TOYSREVIL's Top Ten Art-Toys You Have To Have at SDCC (Below US$50 Each)
"Daddy-Big-Bucks" is that other guy snapping up toys left-right-n-center at San Diego Comic Con (www), while you have a budget to keep to - I can respect that, and I can relate! So rather than whine about what we could not afford, let's see what we CAN, and be utterly elated about that! Check the TOYSREVIL Top Ten Art Toys You Have To Have @ SDCC - with items all costing no more than a respectable US$50 per figure!
What Are "Art Toys"? Essentially non-media-licensed characters (from movies, cartoons or comicbooks etc) but are instead created by individual independent artist plying their work and wares within the seemingly "underground" toy culture - where quantities of toys are mentioned and prices are higher than mass-market toys, and predominantly, the name of the artist/designer who created the toy, is mentioned! (What? You gonna tell me the name of the designer who did that G.I.Joe action figure on blister-card? LOL)
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#1: CHIPSTER by Scott Tolleson
WHY: From Scott Tolleson comes the all-new CHIPSTER = A blue-furred monster with a smile and seems knack for mischief! Priced at US$30 (but ONLY at SDCC, price will go up afters!) and is available via Scott's SDCC booth #4836. Quantities undetermined, but Scott will be at his booth - so remember to snag him for an autograph or to sign on your Chipster!
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#2: LADY MAXX by Mark Nagata of Max Toy Co
WHY: I've missed the various colorways prior to this release, and this purple+green edition evokes memories of Evangelion Unit 01! This made-in-vinyl 4-inch tall figure comes with two headsculpts (with helmet and without helmet) and can be found for US$50 at the Rotofugi booth #4736 [MORE]
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#3: TIGROWL CHIISAI SPIKI by Rotobox x Nakanari
WHY: KusoVinyl will be releasing the Artist Series for their Chiisai Spikis, and this particular Thudercats-homage design named TIGROWL is actually the 100-pcs limited edition "chase" figure from the regular "Lion-O" design! Designed by Rotobox on the Nakanari-designed Spiki form - the regular figure stands 4-inch tall and is priced at US$15 per blind box pull, I wonder if they'll consider selling him "loose"? [MORE]. Available via Booth #605.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#4: SKETCHBOT V.4 from Steve Talkowski
WHY: This fourth colorway edition release was a "surprise" and it comes in a swell lime-green body-form that seems to "pop" like fluorescent neon! Affordably priced at US$35 per and available at the Dragatomi booth #4935 - also looking for t's creator Steve Talkowski to be signing at the booth on Thursday at 12pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Steve will also bring along a limited SDCC-signings-only exclusive SDCC Sketchbot print. [MORE].
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#5: FOSTER by Brian Flynn
WHY: Amongst the myriad of 'modern kaiju'-fueled releases from Super7 for SDCC this year, this single figure somehow stood out = FOSTER the lil ice-cream-sandwich-boy with a bite taken outta him! So poor thing, right? Designed by Bryn Flynn and part of his "Ghost Land" series of figures - grab the vanilla-filled cookie toy for US$18 at booth #4729.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#6: SUPER DUPER CAPED CAVEY PLUSH from A Little Stranger
WHY: There are a quartet of Cavey plushies heading their way to SDCC, each an exclusive with a different booth brand - and the single one I am looking out for is the Super Duper Caped Cavey Pink-edition - with a white-cape! [MORE] Limited to only 10 pieces priced at US$30 each = how to score him? Look for the creator of Cavey, Holly Stanway! Here's a hint: She'll be signing at the following locales and times:
- October Toys Booth #4838 Thursday July 21st (12noon-1pm)
- Dragatomi Booth #4935 Friday July 22nd (12noon-1pm)
- DKE Booth #4728 Saturday 23rd July (12noon-1pm)
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#7: O-NO-SASHIMI by Andrew Bell
WHY: There's no better fish to be had, than raw fish - and by that I mean O-No Sashimi by Andrew Bell, with the blue being the exclusive for SDCC (Green is the regular edition). Grab him asap but do not put into your mouth! (But if you do, snap a pic and post here or here muahahahahahaha). Available via the Dumbrella booth #1335 - this vinyl toy-platter is priced at US$40 per - about a decent good sashimi meal, but this'll last longer than your bowel-needs, yo! [MORE]
PRODUCT-TEXT: The SDCC-Exclusive Blue colorway is limited to 250 pieces, while the Green edition is priced at US$35. The figure-set "includes all delicious fish bits, two sets of eyes and a bowl in a supermarket fresh display tray!"
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#8: MISFORTUNE CAT by Chris Ryniak x Ferg
WHY: The vibe of a lucky cat is an image well known throughout the East, and as well the West. And when Ferg came out with his three-eyed cat with a blade thru his noggin'? Some folks were even up in arms about the imagery! Then Chris Ryniak went and severed the cat's head, this time still empaled at the edge of the blade - so this becomes a MUST HAVE. "Severe Your Bad Luck" with this all-black version of the toy, with a glow-in-the-dark-eye to light the path to your salvation! Score this unlucky-lucky-kitty vinyl figure at the Munky King booth #4539 [MORE]
PRODUCT-TEXT: Chris Ryniak's famed one off custom Misfortune Cat is now in vinyl form. Standing 5-inches tall, this demented Cat is Matte Black with gloss black accents and also has a GID eye. He's packaged in a poly bag with a header card. Priced at US$45 per with a limit of 100 pieces made.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#9: GREEN HERMEES by Gary Ham
WHY: Super-economically priced at US$55 for a huge piece of vinyl toy, and by no way does the price diminish it's credibility! The third colorway to be released by Gary Ham (colorway shown above-right for scale reference only), you can score the limited figure at booth ##4836 - where the designer himself, Gary will be stationed! We've previously reviewed the first colorway of Hermees HERE, and I dare say there is nary a need to consider grab one of these. [MORE]
PRODUCT-STATS: Hermees stands 8" tall with a wing span of 12" and 8 points of articulation in the head, snout, wings, hands, and feet. Limited to only 50 pieces and priced at US$55 per.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#10: BEARTANK MINI QEE from Smash Tokyo Toy
WHY: Toy2R are showcasing a variety of new artist Mini Qees this year, and truth be told, I had a hard time attempting to choose just one single design out of the whole lot (my caveat for doing up this list - "one toy per brand per artist only"), and the inner man-struggle ends with the ATOMIC BEARTANK coming out victorious! Designed by Smash Tokyo Toys, look for this US$28 priced figure at October Toys booth #4838 [MORE].
What Are "Art Toys"? Essentially non-media-licensed characters (from movies, cartoons or comicbooks etc) but are instead created by individual independent artist plying their work and wares within the seemingly "underground" toy culture - where quantities of toys are mentioned and prices are higher than mass-market toys, and predominantly, the name of the artist/designer who created the toy, is mentioned! (What? You gonna tell me the name of the designer who did that G.I.Joe action figure on blister-card? LOL)
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#1: CHIPSTER by Scott Tolleson
WHY: From Scott Tolleson comes the all-new CHIPSTER = A blue-furred monster with a smile and seems knack for mischief! Priced at US$30 (but ONLY at SDCC, price will go up afters!) and is available via Scott's SDCC booth #4836. Quantities undetermined, but Scott will be at his booth - so remember to snag him for an autograph or to sign on your Chipster!
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#2: LADY MAXX by Mark Nagata of Max Toy Co
WHY: I've missed the various colorways prior to this release, and this purple+green edition evokes memories of Evangelion Unit 01! This made-in-vinyl 4-inch tall figure comes with two headsculpts (with helmet and without helmet) and can be found for US$50 at the Rotofugi booth #4736 [MORE]
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#3: TIGROWL CHIISAI SPIKI by Rotobox x Nakanari
WHY: KusoVinyl will be releasing the Artist Series for their Chiisai Spikis, and this particular Thudercats-homage design named TIGROWL is actually the 100-pcs limited edition "chase" figure from the regular "Lion-O" design! Designed by Rotobox on the Nakanari-designed Spiki form - the regular figure stands 4-inch tall and is priced at US$15 per blind box pull, I wonder if they'll consider selling him "loose"? [MORE]. Available via Booth #605.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#4: SKETCHBOT V.4 from Steve Talkowski
WHY: This fourth colorway edition release was a "surprise" and it comes in a swell lime-green body-form that seems to "pop" like fluorescent neon! Affordably priced at US$35 per and available at the Dragatomi booth #4935 - also looking for t's creator Steve Talkowski to be signing at the booth on Thursday at 12pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Steve will also bring along a limited SDCC-signings-only exclusive SDCC Sketchbot print. [MORE].
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#5: FOSTER by Brian Flynn
WHY: Amongst the myriad of 'modern kaiju'-fueled releases from Super7 for SDCC this year, this single figure somehow stood out = FOSTER the lil ice-cream-sandwich-boy with a bite taken outta him! So poor thing, right? Designed by Bryn Flynn and part of his "Ghost Land" series of figures - grab the vanilla-filled cookie toy for US$18 at booth #4729.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#6: SUPER DUPER CAPED CAVEY PLUSH from A Little Stranger
WHY: There are a quartet of Cavey plushies heading their way to SDCC, each an exclusive with a different booth brand - and the single one I am looking out for is the Super Duper Caped Cavey Pink-edition - with a white-cape! [MORE] Limited to only 10 pieces priced at US$30 each = how to score him? Look for the creator of Cavey, Holly Stanway! Here's a hint: She'll be signing at the following locales and times:
- October Toys Booth #4838 Thursday July 21st (12noon-1pm)
- Dragatomi Booth #4935 Friday July 22nd (12noon-1pm)
- DKE Booth #4728 Saturday 23rd July (12noon-1pm)
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#7: O-NO-SASHIMI by Andrew Bell
WHY: There's no better fish to be had, than raw fish - and by that I mean O-No Sashimi by Andrew Bell, with the blue being the exclusive for SDCC (Green is the regular edition). Grab him asap but do not put into your mouth! (But if you do, snap a pic and post here or here muahahahahahaha). Available via the Dumbrella booth #1335 - this vinyl toy-platter is priced at US$40 per - about a decent good sashimi meal, but this'll last longer than your bowel-needs, yo! [MORE]
PRODUCT-TEXT: The SDCC-Exclusive Blue colorway is limited to 250 pieces, while the Green edition is priced at US$35. The figure-set "includes all delicious fish bits, two sets of eyes and a bowl in a supermarket fresh display tray!"
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#8: MISFORTUNE CAT by Chris Ryniak x Ferg
WHY: The vibe of a lucky cat is an image well known throughout the East, and as well the West. And when Ferg came out with his three-eyed cat with a blade thru his noggin'? Some folks were even up in arms about the imagery! Then Chris Ryniak went and severed the cat's head, this time still empaled at the edge of the blade - so this becomes a MUST HAVE. "Severe Your Bad Luck" with this all-black version of the toy, with a glow-in-the-dark-eye to light the path to your salvation! Score this unlucky-lucky-kitty vinyl figure at the Munky King booth #4539 [MORE]
PRODUCT-TEXT: Chris Ryniak's famed one off custom Misfortune Cat is now in vinyl form. Standing 5-inches tall, this demented Cat is Matte Black with gloss black accents and also has a GID eye. He's packaged in a poly bag with a header card. Priced at US$45 per with a limit of 100 pieces made.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#9: GREEN HERMEES by Gary Ham
WHY: Super-economically priced at US$55 for a huge piece of vinyl toy, and by no way does the price diminish it's credibility! The third colorway to be released by Gary Ham (colorway shown above-right for scale reference only), you can score the limited figure at booth ##4836 - where the designer himself, Gary will be stationed! We've previously reviewed the first colorway of Hermees HERE, and I dare say there is nary a need to consider grab one of these. [MORE]
PRODUCT-STATS: Hermees stands 8" tall with a wing span of 12" and 8 points of articulation in the head, snout, wings, hands, and feet. Limited to only 50 pieces and priced at US$55 per.
Top Ten Art Toy You Have To Have at SDCC#10: BEARTANK MINI QEE from Smash Tokyo Toy
WHY: Toy2R are showcasing a variety of new artist Mini Qees this year, and truth be told, I had a hard time attempting to choose just one single design out of the whole lot (my caveat for doing up this list - "one toy per brand per artist only"), and the inner man-struggle ends with the ATOMIC BEARTANK coming out victorious! Designed by Smash Tokyo Toys, look for this US$28 priced figure at October Toys booth #4838 [MORE].
