« January 2019 | Main | March 2019 »
Feb 05, 2019
Toy Geeks Behind the Counter S3 EP2 with Luke Chueh
Toy Geeks Behind the Counter is back with another thrilling episode for you to geek out to. 'Loose Chueh' (S3 EP2) features guest artist Luke Chueh as well as regular geeks George Gaspar, Ben Goretsky and yours truly. Luke dropped by to help the crew review toys and for a preview of his Black And White and Then Some solo opening at Rotofugi on March 2nd. Be sure to watch the brand-new episode on Youtube or below to check out his new paintings and for reviews of the new Tokidoki x Hello Kitty minis, DC Artist Alley figures by Sho Murase and more.
Yutani Shouten — Transformers Sofubi for WonderFestival Winter 2019 (2.10)
WonderFestival Winter 2019 is almost here (2.10) and with it waves of new toys including a WF specialty: toys created with one-day licenses. Some of the biggest entertainment properties in Japan allow indie toy makers to create toys based on iconic characters to be sold for just one day—the Sunday that WonderFestival is held.
For this upcoming WF, Yutani Shouten will release two Transformers sofubi—a fully painted Soundwave and a Golden Starscream. Both will be available, for one day only via license from Tomy, at the Paralyzing Toys booth [8-31-02] at WF Winter (2.10) at Makuhari Messe just outside of Tokyo. The new 1-day releases follow the brand's previous Transformer drops at the WonderFestival Summer 2018 event.
Superplastic -- My#Janky IG Contest
As part of their epic Janky Kickstarter campaign last year, Superplastic asked collectors, fans, budding artists and more to design their own Janky and post it to Instagram as a fun, interactive Stretch Goal. Now Superplastic is seeking to rev up everyone's creative juices in 2019 with a fun My #Janky IG contest with the winner receiving an 8" SuperJanky blank that as far as we know is not available for sale.
How do you enter? In a nutshell, design your own Janky using the official template and post it to IG. Ok, so it's just a bit more detailed (only just). Check out the official entry instructions for all the info. UK artist Czee13 has dreamt up his very own #Janky, can you top it? It's not yet clear how the winner will be chosen -- random or 'best' entry or ?
Kidrobot x Andy Warhol — Pop Art Cat Plush
Kidrobot continues its collaboration with the Andy Warhol Foundation with today's release of three new cat plush toys. The new products are inspired by the 25 Cats Named Sam and One Blue Pussy, a 1954 art volume he and his mother, Julia Warhola, worked on to celebrate their shared love of their cats. Orange Sam the Cat, One Blue Pussy Cat and Yellow Sam the Cat are available now from Kidrobot.com for $29.99 each.
The range of Kidrobot's Andy Warhol line is quite impressive from the obvious including the various Dunnys to the unexpected releases including the Polaroid Series, Campbells Soup Can Chess set and the clever Soup Can Mystery Art Figures. Looking back on the numerous releases, Kidrobot has done a really nice job of bringing Warhol into people's everyday lives in ways both simple and elaborate.
Love it or Hate it , Kyle Kirwan has a Valentine's Day Bloom For You
Most Valentine's Day releases assume you're down with the holiday and all it entails. Refreshingly Kyle Kirwan is going equal opportunity with his Valentines' drops with two Baby Blooms inspired by the classic candy hearts with printed messages: Love Stinks and Bite Me. Love Stinks features a bloom with a mini clothes pin over his nose and a broken heart accessory, while Bite Me brings the slightly naughty with red and blue hearts.
The 3" handmade and hand-painted Valentine's Baby blooms are available for $20 each from the artist's web shop.
Feb 04, 2019
BlackBook Toy x Mishka x Lamour Supreme — Debut Blue Kong + Warhead (2.6)
BlackBook Toy is set to unleash the newest evolution of their long running collaboration with Mishka and Lamour Supreme: Kong. Kong features a brand-new raging gorilla head attached to The Beast body. Designed by Lamour Supreme and sculpted by Kenth Toy Works, the Kong head sculpt features a forked tongue and Keep Watch-style emerging eye on the back.
BBT will debut Kong in an unpainted light blue edition at WonderFestival Winter (2.10) in Japan (N-Plan Booth: 7-21-04). In a bit of a reverse order drop, they are offering Kong to overseas collectors before the WF debut in Japan. And… they are throwing in a free, bonus Hologram Warhead. Quite the deal since the OG painted Warhead sold for $49 each.
To celebrate the age of Kong, BBT is releasing the Blue Kong with free Hologram Warhead (clear blue) for ¥17,000 (~$155) via email lottery for collectors outside of Japan starting on Wednesday (2.6) at 7 AM and ending on Friday (2.8) at 6:59 AM.
To enter drop a line to [email protected] with the tile of "BL Kong Lottery entry' and be sure to include your name, full shipping address, telephone number and also mention you want the Blue Kong + Warhead. Full lottery info is available from BBT.
Finally, wondering about the Mini Kong and Mini Beast finger puppets (pic after the jump)? These will be available at WonderFest and are larger than the typical finger puppet toys (3.5", ¥1300/~$12).
Teresa Chiba x adFunture — KD-Harigon MILK Edition
First released at Toy Soul in Hong Kong back in December, the KD-Harigon Milk edition from Teresa Chiba and adFunture celebrates the legendary HK magazine with a white, gold, and clear vinyl design. This blend of Chiba's signature character and Keios' three-eyed Kayden mascot is quite striking in person—refined and sophisticated.
The KD-Harigon MILK edition soft vinyl (3.5") is available now directly from adFunture for $75.
Big Boys Toys — SC Braver Chinese New Year Edition Lottery
Big Boys Toys is celebrating the Lunar New Year which began on Tuesday with the SC Braver Chinese New Year Edition vinyl. Featuring the traditional red and gold colors, this edition of their new Mecha meets Lion Dance figure stands almost 6" tall and features a striking 11 points of articulation.
Big Boy Toys is currently offering the SC Braver CNY edition via email lottery ending at 7:59AM PST on Sunday (2.1) for $89 each. To enter drop an email to info@bigboystoys.com.hk with a subject of "SC Braver CNY version Lottery sale" and be sure to include Your Name, IG/FB Name, your country, Shipping Address, Phone Number and Paypal email address.
Gary Baseman x 3DRetro -- Exclusive Wildgirl Veronica + ChouChou (2.5)
Gary Baseman has a sweet treat for collectors and their loved ones. His Exclusive Wildgirl Veronica Red vinyl set (3DRetro) features a red-headed Veronica in pink skirt, hand-in-hand with a cute red Chou Chou. The set also includes a playful bonus print.
A sweet Valentine's Day gift, the Exclusive Wildgirl Veronica Red + print set will be released on Tuesday (2.5) at 10 AM PST from the artist's web store.
Nathan Jurevicius -- New Glass Owls in Pink
Nathan Jurevicius will soon be releasing a new glass owl sculpture (edition of 30) in a lovely pink edition. While details are short at this point, these were crafted in Målerås, Sweden which is also where the Ikea Art Event 2018 glass collectibles were made. This appears to be a different sculpt from his Ikea Sutemos piece. For the latest, be sure to follow Nathan on Instagram.
Sideshow's 'Unruly' Art Toys Teases New Mictlan from Jesse Hernandez
Unruly Industries is an exciting new Art Toy-focused brand from none other than Sideshow Collectibles. Look for original and pop culture licensed vinyl art toys from a talented lineup including Jesse Hernandez, Tracy Tubera, Joe Pulido, Psuedo5 and T Wei. To start off 2019, Unruly has just teased the return of the Jesse Hernandez's fan-favorite Mictlan in what looks to be a brand-new color scheme.
Designer Toy Awards Nominations Open (thru 2.28)
Award season beckons again. The Designer Toy Awards are now accepting nominations for this year's celebration of the best and brightest the art toy industry has to offer. Head on over to the DTA site to nominate the toys and artists that you feel are most deserving in the full-range of categories (toys, artists, stores blogs, and more) before the deadline of February 28th at 3 PM PST. Toys, artists and companies that were released or actively awesome in the 2018 calendar year are eligible to be nominated.
Let your voice be heard. Blown away by a toy or artist in 2019? Nominating them for a DTA is the first, essential step in getting them recognized at the DTA Awards Ceremony on June 1st in NYC.
Tenacious Toys Exclusive Siamese Kittypillar by Casey Weldon x 3A
Tenacious Toys has announced their Exclusive Siamese Kittypillar by Casey Weldon and 3A. The new version of Weldon's quirky, fun figure mimics the appearance of the Siamese cat with the 'pillar transmogrification.
Limited to 100 pieces, the 8" Siamese Kittypillar vinyl is available for pre-order now from Tenacous Toys for $90. En route from China, these should ship out to customers in March.
Whereschappel -- Mickey McFly Set to Drop In
A little than two weeks ago, Whereschappel dropped his take on Mickey in ninja fashion with a simple IG announcement without the fanfare of a set release date. To no one's surprise, the 12 piece edition insta-vanished.
Now, he's just posted a pic of his new Mickey McFly, an awesome 2x pop culture special with a wintery twist. When? 'Coming Soon'. Time to stay glued to his IG page? Just might be.
Feb 02, 2019
Instinctoy February Lottery with Tokyo Comic-Con Releases and More
Instinctoy has just opened it's February Lottery featuring 6 production releases and three one-off customs. This is the first and likely only opportunity for collectors to purchase these toys at retail, many of which were originally released back in December at Tokyo Comic Con.
The following toys are available via the lottery which ends on February 13th at 6:59 AM PST : Giant Maguro Senpai Red Snapper by Mame Moyashi (~10", ¥16500/~$150), Mini Erosion Molly Christmas Edition by Kenny Wong (~3.8", ¥5000/~$46), Byron Pastel Rainbow GID Flocked (~4", ¥10,800/~$99) by Shoko Nakazawa, Kasing Zimomo 'Ka' Instinctoy Exclusive (~7.5", ¥12,800/~$117) by Kasing Lung, The Poisonous Scoprion Kaiju in both the Antares (~7.4", ¥32,400/~$2960 and Green Blank (~7.4", ¥17,800/~$163) editions by Jubi Yang.
Instinctoy is also offering three Blow Away customs by Josh Mayhem: Vincent (¥200,000/~$1825), Halloween Inc (¥100,000 /~$912), and Crystal Storm (¥100,000/~$912).
Instinctoy is running the lottery through their online stores: Instinctoy.net (Outside of Japan) and Instinctoy.com. To enter add each time that you'd like to purchase to your cart. No payment will be required at checkout, and will only be required if you are selected as a winner. The lottery closes on February 13th at 6:59 AM PST.
For a full description and additional pictures of each item head on over to Instinctoy's detailed lottery info.
CNY Sibatu Red by Kong Andri (2.4)
To celebrate the Chinese New Year, Kong Andri will release his Sibatu unpainted red edition. The prehistoric hunter soft vinyl offers a distinct vibe without a hint of trend-following. Limited to 12 pieces, this fierce Sibatu will be available on Monday (2.4) at 5 AM PST from his web shop.
Scribe x Silent Stage — 'Not An Aphrodisiac' Valentines Day Exclusive Editions (2.11)
With a tongue-in-cheek, reverse twist, Scribe and Silent Stage will release two Valentine's Day Exclusives of the new 'Not An Aphrodisiac' resin bust. Following the debut Black + Gold DCon Edition, these new Black + Neon Pink and Neon Pink + Yellow Valentines editions celebrate Rumpus, Rhino preservation, and art as the sweetest of treats.
Limited to 25 pieces each, the 'Not An Aphrodisiac' Valentines Editions will be released on Monday, February 11th 2019 at 10 AM PST from Silent Stage's web shop for $150 each.
Hasbro x 3A Transformers DLX Blitzwing
Back in December, 3A released the Transformers DLX BumbleBee figure in conjunction with Hasbro. Now, their new DLX Blitzwing figures continues the DLX format recreations of the pivotal BumbleBee film.
At 10.6" tall, the smaller format DLX Blitzing offers a highly-detailed rendition of the high-flying Decepticon with 51 points of articulation, spot use of die-cast metal parts, and LED light-up eyes. As with BumbleBee, Blitzwing comes with an ample arsenal including interchangeable left and right arms (standard and weapons), three sets of hands (fists/relaxed/action) and a stylized display base.
The DLX Blitzwing is available for pre-order now for $199.99 direct from 3A with free world-wide shipping. 3A expects to ship their newest DLX Transformer in Q3 2019.
Ring in the Lunar New Year with the Pigtist OG Pre-Order
With the Year of the Pig lunar year coming in just a few days, we've seen quite a few Pig-themed art toys, both original designs and special editions of existing toys. The brand-new Pigtist from Thailand-based Pigtist Toy caught our eye with plenty of personality to spare.
The sculpt is nicely done with cute proportions from the large, wide face, to the stylized, sitting body. Embracing its inspiration, Pigtist delivers the goods with a wide nose, hoofed feat, and a tail. Not content to rely on the cute appeal, the artist has added a bit of edge with the earring, and the tattoo-inspired graphics.
Pigtist (2.5", 10 pcs, resin) is currently available for $32 as a pre-order. To place an order, head over to the pre-order page on Facebook and leave a comment with a '1' indicating that you'd like to order one toy. The artist will confirm successful orders and arrange for payment. Orders will ship in roughly two months.
Steven Choi x Kaiyodo -- Zu & Pi Mini Series Debuts at WonderFestival (2.10)
Steven Choi is working with Japan's Kaiyodo to bring his Zu & Pi Universe to life as a new mini series. The new series will be shown at the upcoming WonderFestival Winter (2.10) in Japan. This first sneak peek of what appears to be a celestial creature is quite promising with an excellent paint design. The new minis should be a nice compliment to the artist's larger Pi vinyl figures.
DSKI ONE — Aleister Growley Sofubi Proto Edition
David 'DSKI ONE' Osowski debuted his dark shape-shifter, Aleister Growley, in a hand-painted pink resin edition last May for Five Points Festival. The demonic dog, part of the artist's Infected by Devils series, has crossed over into sofubi.
First out of the the depths, is an unpainted Aleister Growley proto edition cast in deep red sofubi. It's available for $25 each as a timed pre-order from Lulubell through February 14th at 5 PM PST. These are currently set to ship in late March.
Feb 01, 2019
Fun in the Kitchen with 'Supper OG' by Resin3vil (2.2)
Thai artist Resin3vil is about to drop the debut edition of his Supper resin figure. The pink lil' tot is all about tasty morsels, so much so that he's wearing his passion on his head in the form of an old-school iron cooking pot. This clever design is a fun twist on food toys and offers a rewarding double-take moment. This one is all about the fun concept and less about seeking perfection in a hand-painted resin figure.
Resin3vil will release Supper OG (3.35", Edition of 10) via his Facebook and Instagram pages on Saturday (2.2) at 5 AM PST for $60 each. At the release time, he'll put up special release posts on both of his social media pages. To order comment with F,1 (Facebook) or I,1 (Instagram) to indicate you'd like to purchase a figure. If there's stock when you order via comment, you'll be contacted to arrange payment. Five pieces will be available on FB and five on IG.
BigBoysToys -- Street Fighter Bulkyz GID Flocked Editions
Shoryuken! BigBoysToys is set to released special GID Flocked editions of their Ken and Ryu Street Fighter Bulkyz vinyl toys. Featuring the brand's signature super buff sculpts, these special editions featured streamlined designs with GID bodies and flocked clothing. Ken rocks the blue glow while Ryu reps the traditional green glow.
Limited to 50 pieces each, the Ken and Ryu Bulkyz GID Flocked Editions (~12") will be available on Friday (2.1) at 8 PM PST from the BigBoysToys shop for $115 each.
Nouar x Martian Toys — Lil' Scoopy Rocky Road
Happy Friday. Celebrate the weekend with a new flavor of lil' Scoopy from LA-based artist Nouar and Martian Toys. The Rocky Road edition brings pure indulgence to your shelf with that triple-threat ice cream, cherry-on-top and light orange bowl body.
Limited to 100 pieces, the Lil' Scoopy Rocky Road vinyl (4") is available now for $29 from Martian Toys.
JC Rivera -- Panda Bearchamp
Boom! Bearchamp returns to the ring with the new Panda edition from JC Rivera and UVD Toys. Just in time for Chinese New Year, the Black + White 4" vinyl slugger is ready to make his foes black and blue.
Limited to 100 pieces, Bearchamp Panda Edition is available now for $50 from the artist's web shop.