Blobpus Custom Contest (submission via Lulubell Toys)

PRESS: Get your paints fired up boys (and grrrrls!). BLObPUS will have a custom show at the Ghetto in Japan end of Oct. This week they are offering up clear blanks to be submitted for the show. Customizers outside of Japan can get them now at lulubelltoys.com. Prices are US$40 and US$55 for the DX.

5 winners from Japan and 5 from abroad will be picked to join in the show along with a long list of who's who in the painting world. All entries outside of JP will be submitted to info@lulubelltoys.com by no later then the first of October. Hurry though, time is running out. All sales will stop on the 8th of June. Submissions will be due by the first of October.

(Cheers for the headsup, Amy!)

Storm Warriors: WIP-figures by Enterbay & Film Trailer

Enterbay updates a trio of WIP/making of their STORM WARRIORS [tagged / www] adaptation of the martial-arts feature from the Pang Brothers.

CLICK THRU for images for what I believe are WIPs for "Striding Cloud" and "Heart" figures - and check out a new video of the movie (in Cantonese w/ English-subs)



"Aaron Kwok reprises his role as Striding Cloud, an unruly martial artist. He is kidnapped by the film's villain, Lord Godless, and is wanted by the Chinese Emperor. He inadvertently uncovers Lord Godless' secret plan to invade China."


"Nicholas Tse plays Heart, the eldest son and competent assistant of Lord Godless." [Lord Godless - seen in the video above ranting at the end, is played by Simon Yam]. Storm Warriors the movie releases December 17th 2009.

[Text via wiki]

Stikovka: Too Munny Robots (at SAW)

Television-coverage of Stikovka: Too Munny Robots [blogged / flickr] = audio in Russian with no subtitles. (With an appearance by curator Sergey Safonov at the one minute-mark ;p)

Ignition City Ray-Guns from Avatar Press

You know I have a weakness for Ray-guns (newfound but still a weakness nevertheless), especially steam-punked themed rayguns ... and what I peeped on the Avatar Press' flickr-album - got me nice and excitable! The guns are 1:1 scaled replicas of the same firearms carried by the characters in the new comicbook series IGNITION CITY from Warren Ellis (creator/writer) and Gianluca Pagliarani (artist) - and were done mainly for promotional purposes, and are 1-of-1 editions. Although currently there are no plans to reproduce them for mass production, Mark Seifert of Avatar Press adds: "...we are always looking at doing cool new merchandise when there is interest from our readership, so I'm sure we will revisit this issue in the future." ! So folks, would you want to see them as production pieces? :)

CLICK THRU for a closer-look at the guns!





[Ignition City display at FX International 2009]


[Mary Raven with her raygun in the comic-book / artwork by Gianluca Pagliarani]
WHAT-IS: A major new series by Warren Ellis, the writer who reinvented science fiction in comics, in the alternate-world style of the award-winning MINISTRY OF SPACE and AETHERIC MECHANICS—a retro-punk "future of the past" where spaceships still belched smoke and arguments were still settled with laser pistols. 1956. Personal space flight is becoming illegal all over the world. Grounded space pilot Mary Raven has to journey to Earth's last spaceport, the island of Ignition City, to recover her dead father's effects -- and discovers, there in the lawless interzone of the ramshackle settlement raised inside the ring of launch pads, that her father died on the wrong end of a ray-gun. She's not going to leave until she finds out who killed Rock Raven, but there's a lot of people who'd rather feed her to the recycling chipper first... Ignition City is an on-going color epic told in five issue series featuring the art of Aetheric Mechanics’ Gianluca Pagliarani [via Ignitioncity.com]

Hoody Series 2 (DMC Papertoy)

"DMC" Damien drops word of the launch of his HOODY Series 2 (since his last call for artists) - which features the first series of artists working on his papertoy-template and are available to download here. Designs featured are by ina, anubis, tougui, heyindy and Da.

Folks interested to submit your designs are to email dmc.dmc.dmc@hotmail.com (Tell 'em TRE sent ya!)

Reject DUDs from Jamungo

What Are Reject DUDs from Jamungo?

INFOZ: we recently received a shipment of 9" GID Buds and Nades that were supposed to glow blue, but they do not. Instead of ditching them in a landfill, we have stenciled them "DUD" to differentiate them from the previous GID release. We have only done a handful at this point (25 Buds / 25 Nades). If time allows we may do more. They will come bagged with a sticker.

NOTEZ: These are hand stenciled and paint will vary. Budscribers will not receive these, but will get a separate version of the 9" BUD figure with the stencil in red.

THE GOOD PART: They are US$20 plus $5 shipping. paypal sellmethat@jamungo.com please specify BUD or NADE or both.

UPDATED 02.06.09:
The Reject BUDS are now sold out. Jamungo-adds: ///"If time allows we may do more, but there won't be more than 50 of each style made, ever. For those of you that asked, the red versions are for Budscribers only."

FYI: International orders please paypal sellmethat@jamungo.com an additional US$10 to cover the shipping.

The Making Of The Godfather by Michael Lau

PRESS: We introduce another new chapter in Michael Lau's vinyl toy history. Here’s a first look at the early sculpting of The Godfather Original (Marionette) version [blogged]. As the first collectible figure being launched as part of MINDstyle's new (ATC) art toy collectibles line, the style and approach is similar, yet unique to his Gardener figures.

In seldom released photographs, these early pre-production shots provide insights to the highly anticipated figure. With this being vinyl and an art toy, it actually provides for a more stylized approach. [ target="_blank">CLICK THRU FOR MORE]


PRESS: The task presented by Paramount Licensing was to create an interpretation that would translate well as vinyl. Michael was given the freedom to create his vision with the approval of the estate for the iconic character. What many do not realize is Michael Lau is one of the very few artists that actually does all of his own sculpts, resins, paint masters, packaging designs and oversees his productions from start to finish.


PRESS: The 8 inch tall figure (over 12 inches with the marionette) is now in the later stages of development at the factory. Next week, we will share an inside look at the paint master done by Michael for the project and update with more product release information and The Godfather "Family Tradition" art exhibition curated by Ron English.

Stab For Guilty Skullbox by ARTDENKA

"The feature of "Stab For Guilty" ver is that 9 Punkin' studs are striking SKULLBOX's head.
And the guilty blood is shedding on his face..."

A new edition of ARTDENKA's vinyl toy SKULLBOX made it's debut as an exclusive of Subcarism Tokyo [blogged] @ STITCH over the weekend - and is currently available for purchase online @ STITCH Tpkyo (as well as in-store). Email info@stitch.jp for inquiries.

Subcarism Tokyo @ STITCH Tokyo (May 29-June 14)

SUBCARISM TOKYO is a group show featuring a diverse selection of artists and practitioners involved in the predominately Japanese "kaiju" scene, in celebration of said subculture - in an exhibition showcasing original toys and customs, as well as custom skate-decks. Launched May 29th at STITCH Tokyo [www] - the event is organized by In The Yellow and FTC, and will exhibit thru June 14th 2009.

The illustrious list of contributing artists include: ARTDENKA / Ben Mori / BLObPUS / Brian Flynn / Buff Monster / Bwana Spoons / CHINO / David Horvath / DEVILROBOTS / Gargamel / Hariken / Joe Ledbetter / Jun Watanabe / KAIJIN / Katope / Koji Harmon / Le Merde / MAD BARBARIANS / Martin Ontiveros / Matthew Waldman / MOGraphixx / sunguts / T9G / Takeshi Togo/hgs / The Wonderful! design works / Tiger Jet Michiko / Tim Biskup / UNIVERSAL POOYAN and Yukinori Dehara.

CLICK THRU to peep the display items for your procuring pleasure, or go direct to STITCH-blog (image source). Email info@stitch.jp for inquiries. Posted below are online coverage by a variety of folks, for Subcarism Tokyo:

- Opening day photos via Koji Harmon's flickr-set
- Coverage of customs on Toybot Studios
- Luke Rook reports from Tokyo on Vinyl Pulse
- Serial artist features on InTheYellow













[All images via STITCH-blog]

Cure x Mishka Boogie-Man with LAMOURSupreme (May 31st-launch)

Peep the nightmare-face-melting awesomeness of BOOGIE-MAN Version: mvc-01 by Cure x Mishka - co-designed by LAMOURSupreme (including the artwork for the header-card). Priced at US$150-per [GRAB] = "This is the second release of the Cure x Mishka Boogie-Man and the first full color version. This is also the first version to have custom clothes with our custom cyco simon suspenders. Super Limited amount available online for subscribers to the Super Secret Kaiju Mailing List."


(CLICK on above images to view larger) And if you happen to be at MISHKA (350 Broadway Brooklyn, New York) @ high-noon on Sunday 31st May? Boogie-Man will be officially released in-store (very limited quantity available), and LAMOURSupreme will be in attendance - for signings and mass adoration, I suspect :)

DrilOne x Phoneticontrol x Leecifer for Into The Darkness @ 1AM (June 5)

CLICK to go view a time-lapse (GIF-animated) sequence of a crossover-collaboration between DrilOne, PHONETICONTROL and Leecifer for the upcoming Into The Darkness group-show at 1AM Gallery, SF (opening June 5th / 6-10pm).

Also CLICK to see custom-previews for the show - featured on TRE :)