In Memory of Frank Kozik

 

    I don’t really know how to process the news that the world has lost Frank Kozik. I thought of a thousand ways to write this, but anyone who knows his name already know all that he accomplished in the world of art, music, and toys. There are countless places that can tell you how he literally changed the landscape for creative folks today and I can assure you they are well worth reading. Instead, I am going to tell you my memories of Frank.

    I remember when my wife bought a Labbit from his website and had an issue with the shipping address. She called the phone number listed and Frank himself answers, which completely caught her off guard. After speaking with him she immediately called me at work so excited that she had the opportunity to talk to one of her favorite artists.

    I remember seeing Frank at New York Comic Con just roaming around and checking out various booths. I was beyond nervous to introduce myself and I’m sure he saw me waiting for him to finish a conversation he was having, looking like a complete dork. I approached him and gave him one of the business cards I had made for this very website and he told me that he enjoyed reading my posts. Thankfully, I didn’t squeal like a preteen at a Taylor Swift show. Well, not out loud anyway. 

    I remember when he took over as creative director of Kidrobot and a member of the marketing team reached out to me becausw he wanted to meet and discuss me writing their blog posts for new releases. My wife and I went to Toy Fair the day after a snow storm and that’s when he told me he had been fighting for me to take over the blog, but people were concerned my content was too…let’s say rated r. But he believed in me and I held that position for four years before the company shifted focus into more license-friendly products. 

    I remember emailing him weekly with my posts and he telling me when they were awesome and critiquing me when they needed some work. I learned to tailor what abilities I have beyond being creative and into something that would get people excited about an object. 

    I remember when I first posted a picture of my Nordic Lucky Cat figure online and he said it was “amazing”. 

    And I remember when he posted this picture to his Instagram, which made me feel I was doing something right.

      My heart breaks for his wife Sharon and his beloved cats.

Tenth Anniversary Exclusive T-Con for ToyCon UK 2023

      I’ve seen a lot of concerts in my lifetime, but few will ever be as strange as seeing the Sex Pistols play a casino in Atlantic City some twenty years ago. Seeing a band that many people think of first when they think of punk rock perform at a venue known for excessive displays of wealth is weird by itself, but add to that the casino was owned by a former United States president and you have a scenario no Hollywood movie would dare dream up. And while I won’t ever type the former president’s name, Johnny Rotten did spend his time in between songs referring to his last name as “Dump” over and over again. It was a random act of defiance from a man who had not much left to rebel against, and who oddly enough would become a supporter of Dump during his embarrassing time as our commander in chief. Any of the normal antics you would expect at a show of this type was heavily frowned upon by the casino security, as they expected the crowd to be as well behaved as the bejeweled-sweater wearing seniors feeding their retirement money into slot machines. You can guess how well that worked out. 

      While I certainly didn’t see them in their prime, it was cool to see a group that has had such a huge impact on not only music but popular culture. Came in point, this brand new tenth anniversary edition of T-Con. The ToyCon UK mascot is decked out in a design by Tru:Tek inspired by the seminal “Nevermind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols” album. He’ll be available during the convention, happening on April 29th and 30th in London, and any leftovers will be on their website afterwards. Check out the floor plan below for everyone who is exhibiting this weekend.

Big Time Awesome Toy Review Featuring Dalek’s Space Monkey Tenacious Toys Exclusive from 3DRetro

 

Jorah made a friend.

    Dalek's Space Monkey is designer toy royalty. It's on the same level as that rabbit with a nicotine problem, or those squarish bear figures that all the rappers love. There have been countless iterations of this guy because he's exactly what a good art toy should be: he's fun, a little creepy, sorta cute, and has a love for dangerous objects. That sounds like a dating profile, which I've never needed because I've been married since the Victorian era. One time when I was in a store buying a gift for someone they tried to get me to sign up for a rewards thing and I told them no thanks but they persisted and said "why not give it to your girlfriend" and I said I couldn't because my wife won't let me have a girlfriend and then my wife hit me because she was standing right next to me and boy was that something. I never miss an opportunity to prove why I deserve a Netflix special. 

Why did I pose him in my refrigerator in front of the orange juice? What are you, a cop?

    This particular Space Monkey was produced by Bigshot Toyworks for 3DRetro who then made this exclusive colorway for Tenacious Toys. I hope you got all that because there will be a test later. He's bright yellow with little green shorts that would make even the most confident man blush a little, but thankfully he is so unhinged he is not at all bothered showing off those thighs. I'm fact, he might be insulted if you didn't take a look and admire what his momma gave him. Go on, I’ll wait.

Thirst trap.

    Speaking of his physical attributes, this dude’s proportions are as aesthetically pleasing as designer toys come. He’s a cutely balanced physical specimen and standing at six and a half inches tall is that perfectly sized medium figure to fill those gaps on your shelf between your giant toys and your wee bitty ones. There are four points of articulation: one at each shoulder, one at the waist, and ball joint in his neck so you can spin his head like he needs an exorcism or cock it to one side like dogs do when you talk to them.  

   Good lord that’s unnerving. 

     He does come with two super sketchy accessories; a big knife and a mallet. Now having just watched that horror movie Smile, anyone with a grin like that and a weapon near by is not to be trusted. And this dude’s stretches almost to his brain stem. Add that to his crazy eyes and you’ve got something in front of you that has to be a little looney, right? Speaking of smiles, do you know what the hardest thing for me has been since I stopped wearing masks everywhere I go in public? Not making the same facial expressions I had such freedom with when they were hidden. I also developed a habit when I’m working on something and totally lost in the activity that my mouth kinda falls open and I stick my tongue out like I may have burnt through my last few brain cells. Those masks are really good at hiding the bit of drool that inevitably falls out and snaps me back to reality with a healthy dose of shame. 

    So now we have reached the inevitable conclusion of what has been, according to my mother, the greatest toy review in the entire world. The next logical step is for you to give into the obvious desire you have to own this figure and make it happen. You can do so by clicking this link. Now remember, this is a Tenacious Toys exclusive and is limited to only 100 pieces in the entire world, with only 80 of those actually available to purchase. That means you need to stop waiting around and grab yours today! 

Witch Queen Resin Figure from Junko Mizuno x Kidrobot

     As much as I enjoy watching HGTV, I feel there is a portion of the population they just don't cater to. Every time any of their shows are doing a remodel it's all about open concepts and creating space for entertaining. And everything is as sterile looking as the waiting area in an emergency room. If I had a show it would be all about fixing these disasters: adding walls back in so you can hang all of your artwork, taking all of those hideous barn doors outside and burning them like they deserve, and making it look like people with real life personalities actually live there. Also, the outside of the house has to look like an evil forest witch would live there. Your lawn is now an overgrown hedge maze and we filled your pool with swamp critters. Enjoy!

    Witches always make the best design choices and this one from Junko Mizuno would certainly be no exception. Just look at how awesome she is. I bet her house is loaded with cool stuff and not a single bare wall in sight. She and Kidrobot have certainly outdone themselves with this eight inch tall resin sculpture that could easily be the centerpiece in any collection. This beauty retails for $149.95 and is available for preorder now at this link. 

Space Godzilla from Mondo

    

     Adding the word "space" to most things will turn it into something impossible to take seriously. For example there's Space Force, the new branch of the military we somehow needed? You know you laughed when you heard about it because it sounds absolutely ridiculous. Space Godzilla could very well have followed the same fate, had he not been so killer looking. The dude has giant crystal shoulder pads like some reptilian linebacker and more jewels from head to toe than Elizabeth Taylor's estate sale. And he does all this while looking mean as hell, so how can you not absolutely love him? Remember when Jason from Friday the 13th went to space? Yeah, things could have turned out like that. 

     Mondo has been churning out some of the best Godzilla figures I've seen recently and they are set to debut the first colorway of Space Godzilla this Tuesday, February 7th at 12pm ct . Inspired by his look in the film, this version is limited to 400 pieces and will retail for $150 when it goes on sale at www.mondoshop.com.

Earn Points Towards Free Toys With Tenacious Toys

 

    I love free stuff. There are a few things I would not accept when they are free such as gunshot wounds, head lice, industrial waste, incurable diseases, and Donald Trump NFTs, but most other things I'm willing to at least consider. Once, I found a gigantic fiber glass Frankenstein at the dump that someone had constructed around a toilet for some haunted house gag and I seriously pondered dragging it home because it was free. The strength required to NOT have that sitting in my living room when my wife got home means that God has made me too powerful and no one is ready for how that may play out.

    In the spirit of free things, have you signed up for the Tenacious Toys rewards program yet? You're gonna buy stuff anyway, so you might as well earn points towards even more stuff that you don't have to pay for. Personally, I plan on leaving this world surrounded by cool things like an Egyptian Pharoah, and this is exactly the sort of thing to help me reach my goals. 

    And I've made it super easy for you to participate. Simply click on the logo in this post or on the big blue doggie on the right! I've done all the hard work for you and now all you have to do is go shopping!!

Anomalli Plush Aliens from Alleh Rosello

 

    Happy new year !!!!!  It is now 2023 and I refuse to say anything stupid like "this is gonna be my year" because the last few times I did that some super weird and not so great stuff happened. So 2023 is gonna be whatever it's gonna be and I'll do my best to be surprised when everything goes to hell or turns out amazing. 

     Will aliens finally show up and interrupt my watching of Married at First Sight with news footage of their arrival? That would be a surprise that could go south real quick, especially if they decide to kill us all and I never find out how the season ends. Imagine dying and not ever knowing who is staying together and who is getting a divorce? My afterlife will be so restless. 

    Alleh Rosello has been making alien figures for a while and now she has translated her resin and sofubi design into a much less threating plush version. Available in two different colors, this little dude from outer space can't wait to get all snuggled up to you and then run experiments in your guts. I mean, that probably won't happen, but then again nothing in this life is guaranteed, including the safety from a very personal alien invasion.

     Get yours at https://www.spacebehbehs.com/.