Fatt Choy Bao from Scott Tolleson X Pobber Toys

    I will chase a brown bear into the woods just because I've never seen one in the wild, but I'll be damned if I put anything other than a plain hamburger in my mouth during dinner.  That last part's a little extreme, but I'm anything other than brave when it comes to food.  My wife spent a lot of her younger years in Taiwan and I remember the first time she took me to the Asian supermarket while looking for her favorite items.  As a southern kid with a cardboard palette I was so far out of my element it was probably embarrassing.  Since then I've tried to broaden my horizons if for no more reason than for her to not feel forced to feed me chicken nuggets every day.  You're a real gangsta if your wife buys you the dinosaur shaped ones, fyi.

    I couldn't eat anything that had a face like this.  He's so cute and sweet looking and you know you can't eat just one so chomping down on him will be both traumatic and non filling, which is a really bad combination.   This little dude from Scott Tolleson and Pobber Toys is decked out to celebrate Chinese New Year and is available now to help you commemorate the year of the dog.  Pick one up for yourself before the party's over at www.pobber.com.

   

    

Winter Reindeer: Night Stalker Edition from Andrew Bell x Gary Ham x Pobber Toys

 

    I have an entertainment center from Ikea that has been a pain in my rear since the day I bought it.  For one, it was the wrong color, which Sharon and I decided we would live with.  Then when we moved it somehow gained about 300 pounds since I put it together and nearly killed us both.  And the thing is so massive and holds so much stuff that it has made it an almost impossible task to replace.  We did swear an oath though that if we were to ever move again not only would we not take it with us, but that we would destroy it so it could not pass its evil onto others.  And by destroy it I mean carefully take the bolts out and even more carefully walk the pieces to the dumpster.  I'll be damned if it sends me to the emergency room in one final act of defiance.

   Let that be a lesson on how important it is to carefully select the things you use to display your treasures, for like an at-home haircut, it may be there longer than you bargained for.   Enter Pobber Toys.  They teamed up with Gary Ham to create the original version of this unique way to display your figures and now Andrew Bell has put his own spin on it.  This thing is nearly two and a half feet tall of resin and can be left the way he is or fully loaded with your favorite toys as seen here:

    You have from now until November 30th to preorder one of these things for $499 plus shipping and they are only making the amount that people order.  There will be no second chances, only massively crushing regret that will hinder you in the rest of your worldly pursuits if you don't get one.  Make the right decision by visiting http://pobber.bigcartel.com.

Paco Taco from Scott Tolleson X Pobber Toys Available Today!

    Whoever heard of taco Friday?  No one, that's who, because tacos were meant to be consumed on a day that starts with the letter "T".  I'm pretty sure it's in the Bill of Rights or one of those other important documents we all should read but don't.  Or maybe it's one of those weird blue laws we have in this country that no one actually enforces.  Like, don't make out with squirrels on a Sunday while wearing plaid, or being forbidden from trapping more than three weasels in a brown box during an eclipse.  I think they were to prevent witchcraft, or women from voting, or something like that.  I don't think anyone that's still alive even knows.

    So, against all my arguments to the contrary, today is indeed taco Friday as Scott Tolleson and Pobber Toys are releasing Paco Taco.  He comes in two different flavors: regular and hot.  These are gonna be available at midnight SG time, which means wherever you happen to be you're gonna have to do the converting on that cause I am not feeling up to any time algebra today.  Taco up at www.pobber.com.

    

Bella Lee: Noir Edition from Scott Tolleson x Pobber Toys

    Man, I never knew how hard it is to find reasonable people to hire.  I've been trying to help wrangle candidates for my job and it has been no easy task.  To make matters worse, when you find a resume that's worth looking at, sometimes their very name will just ruin it for you.  For instance, how am I supposed to ever be expected to work with someone named Cupcake?  I can't take that seriously, and I refuse to call someone by a name like that, whether their parents actually put that on their birth certificate or not.  And what am I supposed to tell me wife when she asks me about my day?  It's gonna sound like I'm some low-grade pimp with a stable of girls on the corner.

     Bella Lee here had parents that actually thought their daughter could be anything she wanted to be, but even not being named Glitter didn't keep her from a life of questionable employment.  Or she might just be trying to pay down her student loans, in which case I totally understand.  Either way, Scott Tolleson and Pobber are pleased to offer this purrty lady online this Thursday, August 6th, for $120.  This 8 inch resin figure is limited to 50 pieces and only available from www.pobber.com.  

"King of Mischief" Sylvan from Jon-Paul Kaiser x Gary Ham x Pobber Toys

    When you don't live in the city you have experiences that people from a more urban area would have a hard time imagining.  Before you get jealous, most of them aren't what you would call pleasant.  Like the other day when the wife and I were out for a drive and we stop at a light by a large field.  Not far from the roadway we see a dead dear, which is not the most uncommon thing, but then it started moving.  It's dead body shook and jumped all over like a little project from Dr. Frankenstein.  Just before we thought the roadkill zombie apocalypse was upon us a little beagle backed it's way out of the deer's enlarged rear end and grinned at us like he had found an endless supply of beef jerky.  His little tail wagged a mile a minute as he pondered over his great discovery, before diving back in for seconds.  I'll admit, I was much less horrified by the fact that this puppy had gone head first into the rotting butt of a woodland creature than the idea of it being let back into the house and loved on by an unsuspecting family.  Filthy, filthy puppy dog kisses.

    Now this dude is more of what I would expect to find nibbling at the old Roadkill Cafe.  Hell, I don't think he's the kind of guy that would wait for a station wagon to provide his meals for him;  I bet he's more proactive in procuring his dead things.  Jon-Paul Kaiser has added a touch of evil to Gary Ham's Sylvan figure, and he will be making his debut at next weekend's Toy Con UK at The Hang Gang's booth.  Limited to 100 pieces worldwide, Pobber Toys will be giving the rest of us a chance at snagging one soon after.

   

Meet Your New Toy Display: Autumn Stag from Gary Ham x Pobber Toys

    One thing that can be a downside of collecting is determining how to show off your sacred objects.  Personally, I like vintage display cases, and not because I'm snotty and refuse to use those glass cases from Ikea (though that's true) but I love the juxtaposition of old and new.  Plus, I want my house to look more like a musuem than a convenience store.

    But what if you could display your toys on another toy?  Did I just blow your mind?  Does the idea make all of your dreams come true?  Cause Gary Ham and Pobber Toys are making it happen with the Autumn Stag.  This thing is a literal beast at over 2 feet tall and is sturdy enough for you to pile on your mini figures.  You only have until April 10th to preorder one for $499 plus shipping.  Sure it's a lot of money, but your toys deserve more than compact Swedish furniture that's a pain to put together.

Preorder one now at http://pobber.bigcartel.com/.

Meet Nathan Jurevicius at Woot Bear This Weekend

    Have you ever been so tired that you start dreaming while you're awake?  Like, for whatever perfectly legal reason that doesn't necessitate police investigation, you've been unable to sleep and you start seeing weird stuff that isn't there.  I used to work as an overnight dj for a commercial radio station, which meant I had to attempt to sleep during the day so I could stay up all night and entertain long haul truckers and drug addicts.  Sometimes my sleep plans didn't always work out the way I wanted and I would find myself driving home at 6am and seeing imaginary people walking across the otherwise empty Garden State Parkway.  When I went back to college it would happen as well; I'd be half asleep in one of those painfully boring 8am classes and would dream that I yelled out something ridiculous about "not petting the lions" then I would snap awake and wait nervously to see if I had actually said it out loud.  Thankfully I was able to keep my nonsense firmly packed away in my own head.  

    This dude reminds me of something that would come to you in those foggy states of consciousness, maybe leading you on an epic adventure that seems like it would make for a great book or movie until you think about it later and realize how you can't even make sense of it.  Nathan Jurevicius has teamed up with Pobber Toys to offer his take on Gary Ham's Sylvan vinyl toy, and the results resemble your new spirit guide.  You can pick one up this weekend at Woot Bear in San Francisco, as Nathan will be doing a signing there Saturday evening, and you even get a free print with purchase so you can spruce up your living quarters.  

    

Black Friday Sales Part 3!!!

Leecifer

DeKorner

Pobber Toys

Monster Factory

NYCC Exclusive Sylvan Yeti from Gary Ham x Pobber Toys x myplasticheart

    It's that time of year again.  Time for me to start doing push-ups so I can fight my way through the crowds of New York Comic Con.  Every year it seems like they manage to pack more people into that building, making walking from one end of the con to the other a more physical sport than it needs to be.  It actually wouldn't be so bad if people didn't stop cosplayers in the middle of the walkway to pose for pictures.  Dude, I get that you NEEEEEEEEEED your photo with every girl dressed as Slave Leia because you're not one to pass up an exposed midriff, but just know that if you clog up the thoroughfare and I'm close enough, I'm gonna make the worst face you've ever seen in your life and ensure it is there forever to ruin your fantasy moment.  No matter who you show your pictures to, all they'll want to know is what's up with the angry looking bridge troll in the background.  I'm not just doing it because I'm a jerk, I'm doing it for all of those people that had to get way too close to sweaty strangers because you decided to create a traffic jam of epic nerd proportions.   One day they will build a statue of me outside of the Javits Center for my contributions to mankind and my dedication to keeping it moving.  

    But let's focus on what's really important about comic con, and that's the exclusive toys.  myplasticheart has been kind enough to get the ball rolling with Sylvan Yeti from Gary Ham and Pobber Toys.  This chilly fella is limited to 50 pieces and will be priced at $75 each and available at booth # 113.  

Bad Ass: Mecha Edition from Kronk x Pobber Toys

    I just watched Pacific Rim the other day and I really enjoyed it.  Lots of good action, the CGI was impressive, and I didn't fall asleep even once.  The one thing about it that was really freaky was that the kaiju would take these massive poops and entire cities would be contaminated.  That was the real threat if you ask me.  Sure they may stomp you to death, or spit acid all over your apartment building, but who wants to die from a giant turd?  And how in the hell are you going to clean something up the size of Madison Square Garden when everyone is out building a stupid fence trying to keep these dudes out?  The answer, my friends, is in front of us.

    Not only would giant robot monkeys be pretty awesome at clobbering otherworldly monsters, but they are world class poo throwers.  I've been to the zoo, I've seen it.  So the monkeys could use the kaiju's own waste material against it like some bacteria-ridden snow ball fight.  Ok, the more I've thought about this the more I realize this is a gross and terrible idea.  Forget I said anything.  

    Kronk x Pobber Toys will be unleashing their own mecha monkey this Friday.  And this is one giant piece of plastic.  You might have to reinforce your toy shelf so he doesn't collapse it.  So first make a trip to the Home Depot and get some extra shelf brackets, then log onto www.pobber.com and get yourself one of these.   

Kronk x Pobber Toys Bad Ass "Snowflake" Edition for Minty Fresh

    This is my favorite colorway of the Bad Ass figure from Kronk and Pobber Toys.  Maybe it's because I like the winter and this dude totally looks like an abominable snowman.  Or maybe it's because it's the "Snowflake" edition and he looks like he is serving 25-life on a murder conviction.  The name "Snowflake" will never have the innocence of a small puppy dog anymore. 

     This convict-looking monkey is limited to only 50 pieces and is an exclusive to everyone's favorite designer toy store in the Netherlands, Minty Fresh.  He goes on sale tomorrow and you can check out the handy time zone listing for your part of the world in the picture up there.  Ain't it nice when things are easy.       

Art Attack Toys Exclusive "Mutant B" Edition Bad Ass from Kronk x Pobber Toys for Designer Con

    Monkeys are tricky.  You see em sitting around, looking all cute and stuff like little fuzzy people and then BAM, they rip your arms off and beat you to death with your bloody limbs.  Finally, there is a giant monkey that is advertising the fact that he is mean and will kill you.

    You've seen this dud before but never like this.  This is Bad Ass from Kronk x Pobber Toys and he is featured here in a special Mutant B edition.  He is an exclusive for Art Attack Toys and they will have him for sale at this weekend's Designer Con.  Only 50 of them exist and you can snag one at booth # 806.  

Seen at NYCC 2013: Tenacious Toys

    One of my favorite places to stop and gawk at New York Comic Con is the Tenacious Toys booth.  Benny always manages to get the most diverse group of exclusives together and present up and coming artists in a way that makes them look like super stars.  I would dare say that he is the first guy to ever hold signing events with artists who were making toys in their basements and not just the guys who were designing for the huge companies.  Tenacious Toys is like a great indie rock label that has all the majors waiting in the shadows to see what he does next.  And judging by the response they were getting all weekend, he's definitely doing something right that they aren't.  

    Their booth was loaded to the brim with exclusives that spanned the worlds of resin, plush, and vinyl.   A lot of stuff sold out, but there will be some leftovers available this week.  Sign up for their newsletter by going to http://www.tenacioustoys.com/ so you can get in on them.  Meanwhile, check out some more pictures.

More NYCC Exclusives from Tenacious Toys

    The great thing about someone being covered in blood is that it's pretty obvious you should keep your distance, and not just for sanitary reasons.  If you're ever on public transportation and someone is covered in blood it is perfectly acceptable to get up and put yourself at a good distance from them.  Also, if you see a man pooping on the subway platform (this actually happened, I know it sounds crazy, but I wouldn't lie to you) it is acceptable to wait for him to get on the train first and then run to get 3 cars ahead of him.  Reason 1:  It's not gonna be pleasant for your nose.  Reason 2:  Anyone who drops their pants to poop in public is capable of murdering you.  Which would leave him covered in blood.  See, I brought it back around.

    Tenacious Toys has a booth the size of a city block at this year's New York Comic Con, and have filled it with exclusives galore.  Like this Bloody Lurker from Erick Scarecrow and Frombie.  They are limited to only 7 pieces and will be $75 each.  

    You know what I love?  Bundle packs.  I'm not even kidding here.  How in the sweet hell has no one done this before?  Maybe they have, I dunno know.  I'm not like the Eye of Sauron, so sometimes I miss things.  But this is genius.  JC Rivera's Bearchamp from Pobber Toys is paired up with the same design on an Outsmart Originals t-shirt all for only $100.  There will be 50 sets available to purchase and hopefully this is the start of the bundle pack revolution.  

    I was kicking myself the whole way home last year for not buying one of these Manotaurs from Rampage Toys.  But the toy gods have smiled upon me and I will be given a chance for redemption next week.  There will also be some Ugly Unicorns available.  Take that Lisa Frank, not all unicorns are covered in rainbows and glitter.  

Spend Your Day at Toy Art Gallery Tomorrow

    Toy Art Gallery and I have something in common:  we're both gonna be busy tomorrow.  They will most likely be having a much better time than I will as they are holding two events while I will be working for the man all day.  One day I will break these chains that oppress me!!!

    From 1pm-3pm they will be holding a release and signing for this giant Jaguar Knight toy from Jesse Hernandez x Pobber Toys.  This is an exclusive red glow-in-the-dark version limited to 100 pieces.  And Facebook told me that it's also Jesse's birthday, so you should bring him snack cakes or envelopes of cash or something.

    Then from 7pm-10pm they will have the opening for Super Cooper's Music To My Ears art show.  Super Cooper is like the Doogie Houser of the toy world, curating shows and amassing a collection that makes me jealous.  And the show will be benefitting a couple of charities, which is pretty awesome, so you can feel good about spending a little bit more to get some art that you'll love forever.  

Bad Ass: Stealth Edition from Kronk x Pobber Toys Available Now

    Monkeys, no matter how big they are, always look like they want to be your friend.  Then you hear about them ripping people's arms off and beating them to death with their own limbs.  But I like to live life dangerously, so when Crystal the monkey (of such films as The Hangover and other shows that involve monkeys) came to Wildwood for photo opportunities I was all about it.  This is the resulting picture:

    Look how happy my wife and I were to have a monkey on our heads!  We stared Death in the face and have the picture to prove it!  After we took this the monkey did kill like 10 people or so, but she knew we weren't going to have it.  By the way, I have gotten even more handsome since then.

   Ok, now that you know what a bad ass I am, you know that I am fit to judge other bad ass things.  Like this mecha ape that is actually called Bad Ass.  Kronk and Pobber Toys have just released this stealth edition of this angry monkey bro.  He's pretty big and mean looking.  And if you scroll just a little further you'll see the chase version of this guy:

    You have a 1 in 6 shot of getting one of these when you order the Stealth Edition.  Get em now wherever you prefer to buy your fancy toys.  

More SDCC Exclusives from DKE

    I read an interview with DKE owner Dov that was conducted by Tenacious Toys that basically said you better bring some cool stuff with you that no one else has if you're going to bother setting up at conventions.  Of course, there was more to it than that, but you can clearly see the philosophy put to work in not only the amount, but the quality of exclusives that he is bringing to San Diego Comic Con.  

    Like this gloriously massive toy from Kronk x Pobber appropriately named "Bad Ass".  That is one angry monkey and you can believe that this sucker is going to sell out the moment it's released.  Only 40 pieces were produced in this Forest colorway and they will be $95 each.  Better get in line early.

    And now for something completely different.  When you think about it, most of us aren't playing with the toys that we buy; we are using them as objects of decoration to make our dwelling more pleasing.  So with that thinking, the materials that toys or collectibles are made of are irrelevant.  Why not ceramics?  Even better, why not awesome mash up ceramic figures from Robin Van Valkenburgh?  I had never heard of this particular artist before now, but after seeing this picture and then looking through their Twitter posts, I am hooked.  Equal parts sweet and disturbing, I must now own every single one.  These could very easily be the sleeper hit of the convention.

    There's absolutely nothing sweet about these two.  In fact, they look as if they've crawled from an infected wound and are off to terrorize children at summer camp. I'm pretty sure Fuei Shokai would be thrilled if no one were ever to sleep again after looking at their creations.  If one bites you don't say you weren't warned.