Funko Launches Exclusive Marvel Subscription Program

    I like the idea of these subscription services where you get mailed a surprise box of goodness, because I like getting mail.  Well, I like getting mail when it's not bills or those irritating newspaper supplements telling me what I missed in the newspaper this week which I didn't actually miss because I have the internet and anything that's of any importance is located where?  ON THE INTERNET!  Now when toys arrive in the mail I am super excited.  So I tried one of those things where you pay x amount of dollars and they send you a box with stuff in it, but I only did it because I wanted a specific figure.  The rest of the stuff in the box I gave away because I wasn't interested.  None of it, beyond the toy I wanted, catered to my specific interests.  I get the fact that the idea is "hey you're into nerdy stuff, well here's a pile of nerdy stuff for you" but that's a pretty broad way to look at things.  Let me now show you a subscription service that is getting it right.

     Funko and Marvel have announced the creation of Collector Corps, a focused box of stuff you'll be excited to own.  Each box is $25 and will be mailed out every 2 months.  The first one focuses on exclusive products from the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron film, including this 6 inch Hulkbuster Pop! Vinyl:

    If you sign up for their Founder's Program, which is a year long commitment, you get a swanky 8 inch tall statue on the anniversary of the first box shipment:

    Sign up by visiting https://www.collectorcorps.com/.

Kidrobot Clarifies It's Position on Customizing vs. Bootlegging

    By now most of you have probably read Kidrobot's newest blog post where they have defined how they feel about people customizing a toy they bought versus manufacturing their own versions of their property.  Basically if you bought a toy and decided you had a bang up idea for your own creation, you can paint, sculpt, cut holes in, let your cat chew on, set on fire, or anything else weird you can think of to make it unique and call it your own.  Now on the other hand, if you decide that the Dunny would make the perfect shape for you to cast up 100 of in resin, or wax, or monkey spit and sell as your own art, then there's gonna be a problem.  Cause that's called copyright infringement.  The same reason all those rappers get sued when they don't get permission to just rewrite a few words of a song and release it as their own.  And Kidrobot is being pretty nice about it too, just asking you to contact them first so they can decide whether to give you the required permission or not.  Most companies would just send you the standard cease and desist letter which may or may not be delivered by a heavy-set Italian guy carrying a crow bar (I'm from New Jersey, our courier systems are a little different).  Are people gonna be butt hurt about this?  Of course, cause there's the internet, which beyond cat pictures and e-commerce is really only good for complaining.  But look at it this way: it's not only protecting the existing work of artists but it's forcing other people to be more creative, which is far from a bad thing.  Push your own boundaries while respecting those that are defined by the law.  

You can read their entire post by clicking here.  

Black Porcelain Skull Brain from Emilio Garcia x K. Olin Tribu

    This dude is horror movie freaky.  You can just picture him lurking around a boiler room, goo dripping from his brain face.  His only real manner of defense would be how scary he looks though, cause the second you smack him upside his squishy head the whole thing's over.  Unless he has a skull underneath his outer brain with another mini brain stowed safely away inside.  I just blew my own mind.  

   Whatever anatomical anomalies this guy may be hiding, the Skull Brain from Emilio Garcia is a fantastic design.  And K. Olin Tribu have elevated it to a true work of art by casting it in cold, matte black porcelain.  Limited to only 50 numbered pieces, it is available right now from www.artandtoys.com.  You can also get there by clicking the handy link at the right side of the screen.  

Peanut Butter Micros from Super7

    Fun fact:  I eat peanut butter sandwiches just about every day.  Not only are they chock full of protein so I can become the oldest ever rookie in the WWE, but they are an economical alternative to going out and buying lunch while I'm at work.  Plus, not that I'm some health nut or anything, but I hate fast food.  When you're little you at least get a toy with your meal, but as you get older all it gives you is a feeling that the four horsemen of the apocalypse are riding through your colon.  

   How many people do you think are gonna forget that these are toys and try to eat them?  They look delicious, but as we've learned through trial and error, plastic is not a food substitute.  Tomorrow at noon pacific time Super7 will be offering up these Mummy Boy and Rose Vampire mini figures for $10 each.  Get em at http://www.super7store.com/.

The Debut of Sextopigon from Skinner x Unbox Industries

    I don't have kids because they are frightening little creatures.  The reasons I feel this way are too numerous to list here, but one of the big ones is how expensive they are.  If something is ridiculously pricey you can bet your life that they're not only gonna want it, but they're gonna probably break it as soon as they get home.  They're risky little investments that may or may not disappoint the crap out of you when they mature.  No matter how dicey the stock market gets, you will never have to visit your portfolio in jail because it turned out to be a little psychopath.

    You just know that Sextopigon's mother had a heart attack the moment he was born.  Not just because he was doomed to a career in the sideshow, but because he had all those feet.  Feet that would want the newest Air Jordans and put her in bankruptcy.  And you can just tell he's not gonn take good care of his stuff.

    Skinner and Unbox Industries are proud to release the first version of this monstrosity, which is an exclusive for Medicom.  Get one for yourself by visiting this link.  

The Last Knight "Classical Edition" from Andrew Bell

  Look how classy this is.  This is rap video prop classy.  You have to put this in a place of prominence, so when MTV Cribs shows up all the viewers at home can be jealous.  It must be the white and gold color scheme that makes me think about it belonging to someone who owns cars they've never even driven.

   The Last Knight from Andrew Bell might make you think you're a baller, but just use some caution before you upload a video of yourself rapping to Youtube, cause being Tosh.0 famous ain't gonna mean the money's rolling in.   Work on your lyrical skills while you're waiting for this to land at your favorite toy stores.  Limited to 200 pieces and priced at $75 each, it's perfectly priced for those of us still waiting on our recording contracts to come in the mail.  

The Iron Giant Deluxe Figure from Mondo

    If you can watch The Iron Giant and not become an emotional wreck then you might need to reconsider the state of your feelings.  It's a great film and one of the first instances of animation that I can remember that really transcended the Saturday morning cartoon for me and showed me how much more that medium could be.  

   Obviously that film effected a lot of other people in the same way because it continues to inspire the creation of new art. Like this impressive new figure from Mondo.  Known for their amazing poster releases, their new venture into toys has so far been pretty impressive.  This toy is made from the actual digital files they used to create him in the movie, features 30 points of articulation,  and comes with a bunch of different accessories.  You can preorder him now for $300 from http://mondotees.com/.  

    If you can't quite swing the cash for the whole figure but are still feeling nostalgic, you could purchase this life-sized replica of his bolt (if you've seen the movie you'll know why this is important).  It features a flashing light and at only $65 you can own this piece without feeling too guilty about your bank account.