NECA Buys Kidrobot, Appoints Frank Kozik as King of All Designer Toys

    Thankfully people now have something to talk about other than Bill Cosby, how cold it is outside, and whether Obama is responsible for both.  Yesterday it was announced that uber detailed action figure company NECA had purchased Kidrobot for four magic beans and a Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card (kidding, I'm sure it involved more money than I've ever seen) and that Frank Kozik is the new creative director.  What does that mean for us collector folk?  Well, it probably means that our bank statements are gonna make us a little sadder each month because more of our funds will be diverted into buying cool toys that otherwise may not have existed.  While I'm sure it will take some time before the impact is felt in the product (toy making is slow business) you couldn't ask for anyone better to be in such an important position.  Not only does he create, but he collects, and he's been involved in every aspect you can be in the designer toy world.  Plus, he likes cats and you can trust a man that likes cats.

All City Style Custom Show at PIQ in Grand Central Terminal This Weekend

    New York can be an intimidating place, especially when it comes to the subway.  Not only is it confusing to figure out where you're going, but some of the stations look like they are preparing to film the next installment of the Saw franchise.  My best subway story, which I may or may not have told here before, started off innocently enough.  Sharon and I are standing on the platform, waiting for the train to arrive, and all of a sudden some lady pushes past us in disgust, continuously looking behind her, and mumbling "oh my God" over and over.  We turned to see what had got her in such a panic and no more than ten feet away from us was a grown man dropping the deuce.  Now when you think about pooping, which who doesn't, you picture someone squatting down.  Not this guy.  He was standing straight, sweat pants around his ankles, and growing a brown tail like it was as normal as checking your text messages.  Now try as I might to look away, I just couldn't.  It had nothing to do with the horror of what was happening as much as it had to do with making sure he came nowhere near us.  A man that will poop out in the open on a subway platform is a man that :

1.) is full of germs

2.) is probably a tad unstable and might decide that a stabbing is next on his to do list

    He finished his business, pulled up his pants, and got on the train like nothing was out of the ordinary.  We walked three cars up from where he got on (the recommended distance you should always have between yourself and someone who's committed such an act) and went about the rest of our day unable to speak of anything else.  

     My point behind this story is to say that the subway could use some sprucing up, and I don't mean with the random spattering of Scientologists and American Idol hopefuls it has now.  Bigshot Toyworks remembers a time when you could at least see colorful, albeit illegal, artwork adorning the sides of every train.  So much so that they created the All City Style subway train car so artists now can relive those days when Times Square was more Mad Max than Disneyland, and riding the subway meant getting an art show to go along with your mugging.

    A tone of artists have customized these cars to put on display this weekend at PIQ in Grand Central Terminal.  The show opens November 22nd and will feature tons of artists you know and love.  A listing of participants can be found in the picture waaaaaaaaay up at the top there.  

Sons of Anarchy Mystery Box from Mezco

     Good lord did you watch Sons of Anarchy last night?  Talk about emotional.  I won't spoil it for you in case you have it stowed away on your DVR because you were somehow unable to make time for it when it originally aired (what were you doing that was more important?).  And it's killing me a little on the inside because no one I work with watches it (they're bad people) and I wanna talk about it soooooooo badly.  Especially the brilliant scene when Jax and Nero are talking on the phone.  Uggh just call out sick and go watch it.

     If you watch Sons of Anarchy I'm guessing you're a person that spits danger in the eye.  You don't just live on the edge, you dangle from it with one hand while taking a selfie with the other.  You need a surprise at every turn, and that's why the S.O.A. Mystery Box from Mezco is for you.  It's kinda like gambling, but without the shame of signing over your Ford Focus when the Eagles fail to cover the spread against the Packers.  I'll miss that car.

     For $20 you get two official Sons of Anarchy products.  What will you get?  I don't have the slightest idea, but that's what makes it exciting.  Seven lucky people that order one of these will get an upgrade to a box featuring everything you see pictured above.  That's one for each season the show has been on the air, in case you're ever on Jeopardy.  Order yours from http://www.mezcotoyz.com/.  

Own the Final Battle Rat Colorway from Mike Sutfin

    I always get a kick out of spotting a rat whenever Sharon and I are in New York.  Not only are they the most famous rats in the world, but it always surprises me to see wildlife in the city other than pigeons.  The ones you see are still kinda cute, even though they're covered in muck and would probably steal a hamburger from your kid's mouth while leaving behind a healthy dose of plague.  But you always wonder whats lurking around in the abandoned subway tunnels and sewers that people don't get to see.  Rats that have evolved beyond anything we would ever want to imagine.  Maybe they look something like this.

    Mike Sutfin's Battle Rat is one bad rodent.  At least he gives off that air of badness by dragging that skull around.  It's pretty much the best method for conveying that you are not to be messed with.  You might want to leave it out of your profile pic on your dating website though.  It's best to wait until the third date to bring up your love for carting around the decapitated heads of your enemies.  

     This dude is the final colorway ever of this figure and is up for preorder right now at http://sutfin.bigcartel.com/.  He features some pretty intense paint techniques and you can interchange the heads to suit your moods.  And he's much safer than trying to tame one of those critters you find rifling through the trash in Manhattan.  You only make that mistake once.  

    

Super7 x Secret Base Soft Vinyl Alien Pre-Order

    These vinyl Alien figures have been nearly impossible to get and have left a lot of people with no alternative other than to bang their heads into a wall until the part of their brain that wanted one to begin with is bruised into forgetting.  Trust me, it's far less painful than seeing everyone you follow on Instagram post pictures of all the fun things they're doing with their Aliens, while you sit at home nurturing that growing void in your heart.  Stop your bellyaching cause Super7 and Secret Base are making everything ok with this open edition figure.  What that means for you is that you have from tomorrow until November 30th to preorder this glow in the dark bro.  They will be made to order so everyone who wants one will get one.  No more paying ridiculous eBay prices or having to patch forehead size holes in your living room.  

http://super7store.com/

"New Maps of the Abyss " featuring Arik Roper x Skinner at The Cotton Candy Machine

    Art doesn't have to suck.  Art is not all about some weirdo glueing a screwdriver to a urinal, or those crappy prints that you're forced to stare at in your doctor's waiting room.  It should make you feel something, whether you just like how something looks, or whether it makes you want to charge into battle, double fisting a couple broad swords, while "Reign in Blood" is blasted from the heavens.  If the latter speaks to your Lord of the Rings-loving soul, then do I have the place for you to be tomorrow night.

    The Cotton Candy Machine in Brooklyn is presenting "New Maps of the Abyss" featuring the work of Arik Roper and Skinner.  This is gonna take you back to the time when you were hiding in the basement in your Iron Maiden t-shirt, playing Dungeons and Dragons with your friends.  These are your most vivid fantasies, your darkest fears, brought to life and ready to hang on your wall.

    The event starts at 7pm and both artists will be in attendance.  

Shagghoulies from We Become Monsters

    I've said it before and I'll say it again:  Not enough people wear fuzzy suits.  I'm not talking about those furry people who like to dress as animals and touch each others butts and stuff.  They make me reaaaaaallllllly uncomfortable.  I used to work in the mall and this family would come in and they all went to those furry conventions and wanted to talk to me about it which made my skin crawl.  They also looked like they might of had a "Hills Have Eyes" living situation going on, but that's something else entirely.  Have you ever noticed that attractive people aren't into stuff like that?  You never see anyone roaming around Wal Mart with cat ears on their head that you'd like to picture naked.  

    What I want people to start wearing are business suits that look like they were created from the remains of a dead Muppet.  How much more fun would it be to get fired by a guy (or girl, I'm all for women in power and whatnot) firing you while looking like Oscar the Grouch?  You couldn't even be that mad.  

    I'm digging We Become Monster's latest creations, the Shagghoulies!  If they're isn't already there should be a horror-themed rock band with that name.  I don't know if these guys have any musical talent, but they look like fun.  Only 8 of these dudes were ever created and they will be unleashed upon an unsuspecting world this Friday, November 14th, at noon Pacific time for $75.  They stand over a foot tall too, so that's a lot of fuzzy toy for your money.  Get yours at http://webecomemonsters.storenvy.com/.