"Dynamos and Whirligigs" Solo Show from Horrible Adorables at PIQ Hudson Yards

    There are many ways you can open a brand new store.  You could have a local radio station stand out front blaring pop music and giving away concert tickets to performers I would have to Google search to identify. You could give away a year's worth of chicken sandwiches, or dress someone up like Pikachu and give them a sign to spin while dancing dangerously close to traffic.  Any of those things are sure to get you a fair amount of attention, but if you're opening up a designer toy and collectibles store you gotta try a bit harder than a new place to buy mattresses would.

     PIQ is set to open their new location at Hudson Yards in New York City and they are going big with husband and wife art duo Horrible Adorables.  They are hosting a show entitled "Dynamos and Whirligigs", featuring all new whimsical creations.  This is also the first time, I believe, that they will debut their brand new 3D sculpted and printed figure that you can see going for a balloon ride in the photo above.  Unlike myself, they are obviously not terrified of heights and thus able to enjoy their felt dirigible without working themselves into a bowel twisting panic.  I feel I've said too much.

    The show opens 5-7pm this Friday, March 15th on the 4th floor of the Shops at Hudson Yards ( 33rd & 10th, NYC).

"Rotten Lime" Sofubi Collection from Splurrt x Lulubell Toys

    My heart is racing as I type this, and it's not just because my blood pressure and cholesterol have been a little out of whack.  It's my love for beautifully marbled sofubi.  And as much as I adore the plastic, I love equally the work of Splurrt, especially when it comes to that little dude Usir you see above.  Lulubell Toys will be making available quite a few pieces from Splurrt in this Rotten Lime colorway this Saturday and I have my eye on that little goat.  He even comes with an alternate head, which you can never really have to many of especially when your sinuses lose all sense of control.  That set will run you $65, and if you scroll down further I'll price out each one of these pieces for you so you can prepare your wallet for the damage you're about to inflict on it this Saturday, March 9th, at 9 am pacific time.  All of these are exclusive to www.lulubelltoys.com.  

Cadaver Kid: $65

Met Death Golem: $165

Cinema Monster: $140

Tenacious Toys Exclusive Siamese Kittypillar from Casey Weldon x 3A

    Our cat Jorah has been on this kick where any time we come home with groceries he makes a bee line out the front door and onto our porch.  Once he gets there he crouches down real low and I swear I can hear him say "oh damn, oh damn" as he realizes how bad he just messed up.  His epiphany is usually the result of me yelling at him and even though he knows he is in trouble he still tries to check out all he can before I scoop him up.  To try and stop him we have begun to build a shield out of our grocery bags and enter the house like we're storming a misbehaving inmate in cell block D.  We push him back into the house to subdue his intentions and thus far have not needed to use tear gas to keep him from escaping, though I can assure you it's on the table if need be.

   You never have to worry about Casey Weldon's Kittypillar trying to escape, because he's made of plastic.  If he did run outside when you opened your front door you have much bigger problems because your house is haunted.  This Siamese version is an exclusive to Tenacious Toys and is available for preorder right now by visiting www.tenacioustoys.com. They're limited to only 100 pieces worldwide, cost $90 each, and are produced by the toy wizards at 3A.

No Masters Sofubi Minions from Skinner x Lulubell Toys

    I like that these Minions from Skinner and Lulubell Toys are exactly what minions should look like.  Evil little creatures who do the bidding of bigger evil creatures who can't be bothered with the minutia of their misdeeds. They should not look like giant goggle wearing Tic-Tacs who speak nonsense and frequently adorn the t-shirts of people arrested inside of Wal Mart.  They really give people who want to become minions an unrealistic expectation of what their future will look like, and I won't stand for the children of this world being misled about their career choices.

    One look at this colorful crew and you know they are up to no good. They've got their hands up, ready to bring bad guy stuff down hard on anyone who gets in their way.  Do I have a favorite of the two? Yes, but that's just to inspire them to work really hard to take that top spot that they don't know they already aren't in.  You don't learn management skills like that from reading a book; it only comes from getting other people to do the stuff at work you don't have time for.  Which is pretty much anything that doesn't involve me checking my Instagram activity.

     This dynamic duo will be available starting today (Thursday, February 28th) at 10am Pacific time only from www.lulubelltoys.com.  Each set is $80 plus shipping.

   

Stella and Flux: Infrared Sofubi from Tara McPherson x Circus Posterus x Tomenosuke

    The toy you see above took a whopping four years to produce.  Four years!!!!  People think toy making is as easy as when they solve crimes on CSI by throwing all the evidence into a super computer, press a few buttons, and are magically taken to the suspect's Facebook page.  Like wine, whiskey, and corpses (wait, what?) it takes time for the stank of genius to marinate and the results, as you can see, are spectacular.

     This figure looks like it jumped straight out of a Tara McPherson painting and that's because of the hard work of Circus Posterus and Tomenosuke.  Every detail is spot on and if you could come any closer to matching her signature color palette your name would be Gandalf and you'd be a dang gone wizard.  To top it all off this is made in the most luxurious plastic known to man: pure Japanese sofubi.  I get the tingles just thinking about it.

     The photo above kinda gives away how you can get one, but I'll reiterate for those of you I've lost along the way with my nonsense.  This nearly nine inch tall beauty will be available beginning tomorrow (Thursday, February 28th) at noon pacific time from www.circusposterus.com.  Now that is only if you live in the United States or Canada.  If you happen to find out that you live anywhere else in the world, you'll have to purchase your figure from www.tomenosuke.com.  Check your passport if you have any doubts.  

    PS:  I mean, this figure is really amazing, isn't it?  You don't get to use the word "gorgeous" when describing toys very often, but it would be entirely appropriate here.

Stabby Vinyl Figure from Craola x 3DRetro

    Anyone that is #blessed enough to work with the public more than likely feels a little stabby on a daily basis.  Feeling stabby means that you get the notion, should you be able to get away with it free and clear, that you would like to cut someone with a bladed instrument.  Through countless hours of research that have all been detrimental to my stability, I have determined that 1 in every 3 people is both crazy and unreasonable.  No matter what you do for them, no matter the rules you break or the lengths you go, your encounter with them will chip away at your very being.   I'd love to give you a specific example but I've been advised by my health care professional to try and let go of past trauma.

    This little dude looks like he would try and convince you to stab people regardless of the consequences.  He'd maintain that devilish grin while espousing the benefits of attempted murder.  He is the creation of on Greg "Craola" Simkins and 3DRetro has brought him to life in vinyl toy form.  Available starting today, February 20th, at noon pacific time, this limited edition weapon of minor destruction can be yours for only $50.  Get Stabby by visiting www.3dretro.com.  

Unruly Variant Edition Mictlan from Unruly Industries x Jesse Hernandez

    Most of us will never get the chance for a second appearance after we are ushered into the after life by the God of Death.  This world will be but a distant memory as we cross over to what lies beyond.  Rising from the grave hasn't been made to look like an attractive proposal by Hollywood, but not all of those who come back are doomed to stumble around like its the parking lot after a Judas Priest concert.  Jesse Hernandez's Mictlan figure has lived one life before, but now with the help of Unruly Industries this Aztec reaper has reentered our world.

    This vinyl figure is decked out in a blacklight reactive color scheme that is poised to trip you out while you're sampling grandma's glaucoma medication.  Standing at six inches tall this vinyl figure is limited to 750 pieces and available now by checking out this link.