DirtyTrooper "Bullheaded" from Brian Viveros x 3DRetro

 

     3DRetro does not want me to be financially stable.  They have declared war on my wallet, fired shots at my credit score, and will not rest until I have to make what looks like the inevitable choice of food or figures.  I mean, I could probably stand to lose a few pounds, but that's entirely not the point.  

    I'm not good at spending money and earlier this year I had to convince myself to purchase the beyond amazing vulture toy they did with Camille Rose Garcia.  Since it has become the literal center piece of my collection (it's freakin huge) I can't imagine life without it.  And I don't want to have to think about living without this beauty from Brian Viveros.  

   "Bulheaded" from Brian Viveros will be making her debut this weekend at DesignerCon in California, so attendees will get their first shot at owning one.  Though fear not, because the rest of us will have a chance as well and the extra time just gives you the ability to sell some plasma and make some room on your credit card.  They'll be at 3DRetro's booth number 405 and make the perfect gift for your favorite toy blogger this holiday season.  That's me...I'm your favorite.  

Trve Cvlt Snowtrooper from Bombermat Toys x DKE

     DKE always has a ton of hand crafted figures as part of their booth set up for any convention and there's inevitably one that I fall in love with.  For this year's DesignerCon that distinction belongs to Bombermat Toys and his Trve Cvlt Snowtrooper.  Star Wars and black metal go together like peas and carrots and while the connection may not be obvious to some, let me open my big book of nerd knowledge and clue you as to why this is genius.  The ice planet Hoth scenes from The Empire Strikes Back were filmed in Norway, which is also the birth place of corpse paint and scary music.  See, they fit together perfectly.  And if the figure alone wasn't cool enough, that might be some of the best backer card art I've ever seen courtesy of Juan Machado.

     Only 11 of these exist in the world, so you better make a bee line to booth #2922 if you want one.

DesignerCon Exclusives from Scott Tolleson

     When Scott Tolleson isn't curating the best "Jeffrey Epstein Didn't Kill Himself" memes on Facebook, his like, fifth favorite thing to do is design toys.  He'll have a bunch of releases for this year's DesignerCon including some old favorites and some brand new figures that are sure to become your favorites the moment you lay eyes on them, which is about to happen right now.

     Is it technically still a dad bod if you don't have kids?  Of course I'm asking for a friend, as I am the epitome of peak performance.  I'm not here to shame you though, even if you are a sentient root vegetable with resting New Jersey face (it's like resting bitch face, except it let's everyone around you know that you're ready to throw hands at all times, bro).  Being that they are Deadbeets, their dad bod's could be the result of the various bacteria in their guts that are fighting a losing battle in trying to breakdown their formerly living tissue, thus turning their bellies and into a volatile gas bomb.  Isn't nature beautiful?

    Oooooooh this is so pretty.  Cast in clear Bourbon tinted resin, this five inch Shard Dunny is sure to be one of the big hits of the show.  Did you see that a whiskey company made little shots of liquor that look like Tide pods?  That's sure an interesting way to reach a customer base that is obviously brain dead already, but you have to leave no stone unturned if you want to grow your business I guess.  I love this figure and the variations in color they were able to achieve and the effect is probably even cooler after you've downed a couple of those sweet bourbon laundry pods.  

    Let's keep the good resin vibes going with a figure you may recognize that has gotten a size upgrade.  WNDGO has gotten the five inch upgrade as well, with a clear blue body and a bone-like mask that I suspect will make him equally as popular as his brother listed above.  It's a striking combination that is equal parts cute and nightmarishly freaky.  If you wake up one night and he's chewing on your toes in a non alluring way don't act like I didn't see that coming.   

     Well this is certainly different from what we've seen before.  Just a little ice cream dinosaur bro, his mouth agape as he utters the word "Mama" in a squeaky little voice that would instantly make your heart melt.  Speaking of melt, if all of the dinosaurs were actually made of ice cream that would totally explain how they all went extinct.  They ignored all the signs of global warming and in doing so turned into lactose filled puddles.  He's not asking for his mother, no he is screaming that their hubris has doomed them all.   This figure is a collaboration with Unbox Industries and Ziqi, who are probably horrified about what I've just written.  

    I've done some damage to chicken nuggets in my lifetime and it looks like my day of reckoning is close at hand.  Look, I can't help that they are the most deliciously perfect food on Earth and that my body still craves them even as an adult.  Especially when they're crispy on the outside and warm and filled with otherwise unusable chicken bits on the inside.  You think that whole "pink slime" expose deterred me in any fashion from devouring them by the handful?  I can assure you it did not.  But what if every chicken nugget I ever ate turned into one of these, formed an army, and sought their revenge?  I better get my affairs in order.

    All of the goodness you see here and much more will be available by visiting Scott at booth # 209.

"Folkvang" Edition Nordic Lucky Cats for DesignerCon

     So it occurred to me that not only have I failed to do a post about my Nordic Lucky Cats releasing next week at DesignerCon, but I never even named the edition.  Being that they are made of a translucent green and white resin all marbled together and that they are inspired by the goddess Freyja's own cats, I have decided to call this run " Folkvang".  For those of you slightly less obsessed with mythology, Folkvang is the field that houses half of the Viking warriors that die in battle (the other half of course end up in Valhalla).  There are certainly worse outcomes in the after life than hanging out with the goddess of lust and beauty for an eternity.

    They stand four inches tall, are limited to 10 pieces and can only be found at the Stranger Factory/Circus Posterus booth #2600.  They each come in a fancy cloth bag that I hand stamped with love and care just for you.  All figures were produced by DuBose Art.  

Gerald Okamura Exclusives for DesignerCon

   

    Gerald Okamura is known as "The Man of Many Weapons" but I feel he's going to have to change that to "The Man of Many Exclusives" when it comes to this year's DesignerCon.  The film icon's instantly recognizable face has been transformed into everything from figures, to prints, and even skate decks.  Annnnnnnnd there is a custom show featuring his sofubi figure created by Max Toy Co.  Seriously, you might need to bring a spare suit case to bring all of it home.

      The majority of what he'll have available can be had at booth number 2136, but one location is not nearly enough to carry everything, so make sure you follow him on Instagram @officialgeraldokamura so you know exactly where to go.  I decided to pick just a few of my favorites to show you, otherwise you would spend the rest of your day scrolling this post.

Mark Hamill Exclusive Funko Pop Vinyl Figures for DesignerCon

      DesignerCon is only a few weeks away so prepare for your social media feeds to be inundated with releases that make your pupils dilate and your wallet wonder what the safe word is.  For those in attendance, may God forgive the thrashing you're about to do to your credit, cause there will be too much goodness to just window shop.  One of the more unique offerings that I've seen so far will be thees exclusive Mark Hamill Funko Pop Vinyl figures.  They come in two different designs, one in which he's keeping it casual and wearing a Lave Bear shirt designed by his son Nathan, and another where he is dressed as his most famous voice over role.  Now within those two designs there will different versions for you to collect, which you can see in the pictures I've included.  Those very same pictures also give you the very important locations in which you can procure said figures, lest you run around the show floor like a crazy person screaming Mark Hamill's name only to end up with someone recording it, selling it to TMZ, and you then you're forever remembered for your stalker-like meltdown.

    If you're going to try and get them all, because why wouldn't you, I'm going to copy and paste the info you need right now so you can plan accordingly, as the purple metallic edition is only available by purchasing an MVP package to the show.  So read this carefully because unlike your other friends, I just want you to be happy:

Here is the breakdown:

- Mark Hamill (Black LavaBear shirt) Available to all attendees at booth 1805.

- Purple Mark Hamill (Edition of 1000) ONLY AVAILABLE VIA MVP PACKAGE

- Mark Hamill (Joker Suit) Available to all attendees at booth 1807.

- Mark Hamill (White LavaBear shirt) Available to all attendees at booth 1807.

- Limited Edition Combo (500 sets) with Mark Hamill POP (Black LavaBear Shirt) & LavaBear Shirt by Nathan Hamill as Seen on Big Bang Theory, booth 1805.




    

Paul Kaiju Exclusives for DesignerCon

    Paul Kaiju has been posting tons of teasers for his DesignerCon exclusives and I'm over here just fiending for every one.  Seriously, he has outdone himself and there isn't a thing I wouldn't drop kick a stranger to own.  His booth #533 will involve two days of lotteries and you can see some of what is to be offered in these two photos.   And here is the schedule if you plan on purchasing anything:

Paul Kaiju Booth #533  Schedule
Saturday November 19th:

9:00am – 2:30pm: Free tickets available for Saturday Drawing
3:00pm: Random Drawing for Paul Kaiju Figures

Sunday November 20th:

10:00am – 1:30pm: Free tickets available for Sunday Drawing
2:00pm: Random Drawing for Paul Kaiju Figures

    But that isn't even all of it, no sir, because he's got even more releases at other booths.  Unbox Industries (booth #1021) The Sour Lemon (booth #1800) and Vinyl Goldmine (booth #623) will also have different items for sale.  Sadly, I will be working, but you go an have fun for me so I can live vicariously through your Instagram posts.

Naomi Knaff's Resin Releases for DesignerCon

    Today in the United States we are deciding who it is we will collectively complain about as president for the next four years.  Every time a new election rolls around tons of us can be seen posting online that if our candidate doesn't win we're moving to Canada!  Well I hate to break it to you, but Canada doesn't want us.  Unless you have a highly sought after skill like being a nuclear engineer or professional moose wrestler, our neighbors to the north just aren't that interested.  And who can blame them, because we can be loud, and we rarely put the seat down when we're done in the bathroom.   I'm understand completely Canada, and I still love Tim Hortons and your clean cities, and your lack of violent crime.  

    Naomi Knaff just happens to be Canadian (see how I tied it all together there) and is making the trek from the Great White North all the way to California for next weekend's DesignerCon.  She'll have a load of her crazy resin creations with her, some of which you can see right here:

 
    And she'll be debuting a collaboration with Magitarius, which you can also see right here:

    When Lisa Frank has a nightmare do you think it looks something like these?  I bet it does.  You should visit Naomi at booth # 1015, but only if you want to own the most creative resin toys out there or if you're trying to get her to smuggle you across the border.