SDCC Exclusive Batusi Batman from Mattel

    This video may be the most awkward thing you see all day.  Batman strolls into a happening joint, meets a pretty gal, then gets roofied in his glass of orange juice.  But before he succumbs to the drugs effects he cuts loose with said pretty gal.  It's strange to say the least, and not surprising that drugs were involved.  Now you can relive this classic moment from tv for ever and ever in the comfort of your own home with the Batusi Batman from Mattel.

    The box is really the best part, as it features retro art from Shag, plays music, and has controls so you can make Batman dance.  This will first be available at this year's San Diego Comic Con and then online August 5th at www.mattycollector.com.

  

Spring Calaverita from The Beast Brothers

    What better way to celebrate the spring season than buying a new skull? You could clean your house, or dig your warm weather clothes out of storage and wash the gross mold smell out of them. That all sounds liked work to me, and that's for other people.

    The Beast Brothers are releasing this Spring edition of their Calaverita on Friday, May 10that 1pm Eastern time at www.thebeastbrothers.com. They only made 25 of them. That's not really a lot.

Pyramid Artifact by Mike Fisher x Oni Creations

    Yeah, technically this is not a toy, and technically I don't give a crap because it's cool. I have a ton of weird stuff that would look amazing sitting next to one of these Pyramid Artifact sculptures. And if the police find this in your house after you've been dead and your cats have nibbled on you it will most likely set off an intense investigation. They may think you were practicing for your amateur necromancy club that meets at Barnes and Noble on Tuesday nights. Or that you were just weird. Anything you can do to make someone's day more interesting is worth doing.

    Mike Fisher is the man behind this mysterious eye, and they were produced by Oni Creations, which is Frank Kozik's resin venture. The white version you see above is an open edition, the first 50 of which will release today for $55.

    This is the one I want though, for obvious reasons. It is the Eye of Odin edition and is made with clear and teal swirled resin. Only 25 of these were made and they will be $70 each. Give it a prominent place in your house or you will never see Valhalla.

    Both of these go on sale today (May 2) at noon Pacific time at www.frankkozik.net.

DeKorner Death Vader Exclusive from Broken Pigeon

    This toy is fantastic.  Darth Vader is ready to take you on a trip to the underworld, and no, there will not be any stops to use the bathroom.  He's a cyborg and I'm pretty sure he doesn't have to pee anymore.  

    Broken Pigeon has created 20 of these yellow and black marbled Death Vader as an exclusive for DeKorner.  You can get one for $45 May 3rd at 10am at www.dekorner.com.  But you already knew that because it says so in the picture.  Aren't you just too fancy for your britches.  

New 20 Inch and 3 Inch Dunnys from McBess x Kidrobot + Random Thoughts

    By now anyone who would be into this probably knows about it and has developed an opinion about whether or not they will be plunking down $400 to get the latest 20 inch Dunny from McBess x Kidrobot.  I will probably pick up his little 3 inch companion because A.) I don't have $400 to spend on anything that doesn't involve someone with a foreclosure notice and a lawyer and B.) The design doesn't really speak to me.  But that's ok, I haven't gone on tirades about hating Kidrobot and wondering if this is the end for them and threatening to sell everything I own that they made.  You know why?  Because I have other things to do.  And I take a more reasonable approach to things.  

    I don't have this crazy idea that everything Kidrobot produces is going to be something that appeals to me.  I've never walked into a museum and enjoyed every piece of art that I've seen.  Some I like more than others, some not at all.  It's not anyone's fault, it's just the way my brain is wired.  

    They are the most prominent company in the designer toy world and that makes them the biggest target for people looking to complain.  Message boards (especially their own) are filled with hate speech and tirades about what a crappy job they are doing.  I don't get it.  Toy collecting should be fun and if you've lost sight of that there are plenty of ways to sell your collection and take up another hobby, like cat breeding or ultimate fighting.  

    I like Kidrobot.  I like Dunnys and Smorkin Labbits and many other random things they come out with.  I like that they've introduced me to artists that I may have never heard of before.  I like that they've been able to carve out a huge path in America for designer toys to flourish so that more and more people are making more and more three dimensional art.  I like that many of my favorite stores exist because of them.  I like turtles.  

    At the end of the day these objects are there to make us smile while we're alive and to make up a killer estate sale when we croak.  Plus, I have to go to work and entertain my wife.  Complaining is something I have yet to be able to fit in my schedule.  In times like this I am reminded of the wisdom bestowed upon us by this generation's greatest philosopher, Sweet Brown:

    Oh, and the Dunnys go on sale May 9th for anyone that is still paying attention.

Dealmaker by Andrew Bell x mphlabs

    I don't trust sales people.  I don't care what it is you're selling, whether it be cars, insurance, boxes of kittens, I don't trust you.  I've had to be that guy that tried to get you to buy things you didn't want, or sign up for dumb rewards cards that you'll forget you have.  I hated pestering people and I hate when they do it to me.  I was buying something for my sister yesterday at a terrible establishment that I used to work at, and I couldn't just get what I wanted without being given the third degree.  I don't care what else in on sale, I don't care about your item of the month, and no, I will not try on a pair of jeans when all I want is a My Little Pony toy.  That's not even remotely reasonable and for that I hope you get rabies.  

    So this Dealmaker from Andrew Bell and mphlabs makes me a little nervous.   Just look at his face.  He's totally gonna get you to buy the undercoating and an extended warranty.  While his intentions may be terrible, I do like his overall look.  And he is supposedly one of the first ever figures made in the US in the traditional Japanese sofubi style.  You can get one for yourself this Thursday at 1pm Eastern time for $35 at www.myplasticheart.com.  

New Toys from Brandt Peters and Kathie Olivas

    I'd love to see a narwhal in person someday.  There a close second on my list to the great white shark, but seeing either one would make me extremely happy.  I guess you couldn't get in one of those shark diving cages to see a narwhal though, cause if he wanted to get close you risk getting impaled by his giant horn.  Has that ever happened before?  (UPDATE:  I just looked it up on Google and the only things involving "impaled" and "narwhal" seem to be in jest.  Looks like it is a silly thing to worry about).

    Mortimer the Mortician isn't as interested in running you through with his horn as he is in preparing your body for its eternal dirt nap.  This narwhal was created by Brandt Peters and come complete with a meat clever and a jug of embalming juice.  $60 will get you one of the four colorways you see here.  

    His friend Oliver was created by Kathie Olivas and resembles a rich little orphan that will one day grow up to defend the city of Gotham.  His little birdy pals supposedly like to feed on corpses.  Me think they should strike a deal with the mortician to make his work load a little less cumbersome.  $60 for each of the four colors that this masked boy come in.  

    Only 200 of each colorway of these figures were made by the folks at Artoyz Paris.  They should be releasing soon.