Wednesday, December 6, 2017

The 2017 MF Toy Show and Krampus Art Show



     Do you think there's a place somewhere that is populated by goat people like Krampus?  Chewbacca came from an entire planet of Wookies, so it's not out of the question to think some unchartered northern island is loaded with Krampus families.  There's mommas, and daddys, and wee babies whose favorite game is beating little human dolls with sticks.  Krampus himself is like their BeyoncĂ©, as he's their most successful citizen.  But he's better than BeyoncĂ© because his widely popular albums are actually listenable.  Take that.

    If you're a fan of Santa's evil little friend then you should check out the MF Toy Show and Krampus Art Show (that's a mouthful) in Brooklyn this weekend.  Curated by Mike "Nemo" Mendez and Moses Jaen, tons of your favorite toy customizers and artists will be represented with their take on Santa's more sinister half.  All of the info you need to go are listed in the picture above, so check it out and then spend a nice Saturday night in Brooklyn at MF Gallery.


Wednesday, November 29, 2017

It's Review Time Bay-Bay: She Headless Horse from Boon Velvet x Lulubell Toys

   


     I've quietly admired this toy from afar since I first saw it.  The creation of artist Boon Velvet stands tall amid other sofubi releases not only in a literal sense (at almost nine and a half inches), but in that its inspiration is drawn from well beyond the confines of Tokyo monster films.  So when I was asked if I was interested in reviewing one I was all about it.  The figure was provided courtesy of Lulubell Toys, and after spending a few days with it here are my thoughts.




    To sum up this staggering figure into a neat soundbite, I would present it as a southern gothic tale brought to life in Japanese vinyl.  The story itself is so good I wish each figure came with a page or two retelling it (or even just a link to the story online), as to learn her origins I had to scroll through Instagram postings of the artist until I could piece it together.  Of course just a mere glance at it lets you know this is not your average toy, as it seems to pay homage to nothing that's come before it.  I see so many figures where the reference is obvious but here you instantly know that it hacked and trampled a path traveled by no one else.



    The paint job from Obsessed Panda echoes the ghostly feel of the horse and it's internal passenger. Light sprays of silver and blue accentuate the ethereal quality of the body without overpowering it, while the clear head reveals a female figure that is hidden just enough to force you to get closer to be sure what you're seeing.  Honestly, this is the most time I've spent really examining a figure and taking it apart like I was studying it.  Not just because I knew I was going to review it, but because it almost demands your attention in that way.  I collect vintage Steiff animals and that would be the closest I've come to experiencing so much story contained within an object.  With those you can see visible signs of wear and know that at one time someone loved it more than anything else and a part of that seems to be transferred to the piece.  In regards to this figure I pick up a sense that the artist wants it to haunt you everytime you look at it.  That even though it's story is one of fiction it is so deeply embedded in the plastic that it relays it as being truth.



   The woman herself is cast in marbled vinyl, which accentuates sculpted detail unlike anything else.  There is also a marbled plug that can be used in place of the female that details the point of severance.  Combined with the removable head you have three different ways of displaying it, as detailed on the header card.  My favorite is the third way, in which the gore of the decapitation is left out of the equation.  To me it's the most interesting to look at.


    This toy isn't something that's put on the shelf and forgotten about; it's something experienced.  It will leave you thinking about it long after you've put it down, which is all any great art can ever hope to accomplish.  I think it's one of those figures that is ahead of it's time and that in the future people will seriously regret not picking up when they had the chance.  Lucky for you this Aki No Kumo edition is still available from the fine folks at Lulubell Toys for a lot less than you would probably expect for a sofubi toy this size.  Seriously, it's actually on sale for only $150 and the conversation it sparked between my wife and I about everything from toy production, to art, to the longing for more releases like this, would be worth the price alone. 



Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Skel-On-Wheels from ZenZen Toys




   I never realized how hard it was to sell a damn car.  I've put ads on Craigslist and Facebook, put a sign in the back window of the car, and asked and even offered up a finder's fee to everyone I know.  And by complaining about it here I'm trying a new way of advertising which is pretty cutting edge and makes me the Don Draper of toy blogs.  Put that on an enamel pin and send me my royalties.

    If I had this sweet ride from ZenZen Toys I wouldn't need to worry about selling it, because I would be driving it to work every day.  And I would want it in these exact proportions, so I tower over it like a beast with that monster sized shifter hanging out of the side. Maybe make the car a little bigger just so I have plenty of leg room and access to the radio.   But that's beside the point, the real reason you're all here is to check out Skeletor's new mode of transportation.  The figure itself is resin and he sits upon a die cast car, the color of which will be a surprise because "life would be boring without em", so says the proctologist as he snaps his rubber glove.

     Get yourself one at http://zenzentoys.bigcartel.com.




Friday, November 24, 2017

Black Friday Sales Part 2

Black Friday Sales Part 1




Black Friday sale 15% off! One week only code BLACK15




15% OFF Orders of $99 or more with promo code: BLACKFRIDAY15OFF
20% OFF Orders of $199 or more with promo code: BLACKFRIDAY20OFF
25% OFF Orders of $299 or more with promo code: BLACKFRIDAY25OFF










Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Save Some Cash with the Tenacious Toys Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale


    Hard to believe that it's already that time of year where people get up really early to punch each other in the face to buy cheap electronics.  I mean, the calendar worked exactly the same way this year as it does every other, but it seems like it caught me on the sneak this time around.  If you also find yourself dumbstruck by the fact that Christmas is right around the corner, let me put your mind, and your credit score, at ease courtesy of Tenacious Toys.

    There's an entire section on www.tenacioustoys.com filled with a literal butt ton of toys that you will be able to take 20% off of.  And if you thought that it was just stuff they couldn't get rid of you'd be beyond wrong, because I just perused everything available and there were A LOT of new and very recent releases from all of you favorite companies and artists.  Everything from Dunnys to Pop! Vinyl to anything else you could think of is included.

   Now if you think you can just waltz in there and snag that sweet deal you're not too far off.  What you have to do is sign up for the Tenacious Toys email list and then in return you'll be sent a special code to get that sweet deal.  If that wasn't already the easiest thing you could do today, I've gone above and beyond for you, your collection, and your wallet by providing you with a link directly to the email list sign up page.  Just click here and prepare yourself for the massive amount of stuff you're going to want.


Monday, November 20, 2017

Hana Early Prototype Version from Junko Mizuno x Lulubell Toys




   Junko Mizuno has been doing this toy thing for a long time but this is the first time she's ever had her own sofubi figure. Crazy, right?  This pretty plastic lady was cast in a milky vinyl and then painted on the INSIDE of the figure to give it this crazy finish.  And you're getting a lot of figure too because she stands nearly a foot tall, which in the toy world would make her first pick on any volleyball team.

    I'm keeping this post short and sweet because the preorder window is closing minute by minute.  You only have until tomorrow (Tuesday the 21st) at 5pm pacific time to ensure you get one.  They're made to order and will ship out in late spring.  Visit www.lulubelltoys.com now and treat yo self!