Familiars and Foes Board Game Kickstarter from Horrible Adorables

 

    I haven't played a game in years before last Christmas when my niece got one that forced you to find out which person in the group was a werewolf. Everyone involved, besides her, were a little skeptical that it was gonna be corny but we reluctantly agreed to play anyway. It started off slow for a few rounds as we got a basic understanding of the rules, but by the 20th or so time we were full-on investigating people for lycanthropy like we were detectives solving a murder. Accusations were thrown about haphazardly, things from the past were brought up when weighing who had a history of stretching the truth in real life, and I got so caught up deflecting suspicion away from me that I erred by trying to cast doubt on my mother in law, who is as close to sainthood as you can get without the Pope saying so. I'm surprised I haven't been excommunicated for my error and forced to live alone in the woods. 

     Judging by the look of this new project from Horrible Adorables, the likelihood of this game erupting into a full blown family crisis seems unlikely. Familiar and Foes is a board game that takes the work of the husband and wife art duo into realms beyond your walls or shelves. Here is a rundown of the game from the creators themselves:

    Familiars and Foes is a 1 to 5 player cooperative style game. You take the role of a young spell slinging Familiar trying to rescue your witches and wizards from a horde of evil Foes. Your character begins as a base elemental Familiar (Earth, Air, Water, Fire, or Aether) and you must work to fully evolve your Familiar by completing a series of training tasks. The game is played in four waves that progressively increase in difficulty. New sets of Foes are revealed with each wave of battle that must be defeated to save your coven. The game is won when all the Foes have been defeated, all the witches and wizards have been rescued, and at least one Familiar is still standing.

   Sounds preeeetty cool, right? But, it's only cool if it becomes a reality, and that's where you come in. The project is live now on Kickstarter and is actually fairly close to being funded. That means with just an extra little push you and your friends could soon have a brand new obsession for game night. Check out this link and see all the cool rewards that are available, which include everything from the game itself, to toys, and their famous felt sculptures. 

You Sleigh Me Kickstarter from The Bots

 

    My wife was in the liquor store the other day, and was waited on by an elderly gentleman who rarely ever says anything beyond "hello" and "thank you".  Being that it was the day after Thanksgiving he got extra chatty and wanted to know whether or not she had a good holiday and how she spent it.  She told him that we went to her parents house for dinner and that's when he looked at her a bit puzzled and said "your parents are still alive?"  It was then that she realized that even with her mask on he has never once asked for her ID.  He thought that she was not only old enough to drink, but that it would be impossible for those that created her to still be among the living. Naturally when she tells me the story I die laughing because she is only 42 and looks like she's at most 30. I tried to tell her that he skin is very youthful and Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs would surely want it for his dress making business, but somehow that didn't help.  She's so modest.

    If you also have family or friends that are still alive then you might be interested in mixing things up a bit and playing a board game. And what better game would their be to play than one that also combines your love for vinyl Toys.  The Bots have just launched a Kickstarter for their brand new game You Sleigh Me, and you can be involved in making it a reality.  There are a bunch of different reward levels and some that even include their lump of Coal toy (and a first shot at the new Burning Ember colorway).  Check out this link  to be the hit of your next gathering. 

Summoning Devil Kickstarter Campaign from The Spicy Donut

   

  While I certainly never agreed with his political views, ol' Charlie Daniels sure wrote a banger when it came to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."  And while that song, for some reason, isn't a staple at wedding, or bar mitzvahs, or doctor's waiting rooms, its influence is readily apparent in this new vinyl figure from The Spicy Donut. I kinda wonder what I'm good enough at that I'd feel I could beat Satan in a challenge for my soul.  If he wants to square up in a battle of anxiety attacks or picky eating then by golly he better be ready to go home empty handed.  

   Striking a familiar lucky cat style pose, Summoning Devil has a contract for your soul in one hand and a sweet golden fiddle in the other, ready to crank out some crazy riffs.  While this may be one of the most amazing things I've seen in recent memory regarding vinyl toys, it will only come to life if you support the Kickstarter campaign happening now.  As of this post there are only 9 days left, and I know you've got those sweet Biden Bucks at the ready.  Check out the link here and support this sucker while there's still time.  

Ragnar Vinyl Kaiju Kickstarter from Last Bastion Studios

    The only Ragnar I've ever known is the one made famous by the Vikings tv show.  Oddly enough he met his end after being thrown in a pit of slithering reptiles, though I doubt it is anything more than coincidence that the second Ragnar I know happens to be a turtle.  Or is it part of a deeper conspiracy involving the Illuminatti and the Reptilian Elite who secretly control the worlds oil and Mountain Dew reserves?  If you never hear from me again, you have your answer. 

   Ragnar the vinyl toy is a young Kaiju just trying to find his way in the world, which involves you helping him become reality.  Last Bastion Studios have a Kickstarter going right now to help fund production of this guy.  You can check out this link to become part of his story by backing it at various reward levels.  The project is very close to meeting its funding goal, so check it out and support if you can.

iBoy Designer Toy Kickstarter from Classicbot

   I've spent this first week of isolation doing a lot of art projects and writing a lot for a bigger story I've been working on.  Basically I'm just trying to put a silver lining on all of this craziness that has become our normal for the foreseeable future.  My wife and I have also done a fair amount of house cleaning, which has been interesting to say the least.  For one, I will never understand how we have a full sized trash can worth of socks but I am never able to find them when I want them.  One load of laundry was nearly all socks but I can almost guarantee you by June I will be in the store buying another pack because they have disappeared.  The second thing that is weird is determining what we own that could be worth selling in a pinch.  I have a ton of local crew shirts from various bands whose shows I've worked over the years that I will never wear but refuse to just give away.  They're like the ultimate limited edition merch item and I keep telling myself I'll put them on eBay but instead they're in a box that I will discover some time later and be surprised about.  You want a Kid Rock shirt with Sanford and Son on it?  I got one and I'm not proud of it.

    Sadly as we dug through the layers of our hoard I did not find any original iPods in their unopened packaging, because those things are worth a small fortune now.  Classicbot can't make up for the fact that I didn't see those things becoming more valuable than gold, but he can sell me one of his iBoy figures to ease the pain.

    If Stephen King taught a young me anything, it was to be weary of any inanimate object at all times because they are one short story away from trying to kill you.  This dude looks like a pretty chill guy; just barely enough to calm some of my irrational fears. There are 20 days left on the Kickstarter for this anthropamorphic blast from the not so distant past, but the good news is he is already funded so your figure is guaranteed.  Check out the campaign at this link. 

Behemoth Metal Sloth Kickstarter from James Groman x Xpanded Universe

    Life would be so much easier if you knew every decision you made was the right one. That every horse you bet on was a guaranteed sure thing. You could make a killing on the stock market, make a second killing through sports wagering, and only surround yourself with people you knew would never judge you so harshly when you shared your unabashed love for Lady Gaga because you thought you were good enough friends that they could respect your quirky musical detour without thinking you've somehow completely changed as a person and have been living a lie your entire life and "what else don't they know about you, Chris, maybe you're a communist vegan anti-vaxxer with a dolphin tattoo on your ankle." Ugh.

    I'll tell you what is an absolute, certifiable, guaranteed, sure thing, and that is the Behemoth Metal Sloth from James Groman and Xpanded Universe. It's a sure thing because right now they're running  a Kickstarter campaign to fund its creation and it's already surpassed its goal, ensuring that it will indeed be produced. This sucker is 13 inches of hell raising fury that is more metal than your mom's boyfriend who swears he was "this close" to having his band open for Judas Priest in '88 if it wasn't for his drummer's bogus arrest for not paying child support.

    You can check out the campaign at this link and start clearing some space on your shelf for when this bad boy shows up at your door.  

The Great Cthulhu Vinyl Toy Kickstarter from Sea Demon Vinyl

     The other day I learned that, in what can only be described as the biggest "ok, boomer" move this holiday season, Joe Biden has named his little bus tour of the Midwest "No Malarkey".  Of course he didn't stop there, because in the second biggest "ok, boomer" move this holiday season, he actual printed the Websters dictionary definition of the word beneath it.  I hate Donald Trump with as much vigor as I love cats, and I will vote for anyone who runs against him, but Joe Biden makes my butt clench when I think about his ability to move our country forward.  Next year is gonna be a rough one for sure, but as long as we get the orange idiot out and fitted for his prison jumpsuit in upstate New York, we still win.  But there's also a third option...

     The Great Cthulhu could rise from the depths of the ocean and wipe out mankind before we embarrass ourselves any further!!!!!  Sea Demon Vinyl is tired of waiting for our reckoning and has decided to get the process started on their own...and with a little help from all of us.  Right now on Kickstarter they are running a campaign to bring their interpretation of H.P. Lovecraft's most famous creation to life in four inch vinyl form.  Check out this link for all the different ways in which you can score a killer new toy by supporting this fundraiser.  

Tiny Guardian Shi-Shi Sofubi Kickstarter from Bigshot Toyworks

    As of this writing, the latest creation from Bigshot Toyworks has far surpassed their Kickstarter goal and tons of these little cats will be making their way to homes around the world when it ends.  They don't need me to help them along, so instead of feeling completely useless I'd like to talk about the internet's plan to storm Area 51.  It started as people just wanting to force the government to show us the aliens they are sure are being housed there and (as most things on the internet tend to do) has degraded into some folks wanting to make sweet love to an extraterrestrial.  While I hope people don't actually get themselves killed bum rushing a secret government facility armed only with cases of Monster Energy Drink and their ability to do the Naruto run, I would love to see them actually go.  Can you imagine 300,000 people showing up and just having a good time in the desert while the military is forced to keep them at gun point?  They'd probably get one of those historic plaques along the side of the road detailing their exploits, and maybe the president would visit to lay a wreath every year for those that get too hype and have to be put down by a sniper after attempting to scale the fence.  We honor your future sacrifice.

      As bad as I would like to go to Area 51 and release the aliens I don't really do well in the heat and would just be a sweaty mess.  Instead I offer my moral support to those brave souls, no matter what their true motivation is for taking part.   Speaking of taking part in something, if you want to add an adorable sofubi kitten to you repertoire of toys, then you need to check out this link.  Tons of rewards abound at special prices and includes figures that can only be had as part of this campaign.  There's blind boxed teeny tiny ones and big ol resin versions  and of course the luxurious Japanese sofubi ones.  Start your week off right by filling your home with wittle bay bays.

TV Head Vinyl Figure Kickstarter from Phobia Toys

   I like when the names of things adequetly describe them.  Take this toy for instance and his name, TV Head.  It is literally a little dude with a television attached to his cranium.  Now the name doesn't imply how he found himself in such a situation, so we are left to guess as to whether the tv is some sort of benign growth or whether it fell from a great height and the injured party decided he liked the way it looked.  When my wife and I first got married we had one of those pre flat screen tvs with the big hump on the back and we bought an entertainment center not taking that into consideration.  I spent the whole day putting it together and quickly realized our mistake, so rather than return my masterpiece of Swedish engineering we bought another tv.  That's the best tv story I got and I apologize for the lack of plot or character development.

     Phobia Toys has a Kickstarter campaign that is winding down for this dude and you can still help him become a reality.  They're very close to hitting their goal and there are rewards left that include blank figures and customs from some of your favorite artists.  You can check it out and participate in its creation by visiting https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thecherv/tv-head.

    

Self Conscious: The Confidence Boosting Plush Kickstarter from Taylored Curiosities

    Is there a more unique designer toy creator out there than Taylored Curiosities?  Not only does she release some of the most original plush and resin designs you will see, but she genuinely cares about all of our well being.  That's a big change for me, because most of the people I meet in the course of my work day seem hell bent on cremating any good feelings I have left.  When you work with the public it will erode you worse than a beach during hurricane season. Especially when it involves money, because then people are much quicker to go from zero to crazy. But Taylored Curiosities is here to repair the daily damage that can occur to your emotional barricade through my favorite medium: collectibles.  More people should follow her example and should bring some of that to New Jersey.  Maybe once they decriminalize marijuana use it will calm a lot of these folks right down.

    There is a Kickstarter campaign running right now to help bring this plush to life.  Check it out at this link and through your donation you can be part of the process of spreading something positive in the world.  God knows we can all use it.  

Belfry Kickstarter from Motley Miscreations

    I know it seems like as of late I only write about Kickstarter campaigns that are fully funded, but I swear it's not on purpose.  While it is great to hitch your wagon to a sure thing, it is merely just a coincidence because I've been so busy.  And I love this figure design from Motley Miscreations so much there was no way I was gonna let this campaign pass me by without helping spread the word on it.  So without further ado meet Belfry, a soft vinyl figure that when produced will stand nearly 9 inches tall.  He features five points of articulation and comes with two weapons for maximum shenanigans.  As it stands this guy is fully funded, so there's no questions about whether or not he will be produced, it's just a matter of what reward levels are left for you to take advantage of.  Check out this link to get in on it.

The Deadly Spawn Vinyl Figure Kickstarter from Justin Ishmael

    No, this is not one of the parasites from the next season of Monsters Inside Me, though if a doctor were to ever find something like this growing within someone I hope he has the presence of mine to put them down.  Tapeworms are horrifying enough, especially when they decide they need some air fresher than that of your inner colon and venture forth from your backside.  There's nothing out here for you little buddy, so you just stay inside where I can be blissfully unaware of your presence.  Editors note: I do not actually have a tapeworm.

   While this may look like the result of eating undercooked pork, it is actually the star of the cult classic horror film The Deadly Spawn.  Justin Ishmael decided to bring him to frightening life by turning him into an officially licensed vinyl toy, which is now on Kickstarter to raise money for production.  As of this writing he has received 83% of his goal in just under two days, so I think it's safe to say this nine inch tall monstrosity and his larvae are well on their way to becoming reality.  Both of these figures were sculpted by toy industry legend James Groman, who you may know from such famous lines as Madballs or his own crazy Kaiju figures that defy logic in size and detail.  Check out the link here to get in on this campaign and score these figures in their various iterations.

Superplastic's Kickstarter Campaign is Now Live

     I hope that Paul Budnitz of Superplastic will be at Five Points in June, because I need to learn the guy's secret.  Not only did he strike gold in the art toy world as the founder of Kidrobot, but he has returned to the exact same spot and found a giant oil reserve.  The Superplastic Kickstarter went up today in an effort to fund their new Janky blind box series and assorted other figures and it has already blown away its goal.  There's still 30 days left to go and it's already a guarantee that these figures will be produced and will be in the hands of collectors around the world.  It certainly takes a bit of the stress out of the whole process for people that backed it.  Now after you've selected the tier that your comfortable pledging all you have to do is sit back and wait for your figures to arrive in the mail.  Or if you're forgetful like I am you will be pleasantly surprised as you return home from a hard day's work and find a random box on your porch filled with things you forgot you ordered.  To me it ups the excitement level, or at least I tell my wife that in an attempt to stop her from making fun of me.

    There's still an entire month for you to get in on these limited edition figures, featuring art from Huck Gee, Junko Mizuno, Dalek, and many more.  Just visit this link here, select a price range that feels like it matches your baller status, and be a part of the birth of an entirely new toy company.

I Pity the Dolls: The World's Largest Mr. T Collection book from Greg Mishka

     I love looking at people's collections especially when they've made a point to collect every possible item in their range of interest.  Recently I went to Cooter's Garage in Luray, VA, which sounds like a place that could easily be surrounded with crime scene tape most of the year.  It's owned by the guy that played Cooter on the Dukes of Hazzard and beyond just being a replica of the set it boasts a huge memorabilia collection from the show.  That's the kind of insanity I'm into when it comes to collecting and that's exactly what Greg Mishka has done with his hero, Mr. T.  While his hoard doesn't occupy a large building in the Shenandoah Valley, or offer $5 photos inside the General Lee (which I happily paid, even though they wouldn't let me slide across the hood) it will grace the pages of the book he's trying to put together.  The collection, not the picture.  I'm stingy with licensing my image.  

Kinda bummed that the doors weren't welded shut.  Also kinda thankful that my dad body didn't have to try and fit through the window.

      I say "trying"because right now he's got a Kickstarter campaign which aims to fund publication.  It will feature what has been confirmed the largest Mr. T collection in the world, including over 200 handmade Mrs. Martha's Orginal plush dolls.  Seeing them all together kinda freaks me out a little, and I hope Greg has a well tested padlock on the door to that room.  I'm not saying they might come to life all zombie like and snack on your intestines, but I'm not saying they won't either.  

    There's tons of rewards to be had, including exclusive Mishka gear only available as part of this campaign and even vintage collectables from his secret stash.  If you've been looking for ways to feel like Oprah you too can now be a part of a literary success story by visiting the Kickstarter campaign to pay for this, sucka.  Check out the link here.  

Seatus Kickstarter Campaign from Gruesome Toys

   The sea may be a cruel mistress, but the world of toy production is an expensive one.  While many of us may have killer ideas for a vinyl figure not many of us have the stacks of cash laying around to make it happen.  Thankfully creative types can turn to a website like Kickstarter to make all of their dreams come true, which is exactly what Gruesome Toys have done with their debut figure Seatus.  This salt water dwelling critter is on the home stretch of being produced and now needs your help to get him all the way there.  By now you know how this works:  you select a level to pledge towards their goal and you get sweet rewards like exclusive colorways of the toy and tons of other extras.  As of this writing they are just over half way funded and you can help by checking out this link.

Death Jaguar Kickstarter Campaign from Rocom

    When it comes to giant robot weaponry, you just can't go wrong with an axe.  Anyone that would use an axe as their primary fighting tool is someone that should be feared and avoided at all costs.  That dude is either stone cold crazy or the deadliest man on the planet and either way it spells bad news for his opponents.  During the American Civil War there was a group of dock workers from Louisiana that charged into the first battle of Manassas wielding Bowie knives after discarding their muskets, which must have looked as insane as it sounds.  They didn't make it very far, so they were more of the "crazy" variety rather than the "complete badass" sort, but what can you do.  

    This is Death Jaguar, a nine inch vinyl killing machine from toy designer Rocom.  He is part of a Kickstarter campaign that as of this writing is 80% funded with 22 days still to go and plenty of rewards left for you to obtain.  There's different color figures, customs, original art, and just about anything else you can think of to support the narrative of this intriguing looking character.  Check it out by clicking here.

Forest Friend Fox Kickstarter Campaign from Natural Pop

     I like this little fox dude because he reminds me of a meme that my wife and I send each other whenever we're up against a challenge for the day.  Whether it be a job interview, or just trying to stay off of the FBI's most wanted list because people will just not stop working your last nerve, this little picture always seems to do the trick:

    Don't you feel beyond inspired now?  This is what they should hang in every therapist office instead of those inspirational quote posters that make you want to gag with their generic sentiment and stock imagery.  Whoever made this I sincerely hope you are rich now.

   Speaking of money, you should direct your attention to Kickstarter and the Forest Friend Fox plush that you can help make reality.  Then whenever you need a bit of inspiration just look at this little dude and know that he has your back.

    As of this writing there are 18 days left to make it happen and plenty of cool rewards left that could be yours.  Check it out at this link.

Two Fully Funded Kickstarter Campaigns For You To Get In On

    Life is full of uncertainty and no one wants to add any without good reason.  There's uncertainty throughout our jobs, and politics, and I'm fairly uncertain on my days off whether or not I'll put pants on before my wife comes home from work.  Unfortunately for any delivery people that may stop by, probably not.  So in this world where nothing is guaranteed, how about a couple of Kickstarter campaigns that have already reached their funding goals and taken the guess work out of wondering whether or not the toys will actually be produced.  

   First up is Lucky Cat, who despite his upbeat name doesn't appear to have the luck of the Irish or anyone else on his side.  He is the brain child of one Vincent Scala, who you may remember from his previously successful campaign for his Mickey Monster figure.  You can check out all the reward tiers that are still available at this link.  

     To go two for two on cat themed toys I present to you Rato Kim's DIY Box Cat.  This 5 inch vinyl art platform from Discordia Merchandising is a huge canvass for your creativity.  You can paint it. bedazzle it, or just leave it as is until a good idea comes to you.  Our cat Jorah sits in the bathtub sometimes and we believe that the shape of the tub itself is conducive to him gathering his thoughts from the universe.  My best ideas are usually born in some portion of the bathroom, so it's not that far fetched.  You can see all the cool still available at this link.  

Help Luke Chueh Turn His Art Into Animation

    Believe it or not I almost made a cartoon once.  My wife and I were working with this local dude who had a production company and we came up with ideas for something that would have been pretty awesome.  "Would have" because the dude flaked out on us and stole most of our ideas to use in another one of his projects, which actually aired.  I would be mad about it, but his life turned out to be pretty crappy afterwards so I feel like that's the universe having our back on that one.  Karma is way cheaper than trying to hire an attorney.

    Luke Chueh has dreams of turning his famous characters into an animation and he is on the cusp of it happening.  As of this writing his Grief Encounters project is 97% funded, so now it's up to all of you to give it that final push.  There are only a few days left but tons of great rewards still to be had, like the above 1000% resin Possessed statue.  Or if that's a little rich for your blood there are smaller versions in vinyl to be had that are exclusive to the campaign:

    Munky King also has versions of his Hung and Prisoner figures that are dying to hop in a shipping box and be mailed to you as soon as you pledge your support.  Check out this link and let's help make it happen.

      

Kyoot Kickstarter from Lisa Rae Hansen x The Designer Toy Collective

    Here at The Toy Viking I'm all about making dreams come true.  I'm also all about the abolishment of portion control, professional wrestling, petting cats, going to the zoo, flea markets, Norwegian black metal, container gardening, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt seasons 1-3 (available now on Netflix), and toys.  The last one is really the only pertinent one in this instance, as I'm about to smack you with knowledge of Lisa Rae Hansen's Kickstarter project.  With the expertise of The Designer Toy Collective, Lisa is poised to make her first ever vinyl production toy.  But this won't happen unless you get involved.  If you want to see this little super hero dude fly onto toy shelves around the world then you've got to make it happen.  By visiting this link you not only have the ability to make this a reality, but you'll also come away with sweet rewards in the process.  There's everything from pins, to a Kickstarter exclusive colorway of the figure, to customs from your favorite artists.  Get on it!