REVIEW: BLOC28 Mickey Mouse and New Era 59Fifty Set

Background

In what’s a truly joint project between several well-known entities, the BLOC28 Mickey Mouse and New Era 59Fifty fitted set brings together Span of Sunset, Disney, BLOC28 and New Era. Produced and manufactured by Span of Sunset, the Mickey Mouse vinyl is based on a design by John T. Quinn III. The set includes a fitted New Era 59Fifty cap that holds with the Mickey Mouse theme of the set.

Packaging

If you remember the packaging Span of Sunset put together for the Runaway Brain vinyl, this one is rather similar. It’s a large box that’s big enough to fit both the vinyl figure as well as the included hat in separate slots. The outside of the box has BLOC28 artwork of Mickey as well as the Span of Sunset logo on the rear.

The Figure

The BLOC28 Mickey Mouse rotocast vinyl figure stands approximately 10.5” in height and has 7 points of articulation (neck, shoulders, wrists, and feet). The piece feature Mickey in his traditional outfit – white gloves, red pants and tan shoes – with the added coolness of a pair of wraparound shades. It’s all done in a very blocky, stylized way.

The set includes a grey New Era 59Fifty fitted baseball cap. You’re able to select the size hat you wear, so it makes sense to know your fitted hat size beforehand. The hat has a Mickey Mouse skull and crossbones set off from the front center and the Span of Sunset logo on the rear. The inside of the hat is lined with what appears to be red silk.

They are limited to 500 sets.

Our Opinion

Being a fan of the old school Mickey Mouse shorts, I appreciate the character’s simplicity as well as his iconic place in the history of cartoons. And the great thing about the most well known Disney character is that his look has evolved since his inception in 1928.

Span of Sunset, who worked with Disney in the past, has produced a great set. Not only is the vinyl piece well made, but the hat is a nice extra that is definitely wearable in public. The vinyl Mickey is done in a very square, cornered style. He’s stylized with large feet and gloved hands, and Mickey’s iconic round ears are now hexagons.

The quality of the entire Mickey Mouse set is above average. There are no complaints when it comes to the sculpting work or the paintwork on the vinyl and the hat is New Era quality.

So, while it seems that designer toy collectors have a love or hate relationship with Disney, I’m obviously a fan of this figure. It brings a completely new look to one of the most familiar cartoon characters around the globe. The more artists that have the chance to reimagine the iconic mouse (in vinyl)…the better!