that you were just weird. Anything you can do to make someone's day more interesting is worth doing.

    Mike Fisher is the man behind this mysterious eye, and they were produced by Oni Creations, which is Frank Kozik's resin venture. The white version you see above is an open edition, the first 50 of which will release today for $55.



    This is the one I want though, for obvious reasons. It is the Eye of Odin edition and is made with clear and teal swirled resin. Only 25 of these were made and they will be $70 each. Give it a prominent place in your house or you will never see Valhalla.

    Both of these go on sale today (May 2) at noon Pacific time at www.frankkozik.net.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

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.