Space Diesel Edition Budfoot from Wondergoblin

   The legalization of recreational marijuana in New Jersey will be on this year's presidential election ballot and I cannot wait to vote "yes".  My vote has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the public at large who need something to calm their damn nerves.  I was hoping that they would just push legislation through during the pandemic, because people are driving me insane with their amplified brand of crazy.  Dealing with the public has been a challenge and things would be so much easier for everyone if they ate some electric brownies and watched a Twilight Zone marathon instead of them trying to educate me with their bunk science about the virus when they know good and well the last thing they read by a doctor was Green Eggs and Ham. I'm triggered.

    Let Budfoot lead the way to inner peace and a mindfulness of the world around you.  Or just let him get you lifted so you forget about the turd show 2020 has turned out to be.  Either way, Wondergoblin's gigantic weed god has gotten all cosmic in this latest version.  He features paint that shifts between purple and blue which you probably won't sit and stare at for hours on end as you contemplate your place in the vastness of the universe.  Available this Saturday (August 8) at noon eastern time, he can be your new spirit guide for $200 plus shipping.  Snag one at www.wondergoblin.com

Tenacious Toys Exclusive Cotton Candy Ghostbear from Luke Chueh x Munky King

    I find myself thankful for the little things in this challenging world we live in.  I'm thankful for the monarch butterflies whose caterpillars I get to watch grow up as the devour our milkweed.  I'm thankful that wearing a mask has let me be completely unconcerned with whether or not I have crumbs stuck in my beard after lunch.  And I'm thankful that my house is not haunted by freeloading ghosts who think just because they're dead they don't have to pay rent.  The last thing I need is some spectral form waking me up in the middle of the night by flickering my lights and thinking that electricity doesn't cost money.  I don't know what marketable skills you have once you cross over, but if you're going to disrupt my household you better contribute.  Now I would certainly accept being haunted by any ghost that wants to clean in exchange for room and board.  How great would that be?  You come home from a long day at work and you can relax because the dead Victorian lady did all of the chores while you were out.  If any dead Victorian ladies are reading this I am currently hiring.

   Luke Chueh and Munky King have released a bunch of these vinyl Ghost Bear figures, but none have looked so delicious.  This Cotton Candy edition stands at two and a half inches tall and is an exclusive to Tenacious Toys.  And while it may not sweep up or torment your enemies, this guy will add some color to your collection while signaling that you are a friend to all wandering spirits.  You can get one for yourself for only $30 when they go on sale tomorrow,  August 7th, at noon eastern time from www.tenacioustoys.com.  

Horrible Adorables' Familiar Friends Custom Toy Show at Woot Bear

     I can't tell you the last time I went anywhere that wasn't work or the grocery store.  Actually, I can, as it was in March just before the pandemic hit hard.  My wife and I went to the art museum and thinking back on it now it's one of the things I miss doing the most.  I miss being inspired by what's in front of me and I miss seeing the possibilities of the creative mind other than on the internet. If you happen to be in the San Francisco area you can experience art again in person courtesy of Horrible Adorables and a ton of great custom figures.

   This Saturday August 1st, Woot Bear will be hosting the Familiar Friends custom show.  Utilizing the figure of the same name, tons of your favorite toy artists have lent their talents to reinterpret this magical vinyl toy.  You'll see work from Adrienne Slane, Andrea Kang, Angela Oster, Beanie Bat, Big C, The Bots,  Brett Manning, Ciou, Defectivepudding,  droolwool, Eimi Takano,  Elisabeth Holmes,  Erin Lagace, Frank Montano,  Owlberry Lane, Igor Ventura, Jellykoe, Jeremiah Ketner, JFO,  Joe Somers,  Johnny Draco, Jon-Paul Kaiser,  Kyle Kirwan,  Lana Crooks,  MJ Hsu,  Muju World,  Mumbot, OddFauna, PlushPlay,  Sad Salesman,  Small Thicket,  Theresa Hawkins, Tripper Dungan, valleyDweller, Vanessa Ramirez, and Victoria Rose.  And this will also be the first chance you have to purchase Jinxie the Fire Familiar and take super cute Instagram photos before anyone else.

    The show opens Saturday from 5-8pm, so pick out your nicest face mask and head to Woot Bear.  If you can't make it in person you can check out https://wootbear.com right now to preview all of the pieces from the show.

Tenacious Toys Exclusive Northern (Black) Lights Edition Nordic Lucky Cat from The Toy Viking

    With all of the past Nordic Lucky Cat releases I kept the inspiration strictly to Viking lore, but with the new Northern (Black) Lights edition, I wanted to bring in some outside influence to the color choices. This set of ten figures features the first ever triple marbled colorway, orange, yellow, and pink which are staples of psychedelic art. Oh, and they're black light reactive too, so just imagine how trippy a little Viking cat will be when you've partaken in the Devil's Lettuce, thrown on some Pink Floyd, and are vibeing out with the ghosts of your ancestors. It's the closest you can get to Valhalla without the messy business of being killed in battle.

 

    This signed and numbered run is limited to 10 figures, hand casted in resin by DuBose Art. Each one stand four inches tall, comes in a hand stamped cloth bag, and can be yours for only $40.  They can only be had from Tenacious Toys this Friday, July 31st at noon eastern time. 

www.tenacioustoys.com

Electro-Gore Fly Custom Figures from Plaseebo x Evil Dave

      My wife has been incredibly susceptible to insect bites this year, so much so that she had to cave and buy a spray repellent.  I on the other hand have gone relative unscathed and was bragging about it when karma sent a little retribution courtesy of a hungry fly.   We were doing our daily walk around the neighborhood when what looked like a housefly landed on my arm.  No big deal, right? So I ignored him until he rammed his evil hypodermic of death into my flesh.  It stung like the dickens and I swatted at him with lethal intent, but he was too quick for me.  I figured he learned his lesson and realised I was not to be messed with until he returned and did it again.  Over and over this persistent spawn of satan bit me for the two blocks it took to return home.  And he's still out there, lurking and waiting to feast on my obviously deductible blood until the end of time.  For all of you gun people, which type do you think is best for me to cap his ass?

    Evil Dave's Gore Fly vinyl toy is thankfully not life size, because if flies were this big the world would belong to them.  And if that thought wasn't horrifying enough, Plaseebo ratchets up the scare factor of anything he customizes.  So not only do they look frightening , but the also glow with the souls of the prior humans they've fed upon.  There are four different versions of these bad boys and if you want to own one you have until tomorrow (Friday July 24th) to enter the lottery for a chance to purchase.  Here's all the pertinent info you need:

USD $300. + $20. for US shipping OR $70. for world-wide shipping.

To enter lottery, please send the following to:   bob@plaseebo.net 

1.  Name

2.  Shipping Address 

3.  Country

4.  Telephone Number

5.  PayPal Email Address

6.  Instagram ID

Lottery winners will receive notification email by July 25th. Figures will ship upon receipt of payment due by July 27th.

Namakubi With Sword Vinyl Figure from Magitarius

     I've contemplated many things in life, some if which I've shared with you over the years, others which I keep to myself to avoid the white van and straight jacket response they may warrant.  One thing I've never thought about was what it would take to plunge a sword through the top of someone's head so it resembles a cocktail olive.  It's something you see from time to time in traditional Japanese tattooing, but now I'm wondering how much force it would take to actually do that.  I guess depending on whether the head were still attached to the body would be a huge factor, and whether you could build enough downward thrust.  The skull is hard, but certainly not hard enough to stop a sharpened steel object, and everything inside provides about as much resistance as Jell-O that's lingered a while on a buffet.  So if it were detached, and you had something soft underneath the head to not impede the sword's forward path, I'm thinking it would be rather easy to impale some craniums and create a display that would keep aspiring thieves away from your home.   Guaranteed more effective than any "Beware of Dog" sign.

    Magitarius have created their own grotesque ode to these tattoos in soft vinyl with the first version available in blank flesh color.  I mean, if you were going to release a version that wasn't Maggot White or Blood of Thy Enemies Red, flesh would be the way to go.  Produced by Squibbles Ink, these will be on sale starting tomorrow, July 17th, at noon eastern time exclusively from https://www.magitarius.com.  Imagine being able to take care of the decapitation enthusiast on your Christmas list already!!!!



    

The Monsters Art Mini Series from Pop Mart x how2work

   Right before the pandemic crippled the United States, my wife and I had started taking advantage of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's pay what you want Sundays.  They do it the first one of every month and we were using them as a way to not only see the special exhibits, but the areas of the museum we usually neglect over our favorites.  We made it two months in a row before everything got locked down and on the second visit we were able to see a woodblock print by one of my favorite artists, Edvard Munch.  It was part of a smaller exhibit that they rotate out frequently, allowing their massive stock of undisplayed work to get a little attention.  Which then led us to wonder about the security measures that must be in place to protect such valuable work and how they stored it all in the first place.  As we sat in the Cheesecake Factory gorging on the best chain restaurant food in America we debated whether it was similar to our basement, where things started to form their own little piles with promises to "put them away later"  before one day you're overwhelmed to the degree that you just ignore that you have a basement until you really need that one thing that's down there somewhere, at which point you go to the store and buy another one because it's easier than to face the shame of what your laziness has created.  This is why I have to buy a new pair of gloves every winter.

    I am utterly in love with this series and somehow I must obtain the Munch and Magritte figures. Pop Mart has just released this mini series entitled The Monsters Art, in which How2Work's well known characters take on the personas of famous pieces of art.  They're the perfect little companions for your next museum visit (whenever that may be) and are available starting today by visiting this link.