"Apollo" Shub Zeroth from Metacrypt

    I just watched The Martian movie the other night where those bums left Matt Damon on Mars and he had to become a hipster and live off the land and do everything on Mars before it was cool.  The movie wasn't bad actually, though by only playing one David Bowie song they seriously missed a great opportunity to play more David Bowie songs.  I was impressed by his will to live while facing seemingly insurmountable odds, but if you work for NASA and are smart enough to be sent to another planet no one should really be surprised that you're smart enough not to cry in the corner until you died of dehydration.  Maybe they should have made him panic and forget all of his training as he uses his time to try and fashion music instruments and form a David Bowie tribute band. I wouldn't have seen that coming.

    Shub Zeroth leaves no man behind, mostly because they are a great source of protein.  He's decked out in a paint scheme from Dski_one and ready for wherever the stars may lead him.  The blackness of space is calling, but you can divert him to your home on June 24th at 10am pacific time only from www.meta-crypt.com.  

My Top 10 Exclusives for This Year's New York Comic Con

    Let me tell you how prepared I am for New York Comic Con:  I went out today and got a flu shot.  I normally get one every year, and usually well before now, but there was no way I was gonna be pressed up against the sweaty, sniffling, masses without giving my immune system a chance at survival.  Plus, I'm totally out of sick days after The Great Kidney Stone of 2015 and I ain't trying to not get paid, suckas. So the only thing I have left to do is prepare my credit cards to be used and abused and to present to you my top 10 favorite exclusives I've seen for this year's convention.  

    Now this isn't one of those arbitrary lists with random numbers like Buzzfeed puts out there.  I have respect for the sanctity of the top 10 list and damn it without some sort of tradition we're just a bunch of apes rubbing sticks on the rocks to poke each other with.  I will not be poked by an uncouth monkey!  Speaking of ape-like creatures, the top dude you see there is the brand spankin new Wing Kong from Super7.  I love it.  It's a monkey, who looks pissed off, and he's got wings.  That's pretty much the total package.  Available at booth 174.  

    And speaking of horrible illness, check out this infected Dunny from Scott Wilkwoski x Kidrobot.  See, this is the type of thing that I am confident my flu shot will protect me from.  Available in purple or grey and only $60 each, you better be quick to the Clutter Magazine booth # 603 to get one.  

    If I were to ride a horse, which I'm not saying I will, I would hope that it would be a demonic hell pony with a tentacle mouth and bat wings.  Oh, what a coincidence, I happen to have one right here.  Bigshot Toyworks has these Lil Maddie figures at booth #208 just in time to rustle up your demonic cows and send them to the demonic slaughterhouse for processing into demonic burgers.  

    Is it an ice cream cone?  Is it candy corn?  Is it andy corn flavored ice cream?  Is it ice cream cosplaying as candy corn?  I don't know, but now I have a headache thinking about it.  Kozik's Monger Jerome from Rotofugi x Squibbles Ink is looking very Halloween-y in this paint job.  I need one and you do too only at booth # 603.

    Oh let me tell you how I love some marbled vinyl.  It's like the sweet patina of the plastic world.  These Cestodas from Miscreation Toys are the size of a small child without the nagging.  Mishka will have these available at booth # 110.  Bing a back brace to carry this sucker.

   I have yet to even see what the latest Shub Zeroth figure from Meta Crypt looks like, but I am so confident that it couldn't possibly suck that I'm adding it to my list.  Go pay a visit to Brian Ewing at booth # 120 for some killer art and metaphysical plastic.  

   I love snow cones, so now you can add that to the list of facts you know about me.  I hope that a snow cone never turns on me like this crazy dude from Jason Limon x Martian Toys.  Damn, this is a great figure and available at booth # 203.  

   CATS!  It's huge, it's a cat, and I need it.  Komatsu x myplasticheart have a special release of this new Daioh Negora at booth 113 and I'm gonna try and get one cause I'm that kind of pimp.  

    Another Dunny and another item I have to own.  Like, I won't die per se if I don't get one, but I wouldn't stand to close cause I may rage out.  doubleparlour killed this and it's debuting at booth # 603.

    The award for "most adorable freakin thing at comic con" goes to these Sleepytime Sea Bunnies from Peter Kato.  They are limited to 30 pieces and will be available from the Piq Products booth # 614 starting tomorrow.   

My Top Ten Favorite SDCC Exclusive Thingys

    Yeah, sure, that's a tad bit dramatic, but seeing everyone's pictures from San Diego Comic Con makes me REEEEEEAAALLLLLLLLYYYYYYY wish I was there.  Thankfully New York Comic Con is coming up soon or else I would be losing it for real.  In the spirit of my depression let's take a look at my top 10 favorite exclusive things that are available to convention goers as we speak.  

    Despite our best efforts, Sharon and I still have space left on our walls at home.  We've determined that we hang our pictures "salon style" which they used to do back in the day, and it is a much better term than "a visual representation of mental illness style", which we had been using prior.  These three prints from Kidrobot and artists Brandt Peters, Frank Kozik, and Scott Tolleson would indeed take a place or prominence amongst our collection.  Pick em up during each artist's signings at Kidrobot's booth #5645.  

     That beauty to the right is the comic con exclusive Berry Chocolate Lady Dunny from Junko Mizuno x Kidrobot.  What words could I use to express my desire to have one?  Just look at it.  

    Thakfully, Frank Kozik's ice cream dude Jerome is merely debuting at comic con and will make its way online at some point afterwards from Rotofugi x Squibbles Ink, otherwise I might have had to hire myself a toy mule to procure one.  If you're there, get one at booth # 5248.  If you're not, practice the difficult art of being patient.  Trust me, I need all the practice I can get.  

    Shub Zeroth Misfortune Bags courtesy of Metacrypt and Brian Ewing's booth # 4503 should be on everyone's must-have lists.  Not only do you get a sweet sofubi monster toy, you get a bag to carry it in.  That's a convention blessing.  

    Super7 is straight killing it this year with their Skeletor's Lair pop up shop located in their San Diego retail store.  You can't go wrong with nostalgia presented in a fresh way, like this Chia Pet Moss Man.  Genius!  

    A soft vinyl Skeletor collaboration with Gargamel?  Sign me up, son.  I can't wait to see painted and marbled versions of this, which are gonna blow my mind/bank account wide open.  

     You know its true love when you find an amazing toy at a bargain of a price and that's exactly what Headspace from Luke Chueh and Munky King is.  And the best part is that there will be some available on their website at a later date, so stay the hell away from eBay cause all hope is not lost.  

    JJ Abrams did such a good job with the new Star Trek movies that I'm confident Star Wars is gonna be awesome.  I'm so confident, I would totally by this Black Series Storm Trooper without thinking twice.  

    I'll be more than happy to welcome this 20 inch hologram Darth Vader into my life.  

    Anything from Weta Workshop.  Seriously, have you seen pictures of their booth?  It's an event by itself.  Everything they do make me weep tears of joy.  

Metacrypt's Shub Zeroth Misfortune Bags for SDCC

    I could use a good bag.  I've always got papers laying around and I find myself looking for something to put them in.  It used to be my important documents wok, until one of my cats peed in it and made doing my taxes that year really awkward for my accountant lady. Now it just consists of a plastic Wal-Mart bag that once held my Cap'n Crunch, then I toss it down the steps of my basement and forget where I put everything.  You think being so self aware of my problem that I could put a stop to it, maybe even develop a system to put away those papers I didn't really know what to do with, like the deed to the house and my medical bills that I can't seem to throw out or pay either.  But I say nay,  my "pack things in bags and throw them down the basement steps" filing method is still very valid because I still have a lot of basement left.  Maybe the real problem is I don't really have a nice enough bag for my important papers that would elevate them to a more, dare I say, important status.

    Problem solved!!!  The folks at Metacrypt are releasing a killer Misfortune Bag at San Diego Comic Con filled with all kinds of goodness.  And this ain't no brown paper lunch sack either suckas, it's a full on canvas bag featuring that graphic you see above there, which is perfect for all those birthday cards your mee maw and paw paw send you.  But gaze inside and things get even better, as each bag contains a  random big ol Shub Zeroth figure and two companion dudes and other goodness that's a surprise.  The bags are limited and at $150 are probably cheaper than a cab ride to the show.  Or not, I've never even been to California so who am I to riff on the particulars of public transit.

 
     Ok, I know not all of us are the most adventurous of folks and like to pick the exact figures we want.  Some people would say that's the sign of being a control freak, but hey, I'm not here to judge you to your face.  Artist Candie Bolton did five Blacklight Rainbow version of Shub, each being $130, or snag yourself one of the most amazing marbled versions for only $100.  Marbled Japanese vinyl is THE BEST.  Seriously, it's like something only rich people should be able to have, but there it is, available to us all.  It's a gift.  Random Drudes for $20 each will also be available,  ready and willing to worship your entire toy collection.

    Plus...oh yeah, there's a plus....there will be t-shirts and patches and lots of other stuff.  And I'm told there will be Brian Ewing, being that this is all at his booth and stuff, and he's half of the Metacrypt team (the other half being Rocket Society/Hateball, FYI).  It's all happening at booth # 4503.  

Marbled Shub Zeroth Release for Brian Ewing's "Scream With Me" Show

    Nothing as exciting as this has happened to the city of Chicago since the opening of the 1892 Columbian Exposition.  I wasn't there, but I heard everyone who wasn't turned into a medical school prop by H. H. Holmes had a wonderful time.  Tonight you can witness an event of comparable proportions (to the fair, not the murders) when Brian Ewing opens his solo show at Galerie F.  

    Those in attendance will have the chance to purchase the first ever marbled release of Shub Zeroth.  He is the perfect blend of dark gray and flesh colored vinyl, formed into a beast whose name shall never be spoken thrice, lest the underworld rise up through a tear in the temporal vortex of our minds, forever poisoning our very souls.  

Oooooooh, pretty.

Check out http://www.galerief.com/ for more info on the show.

NYCC Exclusive Shub Zeroth "Evangelioth" from Metacrypt x Lulubell Toys

     Oh, dear God what have our horrid thoughts brought forth?  What have our wicked ways forced from beneath the Earth's crust, bringing with it our end?  And where, oh where I say, have I left my pants?  Seriously, I need to go buy cat food and nobody is trying to see my milky thighs.  

     Shub Zeroth! Shub Zeroth!  That's my impression of wicked villagers chanting the name of this unholy beast.  Villagers, that if the law were fair, we would have burned as witches and avoided this whole "giant blood thirsty goat demon problem" we now have.  Just kidding, I love Shub Zeroth and Metacrypt will be releasing this newest version at New York Comic Con through Lulubell Toy's booth # 408.  Christmas is coming, and your favorite toy blogger (me, obviously) accepts his gifts year round.  I'll give you one of my new stickers.  Fine, you can have two. 

SDCC Exclusive Shub Zeroth from Metacrypt x DSKI One

    People are always asking me for advice on how to woo the fairer sex.  Actually, no one has ever asked me that, but I'm gonna tell you anyway with an example from this past Sunday.  First, my wife and I drove out to the boondocks of Pennsylvania to do a bit of antiquing.  There's nothing women love more than buying dead people's treasures.  Gets 'em all in the mood for romance. Next we ate lunch at our favorite spot in the continental US that serves German food.  After gorging ourselves on piles of meat we then headed home to watch the WWE wrasslin pay per view.  And that my friends is not only how you show a woman a good time, that is how you stay happily married.  If they aren't impressed by a date like that you should cut your loses and leave them on the side of the road because it's obvious they're terrible people.  

    This San Diego Comic Con exclusive Shub Zeroth reminds me of some good antiquing with that nice patina he's sporting.  I'm a sucker for a good patina, and I want this dude pretty badly.  I would not be opposed to showering you with praise if you buy me one.  Metacrypt made him, DSKI One painted him up, and he will be available at 1pm Thursday at the Lulubell Toys booth # 5047.  They will also have some unpainted grey versions and some green and white severed heads that are fun for kids to play with.  If anything doesn't sell (which would be stupid of all of you attending) it will be made available at Brian Ewing's booth # 4503.  

Shub Zeroth Permafrost Edition from Metacrypt x DSKI ONE

    It is not the claws, or the teeth that man should fear, of those beasts that have gone unseen by anyone living today.  It is not their rise from oceanic depths, flooding our cities in their massive wakes.  No, man's fears shall be realized just in the fact that such beasts exists.  Beasts beyond anything the human mind can fathom.  And when you stare up at the monstrosity before you, this knowledge will render all of your notions of the world into useless mush.  Behold Shub Zeroth, destroyer of world's, reckoner of mankind, lover of shrimp cocktail.  Seriously, you would poop if you saw this in real life.  And so many people would die just from trying to record him on their cell phones so they could put it on Youtube later.  Oh, the horror of trying to gain more followers!

    DSKI ONE has brought this behemoth from Metacrypt to life with a rather awesome paint job and you can welcome it into your home this Thursday, May 1st at 11am Pacific time.  Very few of these are in existence and will be sold exclusively through http://lulubelltoys.com/.  

Shub Zeroth Collaboration from Blobpus x Metacrypt

    There are things that once seen cannot be unseen.  Images that will bore themselves into your subconscious mind only the emerge in your dreams and haunt you for the rest of your days.  Unholy terrors so great you will yearn for the days when all you had to fear was being touched by Miley Cyrus's chicken butt (look it up, for I dare not gaze upon it again).  Behold Shub Zeroth as painted by the master Blobpus!!!  And his little friend too!!!!

    Metacrypt has teamed up with the kaiju guru for this special two figure release.  You only have 5 days to accept that your life is over and these are your new masters.  Beginning  November 28th at midnight (Japanese time) and ending December 2nd at midnight (Japanese time) you can preorder this most deadly of toy sets.  Here is how you become a disciple of madness:

Overseas Order (Outside Japan)
Check out BLObPUS BLOG to order by email.

Domestic Order (Inside Japan)
Order from BLObPUS WEB SITE STORE

Brian Ewing's "Horror Business" Solo Show at Rivet Gallery

    I don't know much about Ohio.  I've only been there once when I was a wee little lad and all that I remember about it was going to the Cincinnati Zoo.  Other than that all I know is whatever I learned on The Drew Carey Show.  But I do know that Columbus has a pretty killer toy store/art gallery called Rivet and tomorrow they will be hosting a solo show by Brian Ewing.  You see that Bride of Frankenstein picture?  I have that hanging above my bed.  In fact, I have all of his monster prints, cause once I like something I just go completely overboard.  Luckily for me my wife is the same way and has mastered the art of playing Tetris with our walls and our art.  We're well on our way to covering ever bit of space, which we may or may not regret if we ever try to sell this house.  

    I know what you're thinking, you're thinking "Chris, this is a toy website and you have neglected to mention one word about anything made of plastic."  Don't worry your pretty little heads, cause I was just about to show you this:

    And there's your payoff.  It's an exclusive color way of his disturbingly amazing Shub Zeroth figure that he made with Meta-Crypt. I finally got to see one of these in person at New York Comic Con and they are so good you'll momentarily forget how to speak english.  You're gonna want this.  

    The opening reception is tomorrow, November 2nd, from 7-10pm.

All Hallow's Shub Zeroths from Metacrypt Release Today!!!!!!!

    All ye wicked souls, Shub Zeroth has returned to Earth to devour your flesh and make crafts with your bones.  He has a little stall down at the flea market, and does surprisingly well selling knick knacks made from the bits and pieces of evil humans.  But that is not the point, the point is that on this high holiday you can now own the very first Shub Zeroth ever to be offered on the internet.  You'll get either an unpainted black or an unpainted orange version.  You can't pick, the universe has already decided for you.  Each 9 inch figure will be $100 and will go on sale today, October 31st, at noon Pacific time at www.meta-crypt.com.

Seen at NYCC: Lulubell Toy Bodega

    One of the good things about New York Comic Con is that I get to meet people that I normally only get to correspond with on the internet.  Granted, I am much less socially awkward online so I probably seem like less of a weirdo that I do in person, but I try.  It was good to finally meet Amy from Lulubell Toy Bodega, who are by far one of my favorite toy stores/manufacturers.  They come out with some of the most mind blowing stuff you'll ever see and they are great at keeping it affordable.  

    While that dragon figure you see from Restore was not for sale, it was pretty impressive.  The detail on it was some of the best I've ever seen and will surely be popular when it goes into production.  

    I managed to snag my first ever Ultrus Bog.  Skinner created this dude and I've wanted one forever, but the timing has always been off for me to actually get one.  Now he is resting securely in my display case and freaking out the cats, who I'm pretty sure think he is some sort of mutated insect coming to take revenge for the amount of bugs they have consumed in their lives.  Or they just can't believe that this is how we are spending their inheritance.  

    I was sooooooo tempted to get one of these Shub Zeroths from Metacrypt.  It really is the only thing I regret not picking up while I was there, but I was trying to behave myself as far as my spending went and unfortunately he didn't make the budget.  But this figure is gorgeous in person, especially with this paint job.  

    Rotten Rexx was a literal big hit.  This is one gigantic chunk of mean looking plastic.  They had these crazy marble-swirled versions but they sold out before I got there.  This unpainted guy though was pretty sick and at only $125 you won't find a bigger figure for that low of a price.  You can preorder one now directly from Lulubell.  

    And I bought my first ever piece from Velocitron!!!  This pocket idol was only $3 and was my favorite unplanned purchase by far.  I just fell in love with this little dude, and he was a great lunch companion.  

    We took a lot more pictures and posted them up on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheToyViking so you should look at them and stuff.  

Metacrypt at San Diego Comic Con

    I had a dream last night that was oddly appropriate for this toy.  I was sitting in a classroom and this weird baby all of a sudden in standing next to my desk.  Of course this freaks me the hell out so I stand up and am all like "hey, what's with this weirdo baby appearing out of nowhere and being generally creepy.  Oh, and the class was in a huge church.  That's important.  So the baby freaks out cause I'm freaked out and runs outside.  Naturally we all follow it to see what's up and for some reason there is a large moat going around the church.  The baby is sitting next to the water and chanting about the coming of the antichrist and what not, so I did the sensible thing and I kicked that evil baby into the water.  Where it then turned into a huge sea monster.  Quickly we made or retreat back into the church and barred the doors.  Fearing it would break through we all ran upstairs to determine what to do next.  On the floor there was this little monster dude talking all that jive about Satan and whatnot, so I picked him up and flushed him down a toilet.  Then the antichrist actually showed up and took my wife away to be his bride.  I was kinda chuffed about this turn of events, so I covered myself in holy water, grabbed an acoustic guitar, and started singing a song that used very colorful language to question his manhood.  And then I woke up.  After telling Sharon about this dream she is still mad at me that I woke up before I had the chance to stop her from becoming a demon's bride.  Like, literally not speaking to me mad.  This is probably going to cost me at minimum a trip to the shoe store.

   Oddly enough it turns out the antichrist looks much more like a young Billy Dee Williams than this goat headed fellow.  But maybe this is what he looks like when he's not at work and he's just watching court shows on daytime tv.  Shub Zeroth has finally evolved from just a head into a full fledged demon critter type thing with his own body.  Metacrypt will be debuting him at San Diego Comic Con with Lulubell Toy Bodega at their booth #5045 during an event on Thursday.  The black paint rubbed one will be $100,  while the green unpainted version will be $80.  Any leftovers will then be available at Brian Ewing's booth #4503 for the rest of the convention.

    But maybe you're not ready to make such a huge commitment to a full-bodied demon and would like to gradually introduce the dark world into your home.  Never fear, there are levels of the black arts to suit every need.  Start your journey with just the head of ol' Shub.  They come in red and grey and will be $25.  

     Once you've become fully engrossed by Metacrypt and want to spread the word you're gonna need this shirt to do it.  Craig Robson of Daggers for Teeth designed it and it's only $20.  That's better than what you'll get at the mall, and every dumb kid you see won't be wearing the same one making you feel old and silly.  Not that that's ever happened to me.  

Get all this stuff by visiting Mr. Brian Ewing at booth #4503.