Atomicron Micro Mini-figures!

I don't know if it's felt like it on your side, but on mine, it certainly feels like the last few days nothing has happened on the keshi front.  All the conventions wrapped up, all the toys were released and purchased, and now everyone is just relaxing and recuperating.

Despite all that, I really have been keeping an eye out for something to post about, and finally today I found something, by the way of Italy, I wanted to talk about.

They are called Atomicron and they are hitting European toy stores just now.  These figures are super small, maybe hanging around an inch, but if you have some chibi Kinnikuman, they might fit well with them, but what is particularly cool is how generous they are with the portion.

Granted they are too small for purists' liking and with some paint application, but you get a giant assortment in a single blister pack, with the option to grab extra in blind bag form.  If nothing else, think of it as a revamping of a bag of army men, but with an alien/monster vibe, and for them to throw so many little figures in the hands of kids and collectors, I can totally get behind that.

With even just a couple packages, you could be looking at +100 micro-figures to battle all across the floor.  That's really only a bad thing when you miss a couple and step on them sometime later that night.

So, if grading had to be given out, the keshi purist would give these guys four-hundred thumbs down, but the kid inside me gives it four-hundred and one thumbs up, so it's pretty much a wash.  If these guys ever find themselves in the States, pick some up.  Who knows, maybe other companies will take note and offer more figures as well?  How can that turn out bad for us?

http://www.atomicron.it/

Rumbbell Exercise Gummi Mini-Figures!

London's ToyConUK also happened this weekend, loading this last weekend full of news and releases, most I'm sure I have unfortunately missed.

One particular overlooked piece was a new colorway for Jeff Lamm's Greasebat & Friends Gummies that Unbox Industries released some time ago.  I certainly need to find more details on these, because it's one set I've always been interested in, yet haven't owned.  It did remind me to click over to the Unbox Industries site, however, just to see what was going on, and I'm glad I did.

I have never heard of Ryan Lee's Rumbbell character before, but certainly, there's a lot to like about him, especially in two-inch keshi form.  Whether you pick up individual blind boxes or the complete set box, you know these fitness guys can fit in with any collection.  I particularly love the sea-foam green color, with the half-and-half skeleton being the top choice of mine to pull out of a blind box.  I also find the human pyramid one pretty interesting as well.

My single criticism, however, would be the grey bases or possibly fitness mats.  The Yoga Joes incorporated yoga mats into the base of their figures, and while I don't find it the most aesthetically pleasing, it fit the theme.  Random weight lifting doesn't quite fool me into letting these fitness mats pass, especially when the push-up pose missed out, so it leaves me feeling the mats where much of an afterthought to counterbalance weight distribution with the actual miniature.  Anyone can see, from the size and shape of the character's head, that it could very well be a challenge to sculpt in miniature form, but I feel its something worth working to accomplish before accepting bases.

Now I don't mean to sound like I don't like these guys, because I do, just don't let Funko beat you to the game, if they can balance their big-head-small-body Pop vinyls and you can't.  Hopefully this is not the case, though, and it's merely for displaying purpose's for these photos.  I'd love to grab a couple and find out myself.

You can too at this link!
http://store.unboxindustries.info/

C2E2 Evo:Goliath Hits MWOTR Webstore Tonight!

With C2E2 winding down, we were all very curious of what quantities of the latest Mystical Warriors of the Ring release would survive.  As the picture shows, and what I would have guessed, there is not a lot left.

I'm not sure exactly how many, maybe 30-40, but that's just a guess.  Either way, they are hitting the MWOTR web-store sometime very soon, so tonight is your night if you haven't had the chance to get one of these hot gators yet.  Remember, once this colorway is gone, it is gone, so don't let it pass you by.

As of the time I'm writing this, they have not reached the website, but I would hunker down and keep a close eye for the drop.  This figure is an absolute steal at $6 and could be one of the sexiest miniature releases this year.  Not to mention, you should look at all the other good finds MWOTR has to offer.

Decimate your F5 key here!

http://www.mystwarriors.com/shop.htm

Shamrock Arrow Superfest 68 Exclusive Drop!

While everyone in the States are either attending C2E2 this weekend, or keeping their ears to the ground for exciting geeky news happening there, it's easy to forget Superfest 68 is pretty much happening at the same time in Tokyo.

Generally keeping to model kits and toys, Superfest is seeing plenty of independent keshi releases to keep us collectors salivating.

Superfest 68 sees the release of the purple colorway of Shamrock Arrow's Ninja Heaven miniature.  Previously made in both black and flesh tone, this clawed badass' indigo clone could very well round out anyone's keshi ninja army.

Sadly, much like a lot of Japanese convention exclusives, it sometimes is pretty hard to purchase a piece without attending.  I would still suggest you try - you never know what happens - even with a possible language barrier.

Check out these links for more info!

http://artstorm.co.jp/sufes.html

http://shamrock-arrow.com/

I Took Some Poor Pictures Of My Collection!

With the arrival of my new additions to the collection, I found out I am completely out of room in their current standing on my shelves.  So, before I figure out a new way to get these guys displayed, or simply install MOAR SHELFFS, I took some pictures of the collection to share.

There's a lot of different stuff here, just keep in mind it's very cramped and some stuff is hard to see, aside from all the Trash Pack hogging the front row.  Hope you enjoy!

Slam That Korean Ddakji!

Little rubber gumball minifigures weren't a hit everywhere in the world.  To a certain extent, people could argue they even had limited success here in the States as well.  They could say it was nothing compared to the popularity of TMNT, He-Man, Transformers, and the rest of the Hasbro and Mattel lot you know.  Even in neighboring countries, like South Korea, they had their own ideas with soft plastics.

They are called Ddakji (or Ttakji).  I have no idea how either are correctly pronounced, but they are rooted in a traditional tabletop game with cardboard discs.  Westerners would best recognize traditional Ddakji as something like P.O.G.S. without the metal slammers.  Kids would merely take a cardboard piece and slam it crazy-hard down on others to try to flip them over.

Alternatively, rubber Ddakji found themselves on toy shelves as well, replacing the small thin discs for large, hand-size, rubber cut-outs of popular characters, with the exact same rules: whack your opponents Ddakji so hard with your Ddakji that theirs flips and lands on the opposite side.

I'm personally drawn into these guys, but then again, virtually anything neon, transparent, glittered, and slug-casted will always know how to get my wallet lighter.  Although I don't have the budget into being a serious Ddakji collector, I would love to have a a good amount around, if nothing else than to have a few drunk Ddakji games with friends.

I just recently learned of their existence and currently in the works of picking up some.  I'll do a hands-on review in the future when I get to slam them around myself, maybe even intoxicated.

Day Of The Slug Wave 2 Drop!

One toy series we unfairly overlook quite a lot here is the beloved classic Mini Boglins.  I have a few myself and nothing really captures that gross-factor and silliness like those classics, but the throwback homage Day of the Slug by BigManToys certainly fits the bill as well.

If you like your keshi short and stout, to possibly pair with your favorite Mini Boglin, I suggest you drop by BigManToys' website very soon.

Wave 2 of their Day of the Slug series is dropping April 25th at 11pm GMT in a great number of colorways and rubber/resin formats.  From glittered and neon solids, BigManToys has your slug needs covered.  Also, there are sale packages of Wave 1 still available to catch you up as well.

Check it out!

http://bigmantoys.bigcartel.com/

Onion Fights Super Festival 68 Exclusive Keshi!

Curses to Onion Fights and a general hex to Japanese conventions I can never attend.  May you awake an angry Godzilla for making such amazing looking keshi that will never reach my hands.

That's right, everyone, Onion Fights are back at it again, launching another amazing convention exclusive, this time in the form a character called The Momo Taroh.

The Momo Taroh will be released at Super Festival 68, far away from me, in Tokyo Japan, Sunday, April 26th.  If it sounds like I am bitter, it's because I am.  Onion Fights are turning to be one of the most coveted Kinnikuman throwbacks out there, in not just rarity but quality too.  They are sold literally only in Japan, and in most cases, exclusive to particular conventions, with the Punk Drunker collaboration I zoned-out through being one of a possible few exceptions.

I'd have to imagine this is because there could only be a small team working the Onion Fights productions.  Let's not forget, this is the same country with world-class, five-star, sushi restaurants with only two seats and an old man.  If this could be something of the case, making world-wide releases might overwhelm them in product demands.

The hope of the westerners lies in California's Designer Con later this fall, and whether or not Onion Fights attends.  If they do, and let's say annually, we finally might see Onion Fights more commonly here in the States.  It would certainly save a riot or two.

Here's the link for Super Festival 68!
http://artstorm.co.jp/sufes.html

And for Onion Fights!
http://www.onion-fights.com/

Finally, The Glyos Talk!

I just recently received my Kickstarter fulfillment from October Toys' Skeleton project.  It was really just the bare bones, no pun intended, with just the Baron Dark figure and the Traveler Skeleden, both being Glyos-compatible.  I had reached out to Mebbles if he wanted to do a write up on them.  He passed on the offer, because, after all, they were mine and not his, so if anyone were to review them or whatever, it should be me.  However, I quickly found I had very little interested to.

So, I guess we are here again.  Let's have the Glyos talk.

For those who don't know, Glyos are arguably the most popular and sought-after independent toys, in America, at least.  Surely, there are Glyos nuts across the globe, but outfitted out of America, they have the highest concentration of customers here as well.  Glyos, in many ways, reinvented the collectible action figure, with rare limited runs, and interchangeable parts.  In fact, that's why some have even landed on my doorstep.

Glyos created a system where each small PVC bit of the figure can attach with another, for both easy twisting and moving, and for customization.  This system became so successful, they outsourced it to other companies to use as well, allowing cross-breeding of figure bits between many independent toy lines, including Skeleton Warriors.

So, you can see why this perfect storm of factors put Glyos where it is on top of the food chain in the independent tot scene, and really, rightfully so.  You look at something like the Traveler Skeleden, and you can tell years of experience and trial and error went into the design and the final production technique, and you can see how far they've worked with it.

Glyos figures are made of PVC, which has become something of a standard platform for mini-figures.  It's harder and more resilient than your keshi erasers of old, yet far more shatter-proof and flexible than resin.  Aside from the super soft material you'd find in Trash Pack or GPK Minikins, you'll find it a very common material used.  One could even wonder if the very first Glyos character took influence from the mini-figures of old, like Kinnikuman or Monster In My Pocket, then broke apart into tiny connecting pieces along the way, to live in both mini-figure and action figures worlds at the same time.

I know what you're thinking.  'Oh, no, we're having Part Two of 'Crapping Action Figures'', and in a way, you're right, but I feel parts of that was a bit premature.  I have seen and owned many types of Glyos figures and slug-casted mini-figures, much more than I did when I wrote the first part.  Although I feel the general opinion hasn't changed a whole lot, I think I have a better understanding why.

There is no real measurement of it.  I can't think of a point system or grading system to express why something doesn't strike me like it does others.  All I know, for me, nothing gets that wow factor, like plugging in the Christmas tree the first time, from me like expertly-done keshi mini-figure, covering all the basic requirements.  There's something ultimately artistic and beautiful in something that needs no extra production than casting.  A perfect keshi would stand on it's own, perfectly center.  It would look great from any angle and in both dark and bright rooms.  It would also speak differently, depending on the color used.  All that is needed is a single mold to cast it.

That's the benchmark for me, and with a different material, a paint application, a glued on piece, or what have you, it gets further and further away from the wow factor for me.  Who knows how much each diversion does or what pulls it further away than others?  I'm not sure, and honestly, it's something I've thought about collecting mini-figures more than anything else to no clear answer.

When MWOTR showed off prototypes of the Goliath figure, I certainly was there, begging and pleading for Mark not to chop up the original resin figure.  I wanted it true keshi, much like his Series 1 set was, however, when I got the Goliath figure, I was very pleased.  I was really pleased with my Rise of the Beasts figures as well, which are also Glyos figures, to a degree.  So what the hell is my problem?  Why does MWOTR and ROTB get the pass?  And much for the same reason, why does Trash Pack and GPK Minikins get a pass as well?  Is it just because of Mark's good looks?

Marks a good-looking man, but no.  Glyos, MWOTR: Evolution, and Rise of the Beasts, all have distinct traceable roots to slug mini-figures.  When you hold the Goliath figure or the Rhino beast, they still feel solid and chunky.  They have big, sweeping areas that are not broken up.  This is not the same for Glyos-branded figures.  The Traveler Skeleden alone is an abomination of twenty or so tiny parts connected together.  Every bit twists with another in a chain reaction of fragmented keshi, all of which is impressive and awesome as it's own figure format, but just has taken too many steps away from the original source and wow factor.

But maybe I'm just not suited for that type of toy.  I've always been a collector at heart.  When I was interested in a toy line as a child, I would want the whole set to collect and pose somewhere safe in my room.  I never tore off heads or arms and created new characters.  I didn't even give the ninja sword to anyone but the ninja.  Compound that with my introduction to Monsters In My Pocket and MUSCLE vending machine bootlegs, and it might paint a clearer picture to why Glyos is swimming upstream with me.

I know I am really in the minority on this one, but I do think Glyos is cool.  They are very-well made and creatively done.  I can see why so many people would enjoy them for any number of reasons, all of which are completely valid.  I never had Japanese sofubi when I was a child either, so which is why, when I got back into collecting toys, I think I went to what I knew I already loved.

So what's my review on the Skeleton Warrior figure and Traveler Skeleden, you ask?  I'm not sure.  I really looked forward to seeing them, and I'm glad I own them.  I'm not terribly blown away though, yet they stand merely inches away from the keyboard I type on... so, who the hell knows?

I know that makes little to no sense, but that's the Glyos Talk in a nutshell here.  I never once guaranteed a logical or reasonable conversation.  You know I'm a crazy person with a keyboard!  What did you expect?!  Thanks for reading all the same though.

Presale Monochrome HIMP Hit Auction?!

If you too are getting a little too confused and overwhelmed by all this relaunched Monster In My Pocket stuff over on French Ebay, well, you certainly won't be alone.

I've been covering what feels like every step of the process, even down to speculation when deadlines were being missed on a consistantly.  Then things just randomly started hitting auctions overseas and the dam of strangeness just blew and released a flood of weird happenings over the course of maybe a month or two now.

We've seen them transformed into what we can expect to be NFC videogame figures, like Skylanders/Amiibos, and even renamed to Heroes In My Pocket.  Now, it looks like they are coming in some form of monochromatic minifigure, as well.

It's hard to figure what is actually going on here.  They are listed only on French Ebay, with somewhat of a language barrier.  Communication is touch and go, to say the least.  Certainly nothing official from the company itself, that we can be sure of.  So it's difficult to say whether or not a "classic" line will see a release with the videogame figures or they are only here on auctions for die-hard collectors.  There is some sort of chase program going on here, with the little golden dragon character teasing the fact there are super-rares to collect of some determination.

Okay, that's all I got on the weirdness that is HIMP for now, but never worry, I'm sure more is on the way.

Ironhaus X Eric Nilla Mini Murderball!

Many 80's toys are seeing influence in today's independent toy scene, and for good reason, the toys back in the day were awesome!

This blog alone follows the niche community still following tiny rubber gumball wrestlers from the 80's, essentially, but there are numerous other toy lines held close to collectors hearts.

One such toy line is the Madball franchise, that transformed all sorts of outside athletic stuffs into screaming insane characters.  The baseball with the giant tongue is probably the most popular, but I've always felt the football character was the one to have.

Mashing up keshi into their own design inspired by Madball, instead called Murderball, are independent artists Ironhaus and Eric Nilla, and from the early pictures coming out, there is good reason to be excited.

As much as I've always enjoyed the designs of Madballs, I've never had the itch to start collecting the toys again.  It may be weird, but but I'm a shelf person.  I like to unbox or unwrap the toys and have them on a shelf nearby.  I think I never considered getting back into Madballs, because I'm uncertain how they would rest where I'd keep them.  I don't know.  Maybe I'm worried they were roll around too much.

I hope the Murderball finds himself a good sturdy resting position, because I think I'd really enjoy this character, especially holding it in my hands.  I'll certainly be keeping an eye out, as the project continues.

http://ironhauspro.storenvy.com/

http://ericnilla.storenvy.com/

Kaiju Big Battel Keshi Prototypes!

Released on their Facebook page, the people at Kaiju Big Battel have some little rubber miniatures in the works, and they looks pretty gnarly.

If you new to Kaiju Big Battel, they are an independent wrestling federation out of New York, but to just call them a wrestling company would not cover exactly what they did.  They are a mash-up of many Japanese influences, from giant Godzilla-like monsters, to armored Power Ranger-like heroes, and everything in between.  It's exactly as wild as you can imagine, so you definitely need to take a good at them to believe the hype.

I've been a fan of Kaiju Big Battel for years now, even back when they were doing business out of Boston.  I remember when there was two Plantain brothers and Silver Potato wasn't evil.  In fact, it might be safe to say, my Kaiju Big Battel DVDs outnumber all the other wrestling DVDs I own, so as you may guess, I am pretty psyched to see one of my favorite wrestling companies find themselves into tiny rubber wrestling figures as well.

Above are pictures of Dr. Cube, the main villain, and Baby Skydeviler, and both of them are looking really awesome.  This is probably because the have been through the hands of George Gaspar of October Toys, who always does really great work with whatever he does.

These guys are still only works-in-progress, so expect more updates when they are released, but do yourself a good deed today and check out the craziness that is Kaiju Big Battle at their website below.

www.kaiju.com

Keshi Drop Exclusive First Look: MWOTR Series Two!

Yes!  Finally!  After six-hundred failed attempts and a half-dozen lockouts, we shameless nerds at Keshi Drop have hacked the official Mystical Warriors of the Ring database and found all the good stuff we've been waiting for!  In retrospect, of course I should have tried 'NWO4LYFE' as the password much earlier, but you know what, hindsight is always 20/20.  Cut us some slack!

Of course, I am only joking.  Truth is, somehow without any underhanded tactics or chair shots to the brain pan, we have the opportunity to reveal the first look of the brand spanking new Mystical Warriors of the Ring Series Two mini-figures, here and only here first!  Booyah!  In yo' face, Internet!  Get steppin', I'm big time now, kid!

Whoa... I'd one terrible celebrity, wouldn't I?  Maybe it's good that I'm on this side of the computer doing the typing, just so my head doesn't inflate too large and I can't lift it off the V key.  Okay, past that though,  Mark of the MWOTR crew has been very kind to us once again and generously given us the first whack with his new wrestlers, so before we dig in and take a good look at all these new guys, I want to thank Mark again for yet another awesome solid.  Thanks!  You rule, dude!

Okay, first, a little back-story for those just hopping on.  It was revealed earlier that the second colorway for Goliath would be metallic black.  Aside from it being a popular variant, there was also a secret reason why, and now we know that it's because Goliath will also match the Series Two Warriors coming out as well.

Series Two is seeing the addition of three fan-favorite characters hitting the apron for the first time.  Introducing first, Sheldon Sabre's favorite punching bag, Ulric Wolfrom, in his Issue #1 ring gear.  It's about time we had the hero of the story come to PVC, and in shiny black, the lone wolf looks quite menacing.  Secondly, we have either Leo, Leander, or anyone else from the Corazon lion wrestling family, depending how you want to customize your miniatures.  I expect this proud guy will be a very popular one, because you know us keshi collectors, we're going to have to have one for every brother and cousin until we have our own Hart Dungeon of lions.  Last but not least, we have Ulric's sister, Yvonne Wolfrom.  She's the very first female character in MWOTR and in this series we see her in her manager gear that she wears working with Lapin Loco.

The new colorway for Evolution: Goliath and the new Series Two set will going sale first at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo April 24th-26th, with any extras that make it out alive hitting the MWOTR web-store shortly after.  If you're making it to C2E2 this year, there is a great reason to track down this drop.  Not only will you have the pleasure of snagging a bundle of all the new releases, including both Series Two and black Goliath, for a scant $15, but with that steal, you'll also see army building possibilities open up for you as well.  Corazon family, anyone?

And you know the crew from MWOTR, they will have much more than just these hot black keshis at their booth.  Teased from their website, they have a new sticker of Sheldon Sabre to plaster all over Chi Town as well as the new Issue #4 comic set in the MWOTR world.  The best course of action is just to drop by their booth, bright and early, and grab 'em while the grabbin' is good.

If you can't make it to C2E2, just understand it's going to be a battle royale in their web-store.  Bookmark their site and check regularly.  Once they announce when the convention extras drop, if there are any, you'll want to write on your calendar or enter it into your planner or whatever.  You'll want to be very aggressive getting these guys.  Goliath in metallic green sold out in hours of release, and I expect the very same with this new bunch.  You'll want to be there, smashing your F5 key into oblivion, at the exact time of the exact day, because these guys are the American-version of those insanely tough convention-only keshis we really only hear about from Japan.

Here are your links!

http://mystwarriors.com/blog/
http://mystwarriors.com/shop.htm

Baka Gaijin SpiderEarth Marvels At Inunakin Keshi!

You know, I advertise random insane ramblings, but I don't know, maybe I've fallen off the wagon with that one.  Maybe there was just so many other releases and stuffs going on, I just didn't have the time to be a weirdo on the Internet.  Let's fix that, at least for today.

Rummaging through Instagram, as I sometimes do when work is a little slow, I found this impressive-looking guy.  This character is called Inunakin, and he appears to be some priest-dog-superhero-guy, and despite how ludicrous that sounds and looks, I have to give three thumbs up to Mokyunosuke, who I believe sculpted and/or produced this, for such a stunning piece.

Sadly, my information is very limited.  Certainly, when it comes to posting here, I am really of the mindset of a collector and fanboy of keshi, not a news reporter particularly.  I just wanted to show everyone here how well-made this miniature looked, despite really knowing nothing about it.

This mini-figure reminds me of my earlier posts where I kind of touched upon what I felt was the artistic simplicity of keshi miniatures.  I suggested that, because of such a large amount restrictions, artists have to be very creative and inventive, thinking outside the box, to pull off effects common in other toy formats.  I see how the cape allows the right arm to be posed the way it is, and how the stance of his feet perfectly center his balance away from his staff.

My only criticism would be the rings in the staff.  They are obviously not molded into the staff, and more that likely are made separately and glued in.  It's certainly not a deal-breaker, because this figure is still very nice, I just would have liked seeing how the artist would have solved that puzzle.

Universe 481 Smoke Grey Anomalies Drop!

Ni's Stuff over at Universe 481 has always been an awesome sister site for your Glyos/Onell collection, when you're getting that space-man itch.

They specialize in the Outlander character and his story, lost through deep space.  You'll find many science-fiction bits and pieces, as well as things completely alien and otherworldly, released seasonally to integrate with your other Gylos figures.

He has even released a mini-figure set called The Anomalies, which look to be alien lifeforms of some sort.  I've always been a big fan of these, and maybe this is a cardinal sin to most independent toy collectors, but I enjoy the Anomalies more than Glyos stuff.

This Saturday, April 11th, at 8pm EST, 481 Universe is dropping a new Smoke Grey Accessory pack, full of extra alien heads, weapons, helmets, joints, and Anomalies.  Granted, yes, if the new Anomalies look really nice to you, you are sort of getting the shaft here, having to buy the whole pack, if, like me, that's all you really want.

There is good news however, a new section of the web-store allows you to buy previous Anomalies and other goodies separately!  And for $2 a piece or $5 for a pack of six, there is no reason to make your keshi collection a little more lost in space.

Check out the link below!

http://www.481universe.com/

Raisin The Dead Crystal Drop!

Bootlegger madman, The Angry Beast, has been flashing some impressive looking resin all over Instagram.  This one in particular, called Raisin the Dead, because he's equal parts Californian Raisin mini-figure and toy skull, had me in all sorts down memory lane.

I never was big into the Californian Raisins.  As an 80's kids, I remember their holiday specials were almost a must in December, but even still, I really couldn't be bothered to pull away from the staples of He-Man, Transformers, TMNT, and all the classic action figures stuffs.  They instead remind me of my grandparents.

I'm not sure if every family's parents or grandparents have that tiny collection of inherited toys, hanging out on the windowsill or placed on the edge of a desk. Some may even still have a box nearby for the grandchildren to paw through, just in case.  Either way, I'm pretty sure my grandparents weren't the only ones to have random figures laying around, and I distinctly remember a collection of Californian Raisin mini-figures, just like the one used for his arms and legs here.  

It's awesome to see them breathe new life here.  If you're into resin and custom bootlegs, the see-through Crystal variant of this mini-figure is dropping in his web-store sometime this weekend.  Along with grabbing the brand new one, check to see if his green and purple variants are still available and snag them out too!  Here's the link!

www.battletotem.bigcartel.com

Heroes In My Pocket Prototypes Hit Auctions?!

As you might know, a Monster In My Pocket relaunch has been in the works for some times now.  We've even seen some strange happenings of speculated prototypes of the new series hitting the French Ebay.  Well, a couple more prototypes have found their way onto auctions, but still, there is something even odder.

Shown in the picture here, this new MIMP line of toys and toons might be going under a different name.  It looks like the people behind this project has secured the Heroes In My Pocket name, which is a little peculiar.  It's nothing something that really rolls off your tongue.  It surely doesn't give the same sort of image as Monster In My Pocket does or did.



The word 'hero' in HIMP coveys a larger than life sense of power and bravery.  I'm not sure that really meshes well with 'in my pocket'.  MIMP were actually indeed, tiny monsters with tiny adventures.  HIMP could be much of the same, if not more like a Gothic Pokemon, but I'm not sure Heroes is the right way to describe it.  Hopefully it's something of a translation error.

But, I suppose I don't really have any interest in the new relaunch, however you cut it, so the naming doesn't really bother me a whole lot.  They are painted and from these photos, the bases are back.  So they certainly look to be aimed at the Skylander crowd, like we first thought.  I just hope they are successful in that crowd so HIMP or MIMP or PIMP or whatever else they call it can bring new people into the hobby someday.  That's the hope at least.

Toy Haul 04/04/15 3D Retro Rarities!

Another tiny Toy Haul for today, but it's all good.  It's probably best sometimes not to look at a pile of toys and brush over all the cool little details, which is why of course we have these guys.

These orange and blue twins are mascot minifigures of the 3D Retro toy store in Glendale, California.  Sculpted by George Gaspar of October Toys, these guys have been those hard-to-find fringe OMFG/OTMFG miniatures, despite they are not actually a part of either set.  Even so, collectors have dubbed these, if not a few more, unofficial releases under the same flag, and thus have a lot of interest behind them.

3D Retro doesn't have predictable plans with their little keshi robots.  The flesh tone was sold through October Toys web store, at least until it sold out, and the glow-in-the-dark was done through 3D Retro's Instagram.  There actually still might be some of them around, but don't hold me to it.  It's just certainly good to check in on that, if you're interested.  The blue and orange ones pictured here are in-store exclusives, which means you have to get to Glendale or know someone who can.  

These two, if not others, are becoming crazy popular, if not for the unpredictable releasing then the in-store exclusivity.  I am not even 100% sure these are the only two colorways used as in-store exclusives.  When the figure was first announced, what appeared to be a metallic blue and metallic green colorway was also shown with the flesh tone.  This could have been a Photoshop to show what it could look like in other colors, or maybe they are hiding in a crate in 3D Retro, ready to surprise the keshi community again.  Who knows!?

Getting these keshis are hard for anyone who can't be at the right place at the right time, but that's why it's really important you involve yourself in an online community of collectors, traders, and all sorts of enthusiasts.  Knowing and trusting the right forum members may score you some really awesome finds.  If you're even semi-serious about completing any current keshi series, I suggest this is something you consider.

www.3dretro.com

Looking Good, ROTB!

LittleRubberGuys sent out what I can only assume to be super important press-only email, because sometime I like to feel that special too, giving a glimpse of new retooled and reworked Rise of the Beasts minifigures.

The lot has seen many adjustments and alterations, from the ant characters antenna to the lizard man's tail, and I think they look damn good and ready for print, but I'm sure I am being a bit too impatient.

The new series will see weapons for the characters too, just not included in the picture, along with a new variant scorpion head, you know, cause just collecting all the colorways wasn't hardcore enough!

I'm really excited for these guys, and I think they will be hitting the LRG web store before too long, so keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground.

http://littlerubberguys.storenvy.com/

Toy Haul 04/02/15 Awesome Forum Member Edition

Here's a little bit larger of a haul for you, and really, for me, it's quite a special one.

The post I wrote about keeping your trading as low risk as possible wasn't inspired from events other than my own, and even ones pretty recently.

It's tough when a sale or a trade bottoms out, and at least how I feel about it, being left hanging about it all is the worst part.  It doesn't get lower than feeling you don't have any power in a situation, not even to find some sort of closure like the post office losing a package and moving on.  Always having to wonder and remain optimistic is torture, at least for me.  Having an ending is important, good or bad, just so it's done.

I had voiced some concern about a recent trade to moderators on a toy forum, and they were completely awesome about.  They were able to provide contact information I didn't have, and were able to help me resolve it pretty quickly.  And to go beyond what I needed a hand with, one of them, free of charge, sent me a care package of Track Pack minifigures from his own collection for the trouble someone else caused.

I have a hunch he'd like to remain anonymous, but hopefully he sees this and knows how awesome of a gesture it was for me and how much it really means.  Yeah, sure, the Trashies are awesome and a lot of them I don't have, but it's far beyond that.  It's not just the little gross toys, it's that someone knew and felt, maybe even related, to my situation and wanted to give me a hand.  It's rare in this world to have someone else's back like that, even if you know the person, let alone strangers over the Internet, but it's awesome to find them when you do.  People like this are rarer and more valuable than the hardest to find chase minifigure, and it's great to know they exist in the keshi community.

Again, thanks man!  I hope you enjoy the care package I sent back!