As the days go on, the closer and closer we get to the release of Kidrobot's next Dunny series, and just like previous years, it's so aptly called Dunny 2013! Today, we are getting a glimpse of some artwork created for this series by the super talented Kansas City based artist, Scribe... most likely the box art, and hot damn does it look good! We spotted this over on the Preview's website with the following copy "Step up! Step up! Prepare to be amazed!! Dunny Series 2013 invites you to tour the tent, point & wonder, and behold a collection of freaks for the geek you didn't know you were. Artists from off the beaten path and the road less travelled lure you to embrace the strange and scary. Featuring 20 designs across 14 artists, each artist applies his or her custom style to bring fantastic, eccentric and sometimes downright frightening designs to homes and shelves throughout the world. Are you afraid of the Kraken? Does Batboy make you squirm? Can you keep up with the Daredevil? Don't lose your nerve now; witness all the demented glory these abominations are and bring them home to haunt your dreams..." It's obvious by the art and the verbage that this is somewhat of a theme series... a Sideshow, or a Freakshow! In any case, I for one am really excited for the release... how about you?

Thanks to Jay P., a loyal SpankyStokes reader, he sent over some info about a release from the super talented artist, Leah W. and her creations known as Little Lazies... and for all you kids who grew up in the 80's, this one's for you!!! This weekend appears to be My Pet Monster weekend over at Little Lazies, and she created a handful of custom My Pet Monster's made out of polymer clay... how adorable are they?!?! I love the aesthetic of these... super smooth, and cartoon like. These are going to be sold in a two day span... the first of which is right NOW, Saturday May 18th at 3PM EST and then tomorrow Sunday, May 19th at 5PM EST! They can be found HERE... don't miss out!

Continuing to pump out some of the coolest, most unique robot figures around, Tesselate just sent over two new resin bots ready to hit the streets! "Belonging to the IT series of the ED-IT DJ collaboration crew, these wild eyed guys are fresh from the factory floor. Once taken out of production (by humans) due to how intense and hyperactive they could be, they were reactivated after the passing of the 2068 Law of Awareness. The Z9900_k series primarily work at Accex Systems creating drum machines, and can sometimes be found on the stage before a ED-IT DJ production working as a 'hype crew'." Titled "Z9900_k1" (red) and "Z9900_k2" (blue), these hand cast, hand painted resin robots will release HERE this coming Wednesday, May 22nd at 9pm (GMT UK time). There will only be 1 of each, and they stand just under 5" tall. Will you be lucky enough to snag 1?

Funko proudly announces the exciting new Blind Box Vinyl Figures from AMC’s the Walking Dead.

2.5 ” Vinyl Figures coming in late June 2013 with a suggested retail of $6.95.

Keep an eye out for their new BIG BANG THEORY Blind Box series coming in July as well!

DC COMICS DEATHSTROKE NEW 52 ARTFX STATUE

A KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import!  Kotobukiya has created several fantastic ARTFX Statues based on DC Comics characters, but there haven’t been any from the current “New 52” relaunch… until now.  Slade Wilson was a member of the United States Army chosen for advanced training due to his peak physical condition and strength of will.  He was also experimented on by the very same government he fought for, and with the enhancements they gave him became a mercenary and assassin.  As one of the most dangerous men in the world he goes by the name of DEATHSTROKE!  Appearing in his own comic as part of DC’s New 52, the character was re-introduced to the world with an updated costume but the same hardcore attitude and superhuman weapons mastery.

 

A powerful addition to the DC ARTFX lineup, Deathstroke is captured in a fierce martial arts stance.  The Terminator wears his unique New 52 style armor with a sleek bodysuit, built in boots, a sturdy utility belt, textured mail-like armored torso, and heavy shoulder harness.  His pose is a partial lunge while he holds his sword in a two-handed guard position, as ever aimed at his enemies so he can cut them to pieces!  All of the elements of Deathstroke’s armor are expertly sculpted from his spiked boots to his fearsome skull-like helmet and everything in between, while the detailed paint applications show off his traditional blue and orange color scheme.  As an added bonus, Slade’s removable faceplate is attached via magnet so you can display him in his fully armored look or unmasked to reveal his scowling countenance and eye-patch!

Sculpted by Junosuke Abe, Deathstroke stands nearly 12 inches tall (in the ARTFX 1/6th scale) on a special display base.  Slade Wilson is the perfect villain/antihero to add to your collection, and he looks great displayed alongside previous DC ARTFX Statues like Batman Black Costume or future New 52 releases!

srp $119.99

Available in November 2013.

TM & © DC Comics.  (s13)

A frogman is someone who is trained in scuba diving or swimming underwater in a tactical capacity which includes combat. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver, or combatant diver, or combat swimmer. "Combat swimming" is often used to mean "combat diving", but, according to some, strictly speaking means surface swimming without a breathing apparatus for coastal or ship infiltration. Such actions are a historical form of "frogman" activity and an important feature of naval special operations. In the U.S. military the United States Intelligence Community, divers trained in scuba or CCUBA who deploy for tactical assault missions are called "combat divers". This term is used to refer to the Navy SEALs, operatives of the CIA's Special Activities Division, elements of Marine Recon, Army Ranger RRD members, Army Special Forces divers, Air Force Pararescue, Air Force Combat Controllers and the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units. Toys City 1/6 scale Combat Diver Set for 12-inch figures will come with Diving Suit, Diving Shoes, Diving Gloves, Force-Fin, LAR Rebreather, LAR Life Preserver, Diving Weight Belt, Military Diver Navigation Board, Diving Compass, Diving Depth Gauge, Q-OPS Waterproof Headset, Q-OPS PTT, OTS Underwater Radio, Diving Combat Lanyard, Diving Goggle, Combat Diving Knife. Do note that the 1/6 scale head sculpt and 12-inch figure body is NOT included with this set. It's been a while since we had a proper 12-inch frogman. Don't know why it's taken this long to re-release a frogman but I'm glad someone finally did. Interestingly enough, Pop Toys released just the exact same diving suit recently, only they called it Water Monster Jumpsuit (see the preview pictures HERE) Scroll down to see the rest of the incoming Toys City 1/6 scale Combat Diver Set pictures / images Related post: Check out the pictures I took of some of my 1/6 scale combat diver 12-inch figures I had collected in the early 2000 period HERE. It has been that long since a proper combat diver in diving suit has been released.

You may all remember the “Vita Nova” custom Dunny's from J★RYU that were at our booth during D-Con 2012... well, the Artist Proof's of these fantastic custom Dunny's are up for grabs HERE via the Silent Stage Gallery website! These customs feature J★RYU's filigree wood style and are part of his 'Forest Of Sorrow's' body of work! There are only a limited amount of these available, and each one comes with a custom stickered box... go grab one now!

Well how about a peek at Clutter's next toy release for their upcoming 'Toy Mafia' get together, and as we previously showed you, Mark Nagata has a really cool release and now we see a drop from Ultimate Skull and Cobra with a run of 10 "Roid Randy" figures! These stand approximately 6" tall, are hand-casted in solid resin, feature 4 points of articulation, and will be up for grabs for $65 a piece, exclusively at Clutter's May Toy Mafia Party next Saturday, May 25th! I dig the pink/black combos... Clutter's primary colors, of course! Remaining pieces, if any, will be available on the Clutter Webstore on Monday, May 27th at 12pm EST.

Gary Ham just posted up a really great photo of a brand new Wooper Looper that he says is going to drop, Next Friday, May 24th! Although we can't see much other than the back of this particular colorway, we can see that he feature a super high-gloss pastel blue finish with touches of black and silver... a really nice looking color combo! We will post up more on this once we get word from Gary, and until then... marinate on the above photo.

In just 8 days, Huck Gee and the rest of the folks behind the upcoming handheld game "BattleTails" have been 100% funded via their Kickstarter campaign... a HUGE congrats goes out to all of the parties involved!!! Now, they are shooting for a ton of stretch goals and are now striving to push the support to the $100-200k mark. The more they raise, the more awesome the game! We mentioned HERE that DJ Qbert would be involved with the soundtrack for this game... well, above is a quick sampling of DJ QBert's "Labyrinth"... a taste of what you can come to expect... really nice!!! Huck also just unveiled the full 11"x17" map of Kinausu and made it available as an optional add-on item for $60 (including shipping). It is limited to 100 prints, only available to backers of the Kickstarter. Speaking of... head on over HERE now to back this project, you'll be glad you did!

Not much is known about this project yet, but it seems that Frank Kozik has created a brand new rendition of "Heathrow the Hedgehog" – which he's calling "Heathrow 2.0" — and these 3D renders are meant to be the prototype for a sofubi cast edition! They will be available in both 5" and 3" sizes... other than that, more info soon!

Mark Nagata of Max Toy Company just posted up to his twitter some really cool looking vinyl test shots of his upcoming "Eyezon 2.0" figure!!! Sculpted by Handsome Taro M in Japan, this new vision of Eyezon is much more organic and monsterous... and I love it! Mark mentions that these photos are from Shimizu-san in Japan... meaning, we may just see a release very soon! The first release is tentatively still scheduled for May if all goes well... and this will be the size as the first Eyezon, about 10.5" tall.... awesome!!!!

We have been posting up teasers for the past few weeks for this upcoming release, and now we have all the details for the second release of Devils Head Productions "ALAVAKA" figure! This particular release pays homage to the Secret Base kaiju spray New Year "Mantises" from 2005. These are glow in the dark vinyl with either neon pink, orange or green sprays. The orange and green are common with the pink being the rare “chase” much like the ratios Secret Base did. Each one comes bagged with a header and will be shipped out randomly. You can not choose the color you want, but orders of two or more will at least have an orange and a green and possibly a pink if you’re lucky. Go and try your luck HERE right now for just $49 a pop!

Hey all you Doktor A. fans... did you try to get the new Bella Delamere "A Midnight Tryst" colorway from Arts Unknown, only to find out that you had to be an exclusive member... well, now is you chance to secure one of these beautiful new figures as the folks over at Collect and Display have 150 pieces of this figure, and they are offering it up for grabs today!!! That's right, you can pick this up at 12'Oclock Midnight GMT tonight, May 17th, 2013 HERE for $98 each! So for those of you not knowing what time that is stateside... check the timezone converter HERE, cross your fingers, and best of luck to all you Dok A. collectors out there!

The nomination period is now over, and the 2013 Designer Toy Awards are now open for public voting... and you know what that means... go VOTE :-) There are a ton of categories, with a ton of deserving artists, toys, shops, and blogs out there to vote for... that being said, I have got to throw out a little shameless self promotion for my site. We took home the 'Best Blog' award in 2012, and hope to repeat it this year. So, with your help... we are pushing for all the support you showed last year! If you come to the site on a daily basis, if you are an artist and we have posted your work, if you enter our contests, if you have won our contests, or... if you just like what we do here at SpankyStokes.com - then please vote for us HERE on a daily basis. Voting is open now open until July 1st... and like mentioned above, you can vote every day! So go out, support those you folks who you love!

Gargamel will be having a custom sofubi toy exhibition at Super7 (1427 Haight St., San Francisco, CA 94117) on Sunday, May 26th, 2013 and it appears attendees be treated to some "new" designs. Pictured above, "Snown" is on the left and "Toxic Conifas" is on the right, both based on the same base figure with radically different faces. And if Swown's face resembles a Nike swoosh, it's because he was originally introduced as part of Nike's "Shoe Shine Show," for which Gargamel painted a pair of snowboots and made a unique Swown for each one (see below left). Normally, due to the Nike logo aspect, Gargamel can not release by Swown figure but special permission was received to do some for this event… And, according to the artist, there are no plans for a mass release Toxic Conifas at this point either. Which means that if you don't snag them at this show, your only other option to get one MIGHT be a Lucky Bag in the future…

It's time for Bwana Spoons's 4th International Globby Day Contest and the rules are simple as can be: log in or sign up for the Grass Hut Message Board, go over to THIS THREAD in the forum, and then post your own tribute to Globby… it can be a photo, drawing, sculpture, custom, whatever. You have until 5PM Pacific time on May 21st, 2013 to enter your submission, after which all the members on the message board will be able to vote for their favorite and a runner-up. The winner will receive, aside from bragging rights, a one-off resin "Takoyaki Cook" custom! And what would Globby day be without a Globby release? The below pictured "Uh-Oh Globby" will be available alongside some customs at 12 Noon Pacific time today (May 17th, 2013) in the Bwana Spoons online shop.

Regenerate your collection with the Doctor Who 3.75-inch scale action figures. A great gift for fans of any age, these highly detailed, realistic and poseable action figures include characters from Doctor Who Series 7. Re-enact scenes from the hit series or create your own adventures; help the Eleventh Doctor and Clara as they travel across space and time battling some famous foes like the supreme beings that are the Daleks, the terrifying Weeping Angels, vast Cybermen armies, and one of his oldest and coldest enemies…the Ice Warriors.   Wave one coming in July!

Each character also has its own Doctor Who display base (Dalek action figures do not include display base) One supplied. For ages 5 years and over.

The tight-lipped Ferg has revealed this completed test paint he created for his "Young Gohst" collaboration with Luke "Grody Shogun" Rook. Cast in crystal clear sofubi, the figure's body really lets the brain shine through… which appears to be cast in transparent blue vinyl and painted in a purplish red on top as well! This striking looking version of the figure might be my favorite to date, so we're eager to learn what exactly it is for…

The figure we've all been waiting for is almost here… Designed by Jeff Lamm and sculpted by Monster5, this Monster Worship released beast is, of course, the "Mecha Greasebat!" Standing approximately 9-inches tall with a massive 7 points of articulation, the first edition — the unpainted black sofubi shown here — will be released by the end of May! No word on pricing yet, but it certainly appears that this wonderful creature creation has at least two different arm options.

Some customizers would be worried about being considered one-trick ponies when they did the same thing over and over again, but Méxican artist Avatar666 is rapidly becoming a frontrunner for stand-out customizer in 2013 just from his Star Wars inspired pieces. Take, for example, this impressive feudal Japanese Samurai meets bounty hunter Boba Fett commissioned custom: crafted from Muttpop's Tequila platform, Avatar666 did an amazing job merging the two aesthetics into one. I really like the addition of the tusks to the face, similar to those on his banner, and the cool accessory details added (pair of katanas, the banner, a backpack and a pair of braids). Absolutely killer!

Specially made from Carson Catlin's design, these 2.5-inch square boxes constructed out of transparent acrylic sheets and reticulated using a laser! Limited to only 10 pieces made in this first "Clear" edition, I already can imagine having an amazing array of these boxes in a variety of colors. These "Reticulated Box (Clear)" releases are available now for pre-order from Catlin's online store for $50 each.

Don P continues to push his customizing skills further and further, unleashing this massively re-sculpted and hand-pained "Donius Apius" piece made from a BeeFy & Co.'s "Ghost Tribe X Warrior" figure. A revisit of the Mongolian Ape Warrior design he previously crafted out of a 3-inch Dunny (see HERE), this battle ready piece is an extremely impressive undertaking. And, if that weren't enough, it will be part of "The Ghost Within Us" group custom show that BeeFy are curating for San Diego Comic-Con 2013!

This week sure did drag on, but that's cool because today is FRIDAY and you know what that means... another FREE GOODIE FRIDAY - awwwww yeah!!! So what do we have for you all... well, it's obvious by the photo above, but we are stoked to announce a very special giveaway thanks to Amy W. of Kokma Toys as she has donated one of her handmade plush creations..."Henry Cupcake Superstar"!!! Henry is delighted to have his own cupcake! This green Japanese monster stands 13" tall and holds a vanilla scented sparkled cupcake. Henry is free standing. He is super soft and cuddly... and the kicker... the novelty of this toy is that the cupcake is vanilla scented. So is that rad or what?!?! A contest worth playing for... I think so! Wanna know how to win, keep reading...

1. First up, give Kokma Toys a follow and Twitter HERE... while you are at it, give SpankyStokes.com a follow HERE... then send out this tweet "I just entered to win an adorable "Henry Cupcake Superstar" plush from @KokmaToya - Go to http://bit.ly/1tOrAy and enter now! #SSKOK" You can just copy and paste the above quoted text, without the quotes of course, and make sure that it includes the #SSKOK tag as that is how we track you :-).

2. Next, head on over to the Kokma Toys Facebook page HERE, and 'LIKE' them, and then do the same for the SpankyStokes page HERE!

3. Finally, just leave a comment in this post telling us what you think the next scented flavor should be for a possible follow up to the Cupcake Superstar! This can be anything, Strawberry, Chocolate, Carmel... just have fun, and who knows... it could actually be picked and created!!! Only one comment please.

Now, each one of those steps is an entry... so if you do all of them, you get 5 entries!!! This contest will end Sunday night 5/19/2013 at 10:00pm so you only have a few days get your entries in, after all is said and done, 1 lucky winner will be chosen at random and will have this awesome plush figure sent out their way! Good luck to all that enter, and a big thanks goes out to Kokma Toys for making this happen. Oh, and check out the Kokma Toys online store... there is all kinds of great stuff available to purchase!

Hmmmm... so tell me, what could this be? A new Deadbeet release from Scott Tolleson? It sure appears that way, and it also looks like he teamed up with Skinner once again. What we don't know is that if these Beets are going to be customized by Skinner, or did he just lend his hand in the verbiage that you can read below. In any case... color us intrigued!

“The 1% percent. Oil tycoon. Shiny and transparent exterior with a soul as dark and opaque as the richest crude. Greedy and bloated with petrol! Yeeeeehaw! Make sure you little folks don't get stuck in the bottom of my boot heel whilst I shimmy my way up towards the golden gates of pleasure and pumpin'!! Tip my gold plated Stetson to ya' as i head on down to drill something cute in the back of my Grandolero Cadillac Ranch on wheels!!!! Whoooooo doggies have you ever just pumped so hard on one of them phillies that ya thought ya'd seen gods big ole' face grinnin' down on ya' like one of them Cheshire Cats? Well I tell you what! God gave us oil and I plan to use it to honky tonk my way straight through those pearly gates, cuz ain't no mortal man able to have this much fun humpin and a pumpin' without paying the reapers due! Unless these quadruple bypasses can hold out ya understand?! I ain't destined for a natchural life like the rest of these sour pusses out here on the oil farm! I'm gonna need to keep them frowning sour patch kids to keep shining them big ass gold statues I had made of myself overlooking my land. Wooooooeeeeeer! There's a gonna be a new sheriff in town up in heaven and he only drinks the finest teas! Texas tea!!!!!! Hawhawhawhaw!' Get it?" ~ Skinner

More will be revealed shortly, but it does seem to hint at a special release for the upcoming Comic Palooza convention happening in Texas on May 24th, 2013...

What is 'Nemori'??? Well, what better way to explain it, than to directly quote the creators... "Join us on an adventure of magic, mystery and adventure in the world of Nemori. Created by artists Cris Rose and Sarah Miskelly, this new art studio will be creating beautiful artworks in the form of limited edition resin toys and prints." This sounds like it's going to be all kinds of goodness wrapped up in a nice package with a bow on top... and seeing as Cris and Sarah are both super talented artists, the sky's the limit! More on this very soon... and in the meantime, hit up the official Facebook page HERE for up to date info drops!

Mike Egan has teamed up once again with the folks over at Von Zos to release a cool, limited edition, set of stickers that they are so cleverly calling the "Death" sticker pack! These are an edition of 60 packs, all of which come with a set of 5 stickers on high quality 3" vinyl featuring images chosen by Mike. Each set comes bagged and tagged and is numbered, and can be picked up HERE for just $10!

5月18日(土)よりFINAL SALEを開催いたします。 是非ショップまでお越しください。

お問合せ先／OriginalFake　TEL.03-3499-3333 _ _ OriginalFake／FINAL SALE

FINAL SALE will start on Saturday, May 18th. Please drop by our store.

Contact information／OriginalFake　TEL.03-3499-3333

The 6" Green and Blue Skeleton Double Cast RAAAR!s are now available from the folks over at Dynamite Rex! Featuring paint treated bone colored opaque resin, encased in green or blue tinted clear resin, these little dino's look extremely cool! These weigh nearly 2lbs each, and feature an articulated head! Each one is meticulously Handmade by the super talented folks over at Mana Studios of Orange County, and each colorway is limited to just 20 each... so what are you waiting for? Get yours online at Dynamite Rex or at Art Attack Toys or at while supplies last.

May is a good month for Erick Scarecrow and his ESC Toys crew.... or should I say it's a good month for all us ESC Toy fans because just announced is a whole slew of new releases! First up is "Daibutsu Eki" by Erick Scarecrow x Monster Kolor. This 7" hand painted resin figures is signed, numbered and limited to only 5 pieces worldwide. These will be up for grabs, TOMORROW, May 17th at 11am EST in the ESC Shop HERE for just $200 a pop. Next is a rad new version of Erick's Crow Crow Bear that he is calling the "REDDDS 001 & 002". This 7" hand painted resin figure is signed, numbered and limited to only 2 pieces worldwide. These look extremely cool... gotta love those red/blues! Pick one up HERE for $250! Missed out on this last time??? Well, these are being offered up once again as the beautiful "Black & Red" Liberty by Erick Scarecrow Artist Proofs will come with a signed print and each 11" figure is signed by Erick as well! They will be up for grabs HERE for just $200 each! Finally... a fan favorite, and rockin a new paint job, the "24K Blitz" Dizign by Erick Scarecrow. Limited to only 5 pieces worldwide. Each 10" vinyl figure is signed and numbered by Erick and can be picked up HERE for just $150 each!

We gave you all a quick teaser HERE last week of a new figure from John Santagada over at Radioactive Uppercut... and today, thanks to Niall Anderson aka [Tru:Tek] of Man-E-Toys.com, we have the above image and info!!! "Revealed as the ‘Radioactive Rumblers’, the ongoing series is set to feature a number of 4″ designs inspired by old sci-fi and horror flicks, 80’s toys, garbage pail kids and comic books of the 50’s and 60’s, each coming rotocast in vinyl with a number of ‘city crushing’ points of articulation (3 in the case of 8-Ball!)". I am really diggin the direction of this, and I think is genius to promote the Kickstarter before it actually launches... the more you know, the more you are likely to fund it... right?!?! This si supposed to go live on July 1st... and will have some awesome incentive tiers... so be on the lookout for more posts about it when the time comes! Want to know more... then follow Radioactive Uppercut on Facebook today!

She was not ready to be announced and shown a few weeks back when Mattel did the rest of their SDCC 2013 exclusive reveals, but now she’s ready to be revealed:

 

Monster High™ Webarella™

This year’s Monster High SDCC offering began as just a thread of an idea but it didn’t take long before we were totally wrapped up in it. Now with no further spin, we are excited to reveal this year’s doll; Wydowna Spider™, the silky smooth Daughter of Arachne, dressed in her costume as the Power Ghoul™ Webarella™!

This product will be available for pre-order at MattyCollector.com on June 4, 2013, to be picked up at San Diego Comic-Con (details to come). It will also be available for purchase at the show.

Since the announcement of Wave 1 of Task One's "Pillaging Pop Culture, Series 1" blind boxed custom series, which depicts a variety of famous and very familiar stuffed characters as seen on tv, we've been eager to see the rest of the reveals (and not just to see if Alex guessed all of them correctly HERE). As superbly crafted as the initial wave, the three figures being released this go around are rockin'... as we have Floyd, Janice, and everyone's favorite drummer... Animal! Each wave is only available for two weeks, when the next wave is released... which means you only have a couple of days left to snag the previously revealed Wave 5! Each blind box is $40 apiece or $100 for all three (with a guarantee of no duplicates)… though two lucky buyers per wave will receive the previously revealed Crazy Harry chase! Wave 6 is available starting this Sunday, May 19th 2013 at 1PM Pacific time in the Tenacious Toys's online store. Oh... and this is the final wave... so be sure to snag em' up!

Batman: Arkham Origins features an expanded Gotham City and introduces an original prequel storyline occurring several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City. Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous villains and assassins, the game showcases a young, raw, unrefined Batman as he faces a defining moment in his early career as a crime fighter that sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight. As the story unfolds, witness identities being formed and key relationships being forged.

Like them on Facebook to see the full trailer on May 20, 2013: https://www.facebook.com/BatmanArkham

Seriously... what are you all waiting for... there are some AMAZING custom boxing gloves up for auction HERE right now, all of which were on display for the "Fight For What's Right" custom boxing glove show that made an appearance in Los Angeles, and New York... and the best part, they all have very low starting bids. That being said, it's really not about the company, or the artists in this case, as 1/3 of the proceeds go to the 'Hoods To Woods' charity... so when you head over, think about your money going to a great cause, better yet... it's a tax write-off, so go and put some bids on some amazing custom boxing gloves. Oh... and not to be biased or anything, but my hairy tongue beasts titled "French Kiss" are looking for a good home :-)

————– NEW PRE-ORDERS from BigBadToyStore.com ————–

NEW DC COLLECTIBLES DC has announced a good number of new items.  We have new listings for the Cover Girls Batwoman Statue at $84.99 ($15 off the MSRP), DC Comics Bombshells Harley Quinn at $99.99 ($25 off the MSRP), The Joker Patina Mini Statue at $79.99, ($15 off the MSRP), Ame-Comi Heroine Series:  Steampunk Batgirl PVC Figure at $49.99 ($10 off the MSRP), and Batman Arkham City The Riddler Statue at $99.99 ($25 off the MSRP).  For new action figures we have three Batman Arkham City two-packs – Mr. Hammer & Harley Quinn and Sickle & Penguin at $34.99 each, and Batman & Bane at $49.99, $10 off the MSRP.  We also have the new Pandora and Black Adam figures at $21.99 each and the New 52 Heroes Vs. Super Villains 7-Pack with metallic versions and/or new decos of figures like Aquaman and Joker, along with a new 52 Catwoman figure, and this set is priced at $84.99, $15 off of the MSRP.  In addition, we have the new Injustice Two-Pack, Doomsday Vs. Catwoman, which is listed at $26.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=12767

TRANSFORMERS GENERATIONS 2013 VOYAGER SERIES 04 – CASE, SET, SINGLE, SERIES 03 CASE This assortment introduces Sandstorm to the mix.  The Case includes two of Sandstorm and one each of Springer and Blitzwing and is listed at $89.99;  we also have a Set of one each of the three figures at $69.99, and singles of Sandstorm at $29.99.  We also have the Series 03 Case listed, which includes two each of Springer and Blitzwing, and is listed at $89.99 as well. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=TRANSFORMERS%20GENERATIONS%202013%20VOYAGER

TRANSFORMERS GENERATIONS 2013 DELUXE SERIES 03 – CASE, SET, SINGLES This new wave of Deluxes takes its designs from the recent comic versions of these characters.  The Case assortment includes two each of Trailcutter (Trailbreaker), Bumblebee (Gold Bug), Orion Pax and Megatron, and is priced at $104.99.  We also have them as a Set of four at $54.99, with singles of Bumblebee, Orion Pax and Megatron remaining;  these are priced at $9.99 – $16.99 each. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22835&mode=retail

MASS EFFECT BUSTS – MORDIN, GARRUS This two new busts stand 8″ tall and are hand-painted.  Garrus comes with a detachable visor and Mordin has a detachable headset;  each base is embossed with a quote.  These busts are listed at $49.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Bioware

TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS ULTIMATE OPTIMUS PRIME This large-size Optimus Prime comes with a sword and shield as well as a ring of weapons that is attached to his back and to vehicle mode. We have him listed at $59.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22845&mode=retail

UNIQUE TOYS WAR LORD UT-W04 WAR PANTHER The next figure in Unique Toys’ War Lord series is War Panther.  He will make an arm in the War Lord gestalt figure, and transforms from panther to robot.  We have it listed at $84.99, $15 off of the MSRP. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=UQT10003&mode=retail

TRANSFORMING TRAILER A new trailer based off of Op’s appearance from the third movie is on the way.  It changes from a trailer into a weapon ring, and is listed at $$84.99, $15 off of the MSRP. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=UFO10016&mode=retail

CST-02J JUSTICE IRONPAW, CST-02SG EVIL IRONPAW The latest transforming cassette from Keith’s Fantasy Club comes in the yellow Justice version or the black Evil version.  Each lion cassette is listed at $25.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Ironpaw

STAR WARS 1/10 SCALE GENERAL GRIEVOUS ARTFX+ STATUE, OTHER NEW KOTOBUKIYA Kotobukiya will be releasing a new 1/10 scale version of General Grievous soon.  He will include alternate parts for different display options and a cloth cape, and is priced at $88.99, $10 off the MSRP.  We also have new listings for model kits from Muv-Luv Alternative and Ghost In The Shell, and a new Cu-Poche figure of Miki Hoshii from The Idol Master. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=12753

“IRON MAN 3″ 1/9 SCALE MODEL KITS A variety of new model kits are soon to be available from the hit movie.  We have listings for the Iron Patriot, Iron Man Mark XXXIX Gemini, XVII Heartbreaker, War Machine and Iron Man Mark 42.  Each comes in Unpainted at $59.99, or Painted at $109.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Iron%20Man%203%20Dragon%20Model%20Kit

LINEAGE II – DARK ELF, DARK ELF REPAINT Max Factory is producing a pair of beautiful Dark Elf statues from Lineage II. Each holds a staff, and both the original blue-skinned elf and the repaint tan-skinned version are priced at $139.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Max%20Factory%20Lineage%20Dark%20Elf

“THE WOLVERINE” FIGURES, ROLE PLAY Marvel has announced a new figure and toy line based on the upcoming “The Wolverine” movie.  The 3.75″ Series 01 Case includes four of Classic Wolverine, three each of Logan and Silver Samurai and two of Shadow Strike Ninja;  this assortment is listed at $71.99 for the Case of 12, or you can opt for the Set of four figures at $34.99, or even get singles of Logan, Silver Samurai or Classic Wolverine at $6.99 each.  We also have listings for a 10″ Electronic Wolverine figure at $24.99, and a Titan heroes 12″ Wolverine at $11.99.  In addition to these, a new role play line includes a Wolverine Foam Claw at $11.99, a Wolverine Hero mask at $11.99 and an Electronic Wolverine Claw at $24.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=3226

TRANSFORMERS RESCUE BOT FLIP CHANGERS SERIES 01 – SET, SINGLES The Rescue Bots are branching out, this time into the Flip Bots arena.  We have Chase and Heatwave each listed at $24.99, or you can get a Set of the two for $44.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Transformer%20Rescue%20Bot%20Flip%20Changers

NEW HASBRO MLP, LPS, STAR WARS, MORE We also have a variety of new items from all sorts of Hasbro licenses up for pre-order.  These include MLP Deluxe ponies, Crystal Princesses and more, Ultimate Spider-Man figures, Star Wars Darth Vader Voice Changer Helmet, Color Changing Lightsabers and Jedi Force figures, GI Joe 12″ figures, “Iron Man 3″ 12″ figures, Avengers All Stars figures, and LPS Get the Pets figures and Boutique.  You can see all of these new items at the link. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=12725

LIVING DEAD DOLLS PRESENTS PSYCHO: SET, SINGLES Mezco’s latest announcement contains the next wave of Living Dead Dolls Presents figures, from the movie “Psycho”. We have Norman as Mother and Marion in shower towel, and each is listed at $29.99, or you can save a few bucks and get them as a set of 2 for $52.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=mezco%20psycho

CAPTAIN ACTION – NEW FIGURE, COSTUMES Another wave of costumes is on the way.  This assortment includes new figure Codename: Action at $19.99, and Regular costumes of Wolverine and Iron Man.  The Regular versions are priced at $19.99 each or the Set of two for $35.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=captain%20Action

THE BARBIE LOOK – NEW PRE-ORDERS A number of new items from Mattel’s “The Barbie Look” line are up for pre-order.  We have City Shopper 1, City Shopper 2 and Ballet Wishes at $29.99 each, with Ski Slope and Grand Ball at $24.99 each. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=The%20Barbie%20Look

NEW BEAST SAGA ITEMS Takara has announced another wave of Beast Saga figures and more.  We have Random Booster Volumes 04, 05 and 06 in Cases of 24 and Random Singles, as well as BS54 Super Winning Deck Type Critical and BS55 Deck Builder DX White Gold, so fans should be sure to check out these new entries and grab what you like. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Beast%20Saga

AXE COP This popular website comic is making the jump to TV with an upcoming animated series, as well as graphic novels and comics.  We have a new set of figures listed that includes Axe Cop, Dr. Doo Doo and Avocado Soldier;  this set of 4″ figures is listed at $32.99.  We also have a 12″ plush of Wexter the T-Rex at $21.99 and an 8″ Avocado plush at $13.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=3275

REVOLTECH THUNDERBIRDS TB2 SHIP – METALLIC VERSION This version of the TB2 still has the removable cargo segment, but now comes with a metallic paintjob. It is listed at $59.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KAI10490&mode=retail

NEW MINECRAFT LISTINGS – PAPERCRAFT, FIGURES, MORE A number of new entries are up for items from the popular game Minecraft.  These includes a Core Player Survival Pack at $24.99, a series of Core Figures at $15.99 each, Cases of Plushes at $119.99 per Case of 9, Papercraft items at $15.99 – $34.99 each and more.  You can see all of the new items at the link. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Minecraft

POKEMON IMPORT POCKET MONSTER FIGURES We have new listings up for Tomy’s line of Pocket Monster figures.  These currently include MewTwo, Charizard, Genosekuto Purple and Genosekuto Red, and each is priced at $24.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=tomy%20pokemon

COMICS NOSTALGIA TIN SIGNS New vendor TradeOpia has a wide variety of tin signs featuring comic art on the way.  These signs measure approximately 12.5″ x 16″ and include Marvel and DC comics characters such as Batman, Spider-Man, Superman, Iron Man, Captain America and more. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=TradeOpia

———— NEW ARRIVALS ————

CAUSALITY CA-10 T-BONE A second shipment of T-Bone has arrived.  This black car has red windows and transforms into a robot as well as being a limb for the gestalt Causality.  We have him listed at $59.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=FPJ10035&mode=retail

ARMS DEPOT 1/6 SCALE ARMORY The 1/6 Scale Arms Depot is now in stock and ready to complement your 1/6 scale Batman figures. It is listed at 149.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=ADE10000&mode=retail

DR. WU DW-P12 BLASTER SET We currently have stock of the gray Version 01 and the blue Version 02 of these attachable arm blasters;  each set is listed at $15.99 http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=DW-P12%20Blaster%20Set%20of%202%20Version

DREAMWORKS TOY STUDIO BLAST CANNON WEAPON ACCESSORY This add-on set works with the First Edition of a big green transforming robot.  The set includes pieces that can mix and match to form a giant hammer, a claw, pummeling weapons for the hands and even cannons for vehicle mode, and is listed at $34.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=TFD10000&mode=retail

DC UNLIMITED 2013 SERIES 03 – SET, SINGLES The third assortment in the new DC Unlimited line includes New 52 versions of Darkseid and Aquaman and Injustice versions of Superman and Joker.  Each figure is available at $18.99, or you can save a few bucks and get the Set of four at $71.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=DC%20UNLIMITED%202013%20SERIES%2003

LIVING DEAD DOLLS SERIES 25 – CASE, SINGLES Series 25 includes Luna, Cracked Jack, Sospirare, Asa and Gretchen, and is listed at $109.99 for the case of 5 (saving you $30 off of the MSRP);  we also have singles remaining of Luna, Cracked Jack and gretchen at $27.99 each. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Living%20Dead%20Dolls%2025

MONSTER HIGH NEW FIGURES – CASES, SETS, SINGLES Yet more Monster High figures have arrived.  We have the Dance Doll Series as a Case of six at $94.99, a Set of 4 at $63.99, and singly (Lagoona Blue and Operetta Swing) at $16.99 each.  We also have the Dead Tired Series 01 Set of three at $47.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Monster%20High

TMNT SECRET SEWER LAIR PLAYSET This new playset stands three and a half feet tall and is loaded with play features over its three levels, including a zip line, falling floors and more.  We have it listed at $114.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=PLM11284&mode=retail

MASS EFFECT COMMANDER SHEPARD BISHOUJO STATUE The regular version of FemShep comes with a Argus Rifle and the Omni Blade and stands 9″ tall.  She is listed at $59.99, $5 off the MSRP. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KOT10871&mode=retail

TEKKEN BISHOUJO JAYCEE FIGURE This warrior is dressed in a pink and white costume, complete with mask.  She stands just over 8″ tall and is listed at $54.99, $10 off of the MSRP. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KOT10986&mode=retail

NEW LEGO &reg PRODUCTS A large shipment of LEGO &reg sets has arrived at our warehouse.  These come from licenses such as Marvel, TMNT, “Iron Man 3″, Creator, Ninjago, Star Wars. “The Lone Ranger”, DC Super Heroes, Monster Fighters, Lord of the Rings and more.  Take a look at the menus or at the list at the link to see these items and more. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=Lego

X-FORCE ARCHANGEL 15.5″ WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE STATUE This piece has Archangel in his black and grey outfit from X-Force.  He floats above the ground with his wings outstretched, and is priced at $249.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=BWD10354&mode=retail

“UNDERWORLD” SELENE 1/4 SCALE STATUE The first of two new Hollywood Collectibles statues is Selene from “Underworld”. She stands 24″ tall with her pistols ready and is listed at $329.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HCG10009&mode=retail

CYBERCOP 1/4 SCALE STATUE This lovely lady comes from Heavy Metal is dressed to capture some crooks.  She stands 20″ tall and is priced at $329.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HCO10122&mode=retail

HISTORICAL THOR’S HAMMER This replica has a solid metal head and suede-wrapped wooden handle with brass rivets.  It measures 18″ long and is priced at $149.99. http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=MUS10361&mode=retail

“DESPICABLE ME 2″ POP! MOVIES FIGURES Funko has released a wave of figures from the upcoming movie.  These include  Gru, Agnes and Henchmen Carl and Dave.  Each is listed at $9.99.  Keep an eye out for the mystery villain figure, too! http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=3230&category=9375

After the original SOLD OUT California version and the great demand for the "Galactic Empire" Flag, Sket-One has now offered up an awesome alternate version... the "DEATH STAR" Edition Flag. There are ONLY 50 of these 60" x 36" riveted heavyweight cotton flags up for grabs, so head on over HERE now to snag one up for just $100! Each flag will be signed and numbered... a true collectors piece!

NemO from Bad Applez Inc. has really gotten the creation of wood texturing on a custom vinyl piece down to a science, as clearly illustrated by his recent 7-inch tall Sharky piece "KeKoa Mano." And not only does this Tiki Warrior Shark look like a real and true hand-carved wood statue, it looks like one that was done by an absolute professional! Created as a commission piece, it is sadly not available for sale.

Limited to a total of 30 pieces to be made, the first wave of 10 "Crabby Bear" plush figures debuted last year at Designer Con. Designed by Martin Hsu and hand-made by Lana Crooks, the second wave of 10 pieces will be released at Maker Faire's Bazaar Bizarre in San Francisco (May 18th & 19th, 2013). If you are unable to attend, you can be placed on a reservation list for remaining copies of the magnificent $85 piece by e-mailing info [at] martinhsu [dot] com.

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (May 16, 2013) —Toho Company, Ltd. the producer of twenty-eight GODZILLA motion pictures, and Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels and pop-culture merchandise, have reached an agreement that will bring the best GODZILLA merchandise from Japan and beyond to the United States and Canada. Diamond will choose, market, and distribute the highly desired and sought after GODZILLA toys, comics, collectibles, and lifestyle products, many of which have previously been available only in Japan.

“GODZILLA has been a pop culture icon since he was unleashed on the world in 1954,” said John Parker, Diamond’s VP- New Business Development.  “Now that Diamond can provide a complete offering of awesome GODZILLA merchandise from Toho, the long lost and unavailable figures and collectibles will be easily accessible to the fans of the nuclear beast. With a new film in production and scheduled for release in May, 2014 the monster merchandise will be here just in time to make its way onto the shelves of North American retailers.”

”We are very excited to be teaming with Diamond Comic Distributors in this opportunity to share a wider and more complete line of Godzilla merchandise,” said Masaki Fujiwara, General Manager at the Los Angeles office of Toho Co., Ltd. “I hope the Godzilla fans in North America are as thrilled as we are.”

An initial round of merchandise is featured in Diamond’s May PREVIEWS catalog, and is expected in retail stores starting in July. To pre-order GODZILLA merchandise, find a comic shop near you at www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook. Retailers interested in purchasing GODZILLA products are encouraged to contact Diamond’s New Accounts Department at newaccounts@diamondcomics.com.

PHOTO A – GODZILLA, 1954 Version: From X Plus USA! The greatest of cinema’s thunder lizards will batter his way into your collection with this 12” tall vinyl figure of Godzilla’s 1954 incarnation! (SRP $160) Available in Oct 2013.

 

PHOTO B – MECHA-GODZILLA, 1974 Version: From X Plus USA! Godzilla’s cybernetic foe MechaGodzilla will terrorize your collection as this 12” tall vinyl figure that depicts the kaiju as he appeared in 1974! (SRP $160) Available in Oct 2013.

ABOUT TOHO COMPANY, LTD: Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Tokyo, Toho Company, Ltd. is one of the leading entertainment conglomerates in Japan. Toho is best known worldwide as the producer of twenty-eight Godzilla motion pictures, based upon a character the company unleashed on the world back in 1954, and masterpiece films directed by Akira Kurosawa. Toho has been the number one distributor of motion pictures in Japan (both domestic and foreign) for nine consecutive years since 2003.  The company is also, throughout Japan, the leading producer of theatrical works and one of the largest owners of office buildings and theaters.

 

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels, and related pop-culture merchandise, serving thousands of retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

The newest sculpted creature creation from Paul Kaiju, "Slugbeard," will be produced in glorious soft Japanese vinyl (sofubi) by the one-and-only Toy Art Gallery! Paul Kaiju describes "this big ugly twisted sea baby" as a "hydrothermal beast" and says that we can expect an initial release this Summer, with an exact date yet to be determined.

This magical custom creation by Bashprojects is a Mini Munny and Labbit set that has been submitted into the previously announced MunnyMunth contest (you can see his submission HERE). The short but sweet description of this piece is: "This beaver munny found himself a new home. He created a house inside a wooden labbit that was cursed by the berry witch." First off, if you've followed Bashprojects's pieces previously then you know that this isn't the first time the Berry Witch has cursed someone; when will she be stopped?!? But, all joking aside, this is a fantastic looking custom. I especially adore the inclusion of the tiny kitchenette within the Labbit's carved out hole.

 

This Sunday, May 19th at 4PM EST, Task One’s 3-inch custom series “Pillaging Pop Culture” Series 1 will draw to a close with the sixth and final release of 3 figures. Collectors and fans have been waiting 12 weeks for the release of an Animal figure. As a special bonus, each Animal figure will be entirely unique: every Animal will be wearing a different heavy metal or punk band t-shirt! Every Animal figure will be fully one-of-a-kind.

Blind-boxed custom hand painted figures will be $40.00 per piece, but collectors can guarantee pulling the Animal figure by buying the full 3-piece Wave for $100.00. Purchasing the full Wave guarantees that you will get one of each of the 3 figures in that wave. Purchasing one or 2 blind boxed figures means you will get one or 2 randomly selected figures.

Tenacious Toys is still selling a limited number of full sets- the whole series of 18 characters plus chase- at $600.00, but only until June 1st when all Pillaging Pop Culture figures will be taken off of the website. There is a “free” chase figure (not part of the 18pc set) that will be rewarded to 2 lucky orders each Wave, and automatically to anyone who purchases the full set. While the exact run size is not revealed, the series is limited.

Wave 5 blind boxes and full sets will remain available on the Super Series Sundays page until Saturday May 18th, so act now if you want to secure those figures! Once Wave 6 goes up, Wave 5 will no longer be available.

Release schedule for Pillaging Pop Culture: • May 19, 4PM: PPC Series 1 Wave 6 FINAL RELEASE • near future: PPC Series 2 (Task has already leaked photos of the sculpts online)

LINKS:

Task One’s website: www.taskoner.com

Super Series Sundays page: www.tenacioustoys.com/SuperSeriesSundays_s/207.htm

Tenacious Toys homepage www.tenacioustoys.com

… a killer series, wasn’t it?

If you paid attention to the cool "Toys Are Us" exhibition last month, then you noticed Dead Hand Toys's über-sweet new resin action figure "Nex." During the show there were three versions available but only two were listed as exclusives… the third, pictured above, was always intended to be the original colorway and the one the artist wanted most people to be able to buy. As such, this version of "Nex" will be available from Friday, May 17th at 2PM until Sunday, May 19th, 2013 at 9PM Pacific time in the Dead Hand Toys's web shop for $40 apiece; this is an open edition pre-order with pieces expected to start shipping a mere two weeks later.

The ultimate Star Trek action figures are almost here! Arriving next month, the first two figures in Diamond Select Toys new, deluxe Star Trek line will be a classically-styled Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, each with interchangeable parts and a diorama base. We got in a couple of packaged samples, and couldn’t wait to bust them open and send them on an away mission! Check out the pics of Kirk and Spock in action on an alien planet – and in the Enterprise’s engineering section – demonstrating their various interchangeable parts, including hands, legs, heads, accessories and more! Pre-order both today at your favorite online retailer or your local comic shop!

Twice a month the gang from Mattel are kind enough to answer five questions from AFi readers.  The Mattel marketing and PR team, have replied with the answers to our latest round of questions that AFi readers have posted in our forums.

 

Q1.  Any chance of some proper 1/18 scale figures loosely based on Arrow? (like maybe Huntress?)

A1.  Nothing planned at this time  but you never know. We do love the show!

 

Q2.  With the “Man of Steel” movie coming out, could we see Superman related Hotwheels: *Supermobile, *Kal-El Space Rocket, *Superman Godfall Motorcycle?

A2.  A cool idea. We’ll pass this along to our wheels team and partners in Hot Wheels.

 

Q3.  Are there plans in place to reveal the Beware the Batman line at SDCC? Not the already known Bats Unlimited versions, but a stand alone BtB line?

A3.  You’ll have to wait and see!

 

Q4.  Will there be any Mattel products for the newly announced Batman: Arkham Origins game? Such as Black Mask or Deathstroke?

A4.  You’ll have to wait and see!

 

Q5.  Will we hear anything about what your plans are with all the other create a character entries at sdcc?

A5.  No. We do have plans in place but this will not be revealed for a little bit longer.

If you’d like to ask a question for the  June 15th submission then feel free to post your questions in our Mattel Q&A question submissions thread!   Remember they can be about any Mattel product including MOTUC, Ghostbusters, WWE, any of the Mattel DC lines, Voltron and Cars. Twice a month we draw our submission question directly from the ones that AFi readers post.

You can submit new questions in this thread.

Thanks again to the team at Mattel for taking time to answer our questions!

Offer a Seat at the 2013 HeroClix Worlds Event

Developers of HeroClix Online today announced a new six-week tournament series titled ‘War of the Shards’ in which one lucky hero will receive an invitation to this year’s HeroClix World event, to be held at Gen Con 2013 in Indianapolis, IN August 15-18.

Each week of the event will feature a new Themed tournament based on an Infinity Gem from the Infinity Gauntlet—and each week gives players more chances to increase their overall scores.

The goal for participants is to collect as many Gem Shards (through tournament wins) from as many different Infinity Gems as they can.  At the end of the series HeroClix Online will be inviting one lucky hero to HeroClix Worlds and offering them a physical 2013 Marvel con exclusive figure of their choice. Second Place will also receive a 2013 Marvel con exclusive figure and all participants will be entered in a random drawing for the physical Thanos figure.

Following the event Gem Shards can be used in casual matches as obstacles for, or to attack, opponents.

The full announcement, rules and regulations can be found on the HeroClix Online forums.

If you weren't fortunate enough to attend the opening of the previously announced group show at Toy Art Gallery, an exhibition of customs using Mark Ryden's 16.5-inch tall YHWH statue, then fret not: TAG have created a video recap of the event! Now you can feel like you were there, experiencing the highlights of the evening and seeing all the wonderful pieces "in-person." Mark Ryden's YHWH custom group show will be on display until May 26th, 2013 at Toy Art Gallery, 7571 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 90046. Participating artists include: Akira Kiriya/Chikuwaemil, Anthony Ausgang, Bob Conge/Plaseebo, Camilla d'Errico, Camille Rose Garcia, Cris Rose, Daniel Goffin, David Flores, DrilOne, Doze Green, Emilio Garcia, FFINC, Francesco de Molfetta, Frank Kozik, Isabel Samaras, Jessicka Addams, KMNDZ, Joshua Petker, J★RYU, Julie B, Kathie Olivas, KRK Ryden, Liz McGrath, Lola, Marion Peck, Mark Ryden, Mark Dean Veca, Mia, Mikie Graham (Blamo Toys), Naoto Hattori, Nathan Hamill, Scott Hove, Sean Christopher, and Yosuke Ueno.

Evilos has created 15 custom painted Vinylmation "Mickey Mouse" figures in Rasta reminiscent colors. Each one coated with green, yellow, and red Monster Kolor sprays, the process of making these amazing pieces was recorded by Designer Toy documentarian Dopevinyl (see his video below). This custom pieces will be available to buy on Friday, May 17th, 2013 at 9AM Pacific time in Evilos's blog for $60 each.

Jon-Paul Kaiser has issued some teasers of a custom threeA produced "Bertie" figure that Kaiser's entitled "Large Martin." Done in his scribed style, this piece looks to be quite the awe-inspiring addition to any collection. Though, I must note, that Kaiser states he is "TEEsing" these, emphasis on TEE being his… Could this be a sneak peek at one of the giveaway items for a lucky buyer of Kaiser's outsmART Originals designs (announced HERE)? Time will tell…

Jon M of Rampage Toys is bringing the party to Design Festa 37 — taking place on May 18th and 19th, 2013 at the Tokyo Big Sight in Japan — when he unleashes a magical mixture of sofubi, paint, and fun upon the masses! Pictured up top is the Rampage painted "Neon Golden Deadbeet," using clear sofubi copies of Scott Tolleson's figure and coating them in neons, metallics, and some nerve-racking hand-painted details. Made in a micro edition of 10, these will only be at Design Festa for the first day, with any unsold copies going up in the Rampage online shop at around 3AM Pacific time on May 18th, 2013. In addition, Rampage will be bringing a brand new batch of the popular X-ray Unicorns (below left)! There will be a few of these sofubi cast pieces in clear & glow-in-the-dark marbled vinyl (with a neon pink spray that also glows pink!) and one clear red copy as well! Plus the always amazing Topheroy did up a batch of 5 Ugly Unicorns (below right) special for the event!

From day one, Enterbay has been nothing but trouble! I read about and heard so many scary stories about their quality issues that I dare not buy anything from them even though some of their prototype products looked really good but sadly, they have always failed to deliver. With the recent release of their Michael Jordan figure, their Quality Control (QC) issues have again surfaced and collectors are feeling cheated and being treated unfairly when buying Enterbay stuff. So much so that they are ranting and letting it out on the forums. Here are some cut-and-paste for your interest: "Passion for Perfection"...ain't that a joke! Let me first apologize if you think I'm ranting, but at least it will be my last rant about Enterbay as I will never buy from them again. Firstly, lets forget about the unscrupulous shite they did with the distribution of the Jordan 45...I'm here to inform you about the new 23 figures. As you may or may not know, the first batch of Jordan 23 figures had some serious QC issues. It was their first release and they were diligent in rectifying the issue...so fair enough. Their second batch was due out on May 2nd (give or take), but via Facebook they informed everyone that they were still having issues and so delayed the release to May 12th. At this point, I thought I really would never have a shot at this considering how HK works (if you don't know, take a look at ebay and see where all the sellers are from). On May 12th, I so happen to be in the area, so I thought I'll try my luck. Surprisingly, there was stock!!! Here was the catch... they only accepted cash and you could not look at the figure up close. At that point, I was already too happy to be able to buy this and thought nothing of it. When I got home and finally had a good look, I see that one knee was completely screwed up (because the lower leg flaps were too long, when you bend the knee, the flaps flare out). Tonight, I went to get this exchanged. I was forced to wait three hours because Enterbay only allowed 7 days for any exchanges, despite all the pre-conditions they imposed. No exceptions. To make matters worse, they took the body and told me it'll take another 2 weeks before I could get anything back. Are you serious?!!! If I may remind everyone, this is a $260 figure. It is pretty obvious to me that they knowingly sold some defective items, and then had the nerve to make their customers come back to fix the crap they sold. "Customer is always right" is definitely not a model that Enterbay follows. Last point, if you are not convinced, while everyone waited on line for hours to get exchanges... anyone who wanted to buy a Jordan figure could go straight to the counter. And I'm pretty sure this is the same batch that I picked up only three days prior. Now that is one honest company. If you purchase from them, I wish you guys / gals the best of luck. I am done with Enterbay. In comparison, I've bought four times as many Hot Toys figures than Enterbay, and not once did I have any problems. HT is rarely on time with their releases, but at least they release it when they are ready. Other comments posted: They had a lot of QC problems ever since their Bruce Lee line. Enterbay told me it's OK to cancel the order but a month later, they still charged to my credit card without shipping anything. I wrote several emails to their CS (Customer Service) and received no reply. I was forced to contact the credit card company to file a charge back. This is first time I had to dispute an order and that just shows how much Enterbay cares about customers and their reputation. Same reason why my local retailer stopped bringing in Enterbay products after all the unresolved issues. Too many Quality Control issues and no solution from them. Enterbay thinks that they can win people over with their preview products and people are silly enough to bite even though their prices are HIGHER than Hot Toys! After all the problems and issues, I'm quite surprised that Enterbay is still around. I guess there are people out there who are still unaware of all this happening so I feel compelled to sound them off to anyone who might be considering buying from Enterbay. Stay far far away!

What's your one stop shop this week... our I guess in this case, your two stop shop as the folks behind both Mighty Jaxx and Plastic Foundry are releasing some seriously cool art pieces, all of which I am sure will tickle your fancy. First up, the brand new resin Hug the Killer "BLEU" edition. This piece is limited to just 50 pieces, and is painted in light blue... oh,and if you are familiar with other Mighty Jaxx releases... this Hug the Killer is compatible with the previously released Tomenosuke Bad Apple exclusive. These are going to retail for just $50 a pop and will be up for grabs HERE at 7pm PST starting tomorrow May, 16th! Now onto the Plastic Foundry goodies... which by they way will drop on May 17th at 7pm PST... first up is and amazing 1-off sculpture by the super talented Swedish artist Jacob Petersson. Entitled "Myling #1", this art sculpture was created by using clay, fabric, wood, and other mixed media... and hot damn does it look amazing! Standing at almost 10" tall, this will retail for only $350... and like mentioned earlier... it's a 1-off... so I am almost certain it will go fast! Next up is a duo of prints, measuring 16.5" X 23.4" Archival Pigment Print on 300gsm Matt Cotton Fine Art Paper Giclee Print, "Albus Lepus" by Cuddly Rigor Mortis, and "Obey your Master" by Clogtwo are limited to just 50 pieces each and will retail for $40 a pop... some seriously cool releases that can be found on the Plastic Foundry website at the above date and time... which ones are you gonna try to get?

The first wave of DMS's hand painted Mini Mecha figures will be coming to his online store HERE this on Friday, May 17th at 6pm BST. These little guys measure in at just under 3" of hand cast resin, and feature a weathered and battle damaged paint job... so cool! They are available in "Blue Steel" (limited to 5 pieces) and "Corroded Chrome" (limited to 11 pieces) colorways, and each comes with a fitted resin base... and these are just $20 a piece!!!

Leecifer joins George and Ayleen of Toy Break once again as they chat about all things toys!!! This episode, they talk about Phizog, Fig-Lab Finger Five, Mini Spider Bot, Picklebaby, Frombies, and so much more! So sit back, take a second, and enjoy the show!

Ardabus Rubber has been busy in his studio... in fact, he's been so busy staying on top of commissions and other custom pieces that just now he has been able to take a breath and send out a little press. First up, a 3" custom Gas Mask Special Ops Dunny titled "Loopholes"! This was a commissioned piece, painted in acrylics with additional sculpting with epoxy resin and a canvas swatch... and what a unique piece it is! Lastly, Ardabus has customized a triple threat set of the new Huck Gee Post Apocalypse Dunnys titled “The Third Coming of The Rauls”. I love the bright and colorful details in each of these piece... and each one stands alone. These pieces are available by emailing Ardabus via ar@ardabusrubber.com - I can't see them lasting too long though.

Continuing to pump out some of the most production like customs around, the guys over at Rotobox just completed an awesome one-off custom Celsius figure that is based on the "Akuma" Street Fighter character... and as you can see, it turned out fantastic. Utilizing some sculpting to recreate the wild hair, as well as a very precise paint job, this custom turned out great, and is expected from these guys... they do stellar work! Unfortunately for all of us viewing it... this custom is sold, but after seeing this, I want to see more Street Fighter custom Celsius from Rotobox in the future... what about you guys?!?!

Are all you ready for the next episode of YA’ HEARD!... well episode #17 is now live... and after a 5 month hiatus, all the folks involved are firing on all cylinders!!! This podcast features hosts, kaNO, Ritzy Periwinkle, Shane Jessup, and Sket One as they touch on a wide range of topics, from the business side of art, current events, designer toys... shoot pretty much everything in the sphere of art! In this episode they have special guest Andrew Bell join them as they chat about The DTA's, Married To The Mob being sued by Supreme, Craola's new show, Vinyl Bodega release, HACHI Supply, and so much more!!!! Stay tuned to www.yaheardshow.com and to the official Twitter page HERE for more information about the show. What are you waiting for... CLICK HERE and listen!!!

Sub-Urban Vinyl and Tenacious Toys are teaming up to launch a fully-immersive G.I. Joe-themed art show on May 31, 2013 at Sub-Urban Vinyl’s brand-new Waldwick, NJ store. The event will feature 100+ custom toys based on The Loyal Subjects G.I. Joe Mini Series, G.I. Joe-themed paintings and prints, and other assorted G.I. Joe merchandise. The entire shop will be converted into a G.I. Joe emporium for one week. Sub-Urban will host many of the participating artists, Jonathan Cathey of The Loyal Subjects and designer Les Schettkoe at the May 31st opening. So who's involved: Nemo, Fuller, JC Rivera, Don P,Carson Catlin, Mr. Munk, Nasty Neil, Nati513, Scott Kinnebrew, Shawn Wigs, Evilos, Ian Ziobrowski, Matt A*, Alison Perez, Blazon Brikhaus, Jay222, Billy Roids, Rusted Halo, Joe Scarano, Dave Webb, Tasha Zimich, Bryan Collins, J Fury, Brian Ahlbeck, DeeTen, Jacob JAMS, Jason Chalker and many others! This show is going to be quite unique and will surly have some awesome customs to see and purchase. So clear your calendars for Friday, May 31st and come on out to Sub-Urban Vinyl for this rad event!

Ahhhh refereshing!!! You taste that? That's the delicious "Lemon" and "Lime" flavor entering your mouth... wait, whaaaa??? Okay, so, you don't want to put these in your mouth, but you do want to add them to your collection as October Toys just announced the release of a new batch of Baby Deadbeets! Clocking in at 1.5″ of PVC goodness, Baby Deadbeet ships loose for just $2 a pop! Designed by Scott Tolleson and sculpted by George Gaspar, grab your translucent yellow Lemon Baby Deadbeets and translucent glitter green Lime Baby Deadbeets in the October Toys Shop HERE now! Oh... and be on the lookout for a new OTMF (October Toys Mini Figure) available around the 15th of every month... so be on the lookout!

It's always sad when you miss a Luke Chueh print release, for those signed and numbered beauties skyrocket in price on eBay quicker than… well, pretty darned quick! So it's absolutely thrilling the Chueh has signed an agreement with Eyes On Walls to officially make some of his iconic designs available in made-to-order open editions. Not only available in digitally printed fine art prints with a variety of size options, these designs can also be done on wood art blocks or mounted canvases! The line debuts with only five images to choose from — though four of those are from the "Revenge is a Dish" series I love so — which you can view and price out HERE right now.

Having never heard of the artist Retrograde Works, it's always nice to open up an email to some new talent as she sent over a rad little custom entitled ‘Squidling’ that was created on the 4” Munnyworld Foomi vinyl toy platform. According to Retrograde, she’s available for purchase in her webshop HERE for $65.... quite a good deal if you ask me. I love the attention to detail on the face and eyes, it's seriously dreamy... but I feel like the rest of the figure is/was rushed, and would love to see the amount of detail and time put forth on the entire piece, rather than the face... that being said, the lack of detail on the body really does make the face pop... so that might just be the intention behind it. In any case, it's a great custom for $65 and it comes in a custom box with a signed 4"x6” print of the vector artwork that inspired her design.

Celebrating their amazing 12th Anniversary, the ever-impressive Super7 continues their annual tradition of the Lucky Bag. Each guaranteed to contain 9 figures total, these "Lucky Bags contain toys which have never been available before and are not made available afterwards!" What kind of toys, you ask? We're promised an array of brand-new sculpts, never-before-seen characters, unexpected test-shots, one-of-a-kind hand-painted customs, and potentially even more astounding content! Pictured below are two teasers they've issued for this year's Lucky Bags, clearly depicting a toe-tagged corpse in a morgue and a microscope… which is giving me a strangely CSI type vibe. Hmm… The Super7 Lucky Bags will be $300 apiece and available Saturday, May 25th, 2013 at 7PM Pacific time in-person only (at 1427 Haight St., San Francisco, CA 94117) with any remaining copies made available online on Sunday, May 26th, 2013 at 11AM Pacific time in the Super7 online store.

At the beginning of the month Mattel revealed the line up of their 2013 San Diego Comic Con exclusives.   Fans of the old DC Universe Classics line and the newer DC Signature Collection Club Infinite Earths subscription line waited with baited breath hoping for another one of their favorite characters to be marked off their wish lists.  In 2012 there was not a 6″ DC SDCC exclusive so there was a lot of anticipation for this reveal.

Needless to say there was a very strong reaction from the fandom when the 6″ DC exclusive was revealed to be the New 52 Shazam.    It opened up a lot of questions for collectors of these lines.   Why a New 52 character?  Why not (fill in the blank)?  Does this mean we’ll be getting New 52 characters in the sub?  Why can’t you sell this character at retail as part of the DC Unlimited line?   Mattel and Scott aka Toy Guru were gracious enough to allow us to sit down and ask those questions that are on the minds of the Mattel DC collectors.   I attempted to address all of the big questions that I had seen asked around the web as well as those that folks have been asking me.

But first- We received a sample of the SDCC New 52 Shazam figure on Thursday of last week, so we have it in hand.  Let’s take a closer look at the actual figure first and then move on to the Q& A.

 

 

Action Figure Insider: Why did Mattel choose a new 52 character as the SDCC 2013 exclusive as opposed to something “DC Classics?”

Toy Guru: Now that we offer DC Classic figures each month in Club Infinite Earth on Mattycollector.com, it just didn’t make as much sense to offer another Classic character at SDCC as those characters show up every month now. Before CIE, SDCC was a unique opportunity to offer a Classic character. Now we do this every month. For example, we just did Wally West in CIE. Could he have been a SDCC item? Sure. But it makes more sense to put him in the club. Offering a new 52 version of a character (and one never before done as a toy by anyone) made the SDCC offering different and unique from what we offer every month online now.

AFi: In the past fans were told that the SDCC exclusive slot was for figures/characters that wouldn’t fit at retail (Lobo, Wonder Twins, Plastic Man, Swamp Thing), but it seems to most fans that New 52 Shazam would fit perfectly in the DC Unlimited retail line (he has enough media exposure being on JLU, Young Justice, several of the Direct to DVD projects).   Why put a character that could easily sell at retail over another fan-demanded character?

TG: There are really two answers to that. One is that we did not have a retail slot for another DC figure in 2013, so there wasn’t a spot for Shazam at retail. The second answer harkens back to the answer to the first question above. Take for example a “fan demanded figure” like Huntress of Elongated Man. Both are offered in the club. Sure we could have made Huntress the SDCC figure, but she made more sense to offer in the monthly club. Offering a new 52 figure at SDCC was something different as New 52 figure are not in the online club and it made the SDCC item unique. Just as you mentioned in your question, Shazam is a figure that wouldn’t fit in the online line (because we don’t do New 52 in CIE) or the retail line (because no available slot) this year. Hence an ideal SDCC item.

AFi: Many fans were hoping for an oversized figure that would require new tooling such as an oversized Doomsday or Granny Goodness.  Were those characters ever considered for this slot?

TG: We’d love to do both Granny and Doomsday! The issue is they are both fully tool’d figures. We just don’t have enough current DC customers/sales currently to justify the logistics and cost for a fully tool’d figure either in the sub or at SDCC. Last year when we sold in the subs we noted a meter showing two levels. Level one was the bare min number of sub holders we needed to keep the lights on and actually do the 2013 sub as planned. Level two was the sign up level to explore more tooling and more skus for the future. We barely hit level one which is why you don’t see fully tool’d figures this year. Until we have the customer base to justify the tooling, fully tool’d figures will continue to be a challenge.

AFi: You took last year off from doing a 6” DC exclusive saying that the sub took the place of needing that slot.   What changed for this year to bring back an exclusive DC 6” figure?

TG: I actually did not work on last year’s DC SDCC items, so I can’t really speak for the strategy as to why or why not a 6” comic figure was included in the offering, but for this year, when we were given the opportunity to do New 52 Shazam ahead of any other toy company, it worked out well and gave us something new and different from standard monthly classic figures.

AFi: With the launch of the DC Unlimited retail line we are starting to assemble a Justice League with Batman, Superman, Hawkman, Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman.  They are all original sculpts with the costume lines etched into the figure.  Shazam has that detail tampo printed on the figure.  Why that change?

TG: It was a cost saving. As noted above, we are at the bare min for sub holders in 2013 and that means we have to be very conscious of our tooling and expenses to deliver product. The lower the run (of any consumer product) the higher the cost to produce. The more sub holders we have, the more tooling and resources we can apply to figures. It is a direct correlation. Fans really do vote with their purchase.

AFi: The hood, when on the figure looks a bit “off” is that the final version of the hood that we saw last week?

TG: It just wasn’t snapped in tight enough when the shot was taken! Oops. The hood fits very flush. It actually tucks into the cape and looks awesome. We just got in PR samples and one was sent to Daniel. So hopefully he and some other reviewers can get some better shots up soon!

AFi: Since the reveal of the New 52 Shazam SDCC exclusive you have mentioned that this figure was meant to “bridge the gap” between the retail DC Unlimited line and the DC Signature Series.  What was the thinking behind the decision to put this figure in DCSC-like packaging?

TG: Just to offer something compelling and fun. As noted above, since every month we are delivering classic figures, it didn’t makes as much sense to offer another classic fig at SDCC as that fig could work just as well in the club line. Offering a New 52 figure in club packaging not only linked the retail and online toy lines, but it made this figure different and fun for the show. Something you couldn’t get anywhere else.

AFi: This year there doesn’t look to be any sort of “SDCC Only” element to any of the exclusives (Gleek, Plastic Man suitcase).  Why that change across the board for all the 2013 exclusives?

TG: Basically the ever increasing cost of producing collector figures. Doing SDCC only versions of characters, or adding extra accessories continues to add costs to figures. As much as we love doing that, delivering a product at a reasonable price came first. The toy industry is a lot different than it was 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago. Labor and raw materials continue to be two factors we have very little control over and continue to rise.

AFi: Does this mean we will be seeing more New 52 characters in the DCSC subscription either in 2013 or the possible 2014 line?

TG: We will not be doing New 52 figures in the online club.

AFi: There seems to be some figures that were not “fan demanded” in the DC sub this year such as the Red Hood.  Some would argue that New 52 Shazam also falls into that category.   What goes into to making the decision to fill SKU slots with characters that have never appeared and any fan’s wish list for the lines?

TG: I wish we could just run a poll and produce the top 12 fan requested figures as the monthly selection and call it a day, but it just doesn’t work that way. A lot comes down to tooling. As noted above, in 2013 we are at the bare min to keep the lights on and produce the online subscription program for DC figs. That means we have the bare min amount of resources and tooling. Huntress for example had a lot of new tooling and was very expensive. Figures like Red Hood or Wally West help balance that out with characters with min new parts. We would love to do more “fan demanded” figures like Granny or Doomsday as noted above, but we just don’t have the tooling with the current level of customers/sub holders. That being said, it you look at the 2012 and 2013 offerings to date, both online programs are overflowing with fan requested figures. We finished the Doom Patrol and Metal Men, offered fan demanded figs like Poison Ivy, Wally West, Elongated Man, Huntress, Freddy Freeman etc… We do listen to fans and try to make as many figures “fan demanded”, but tooling and resources also play a factor. Not every figure will be for every fan, but as a whole we are really proud of the lines ups. (and for the record, Red Hood does come up quite a lot on the forums! Maybe not as much as some others, but he isn’t exactly a character that no one has ever asked for.)

AFi: Any chance that this year when you announce the 2014 sub that fans could at least get a list of names of who you are considering to be in the line up?  Even if we don’t see sculpts or know which version of the character we might get?

TG: We wish we could! The problem with that is things in the toy industry change all the time. One of the things fans/customers tend to find the most frustrating is when we announce a figure or accessories and that figure doesn’t make it to market. Heck, fans are still asking for Modern Red Tornado, Nekron’s weapon and Wonder Woman’s spear (a dropped accessory that was sculpted but not tool’d for the Wave 4 figure in 2009). We just don’t feel comfortable announcing the name of a figure that could potentially change.

AFi: Anything you can say to fans about the remaining figures in the 2013 sub and the proposed figures in the 2014 sub?

TG: I can tell you we probably have some of our hottest most demanded figures of the full year still to reveal for 2013! (at SDCC)  And 2014? Boy is it an amazing line up. We will have the Jan-March figures to reveal at SDCC as well as our sub only 13th oversized figure. We will also be running the meter again this year noting level 1 as the bare min to hit to get the 2014 line to move forward “as is” and a higher level 2 that will let us potentially explore additional skus and more tooling for the future. As always, it is in the hands of fans. We can only make collector toys when there is an audience to purchase them. A few years back we had to cancel our Ghostbusters sub when we didn’t hit enough sub holders. We have an amazing line up for DC figs in 2014, and still some mind blowing figures to reveal for the rest of 2013. If we have enough sub holders to keep the line going, the best is yet to come!

 

Thank you to Scott and Mattel for the articulate, well thought out answers.

This sample provided by Mattel.

Star Trek Select Kirk and Spock are on their way to U.S. shores, and fans are already looking beyond them to see who will follow in their footsteps. Well, Diamond Select Toys has unveiled the next Select, and it’s the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise D and E, Jean-Luc Picard! Wearing his classic TV outfit, Picard has been captured in the middle of a previously unseen engagement with the Borg, firing his phaser aboard a Borg ship, with a fallen foe at his feet. The figure will feature limited articulation and a detailed likeness by Patrick Piggott (prototype shown), and will come in shelf-ready Select display packaging. Look for him to beam down this fall, and join Captain Kirk and Spock in the Select hall of fame! Pre-order him today at your favorite online retailer or your local comic shop!

Over the past week we have been unveiling (one at a time) the seven custom Android designs that make up Mikie Graham's "Mechanized Mad Men" - his new blind box series releasing TODAY this Wednesday (5/15) at Dragatomi.com. Gathering together artists and innovators from all over the world, Mike hand picked his favorite under appreciated genius and wacky cult figures in hopes of bringing their unique and inspiring stories to a wider audience.

"His madness keeps him sane."

The first and only emperor of America, Joshua Abraham Norton was in reality San Francisco's first and undoubtedly most beloved crazy homeless person. After losing his fortune investing in rice, Norton went a little crazy and decided that he was now "the emperor of America and the protector of Mexico." Living on the streets of San Francisco Norton gained a strong following from the local community who accepted his ridiculous new persona and treated him like the dignitary he had now proclaimed to be. Restaurants had special reserved tables for the emperor, he had his own box seat at the opera, and at one point he even minted his own currency which local shops and restaurants gladly accepted. In his time Norton made many grand and often ludicrous declarations, including calling for "the United States congress to be dissolved by force," and demanding that the government "build a bridge from Oakland to San Francisco".... the now famous Bay Bridge. At his funeral nearly thirty thousand San Franciscan's showed up to pay tribute to their once great emperor. Each MMM figure includes a customized 3" Android figure that comes powered by its own (removable) Playmobil representation of its creator (check out the previous reveals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) In addition, each figure come packaged inside of a custom box with its own wooden display base that will include a mini print telling that character's personal story. Starting TODAY Wednesday May 15th at 12pm PST you can pick up your very own MMM custom HERE for $100 with free shipping, available exclusively through Dragatomi.

Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, Scheduled to Appear at Star Wars Celebration Europe this July in Essen, Germany

 

Kathleen Kennedy, the President of Lucasfilm and producer of Star Wars Episode VII, will make her inaugural Star Wars Celebration appearance in Essen this July. Kennedy will make an appearance on the main Celebration stage talking with celebrity host Warwick Davis about her amazing career in the movie industry and her recent move to Lucasfilm.

“When I joined Lucasfilm, I immediately saw the true passion shared by Star Wars fans around the world.  I’m thrilled to attend my first Star Wars Celebration and see in person that energy that makes the Star Wars experience so special.”

Nominated for eight Academy Awards®, Kathleen Kennedy is one of the most successful and respected producers and executives in the film industry today. She joined Lucasfilm in 2012, personally selected by George Lucas to lead the company. As a testament to her standing in the film community, she is currently Vice President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), as well as sitting on their Board of Governors.

Kennedy has produced or executive produced over 60 films, which have collectively garnered 120 Academy Award nominations and 25 wins. Among her credits are four of the highest-grossing films in motion picture history: Jurassic Park, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and The Sixth Sense, as well as such blockbuster entertainment as the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Gremlins, The Goonies, Poltergeist, War of the Worlds, Twister and A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

Her diverse filmography also includes acclaimed dramas like Lincoln, War Horse, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Munich, Seabiscuit, Schindler’s List and The Color Purple, and animated motion pictures like The Adventures of Tintin, Persepolis, An American Tail and The Land Before Time.

Kennedy has produced the films of such directors as Steven Spielberg, David Fincher, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Robert Zemeckis, M. Night Shyamalan, Frank Oz, Peter Bogdanovich, and Richard Donner.

Prior to joining Lucasfilm, Kennedy headed The Kennedy/Marshall Company, which she founded in 1992 with director/producer Frank Marshall, and in 1982 she co-founded the phenomenally successful Amblin Entertainment with Marshall and Steven Spielberg.

What is Star Wars Celebration

Star Wars Celebration is a weekend fan festival that brings fans and families together, from all points of the globe, to celebrate the pop-culture phenomenon that is Star Wars. From its young fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars to die-hards fueled by the nostalgia for the original Star Wars trilogy; curious, casual followers; gamers, readers, costumers or collectors — there’s something for everyone at festival.  This July, Star Wars Celebration will come to Essen Germany and promises to deliver a landmark experience where memories are made, families brought together, old friends reunited and new friendships formed – all in the setting of the ever-evolving Star Wars universe.  Click here for the official trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etq9pchzLZA

Set to drop on June 15th, 2013, Vinyl Attack's previously announced custom blind box series "The Invasion" gets a reveal in the form of Mike Die's custom 3-inch Dunny named "Cat Patrol." Where does the name come from? you ask… Well, look carefully at the face and you'll see some subtle but clear cat ears there! But this only one of the two unique custom Dunnys that Die — as well as all the other artists — will create for the series. Can't wait to see more!

MEDICOMTOY LIFE Entertainmentより MLE GREMLINS シリーズ3が発売されました。 _ _ Project 1/6／SHOP RECOMMEND

MLE GREMLINS series 3 has been released from MEDICOM TOY LIFE Entertainment.

好評発売中 MLE GREMLINS シリーズ3 ペンケース 参考小売価格各￥1,890（税込）

好評発売中 MLE GREMLINS シリーズ3 トラベルポーチS 参考小売価格￥2,100（税込）

好評発売中 MLE GREMLINS シリーズ3 トラベルポーチL 参考小売価格￥2,625（税込）

好評発売中 MLE GREMLINS シリーズ3 マグカップ 参考小売価格各￥1,890（税込）

好評発売中 MLE GREMLINS シリーズ3 ウォレット 参考小売価格￥2,940（税込） _ _ NOW ON SALE MLE GREMLINS Series 3 Pen case Suggested retail price: 1,890 Yen each (tax included)

NOW ON SALE MLE GREMLINS Series 3 Travel pouch S Suggested retail price: 2,100 Yen (tax included)

NOW ON SALE MLE GREMLINS Series 3 Travel pouch L Suggested retail price: 2,625 Yen (tax included)

NOW ON SALE MLE GREMLINS Series 3 Mug Suggested retail price: 1,890 Yen each (tax included)

NOW ON SALE MLE GREMLINS Series 3 Wallet Suggested retail price: 2,940 Yen (tax included)

1/6計画店頭では、この他多数のMLE商品を取り揃えております。 是非ショップまでお越しください。

お問合せ先／1/6計画(project 1/6)　TEL.03-3467-7676 _ _ Wide variety of MEDICOM TOY LIFE Entertainment products are assorted at project 1/6 now. Please drop by and check our store.

Contact information／Project 1/6　TEL.03-3467-7676

After debuting the new limited edition colorways of his too-cute-for-words resin figures at Chromacon (New Zealand's major art & comic event), Paul Shih prepares to unleash his newest adorable editions upon the masses: "Sushi Kaiju" in the "Sakura Flavored" colorway (above) and "BEVIL" in the "Aqua Edition" (below). Limited to a mere 10 copies each, the remaining copies on May 17th, 2013 at 1PM Pacific time in his web shop! Prepare for the F5 battle of our life for cute domination to commence!

The first DX series Joker Collectible Figure from Batman (1989) has received high praise from fans and collectors. To follow up on this classic Batman movie directed by Tim Burton, Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale mime version of The Joker Collectible Figure. This movie-accurate figure is crafted with impressive likeness of the movie legend Jack Nicholson and features the Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS), elegant costume, a specially-designed stand with backdrop and accessories. Hot Toys DX Series DX14 1989 Batman: 1/6th scale The Joker (Mime Version) Collectible Figure specially features: Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Jack Nicholson as The Joker in the Batman (1989) movie in Mime Version. Approximately 30 cm (12 inches) tall. TrueType body with over 30 points of articulation. Detailed hair sculpture. Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS) patented by Hot Toys Limited. Highly detailed make-up, gesture and wrinkles. Six (6) pieces of interchangeable gloved palms including: One (1) pair of open palms, One (1) pair of relaxed palms, One (1) right finger pointing palm, One (1) right palm for holding feather. Each piece of head sculpt is specially hand-painted Costume: One (1) black tall hat, One (1) black tailcoat with white flower, One (1) white shirt, One (1) white vest with black dotted pattern, One (1) black tie with white dotted pattern, One (1) pair of black and white checker pants with suspenders, One (1) pair of black and white spats shoes Accessories: Three (3) feathers, Figure stage with The Joker nameplate, movie logo, DX series title and backdrop Artists: Head Sculpted by Yulli, Head Painted by JC.Hong, Head Art Directed by JC.Hong, Costume Designed by Hai Lim **Prototype shown, final product may be slightly different **Product details could be subjected to change without further notice

Everyone loves cupcakes and space travel, so why not bring the two together?!? Created by mastermind mini figure maverick Tru:Tek for his The Disarticulators group branding, we get this amazing mash-up of his own TTFTD Bio-Drone with the classic Rampage Toys designed Cupcake Luchador keshi under the guise of… "Cupcakes in Space!" Made out of four rubber cast parts, these mini figures are vibrant and vivid looking. And who doesn't like a sweet clear plastic dome on top of their toys?!? This design is set to debut at junk food-inspired group show Tokyo Junkie 5 Exhibition next week, but we're told that a general release has been tentatively set for May 31st, 2013! The "Tokyo Junkie 5 Exhibition" will open on May 24th and be on display until June 5th, 2013 at Plateaux in Ikebukuro (Tokyo). Participating artists include: Rampage Toys, Devilrobots, Art Junkie, Mad Barbarians, and Hidaka Makoto. [Image and information courtesy of the Man-E-Toys blog.]

Masters of the Universe is the focus on tonight’s episode of  “Toy Hunter.” Show host Jordan Hembrough needs Scott “Toy Guru” Neitlich’s help identifying a vintage MOTU figure on the Travel Channel program.  Check your local listings!  http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/toy-hunter

The other day we showed you the 20 second teaser.   Here is the full official trailer for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Previously launched as the Return to the Sea set, due to popular demand, the folks over at outsmART originals have expanded the collection to include reverse colorways for the season. The collection includes both the "Skull of the Corsair" and "The Mermaid" tees available on black or white t-shirts. In addition, the mens tees will be screen printed on Ultra Cotton Tees for a classic fit while the ladies tees will be screen printed on American Apparel Fine Jersey tees for a super soft and flattering fit. Retailing for just $20 each and limited to just 25 pieces of each design, these shirts will go quick... and just like all of OO releases, there are some great incentives for you to buy this up... like the chance to win a one-of-a-kind TEST PULL vinyl toy that was never released to the public. For more info and to pick these up, head to the online store HERE right now, and while you are at it, pick up our Stroll shirt as well :-)

Hi everyone and welcome back! As you might imagine there’s going to be some Iron Man 3 talk this week. We both saw it, both dug it and try to talk about our enjoyment of it as spoiler-free as possible. Jason also has a leg up on the rest of us as he got to see an early screening of Star Trek Into Darkness.

Like many in the community this past week we were saddened by the news of the passing of the legendary Ray Harryhausen. Also like rest of the world we were captivated by the man’s work our entire lives. Jason and I both had the opportunity to meet the man on separate occasions and we share some of our remembrances.

 

In this episode we cover:

• - Electronic Arts announce exclusive deal to do Star Wars games
• - World’s End release the first official trailer
• - Our Iron Man 3 thoughts
• - Iron Man 3 takes in $175 mill in opening weekend.
• - Jason’s spoiler-free thoughts on Star Trek Into Darkness
• - Dueling Spocks Audi commercial
• - Daniel is enjoying playing the Star Trek video game from Namco Bandai.
• - Nathan for You on Comedy Central.
• - Mattel’s Surprise MOTUC “Spirit of Hordak” figure
• - New Arkham City and Arkham Origins figures announced by DC Collectibles.
• - Documentary of the week: The Art of the Steal
• - Jason finished up ‘House of Cards’ on Netflix.
• - Daniel will again be judging at UCB’s Tournament of Nerds, May 5/18 at midnight. You can get tickets here for only $5 here!

All that and more in this week’s brand new episode!

You can listen here or on iTunes!

Matt 'Lunartik' JOnes was supposed to release his "Royal Teas" at Toycon UK... but due to some unforeseen circumstances, they did not make it in time, but now, they have finally come in, and are up for grabs HERE right now! This figure, featuring a white cup with gold trim and accents with a nice blue graphic on the cup is looking really nice, and if you pre-ordered this bad boy, don't worry as they have been sent out and should be arriving any day. That being said, if you still want one of these limited edition 2.5" vinyl tea's... then click the link above and pull the trigger!

The folks over at UGLYDOLL have partnered with The Ave Venice, a concept store that delivers unique and legendary footwear to offer up a selection of custom designed and printed UGLYDOLL Converse Chuck Taylors... say what?!?! That's right folks, the initial launch features four styles of the beloved UGLYDOLL characters, "OX", "Ninja Batty Shogun", "Ice-Bat" and others. The custom shoes will be available HERE beginning May 15th, 2013 exclusively at The Ave Venice, 64 Winward, Venice Beach, CA and on-line at www.theavevenice.com... get your Ugly on!

Con Air is an 1997 American action-thriller film directed by Simon West and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of The Rock. It stars Nicolas Cage, John Cusack and John Malkovich. The film borrows its title from the nickname of the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System. While scanning a newspaper article, Screenwriter Scott Rosenberg first learned of the special program, then visited its Oklahoma City base "to get an eyewitness perspective of the incredible operation, which quickly formed the genesis for Con Air." (source: wiki) Honorably discharged U.S. Army Ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) is sentenced to a maximum-security federal penitentiary for using excessive force and killing a drunk man who had been attempting to assault his pregnant wife, Tricia. Eight years later, Poe is paroled on good conduct, and eager to see his daughter Casey whom he has never met. Poe is arranged to be flown back home to Alabama on a C-123 known as Jailbird where he will be released on landing. Things don't go as expected and mayhem ensues. This 1/6 scale Jail Hero 12-inch figure will be HPC Toys' second release, after their first figure, A Cop Never Dies (no pictures available but no prizes for guessing who that figure is based upon LOL) and looks to be inspired by Nicolas Cage's character of Cameron Poe in Con Air. What you see is what you get. Scroll down to see more pictures of said product. Never knew they let convicts keep their hair long in the joint. Or that they are allowed to have bunnies. All this happened before John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and Ted. Who would've thought that grown men get so attached to their stuffed animals ;p Me thinks the HPC Toys Jail Hero 12-inch figure's 1/6 scale head sculpt is a tad better looking than the actual actor who played him in the film. There is a resemblance to Nicolas Cage and the likeness is there but still, something's amiss. Other Nicolas Cage figures released: August 17, 2008 – Dragon Models Limited (DML) WWII "Windtalkers (2002)" USMC SGT Joe Enders posted HERE August 19, 2008 – Dragon Models Limited (DML) WWII US Army 82nd Airborne Pathfinder "Tom" pictures August 22, 2008 – Dragon Models Limited (DML) WWII (Wesel 1945) US Army 17th Airborne Bar Gunner "Jeb" pictures December 7, 2009 – Soldier Story WWII USMC Flamethrower PREVIEW pictures September 26, 2010 – Heroic "Face Off" (Preview pictures)

Mark Nagata of Max Toy Company has been working on a micro run of Kaiju Negora hand paints that are set to release next Saturday, May 25th during Clutter's next 'Toy Mafia' event! These little critters look so bright and vibrant... and retailing for just $30 a pop... how can you not try to grab one! That being said, if you attend the event, you get first dibs... and all leftovers will be posted online after the party is over. Be on the lookout for more exclusives from this event as well!

Gallery Hugo45 in Braunschweig, Germany is playing host to DUST in a brand new solo exhibition entitled "Organic". This show will feature a whole new collection of works including paintings, drawings and sculptures as well as a mural that Dust will be installing in the Gallery space... this should be awesome! The opening reception is this Saturday, May 18th, 2013 at 5:45pm. For more info, visit the gallery website HERE.

Looking for that extra piece of flare to set your wedding off like no other... well, thanks to the folks over at The University of Muscle, they tipped us onto the work of Brandon Waltz who created custom Mini-Figure Boutonnieres for his wedding party... how cool is that! Most of them are of M.U.S.C.L.E. origin, but if you look in the bottom right photo, it appears that our very own STROLL from O.M.F.G. Series 1 made an appearance... so rad!!! Wanna make some of your own, head on over HERE to learn how Brandon did it!

Hey all you San Diego and surrounding area folks... looking for something to do this Saturday? Well, the weather is going to be amazing, so head on out to Gunnzo this Saturday, May 18th from 1pm-6pm for one of their awesome open house events! Not only can you pick up some rad vinyl figures, but they are also participating in Kidrobot's MUNNYMUNTH by hosting a DIY contest and having a trading party to boot! Scribble. Paint. Sculpt. Pose. Transform your DIY figure into a work of art straight out of your imagination. Come join fellow local collectors and artists for a customizing party to share ideas, tips, and tricks! GUNNZO will have accessories, acrylic paints, markers, origami paper, as well as other supplies for you to use. However, please feel free to bring any supplies you want! GUNNZO is also offering 20% off all MUNNYWORLD items for your customizing pleasure! For more info, hit up the official site HERE! See you all on Saturday!