Blown Away DTA Rainbow Dunnys from Josh Mayhem

   I didn't win a trophy last weekend and neither did Josh Mayhem but we're not shook about it.  We're just two bros with no trophies and no worries cause guess what: trophies do nothing but add work to your life.  It's an extra thing to pack if you ever move, and your home owners insurance will probably go up in case someone steals it, and your family is gonna try and borrow money from you cause trophies make people think you're cashed up.  And you know what, if you have a trophy then you can't join our No Trophy Bro gang or be invited to the ice cream social/bowling excursion.  You're gonna really be jealous when you see the baller shirts we got to commemorate the day.

    It was cool to be a finalist though and to celebrate Josh has created a limited run of 6 Blown Away 3 inch Dunnys that pay homage to his nominated design.  These will be priced at $125 each when they go on sale today (Wednesday, October 12) at 10am pacific time from www.JoshMayhem.com.

Super7's NYCC Exclusives Are Available Online Now

   
    Somehow I have resisted the urge to put these micro Mummy Boy and Rose Vampire toys in my nose.  They are the perfect size to just shove right up there if you were so inclined, but again, I have not done it.  If you want to though, and weren't able to attend New York Comic Con, Super7 is making it easier because these and their other remaining exclusives are available right now.  Just check out www.super7store.com and in no time you could be sitting in the emergency room waiting for them to extract one of these from your nostrils.  How you explain it to them is all up to you.

First Look: Kidrobot's Upcoming Madballs Collection

   Madballs are back, suckas!  Well, almost, cause they don't come out until the end of the year, but anyone who was at New York Comic Con got to see Kidrobot's upcoming release of this classic series.  Utilizing the original designs from toy wizard James Groman (who I was told designed the Kidrobot mascot version you see above) these are faithful to the originals while offering up some different incarnations for modern collectors. 

    Of course the well remembered foam versions will be available so you can throw them at each other without significant risk of injury to people and property, or so you can easily replace the one you used to have that was ingested by your childhood dog.  

    The mascot and Horn Head will be available as larger sized vinyl figures, complete with stands so they're easy to display without you having to rearrange your current setup.  The other cool thing about them is they sit kind of high so you'll have plenty of room to surround them with:

    The Madball mini series figures!  There's a whole bunch of these to collect and they will be sold blind boxed style.  All of them looked amazing and brought back memories of seeing them in Toys R Us and desperately wanting every one of them because of how gross and weird they were.  Not much has changed since then I suppose. 

     See more pictures of these and other stuff from Comic Con by visiting www.facebook.com/TheToyViking.  

Post New York Comic Con 2016 Wrap Up

    Another New York Comic Con has come and gone and nothing could sum it up more perfectly than this picture.  For one, my wife's face perfectly depicts how she felt about the things I bought (she has grown to love the Cinema Monster from Splurrt).  And she also spent a lot of time waiting outside of bathrooms as I tried passing a kidney stone for two days (of which I was successful on the second).  Here are my thoughts about this year's version of the convention:

1.)  This is the first time I've ever waited in a line that was wrapped around an entire city block.  It wasn't unpleasant though, cause it moved rather quickly and the faces of the people that were part of the SECOND coil around the building really put our situation into perspective.  Literally, the line to get in wrapped around twice.  

2.)  I was able to get everything I wanted and then some, which is easier to do when you cut your want list down to just a few things.  Sharon is pictured with my major score of the convention, which I still can't get her to kiss on the lips.  For some reason, she doesn't like fun.

3.)  Twelve year old me lost his mind when I got to meet Ric Flair and Animal from The Road Warriors.  I resisted all urges to yell "Wooooooooo" unlike everyone else who passed by.  Instead, I just acted awkward, which I've determined is my finishing move should I ever become a professional wrestler.

4.)  I used the restroom at the Javitts Center more on the second day than I have collectively in the years I've been going to Comic Con.  I also lost more blood than I ever had in the most inglorious fashion.  But I feel pretty good that somewhere in the sewers there's a rat that found my kidney stone and has added it to his pile of treasures, possibly worshiping it as a gift from his rodent deity. You're welcome, little dude.

5.)  New York smells weird.  Not like bad weird, unless you pass over one of those steaming grates that smell like someone is deep frying excrement.  Or if you step in one of those puddles that seem to hang around even if it hasn't rained in a while and they're a strange color and pretty much force you to buy new shoes.  That's bad weird.

6.)  It may just be me getting old, but I don't know how people make it through all four days.  I went for two and was ready to stop at the emergency room on the way home (and not just because of the blood pee).  I think next year I may get a gym membership and get swole before we go so my muscles don't feel like they hate me.

7.)  Dunkin Donuts is my favorite food group.  I probably shouldn't have put this right next to the one about being out of shape.  

8.)  I got to meet lots of cool folks that I've known for a long time on the internet but never met in person.  I won't mention them in case they didn't actually get permission from their parole officers to be there.  I don't snitch.

    That pretty much sums up my Comic Con experience.  If you'd like to see pictures of all the really cool stuff I saw you can do that by heading over to www.facebook.com/TheToyViking.  

Post NYCC Suck Salon with the Sucklord

   I could only go to New York Comic Con for two days, which is plenty for me because I felt like I was training to become a cage fighter by the end.  How do people make it through all four days?  My legs hurt, my mind is completely overloaded by all there is to see, and I crave the normalcy of cleaning litter boxes and wanting to kill myself while working with the public.  Familiarity is the meat of the hamburger of life.

   I met the Sucklord at Comic Con and he told me about this shindig he was throwing that is gonna involve adult beverages, and toys, and probably some pictures you won't be able to post on any but you're most secretive of social media.  And you can buy stuff, which is the best kinda party there is.  Think about when your mom used to go to Tupperware parties and she would be all turnt up and let you stay up to watch Nick at Nite until she came home and the babysitter was mad cute in a "Who's the Boss" era Alyssa Milano type of way and you would try to do stunts to impress her cause you think that's how you get a wife?

 It's not like that at all. 

    Tons of stuff will be for sale, and by tons I mean anything you can get on the subway or in a cab or an Uber.  Cash is king and you can be too with all your new Suckadelic stuff.  The details are in the photo, so you should go and create memories that will last a lifetime/until you sober up.    

Art Toy Gama Presents a Japanese Horror Inspired Art Toy Exhibition

    Japanese horror films are some of the most messed up/creative movies you will ever see.  While American horror has kind of been stuck on the idea of some creature or another systematically disposing of teenagers (which let's face it, teenagers are the worst) those being produced in Japan mix a heavy dose of the psychological with the supernatural with the at times plain disturbing, for a refreshing take on what can be a stale genre.

    Art Toy Gama has put together an art toy exhibition to coincide with the 27th annual Horror and Fantasy Film Festival in San Sebastian, Spain featuring works from all over the world.  It will be taking place this weekend through the first week of November at Arteuparte, which is located in the larger Tabakeler Center for Culture and Contemporary Art.  If you can't make it in person you can check out the work that will be on display at this link.

NYCC Exclusives from Super7

   

    Ooooooh New York Comic Con is just a few days away and I've moved some money here, ignored some bills there, and I'm ready to come home with a ton of new stuff.  Some of that stuff will hopefully be from Super7.  Take a look at what they will have and see if you can guess what I want.  (Here's a hint:  it's the Micro Mummy Boy and Rose Vampire).  All of these and more will be available at booth #126.

A Plethora of New Dunny Releases from Kidrobot

    This week is like Christmas for Dunny fans, as Kidrobot has new releases in just about every size and style.  They've got big ones and little ones and cute ones and spooky ones and just about everything in between.  You could knock out everyone on your Christmas list in the first week of October and really slack off the rest of the year.  It's great for people like me who have dreams about waking up on Christmas morning and not having done any shopping what so ever and trying to figure out how you're going to escape from your family and where you can escape to that would sell things that you could pass off as presents.  Not that I wake up drenched in sweat or anything after one of those and freaked out until I'm relatively sure it didn't happen in real life.

    The first release will go down on Tuesday, October 4th with this adorable cosplayer from twelvedot.  He'd look right at home dodging some 8bit traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike.  This is the 3rd release as part of the Emerging Artist five inch series and can be yours for only $34.99.

    Next up is a whole dang gone series from one Mr. Scott Tolleson.  They're called The Odd Ones and they're a bunch of familiar characters reimagined in 3 inch Dunny fashion.  Sold blind boxed for $11.99 each you know you can't just get one, cause that's like eating just one Kit Kat from the bar, which would be dumb.  Don't be dumb.

    And last but certainly not least is the 8 inch Lord Strange Dunny from Brandt Peters.  Dude is wearing a skull mask, which you know has got to be concealing something crazy.  I mean, when wearing a skull is the most reasonable way to go out in public you know life has taken an interesting turn.  Both this bro and The Odd Ones series will be available starting Friday, October 7th.

NYCC Exclusive "JaWabbit" from Flat Bonnie x DKE Toys

    Jawas are the most underrated characters in all of the Star Wars universe.  Those little dudes are cute as hell and they help keep the galaxy clean by recycling all the junk they can into cold hard space credits.  They're like that guy who comes through your neighborhood every week on bulk trash day with his pick up truck looking for scrap metal, except with waaaaaay less prison tattoos.  They are just as likely to cut you though, cause I've never met a short dude in a hoodie that didn't have a temper. 

    Flat Bonnie has taken everyones favorite little intergalactic hustlers and turned them into adorable plush bunnies.  Seriously, these are so cute I could punch myself in the face.  DKE will be selling these exclusively through their New York Comic Con booth #423 next week and they're limited to only 30, of which I want every one.  I have a greed problem.  

NYCC Exclusives from Renone x Tenacious Toys

   

    Renone has been burning that midnight oil and breathing in those resin fumes as he gets ready to drop a menagerie of exclusives at New York Comic Con.   The only place to find them (or him if you happen to be there Thursday) is at the Tenacious Toys booth #309 in The Block, which is where the cool kids hang out, fyi. 

Death Dealer Labbit from Frank Frazetta x Frank Kozik x Kidrobot

   This is the most metal designer toy to ever exist.  Not like basic girls giving the metal horns because pumpkin spice is back in season; I'm talking men in an ancient world battling the onslaught of demons as they spill forth from a great chasm in the Earth.  I'm talking about reading Lord of the Rings and wishing that it was real life and how much better it would be to raise an army against evil rather than stocking another damn shelf at the Wal Mart only to have people not control their little heathens as they tear the place apart.  Yeah, you know what I'm talking about.  You've already got the power chord heavy soundtrack playing in your mind and the thunder in your heart and you're ready to set a fire, roast a mythological creature, and feast at a table made from the bones of your enemies.  I just got myself way too hyped.  I always do that, then I have to go about my day pretending I'm not thinking about cleaving punks in half with a broad sword.  My therapist is gonna have fun with this one.

    Worship at the feet of Frank Kozik's interpretation of Frank Frazetta's legendary Death Dealer.  He is mounted on his mighty Labbit steed and is ready to send any and everyone on a nasty trip to the afterlife.  Open your home to the darkness when this beauty is released on Friday, September 30th from Kidrobot.  We are not worthy.

Produced by Bigshot Toyworks.  

Sea-Borg Mutations Wave 2 from MonsterPants

     None of us are perfect, but it's our flaws that make us who were are.  Like, if you were missing an eye, people might call you "Cyclops Bro".  Or if you had a trash truck run over both your legs and ended up in a lawyer commercial talking about it you'd be this lady:

    That commercial makes me laugh every time I see it.  Seriously, it's absurd but I cant help it.  I even showed it to everyone I work with and they thought it was hilarious too.  I mean, there's the fact that the trash truck ran over her legs, which is kind of a funny way to get yourself injured.  And how did she end up laying on the road so a trash truck could even do that?  Did she drop her keys in the gutter?  Did a raccoon steal her keys and run into the gutter with them and she was lying there with a turkey club from Subway trying to bribe him to return them?  And her voice is so sad and pathetic and I just can't help it but then I worry that laughing makes me a sociopath, which only lasts all of two seconds.  The worrying part, not the laughing.  I'm still laughing as I type this.

    Imperfections can be awesome, just like these Sea-Borg Mutations from MonsterPants.  They're created from miscast parts, color tests, and other bits of randomness that gives each figure his own unique personality.  Bring these delightful freaks into your life when they go one sale Thursday, September 29th at noon eastern time at this link.  I wonder if she got Terminator legs after the accident?  If so I think I should go into hiding.

Bigshot Toyworks Exclusives for NYCC

 

     Bigshot Toyworks never fails to deliver a diverse offering of items when they make an appearance at New York Comic Con, but this year they've got everything from a half dissected black metal gnome, to a familiar looking fried chicken baron, to a jacked up unicorn that's more pit fighter than Lisa Frank notebook cover.  Check out some photos of what will be available and pay them a visit at booth #309 during the convention.

The Debut Release of Javier Jimenez's Maneko Wananeko Resin Figure

   You can never have too many cat toys.  You can also never have too many $100 bills , or tacos, or friends with a sweet hook up.  No need to thank me for dropping some life knowledge on you like that, I like to share what I learn from spending hours on the internet every day.  I guess I could have talked about the presidential debates, but I chose to watch wrestling instead, which is oddly more believable than the nonsense happening in my country right now.  Back to cat toys before I get bummed out about it.

    Javier Jimenez has taken his Wananeko character into a new, miniature realm with this sculpt.  Standing at 2 and 1/2 inches, this resin kitty is available for preorder right now from this link.

NYCC Exclusives from Rampage Toys x Tenacious Toys

    Jon Malmstedt is moving his Rampage Toys operation from Japan back to the United States and his first stop is gonna be at New York Comic Con.  He'll have a ton of exclusives available at the Tenacious Toys booth # 309 and these are just some of what you'll be able to score.  He'll also be bringing more with him when he makes an appearance on Saturday.  Check out the pictures and start saving your lunch money.  Or steal someone else's and that way you can eat and have money too.  That makes more sense.

Hooverville Labbits from Frank Kozik x Kidrobot

    You need proof that times are still tough?  I made a joke in a post once about selling a kidney and I got legitimate solicitations from a dude in Africa willing to act as the surgeon/middle man.  He sent me a link to his clinic's website which had a surprising number of goats wandering around outside of what was termed "the operating room."  Now call me a germaphobe if you will, but one goat inside a hospital is really one too many if you think about it.  And I love goats and would be excited to see one just about anywhere else that didn't involve putting a gaping wound in my body.  Plus airplanes are uncomfortable enough as it is without trying to recover from major surgery on one, unless they started stocking those little drink carts with morphine when I wasn't looking, but I doubt it.  They won't even give you the full can of soda, like that extra bit is gonna bankrupt them.

    Being broke doesn't mean you have to be depressed all the time.  Just check out this Hooverville Labbit from Frank Kozik and Kidrobot.  Dude may be traveling down a rough path but he's just happy to be alive and doing his best to keep a positive outlook on his future.  He's available right now in a vintage colorway and in blazing Technicolor orange that can be found exclusively on www.kidrobot.com.

Thank You For Making Me a Finalist in The Designer Toy Awards

    I just wanted to take a moment and say thank you to everyone who nominated me to be a finalist in The Designer Toy Awards and for voting for me to win as Best Blog.  I found out about the nomination while I was traveling all last week so I didn't have access to do a proper post about it, but I am beyond grateful for all of your support.  While it would be very cool to win, the greatest reward a writer can ever receive is having others read their work and enjoy it and everyday I am beyond thankful for that.  Jesus, that was sappy.  And it's not like I couldn't go back and edit a fart joke in there somewhere rather than go on a stream of consciousness rant where I type everything I'm thinking.  I should probably go take a shower before my wife comes home from work so I can at least fake some form of productivity today.  This is kinda like when you know you have to be up early for something important so you try real hard to go to sleep and you try to clear your mind of any thoughts but then you start wondering what it is about jazz music that is appealing to people and the next thing you know you didn't sleep at all and you have to try not to hallucinate while you're doing your important thing but then you kinda nod off and have one of those half asleep/half awake dreams and you're not sure if you just yelled something really dumb out loud or it was just part of the dream. What were we talking about again?

Mixed Parts Madness from Splurrt X Lulubell Toy Bodega

    SAAAAAAAATUUUUUUUUUURDDAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!!  Did you read that in your head like I was about to announce a monster truck rally, because if you did you are awesome and we are friends.  I got way too pumped listening to a song from the new Darkthrone album and now I'm just trying to type out all these rage feelings I've got and turn them into something informative for you.  Did you know that the dude from Darkthrone accidentally got himself elected to his town's council in Norway after he posted a picture of himself with his cat and said "don't vote for me?"  I wish he was eligible to be our president instead of those two other clowns.

Change I can believe in.

   Splurrt is dropping some more Cadaver Kids and Mecha Cadaver Kids through Lulubell Toy Bodega on Saturday and this time they're all mixed up.  I'm usually not a huge mixed parts fan but the colors he chose are so different on these that I dig em.  They will be $50 and $55 respectively and will go on sale promptly at noon pacific time (September 17th) only from www.lulubelltoys.com.  These will be gone in the blink of an eye so forget whatever else you were planning on doing and camp your behind in front of a computer ready to pull the trigger.  

"Ethereal Apparition" Bake-Kujira from Candie Bolton x Toy Art Gallery

    Brothers and sisters, can I get a moment of silence for every other toy in your collection.  Cause the moment you put this stunning piece of work next to them they will all straight die, r.i.p.  This is not only by far the most amazing paint job I've seen on Candie Bolton's Bake-Kujira to date, but this is my favorite on a toy I've seen in a long time.  It looks like a mysterious antique you would find in a dead relative's attic who during their lifetime was a world traveller and collector of artifacts.  Inside would be contained the spirit of some mythological creature peacefully at rest until the time you were able to decipher the text written on the underside.  Never decipher any text written on the underside of anything unless you are prepared to deal with the consequences.  I believe mythological creatures fall under the same leash law as dogs, so keep that in mind.

    This figure is so amazing that Toy Art Gallery is holding a lottery just for the chance to purchase one.  You know you want to enter, because if you don't there will always be this void you feel inside of you that is impossible to fill.  No one needs that, so here's how you do it:

    ETHEREAL APPARITION Edition retails for $250 and will be released via email lottery starting on Friday, Sept. 16th at 12PM PST and ending on Monday, Sept. 19th at 12PM PST. Email sales@toyartgallery.com with “Bake-Kurjira Lottery” as the subject along with your paypal address and shipping info. If selected you will be sent an invoice for payment. Please allow 24 hours for a response after the closing time (Monday 12PM PST). Winners will be chosen at random, one entry per participant please (if you submit more than once you will be disqualified). Good luck!

   Seriously, this thing is so beautiful that I'm at a loss.  I will however go ahead and call this my favorite toy of the year.  Yeah, I know there's still a few months yet but that's how secure I am in my opinion.  I don't flip flop like a politician, but I do accept gifts/bribes/spiritual offerings and this would be a perfect place to start your shopping.

First Full Color Release of "The Worst" Action Figures from Super7

    Let me tell you, when I was a wee lad there was nothing better than finding a good stream and taking all of my GI Joe figures there to play.  I'd spend hours refining the landscape and setting up epic battles and just the thought of it makes me want to go outside and do it again.  How come it's taboo for a grown man to want to play with action figures?  I bet the world would suck a lot less if we did. Hell, we've convinced adults that coloring books are therapeutic, so why can't you play with toys outside without the neighbors thinking you're a freak?  

   There's only so many times that you can take Cobra Commander to jail, allow him to be rescued, and start the whole process all over again before you start to question his abilities as an evil villain.  That's where The Worst come in.  They are comprised of the most sinister evil doers known to mankind and are ready to tear things up.  But I know you can't choose just one of these bad bros from Super7 to add to your collection, and on Wednesday, September 14th just before the stroke of midnight you won't have to.  Because you can get all six carded figures for only $90.  These things demand to be opened and played with, so you'll probably want two sets so you can continue to admire the killer artwork by Ed Repka in their original, unspoiled state.  Get em at www.super7store.com.

This dude is by far my favorite.