Arc of Time Resin Sculpture from Brent Nolasco

    Brent Nolaso is one of the most imaginative figure artists out there today.  His work never feels derivative of anything else I've seen and he paves roads with his creatures that most people aren't capable of driving on.  His latest release is entitled Arc of Time and if anything it pushes his work even further than he's ever taken it.  Made of five separate pieces of resin, each figure comes with a base and acrylic rod to suspend it (which is removable).  Sculpted by Brent and cast by resin wizard Task One, you can order one of these 11 inch tall figures now at brentnolasco.bigcartel.com.  They retail for $350 each.

The Blob Resin Figure from Creature Feature

     Here's a few tidbits for you trivia fans:  The movie The Blob was filmed in the Philadelphia area and is the feature film debut of one Steve Mcqueen.  That's all I've got.  What I like about The Blob is that it is an entity that can't be reasoned with.  You can't talk yourself out of getting devoured and it in no way shares what drives it's insatiable hunger.  It's just a big pile of goo that engulfs everything in its path and somehow digests it, which is the method of choice of American politics.  I suppose even the most evil of men need role models.  

     Creature Feature has taken that classic movie monster, given it some personality, and upped the technicolor anti with her figure, aptly titled, The Blob.  This resin figure has obviously rolled over a batch of Electric Kool Aid (rip Tom Wolfe) and is ready to bring his psychedelic sass to your collection.  Standing about 4 and a half inches tall and 3 and a half wide and weighing nearly a pound, he can be yours when he goes on sale tonight (Wednesday June 13th) at 8pm eastern time only at creaturefeature.bigcartel.com.

Ahwroo from Gary Baseman x Apportfolio

   A Florida man strikes again!!  Did you see the video of the guy from Florida getting arrested while a monkey wearing a diaper clings to him?  All of the best news stories begin with the words "a Florida man" because for some reason people in that state seem hell bent on doing the craziest stuff.  Nowhere else in the country comes even close to the antics of Florida, which I have developed a theory about.  I blame it solely on humidity.  Those of you that live in a place without it may be blissfully unaware of how disgusting you feel when the air is hot and damp at the same time.  It messes with your mind and can make stealing a car with a monkey coconspirator seem like the best idea you have going for you.  It's probably not that at all and that Florida has been cursed since existence.   I was just trying to be polite.

    This is not the same monkey from that viral arrest video as he is currently awaiting trial for his part in the automobile theft, this is Ahwroo created by Gary Baseman.  There's something sweet/mildly unnerving about the gleam in his eye as he gazes up his little skull friend.   Did he harvest that little bone helmet himself, or did he happen upon it in a field as it lay there waiting to be discovered?  Ask him yourself when this primate goes on sale tonight at 10pm eastern time from APPortfolio.  Made of polystone, this limited edition figure can be found exclusively at http://garybaseman.com.

Five Points Fest Recap

    The second annual Five Points Festival has come and gone and it was an amazing time.  I spent lots of money, saw a lot of old friends, and made a lot of new ones.  An event like this is so important to not only bring collectors and creators together, but to offer so much inspiration under one roof.  While my wallet might not be looking forward to next year already, I certainly am.  Here's my random thoughts from this year's show:

- The venue change from Manhattan to Brooklyn made getting to there a little more difficult, but the walk offered a lot of spectacular views.  Sharon and I got to see a lot of different street art and you couldn't beat the view of Manhattan.

- There seemed to be way more designer toy vendors this year, which I was happy to see.  Artists that rarely make it to the east coast had tables full of items I've never been able to see in person. It was overwhelming in the best possible way.

- The venue itself was nice but could have used a serious upgrade in the air conditioning department. I apologize to everyone who thought I was going into diabetic shock, but me and the heat don't get along to well.  Granted it was in the 90's all day, which combined with a city setting is not unlike being cremated.

-  When heading back to Penn Station we saw a lady try to stab a guy with a pair of scissors.  I yelled "Worldstar" but couldn't get my phone out quickly enough, so you'll just have to use your imagination like the old days.

- It was great to see so many artists who are independently producing their work and that are able to have it presented on such a large platform.  Every person I spoke with had such an inspiring story to tell not only about their creations buy the journey towards making them a reality.  It makes me want to work harder with what I do and with what I want to do.  

-    On the ride home we were sitting next to a couple who was obviously on their honeymoon.  He reached into a bag and pulled out two cans of Diet Coke.  She reached into her purse and pulled out personalized koozies from their wedding.  As I watched them load up their drink holders to prepare for sweet liquid refreshment I couldn't help to think what would have happened had Kelly dropped the ball and left them back at the hotel.

Tom: "Alright babe, prepare to have your thirst quenched because I got us matching Diet Cokes.  All we need now are our personalized wedding koozies so that our hands stay dry and warm while our beverage of choice maintains its coolness."

Kelly:  Exploring the contents of her purse:  "Oh drat, honey bug.  It seems that I've left our personalized wedding koozies back at the hotel.  Now what will we do?"  

Tom:  "Oh, well I guess I should have listened to my mother when she said you weren't wife material."  He the forcefully slams the Diet Cokes into the trash, unaware that the tariffs on aluminum imports will soon make those cans a luxury he can no longer afford.  

New Jersey Transit never disappoints when it comes to great theater.  I don't even know why people bother paying so much to go to Broadway when you could ride the train all day and be way more enthralled.


That was my experience at this year's event.  If you've never been you need to make it a priority to make it out for next time.  This is the east coast version of DesignerCon and I expect it will continue to grow even bigger.  If you want to check out all my pictures I took you can see them not at www.facebook.com/TheToyViking.  

Tenacious Toys Exclusives for Five Points Fest

   Seems to me that Five Points Fest has just exploded from last year.  There's so much being released that I can hardly keep up, but I'm doing my best over here in between moments of life.  Of course Tenacious Toys is gonna be there and of course they have exclusive stuff for you, some of which is pictured here.  I'm sure there will be other surprises as well, which you'll have to check out in person or be stuck watching the fun through various social media accounts (mine would be a great place to start).  If you are attending, go and say hi to Benny at booth #234 and pick up some new toys for yourself.

Lulubell Toys Exclusives for Five Points Fest

   Lulubell Toys always has one of the best booths at any convention they do and it isn't by accident.  There's blood, sweat, and probably a few tears involved in trying to put together such a diverse lineup.  It also doesn't hurt that they produce a ton of the best stuff coming out of Japan, much of which will be on display this weekend at Five Points Fest.  Go ahead and take a look at just part of what they will decorate booth #331 with.

Astro Crash from Josh Divine x StrangeCat Toys for Five Points Fest

   Do you ever think how insane people were who pioneered flight?  Today flying in a plane is safer than driving a car, but dudes like the Wright Brothers were strapped to wood and fabric contraptions powered by garage built engines and a handful of theories.  The amount of things that could go wrong mostly involved terrible maiming or death, so the fact that anyone pushed so hard to make it happen is kinda shocking to me.  Then I remember things I used to do growing up in rural Virginia and am suddenly thankful that someone already checked this one off the list.  Teenagers plus boredom rarely leads to innovation as much as it does disfigurement.

    Astro Boy surely had his ups and downs when it came to mastering the sky life, as evidenced in this figure from Josh Divine and Strangecat Toys.  You may know Josh from his day job at Kidrobot, but he's got more ideas than can be contained by a standard nine to five.  And sometimes those ideas involve a beloved Japanese character scraping his face off as he falls to Earth.  Don't act like that's weirder than how you unwind after a long day.

    This dude is made of resin, limited to 25 pieces, and will be available exclusively at booth #423 during Five Points Fest.  Josh will even be there on Sunday from 1pm-2pm to sign yours and answer all of your questions about love, life, and whatever else you can think of.

Black Drove Invades Five Points Fest

   Black Drove is so far ahead of the curve that I think half of the artists exhibiting at Five Points Fest don't even exist yet.  I am seriously having to do some research on some of these names, but that just means the toy world is a constantly growing entity.  Booth #340 will be packed with some of the craziest bits of plastic you've ever seen and you'll even get to see toys coming to life as artist VideoVomit paints live during the convention.  You can try and pick up tips or pick up a new figure as the paint still dries.  Tickets are still available for the convention and can be purchased by visiting www.fivepointsfest.com.  Meanwhile, take a gander at some of the items they'll have available:

Mini Muscle Minion Figure from Renone

    I used to have a boat load of these little Muscle figures but I have no idea what happen to them.  I moved around a lot as a kid and after a while I just sort of lost track of things.  Once when we moved to Pennsylvania for what turned out to be a very brief moment, the doors of our Uhaul trailer came open and spilled stuff all over the roadway.  The fabric of our couch cushions was redesigned by over eager tire treads and boxes exploded upon impact sending their contents all over the pavement.  Hindsight would tell us that was a great moment to turn around and call the entire relocation off, but hindsight is an annoying thing who never speaks up at the most opportune times.  He's a jerk.

    Though my collection is long gone I can at least be positive that this guy isn't laying on the side of a highway, destroyed by decades of exposure.  That's because RenOne hadn't invented his Minion character nor this figure yet.  In fact, he's just now offering it up for all of us to own.  Head on over to https://renonelab.bigcartel.com and choose the color you want of these made to order figures and then wait patiently by your mailbox for it to arrive.  He's even taking color requests if there's one you just can't live without.  Just don't be weird about it by asking for something like "Grateful Dead Parking Lot Cheese Sandwich on Acid."

Plaseebo x Planet X for Five Points Fest

     It's that time of year where turtles are trying to cross the road in order to meet what smells like the loves of their lives.  If you happen to see a turtle on the road who needs a bit of assistance on his way to make babies you should always put them on the side they are trying to reach.  Those little dudes do not quit and if you put them back where they came from they will turn around, shoot you the bird, and then end up in the same predicament.  I respect how headstrong they are when it comes to love, but they really could channel some of that into those little legs and get there quicker.  And if you don't help them they might turn into horrible trash monsters and kill you in your sleep.  Just sayin.

    America, it is almost time to embrace the behemoth that is SUM.  Plaseebo and Planet X are bringing these monsters to our shores via their booth at this year's Five Points Fest in Brooklyn.   These will all be one of a kind painted by the man himself and available only at booth #328.  After the show there will be a larger release sometime in July, but this will be the first chance for many of us to own one of these pissed off turtles.  Each one features led color changing lights and loads of revenge in their eyes.  I'm excited to see one of these things in person.

Wonder Goblin for Five Points Fest

   I hope when that sink hole at the White House fully forms that something looking like this pops out of it , spouts off a few quotes from The Mask, and makes most of our problems go away.  Tell me that wouldn't be the greatest thing to ever happen; that some dormant creature of unexplained origins is all like "you know, this has really gotten out of hand" and comes to save us all.  It only quotes The Mask in the throes of battle and is really only interested in the safety of our pop culture, not so much mankind itself.  Who can really blame it.  On a side note I'd like to welcome all my new followers from the various government agencies that have red flagged this post.  

    Of course this is not the means of our reckoning, but the Queen Hagopus from the demented mind of Wonder Goblin.  I'd like to think that upon his birth, after many hour of painful labor, his mother held him in her arms and actually named him Wonder Goblin, but who can say for sure.  What I do know is that he will be bringing that monstrosity you see above with him to Five Points Fest next week along with another dude by the name of Budfoot.

    These are no mere action figures, as they stand 9 inches and 14 inches tall respectively,  meaning you're gonna need to clear some shelf space to take them home.  And if you want to take them home you're gonna need to find yourself at the Brooklyn Expo Center on June 2nd and 3rd to snag these and whatever other madness may pop up at his booth.  

    

Blue Variant Devilman from Mike Sutfin x Unbox Industries x Mondo

    I could go for sprouting a set of bat wings, as long as they were retractable and I could still sit comfortably.  I figure if I managed to have bat wings in the first place the same magic that gave them to me could also make them able to disappear adequately.  And also get rid of my fear of heights, otherwise I'd only be able to fly about as high as a regulation basketball rim before getting the shakes.    These are the things my brain forces me to consider when I know I have to be up in five hours and actually trying to fall asleep makes doing so impossible.

    Mike Sutfin's beyond detailed and uber popular take on Devilman is now in it's third incarnation with this Mondo exclusive blue variant.  Produced by the vinyl elves at Unbox Industries, there was little warning about this release, as it makes its debut today, Tuesday May 22nd, at noon central time. Ugh, you guys are killing me with all this cool stuff right before Five Points Fest.  Snag one and dream of the freedom that a pair of leathery wings would give you by visiting www.mondotees.com.

Citron Edition La Morrttt from Naomi Knaff x Planet X

   This figure is the closest thing to sunshine I've seen in a while because it has rained all week in New Jersey.  There's been mildly inconvenient rain, flood-inducing down pours, and enough thunder and lightning to scare my cats off of their eating schedule.  The best part is when it scares them into a fear induced stampede that will start no matter where they happen to be sitting at the time.  Have you ever had a cat use your chest as a starting block when they attempt to run and hide from thunder?  Good thing I have a high pain tolerance and enough respect for others to not take my shirt off in public.  No need to thank me, it's what heroes do.

    Naomi Knaff is offering up the promise of dryer and sunnier days to come via her La Morrttt figure from Planet X.  For $80 it's almost guaranteed to push your seasonal depression out the door for good.  Snag one tomorrow, Sunday May 20th, at 5pm eastern time exclusively through www.naomiknaff.com.

 
    

Death Berry Blast Ultrus Bog from Skinner x Lulubell Toys

    Oh my goodness I looooooooove marbled vinyl, and this beautiful Ultrus Bog has got me drooling.  Not nearly as bad as when I had my dental work the other day, cause that was embarrassing.  I got a filling done and then was scheduled for a cleaning immediately afterward so I can look good for my dozens of fans.  I can't feel the entire left side of my face and I get handed a cup of mouthwash to use before we start.  One swish and it's cascading down my shirt in a waterfall of minty freshness.  The hygienist looks over and says "uh oh, still a little numb from the anaesthetic?"  April is out here solving mysteries, people!  Bring your cold cases Monday through Friday and all your questions will be answered.  She needs to be quicker with the paper towels and less so with the detective skills.

    Death Berry Blast sounds like a hardcore Slurpee flavor,  it is instead sofubi bliss courtesy of Skinner and Lulubell Toys.  This is the first time this figure has ever had the marbled treatment and it is long overdue.  Look at the way those swirled colors fill every detail in the sculpt.  Go ahead, look at it.  "Majestic" may not be the word you were looking for, but it really should have been.

    You can score yourself one of these beauties when they go on sale today, Friday May 18th, at noon pacific time exclusively from www.lulubelltoys.com.  They will be $95 each plus shipping to wherever you happen to live.

Skull Gold B from Noon x K Olin Tribu

   I just got back from getting a filling at the dentist and I'm not even upset about it.  That's because my dentist has this head scanner that takes a 3D image of your skull.  I was beyond excited to see what my brain case looked like but no one offered to show me.  We're getting down to the end of things and I bring up the fact that I really really want to see my skull before I leave.  The hygentist's eyes lit up and told me that no one has ever asked to see it before.  I found that hard to believe but wasn't about to argue.  She pulls it up on the computer and there, in as much detail as if you had peeled my face off and taken a look inside, are all the nooks and crannies of my head.  I really want to find a way to have it 3D printed, so if anyone has any ideas please let me know.  I think it would make a great candy dish.

   You can't go wrong with having a few skulls laying around the house, especially when they won't implicate you in any criminal proceedings.  Now make that sucka porcelain with a distressed gold finish and you've got yourself a work of art ready for MTV's Cribs.  Noon and K. Olin Tribu have released a number of skulls in the past but this one is by far my favorite.  I love that "freshly discovered" look of items that were long buried and are just seeing the light of day for the first time in many years.

     If you're as in love with this as I am you better get moving because only 50 of them exist in the entire world.  You can secure one now by visiting www.artandtoys.com.

Garuma from Gorgoloid x Unusual Creation Club

   While the traditional Japanese Daruma doll is considered to be good luck, this particular version might bring folly rather than fortune.  It's hard to tell with the creations of Gorgoloid, because they don't always look like they have our best intentions in mind.  These little guys produced by Unusual Creation Club are pretty cool though, so I'd take the risk and just order a pair anyway.  Plus, how great is the name Unusual Creation Club?  I don't know if they offer memberships or have a secret handshake, but I'm ready to join.

   If you want to add one or both of these guys to your collection, here's what you have to do:

Email to UnusualCreationClub@gmail.com 

with your info as followings: 

1. Email Title: Garuma Classic Color version

2. Your Full Name

3. Your Shipping Address / Phone Number

4. Your Paypal Address

5. Your Order (red/green/a pair)

    

Bai Lan the Unyielding from Otto Bjornik x Stranger Factory

    When I was younger vampires would have never been a concern of mine because we kept the same hours.  No blood sucking pasty dude was a threat because I'd be wide awake and able to defend myself against any attack.  Now I'm vulnerable due to the fact that the only way I'm conscious at midnight is because I woke up and had to pee. My safety from those pointy fangs hinges on the hope that they can't enter my house unless they are invited in.  I am relying heavily on this tidbit of folklore and my highly trained battle kitten army who freak out any time someone new comes in the house and could raise the dead with the commotion they make.  So far the ability to retreat is their favorite of all the military tactics I've taught them.

    This little lady from Otto Bjornik may be tiny, but she is our best defense against the hordes of undead, or more specifically her childhood sweetheart, the previously released tiny vampire, Bai Chu.  You can take your chances with garlic and holy  water, or you can pick up this resin figure when she goes on sale this Friday, May 18th, exclusively from Stranger Factory.  Limited to only 30 pieces, each 5 inch toy comes signed and numbered from the artist and can be obtained by visiting www.strangerfactory.com.    

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.

Stranger Than Fiction Kaiju Show at Mothership Gallery

    I thought I'd see the return of the Stanley Cup to Philadelphia before anyone ever put on a custom kaiju show, but alas Mothership Gallery made it happen with their event, Stranger Than Fiction.  As per usual I was working the night of the opening, but I went the day after and took a literal butt ton of pictures for you to peruse at your leisure.  Head over to www.facebook.com/TheToyViking to see them all and pick up what's still available for purchase at www.martiantoys.com.

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.  

Sum from Plaseebo x Planet X

   

    When I think of what I would want a vinyl toy from Plaseebo to look like I couldn't have imagined anything better than this.  Normally I would have made up my own story about the monster, but being that the man himself already has a well thought out history for his creation, I will happily defer to him to tell the tale:

    Driving home from the local red neck bar one moon lit summer night, Roy swerves his pick up toward a  dark shape that is slowly moving along side the road. A loud CRACK shatters the darkness as the front tire breaks the giant snapping turtles' shell in two, right down the center. The great snapper rolls down the embankment into the stream and Roy's laughing fades as the truck turns to cross the bridge to his shabby farm house across the stream.

    The turtle, floating belly up is carried downstream to the other side and is swept into a quiet eddy where he sinks watching the moon fade from yellow to blood red through the darkening water.
This small pool cut into the bank of the stream was at the back Roy's property and he used it as his personal dump site. The water caught in this hole became a terrible toxic soup of motor oil, fertilizer, broken toys, bones and entrails of many slaughtered animals, rusty tools and who knows what else.
Over the next few months, a strange transformation took place in this evil chowder as it baked in the summer heat. A creature of revenge, born of cruelty and neglect slid its way out of the sickening mess one dark September night. 

   Roy's body was never found, nor could anyone explain the slime trail from the bedroom through the field behind the house.

     Over the years that followed, other neglectful farmers vanished on moonless nights and folks reported vague sightings of a creature that seamed to be cobbled together from a collection of garbage, an old doll, bone, rotted skin, and broken tools, with a large snapping turtle skull for a head. They call him "SUM".


    Insane, right?  Not that a giant snapping turtle whose body has infused with the contents of a junkyard wouldn't have a story more interesting than your cousin's reminiscing about that touchdown pass that got his team to states. It was a good throw, but c'mon dude, it was 20 years ago.

    This monstrosity debuted at a show in Japan last week and will hopefully make it's ways to other shores very soon.  Usually if I post about something I have sale information for you, but this creature is forcing me to break all of my rules.  Produced by Planet X, with what I would imagine will be tons of variations to come.

Gauntlet Girl Bust from MaloWrx x Dekorner

    Confession time:  I have not seen the latest Avengers movie.  And to further blow your minds I have only ever seen the first one.  I have seen the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Thor films, but that's only because they either ended up on Netflix or my cable company's on demand library.  See, I'm too cheap for the movie theater and I have been spoiled by the ability the watch things at home and pause them when I have to go to the bathroom, which is an inevitability at this stage of my life. Movies seem to be getting longer while my bladder seems to be getting smaller.  I've said too much.

    So what I know about the new Avengers movie is that there is a big purple Barney looking dude who is obsessed with bedazzling his Power Glove to unlock cheat codes or something.  MaloWrx obviously knows more that I do, because he has taken Reina Koyano's Mag Girl bust and turned it into the ultimate homage to the film.  Only 10 of these custom figures will ever exist and one can be yours starting today at 9am pacific time at www.dekorner.com.

I'm a Finalist for a Designer Toy Award

    

     For the third year in a row I have been shortlisted for a Designer Toy Award.  I thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my nonsense and to anyone who thinks enough of it to vote for me.  The polls are open at www.designertoyawards.com so please go out and vote for all of your favorites from the past year.