Exclusive

Bai Lan the Unyielding by Otto Bjornik Stranger Factory edition


Releasing Friday May 18th at 12 Noon PST

Bai Lan the Unyielding by Otto Bjornik

Stranger Factory edition

Size: 5″ tall
Medium: Painted resin
Edition: 30
Comes boxed with Certificate of Authenticity (signed and numbered)
Releasing at Stranger Factory gallery and online at www.circusposterus.com

Bai Chu’s army has infiltrated and overwhelmed the land. Despite his small stature, he remains a brilliant strategist and commander, and he has created an unstoppable force. The people live in fear, wondering when they will hear the ominous sounds of marching boots and clanking armor. Day after day, reports come of Bai Chu’s forces descending upon their unsuspecting villages, draining fruits dry and wreaking havoc among their communities.

Upon hearing this distressing news, Bai Lan, the normally docile priestess and shaman, has decided to venture out of her temple to stop Bai Chu. Bai Chu and Bai Lan were once childhood sweethearts, and she knew him before he became a power-hungry general, before he ran into the vengeful Diwata who gave him his current diminutive form.

A scholarly pacifist, Bai Lan believes in balance and harmony as taught in her temple. She communes with the spirits and with Mother Nature to sense disturbances in Her equilibrium.

Bai Lan, gifted with a sharp intellect and a keen sense of intuition, is an excellent tracker. Her years of study and research make her a naturally skilled investigator. Day by day she makes her way closer to Bai Chu, tracking his movements, figuring out his next move. Upon finding a ravaged field whose crop of blood oranges have been turned into withered husks, Bai Lan picks one up and devises a plan.

When they finally meet, will Bai Chu recognize his childhood sweetheart? Or will he see his worst enemy yet?

 

FRIDAY, May 20th: Otto Bjornik’s Exclusive Stranger Factory Bai Chu (Li-Fu! Edition)

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Otto Bjornik’s Exclusive Stranger Factory Bai Chu (Li-Fu! Edition)

Releasing Friday, May 20th at Noon PST is Otto Bjornik’s Exclusive Stranger Factory Bai Chu (Li-Fu! Edition) with a 1:7 Gold Variant!

 

The Tale of Bai Chu the Bloodthirsty!

Hundreds of years ago, there lived an infamous Commander General named Bai Chu. Bai Chu was feared by enemies and friends alike, for he was a fierce and ruthless leader, and he inspired the utmost dread in those who would oppose him. Incredibly ambitious, he hungered for power and plotted to take over the world with his army of fearless warriors. Tales of how Bai Chu would behead his foes and drink blood from their still-beating hearts were especially terrifying, and mothers would tell them to frighten disobedient children. “If you are bad, Bai Chu will come for you in the night!” they would caution a wide-eyed child.

One dark and stormy evening, in unexplored forested lands of Calinan after a bloody battle, Bai Chu lay restless in his tent. While devising plans to gain more strength and conquer more nations, he thought he heard mournful voices outside. Instantly alert, he quickly came out to investigate, and very soon he was lost in a huge forest where the very trees seemed to whisper in the wind. Suddenly, an old lady appeared in front of him.

“Help me, O great warrior, for I hunger so”, she croaked. Bai Chu scoffed and raised his weapon in anger! “Fool crone! Know you not who I am? I am Bai Chu the bloodthirsty, the long-lived, the mighty! I will put you out of your misery!” But before he could lower his weapon to take her head, the old woman vanished, the wind seemed to beat and howl, and in her place a beautiful diwata appeared. She spoke with the voice of the wind:

“O Bai Chu, in your arrogant pride you have become so small. From this day forth, I curse you to hunger, to be insignificant and ignored!

Bai Chu the bloodthirsty: I make you a blood drinker.

Bai Chu the long-lived: I make you immortal.

BAi Chu the mighty: I make you smaller than a tiny child’s plaything!

The spell shall only be broken when your heart becomes true, It is done!”

And that is how Bai Chu the Bloodthirsty became the cutest, smallest vampire to ever exist. He refers to everyone he meets as his Dark Minions. As he is too small to really drink a large human’s blood, he subsists on blood oranges, which he finds are surprisingly delicious. It is not uncommon to find blood oranges near him, with two tiny tell-tale teeth marks. Bai Chu is still quite fearless, and likes to run at his enemies ferociously screaming his own name: “Bai Chu! Bai Chu! Bai Chu!” From a distance, it sounds like a small voice is yelling “Biteyoubiteyoubiteyou!” from somewhere around your ankles.

Will you be Bai Chu’s jailer, or his accomplice? Will you try to change his wicked ways, or help him achieve world domination? Whatever you choose, you better have some blood oranges ready before he comes home with you!

Bai Chu: (Bite You)
Talisman: “I Hunger!”
Height: 5 1/2″ inches
Material: Resin Body and Magnet
Edition Quantity: 35pcs

Available at www.circusposterus.com

The miniscule vampire stands approximately 5 ½” tall (you may need to stoop down quite low to hear him shouting “Biteyoubiteyoubiteyou!”as he is very very small). He is cursed with a rigid resin body emulating the smooth vampiric skin of his kind, and a neodymium magnet that pulls him towards your refrigerator (an indignity Bai Chu will probably never forgive you for).
His magnetic restraining talisman with the words “I Hunger” written in beautiful Chinese calligraphy is removable, and you may need to reattach it should Bai Chu prove too much to handle!

Gold Variant 1:7
Li-Fu : Nature
Green Li-Fu contains the mighty power of nature. Forged in the forest and tempered in verdant environments, the Li-Fu edition communes with nature spirits to hone in on Bai-Chu’s targets every single time (however, being green, he is a bit gullible).

BaicGold Bai

 

Review: Stranger Factory’s Exclusive Wooper Looper

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To start off, let me say that the term “spirit animal” gets tossed around a lot at Stranger Factory. Some of us know our spirit animal no problem but others are still searching. I am of those others. I bring this up because the Wooper Looper (or axolotl) is quite the creature to behold: the term “Wooper Looper” is mainly used to explain a group of salamander indigenous to the areas around Mexico City (or so Google has lead me to believe). Now if you had asked me if I found it possible to relate to a salamander at some point in my life, I don’t think I would have even taken you seriously. Until Gary Ham made a toy of him, that is.

Designed by Gary and sculpted by Chauskoskis, the Wooper Looper is quite the impressive piece of sofubi. The extensions from the head alone create some very interesting production challenges. That said, the lengths the factory went to preserve the charm of Gary’s character really helps make the piece shine as a whole. The figure serves as a great example of the playful side of sofubi in general.

The main feature I find so endearing about the Wooper Looper (besides that cheesy grin) is the choice in articulation. I really enjoy that the figure has a solid body piece and the tail is used to create a firm anchor so the toy is guaranteed to stand. Also the arm articulation really helps to sell the fun idea behind the figure: he reaches out like he really wants to give you a hug!

All in all,  the team of people that made this toy possible all deserve kudos. The toy is a definite gem and something I will happily display on the shelves in my house.

The cute shelves. Not the creepy ones.

***

The Stranger Factory exclusive Wooper Looper is an edition of 33 pcs and retails for $68. The figure releases on Tues., Oct. 9th at noon PST via the Bewitching Preview. Want to catch one for yourself? Get the full scoop here!

All Sights are Set on Dok A’s Dragon*Con Exclusive Killer Target

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Doktor A won’t be attending Dragon*Con this year, but he is making his presence known with the release of an exclusive Dragon*Con Killer Target. Limited to a very small edition of 50 with only 40 being available at the con, you can pick up this 11×17 gem for only $25 at the Killer Targets booth in the Grand Hall East of the Hyatt Regency on Saturday and Sunday, at 2PM.

This exclusive print will have you going “pew pew pew” all the way home!

Image graciously supplied by Thom Trainor of Dragon*Con’s Comic and Pop Arts

Coming Soon: Stranger Factory’s Exclusive Greasebat!

BEWARE, ALBUQUERQUE! It’s been reported that Jeff Lamm’s infamous kaiju character, GREASEBAT, was last seen rampaging down Rt. 66 and is headed straight for you! This uncontrollable beast breeds unbridled chaos and destruction everywhere he goes and it appears he has his sights set on Stranger Factory in Nob Hill. Get out while you can!

To our fearless kaiju collectors: we plead for you to take a stand and help us wrangle this ferocious beast! He is anticipated to arrive in the next few weeks. This species of Greasebat is rare — a Stranger Factory exclusive, in fact! Sculpted by Chauskoskis and produced in Japanese vinyl by Monster Worship, this 7″ monster is cast in solid, sky blue Pantone with red, gold and silver sprays. He’s $85 and of a very limited edition. Once he’s gone, he’s extinct!

Each Greasebat comes poly-bagged and with a header card signed by Jeff Lamm. But be tactful, should you choose to hunt the creature, for the hunger of the almighty Greasebat is one that is never satiated …

Stay tuned; details on the hunt are forthcoming!