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3" action figures

2011-06-08T22:44:00.001-07:00

Happy Beaver Officially SOLD OUT!

2010-10-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

That's right, folks - after three years of wheedling, my "Happy Beaver" vinyl toy is officially sold out! I'll remove the PayPal buttons in the next day or two.

Fear not, though, dear shoppers - I'm working on new versions of the Beaver, plus a brand new design! I'm aiming to get these done for next summer. Thanks for for your patronage, everybody!

New "Burke & Hare" Trailer!

2010-10-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest trailer for Burke & Hare, the new film from director John Landis. Enjoy!

Toys OTD: Mattel's 6" Ghostbusters Action Figures: Peter Venkman, Ray Stanz, Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddmore, Walter Peck (2009, 2010)

2010-08-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting since 1984 for Ghostbusters toys! While it's true that both GB movies have had their share of merchandise, likeness rights issues have prevented any spin-off product from looking like the actors. At least that was the case until last year, when Mattel finally acquired likeness rights along with the Ghostbusters license. Mattel responded with not one, but two terrific-looking lines of figures - one in the six-inch scale, and a series of twelve-inch versions, complete with cloth costumes and illuminated accessories! All of the figures have been sold as exclusives to Mattel's collector website, mattycollector.com. Since not all of the larger figures have been released yet, I'll focus on the six-inchers for now.

On the whole, this is a great figure line! The sculpts and production values are worthy of classic movie toys - they're richly detailed without feeling overworked, and the likenesses are well worth the wait.

The first toy, Egon Spengler, appeared with a double-whammy: not only was it the first figure in the license, it was also a San Diego Comic-Con 2009 exclusive, making it one of the hot toys to get that summer. I think there were leftover figures after the convention, so Mattel sold the rest of them on the website. Egon has a fine likeness, aside from the awkwardness of his thick glasses.

It's a bit of a no-win scenario: either you sculpt the glasses right to the head and lose a bit of accuracy, or you make them a separate piece and have them be slightly out of scale. The latter is a good compromise, and Mattel gets an 'A' for effort, especially since the glasses have tiny 'lenses' (and not just empty frames).

Next up is Ray Stanz, who looks great too. It's nice to see the elbow pads incorporated into the figure sculpt without hindering the joints. The proton pack and stick are really well done, and the suit tubing is also a nice detail. While display stands for the figures themselves would have been nice, balance issues aren't too bad when you consider how back-heavy they are!

Winston Zeddemore's likeness is a little wonky - to me, he looks a little more like Eddie Murphy than Ernie Hudson. His physique is also affected by the homogenous figure forms - he seems a bit skinnier than his true body type. Still, there's nice details here too, like the gloves tucked into the waist belt.

Peter Venkman looks wonderful - I was worried about the 'slimed' variant, but the color and texture are great! It adds a little 'wear and tear' to the character without looking distracting, or too much like paint. It's also fun to have his jumpsuit pulled over his boots, unlike his counterparts. I'm sure it's true to the film, and it adds a lot of contrast without much extra cost.

The most recent original character to date is Walter Peck, the EPA rep. He's my least favorite figure, not because he's a peripheral character, but because his likeness is almost cartoonish, exaggerated much more than the others. Another drawback is his bulky 'suit jacket', which might have been sculpted right to the torso for better effect. Still, I'm happy he was included in the line, and that gives me hope for Dana Barrett and Louis Tully!

The articulation on all the figures is nicely done. There's enough joints to keep the diorama-makers happy, and they're well-disguised enough to avoid looking mechanical. The arm joints are especially helpful, as most of the characters will need to hold proton-pack 'sticks' - not an easy pose for your average figure.

All of the figures come with nifty accessories. Egon is packed with a Slimer figure, which even has its own 'flying' stand! Ray comes with a glow-in-the-dark Ghostbusters logo, and while it's not quite as fun as some of the others, I'm sure customizers will have a field day with it as they build their to-scale fire stations. Winston arrives equipped with his own ghost trap, which can be decorated with plastic 'energy effects'! Unfortunately, Peter comes with another Slimer, though it makes sense as the figure is a 'slimed' version. Since Walter Peck is probably considered a low-priority item (even for fans), he gets the best accessory - the containment unit in the firehouse basement. The door pops open with a flick of the lever, and the tiny traps fit in perfectly!

The packaging is (to some degree) standard operating procedure for Matty Collector - double-boxing for protection: a simple white cardboard outer box covering a more elaborate inner one. The outer white box is pretty straightforward - glossy white stock with the Ghostbusters logo on it.

The inner package is very nice - a custom-designed blister card set-up that's quite on-theme with the film. Each figure is depicted 'on the flattop' of Dana's apartment building, flanked by terror dogs as if confronting Gozer the Gozerian in the final battle. The reverse of the card is a scene at a desk in the firehouse, as if you're rifling through the Ghostbusters' files. There's some funny info in the 'paperwork' displayed for each character.

Originally, these figures sold for $20 + shipping each, and you got a lot of toy for your money, all things considered. Unfortunately, all of these figures are sold out at Mattel's site - you'll have to brave the secondary market to buy them now. Egon goes for at least $50 at this point, Ray costs a minimum of $28, Winston is selling for $56 or more, Peter is up to $30 and up, and Walter Peck costs $40.

I have heard that there'll be an exclusive Ghostbusters 2 four-pack at Toys 'R' Us next year, so that might ultimately be cheaper. Keep in mind, though, that they'll have different paint jobs and accessories.

Also in the future: An additional Ray Stanz 6" figure - this one looking like he does in the Ghostbusters television commercial, and packed with a cool Subway Ghost. That'll drop on August 16th.

On top of that, mattycollector.com is now offering a $20 subscription (dubbed "Club Ecto-1")to all of their six of their 6" Ghostbusters figure releases over the next year. It's not too compelling to me, as the first two figures appear to be a costume variants (Winston w/Slime Blower & Courtroom Peter). Since I'm mainly interested in original characters, I'll probably continue to take my chances with individual orders online. In any case, good luck and have fun!

Creator-Con: The Discussion Begins

2010-03-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

A group of comic artists (including myself) are considering the creation of a new comic book convention. As you may know, San Diego Comic-Con has be come increasingly expensive and unwieldly for individual artists, especially in the last ten years. Due to the success of such recent films as Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman Begins and Iron Man, Hollywood's presence in San Diego has dramatically increased. This has led to a huge spike in attendance - this year, the five-day Comic-Con has all but sold out months before its opening.

The worst aspect of all this is that San Diego Comic-Con is all but inacessible to the casual passer-by. it's hard not to feel that attendees are either die-hard comic fans (i.e, the converted), rubber-neckers who don't care about comics but want to see movie stars, and the studios who serve up the celebrities. Hopefully there's some converts being made, but it doesn't feel like much of a priority any longer.

As Creator-Con's Facebook page puts it:

"This page was created as a forum for the artists, writers, designers, self-publishers, retailers and fans that have become disillusioned and frustrated with what the flagship of comic conventions has become (y'all know the one...in San Diego).

The Creator-Con idea was hatched a few years ago by a few exhibitor friends as a reaction to the popular media takeover of a convention that used to celebrate artists and creators. We were tired of being pushed further and further aside each year to make room for the bigger, louder and flashier attractions that had nothing to do with the convention's humble beginnings.

This page hopefully will give us all a platform to get the ball rolling on something new or at the very least, voice our opinions. So let it ring! We want to hear what you have to say."

If you're interested, please become a fan and join the conversation! We'd love to hear what you have to say.

Toy OTD: Disney Store Plastic Cars Toys: Mater, Red, Sarge, 'Chewall' Tractor, Chick Hicks, Lightning McQueen (2006 - 2008)

2010-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

The movie Cars has proven to be a merchandising bonanza, spawning myriad lines of toys and other products. Like any other franchise, there's a range of quality within them - some items are excellent, some are fine, and others are functional but not much more. The primary line of Cars vehicles sold at the Disney Store are decent toys. They're mostly of a mid-range quality: in general the Mattel diecasts are far better, but this plastic, talking series is better than the smaller PVC cars, pullback items or plushes.

For one thing, they're fairly big - much bigger than any of the diecasts. If your kids need something larger to play with, this line is literally a better fit. The details aren't quite as lavish as those of the diecasts, but they're still good. Because of this, I'm assuming that these toys weren't cast from digital data but interpreted through traditional sculpting or other means (it's hard to know for certain). The construction is reasonably solid, but they do feel a little flimsy in places.

The biggest design detraction is the choice to make the pupils movable - they 'look' back and forth when pushed along a surface. In order to do this, the eyes are mounted on clear plastic stalks in front of an open 'windshield'. They're not all that intrusive on some of the cars, but on others it looks rather awkward and unattractive.

The other play feature included in the line is a motion-activated voice chip. This is a bit of a mixed blessing since they've got hair triggers, and chat away at the slightest movement. Other than that, the lines feel like dialogue from the film and have a decent feel for the characters' personalities (although it sounds to me like many of them were recorded by soundalikes).

The paint work here is minimal - the main body color is provided by the plastic itself. Most of the detailing is the cast plastic color as well, which in general I like as a cost-effective toy strategy. Colors tend to be a little more durable, and manufacturers don't have to be as precise about the few paint passes they do have.

The heaviest paint use is on the 'rusty' characters, and while the "Chewall" tractor looks significantly better than its diecast counterpart, Mater is only moderately successful - still looking more like paint than a rust texture.

Unfortunately, the other paint substitutes used here are decals - and they're another notable minus. They're particularly weak on heavily decorated characters like Wingo or Chick Hicks. I decided not to buy the Wingo from this series at all because I couldn't find one without stickers that weren't already bubbling up or tearing in the package. Chick's decals are better, but it doesn't look like it would take much play to badly damage them.

These toy cars by their very nature have no real posing capability or balance issues, so articulation and display stands are moot points here. Scale could be a display issue in the sense that collecting this line can eat up a sizable chunk of shelf estate. Fortunately, there's not nearly as many characters in this format as have been made in, say, the diecast line.

The packaging, on the other hand, is rather nice. The designers came up with a large clamshell, and turned it into an environment straight from the film! The branding is covered with the 'metal flake' base, and the toy itself rests on a short stretch of 'highway' backed with a rich panorama of Radiator Springs. The signs are built to create a 3D effect, and perform double duty describing play features. It's nice that there's so few stickers on the blister itself! On the other hand, it's a shame that they use so much plastic and take up so much space - but the shelf presence is pretty impressive considering the price point (originally $10-$15).

I imagine these toys are still available at the Disney Store, but since there's very few actual stores left, you'll probably need to get them online. You can get Doc Hudson and Sally on eBay for $23.74 + shipping, Lightning McQueen for $14.50 + shipping, Red for $27.63 + shipping, Luigi & Guido are packed together for $18.63 + shipping, Sarge is $12.93 + shipping, Fillmore is $17.63 + shipping, and Wingo goes for $14.50. There may be more toys in this line, but that's all I've been able to find. Compare prices, watch that shipping, and have fun!

Toy OTD: Nathan Jurevicius, Kid Robot's Scarygirl City Folk Figures: Crossing Guard, School Girl (2007)

2010-01-31T09:00:00.001-08:00

Nathan Jurevicius is not only a cool illustrator, but a prolific toy designer as well! TheScarygirl City Folk collection probably isn't his latest line, but it's certainly one of his more recent ones. It's a blind boxed mini-fig series with a wide variety of characters. I only bought a couple of them, so I'll review just those two here.

Kid Robot's toys are of a consistently high quality, and this line is equally good. The sculpts capture the playful, graphically strong designs and interpret them into three dimensions very well! They're planned to be cast in multiple parts, and the assembly seams are strategically chose to blend into the design without disrupting it. The construction itself is fine, making the characters look solid. The use of materials is clever, such as the transparent plastic for the Crossing Guard's staff, and the mounting of the book stack on the School Girl's head.

The paint work is also nice and clean - there's not a ton of detail on these designs, but the color borders are sharp, small paint areas are tidy, and the broader paint areas are smooth. Details like the School Girl's eyelashes are crisp. The color palette is limited by design, not budget.

Mini-figures rarely (if ever) have articulation, so it's a non-issue here.

Balance for both designs is fine: School Girl has a back wheel to steady her; and the Crossing Guard has a broad, flat base. Mr. Jurevicius is very conscious of this aspect of manufacturing and addresses it well, regardless of the figure scale. Either small stands are included, or the designs are well balanced on their own.

Packaging for this line is terrific, both in terms of the individual boxes and the larger case. Both are heavily decorated with Mr. Jurevicius' graphics, but they're not overwhelming. The color use here is tasteful, but punchy enough to attract attention. All of the boxes are unified with a similar palette of black, pink, green and white - it's easy to keep track of this series!

There's fifteen different characters in the set, and at least two paint variants (a black-faced School Girl, and a black Jelly Cat). You can get blind boxes for $9.73 + shipping each at overkillshop.com, and a few of the characters are on eBay right now: The School Girl chase and both Jelly Cats for $19.99 + shipping each, and the Doctor for $29.99 + shipping. These prices seem a bit high, so you may want to be patient and poke around at the next Vinyl Toy Network or something. Good luck!

Toy OTD: DC Direct Kingdom Come Figure Series 2: Shazam (2004)

2010-01-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

I remember Mark Waid's Kingdom Come being DC's answer to Marvels, ushering in an era of highly-polished 'event comics': sort of the comic-book equivalent of a summer 'tentpole' film. Since comic book characters have always been heavily merchandised, it wasn't much of a stretch to anticipate Kingdom Come action figures. DC Direct took on the challenge of making small versions of illustrator Alex Ross' re-imagined superheroes.

It's no small feat - Ross' style is quite detailed and realistic looking. While both this line and its companion series (the Justice action figures) produce mixed results, it's very impressive that any of these toys hit their target. This is a property that could only be done with the manufacturing technology and resources available today.

It may not be one of the best KC toys, but Shazam (aka Captain Marvel) is a nice one. As you probably already know, I'm primarily a purist - but I really like Waid/Ross' take on the character. A bit emotionally arrested, and there's an eerie djinn vibe about him now. He really is a being rooted in magic: he feels a lot less comforting, more unpredictable.

The sculpt is quite good - lots of subtle detail, but not too much. It evokes Ross' style nicely, right down to matching a pose from one of his paintings. The button-corner for the tunic may be a bit much, though, and the sculpt of the cape seems rather small and crumpled.

The paint work is pretty simple, as most of the figure is cast in the costume color. The overall effect is fine, but the facial detail struggles to support the sculpt and winds up looking a little like makeup. It might be as good as it can be, considering the sculpt and the scale. The only other problem is that the boots aren't painted (or cast) to match the metallic accents as they should.

The articulation is fairly basic - joints at the neck, lower biceps, wrists, hips and mid-calves. This preserves the look of the sculpt effectively, and isn't awkward to pose. The lack of knee and ankle joints aid balance and stability, but limit play value. I'm fine with this since I feel it's more of a display piece.

Balance is a mixed bag. The figure does come with an elegant display base, but it's huge. In fact, it seems far too big for any of the KC toys, and also suffers from the typical DC Direct display base problem. A few holes cast into the base can be used to hold a tiny peg. The peg fits into a hole on one of the figure's feet - the other foot doesn't have one. This usually results in the peg getting stuck in the foot, and/or the toy falling over. This base-mounting design has rarely worked for me, and unfortunately almost all of the DCD figures use it.

The packaging is well thought out and attractive. Simple black boxes with the graphic novel's logo on them - the additional text uses a similar font to maintain the look. Quite clean on the front, with great Alex Ross box lining art to create a crowd effect. The hang tag on the back allows the toys to be displayed on retail shelves, or hung on pegs.

You can still buy this figure for a decent price, but you'll have to shop carefully. eCrater has one for sale for $18.99 + shipping, but they can go as high as $89.95 + shipping at toyglobe.com. Be patient and have fun!

Toy OTD: Anri Peanuts Music Box: Flying Ace Snoopy (1968)

2010-01-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

Before there was Star Wars for me, there was Peanuts. I've been a huge fan of the strip for as long as I can remember, gobbling up the escapades of Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Sally, Schroeder, and of course Snoopy.

Simply a cute puppy in the beginning, Snoopy came into his own in the late fifties/early sixties to become (arguably) the strip's most popular character. He transformed into a canine Walter Mitty; imagining himself as a vulture, a BMOC, a high-powered lawyer, and most famously a WWI flying ace.

I assume Schulz used his World War II experiences (or movies he grew up with) to inform Snoopy's adventures. They were purely imaginative in the comic, but occasionally visualized in the television specials. As they accumulated and grew ever more vivid, the fantasies began to inform the merchandising.

Anri began manufacturing many different Peanuts music boxes in the late sixties/early seventies, and naturally the flying ace was depicted in the series. One featured Snoopy flying on his doghouse, and this one (above) creates a more elaborate scene of him in a war-torn countryside. It's one of the most detailed environments of the line!

The Anri music boxes were crudely designed and constructed, but I still like them - there's an almost folk-art quality to the pieces. The simplicity does seem appropriate, even though they're far less sophisticated than the original artwork.

The elements seem to be made primarily from wood. What's interesting is they appear similar enough from one box to the next that they don't appear to be hand-carved. But how would you mass-produce something like this? Is some sort of wood pulp poured into a mold, like the '30s-era "Syroco" figures? Regardless, the shattered brick wall, the barbed wire, the helmet, the mushroom and Snoopy have a roughly-hewn charm.

The paint work is equally loose, feeling like rushed assembly-line work. Other than Snoopy's eyes, little of the paint on the box has much taste or care in its application. Most of the colors come across as overly layered and muddy. Still, it does contribute to the hand-crafted feel of the piece, which does have a certain warmth to it.

The song choice (It's a Long Way To Tipperary) is not only perfect for the era, but also because it was specifically featured in the strip. I can't remember if the box was wound with a side key or a rotating base, but it works fine and is well constructed. I'm assuming that a wooden base makes for a good resonator (which might make the mechanism sound better), but I'm not sure. Of course, it's worth mentioning that the base is nice and simple, with no unnecessary text or labeling on it.

Unfortunately, I don't have any packaging for this item (or any box photos that I can find online) to review.

These music boxes weren't made in huge numbers, and I imagine that many of them broke down over the years. As a result of that, and the strip's continuing popularity, these pieces can get quite pricey on the secondary market. This particular one ranges anywhere from $124.75 to $279.99 + shipping on eBay. Look the auction pictures/descriptions over carefully and make sure it's complete and in working order before you shell out the cash. Have fun!

Toy OTD: Wendy's Mighty Mouse - The New Adventures Premiums (1988)

2010-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Since I worked on Ralph Bakshi's The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse (and being my first job in animation), I was very excited about any merchandising tie-ins related with the show! Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot to be had (especially by today's standards), and most of it wasn't very good. The best of the lot - and the closest thing to action figures the show got - were the Wendy's kid's meal premiums.

I'm not sure I understand the play concept behind this line. Maybe the suction cups were simply intended to be bases - but it's not really used consistently, as you'll see. They're not exactly action figures, nor are they really window clings (like the enormously popular Garfield items were in the '80s), so the functionality of the toys is somewhat awkwardly conceived.

The character choices for the line make a lot of sense - since it was probably cooked up during the first season, all the toys are first season characters. Fortunately, they're all pretty prominent and popular. I wonder what Wendy's got to see from the show while creating the figures... partial episodes? Model sheets?

The sculpts are decent for a fast food premium. The characters are reasonably on-model, and some of the poses are asymmetrical. Unfortunately, the scale is all over the place: The Cow (the biggest character in the cartoon) is the smallest toy, and Scrappy's scale in the hierarchy is reversed, too. It's a shame, because individually the toys aren't too bad.

The paint work is pretty good, too - the colors are accurate and emphasize the sculpts' details well. The facial paint is reasonably clean and sharp. Mighty Mouse's eyelashes are fairly crisp, and bonus points for the highlight on Bat-Bat's sidekick, Tick.

There's no articulation at all, being the size the toys are, but at least the figures balance okay. I should say the standing figures balance well - which brings us to the bigger flaws.

All of the toys have a suction cup molded onto their feet, ostensibly to stick onto a surface like a dashboard or a window pane. The problem is that some of the figures are sculpted standing upright, while others are horizontal, in a flying pose. As a result, they don't display together well at all. Additionally, the suction cups don't stick very firmly, especially after prolonged use.

Like most fast-food premiums, the packaging is minimal and not all that compelling to look at. It's exactly what you'd expect - clear plastic bags decorated with some single-pass graphics. Inexpensive and practical, which makes sense for giveaways. Each toy did include a trading card of the character, which added a little more color.

Since these figures are over twenty years old, it may take a little while to get the whole set. You can get three of them (Bat-Bat, Pearl & Petey Pate still bagged) on eBay for $4.99 + shipping, and Mighty Mouse sells for $1.29 + shipping on eBid. At the moment, Scrappy isn't for sale online at all - odd, as I'd guess that he's the least popular of the characters. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Mezco Cinema Of Fear Action Figure: Leatherface (2008)

2010-01-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

And now for something completely different - a Leatherface action figure! I'm assuming this was manufactured as merchandising for the recent Chainsaw remake.

I'm sure you're wondering: why on earth did I buy this? Why do I own it? I'm not a particularly big horror film fan. I hadn't seen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre until a couple of years ago, and I didn't really like it all that much (it was pretty creepy, though). I'm not really a Tobe Hooper booster either - the only film of his that I really like is (no surprise) Poltergeist. So what's the deal?

I do have some other horror toys, most of them from Sideshow's original Universal Monsters action figure line. Ultimately if the craft of a toy is good enough, it'll override how I feel (or don't feel) about the source material. In this particular case, stylization is key.

It's not stylization in the sense of stripping away detail - this toy is tweaked in terms of proportion and structure. I like the squat, exaggerated look of this figure. It emphasizes the bulky creepiness of the character.

The sculpt is quite nice, having a great sense of texture. The hair could have been sculpted with more, but ultimately I think it works with the pushed look. There's nice touches, like the removable mask (even though I'm never going to take it off). The eyes peering through it create a nice eerie effect.

The paint work is strong, with plenty of 'blood', of course. The paint is great for helping bring out the detail of the sculpt, and there's an 'antiquing' sort of effect to help give a grubby, battered feeling to the character.

I'm also impressed with the cloth costume - it's a bit unusual for figures of this scale. Adding pants (which could easily have been sculpted) is a nice touch, separating the costume from the figure body without feeling too bulky. The 'stained' fabric adds still more to the overall look, giving more variety to the gore work on the toy.

The articulation is about average - I think there's about nine joints here. The arm joints aren't always naturally positioned, so they can look a little awkward when posed. Still, they do make it easier for the figure to hold the chainsaw - it facilitates the inevitable tweaking needed to make the prop fit into a pair of hands (and of course keeps the prop removable).

Since the joints are limited, and the figure is in a squat and well-planted pose, balance issues are very low. No display stand needed for this toy!

There's only a few accessories included, but that's plenty: a machete, a bucket of, well, human innards and the signature chainsaw. They allow for a decent amount of posing variety and are still large enough to keep track of. They're covered with 'blood' too in order to match the figure. Ugh!

The packaging is not all that interesting. It's the basic window-box set-up with a hangable back card, to open up display options for retailers. While all of the design choices make sense - the window border is cut into a ragged shape; the logo is quite close to the film's, there's a foliage strip at the bottom of the box, the graphics are appropriately blood-spattered and choppy - the overall effect is kind of bland. It seems that the designers deferred to the figure to generate the desired impact. That's fine, but it does come across as a bit of a missed opportunity.

This figure isn't terribly old or much in demand, so it isn't at all difficult to find. I bought mine about a year ago from Spencer Gifts for $30, but you can buy one at Amazon for $12.99 + shipping. Enjoy!

Toy OTD: Konami Wacky Races Vehicles, Vols. 1 & 2 (2003)

2010-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Doubtless I've written this several times before - the Wacky Races cartoon is a big guilty pleasure of mine. The scripts are beyond thin, and the animation is uninspired at best. The highlights of the show - like much of Hanna-Barbera's output for me - are the voices and the design work. I love those cars!

There hasn't been a lot of WR merchandise over the years, and most of it isn't all that good. Even the best of these - a few model kits and cereal premiums - have somewhat limited appeal, aside from nostalgia value. So it's great to see some super-cool versions of the Racers coming out after all this time!

Konami released some fantastic toys about seven years ago (merchandising seems to be cyclical). The best part is that they made all of the vehicles - usually, manufacturers seem to focus on the Mean Machine, the Compact Pussycat, and the Turbo Terrific. There's a few downsides to this line, but for right now, let's focus on the good news...

These toys are pretty small - smaller than your average discast. But for this scale, they do have great sculpts and detailing. All of the contestants and their sidekicks have been included, too. They're hard to see here, but even the Ant Hill Mob is inside the Bulletproof Bomb! Nice.

The paintwork is also strong considering the scale. The colors might be a little brighter than they were on the show, but in general they're accurate and fun-looking. We're not just talking one or two passes, here, either - all (or almost all) of the colors needed were applied. Most of the drivers have some facial detail, and the printed numbers/logos are sharp.

Okay, now for the drawbacks. The biggest one is that the line was released in two 'volumes' of blind-boxed toys. This type of thing is never cheap, either as individual purchases or as pre-gathered sets on the secondary market. Of course each series had a super-rare 'chase' item too, which can be kind of fun if you're excited by 'the hunt'. Unfortunately, the chase for volume one was Dick Dastardly's Double Zero - arguably the most popular car on the show! Ugh. This piece would have been popular in any case, so to make it a chase just seems cruel.

I believe Vol. 2's chase was a small figurine of Muttley, Dastardly's snickering canine companion. Muttley was so popular, he was also in Dick Dastardly and his Flying Machines, featured in many other H-B shows like Laff-A-Lympics, and starred in a cartoon of his own! Understandably, the Muttley figurine wasn't to scale with the cars.

The other big drawback is that the cars aren't free-wheeling - the wheels are cast or glued in place on their axles. It does allow for the wheels to be accurately sculpted as ovals (right off the model sheets), but I think almost anyone would want their toy car to roll around. A real shame, but I do appreciate the extra mile for accuracy.

The packaging is a little busy-looking, but is otherwise as great as the line itself. Volumes One and Two had similar box designs, but were different enough that shoppers could at least tell which group of cars they were trying to collect! Both are decorated with spiffy model-sheet graphics backed with a fun gear pattern. The box backs feature the cars included in each 'volume', as well as the chase toys.

There's no balance issues with any of the vehicles, but each one was packed with a labeled display base. Without a dust cover, the bases seem a little extraneous to me, but again I appreciate the extra effort!

As I mentioned earlier, blind-boxed toys can be expensive to collect, especially on the secondary market. Buying a set of even one volume (much less both) looks unlikely at this point. There's some individual auctions on eBay right now that range from 99¢ - $70.00 + shipping (for the Double Zero). Some of the cars are for sale at ycosplay.com - they range from $9.95 - $29.95 + shipping. Happy hunting!

Toy OTD: Presspop's Raymond Scott Figure (2008)

2010-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Presspop may not be as prolific as other toymakers, but their choices are delightfully idiosyncratic. Whether it's their Bob Moog figure, or their Kaufman brothers toy set, Presspop projects are always out of left field. And what a great field it is!

One of their more recent releases is a Raymond Scott box set, commemorating the electronic composer/pioneer's one-hundredth anniversary. Presspop's toys are always top drawer, and this one is just as true to the brand.

Archer Prewitt designed the Scott figure (like Moog and the Kaufmans before it), and it's an appealing likeness. There's a great retro quality to the sculpt that feels really appropriate for the subject. The paint work is simple, but it's all the toy needs - the hair, facial details and pant cuffs are nice and clean. The figure has a good center of gravity, so it balances just fine. Articulation is understandably low - three joints (at the neck and both shoulders), possibly four (I can't remember if the waist turns).

For some reason, though, Presspop didn't just stop with a great figure - the box is loaded with extras! First off, a miniature Clavivox is included with the Scott toy. The sculpt and paint work aren't quite as strong as they are on the figure, but it's still a great accessory. Another wonderful touch is the figure's fabric jacket - it's well-made, and further supports the old-fashioned-toy vibe. The set also includes a five-song CD, decorated with some snappy graphics and nested in a spiffy cardboard sleeve. Most purchasers will probably be Scott fans already, so Presspop wisely made sure that two of them had never been released before! Nice.

To top it all off? Prewitt also decorated the box, and it's gorgeous. Front and center is a limited-palette portrait of Scott at his keyboard, and the surrounding artwork is just as well thought out. What a set!

Even better news is that not only is the box set still available, but it's on sale! You can buy it for $49.99 + shipping at toystoreinc.com.

Toy OTD: Fisher-Price Muppet Puppet #852: Rowlf (1977)

2010-01-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of Muppet fans aren't all that thrilled with Fisher-Price's '70s merchandise, but I have a fondness for it. I think their best offerings were the Animal (which I never had) and Rowlf (which I did) hand puppets. Maybe if I'd had one of the original Ideal Rowlf puppets, I'd feel differently!

Rowlf is a basic hand puppet done well. It's a good likeness - mainly due to the fabric used for the 'fur', and the accuracy of the face. It's designed a little more horizontally than the real character, but the eye/nose materials used still evoke him nicely.

The biggest difference between Fisher-Price's version and the actual puppet is that the operator's hand is inserted into the back of the toy's head; while the real puppet is manipulated from underneath. It's less accurate, but I like the fact that the toy has a full body. I do wish the belly had more volume, and that one (or both) of the arms could be operated. Still, I think it's nice that Rowlf could double as a plush in a pinch.

This toy doesn't have enough volume to sit up by itself. It's a shame, but considering it was primarily designed as a puppet first, it's not a big detraction from its play value.

The packaging is simple, appealing and on-theme for the character. Most of the box is decorated with backstage scenes from the Muppet Theater, complete with 'curtains' and 'footlights'. There's also some photos of play scenes with the puppet, ostensibly to pull in toy store shoppers. There must have been some confusion in the marketing surveys, as the toy also sports a tag making it clear that Rowlf is a hand puppet. It doesn't feel like an afterthought, though - the tag design is consistent with the box.

This toy isn't old enough to make finding one difficult, but there is one thing to keep in mind. This puppet was lined with sheets of foam to help give it some body without having to completely stuff the torso. As a result, twenty-three-year-old foam will probably be a crumbly mess. Be prepared to keep it as a display piece, do major re-lining work, or avoid it altogether. If you do decide to buy, there's three eBay auctions starting at $9.99 + shipping right now. Of course, if you want to be hard-core, there's one of the original Ideal Rowlf puppets on eBay for $500 + shipping. Hop to it!

Toy OTD: Rosko Toys Battery-Operated Charley Weaver Bartender (1962)

2010-01-23T09:00:00.001-08:00

Older toys based on television personalities tend to look a little creepy. Cartoon characters (being simple to begin with) translated well into toy form, but '60s manufacturing technology just wasn't up to the task of capturing a pleasing, realistic likeness.

Most internet dwellers probably don't remember radio/theater/tv personality Cliff Arquette, aka Charley Weaver - if you're in your mid-forties, chances are you caught the tail end of his career quipping on the '70s version of the Hollywood Squares show. While drinking wasn't as central to his comedy as Foster Brooks or Dean Martin, it was certainly part of his persona. Enough, at least, to inspire this mechanical toy.

What this battery-operated figure lacks in polish, it makes up for in activity. Switch it on, and "Charley" mixes a drink, quaffs it, then scrunches his face (flushing red) as smoke comes out his ears! Mine works pretty well, even after all this time (though I'm not sure the red bulb still lights up). Silly but amusing!

The figure doesn't have a lot of volume, and the head is disproportionately huge in order to accommodate the mechanism. Rosko did make an effort to duplicate Charley's costume, right down to his battered hat (my toy is missing its tie, but is otherwise complete). The complexion of a brand-new model is much closer to its flesh and blood counterpart, as mine has soaked in its share of UV rays.

I'm also impressed with the tin litho bar counter. It's an element that the designer could have easily painted a solid color, leaving Charley to be the centerpiece. Instead, it's decorated with lively textures, 'bar stools', and a reference to Elsie Krack, the ugliest girl in Mount Idy.

The packaging is pretty cool looking, too. While the fonts may be somewhat lackluster, the box was designed to compensate for the toy's visual shortcomings - shoppers got a full-blown illustration of Mr. Weaver behind the bar. It looks more like a model kit box than one for a battery-powered toy!

This isn't a particularly rare toy, but getting one in good shape (and in working order) can be pricey. They seem to range between $125.00 (not working and missing his shaker top) to $350 + shipping (complete and working). There's cheaper examples for sale, so be patient and read the item descriptions carefully. Have fun!

Toy OTD: Colgate Soaky Toys: The Chipmunks - Alvin, Simon, Theodore (1964)

2010-01-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'd like to hope that most viewers of the latest Alvin & The Chipmunks movie know that it's based on a series of hit novelty records (and a popular animated cartoon) from the sixties. Being a successful pop culture property, the Chipmunks naturally spawned a slew of merchandise and product endorsements.

A popular item at the time was a "Soaky" - a bath soap bottle shaped like a cartoon character. The idea was that children could play with the bottle while bathing, and keep it well after the soap was all used up. It's a simple but effective idea... the brand itself is long gone, but the concept has lasted forty years past the original toy! Naturally, Alvin and the gang were perfect candidates for "Soaky" immortality.

A big part of the "Soaky Secret" is that they're very cheap to make - some plastic, a couple of paint passes, and a touch of cardboard for packaging. Still, there was some thought (and taste) put into designing them.

The sculpts - taking into consideration that all of them needed to conform to the same basic bottle - are quite good. The head pieces (which cover the actual screw-on bottle cap) are pretty appealing interpretations of the very 2-D designs. Like many of the other Soakys, extra props are sometimes added in when the source character is too short to fit the bottle shape. Here, you can see the sculptor(s) added a stack of books for Alvin and a small pedestal for Theodore to help preserve the idea that the Chipmunks are different heights. The props themselves seem a little arbitrary, but they get points for preserving the designs. In light of this, it's a little odd that letters were added to Simon and Theodore's sweaters, since they're not on the source artwork. At least it's duplicating an existing motif rather than adding something that isn't part of any of their costumes - and it unifies the group, too.

As these bottles are intended for tub play (not to mention cost factors), the paint work is pretty minimal - just two passes per character. The manufacturers and designers wisely used the bottle plastic to add a third color to their palette. Casting the head in a different color of plastic sometimes added a fourth, as you can see with Alvin. While there are some less than intuitive paint choices - Simon's glasses and face detail could have been black like Alvin's, and Theodore's sweater is left white rather than painting it a more accurate blue - overall the colors are sharp and appealing.

(It also appears that the paint and plastic colors varied depending on what the manufacturers had on hand - check out John K.'s variants here. Alvin even had a bottle-cap-style cap at one point!)

Since Soakys have to stand upright by definition, there aren't any balance issues here. Because they're containers first and toys second, articulation is a moot point too. Think of them as being closer to a rubber squeak toy than an action figure.

Soaky packaging is also pretty minimal - a simple cardboard box covering the base. This took care of branding without having to add much to the toy itself. Interestingly, the designers didn't brand the characters themselves, as is done so often today. The boxes could also be changed easily, depending on what function/decoration they might need to do, as in the case of this Santa Claus Soaky. It's got a built-in gift tag!

Soakys were very popular and made in huge quantities. As with many other collectibles, some characters are rarer (and more expensive to buy) than others. Fortunately, the Chipmunk gang isn't particularly rare. Alvin can range anywhere from $6.99 to $34.99 + shipping. Simon costs anywhere between $20 and $36 + shipping. Theodore's range hovers right around $24 - $25 + shipping. Feel free to be picky, as there's plenty of them for sale out there. Happy hunting!

Chipmunk Fun Facts: Did you know that Alvin, Simon and Theodore were named after Liberty Records (their first label) executives? Did you also know that they started out as puppets on the Ed Sullivan Show? I didn't!

Toy OTD: Marx Porky Pig Tin Wind-Up (1938)

2010-01-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

I love old tin toys, and a tin toy of a classic cartoon character is just icing on the cake! Marx was one of the tin toy kings back in the day, and this wind-up is just one of the many great examples of their craft.

Porky here is similar to many wind-ups Marx produced - a simple mechanism enables it to waddle across the floor, while also producing a secondary motion. In this case, Porky twirls an umbrella as he strolls.

It's a decent likeness, as far as being on-model goes. The technology of the day limited the amount of 'sculpting' possible with the tin form, but it's still a reasonably complex shape. The character is buttressed by the lithographed artwork, which helps preserve the cartoon-drawing feel. There's some awkwardness with Porky's left arm, but otherwise the overall look is quite appealing. Happily, any necessary indicia is printed on the back - it keeps the front looking simple and clean!

There's no balance issues to deal with, as the toy's design (like almost all older toys) is solid and well-proportioned.

This toy also has a few interesting variations. A different version has Porky holding the umbrella and a top hat (on a separate arm), and another with completely different artwork - Porky as a cowboy, twirling a lariat! The top hat/umbrella version may have been the original design, as the addition of the left arm on the umbrella-only litho art looks very much like an afterthought.

The packaging is very attractive - it's a great range of colors, considering the limitations of the period. The artwork is a sweet (though a little awkward) scene. The branding is almost overpowering, but it's firmly separated from the rest of the art. There's even a hint toward one of the variants in the background! A great sense of style presented in a straightforward manner.

It's a lot easier to find a Marx Porky than to buy one. Due to its age and Porky's popularity, expect to pay around $150.00 (minimum) for this piece. Its value will vary depending on whether the box is included or not, and the toy's condition. Here's one selling through Bonanzle for $139.99 + shipping. Cowpuncher Porky is for sale here for $122.00 + shipping. Snap 'em up!

Toy OTD: Gentle Giant Clash Of The Titans Statue: Bubo (2007)

2010-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Nostalgia does strange things to people. I've never been a huge fan of Ray Harryhausen's last movie, Clash of the Titans (though it does have it moments), nor was I particularly enamored with Bubo, Perseus' mechanical sidekick/comedy relief. Yet when Gentle Giant announced a limited-edition resin Bubo statue, I was interested! I'm not sure how that works, unless you consider my long-running affection for robots.

Regardless of the sanity involved in purchasing a quasi-obscure character from a quasi-obscure '80s fantasy film, Gentle Giant did a terrific job here. The sculpt, paint work, metallic finish and branch perch all feel straight from the movie!

Since an open-winged pose would have been harder to manufacture and ship, Bubo's pose is fairly minimal here. Considering he's a mechanical character, it still feels appropriate. The head is a separate piece, which allows for a little extra pose variety.

The branch display stand is great - not only in helping to set the scene, but it's also subdued enough to support the character, not distract from him. Of course, the lack of branding is always appreciated!

The packaging is also really strong - the original film logo is used, and the new graphics are well art-directed to match to the tone and feel of the poster art. The back panel gets a little busy with text, but in general the box has great shelf presence. Rather than using a cellophane window, GG decided to use photos of the finished maquette. It still gives an accurate view of the product while integrating nicely with the new box art. You can see another side of the box here.

There were only five hundred of these statues made, so the edition is long sold out. Collectors can expect to pay between $150-$200 for Bubo on the secondary market. I paid $200 for mine at a toy show, but there might be one selling for $179.99 + shipping at Razor's Edge Collectibles (via kaboodle.com). Happy hunting!

Two post scripts. First: be careful looking up "Bubo" on Google Image Search. Two words: Bubonic Plague. Second: Mattel had originally planned to make a Bubo puppet-like toy back in the day, but poor response to the merchandising led to production being canceled. Wild!

Some images from gentlegiantcollectors.com and plaidstallions.com.

Toy OTD: Celluloid Wind-Up Dancing Couple (Occupied Japan, 1948)

2010-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

I was working on Toy Story when another toy-related movie came out: Barry Levinson's follow-up to his wildly successful Rain Man, Toys. The production design was wonderful, and that stylized world was filled with oversized replicas of classic toys from the late forties up through the mid-sixties. Gorgeous stuff!

One of the playthings that particularly stuck in my mind was a wind-up couple, dressed in formal wear and molded into a dancing pose. It was featured prominently in production stills, and eventually I realized that it was based on an actual toy. I started seeing it here and there at toy shows until my resistance (not generally robust to begin with) crumbled!

This is a very simple toy - a clockwork mechanism propels the couple (via wheels on the dress' base) in circles across the floor. The main body of the dancers is made of celluloid, one of the earliest forms of plastic. The production technology and execution are primitive by today's standards, yet I think this piece has considerable charm.

First, the dancers are young children dressed a bit beyond their years - there's a sweetness to this tiny couple. Maybe the simplicity of the sculpted pose and the babyish quality of the color palette helps reinforce the innocent feeling of the toy.

I know it's a bit of a contradiction of my usual taste, but I love the primitive quality of the paint here. The crisp areas seem appropriate for cleaner paint work (such as the suit, or the upper area of the dress), and the sprayed areas are great choices to convey a softer feeling (like the hair of the couple, or the train of the dress). These figures aren't trying to look 'real', and as a result are successful in a cute, doll-sort of way.

As you can see, I've found a couple of box designs for this toy. I suppose these could simply be different panels for the same package, but I'm going to stick with my assumption that these are different boxes. They're both good designs - the top view of the couple is an interesting idea, and the more traditional full-length drawing has a charming retro feeling. I imagine the interlocking circles are simply period motifs, but they unwittingly create a Lawrence Welk Show vibe!

This toy must have been either mass-produced in large numbers, or manufactured for quite some time (or both), since they're still not tough to find after sixty-two years. You can buy one right now at rubylane.com for $78.00 + shipping, which is about the same amount that I paid for mine. Since celluloid is thin and fragile, you may want to consider waiting until you can pick one up in person - note how the lady's neck is a bit crumpled on mine. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Vandor Horton Hears a Who Elephant Bird Lamp (2002)

2010-01-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Just as Vandor released merchandise to take advantage of the live-action Cat in the Hat movie, they also whipped up a batch of tie-ins to coincide with the computer-animated Horton Hears a Who! film. As before, the results were uneven, but there were some gems in the line. My favorite of these: probably the resin Horton elephant-bird lamp.

It's a small lamp, intended for a child's bedside. The design and execution are just about perfect - the sculpt is very true to the original drawings, and the eggshell is cleverly used as the base and shade. There's some small paint issues, as not all of the polka dots are painted, but in general it's a beautiful piece. Taking advantage of the resin's translucency in the shade is another great touch.

There's some significant practicality issues, too - a resin lamp wouldn't last long in a toddler's room, and the shade comes off very easily. Combine that with a hot lamp bulb, and you may want to think twice about keeping this in your child's room once they start crawling. Keep it out of reach in a baby's room, and it'll work just fine. Maybe it was only intended for collectors - it's difficult to tell.

Unfortunately, I didn't hang onto the lamp's packaging, but I remember it looking about average for this kind of licensed product - not awful, but not dazzling, either. It wasn't crowded with detail, and the colors seemed appropriate for the Seuss palette. There wasn't much in the way of artwork on the box - mainly the book logo and Seuss text in the expected fonts. The patterns were simple, but not nearly as striking as some of the book artwork would've been. Like the Enesco Rudolph pieces I reviewed earlier, I think the manufacturer expects retailers to unpack one for display, rather than making the box design do the work.

You can still get this lamp online for a decent price. It's for sale at dogwoodvalley.com for $75.00 (including shipping). Snap it up!

Toy OTD: Hasbro Mighty Mugg Figures: The Indiana Jones Line (2008)

2010-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sure I've already cited the Hasbro Mighty Muggs line of figures as another recent example of the artist-driven "Urban Vinyl" movement influencing mainstream toy design. Mighty Muggs have a uniform body shape decorated to look like a variety of characters, much like the Qee and Dunny figures that preceded them. Like these toys, Mugg designs are mass-produced or customizable - collectors can buy blank 'DIY' versions to decorate themselves.

Rather than hire popular underground artists to design the new line, Hasbro instead emphasized licensed properties and popular characters. Some were brands they owned outright (such as G.I. Joe or Transformers). Other lines were properties they were already merchandising, such as Marvel Comics superheroes, Star Wars, and characters from the Indiana Jones movies.

The Indy line of Muggs was doubtless intended to leverage the release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, exposing a new generation to the characters from all four movies. There weren't a lot of toy figures made back in the day, so I was excited at the prospect of new Indy swag, and stylized swag to boot! Happily, I wasn't disappointed.

Hasbro picked iconic roles from all four films for three series of figures - Indy, Dr. Henry Jones, Sr; Short Round, the Cairo Swordsman, Sallah, Mola Ram, and so forth. While the designs are sometimes a bit busy for my taste (Sallah's is particularly cluttered), the majority of the toys look sharp. The use of color is strong, and the paint apps were consistently clean and tight. Very little paint checking needed for this line!

Mighty Muggs by their nature are constructed uniformly, so that keeps their build quality consistent too. Loose parts are rare, and the surface finish is always smooth and unmarred. Parts will be varied for specific figures without sacrificing much expense or uniformity - there's a solid form that's occasionally used instead of legs, which you'll see on 'cloaked' figures like the Cairo Swordsman. It's a nice touch that prevents the characters from being compromised by the original template form.

My only quibble is with the 'small body' template, designed for figures like Yoda or Short Round. As you can see, the solution here was to shorten the legs, leaving everything else the same. While this makes sense in terms of economy and tooling, the result makes the arms look a bit too long, and the character comes off looking a little like a gorilla. Personally I would've preferred shrinking the entire body a little bit (except for maybe the head), or shortening all the limbs.

Articulation and pose-ability are extremely limited, but these toys really aren't made for that, so I don't consider it a big flaw.
Balance problems are rarely an issue, though the figures do have a high center of gravity. An accessory can sometimes throw this off, but on the whole it's not a series that begs for display stands.

Accessories are very limited as well, but the choices have been intuitive and appropriate. Indy naturally has his whip, Monkey Man his monkey, and the Cairo Swordsman his sword. My vote for best accessory, though, goes to Mola Ram and his cute little detached heart. Adorable!

The packaging is simple, and also conforms to a template. The box graphics play to the line's strengths, using blow-ups of the character on the top panel and front right corner. There's a nice pattern composed of blank Muggs in the more open areas, and the fonts and logos are used in a stylish way. The Mighty Muggs logo itself is bit intrusive, but keeping it black & white helps prevent it from overpowering the overall look.

The saddest thing about this line is that it was canceled - I'm assuming it was due to poor sales. Unfortunately, none of these figures were hard to get at any point, unlike many of their Star Wars or Marvel contemporaries. Several new figures were announced but never released: Toht, Irina Spalko, a white-tuxedo Indy, young Indy, and Satipo. It's a shame because I loved the line, and was really looking forward to getting Marion and Toht Muggs. Enterprising DIY-ers can make their own, but I'm lazy enough to hope that eventually Hasbro will produce these as limited edition convention exclusives.

As I mentioned, it's still not difficult to find any of this line right now. Originally, these toys went for about $10-$15 each. Now, you can get the Cairo Swordsman for $5.99 + shipping on eBay, ditto Mola Ram, Short Round goes for $5.98 + shipping, Monkey Man is $4.95 + shipping, Sallah costs $8.00 + shipping, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. is $8.49 + shipping at Amazon, the Fertility Idol exclusive goes for $16.99 + shipping at ecrater.com, Mutt Williams costs $8.97 + shipping at moviepostersetc.com, and Indy himself goes for $12.97 + shipping at the same site. Watch those shipping charges, and happy shopping!

Cigarette Test For Kozik's Angry Beaver!

2010-01-09T22:29:00.000-08:00

My friend Greg Dykstra sculpted this cigarette accessory, which I've been poring over for the last few weeks. I'll be having it cast as part of Frank Kozik's Angry Beaver variant figure!

The thought is to have the vinyl drilled and add the cigarette during manufacturing so I won't have to make a special mold. I've tested it on a defective toy here - that's why the eyes look so odd.

I'm not sure whether I'll drill a hole in the final color master and add it there, or send this along with the CM to show how the vinyl should be drilled. Regardless, enjoy! More progress as it comes in...

Toy OTD: Galoob Inspector Gadget Figure (Straight Armed Version - 1983)

2010-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

I wasn't watching a lot of new cartoons in 1983 - I stuck with Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera and Return of the Jedi. I just wasn't interested, so I never became (as I imagine many folks now in their mid-thirties did) an Inspector Gadget fan. Not surprisingly, I was blind to all of the merchandising as well. Of course, having little-to-no disposable income didn't help.

In fact, it wasn't until ToyFare did one of their 'best toy ever' lists that I finally noticed how cool this deluxe Gadget figure really was! Most of the time, I prefer accuracy over play value, but sometimes play value is just overwhelming.

The accuracy isn't bad on this toy, but even considering the original character design, the head seems overly large. The figure has a skinny, stiff feel to it, but since the character's a robot, it works. The head sculpt is nice, though, with an appealing expression. It goes a long way in adding to the overall charm.

There's little paint used here - most of the colors are the plastic colors themselves, which is nice. The colors aren't spot-on with the cartoon version, but they're close enough to get the idea across.

What this figure lacks in warmth, it makes up for in articulation. We're not talking Hot Toys or Sideshow here, but considering that it's a domestic toy from the '80s, you can pose it pretty well! And that's not even the best part...

Rather than include a bunch of replaceable, specialized limbs (or sculpt non-removable ones), Galoob decided instead to make arms and legs that were internally spring-loaded. They lock into place, but pop out at the press of a button. Cool!

There's a lot of nice touches - the fabric trenchcoat, the handcuffs (that really open) linked by a metal chain, and the poseable 'extra hand' accessory that can hold either an umbrella or the classic cartoon mallet. But the coup de grace is the iconic helicopter prop that can fit atop Gadget's hat - there's even metal handlebars for them, just like in the cartoon!

The packaging here is pretty standard, but at least there's lots of photos to show off all the accessories, not to mention a giant clear front panel that almost displays the entire toy! There's a flap on the left of the box that allows multiple boxes to be nested together, but still increases shelf presence. Considering how much love was put into the toy, I have no problem with the box being more functional.

Note - I just found another package design... if you're into collecting toy boxes, you should probably shoot for this version. I think this box looks much better - it keeps all of the pluses of the other box, but adds a little extra boldness by displaying the character as if 'bursting' through a wall! The telescoping neck may be another unique feature of this version, too.

You may want to keep your eyes peeled for a specific version of this figure - some versions have arms without elbow joints (like mine), while another variant has bendable arms. I can't imagine this change saving all that much money in production, so I'm not sure why it happened. Regardless, be sure to ask your seller which version they have - it's always good to know exactly what you want to avoid disappointments later on. Unfortunately, the box may always have bent-arm stills on it regardless of which figure it contains, so don't use package photos as proof!

Also, check to make sure the spring triggers are still working well... worn limbs may pop open very easily if they've been played with a lot.

I've also been advised that the plastics used to make this toy are very vulnerable to fading, so make sure to display it in an area that's not getting pounded by direct sunlight. Display cases and UV-proof glass can only do so much!

As you might expect with a toy loaded with accessories, it's expensive to find it complete, and still more to get one with its original packaging. There's a complete figure in its box at actiontoys.com for $279.99, and a loose/incomplete one (no helicopter handles) for $141.99. There's another incomplete one (no umbrella handle, one helicopter handle missing, but with box) for $75.00 at whatacharacter.com. You may want to set up an eBay favorite search if you're determined to get a complete set-up... most of these prices are really high. Good luck!

It's Mighty Mouse Drop Day!

2010-01-05T06:42:00.000-08:00

That's right, the day I thought would never come has arrived - Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures comes out on DVD! You can get it at Amazon.com for $28.99 + shipping, or at your local DVD retailer.

You'll get all the original episodes, plus a new documentary featuring interviews with lots of the show's creators (including me - it was my first job in animation way back in 1987)!

After twenty-two years of waiting, why wait any longer? Pick up a copy today!

Toy OTD: Gentle Giant Star Wars Mini-Busts: Dengar, Princess Leia (2007, 2008)

2010-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Since I was part of the first wave of kids blown away by Star Wars, it's tough not to buy every last bit of cool swag that comes my way - and there's more than ever these days! I had finally gotten to the point where I swore off from buying the smaller action figures, and tried to focus exclusively on the Sideshow quarter-scale statues. Well, it didn't quite turn out that way...

Gentle Giant started producing an amazing line of Star Wars mini-busts that deliver a lot of nerd love for a fairly low price... and just like that, I was hooked all over again! I've bought quite a few, but so far I've only photographed Princess Leia and the bounty hunter Dengar. I'll focus on them for now.

GG's products are generally of a high quality, and these mini-busts are no exception. Both of these sculpts have strong likenesses, and the poses feel like they're straight from the films. The costume/prop details feel similarly well-researched. The various depicted materials are given the appropriate textural treatments - as they should, cloth, leather, metal, wood, etc. all clearly differentiate from one another.

I'm also very impressed that the bases of the mini-busts are very minimal - almost no detail or texture, and painted an unassuming black. Even though it feels true to the films' overall look, they recede nicely into the background, allowing the featured character to dominate the viewer's attention. The lack of branding or labeling on them is another big plus - GG gets it!

Since all the busts have bases, balance issues are non-existent - if you live in earthquake country, you can use museum putty to anchor them down, but otherwise they're good to go.

The paint is very effective here, strongly boosting the effects of the sculpt. Check out the subtle detail on Leia's face, the antiquing of the weapons, or the wear on Dengar's armor. The color palettes feel very true to their film counterparts as well. It's really great work that does more than fulfill the promise of these pieces!

I like the line's packaging, even though it's not all that elaborate. Most (if not all) of the pieces are packed in glossy dark grey boxes with the Star Wars logo and character name on the front. There's a simple black shape to frame the text, and a small window to allow shoppers to check out the facial paint (of course, it's helpful for identifying the figure inside, too). The design evokes the feel of the movies in a strong way without adding a lot to the price point (though even fancy boxes usually don't cost a great deal).

Unless the character you're choosing is oversized, most of these busts cost $50 when they first drop. Once a popular figure sells out, they go up in price on the secondary market, but if the character isn't really in demand, they may actually go down in price (especially if they're still in stock a year or more after release).

Surprisingly, you can get Princess Leia for $24.99 + shipping right now at Amazon.com. Dengar also sells for $25 + shipping at the Toys 'R' Us website, which is even less than the $30 I paid for it at an Entertainment Earth sale. Great deals - grab 'em while you can!

Toy OTD: Michelle Valigura's Peter Pan Trinket Box (2008)

2010-01-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

It's really great to see Disney merchandising moving beyond the model sheets and allowing contemporary artists to interpret their characters! It's an inspired idea that feeds still another generation of fans and collectors.

Michelle Valigura has been producing adorable plush and sculptural work for quite some time now. It's easy to see why she was chosen to design limited edition pieces for the studio - her work has a friendly, childlike quality similar to old-school Disney concept artist Mary Blair.

This trinket box is a great example of her work. The simple shapes and bold colors feel like inspirational art, yet clearly evoke the original characters. The materials and paint treatment give the box a homemade charm, but it doesn't feel flimsy or awkwardly made. It's clearly a dimensional piece, but a strong graphic design, too!

The only somewhat disappointing aspect of this item would be the packaging - I don't have it any longer, but if memory serves it was a glossy black cardboard box. While this approach gets points for restraint, it strikes me as a missed opportunity for showcasing more of Ms. Valigura's artwork.

Created to commemorate Peter Pan's 55th birthday, this box is part of a run of three hundred pieces, and was only sold at Disneyland. Originally it cost $65, but I have seen the odd piece at Disney outlet sales for $30 or $40. These sales are pretty common in California, but I doubt they happen anywhere out of state (though Florida is a possibility).

Happily for collectors, this piece still isn't tough to find on the secondary market - you can buy one right now on eBay for $24.99 + shipping. Hop to it!

Toy OTD: Toy Factory Hägar The Horrible Plush: Helga (2004)

2010-01-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Here's more evidence of my weakness for obscure pop culture characters. I've hardly ever seen merchandise for the Hägar The Horrible comic strip: good, bad, or otherwise! Fortunately, this plush is pretty good.

Hägar isn't one of my favorite comic strips, but the designs are simple and appealing. Like Hanna-Barbera's Flintstones or Roman Holidays, it's essentially a sitcom moved to a different time period. Most of the comic deals with a Viking family: Dad (Hägar), Mom (Helga), teenage daughter (Honi), younger brother (Hamlet), pets (Qvack & Snert) and goofy best friend (Lucky Eddie). Since Hägar was created by cartoonist Dik Browne, co-creator of the suburban comic Hi and Lois, it makes sense that the strips have a common foundation.

Helga is a feisty Brunhilde matron, more than a match for the disheveled Hägar. She's simply constructed, with her hat, cloak, head and hair formed from elemental shapes. The plush captures the forms (and the design) pretty well. Her cloak is now colored a sort of lavender in the strip, but I do remember it being blue back in the day. I'm not sure about the belt detail, but the overall look (aside from the lack of the cloak's collar) seems quite faithful to the character's design.

The construction is average, though the belt's stitching is a bit sloppy. The shapes could be tighter (especially involving the 'helmet'), but it's not bad - the facial expression is cute, and the braids do a lot to add appeal. The bright colors help evoke a comic-strip feel, too.

Like most plushes, it has balance problems, but the right-sized doll stand (or leaning it against the back of your display case/shelf) might fix the problem. A small acrylic stand (like those sold at Office Depot) also might work.

I bought this plush loose at a convention, but I have a feeling this toy wasn't packaged, but rather sold tagged instead. Unless you're concerned about shelf presence, damage, or shipping ease, boxing a plush isn't all that necessary.

Since this toy isn't all that old, the ease of finding it depends mostly on how many were made. I found an auction for one right away on eBay - you can buy it for $7.00 + shipping, or start the bidding at $4.95 + shipping (which isn't all that much more than what I paid: $4.00 flat). There's also a Hägar plush up for auction on eBay, too. Happy bidding!

PS - If you're interested in reading a sample of Hägar The Horrible, there's a new compilation of the first year of the strip. You can buy it at Amazon.com for $10.83 + shipping.

Toy OTD: Suckadelic Micronugget Suckpeg: Time Straggler (2008)

2010-01-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Suckadelic has been producing pop culture mash-up figures for a while now, and this one is still my favorite!

Many of the first releases were riffs on old-school Kenner Star Wars figures. For this item's inspiration, however, Suckadelic reached a little further back in toy history, combining both Fisher-Price's Little People figures and Mego's Micronauts from the mid-seventies! It's a terrific retro combination.

The Straggler takes its overall shape from one of the male Little People figures. If it's a re-sculpt, it's great - the shapes are dead-on, right down to the "Ken doll" pompadour. Of course, it's possible that it's a combination of (impressive) casting from a vintage F-P figure and painting over vintage parts. Regardless, it's nicely executed. The paint work is smooth, and the body casting looks pretty clean.

The color palette, chest plate and name are riffs on the 1976 Mego Time Traveler figure. Since the F-P Little People have printed faces, Suckadelic made the right call and sculpted the F-P face design onto the head - a little more like the Mego approach. The body is cast in translucent blue plastic, just like one of the Time Traveler bodies, and a section is carved out to hold a Traveler-like 'chest plate'. Check out the clear Traveler and compare the detail - if it isn't an actual chest plate, it's an awesome duplication!

Suckadelic packaging usually varies between a simple blister pack, or a tagged bag. I think the Time Straggler was packed in the latter, so there's not a lot to talk about there. The bag protects a figure in the shipping process, and a tag does evoke a retro-toy aesthetic, but I don't recall the tag graphics being anything exciting. The toy does the talking in this case, and I think that's fair - the fanciest box won't make me buy a toy that I'm not all that excited about.

Unfortunately, Suckadelic items are usually produced in extremely low quantities, and can be a bit pricey, depending on your sticker shock tolerance. Time Straggler was originally $60 + shipping, and only forty figures were produced - as you might guess, they're long sold out. Keep your eyes peeled on eBay, and be ready to shell out some cash. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Mattel 1/24 Speed Racer Die-Cast: The Mach 6 (2008)

2010-01-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

Despite the arguable quality of the Speed Racer movie (I enjoyed it even though it was talky and about twenty minutes too long), Mattel produced an impressive line of merchandising, both in breadth and quality. Racing helmets and tracks, action figures, Lego sets, and naturally a plethora of Mach Fives and Sixes hit stores concurrent with the film's release.

The Mach 6, like many movie toys, is based on a custom design for the film - the 'upgraded' version of Speed's car built for the climactic race. While I prefer the Mach 5 - it's hard to beat those classic lines! - I do like the Mach 6 design. It evokes the original car, but clearly reads as an updated, higher-tech version.

This mid-sized die-cast of the Mach 6 is nicely made. The level of detail is good, the use of materials is appropriate, and it's accurate compared to the digital (and practical) mock-ups in the film. The decal work and paint apps are crisp and smooth.

As far as functionality goes, it's free-rolling, but I can't remember if the steering wheel works. The 'shock absorbers' are fixed in place, but there is a lift-able cockpit cover under the windshield. There's no other action features with this model - any other gimmicks were installed in the larger, plastic Mach Sixes.

Personally, I would have liked to have a removable Speed for the driver's seat, but die-cast collectors tend to focus on the cars (and display value) rather than passengers and play functions. From this perspective, this Mach 6 offers a decent amount of spiffy for the money.

The packaging, while not offering nearly the amount of visual dazzle the film might suggest, does have some positive points. The toy is tilted up and toward the viewer to not only lend a sense of motion, but also to give shoppers a better angle to appreciate the detail. The graphics also support the feeling of movement, and also offer artwork based on scenes from the film. It might not jump off the shelf in the way that it might have, but it's simple and clear. Some die-casts include a display case right inside the box, and that would have been a great addition (especially for its original $30 price point).

Since the film underperformed in theaters, availability and pricing for this toy are still excellent. You can get a brand new one right now for $14.80 + shipping at Amazon.com. Happy shopping!

Toy OTD: McFarlane Hanna-Barbera Figures Series 2: Yogi Bear (2007)

2009-12-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

Hanna-Barbera characters were terrific ideas for a toy line, but the uneven quality made supporting the concept difficult. Ultimately, I'm not sure the demand was there either, which is a shame - there's not a lot of really great Hanna-Barbera toys to be had.

The Yogi Bear set-up is one of the nicer toys in McFarlane's shot at H-B merchandising. The situation depicted is classic - Ranger Smith chasing after Yogi and Boo Boo - and the posing is lively and fun. Most of the piece feels like it's right out of an old-school View-Master reel!

The grouping of the characters, though, feels a bit off - Ranger Smith feels further away than he might need to be. Boo Boo's expression seems somewhat dead-eyed as well. Granted, he's a deadpan sort of personality, but his face still feels static. Other than these minuses, the sculpting is quite strong. The base detail is kept simple, like the show's aesthetic, and it doesn't compete with the figures. The base is so big, balance issues (and branding) are happily nonexistent.

The paint work could be a touch tighter, but overall it's fine - the colors are well chosen and evoke the characters perfectly.

The gimmick of mounting the figures on short springs initially gave me some concern, since things like that tend to backfire over time. I fully expected to discover the trio had slumped over a few months after opening the package, but so far, so good. The springs seem to be strong enough to add a wobbling motion without sacrificing long-term display quality.

Generally, the packaging for this line was pretty sharp, and this blister/card combo is no exception. There's some nice artwork of Yogi with the old-school H-B logo nestled among spiffy retro graphics. The blister displays the figures well for paint scrutiny, and there's also a nice photo of the completed set-up (which I like to have, just in case the instructions don't quite work for me). It's a pretty straightforward approach, but you'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't) how often this can be screwed up. There's just enough art to support the toy's appeal without overwhelming it.

This item is only three years old, so it's still readily available, and it hasn't gone up in price all that much. You can get one right now at moviepostersetc.com for $14.97 + shipping. If you miss out, eBay has a couple for sale at about the same price. Keep an eye on the shipping, and have fun!

Toy OTD: Banpresto Dragonball Vinyl Figures (2008)

2009-12-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

I'm definitely a newcomer to the Dragonball mangas, having only read the pre-Z storyline within the last year or so. I've seen a fair amount of DB merchandise over the years, but these recently produced vinyl figures are some of the best swag I've encountered!

For whatever reason (an anniversary?), Banpresto decided to make a brand-new line of toys, and they're really terrific! The sculpts are spot-on model, super-appealing representations of the original artwork. Most of the posing is a bit symmetrical, but occasionally there's an arm or leg that's moved to break up the 'twinning'. The character designs are strong enough to prevent it from being a big detraction.

The paint work varies to a degree - with the majority of the line, the apps are tight and tidy, but there will be the odd figure (Yajirobe, for instance) where they'll be a little loose and fuzzy in places. Overall, though, the color choices are strong and the execution is crisp and sharp, reflecting the clean line work of the manga.

As with most vinyl toys, there's not a lot of articulation here - usually, you'll get neck and shoulder joints at the most, which are probably more a result of the molding process than from a desire to increase the play value.

Fortunately, these characters have reasonable proportions, so balance issues are low. Chi-Chi has a higher center of gravity than most of the others, so a display base might have been nice in her case. Yajirobe does come with a piece of cardboard that can be folded into an unobtrusive stand, which is nice. Overall, though, balance problems here aren't anything that some museum putty can't fix.

Accessories are rare with this line, but personally, unless it's a prop that's central to the character - Thor's hammer, say - then I think it's just one more thing to lose. Most of the extra pieces here are walking sticks and fighting staffs, and they fit into the characters' hands nicely. Yajirobe's sword sheath may give you some trouble fitting into a hole on his side, so be prepared for that.

The toys are sealed in plastic blisters backed with cardboard, so there's not a lot here to get excited about. The graphics are fine (though pretty uniform), and naturally the blisters allow especially fussy collectors (read: all of them) to compare paint jobs. Otherwise, there's not much here to tempt purchasers into keeping the packaging.

Since these figures were released over the last year or two, finding them shouldn't be all that expensive or difficult. You can buy Son Goku, Grandpa Son Gohan & Klilyn together for $39.99 + shipping on eBay. There's three other Son Goku variants available as a set for $47.99 + shipping, Uranai-Baba for $9.99 + shipping at bonanzle.com, Chaoz for $13.99 + shipping on eBay, Woolong for $9.99 + shipping at bonanzle; Son Goku, Yajirobe & Karin all together for $57.95 + shipping at anime-king.amazonwebstore.com, Emperor Pilaf for $14.95 + shipping on eBay, Chi-Chi for $8.34 + shipping on eBay, Kame-Sennin for $24.74 + shipping on eBay, a smaller variant of him for $9.99 + shipping at bonanzle, a masked variant for $9.99 + shipping on eBay, and Mr. Popo for $22.39 + shipping on eBay. You may want to shop around a bit before buying, since there's plenty of them for sale online. Have fun!

Toy OTD: Enesco Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Figurine: "Jingle, Jingle, Jingle, You Will Hear My Sleigh Bells Ring" (2000)

2009-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Since it's Christmas today, I thought I'd write about one of Enesco's adorable Rankin-Bass figurines. Of course, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is the most famous (and arguably the most popular) of the R-B specials, so there's been plenty of Rudolph merchandise available over the last ten years or so!

Here's another great piece from the line, depicting young Rudolph playing with a halter of sleigh bells as Santa watches. It's a really wonderful sculpt - there's a nice sense of texture, from the felt-like quality to Rudolph's coat, to the fluffy look of Santa's beard, to the grainy snow that makes up the base. The poses can't get too dynamic without becoming very fragile, but there's an effort made here to keep the characters alive. Nothing feels stiff or mechanical, despite the fact the source figures are stop-motion puppets. Heads are slightly tilted, knees are bent, arms are raised to different heights. It captures the feeling of the scene really well without being too literal (actually, this moment took place in the reindeer family's cave).

The paint work is also very good, duplicating the original colors accurately. While the paint apps aren't all that tight, they're executed well enough to keep from feeling sloppy. I could probably do without the glitter mixed into the snow base, but it's only a minor detraction.

Articulation is a non-issue here, since we're talking about a resin figurine, and the 'snow' base strengthens the overall piece while eliminating any balance issues. It's also great that there's no titling or branding on a visible part of the base - all of that is printed on the underside, completely out of view. Nice!

The biggest minus about this line is the packaging. It's a nice concept for the box design - an old-fashioned television set - but the execution is not very strong at all. The artwork is poor, the layout feels uninspired and unfocused, and there's no way to see the figure without opening the package. Many items in this line were available primarily through mail order, so to a degree this makes sense. Still, I think the box designs could've been a bit stronger - after all, it's the first thing you see after opening the shipping box. Plus, collectors often keep the packaging to preserve the piece's value, so it's smart to make it as attractive as possible!

Even though this line has been out for ten years, it's still not difficult or expensive to get some of the pieces. You can get this figurine right now at ecrater.com for $45 + shipping. Happy Holidays!

Toy OTD: Mark James' CardBoy Cartridges Set (2007)

2009-12-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Mark James began to feel a little uncomfortable with the amount of plastic being used in the designer toy world, so he started up a line call CardBoys, where the packaging is part of the figure itself! The first releases focused on characters patterned after athletic shoes (and their boxes), but for the third series, Mr. James decided to try something different.

It's a set of figures patterned after copier toner cartridges in the traditional colors: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The design work here is terrific - perfectly evoking the feel of toner packaging, yet appealing and friendly. The translucent plastic bodies are another nice touch. They'd look right at home hanging on a hook at Office Depot!

As with the other CardBoys, the box containing the plastic body turns inside out to form the head - it only makes sense to do it if your characters have boxes for heads, but it's nicely done and easy to convert after purchase. In the past, CardBoys were blind boxed, and this series may have been the same (I bought them as a cellophane-wrapped set, but that may have been done by the seller). I don't know if this multi-pack box held random blind boxes or simply a set of four. Regardless, the design work here is also stellar, consistent with the toner packaging theme.

The sculpting is mainly a holdover from the original figures, but it supports the new concept even better than before. There's almost no articulation, but these are meant primarily as display pieces, so I don't consider it a major drawback. The printing and color choices are also uniformly strong, and due to their construction, balance issues are virtually non-existent.

You can still buy a set of these toys at digi-zap.com for $29.99 + shipping. As always, check out Google shopping for the best deal. Have fun!

Toy OTD: Tim Biskup, Gama-Go's Deathbot (2007)

2009-12-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

Gama-Go (Tim Biskup's merchandising label) focuses primarily on clothing and prints, but every once in a while a marvelous toy or art piece will appear! While some are very limited and pricey, others (while still great) are more mass-produced and affordable. GG's Deathbot figure is a nice example of the latter.

Mr. Biskup's art and design sense embrace a playful neo-retro sensibility, and Deathbot's construction and look reflect that. The bold colors, simple shapes, and minimal detail are straight from his palette. The sharp paint passes help support his look, too.

The use of materials - wood and metal - evoke a nostalgic feeling as well, being reminiscent of children's toys made in the fifties and sixties. There's a great tactile quality you get with wood, and I'm sure it resonates strongly with older collectors!

The only minus with this figure - and it's a small one - is that the arms and legs are segmented (with a bendable core) so that they may be posed. This is great for potential balance issues - you can flex the legs if it's not standing properly - but the segments are so tightly packed together that the limbs can't be posed very much. This looks the most like the original design, but if you like to pose your toys a lot, Deathbot fits a little more into the 'display-as-is' category. I'm more of an 'on-model' guy, so this call is fine with me.

The packaging - as you might expect from Gama-Go - is really sharp! It makes a bold statement without hogging up a lot of shelf space. The 'bursting-wall' window border is clever, and the theme is carried through the rest of the package with a wrap-around cityscape. Again, Mr. Biskup's design sense is maintained nicely here.

Like older wooden toys, Deathbot was designed to be re-purposed as different characters with minimal changes. Add a hat, alter the paint, tweak the body shape, and presto - you've got an undertaker, an Oktoberfest reveller, a detective, or one made of solid 'gold'!

Four of the five versions are still easy to find and very affordable. You can get the undertaker version is at The Presto Gallery for $14.95 + shipping, and the lederhosen, gold, and detective variants are all at Ningyoushi.com for between fifteen and twenty dollars. Google shopping shows even lower prices, so compare before you buy! Unfortunately, the original version seems to be sold out, so you'll need to set up an eBay favorite search for that one. Happy Deathbots!

Artwork ©2007, 2010 Tim Biskup.

Toy OTD: Gary Baseman Cranium Playing Pieces: Betty, Billy, Becky Sue, Señor Verde (2008)

2009-12-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

It's always nice to see a toy have design continuity. Gary Baseman designed Cranium's original packaging some time ago, and recently Baseman fans have been rewarded with a special version of Cranium Wow, an offshoot game featuring Baseman-designed playing pieces! As a kid who preferred playing with the pieces more than with the actual game, I couldn't resist picking this up.

These are pretty simple little figures, but they're made exceptionally well. The sculpting is elemental - very basic shapes - but it's appropriate for Baseman's style and super-cute.

The color work and printing also look great! Both support the source style nicely, and work with the small scale.

Naturally, there's no articulation, but you can remove their hair/hats (as well as their feet) and interchange them for a little customization. Nice!

The packaging of this edition is really sharp, too - bold black with cool fonts to appeal to older gamers and collectors. Another smart move - letting the game play to its new strengths by displaying the figures as part of the overall design! As you may have already guessed, there's another reason for this. Each game has a randomized group of playing pieces, so you can see which characters you're getting!

If you're a Cranium fan, you'll probably have no trouble buying another game to get the figures. If you're not really a board game fan, you may be bummed about wasting the materials (and money) for a whole board game just to get some cool exclusive figures. Then there's the thought of buying multiple games to get all of the figures - there's overlap in every set of four, so getting a set would be really expensive and wasteful. Unless you give everyone you know Cranium Wow for a holiday gift (each stocked with game pieces you already have), how would you do it? What was Cranium, Inc. thinking?

Originally, there was a plan for this. Collectors could go to cranium.com and buy a full set of the figures without having to buy the game at all! The only catch was that to learn this, you had to buy a game and open it - or stumble across the info at their website. So they certainly sold more games, but didn't encourage people to buy dozens of extras and throw them out.

These days, unfortunately, the figures aren't for sale on the site any longer. If you want these pieces, you'll either have to buy the game and be content with four, or go on eBay and see if anyone's selling a set that they bought a year ago. As it turns out, there's a set of twelve (that may be all of them, I'm not sure) for sale right now for $15.98 + shipping. Go to it!

Toy OTD: Fisher-Price Racing Rowboat #730 (1952)

2009-12-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

Fisher-Price toys moved into the fifties with a shift from an illustrative look toward a bolder, more graphic approach. While the labeling became simpler, the overall forms involved in a toy's composition became somewhat more complex. The emergence of plastic as a material led to more complicated individual parts as well.

I think Racing Rowboat is another of the transitional toys - the boat artwork is still rather representational, and there's only a few plastic parts. On the other hand, the face is much more stylized than earlier pieces, and the movement - the sailor rows and the boat itself bobs - is much more complicated than a typical pull toy. It's very appealing and takes advantage of contemporary materials and techniques without going, well, overboard. It appears, too, that you could make a variant easily (a fisherman, say) with a simple change of colors and labels. This type of design versatility is clever, and was used from time to time to create additional items for the line.

Packaging for Fisher-Price was still very simple at this point. I wasn't able to find a photo of a Racing Rowboat box, but I gather that most F-P toys were packed in cartons decorated like this one - the toy's identifying text was printed on the end flaps. Graphically it's pretty sharp, and very cost-effective to do (I may do something like this for my upcoming toys, as I won't be able to print up individual box designs).

You'd probably guess that '50s Fisher-Price toys are harder to find and more expensive to buy. There's more than a couple non-auction websites out there that deal with older toys, so you may want to try thefind.com or Google (shopping) before you jump right to eBay. Unfortunately, I can't find one for sale online right now, eBay or otherwise. If you really don't mind digging, put 'fisher price rowboat' in a standard Google search, and see if any sale listings pop up. Search engines don't find everything! But if you're more of a moderate hunter, let the computer's fingers do the walking and set up a new-fangled eBay favorite search. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Disney, MINDstyle Black Hole Figure: V.I.N.CENT. (2009)

2009-12-17T23:18:00.000-08:00

There aren't a lot of Black Hole toys to be had, and even fewer modern ones. For the most part, collectors have had to thrash about in a decades-old secondary market. But fortunately MINDstyle, a formidable maker of vinyl art, seems to have plenty of nostalgic employees. What better way to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Disney's sci-fi epic than with a spiffy new V.I.N.CENT toy? I was thrilled to hear the news!

While the figure is good, the promise and the reality are different things, and I was a little disappointed. The sculpt is quite precise - it looks exactly like the character - but the paint work seems a bit looser than I would've expected.

Generally, I'm not a stickler for articulation, but there's nothing movable here at all. The head can't retract, nor can the arms, legs, or laser guns pop out. I don't think the head even turns.

When you have a character where posing isn't much of an option, it's good to add a gimmick or two to keep the buyer from feeling that they've paid a good deal of money ($130) for a large chunk of pvc vinyl (even though they have). Working lights. A voice chip with dialogue and/or sound effects from the film. Moving parts. Different materials (a clear plastic insert for the monitor, for example). Something to make the figure feel a little less - well, inert. I don't necessarily mean voice response or animation, but a few small extras can go a long way!

Aside from the sculpt, the primary pluses here are scale - it's a big figure, a little over eight inches tall (and almost as wide) - and packaging. The box is simply gorgeous, made from heavy coated stock and slathered with sexy graphics and lacquer passes. If it weren't so big, it'd make a tempting keepsake! The figure also comes with a similarly decorated I.D.-like "collector's card", but I'm not sure why - the box borders on overkill as it is!

MINDstyle did include a display stand (a good thought, since V.I.N.CENT can't stand on his own in this pose), but while nicely unobtrusive, it doesn't add much in the balance department. You'll probably need a display case and some museum putty to protect this figure properly.

The original colorway (read: film version) debuted at this summer's San Diego Comic-Con and had a limited run of 300 pieces, so doubtless it's long sold out by now. Toy Tokyo still has one for $150 + shipping (call before ordering), there's one for sale on eBay right now for $180 + shipping, and ToyArena still has one in stock for $250 + shipping. If you're not finicky about the original film colors, MINDstyle has also released a Tron-looking colorway (an exclusive for the D23 Expo) that might be a little less popular (i.e, cheaper). Unfortunately, I can't find it for sale anywhere online, so you'll have to set up another eBay favorite search if you're interested in that version. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Dan Goodsell's Mr. Toast Vinyl Figure (2007)

2009-12-10T23:37:00.000-08:00

Dan Goodsell's deadpan foodstuff Mr. Toast has been an online staple for some time now - he's the star of his own comic strip, the subject of several paintings, not to mention the flagship character for a bevy of cute products. A couple of years ago, Mr. Toast strolled his way into the vinyl world as well, taking the form of a 6 3/4" figure!

Mr. Toast translates into three dimensions just fine - his limbs are much thicker than they're drawn, but they still read proportionately as tiny arms and legs. The sculpt is simple, as it should be for this design - it's even got subtle dimensional treatment on its features. The eyes and mouth have a different grouping than the original artwork, but the toy still has a sweet quality that's true to the comic. Using vinyl lends the character a crispness that suits the clean line work and bold colors, too!

It also comes with its own display stand (always a plus). It's a nice simple shape and color, and it complements the overall look. The holes in the feet may not fit perfectly into the base pegs, so be prepared to do a little tweaking to make that work more effectively.

The packaging supports the simple, understated style of the character too - a drawing of Mr. Toast dominates the box design. It's straightforward and charming without gobbling up lots of retail space.

You can still buy your own Mr. Toast toy at Mr. Goodsell's website (theimaginaryworld.com) for $22 + shipping. Get one today!

Mr. Toast ©Dan Goodsell 2009.

Machine with Abandoned Doll - Arthur Ganson

2009-12-01T13:13:00.001-08:00

Here's a trippy video combining found objects and (I'm assuming) gadgets of the artist's devising.

I'm always envious of artists who can pick up such cool found objects. Look at the patina on that doll! It's the kind of thing that you'd struggle to mimic on a computer, yet it's all there lying by the side of the road, and it has a kind of beauty to it.

Now if I tried to do this, people would say, "Wow. That looks terrible. Did you find that by the side of the road?"

Toy OTD: Bounty Hunter Plush Doll: Pete (2007)

2009-11-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

Bounty Hunter has always been at the forefront of art toys - they arguably created the first designer toy, Kid Hunter (an appropriation/steal/homage of "Dave" from the Cap'n Crunch commercials) in 1997. Ten years later (well, twelve now), they're still at it!

I don't know if this plush is a licensed Disney product or not, but it's very nicely done. Often art toys portray a lascivious or scatological side of a cute character, but rather than repeat themselves, BxH decided to make a toy of Pete (aka 'Pegleg Pete', 'Black Pete', etc.) 'disguised' as his nemesis Mickey Mouse. Since Pete's a villain already, the take is a lighter touch, more mischievous. It's a really appealing design with loads of nice touches.

First of all, Pete's sculpted likeness is great - not simply a cold, technically accurate mimicry, but a sweet, retro-interpretation of the character... in other words, what Pete would look like as an old-school toy. The scale is a good call - a medium-sized toy that won't eat up too much space, but big enough to feel like a substantial teddy bear.

The use of materials is especially good here, with vinyl head, hands and feet - straight from the '50s plush playbook. The furry body gives Pete cuddliness, texture and volume. The fabric pants are just the right weight to make them seem baggy and ill-fitting.

BxH didn't throw anything into the packaging - they usually bag their toys, and Pete is no exception. I opened mine some time ago, but if I remember correctly, it was in an undecorated bag.

The only real minus is the balance issue - it won't stand reliably on its own, though it has a better center of gravity (not to mention the vinyl shoes) than many plushes. You'll still need to lean Pete against something in your display case, but he'll at least pose well in the process.

These plushes sold out some time ago, and I can't find any for sale online. I paid about $80-$100 for it originally, and I imagine it'll cost more than that now. Jump on that eBay favorite search, and good luck!

Toy OTD: McFarlane Toys Where The Wild Things Are Figures (2000)

2009-11-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

McFarlane's Where the Wild Things Are figure line is a frustrating one, as they're simultaneously amazing and terrible. It's been nine years since these toys came out, and even though the big-budget movie version of the book was released this year, they've never been resurrected. They go for a pretty penny these days on the secondary market, and while they don't exactly fall into my "Toys To Avoid" category, there are some things you should know before you drop the big cash.

The sculpts and paint work on these figures are incredible - I've seldom seen a manufacturer work so hard to make a toy line look like the source artwork! These toys are gorgeous, no lie. They even mimic the 'chorus line' posing from the famous book art perfectly. Maybe too perfectly...

There's two huge, near-fatal flaws with these figures. The first is weight - these toys aren't hollow, but solid PVC. Most of these designs are pretty bulky in nature, so most of the characters could double handily as a murder weapon. This combines badly with the other big flaw:

Articulation. Since these toys are sculpted in a specific pose, articulation doesn't really add anything to them. Adding joints to a posed sculpt usually results in every other pose looking awkward (at best). Unfortunately, the articulation added here often includes the dreaded ankle joint - a dubious feature for the best-planned of sculpts. If the manufacturing isn't just right, you'll wind up with a wobbly pivot in a place that you don't want any figure to have it - and a toy that won't stand up on its own. The finishing touch? Bases that are too small, and aren't firmly attached to the figures.

So you've got heavy, solid-PVC figures, top-heavy designs, ankle joints, and loose bases. You guessed it - I've had all of these figures 'retro-fitted'. I've had feet glued to the bases, extra weight added to the bases, ankle joints glued closed, or (depending on the figure) all of the above. If you buy these toys, be prepared to either A) keep them in their boxes, or B) do a LOT of workshopping to make them stand up properly.

While the package designs aren't necessarily strong enough to work as a permanent display, they are nicely restrained - especially when you compare them to most modern toy boxes. They're simple, decorated tastefully with book art inside and out, including the book logo on the box front. The jungle backdrop surrounding the figure is an especially nice touch!

You can buy all of the toys (still in their boxes) on eBay right now, but expect to spend around $200 for a mint-in-box (MIB) set. You can also get the set loose for $150, or buy them individually from eBay or various websites. Comparison shopping is your friend, and of course the longer you wait after the movie's release (and the holidays, naturally), the better off you'll probably do. Good luck!

Photos ©2009 Jeff Pidgeon (ex. box photo), Artwork ©Maurice Sendak.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

2009-11-25T23:53:00.001-08:00

I know it's been a while, so I thought I'd send out my Happy Thanksgiving wishes! All the best from Anita, Figaro, Piccolo and me.

I figured I'd illustrate the post with one of my favorite turkey designs, Mayor Turkey Lurkey from Disney's Chicken Little. Enjoy!

Making of: Graphics for Star Wars (Episode IV)

2009-11-18T16:13:00.001-08:00

Made back in the day. Cool!

Toy Suggestion OTD: Medicom Vinyl Collectible Dolls: 70s Garfield

2009-11-01T00:15:00.001-07:00

I just got my Medicom 50s Snoopy VCD figure in the mail yesterday. It's awesome! I posted a photo of it on Facebook, and one of my friends there had a great idea... why not make the original Garfield design into a toy?

I know that Garfield hasn't really lacked for merchandising, but there's never really been a figure of the first version of the character (not that I'm aware of, anyway). To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, here's how the lasagna-eater looks today:

... and here's how he looked back in his first strip in 1978:

Artwork ©1978, 2009 Paws, Inc.
I think this Garfield design would make an awesome toy! How about it, Medicom?

Latest Kumo-Kun Sculpt Pics!

2009-10-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Photo ©2009 Vin Teng. Kumo-Kun design ©2009 Jeff Pidgeon.

Here they are - I'm giving 'em the final once-over before I decide to make the resin maquettes! The pictures look pretty great to me... thoughts?

Toy OTD: Electric Tiki Teeny Weeny Mini-Maquette: Mighty Mouse (2003)

2009-10-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

Electric Tiki just keeps those great pop-culture figurines coming! This is another spiffy one displaying the standard pluses and minuses of the company's products.

On the plus side, the character sculpt and posing really maintain the spirit of the cartoon! He's still got that oddly soft look. The only detail that I miss are the eyelashes - for some reason I associate them with Terrytoons denizens. They really stuck out to me on their characters, even though (as a design element) they were probably pretty common in that era.

The paint work is quite strong, right down to the airbrushed cheeks. Metallics and gloss paint are used sparingly, accenting details (like the eyes and nose) nicely.

The base is oddly industrial-looking, since most of the shorts were set in rural (or simple urban) environments. Still, it feels fine for the period.

The biggest minus - for me, it's a personal bugaboo - is the logo. As I've said so often before, I know who the character is (that's why I'm buying it), and I seldom like branding on my merchandise. Additionally, I think the logo could've been executed in a way to support the retro styling a little more.

The packaging is of a piece with most Electric Tiki boxes - it's got shelf presence, but the overall impact is a bit busy, swarming with text, logos and stills. I consider packaging design to be frosting (most of the time, I recycle all of it, since space is an issue), but I think there's a missed opportunity here to let the design reflect the old-school styling of the maquette. Minor in the big scheme of things, really.

This version of of Mighty Mouse is long sold out, and was popular enough to merit the production of another maquette of the character a little later on. I prefer the first version myself, but even the second statue is getting tougher to find. I can't find the first figurine for sale online at all right now, so you know what that means... eBay favorite search ahoy! Good luck...

Wes Anderson Responds To Crew Criticism

2009-10-15T21:06:00.001-07:00

Wes Anderson: Absentee Director

2009-10-13T13:16:00.001-07:00

Fur flies on 'Mr. Fox' -- latimes.com

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Muppets "Give A Day" Disneyland TV Spot

2009-09-30T00:43:00.001-07:00

Always fun to see the Muppets. Cool trick with Piggy on the lumber!

What If "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" Had Been Made in 1951?

2009-09-15T17:24:00.001-07:00

Apparently it's possible to make "Raiders" even more retro than it already is. Check out this fan trailer, complete with an identical Ark of the Covenant!

What Will Probably Happen After Enough Time Passes

2009-09-05T15:53:00.001-07:00

But it's pretty damn funny in the meantime!

Toy OTD: Benny Gums, Big Shot Toys & Ron English MC Supersized Vinyl Figure (2006)

2009-08-31T06:55:00.000-07:00

Translations from 2-D to 3-D are always tricky, as so much interpretation is involved. Here's a great example of how to do it right! It's a terrific sculpt that captures the essence of the original Ron English artwork. Mr. English tweaked the character to make him a more compact toy design, and the good folks at Big Shot Toyworks did the rest.

There's a wonderful attention to detail here. The sculpt is simple but vivid, emphasizing the extra weight on MC's face and torso. Balance isn't sacrificed, though - the figure stands well on its own. There's not much in the way of articulation or poseability here, but I doubt the core audience for this toy would ask for much in that regard. It's a display piece, pure and simple.

The paint apps and color choices are great, mimicking the famous fast-food colors well. The bling accessory is a nice touch, a separate piece rather than sculpting it as part of the torso. Great!

The packaging is super-cool, too - a colorful, eye-catching version of the character combined with an aggressive pattern on a sturdy box. Now, that's what I call shelf presence!

The original vinyl figure came in at least three colorways, and was popular enough to inspire later lines of three-inch blind boxed figures and randomized mini-keychains. Of course, the big figures are long sold out, but there is one just like mine for sale on eBay for $450. Grit your teeth and drop the cash - or set up a favorite search and cross your fingers for a bargain. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Fisher-Price Toy #724 : Jolly Jalopy (1965-1978)

2009-08-31T01:38:00.000-07:00

Another delightful example from the days when non-licensed toys were the norm! This one goes way back for me - I had one as a kid (though this is an eBay replacement).

It's what I'd call a "transition toy" - one that bridges the fully-wooden era with the all-plastic toys of today. Not quite fifty-fifty, but there's a lot of plastic parts - fortunately, they're well-chosen. Most are complex shapes that would be much more difficult to make out of wood.

It's a simple pull toy, but it's still thoughtfully designed and executed. The noisemaker is still a mechanical one: a strip of metal twanged by a rotating cam on the rear axle. The car's movement is made playful by a simple offsetting of the wheels; and accented by a spring-mounted head. There's a lot of stylization in the graphics - traces of the older storybook design still remain, but it's a more simplified look than it would've been in the fifties.

The packaging is similar to the look of older Fisher-Price boxes - bold and appealing. Some of the fonts might place this particular box near the end of the toy's run, but it's still charming and fun.

There's three variations of this toy - a round head for the first half of 1965, which changed to the oval head (pictured above) late in the year. Aside from a red outline around the mouth, it remained essentially unchanged until the late seventies.

Since the Jalopy was made for thirteen years, it's an extremely common toy, and not difficult to buy for a very affordable price. If you want the rarer '65 variant, or if you want it in perfect shape with a perfect box, you'll need to pay more, but one can cost as little as $5.00 plus shipping. eBay is lousy with them, so feel free to be choosy! Enjoy.

Toy OTD: Nostalgic Heroes Tetsujin-28 Vinyl Figure: Satan (Late '90s)

2009-08-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

This toy is part of a great late-'90s line of old-school Tetsujin-28 characters, not surprisingly made by a company called Nostalgic Heroes. They really seem to understand what's appealing about Japanese vinyl from the '60s and '70s!

For starters, it's packed in a plastic bag with a hang card, just like the originals. Not much in terms of shelf presence, but NH stayed true to the roots of these toys. The color work is within a limited (but striking) palette - while there might have been only one or two passes back in the day, good use is made of the additional colors. The application is also nicely done, reflecting contemporary manufacturing techniques.

The sculpt is simple, but reflects the style of the original manga very well, and in an appealing way. There's a boldness to the shapes that makes it stand out, in spite of its muted color scheme.

There's only six points of articulation, but even that number is a little more than it might've been thirty or forty years ago. Most of the assemblage is fine, though the hip joints make it difficult for the figure to stand properly, the biggest detraction.

There's another colorway available in green, so you don't have to buy this color scheme if it doesn't appeal to you. It's always good to have choices!

I bought the robot pictured above at Super 7 some time ago for about $60. If you can read Japanese, and if they ship internationally, it looks like you should still be able to buy it directly from the NH website for $62.00 + shipping. The figure is also listed at coolstuffvideos.com, so you may want to try emailing the store owner to see if he can help track one down for you. Other than that, there's always the time-honored eBay favorite search, or a Japanese auction bidding service. Good luck!

Mego Radio Controlled V.I.N.CENT. Toy Fair Presentation Clip (Late '70s)

2009-08-22T07:19:00.001-07:00

This toy never got past the prototype stage. Too bad - I would have loved it as a kid!

Sony Prepares To Pick Up Doctor Parnassus

2009-08-13T00:19:00.001-07:00

VARIETY: 'Parnassus' finds Stateside buyer

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The Walking Dead: Coming To AMC?

2009-08-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

VARIETY: Frank Darabont circles zombies
AMC attacks comic series adaptation - By CYNTHIA LITTLETON Posted: Tue., Aug. 11, 2009, 8:00pm PT

AMC is venturing into zombie-drama territory with multi-hyphenate Frank Darabont.

Cabler is close to finalizing one of the richest development deals ever with Darabont to write and direct a series adaptation of the Image Comics graphic novel series "The Walking Dead," penned by Robert Kirkman. Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Motion Pictures and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion are also on board to exec produce.

Project is set among a group of zombie survivors of an apocalypse who are led by a police officer, Rick Grimes, in search of a safe place to live. Numerous editions of the "Walking Dead" graphic novels have been published since 2003.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Toy Mold Update

2009-08-10T02:36:00.001-07:00

I've just been told that I can't use the silicon molds that I just received for mass production of "Happy Beavers" - the new manufacturer wants steel molds instead. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure either A) The original manufacturer never used steel molds, or B) They don't have those molds any longer. Either way, it's not the best news - steel molds might be expensive to make if I have to start from scratch!

Happy Beaver Molds Have Arrived!

2009-08-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

My original manufacturer sent molds to me made from the first maquette - they just arrived yesterday. I'm hoping that ThreeZero can use them to make the new variants, and that in turn will save me (and you, the potential customer!) some money. I've contacted them today, so keep your fingers crossed!

'70s Flashback: 'Squeaky' Fromme To Be Freed

2009-08-08T01:42:00.000-07:00

CNN: After 34 years, Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme to be released
By Ashley Hayes - updated 2:45 p.m. EDT, Wed August 5, 2009

(CNN) -- The president she once pointed a gun at has been dead for nearly three years, and her longtime idol and leader, Charles Manson, remains in prison.

However, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme is about to get her first taste of real freedom in more than three decades.

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Fromme, now 60, is set to be released on parole August 16.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Article ©2009 CNN. Photo by Vernon Merritt III, ©Time Life Pictures/Getty Images.

Toy OTD: Mezco 6" Talking Ozbourne Family Figure: Ozzy Osbourne (2002)

2009-08-07T06:35:00.000-07:00

The flip side of meticulous accuracy is caricature, and I love both approaches in toys. In general, I gravitate toward caricature and stylization (especially in 3D) because it's always interesting for me to see which details were given prominence over others. While this toy may not be the zenith of this philosophy, I think it's appealing and has a sense of fun.

As you might imagine, this merchandise was a result of the popularity of The Osbournes reality television show. Mezco responded (like many other manufacturers) by acquiring the likeness rights and manufacturing figures of the family members. The toys are in scale with one another, and each features a base with a different voice chip.

I like the caricature here, even if it could be more exaggerated. It's silly, executed in the "bigfoot cartoon" style, and gently mocks Ozzy's outsized image. The pose is a little symmetrical, but there's just enough asymmetry in it to keep the character lively. The paintwork here is decent, and I like the use of assembling different layers of PVC, rather than sculpting the figure all of a piece. It gives the hair and clothing a little extra quality, feeling more separated from the figure itself. The glitter (or silver paint spatter) on his costume is a good textural touch.

There's little articulation to speak of - the figure seems intended primarily for display, and it works fine for that. Ozzy comes with 'his' talking base ("Rock and Roll!"), a pair of glasses and a standing microphone. I find most of the accessories somewhat extraneous, but the glasses add a lot to the character - they're difficult to keep on his head, but it adds a little more sculptural detail.

The original packaging is the standard plastic blister with cardboard backing. I don't find the overall impact appealing, though the fifties retro look is an appropriately ironic design approach.

Naturally, these figures are long gone from toy shelves, but Ozzy isn't terribly difficult to find. It's still selling at Amazon.com for $11.95 + shipping. Good luck!

PS - If you're thinking about collecting the whole family, you can get Kelly though Amazon.com for $6.00 + shipping. Jack and Sharon are both only $5.00 + shipping each at Extreme Collectibles. There's also an Ozzy "home clothes" variant you can buy for about € 12,00 + shipping at Muscara.com. Be sure to try thefind.com when toy hunting - it produces a lot of results that Google alone doesn't!

Photos and text ©2009 Jeff Pidgeon.

Toy OTD: Bandai Dragonball Mecha Collection 1: Lunch On Cycle, Grandpa Son Gohan On Scargo Capsule Bike, Yamcha & Pu'ar In Auto (2004)

2009-08-06T23:33:00.000-07:00

These mini-figures and vehicles are really terrific examples of the blind-boxed genre. The sculpts are wonderful, the paint work is quite tight for their size, and there's multiple types of plastic used to good effect! Even though the toys are packaged in pieces, they're fairly easy to build - some even come with simple stands for display purposes.

There's six vehicles in series 1, and since my blog header can only be so long, I'll review three of them here. All three are quite nice, for the reasons I've already stated - they really capture the spirit and fun of the original manga. It's also rarer to find merchandise from the first Dragonball series - the lion's share of DB toys seem to focus on the subsequent Dragonball Z books.

Fortunately, Toriyama-san's artwork is very dimensional, so to some degree sculpting is a bit less of a challenge here (though any stylization here is very well interpreted). The colors are lively, and the vehicle choices seem appropriate for each character. An extra bonus is that most of the 'drivers' are nicely posed - many domestic manufacturers tend to wind up with an unpainted, lifeless-looking driver when populating cartoon vehicles.

These toys are a good scale - not so small that they'll seem lost on a shelf, but not so big that they're too expensive and gobble up too much real estate. I'm not if there's more than one 'pure' Dragonball series or not - the only series 2 set that I can find has some Dragonball Z characters in it.

The packaging is sharp-looking, both on the individual boxes and the larger case. It's not particularly innovative, but the designs are simple and eye-catching. Bandai was also merciful by including a picture of all the series 1 toys on the back of each blind-box. That's increasingly rare there days!

Originally, each blind box cost about $8.00 each, but expect to pay more since they've been discontinued for five years. Of course, it'll be tougher to get specific characters/vehicles if they're still mint, so rarer items may cost even more. You can get all of series 1 on eBay right now, but it'll cost you $140.00!

Granted, trying to buy all of them piecemeal would probably cost more than $50.00 to begin with, but you may want to comparison shop, or narrow your focus to your favorite in the line. Series 2 will cost you $52.00 on eBay, so I guess they weren't as popular, or were produced in greater numbers.

Good luck!

Photos and text ©2009 Jeff Pidgeon.

John Hughes, 1950 - 2009

2009-08-06T20:55:00.001-07:00

VARIETY: Director John Hughes dies at 59 - by Pat Saperstein

"John Hughes, who captured the zeitgeist of 1980s teen life as writer-director of The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles and produced and scripted family hits such as Home Alone, died Thursday of a heart attack in Manhattan while taking a walk. He was 59.

After an impressive string of hits -- Home Alone is one of the top-grossing live-action comedies of all time -- Hughes, who never won a major show business award, stopped directing in 1991 and virtually retired from filmmaking a few years later, working on his farm in northern Illinois."

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"Happy Beaver" Plagiarism (Good) News!

2009-08-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

I just received a brief email from Eagle Printing today - they've removed all traces of Happy Beaver from their storefront and website. Hooray!

Great New Weird Al Video!

2009-08-04T18:17:00.001-07:00

JibJab and Weird Al... two great tastes that taste great together!
Check out their new White-Stripes-esque video here -
Some fun animation and hilarious cutouts!

Expanded Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Soundtrack CD!

2009-07-28T23:38:00.000-07:00

At last! The expanded/complete re-issue of James Horner's classic 1982 score is a full thirty minutes longer than the previous version. You gotta love that... more Trek music is good!

I bought the CD at San Diego Comic-Con, but you can buy it at buysoundtrax.com for $20.95 + shipping. Snap it up quick!

My Life With Yudu - The Overly Detailed Tutorial

2009-07-19T21:32:00.001-07:00

A little while ago, Anita and I went to Maker Faire and stumbled across this new home silk-screening system called Yudu. It seemed like a great way to make small-run T-shirts (or whatever-s) of my designs, so a few weeks later I picked one up and decided to give it a go. Since I wasn't going to have any new toys for Comic-Con, this seemed like a good way to whip up new swag reasonably quickly without having to sink tons of cash into it.

I know this sounds like I'm leading toward something disasterous, but in general I'm happy with my Yudu set-up - I just thought I'd jot down my experiences with it, in case some of you out there were considering trying it out , too.

The startup cost isn't too bad when you compare it to ordering T-shirts from a printer. The device itself runs between $200-$300, depending on where you get it. I bought mine at Michael's along with some extra supplies, so the initial purchase was about $500.

I would recommend buying extra emulsion sheets and screens in case you have a learning curve like mine - you only get two sheets with the machine, and just one screen. You'll also want to get some emulsion solvent, which doesn't come with the set-up and is only sold in small bottles. I'm able to clean roughly two screens per bottle, so it's good to have extra on hand - you'll either want to buy more screens and keep some of the designs for a while, or have fewer screens and clean them more often.

Using the system is pretty simple, it just takes practice. The videos on the Yudu website are helpful - just don't panic (like I tend to) if things don't turn out exactly like they do in the demonstrations!

Extra things you'll need:

* Nearby sink access
* Scissors
* A soft sponge
* Low-tack cellophane tape
* Packing tape
* Some sort of indoor clothes-drying rack
* Clothes iron/heat press
* A cheap plastic spatula that you'll never want to cook with again
* Yudu emulsion remover/solvent
* Some hand-wiping rags
* "Expendable" fabrics or products for test runs

Extra things you won't need:

* Yudu Squeegee Pro - harder to clean, and oddly not as good as the one included in the set.

The first thing you need to do is prep the screen. So far, I've had the best results prepping a screen right over the sink. In general, I think more water is better than less - run the tap over as much of the screen area as you can, and use a sponge to help flood the rest of the area. I used a fabric-covered sponge, and it worked fine. Go over both sides and wet the screen down thoroughly. Wipe off a little excess with the sponge - this is the tricky part. Practice is how you'll figure out how much water to leave on the screen. Try not to have any big drops running around, but don't wipe off much more than that.

Cut open the emulsion sheet bag and pull out one of the sheets (try to do this in a dimly lit place, as they're sensitive to light). Set the screen on the sink with the flat-cornered side facing up, and place the sheet shiny side up onto the screen. Use the squeegee to smooth out as many wrinkles and air bubbles as you can. Don't worry, you won't be able to get all of them.

Hold the screen up and check out how many areas aren't sticking to the screen. Flip the screen over and using your sponge, lightly dab those areas. Your sponge won't need to be soaked, but wet enough so you won't have to dab much to blot out those areas. The more you dab or rub, the more risk you'll run of wiping off the water-soluable emulsion. Don't worry if more of it comes off than you'd like - my first completed screen was pretty blotchy, and it still worked fine.

Take the screen, put it in the machine's drying drawer (I used the lower notches - I'm not sure how important that is), and dry the screen off with the machine's inner fan (not surprisingly, it's the button with the fan on it). Do not try to do anything else until you're sure the screen is completely dry - that's where I tripped up. I found that one drying cycle wasn't enough, and wound up running each screen three or four cycles instead. A good way to check is to rub your hand over the shiny part of the emulsion sheet. If you get a little staticky crackle, you're probably ready!

Now - the shiny side of the emulsion sheet is actually a seperate sheet unto itself. If it's fully dry, the sheet should pull off very easily once you get your fingernail under a corner. If the screen's not dry enough, some of the emulsion will stay on the sheet and tear off the screen. I learned this the hard way. Twice.

Now you're ready to burn your design onto the screen. You'll probably want to leave the screen in the nice dark drying drawer while you prep your artwork. You can either use one of their transparencies (they only supply you with one), or draw/print a design on a piece of acetate. Any sheet from 8.5"x11" to (I think) 11"x14" will work. The tricky part will be finding a printer that can print on them. Xerox machines jam easily (Kinko's wouldn't even let me try), but printers will work if the sheets are fed manually. You want to print your artwork as black against a clear background, just like any other silkscreening process.

This step works just like the video tutorial describes. Tape your art onto the clear registration panel, making sure to align it properly with the grid. You'll be able to move your T-shirt (or whatever) around to some degree on the platen to determine where your design will 'land', but you'll still want to make sure that the art is reasonably centered and straight on the registration panel. That goes on the bottom, the screen is next (raised corners up, I think - check the video), then the platen on top of that (felt side down). All of this goes under the lid, even though it looks like one of those layers should go on top of it. Once you get it all layered properly and weighed down, zap the emulsion with the exposure button (the one with the sun, I think). It's timed for eight minutes, and you won't need more than that. When you remove the screen, the design will look very faint. Don't freak out - just take it to the sink and rinse off the unexposed emulsion. The parts covering the black line art should rinse off, and now the screen should look more like you'd expect it to look.

After you've dried the screen off (I wipe it dry, then run it through the machine once), get your packing tape and tape off (on the flat-cornered side) the edges of the screen - at least from the silver frame to where the green emulsion begins. If you're worried about the emulsion being too thin in spots, try to tape over as much of the emulsion area (while not covering the open parts of the design) as possible.

Now you're ready to pull your design! This part is the same as the video, too - put the screen in the top of the lid (raised corners up) - your design should look the way it'd look on the product. Pull the protective sheet off the platen - that should reveal the sticky surface that'll hold your product down. Put the platen under the lid, and put the product on the sticky part of the platen. Place it carefully, making sure that the design will appear where you want it on the product.

Keeping the lid raised, pick your ink color and squirt a few lines of it across the top of the design. You don't have to go along the entire top of the screen - remember that the ink is only going to go through the screen where the design is revealed. Keeping the lid raised, use the squeegee to 'flood' the screen, dragging the ink down over the design. Now close the lid and drag the ink over the same area again, as demonstrated in the video. Practice will help you determine how much ink to use. Too much, and the design will look thick and clotted. Too little, and the design will look too light or uneven. Don't be too sparing with the ink, but try to 'flood' as simply as possible - don't drag over the screen multiple times before the final pull if you can help it. Lift the lid, and hang your product up to dry for a while.

If you're pulling a lot of products at once, eventually the ink will all get pushed to the botton of the screen. Use your spatula to gather up the excess and apply it back at the top of the design. Add more ink if needed.

Here's the last step. Once you're confident the ink is dry, either put your product in a heat press in accordance with the directions, or use a hand iron (with another cloth on top of your product) to 'fix' the ink. The demonstration at Maker Faire included cool little heat presses, but I haven't found them for sale anywhere. I bought a somewhat larger one to try in the future, but I hand-ironed the Comic-Con shirts. A heat press will probably run you another $400, so shop around before you buy.

Of course, there's the elephant in the room. Every single part of this system is proprietary. The good side of that is many of the materials are non-toxic/assumedly 'green', which is certainly not true for traditional silk-screening. You can rinse Yudu inks and emulsions down your household sink drain. On the other hand, if Provo Craft and Novelty (the maker of Yudu) goes under, you'll be left high and dry with no supplies to continue. If you want to make T-shirts for a family reunion, I guess this isn't much of a concern, but I'd assume anyone really wanting to invest in this would want to be able to use it for more than one or two major projects. I guess in today's economy, all you can do is hope for the best and try to get your money's worth out of it as soon as possible.

And there you have it! I'll try and update this post later concerning the color-fastness for the designs. Have fun!

'And That's The Way It Is'

2009-07-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

Walter Cronkite, the iconic face and voice of television news for generations, died yesterday from complications of dementia. He was 92.

Like many people my age for whom television was no longer a novelty but a fixture, 'Uncle Walter' was a news anchor in the truest sense of the word - he simply was the evening news. He was called 'The most trusted man in America', and that was certainly true for me.

The office of president was called into question when I was nine years old, but in my eyes Walter Cronkite's integrity and professionalism were ironclad throughout his entire life. For him, a breach of etiquette meant a break in his voice when he announced that President Kennedy had been shot.

He has been called one of the first celebrity anchormen, and while he certainly was one of (if not the) most recognizable and beloved figures on television, it was clear that there was years of news reporting behind his objective presence.

His oft-mimicked delivery was as iconic as those of Walter Winchell or Edward R. Murrow. His reassuring presence was a sincere comfort in troubled times, and when he retired in 1981, television was never quite the same for me. I'm grateful that I was able to experience some old-school news anchoring - and reporting - at its best.

"... And that's the way it is... July eighteenth, two thousand nine."

So long, Uncle Walter. You'll be missed.

Photo: ©CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images. Painfully cropped by me.
For the NY Times obituary, click here.
For the LA Times obituary, click here.

Possibly Offensive, But Definitely Funny

2009-07-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

Living with FPSD. Enjoy!

The Comics Curmudgeon

2009-07-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

I'm sure there's tons of this sort of thing online, but I doubt much (if any) of the rest of it is this funny. The impressive thing is that no alterations are done to the strip itself. How someone can muster the effort to unfurl such involved back stories for Family Circus characters is beyond me, but it's worth your time to savor. Here's an excerpt:

"They say that smell is strongly associated with memories, and when she got just the faintest whiff of mimeographic fluid from the papers she kept in the chest, suddenly she was twenty-one years old again, and working as an assistant in that downtown office. There weren’t many women in business jobs in those days, but her boss, Mr. Franklin, seemed to take her opinions about things seriously. They spent a lot of time in his office, talking about sales strategies and advertising, and somehow she barely even noticed it when it became something more — something much more — than just a business relationship..."

New Comic-Con Swag Has Arrived!

2009-07-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

The booth banners and sketchbooks arrived while I was away yesterday. Everything looks great! There's things I'd tweak next time, of course, but considering how quickly I put this stuff together, I'm very pleased. Now on to the Yudu T-shirts...!

Check out the other product pictures here.
Artwork and photo ©2009 Jeff Pidgeon.