Once upon a time, an R-rated campy B-movie horror gore-fest film made by Troma - The Toxic Avenger - spawned a children's animated cartoon series called the Toxic Crusaders. It was a little strange, given the amount of gore and sexual content in the original film license, to create a cartoon series based on an R-rated film (although, they did it with Rambo).
And since Super7 has already released figures based on the Toxic Avenger license, they've now announced the new Toxic Avenger - Toxic Crusader Variant. You can grab this 3.75-inch tall (the first superhero from New Jersey) from Super7 for $15.00. Each figures includes a mop accessory on a traditional blister card, featuring the animated Toxie on the front and a cut-out Toxie mask on the back.
Skellagor is a part of Ryan Taft aka Wolf Pits'Bruteleg Series of bootleg toys and customs. Made of solid resin, this 4.25-inch tall piece is painted with an air brush and by hand. With a limited number of pieces available, you can pick one up for $30.00 plus shipping.
Artist Kyle Kirwin is currently taking pre-orders for his Burning Bloom piece - a 5.5-inch tall hand-cast and hand-painted resin figure made by the artist (apparently in an RV like Walter White). These will be available for pre-order beginning in a week (August 25th 2017) and run until September 1st 2017. They will then ship out by October 15th 2017. The run will be limited to 50 pieces and they will run $50.00 each.
Toy Art Gallery announced a new collaboration with toy designer James Groman. The debut of the Brachiosaur features a zombiefied dino standing 8 inches tall and featuring 5 points of articulation. The undead sauropod sees his debut in a bright red unpainted vinyl.
The Brachiosaur vinyl is available to order today (August 18th 2017) at Noon PT from TAG for $125.00.
Clutter and Popaganda have announced the official release of the Ron English's Heart Skull - Pearl Edition. This third colorway of Ron English's Heart Skull sculpture is a pearlescent masterpiece. Limited to an edition of only 50 pieces worldwide, the sculpture has Ron’s signature engraved into the back. The Heart Skull sculpture is a hand poured, roto-cast resin piece of art, and measures 6 inches tall by 4 inches wide by 6 inches deep. It's been made in NY by Clutter Studios.
Priced at $150.00 per piece, you'll be able to pick up this version of the Heart Skull beginning on Friday August 18th 2017 at Noon ET.
UVD Toys has released their exclusive colorway of Luna by The Bots. 'The Long Night' Luna stands 6.5 inches tall by 9.5 inches wide. This version of the vinyl figure is a limited edition of 75 pieces worldwide. It's currently available to purchase for $60.00 and includes a free 'Long Night' Luna 1.25-inch soft enamel pin (shown below).
Bob Conge has announced his latest creation. From Plaseebo, comes the Black & Blue Gnaw Dog - badly bruised but never beaten. This one-of-a-kind custom vinyl mash-up features a black and blue paint job. Standing in at 8 inches tall with blue glass eye inserts and 2 internal motion activated color-changing LED units with replaceable batteries, the piece comes signed by the artist.
The Black & Blue Gnaw Dog will be available on Friday, August 18th 2017 from the Plaseebo web shop for $350.00.
There are very few things that a 7-year-old and a 39-year-old can agree upon. Just the other day, it took me an hour and a half to figure out where to get something to eat with my child, due to his picky tastes in fine cuisine. Peel and Eat Shrimp or Mac 'n' Cheese - I had to find one of those in the middle of a city I was unfamiliar with. We ended up eating at the hotel across the street from our hotel. On the way out of that fine dining establishment, a pleasant young lady proceeded to hock a loogie in the pathway of my impressionable child. So, why had we traveled two and a half hours away from quiet suburbia to the wrong side of town Richmond, VA? To see the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live! Watch Out For Snakes Tour!
I spent way too much time in college, when I probably should have been studying, watching MST3K on Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel. For some reason, random pop culture references stick to my brain like Nietzsche never could. So I loved it when I would get a joke that flew over others' heads. Plus, I found it amazing that people were getting paid to do what people would tell me to shut up from doing.
So when I saw that Joel Hodgson was launching a Kickstarter campaign to attempt to fund three new episodes of the classic show, I was all about #BringBackMST3K. I backed without any trepidation. I supported it for really the same reason I run this toy news site - for a feeling of nostalgia and a glimpse at art being created. Flash forward a few months and Joel and company had raised close to $6 million, secured a deal with Netflix, and released 14 new episodes starring the likes of Jonah Ray, Patton Oswalt, Felicia Day, Baron Vaughn, Hampton Yount, and Rebecca Hanson.
During this time, I had been watching Shout! Factory DVDs of old episodes and my sons got into the show. My youngest loves the robots and spaceship. My oldest laughs at the jokes. It's likely that 75% of the time he has no idea what he's laughing at. I'm pretty sure he's not getting those Spuds MacKenzie references and has no idea who Joe Don Baker is. But was he super excited to go see the new cast of the revived MST3K when I told him they were doing a Live Tour.
So I went all-out and sprung for the VIP package at the Richmond show. While they had riffed on the "classic" film Eegah! at most of their previous spots, we got to see the "Secret Surprise Film". And it was a surprise as I had no idea what it was until the opening credits started rolling (now that the tour is over, I feel okay saying it was a really bad Italian superhero film called Argoman the Fantastic Superman). My son and I got seats in the front row. There was a fairly intimate Q&A with creator Joel Hodgson before the show. And then we got to go up on stage and get our picture taken with some of the cast. I felt a sense that not only was this mind-blowing for the fans, but also for all of those connected to the show (since most of them were fans of the original show's run).
The show itself was excellent. There were some sound issues that I blame on the venue. But the live show was set up just like a regular episode, with sketch breaks taking place featuring Jonah, Crow, and Tom Servo aboard the Satellite of Love. There was also interaction with the crowd (like my son nearly getting a spit-take shower from Rebecca Hanson's Synthia character). And the movie featured an A+ riff. It likely would have been one of my top 5 favorite episodes if it had been included in the revival season (It's going to be tough to top Cry Wilderness). I'm sort of hoping they include it in Season 2 of the Netflix run. Speaking of a Season 2 (or 12), where's that announcement Netflix?
But the best thing was that my son and I got to enjoy a laugh over the same thing. Nowadays, I don't get their cartoons. When I was a kid, cartoons were made by toy companies intent on selling you their toys. I understood that. However, when we went to see MST3K Live! Watch Out For Snakes! we were able to find mutual humor in a guy and two robots making fun of a 50 year old superhero-Eurospy film about a robe wearing playboy "fantastic superman". Who woulda thought...
Funko has announced a pair of new Stranger Things toy lines. The Vynl.: Stranger Things features two different dynamic duos from the Netflix original series Stranger Things - Eleven and Barb in one 2-pack, and Lucas and Dustin in another.
Also, the Dorbz: Stranger Things series features Eleven and her friends - Will, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. And the not-so-friendly Demogorgon. Be on the lookout for some chase pieces, including the upside down Will, and closed mouth Demogorgon (both a rarity of 1-in-6). And there will be an exclusive Eleven in Benny's Burger shirt (Target) and Eleven in Hospital Gown (Hot Topic).
You can pre-order these and pick up Funko's other Stranger Things lines over at Amazon.com.
In celebrating the 40th anniversary of Star Wars, Hot Toys is pleased to introduce the special 1/6th scale collectible figures of Grand Moff Tarkin from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
Meticulously crafted based on the appearance of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: A New Hope, the figure features a newly developed head sculpt with a finely tailored Imperial uniform, Grand Moff Tarkin’s high back chair, and a specially designed figure base.
Sideshow Collectibles is currently taking pre-orders for the 1/6th scale Grand Moff Tarkin figure. It's priced at $235.00 and expected to begin shipping in Q3 of 2018.
The 1/6th scale Grand Moff Tarkin Collectible Figure features the following:
Authentic and detailed likeness of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: A New Hope
Pair of relaxed hands
Two pairs of gesturing hands
Olive green Imperial officer uniform
Leather-like belt with silver colored buckle
Pair of black-colored leather-like boots
Grand Moff Tarkin’s high-back chair
Specially designed figure stand with character nameplate and Star Wars logo
