Jun 01, 2006
Transmission 4.0
-UPDATE-
$99.90 + SHIPPING PER FIGURE
RCARCN QPNA
MUTTPOP X KOZIK = EL BRUJO NARCO SATANICO TEQUILA
ON SALE EXCLUSIVELY AT VINYLPULSE.COM NEXT TUESDAY (6/6/6).
LIMITED TO 333 FIGURES.
UCNG DGIKPU VYGNXG R.O. RCEKHKE VKOG
May 30, 2006
Transmission 4.0
MUTTPOP X KOZIK = EL BRUJO NARCO SATANICO TEQUILA
ON SALE EXCLUSIVELY AT VINYLPULSE.COM NEXT TUESDAY (6/6/6).
LIMITED TO 333 FIGURES.
UCNG DGIKPU VYGNXG R.O. RCEKHKE VKOG
May 23, 2006
Transmission #3
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*F*CK SDCC*
May 16, 2006
Transmission #2
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
1010101010101010101010101101010*KOZIK=MQBKM*1010101010101010101010101010
*******KPVGTPGV QPNA* KPVGTPGV QPNA* KPVGTPGV QPNA* KPVGTPGV QPNA*******
*******KPVGTPGV QPNA* KPVGTPGV QPNA* KPVGTPGV QPNA* KPVGTPGV QPNA*******
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*666*
May 09, 2006
ASDFOWP JWEFW0-92RU 329432U JWS NFDSJ-EFWQR IWEXSA FJASDFA JWQEJW
LGJREWIUTITPOI3986456854YTIU459YTJGKJREGJEI T8U33409T8QWITQPOW094M
GREW9T843K09TJGIHJOHJRIUVG,V[PASOF[PIWQER09EWQTEWRTREOGJ DFVG#$FDP
TIJEJKDFKPODSAF[PDSAFIEW09FIEWQ0TRJWEGFHGP REI[PIHRE09IRE-0IER0-HG
DPVKEW9F-EWQTR0WQIGKEOJREKG[PQWPOGFIWQIF0-EWQTREW-TRIEW9TIT88TTR-
KQWE0-FEWQ9RIEW0TR8EWTZ-98RET0-83I34KQKWQPOGTKER9YTIRE 0YT98T83Y4P
R4Y[PREI-REW0YT890-Y456IK45YPOKY!WEIRKREWH[HKOWR5T-04365Y8565YKK H
-86456845645YT[REWPIYPRE[PREHKWREK[R980 -9828585988WWIERTEWROITPOI
4560Y7YJJGPOIWQE9RT8432320-TITPIREPORRGKRGGW3K463409686-589868232
[OGJJ[GJ[POWPO3465865685828280340TROTRIPKGOKWEKR GTKREWTRETOERTOIR
4HYJHKTKYOITRIORROITRTOITROIROIETITIWE09E8R650-86HJTOTHRKTRH JTRPO
-29034-882989TWIREOTOTREITREWTJRTRTJJ OIYTYYTUTUUU43096583830 -TIRE
9586656(VINYLPULSE.MUTTPOP- 6/6/6)ASDFJASDLFJSADFOSAPWEF NLKSADFKN
ADJWEO84309T58409438650934JESAFJSDFJJKJFDI359809FLJFKDSFKJFDKLJFD
Dec 30, 2005
TEQUILA REVEALED PART 28
OOH BABY I LIKE IT RAW!!!! Especially this RAW!!! After enjoying time off for the holidays, Muttpop prepares for the online sale of RAW TEQUILA. The online sale of RAW will begin in early January. Subscribers to Muttpop's e-mail newsletter ( [email protected]) will be the first informed of RAW's availability (so anyone interested should make sure you are subscribed!). Gobi did pieces of original art on EVERY original RAW box offered online. To change things up a bit, Gobi decided to illustrate the 25 remaining boxes with some India ink and an old beat up paintbrush. These personalized illustrations makes the toy even more exciting. Don't worry about the "glare" around the drawings, it is just the effects of photoshop. Check out Gobi's illustrations below…and good luck scoring an uber-rare RAW Tequila!
Make sure to be back next week/year for the OFFICIAL unveiling of Muttpop's SECOND ROTOCAST FIGURE!!!
Dec 23, 2005
Tequila Week 27 -- Tequila Release Party Video
Click for Video
Wow, what a sweet ride it's been watching Tequila develop before us every week on Vinyl Pulse. Can you believe this is week 27! This is the 2nd to last week of Tequila coverage -- but don't fret as we'll be ringing in the new year with El Panda starting on Friday January 6th ;-) Ok, for this week have a really slick video of the Tequila Release Party.
Tequila Release Party Video
You saw the pics for Muttpop’s Tequila Figure release party. Now it’s time to see the Quicktime Video! The Tequila Release Party was featured on the AMAZING Urban Testing Ground VIDEO BLOG by Superstar Blogger JOEL KUWAHARA.
Joel’s Urban Testing Ground sets a high bar of quality for video bloggers. His coverage of all things “underground” is always insightful and entertaining. Muttpop was very honored that Joel took the time and effort to showcase our first release party on his blog. Be sure to check out his other entries including a few on graf art and breaking.
Check back next week for a peek at RAW Tequila boxes loaded with hand-drawn original art! And, starting in 2006 we'll have weekly coverage of Muttpop's next dope toy.
Dec 16, 2005
Tequila Contest Reminder
Folks!!! Just a reminder that the Tequila Contest to win some cool schwag ends this Sunday the 18th at 8:00 p.m. (PST). So if you haven't entered...do it NOW!!! You would just beat yourself crazy if you missed out on a chance to win this awesome toy!!!!
TEQUILA REVEALED PART 26
It was time for Muttpop to unveil their Tequila figure to the masses! After a small appearance at Super7's San Francisco store, the Muttpop Crew had to make a 6-hour trek back to their hometown of Los Angeles for their big debut! With Tequila inventory stashed away in the trunk of their car, Gobi, Jerry, and Bob arrived in Los Angeles TWO HOURS before the show. So how did the show go? See for yourself! Tons of Tequilas, tee shirts, and accessories were sold. There was plenty of Mexican beer, tequila, margaritas and food to celebrate the release of Muttpop's first figure. And last, but not least, there were hundreds of great looking Tequila fans joining Muttpop for the celebration.
Although Jack and I caught the tail end of the party, there was plenty of evidence of the successful turn out, or should we say "lack of evidence (toys)??" People were still in line around 10pm to get their toys signed and boxes drawn by Gobi. Between cigarettes breaks, Gobi patiently doodled on the boxes and chatted candidly with fans. The Muttpop crew were tired but the energy was high and they felt on top of the world. Fear it is coming to an end??? Noooo, this is just the beginning and we have lots more in store for you. For now, check out the awesome party pics taken by Kris Carrillo but be sure to come back next week for the first reveal of Muttpop's NEXT VINYL FIGURE!!!
Ness and Bob 
Lili Chin 
Gobi 
Dec 11, 2005
Tequila Release Party @ Meltdown Comic (12.10.2005)
The Luchadores Three: Gobi, Muttpop Bob, and Jerry Frissen
The Tequila Release Party at Meltdown Comics last night (12.10) was a rousing success. The anxious crowd was soon pleased to learn that there would be no raffle (as previously planned) for the opportunity to buy a RAW tequila; anyone that wanted to was able to purchase one of these special toys (limited to 50 total)!
The Tequila festivites were at the rear of the very large store. Fresh on about three hours sleep after the quick turnaround from SF to LA, Robert Silva, Jerry Frissen and Gobi were all present to sign Tequila toys and Gobi was also drawing on the boxes to add that extra personal touch. Gobi was almost certainly feeling the effects of Jet lag from his trip from France, but he drew on and on and on well into 10:30 or so. In addition to the toys, mini-zines, shirts and prints were also available. These all look quite nice. The prints in particular are on heavy stock and really vivid. There were also at least 25 or so original pencil artwork available for sale by the three Muttpop artists : Gobi, Fabien, and Bill. Each of these pices was $300.
So how do the toys look? In a word, awesome. We were a little anxious to see if the production pieces lived up to the quality of the prototypes and they definitely seem to. My personal favorite is the Extra Spicy -- the colors on it are really superb and give the toy a dusty, weathered look.
Just for kicks... a food review :-) The food at the release was clearly the best for this kind of event that I've ever seen -- pinwheel sandwiches, regular sandwiches, crackers, cheese and of course free alchohol.
Props to Muttpop for producing such a cool toy and letting us come along for the ride! Stay tuned for more pictures of the festivities courtesy of Kris Carrillo.
Gobi rockin' a box
Bob never looked so good
Tequila shreddin'
Bob focusing in...
I win :-)
Gulp!
Signed Tequila
Dec 09, 2005
Tequila Contest
All right people, listen up!!! To celebrate the release of Tequila and for VP's 100K event, we would like to thank our readers by giving you a chance at winning some awesome prizes from Muttpop. So, here's the deal. Leave a comment in this thread only and be sure to fill-in your real email address, 5 random entries will be selected and the prizes are as follows:
Winner 1 will get: One (1) RAW TEQUILA (1/50) w/Box drawn by Gobi and signed by Gobi & Jerry Frissen.
Winner 2 will get: One (1) SET of ART PRINTS (1/50 of each made) signed by Gobi & Jerry Frissen. The Art prints are of Tequila, El Panda, & Pilli Pilli.
Winner 3,4, & 5 will get: One (1)1 Mini-zine signed by Gobi, Jerry Frissen, & Muttpop Bob and a set of 3 Stickers.
Here comes the fine print, so read carefully:
1. One entry per person with a valid email address. Multiple entries disqualifies you.
2. Deadline to enter by: December 18, 2005 8:00pm (PST)
3. Shipping is covered within 48 Continental US; Shipping anywhere else must be paid by winners
5. Winners will be notified by email
6. Winners must
respond to VP within 72 hours of notification; Otherwise, a new winner will be selected
Good luck everyone!!! And finally thanks to the Muttpop crew for making this contest possible!!!
TEQUILA FINALLY!!!! PART 25
Gobi
In order to give props to the comic art origins of Muttpop’s Tequila Figure and Lucha Libre Universe, Original Art by all three Muttpop Artists will be showcased and sold at both events (San Francisco at Super 7 on Friday, December 9th; Los Angeles at Meltdown on Saturday, December 10th). Gobi brought a huge stack of art by him, Bill, and Fabien specifically for the two events. Art to be sold will include the two Tequila illustrations Gobi drew for the Tequila Figure box. The Muttpop team is taking the final steps necessary to make both shows something to remember. Come for the toys, come for the art, just BE THERE!!! Muttpop Bob, Jerry, and Gobi hope to see you all there!!! And if you enjoyed the weekly updates of Tequila as much as we did, make sure you come by and say hi!!Check back next week for photos and recaps of both shows.
Fabien
Fabien
Bill
Gobi
Bill
Dec 02, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 24
THEY’RE HERE!!! Everything’s starting to come together for Muttpop’s TEQUILA Release Party. Toys sent for the two events have arrived. The mini-zines have been printed. Art proofs have been approved for the Prints. Stickers have been made. The shirts are now in their finalstage of production. Gobi’s on his flight over to Los Angeles (his FIRST time in the United States) as this is written. EACH show (Los Angeles & San Francisco) will have the following for sale:
12 RAW TEQUILAS
20 EXTRA SPICY TEQUILAS
24 ORIGINAL TEQUILAS
3 different ART PRINTS (Only 50 of each made)
T-SHIRTS
MINI-ZINES
STICKERS
Everything will be sold on a FIRST COME FIRST SERVE basis with the EXCEPTION of RAW TEQUILA. Anyone interested in RAW TEQUILA can request a raffle ticket (one per person) from 7-8:15pm. Raffle tickets will be given on a first come, first serve basis. No more than 50 raffle tickets will be given at each event. At 8:30pm there will be a RAFFLE and 12 names will be picked at random. Being picked gives a person the right to PURCHASE RAW TEQUILA. Only the person whose name is on the ticket has the right to purchase RAW. They must be AT THE EVENT when their name is drawn; or the privilege is given to another person whose raffle ticket is picked at random. Gobi will be doing ORIGINAL ART on the winners’ Raw Box after the raffle. Wow!! This is truly an opportunity to own an extraordinary piece of art work. Don't miss out and be there early. Jack and I can't wait finally to hold our "babies" in our arms..heeheee.... Below you can see a glimpse at the stockpile of product the Muttpop folks will bring to the event..
Boxes of Tequilas
Giclee Prints
Tequila Stickers
MiniZine
Tequila T-Shirt
Nov 25, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 23
LA Release Party Flier
Muttpop is working HARD to make the debut of the Tequila figure a success. In addition to ensuring that the Tequila figures will be on U.S. shores in time for the event, Muttpop is currently creating the following:
TEQUILA MINI-ZINE: This 32 page limited edition mini magazine revisits the various stages of the Tequila Vinyl Figure's production, spotlights the many faces of Muttpop, and includes a 12 page Luchadores 5 comic.
GICLEE PRINT SET: Muttpop is making 50 prints of Tequila and 2 other characters co-created by Gobi and Jerry Frissen.
T-SHIRTS: There will be limited edition Tequila t-shirts (pink & baby blue for the ladies, brown for the gentlemen) available at the debut events.
Below you will find sample pages from the mini-zine and the final designs for the prints, t-shirts, and promotional postcards
The SAN FRANCISCO Tequila Release Party on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9TH from 7-10pm will be held at:
THE SUPER7 STORE
1630 POST STREET
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
The LOS ANGELES Tequila Release Party on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10TH from 7-10pm will be held at:
MELTDOWN COMICS & COLLECTIBLES
7522 SUNSET BOULEVARD
LOS ANGELES, CA
Ok, peeps!!! This is what you all have been waiting for, the release parties for Tequila. And you know what that means...Tequila, loads of promo stuff, booz, music, art/toy people...just great fun!!! Make sure you swing by for all the action and for those out of reach, stay tune for pics of the parties!!!!
Check back next week for ACTUAL photos of the Debut Party Product.
Giclee Print
T-shirt Design
Mini-zine
SF Release Party Flier
Nov 18, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 22
Can you believe it? Tequila has been on VP for 22 weeks and through it all, we have seen him develop from 2d illustrations to a finished vinyl toy. He is all ready to be unleashed upon us!!( my baby is all grown up sob..sob..) But before we get to adopt him, lets learn more about the people responsible for this madness. This week, we chat with 3 individuals who I consider the "fathers" of Tequila. Be sure you read all the way through the interview, you will get a glimpse of future Luchadores from Muttpop. The future looks REALLY promising!!!
The fun doesn't end here!! Muttpop is supporting VP's 100k milestone with a contest. Guess what you might win???? Amazing toys of course!!! Stay tuned for more details.
Do y’all collect toys? If so, which? Which other artists have influenced your work?
Jerry: In terms of influences, I’m trying to take them from outside the toy industry. I don’t really collect toys but I have some, mainly Japanese Kaiju. That said, even if I don’t have a lot of them, I love toys. I’m proud to be a part of this industry.
GOBI : I’m a HUGE toy fan. They have influenced my work as much as Japanese animation and comic books. I was a big fan of the Ghostbusters and Ninja Turtle action figures. I loved the Boglins and all that monstrous plastic crap. Since those kinds of toys don’t exist anymore, I find my pleasure with toys like Panda Z or the toys based on Akira Toriyama’s work. I like designer toys but I also like to get a better sense of history for the characters. We tried to do that with Tequila. We wanted to give him a light action figure touch to help the audience imagine him in all sorts of situations. I hope the results are as original as 80’s action figures.
Bob: As a man raised on Transformers (with METAL parts!), I STILL love my robots…but most of my old toys are either up in my parents attic or given to younger kids. Of my newer toys, I really love the first Playskool run of Star Wars toys. Also, the Mignola art style Hellboy figures by Mezco that came out a month or two ago are AMAZING. Of the designer toy stuff…I really dig Kozik’s Smorkin’ Labbits, the Ma.K. Kubricks, and the Ugly Dolls.
Jerry Frissen and Gobi are the co-creators of Tequila. Who are they? What other works beside Tequila have we seen from them?
Jerry: I’m both a writer and a graphic designer. I created the Lucha Libre universe that will become three different comics series. I also write The Zombies That Ate the World, illustrated by the amazing Guy Davis. As a graphic designer, I designed all the Humanoids Publishing comic books and graphic novels.
GOBI : I’m working with Bill (another artist in the Lucha Libre project) on a comic book series called the Zblucops. We are doing a lot of illustrations for magazines. We also work in animation as character designers. With Fabien (the third artist on Lucha Libre) we directed Catfish Hotel, an animated short that that got a bit of a buzz online.
How did Jerry and Gobi come up with the Tequila character? Can you give us a quick refresher on Tequila’s story?
Gobi : When I saw the first pages of the Luchadores 5 (created by Bill and Jerry), I was very excited and I wanted to be part of it. I sent a first version of Tequila to Jerry. We began to talk about the character. His life, his temper, etc… Jerry found the name and wrote the first graphic novel. It was really nice working with him because he always submits his ideas to me to see if I like them. I couldn’t do that myself and I thank him for that!
Jerry: Funny, I thought the name of Tequila was Gobi’s idea! I created the universe but the main cactus idea behind Tequila is coming from Gobi. He’s wanted to do a cactus guy for a while and this universe was the perfect fit. Working with him is a great experience, he takes my characters and makes them ten times more powerful.
Which came first, the toy or the comic? Either way, Tequila is a part of a story line in the world of Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling). Why Lucha Libre?
Gobi : The first project was the comics. Unfortunately, I’m not the fastest artist in the world. So, the toy is being released BEFORE the comic. From my point of view, the Lucha Libre project will be a brand that encapsulates a lot of different projects. As pop culture, with a little imagination, mexican wrestling allows for infinite reinterpretation of traditional ideas. We’re trying to give the audience something simple and entertaining based on this strong concept.
Jerry : The Lucha Libre universe is my vision of Los Angeles. L.A. is a city with people coming from all over the world. A lot of them brought with them their own heritage. So, the city is a juxtaposition of countries, races, etc. I walk a lot in the city and one day I had this idea of a bunch of wannabe heroes trying to save the city from a gang of werewolves. Since the city has a large Latino population and I’ve always been into Mexican wrestling, the rest was pretty obvious. I like the idea of reinterpreting culture. America does that a lot with other cultures. I thought it was my turn to do the same.
When and why did Muttpop decide to take the leap and create designer toys?
Jerry: When Bob saw the first comic pages, he immediately realized the potential. He was the one behind the toys. Without his energy, nothing would have happened.
Bob: I’ve been following the designer toy scene for several years now and I really felt that this bustling new community could embrace the Lucha Libre characters Jerry, Bill, Gobi, and Fabien had created. The designer toy community is one of the few industries that is looking for new ideas. As something new and exciting, I felt that we had the perfect fit.
It is also interesting seeing HOW the community has grown. Since it’s beginnings in Asia, the Designer Toy phenomenon has become an INTERNATIONAL movement. With an international team of creators (Jerry and I are in the United States, the artist are in France, and, by fate, our sculptor is in Japan)…I feel that Muttpop is an example of how Designer Toys can touch people all over the world despite cultural barriers.
What was the process like turning Tequila from a 2d character to a 3d toy?
Bob: SURREAL. It was like giving birth through e-mail attachments. We experienced the PROCESS of Tequila’s creation in much the same way that Vinyl Pulse fans had. We saw the photos, gave our comments…and saw the results. The “call and response” process was pretty fascinating since Monster5’s interpretation of our critiques often resulted in something better than we ever imagine.
Actually holding the prototype in our hands was crazy. No matter how much you THINK you know what the Tequila figure will look like from pictures, it never can touch actually being able to hold it in your hands.
You have chosen to document the whole process of making Tequila on VP. What was it like revealing all to the world? What were some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing so?
Bob: It was scary…but really cool. In this DIGITAL age of airbrushing and Photoshop, everyone wants to make their first impression PERFECT. We’re against all of that. For us it’s our inherent flaws that make us unique and special…the same goes with our characters and our toys. I felt that showing our toys from every stage of production would be like watching a child grow up. Yeah, you have some missteps, but at the end of the day the people that have EXPERIENCED the process of growth will have a far deeper connection than someone who has a PERFECT product shoved into their face and is demanded to buy the darn thing. To me that is a HUGE advantage.
The VP experience has been mostly successful. Why do you think fans are so interested in the making of a toy?
Bob: Because it so rarely happens. The designer toy community is incredibly sophisticated. Most of its fans are artists themselves or buyers that are eager for substantial information. I think that’s why the Vinyl Pulse Blog has THRIVED so well: you continue to give fans substance.
Nov 11, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 21
Updated: Added in a nice shot of Raw Tequila's massive back.
You've seen the original tequila and the Extra Spicy Tequila, but unless you have spybot you've probably never seen this week's Tequila. To pay respect to the process of toy making that has been shown here for the past five months or so, Muttpop will be releasing an über-limited Raw Tequila.
This unpainted Raw Tequila is Monster5’s sculpt in its purest form. This edition brings out the beauty of the sculpt which holds its own with its painted brothers. With a total of 50 made, Raw Tequila will only be offered at special events, promotions, and Monster5’s store in Japan. Although not shown in the pictures below, the final version of Raw Tequila will include an unpainted removable vinyl poncho. 25 Raw Tequilas will include original artwork drawn on the box by Gobi, Tequila's Co-Creator. The other 25 boxes will be included in a special Raw Tequila package filled with limited edition goodies.
I can just see it now...these ultra limited Raw Tequila are going to turn into amazing works of art, heck, as raw as it is...it is already a beautiful piece, besides I like them RAW!!!! So if you want to get your hands on one of these guys...be on the look out!!!
Check back next week for an interview with the Muttpop crew.
Nov 04, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 20
This is it!!! The final production of the Original Tequila is final here!!! Today you will see Tequila as he will be when he is ready for your adoption in December. This is as good as it gets!!! Or is it????
As much as Muttpop liked the first prototype of the ORIGINAL Tequila, the Muttpop crew felt that it was possible to bring a more refined look to the Tequila figure by slightly tweaking the colors. It is extremely important that the colors chosen for the Tequila figure draws attention to Tequila’s face. Unfortunately the green Muttpop originally used on the poncho pattern and pants patches competed too much with the green of Tequila’s mask. Seen below is the REVISED PROTOTYPE for the Original Tequila. In it we changed the Poncho and patches green to a more gray tone. This new color really brings a more balanced look to the figure. You will also notice a general improvement in paint quality. Now that the manufacturer’s painters are more familiar with the figure, they were able to bring a greater level of polish when painting Tequila. With all of these improvements, Muttpop enthusiastically approved this version of the ORIGINAL TEQUILA for FINAL PRODUCTION! A total of 700 ORIGINAL TEQUILA’S will be manufactured in time for a December 2005 release.
Check back next week for the first look at the EXTREMELY LIMITED RAW version of Tequila!
Oct 28, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 19
Okay, so Muttpop lied. Initially they promised to show us a glimpse of both the revised, final version of Original Tequila and a first glimpse at Extra Spicy Tequila. But they had so many nice images of the Extra Spicy Tequila that we decided to focus this entry on this very cool variant colorway. Muttpop received a shipment with prototypes of all three versions of Tequila (ORIGINAL, EXTRA SPICY, and RAW). As such, Muttpop's Jerry Frissen was able to take a bunch of high quality pictures of the Extra Spicy Tequila. Extra Spicy is a more abstract take on the character that embraces the rougher qualities of Tequila's personality and appearance. A total of 250 Extra Spicy Tequilas will be made. I am so glad they lied and decided to show this uber cool colorway of Tequila. When I first held this guy, it was so so hard to let go....I must have it and I am sure many of you are just dying to get your hands on one. Well...you don't have to wait any longer...his release is just a short month away!!Check back next week for a peak at the FINAL version of the ORIGINAL Tequila!
Oct 21, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 18
Muttpop was ready to SEE their creation first hand for final approval. Up until now, members of Muttpop had only seen their Tequila figure and sculpt in photos. It was SURREAL for the Muttpop crew to see and hold a prototype of the Tequila Figure for the first time. Muttpop hooked up with photographer Kris Carillo for a special Tequila photo shoot. You can check out photos from the shoot below. There’s a teeny tiny tweak that Muttpop will make to the prototype shown below but for the most part, what you see is an excellent example of what the final ORIGINAL Tequila figure will look like. No words can do justice for this bad ass fella, I finally got to see Tequila up close and person and oh f#%^!!!! The sculpt, the color, the built, the attitude, everything about this toy is a killer!! And imagine...this is only just the beginning!!!
Check back next week for a peak at the tweaked ORIGINAL Tequila and the first test photos of the EXTRA SPICY Tequila!
Oct 14, 2005
“TEQUILA REVEALED!” PART 17
Yes!! Finally the poncho...we get to see the awesome vinyl poncho which serves almost like an accessory to Tequlia. Now that Muttpop was happy with the quality of the Tequila figure paint application, it was time to create and paint the prototype Poncho.Because of its thin shape, the Poncho was created using an injection mold process. During this process, liquid vinyl is injected through a small hole into a complete mold of the poncho. As the liquid hardens, it takes on the shape of the mold.Once the vinyl poncho had completely hardened, the manufacturer painted the details of the poncho. Check back next Friday for a look at some high quality photos taken of the Tequila Figure!
Oct 07, 2005
"TEQULIA REVEALED" PART 16
So, last week we saw for the very first time Tequila in full color and many of us thought nothing could make it even better. But now look at the changes made, here is the revised fully painted Tequila prototype by Muttpop. Corrections include the following:
- Tequila’s pupils are placed differently and painted smaller.
- The Cactus symbol is placed higher on Tequila’s forehead.
- His feet are repainted with a matte color (no more shiny feet!).
- Sandal straps are painted green
- Photos were shot without flash to give us a better idea of the toy’s ACTUAL color.
Check back next Friday for the first glimpse at TEQUILA wearing his fully painted vinyl PONCHO! yes the PONCHO!!!
Sep 30, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 15!!
It was time to paint a prototype of Muttpop's Tequila figure. Paint application is a very crucial stage of development. Even though paint attributes to a small portion of the costs in creating a vinyl toy, it has a MAJOR influence on its perceived quality. Using the pantone colors suggested last week, the manufacturer creates a prototype of the painted Tequila figure. The figure is made with the same rotocast process that is used in the figure's mass production.
Although a noble first attempt, the manufacturer got many elements of the Tequila figure wrong. The Muttpop crew quickly addressed every concern they had with the initial paint application and provided the manufacturer with reasonable solutions. You can see some of Muttpop's solutions below.
I have to admit, I wasn't prepared to see Tequila in full colors. I can't wait to see the corrections made to make him even better. Be here next week to see the manufacturer's corrections in Round 2 of the Painted Tequila Prototype!
Sep 23, 2005
"TEQULIA REVEALED" PART 14
Having received approval for the wax casts by Muttpop, the manufacturer began to produce metal replicas of the silicone molds for use in the mass production of the Tequila figure. So what’s left? COLOR! Muttpop’s art team used Pantone #’s to identify the colors of both the Original Tequila and his color variant. The ORIGINAL color scheme uses a traditional paint application approach. The EXTRA SPICY color scheme conceptualizes what the Tequila toy would look like if created in 1950s’ Japan. You can see images of both versions below.
HOT!! HOT!! HOT!!! Can we say HOT???? I can't wait to see the paint application test of EXTRA SPICY Tequila!! I think it is going too hot to handle!! Be here next week for a glimpse at the first Rotocast Vinyl Tequila paint application test!
Sep 16, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED" PART 13
The completed sculpt for Muttpop’s Tequila figure was boxed up and shipped to China for the mass production of the vinyl figure. Once in China, Monster5’s final Tequila sculpt is divided into 5 pieces. Liquid silicone is poured over the different pieces and left to sit. This process takes place in a vacuum air tight room to ensure that the casts are as close to perfect as possible. The pressure created by the vacuum pushes air out of the silicone casts so that no significant imperfections (such as air bubbles) occur during this critical stage of production.Below you will see a Wax Cast of Tequila (shown in RED) that was created using the five Silicone Molds. The Wax figure is an excellent example of the actual size and detail of the final version of the Tequila figure especially when compared to the Original Sculpt (shown in GREY).
This really isn't for the faint of heart, imagine holding your breath, crossing all fingers and maybe a toe or two, as the cast is revealed for the very first time. The quest for perfection ultimately over takes all sensibility. I have come to a new appreciation of the toy making process. By the way, Tequila looks pretty good in wax!!! Be here next week for a digital mock up of Muttpop’s Original and Extra Spicy Tequila Color Ways!
Sep 09, 2005
"TEQUILA REVEALED!" PART 12
Now that Monster5 completed the final sculpt of Muttpop’s Tequila, the sculptor created a hand drawn blueprint of the figure’s exact size. Tequila’s dimensions will approximately be 22cm X 17cm X 12cm (8.6in X 6.6in X 4.7in). Jerry Frissen went to task creating a package layout that successfully conveys Tequila’s attitude with a box design that is both visually dynamic and informative. For the co-creator bios, Jerry had Gobi pitch in with a pair of caricatures of the two co-creators. Click on the images below to get a better look at packaging details and a bit of Tequila’s history.
This box is so fully loaded visually. From information about Tequila to the warning sign for buyers, no details were left untouched. I bet many of us would spend a good amount of time just looking over the box. Be here next week for the first photos of Tequila from our toy manufacturer!