Toy-Review and Origins of The Skulloctopus From Outer Space from Plaseebo
Via the generosity of Bob Conge, I had been able hold to my second Plaseebo product in hand (my first was the cuddly-cool Mummy) and frankly, I relished the vinyl figure. A clear vinyl finished in a haunting custom light-spray, this is the Ultra Limited "Blue Ice" NYCC Edition, complete with light-up feature housed within it's clear vinyl skull (with alternating changeable colors!) - truly a swell toy to be held, IMHO. Together with the bagged figure came a hand-drawn sketch from Bob himself - which to me was one of the highlight of the care-package. CLICK THRU for a visual review of the figure!
As well I remember fondly the online interview I had with Bob in '08, and had asked him about the genesis of The Great American Kaji: Skulloctopus From Outer Space, for which I am proud to bring you here in this very post as well!
Articulated at the skull's "neck", the clear skull-noggin' sculpt was one of the coolest part of the vinyl figure. Yes, this is clear vinyl customized! I've often blogged about the light-up feature of Bob's creations, but this was the first time I could witness the effect with my own eyes. Shown below is the light-feature (turned on by the knob on the skull-head) snapped within a carton-box. Groovy. What I had also enjoyed are the tubes within the skull, which were actually not hardened. Nice one, this.
THE ORIGIN OF SKULLOCTOPUS:
BOB CONGE: Well we would have to begin with the basic backstory of the "Skulloctopus From Outer Space" as that contains the inspiration that brought the figure into being. The essence of backstory came to me one morning in 2008 and was on paper within a few days. [Skulloctopus as a clear urethane edition]
BOB CONGE: While it was not part of the published original backstory, I also had this idea from the beginning - "The essence of the Skulloctopus is a skull full of computer driven robotic systems powered by a solar battery. As such, he is somewhat like a Hermit Crab, in that he is always looking for a new body form that might give him greater mobility or an improved defense capability. When an opportunity arrises he removes the head of any given life form and hooks himself up to the new body" - And so this is my justification for wanting to do as many collaborations with other designers as I can using the Skulloctopus figure.
Sketches were made a few days later (Shown below is a Rough 3D Sketch, followed by Refined Sketches)
BOB CONGE: And the finished sculpt completed in a few later (shown above). Next I sent resin casts of my sculpt to Ricky Wilson in Japan, who handled the vinyl production for me. (Shown below are the Wax sculpts.)
BOB CONGE: And 8 or so weeks later I received the first edition in clear vinyl in March of 2009.
Plaseebo has been offering Ultra Limited custom editions of 10 pieces in each ever since. In addition to the editions I have done, many have been done in collaboration other designers like Kaji of Blobpus, Dax from CRYSTALGLOWCHROME, Matt Walker of Dead Pre$idents, Michael Pro of Cannibalkaiju, Jay222, MOTORBOT and others. New collaboration editions are in the works now as well.
I very much enjoy seeing the fresh vision and unique interpretations brought to my little figure by so many talented designers. It has been fast and furious, I am not even sure how many versions have been done since 2009.
Its like sending your kid to college and watching him grow over the years.
