In Memory of Frank Kozik

 

    I don’t really know how to process the news that the world has lost Frank Kozik. I thought of a thousand ways to write this, but anyone who knows his name already know all that he accomplished in the world of art, music, and toys. There are countless places that can tell you how he literally changed the landscape for creative folks today and I can assure you they are well worth reading. Instead, I am going to tell you my memories of Frank.

    I remember when my wife bought a Labbit from his website and had an issue with the shipping address. She called the phone number listed and Frank himself answers, which completely caught her off guard. After speaking with him she immediately called me at work so excited that she had the opportunity to talk to one of her favorite artists.

    I remember seeing Frank at New York Comic Con just roaming around and checking out various booths. I was beyond nervous to introduce myself and I’m sure he saw me waiting for him to finish a conversation he was having, looking like a complete dork. I approached him and gave him one of the business cards I had made for this very website and he told me that he enjoyed reading my posts. Thankfully, I didn’t squeal like a preteen at a Taylor Swift show. Well, not out loud anyway. 

    I remember when he took over as creative director of Kidrobot and a member of the marketing team reached out to me becausw he wanted to meet and discuss me writing their blog posts for new releases. My wife and I went to Toy Fair the day after a snow storm and that’s when he told me he had been fighting for me to take over the blog, but people were concerned my content was too…let’s say rated r. But he believed in me and I held that position for four years before the company shifted focus into more license-friendly products. 

    I remember emailing him weekly with my posts and he telling me when they were awesome and critiquing me when they needed some work. I learned to tailor what abilities I have beyond being creative and into something that would get people excited about an object. 

    I remember when I first posted a picture of my Nordic Lucky Cat figure online and he said it was “amazing”. 

    And I remember when he posted this picture to his Instagram, which made me feel I was doing something right.

      My heart breaks for his wife Sharon and his beloved cats.

Witch Queen Resin Figure from Junko Mizuno x Kidrobot

     As much as I enjoy watching HGTV, I feel there is a portion of the population they just don't cater to. Every time any of their shows are doing a remodel it's all about open concepts and creating space for entertaining. And everything is as sterile looking as the waiting area in an emergency room. If I had a show it would be all about fixing these disasters: adding walls back in so you can hang all of your artwork, taking all of those hideous barn doors outside and burning them like they deserve, and making it look like people with real life personalities actually live there. Also, the outside of the house has to look like an evil forest witch would live there. Your lawn is now an overgrown hedge maze and we filled your pool with swamp critters. Enjoy!

    Witches always make the best design choices and this one from Junko Mizuno would certainly be no exception. Just look at how awesome she is. I bet her house is loaded with cool stuff and not a single bare wall in sight. She and Kidrobot have certainly outdone themselves with this eight inch tall resin sculpture that could easily be the centerpiece in any collection. This beauty retails for $149.95 and is available for preorder now at this link. 

Bullet and Bullion Resin WNDGO Dunnys from Scott Tolleson

    At the rate the world is going I figure we're about a year away from welding spikes onto our cars and wearing animal skulls on our faces.  The thing I never got about post apocalyptic movies like Mad Max is why everyone is driving around in the biggest gas guzzlers they can find.  When I picture the wasteland of our future I don't see it peppered with convenience stations where you can fill up the tank while grabbing some beef jerky and an oversized Diet Pepsi.  So you would think putting some dune buggy tires on a Hyundai would make much more sense than loading up some lifted truck with a ton of steel whose sole purpose is to look scary.  But as we see on the news, the slightest inconvenience in the world turns many of our brains into mush.  I just want to know when is it considered too soon to shave my head into a mohawk and add the title of warlord to my business cards?  I like to be prepared.

    Scott Tolleson's WNDGO Dunny seems well dressed for the future everyone seems to want.  He's decked out in a snazzy chrome mask that doesn't look virus proof, but will easily separate you from whatever will take the place of money.  Two different versions of this five inch resin figure (Bullet and Bullion) will be available tomorrow, Friday May 15th.  Each one will retail for $300 plus shipping and can be yours starting promptly at noon pacific time by visiting www.stolleart.com. 

Prismatic Resin Shard Dunnys from Scott Tolleson

   What magic is this?  Scott Tolleson's Shard Dunny has seen many iterations, but this version is insane.  But Chris you say, what makes these so special?  I'm glad you asked, cause these Prismatic edition Dunnys change color depending on which angle you view them.  I have no idea how this effect was achieved, but imagine the fun you could have stoned out of your gourd while in quarantine, eating all of your Oreo rations and watching the colors change as you spin one of these in your hands.  Hell, you may just unlock the secrets of the universe, or you may just forget to shower for a week.  Anything is possible in these uncertain times.  Also don't do drugs, or whatever.  

    Hollywood prop maker and all around resin magician Task One made these 3 inch resin figures and they will instantly become a cherished piece in your collection.  That is, if you're lucky enough to score one of the 30 available when they go on sale today, April 17th.  They are $60 each and will be available starting at 10am pacific time only from www.stolleart.com.  

Five Inch Rose Gold Dunny from Tristan Eaton x Kidrobot

     You know what's bigger than the Super Bowl?

     Your mom, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

     Ok, I'm better now. Not much is bigger than the football game that determines who gets the shiny trophy (and is for some reason deemed more important than airing a new episode of 90 Day Fiance) so it's a pretty huge deal that Tristan Eaton got to design the program and the tickets for this year's game. Yes, the man who created the Dunny with Kidrobot got one of the highest profile art gigs I can think of, but he hasn't at all forgotten his humble foray into designing the toy world's most iconic platform.

    Tomorrow, which just so happens to be Valentine's Day, is also your first chance to snag this 5 inch metal Dunny clad in stunning rose gold. It features elements from Tristan's world famous mural work and will refract the light in crazy blinding fashion that will make you think you have your own Lombardi trophy right there in your home.  You probably wont get to hoist it a top a fire truck in a parade down main street where you live, but it never hurts to ask.

    Get em at www.kidrobot.com or wherever else they sell fancy toys.  Not the place your mom goes, that's a different sort of thing. 

"Let Us Prey" Vinyl Art Sculpture from Frank Kozik x Kidrobot

    If the United States government was held to the same truth standards as any consumer product advertised on television, this would rise ten stories tall in New York Harbor, beckoning the rich, evangelical, and the gullible to their promised land.  I have no problem with religion or God and in fact I wholly believe that he cringes just as much as I do with each broadcast of the evening news.  But I find myself more and more mentally trudging though life, bogged down in the endless swamp that is Kanye West, and televangelists, and politicians vomiting their rhetoric all over the internet knowing that so many will sop it up with ultra absorbent dollar bills and miss informed ballots.  I guess I can't really find anything funny to say about this vinyl sculpture from Frank Kozik, but I don't feel the sentiment that it invokes is really conducive to my normal shtick.  It kinda makes me mad because I feel that it is sniper-accurate in it's portrayal of what's wrong with America right now; a plastic representation of how I feel any time someone dares equate our Idiot in Chief with divine provenance.  Surely if his coming is anything Biblical it is most certainly written about in the book of Revelations.   So yeah, I'm gonna tell you that its manufactured by Kidrobot and I'm gonna tell you that it comes in two different versions that both will be available on Friday, December 6th at 10 mst.  But I'm not telling you because it inspired me to retell a story about how my favorite picture of me as a kid involves one arm around a goat and the other holding a can of Pepsi as I grinned like an All American paid spokesperson.  I'm writing about this because you can look at it as just another toy that will remind you how bad you are at dusting your house every few months, or you can look at it as scathing protest art that would look equally as good plastered on brick walls faster than the secret police could have them removed.

www.kidrobot.com

Spiritus Dea Dunny Series from Kidrobot

    Here's a factoid for you:  it's been years since I featured a release from Kidrobot on this site.  The reason being is that I was handling all of the posts for their official blog and as much as I may love something, I don't have the time or desire to write about it more than once.  I say what I feel, commit it to type, and move on with my life.  Even though I no longer write for them, I still have a great love for the toys and the artists who create them.  And I've been excited for this new Dunny series since I found out about it a few months ago as it combines my love of mythology with my favorite platform figure.

    This blind box series features a collection of goddesses from various parts of the world as interpreted by an all female group of artists.  You will find designs from Stephanie Buscema, Mizna Wada, Stickymonger, Tomodachi Island, Yoii, Mia Alvarez, Marylou Faure, Candie Bolton, Muxxi, Lisa Toms, MJ Hsu, and Laura Colors.  It's a beautiful set with lots of new ideas that continue to evolve the Dunny further than anyone could have originally imagined.  These are available starting today, Friday the 27th, wherever you prefer to buy your toys.

Kidrobot's Polyphony Exclusives Now Available at Rotofugi

 

    Being a completist is one of the hardest aspects of collecting, especially when it comes to designer toys.  There's so many exclusives that it can be hard to even keep track and then there's the ones only available at conventions in other countries that become nearly impossible to obtain without mortgaging your house.  Rotofugi is coming to the rescue by offering a slew of Beijing-based Polyphony's recent Kidrobot exclusives.  There's 2 different version of the Quiccs and Hello Kitty collaboration, two of the new Labbiters from Frank Kozik, and Scott Tolleson's Designer Con mascot 3 inch Dunny in an exclusive colorway.  These are available in their Chicago location now and will be offered up online beginning this Thursday, June 27, at 11am cdt.  Check out www.rotofugi.com for pricing info as well as limits of each figure Per customer.  

Used Honey Resin Dunny Preorder from Sket One

    Did you know that honey never spoils?  They've found it in the tombs of ancient Egyptians and you could totally still dip your chicken nuggets in and eat it.  In a way it would be kinda cool to eat something that's as old as a Pharoah and not die immediately from butt worms, but on the other hand the mere thought of it would cause me to make myself sick the moment it hits my stomach.  And why would someone be buried with a jar of honey anyway? Was he really bad in life and hoping to bribe Anubis when he weighs his heart against the feather?

Anubis:  "Dude your heart is way too heav...hey is that a jar of honey?  I haven't had honey in, like, forever!!!   They used to stock it in the underworld commissary, then there was the problem with the bears and ugh, it was just such a mess."

Dead Guy: **slides jar over to Anubis"

Anubis:  "Oh, snap! I guess my scales need to be recalibrated cause you are headed right to the good place, my man. Enjoy your afterlife and whatnot."

***Eddie Money's "Two Tickets to Paradise" blasts over the loudspeakers***

    Sket -One doesn't want you to have to start digging up dead bodies looking for something to put on your toast, so he is releasing this eight inch Used Honey Dunny for a special 24 hour preorder.  This resin figure saved a little bit of its goodness for you and will be available starting today (Friday May 3rd) at 9am pacific time.  Anyone who has ever seen one of Sket's pieces in person can tell you that this thing will be so flawless that you will probably stare at it until you get hungry and have to run out to the grocery store.  They're magic like that.  Satisfy your need to eat and your need to collect at https://sketone.storenvy.com.

Flat Bonnie DesignerCon Exclusives

    I love the creations of Flat Bonnie, because not only does she create the cutest hand sewn critters in existence but she also raises money and awareness for real life animals.  So I was beyond excited to see that two of her designs will be featured as part of the DesignerCon Dunny series from Kidrobot.  One of her designs has the distinction of being the first ever plush 3 inch Dunny while the other one continues her fight for our Earth's creatures by speaking out against shark fin harvesting.

     Of course she will have her own booth as well, filled with the 2 dimensional creatures she's known for.  Check out all the exclusives that you can find later this week a booth number 802:

Dobichan - Monochrome Edition

DesignerCon 2018 Exclusive - $50 each

9" tall - Limited Edition Plush

Special DesignerCon tag and numbered sewn in label.

Made of vinyl pleather (Animal friendly materials).

Flat Knuckle Bear - collaboration with Touma

DesignerCon 2018 Exclusive - $60 each

11" tall - Limited Edition Plush

Special DesignerCon tag and numbered sewn in label.

Made of vinyl pleather (Animal friendly materials).

Flat MAOCAT - collaboration with Touma

DesignerCon 2018 Exclusive - $40 each

7" tall - Limited Edition Plush

Special DesignerCon tag and numbered sewn in label.

Made of vinyl pleather (Animal friendly materials).

Momo the Anxious Axolotl (Holiday Ornament/Charm)

Designercon 2018 Exclusive - $20 each

5" wide x 3.25" tall - Limited Edition

Special DesignerCon tag and numbered sewn in label.

Made of vinyl pleather (Animal friendly materials)

Designer Con Exclusive Resin Shard Dunnys from Scott Tolleson

    These beautiful resin three inch Shard Dunnys from Scott Tolleson are known as the Pain edition because that's what you'll feel deep in your guts if you don't get one.  You'll probably have a few leading up to their release at Designer Con as you fear having to live the rest of your life without one.  That's right, these are candy slick and exclusive to Scott's booth at the upcoming super sized edition of Designer Con in California next month.  As much as I would love to be there I am unable to make it, and seeing these has kind of brought that reality home.  Great, now I'm in a spiral of depression.

    Just kidding, I came to terms with it a while back, but if you're one of those lucky folks that IS going and who I'm still mildly jealous of, then you better high tail it to booth # 2005.  Scott only made 100 of these and at $60 each they won't last long.


    But wait...there's more.

    There's also this insane looking five inch Shard Dunny!!!!   This one is known as the Panic edition, because that's what people will feel as the doors open to the convention and they have to run likes it's a high school gym class to get to them.  I only run if someone is chasing me, and even then they better be armed with a weapon or a warrant, but I would make an exception for one of these.  They are limited to 80 pieces and will cost ya $150.  Make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes and don't mind being seen panting heavily in the company of others.  

Who Cares Bears Custom Show at Mothership in Philadelphia

   This past Sunday I was able to check out the "Who Cares Bears" custom show that Mothership hosted in Philadelphia.  A ton of artists were featured and they utilized the various Care Bear toys that Kidrobot has released over the last year as the basis for their work.  I was really impressed by everything I saw, especially because a lot of those artists featured were previously unknown to me. It's always nice to see fresh perspectives when it comes to art toys and not just the same reheated pop culture references (there was not one Star Wars reference to be found).  

    A few pieces from the show are still available by visiting https://mothershipgallery.com and you can see even more of my pictures at www.facebook.com/TheToyViking.   

Back for Seconds Custom Toy Show from Zard Apuya at PIQ

    Looking at these custom figures from Zard Apuya is making me ridiculously hungry.  I've been stuck inside all day from a snow storm and have just about eaten through all of our emergency rations.  Even the stale food that I somehow keep forgetting to throw out is starting to look appetizing as my boredom level reaches unprecedented heights.  And you know what's really cruel?  Most of what I would normally watch on tv is either in reruns or have been ditched in favor of continuous weather coverage in which they send reporters to different areas to confirm that yes, it is indeed snowing.  You know how interesting that is after about 20 minutes when all you want to do is go to the store and buy junk food?

   This Saturday you should really have a little something to eat before you see Zard's "Back for Seconds" custom show at PIQ in New York.  In case you have yet to scroll further or have not yet picked up on the prevailing theme of this post, everything is food related.  Just look at some of them and tell me that they don't make you feel like you haven't eaten in three days.  Those candy bar dudes especially look like the real thing, so if you're going make sure to exhibit self control and try not to bite one.  

    The show is opening at their Grand Central Terminal location right in Manhattan, and Zard himself will be hanging out from 2-4pm.  If you can't make it, the 60 (yeah I said 60) customs will be available online that day at www.piqgifts.com.  

Black Friday Sales Part 1

Naomi Knaff

Black Friday sale 15% off! One week only code BLACK15

Kidrobot

15% OFF Orders of $99 or more with promo code: BLACKFRIDAY15OFF

20% OFF Orders of $199 or more with promo code: BLACKFRIDAY20OFF

25% OFF Orders of $299 or more with promo code: BLACKFRIDAY25OFF

Bigshot Toyworks

Frazetta Girls

Taylored Curiosities

Wonder Woman Signing Event with Tara McPherson at myplasticheart

    I remember the first time I met Tara McPherson.  It was in New York at the now shuttered Kidrobot store for the release of her Bubble Yucky Dunnys.  My wife and I stood in line for about an hour and a half in the snow and sub freezing temperatures for the chance to see one of our favorite artists.  Now a days you kids have it easy, what with your comic conventions and whatnot, but back then you had to suffer mentally and physically to take part in an event like that.  And I still only have the pink one and have searched in vain to get its blue companion at a reasonable price.   Not to mention any time there is a chance Sharon and I will have to wait in line for anything she brings up the fact of having almost died to buy this Dunny.  She isn't a big fan of the cold.

   According to the weather app on my phone, it will be a mild 54 degrees during her signing this Saturday at myplasticheart, so you are in no danger of frost bite.  This event is in celebration of her beyond beautiful Wonder Woman figure from Kidrobot, of which I eagerly await delivery of from our esteemed postal service.   I won't be able to attend her signing, but for anyone that can all of the info you need is right there in the picture.  

    

Broke Piggy Presents: The Shard Dunny Custom Show at Designer Con

    

    A few days ago Sharon and I decided it was time we started watching Stranger Things.  That was on Monday night and as of this writing we only have three episodes to go before we finish them all.  Now when I binge watch a show I get completely lost in it and start making weird connections between the fictional world and this one.  Take this Shard Custom Show that Broke Piggy has put together for Designer Con.  It's a show within a larger show, which wouldn't be a parallel dimension like the Upside Down, but would be like a completely miniature version of a universe identical to ours living within our universe.  Designer Con would be the crunchy cookie of the Oreo while the Shard Show would be the creamy filling.  Thinking about crap like this is why I neglected to wash dishes yesterday and my wife had to eat her yogurt with a spatula.  Love ya, babes.

    Scott Tolleson's stone bro Shard Dunny is getting extreme makeovers from all of the artists you see listed above.  Previews of their work has popped up online and I've collected a mini gallery below to feature a few, but the big shindig is this weekend in California.  These are all one of a kind, but both Scott (booth #525) and Kidrobot (booth #518) will have exclusive versions available for sale in greater numbers, so check them out if you're there.   See more at booth #527.  

   

Designer Con Exclusives from 3DRetro

    Seeing these exclusives 3DRetro has in store for Designer Con makes me wish I was able to go.  But it's cool, I'll just be at work ignoring my responsibilities while perusing social media to see all the fun you're having.  And if you're not going just know you won't be the only one gently weeping into your cell phone.  Make sure you have a screen protector that's not cracked because tears of envy void the warranty.

     First up is this utterly stunning Jade Clairvoyant Dunny from J*Ryu and Kidrobot.  By far my favorite version of this figure, I first spotted this during New York Comic Con and it looks so much like actual jade you expect it to be cold when you touch it.  It's a beautiful piece of plastic that's limited to only 100 pieces and at $100 will be one of the big hits of the show.  Perfect for storing any ancient spirits you may have lying around the house that you just don't know what to do with.  And in case you're wondering it's never to early to shop for your favorite toy blogger for Christmas.

    Look at these little jawns from Gary Baseman!  Yeah, I said "jawns" because it is a part of my vernacular and soon midwestern housewives will be saying it the same way Beyonce made them profess that everything "slays", which is dumb by the way.  If anything was ever a jawn it would be these mini figures sold in blind packs of two (one of each figure) for only $4 each.  You can't pick the colors you get, but you can choose to eat one less convention center hot dog to afford them.

    I tried to skateboard when I was a kid but I had this really strong fear of falling and knocking out my teeth that prevented me from reaching my potential.  My fearlessness didn't kick in until my 30's and now I think it's fun to spend a week in the woods looking for bear just for the chance to watch them.  They're really impressive outside of a zoo setting when they're just doing their thing and wondering why some weirdo just traversed a hill to take their picture.    And of course now I can't skateboard because I don't heal as quickly as I used to and I don't want to be the old guy at the mall carrying around a skateboard that he obviously didn't just buy for his kid.  

    This guy's name is Moe Hawk (I see what you did there) and he was created by KRK Ryden.  Get one for $60 and live vicariously (and safely) through him.  

    This is Anesthesia, and she is rather haunted looking.  For real, this looks like it was found at an estate sale and is about to start up a five film horror franchise.  Which is why I like it.  Doktor A sculpted this lady and named her after the best sleep you'll get without having St. Peter look you up in his book.  And I loooooooooove a good patina, which this figure has plenty of to keep me happy.  I'm not sure how much it is but Designer Con only comes once a year so don't be a baby about financial stuff and think about how great it's going to look on your mantle.  

    All of this and more can be yours by visiting booth #532

  

    

MP Gautheron Dunny Series from Kidrobot

   

    Good Lord have mercy on my soul these might be the most beautiful Dunnys I have ever seen.  I've been an admirer of MP Gautheron's work for some time, but seeing it applied to my favorite platform toy has left me weak in the knees.  Luckily I'm sitting down because I certainly don't need any more head injuries in my life.  This sprawling collection of 38 figures will be going on sale this Saturday, October 21st, at 10 am mountain time exclusively through the Kidrobot website.  No word on pricing just yet, but if someone wants to go ahead and buy my Mustang GT I have for sale I won't feel so guilty about trying to get one.  It's a 2002 and still purrs like a kitty cat.  A giant mechanical kitty that will snap the head off of every Smart Car you pass on the highway.  I'll cut you a good deal.

www.kidrobot.com

Horror and Sci-Fi Madballs from James Groman x Kidrobot

    This one is going in the "straight outta nowhere" file as Best Buy stores around the country have released these horror and sci-fi themed Madballs from Kidrobot.  These foam balls are so much like the originals that they even got the creator of Madballs, James Groman, to design these (along with the fine folks at Bigshot Toyworks).  There's six different ones to choose from if you're one of those people that has impulse control and can somehow resist buying all of them.  If you are, I don't understand your life.

   On a side note, I am all about Best Buy carrying more stuff like this.  I've got one of their credit cards for whenever our appliances die, as our microwave did not so long ago.  The one I wanted didn't get me to the no interest financing deal, so I had to add to my sale.  I ended up buying iTunes gift cards, but I could have gotten something like this instead.  Now if car dealers would carry other stuff that I could trade my 2002 Mustang towards, I'd be in business.  Like a hot dog stand.  Or one of those sky diving simulators.  Or an in ground pool for my basement.