kaiju

Paul Kaiju’s Boss Carrion?

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What Kind of BossMonday’s announcement of “Lost Worlds” let the world know that masters of kaiju are coming to Albuquerque, and one of those masters is the man himself, Paul Kaiju. 

Above we have what might be a Boss Carrion from PK, but something is looking a tad different. We know the paint application is signature Paul Kaiju with the palette and technique being dead on as always! But…what exactly is the head here?

In the upcoming weeks, we will bring you all kinds of teasers and work in progress images from the amazing talent we have in store for the show – stay tuned!

Lost Worlds opens August 2nd at Stranger Factory featuring the incredible monsters of Paul KaijuJames GromanJosh Herbolsheimer, Stan ManoukianJoe MerrilGoccodo, and Mutant Vinyl Hardcore. We’ll also be announcing a mini painting workshop by Paul Kaiju shortly(Sunday afternoon, if you’re planning your trip…)!

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Lost Worlds: Creatures From Beyond

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August 2013 brings a new group exhibit to Stranger Factory featuring the incredible monsters of Paul Kaiju, James Groman, Josh Herbolsheimer, Stan Manoukian, Joe Merril, Goccodo, and Mutant Vinyl Hardcore.

LOST WORLDS showcases the incredible creatures of a variety of top monster makers in the pop surrealist, kaiju, and art toy fields. From the gleeful carousing of French artist Stan Manoukian’s alien creatures to the unsettling realism of Ohio artist James Groman’s sculpts, the roster for LOST WORLDS promises to provide creatures for all tastes.

The exhibit runs August 2nd – September 1st, with an opening reception on Friday, August 2nd from 6 – 9 PM.

PAUL KAIJU is a designer, sculptor, and painter working away at his kaiju creations in sunny San Diego, California. Known as much for his custom paint work as for his original toys such as Boss Carrion, Paul’s work is recognized as some of the best in the American Kaiju scene.

JAMES GROMAN is a sculptor, illustrator, and Toy & Animation Character Designer who has worked on everything from custom model kits to the famous Madball series. His work ranges from sculpts to comics to consumer goods, and his work is impeccable.

JOSH HERBOLSHEIMER is an artist, toy designer, and graphic designer in San Francisco. His paintings have a unique, organic style that complement his toy design while giving each their own unique style.

STAN MANOUKIAN is a Paris-based artist whose inhuman flora and fauna exude more personality and backstory than you can imagine from 2D drawings. With a truly unique eye for creature design, Manoukian’s creations are simply brilliant.

JOE MERRILL is a kaiju figure painter and toy designer whose work is quickly become a fan favorite among modern kaiju collectors. With original creations like the Diggler and the Cadaver Twins, Merrill’s work is a fresh voice in the modern kaiju industry.

GOCCODO is the working name for collaborative design by Japanese artists Shigeta and Shinpei Tanaka. With a whimsical and uniquely Japanese pop design sensibility, Goccodo brings a more childlike aesthetic to the Lost Worlds monster lineup.

MUTANT VINYL HARDCORE creates hyper detailed and gloriously disgusting modern kaiju figures. Designed in the US but manufactured in Japan, MVH bridges the gap between traditional Japanese monster making and the American desire for biggest, better, faster, and significantly more disgusting.

Stranger Factory
109 Carlisle Blvd NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-508-3049

Mikee’s Mail Day: Ichibanboshi Monkey Man

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So here we are again with another package of awesome to share. Let me tell you all a totally honest fact about me. I impulse buy, like a lot. In fact, I tend to do it so much that I end up with tons of really weird stuff. This toy is a prime example of when grabbing something on impulse is an awesome idea.

The Ichibanboshi Monkey Man is wicked awesome. That really is all there is to say about it. I mean we are talking about a monkey in cut off shorts and a motorcycle helmet that reminds you of Evel Knievel. You see something like that and either think that its unnecessary or silly. Or you feel this deep urge from within you to own many of them in different colors and put them on your shelves in your home. I need more monkeys in my empty life. Especially if they look like they know how to enjoy a quality motorcycle. That’s the kind of monkey I can hang at home with and listen to Baroness. These are the moments that make life worth living people.

So I say to you be impulsive try out an odd toy or two. You could find yourself sitting with your new best friend in your lamp any time you take that gamble.

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

Mikee’s Mail Day: Pushead x Astro Zombies x Secret Base Skullwing!

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So as I said last mail day, I’ve been on a major Pushead kick lately. The Skullwing is an early Secret Base fight figure and their first collaboration piece with Pushead. The figure was made based of the logo Pushead made for the Astro Zombies store in Japan. The figure has had many variations and still manages to stay relevant in today’s fight figure market.

This particular Skullwing comes to us from Japan’s Super Festival 60 and was made to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Astro Zombies. The brown tones are mixed with GID marbling and a splash of gold glitter. The colors work great together, creating an almost bone-like look to the wing. The Pus is strong with this one!

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

 

Mikee’s Mail Day: Pushead x Secret Base Siamese Werm!

Now that I have been doing these for awhile I took a second to look back and reminisce on some past posts. Some really wicked toys have been shown, but nothing by the master. It may not be known to most folks in the CP community, but I love Pushead. That said, I have gone on a binge recently, so be prepared for some Pus!

This week’s toy is the Siamese Werm. In last week’s post we discussed Secret Base and their amazing ability to reuse parts of toys to create something new and fresh. The Siamese Pirate may be one of my favorite examples of this.

Wanting to do something fresh with the Pushead Captains and Pirates (above), Secret Base decided to just lose the legs and combine them, like so:

The Siamese Pirate sounds silly but actually works really well; the figure allows for a fresh take on existing characters, and the Siamese Werm just ups the ante. By taking the ready-made stump arms and putting them on the Siamese Pirate body, you’ve made something that is already kind of creepy, sad and terrifying at the same time. You know it’s quality Pushead when it’s this creepy.

The Siamese platform has also made great use of the vinyl marbling technique, where you take two colors of vinyl and mix them to create that awesome mottled effect. This only adds to the odd look of the Siamese and really makes for an awesome combination.

Well I got mail a’ plenty on the way, so who knows what we will see next. Although I do know I got a couple of scurvy dogs ready to walk the plank…

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

Mikee’s Mail Day: Super7 x Secret Base Zombie Fighter!

So to switch things up a bit a this week, I’m actually going into the mail vault to discuss a toy I have a very strong love affair with:

In the picture above stands the awesomeness that is the Zombie Fighter. A collaboration between vinyl toy legends Super7 and Secret Base. This is the most recent collaboration figure the companies have done and is actually the best place to start my rant:

I am a huge fan of the “fight figure” genre of vinyl toys. The fight figure, to me, is the cornerstone of second generation Japanese vinyl toys. If not for the fight figure, Pushead may not still be making toys. If not for the fight figure, Napalm Death may not have a toy at all (which is not a world I’d want to live in). The fight figure is a “must” in any sofubi or kaiju collectors’ collection. Even if you only have one, a fighter is necessary. A good half of my collection is fight figures but I tend to enjoy the classic look and adaptability the fight design offers.

The Zombie Fighter presents a new head and arms on a very familiar fighter body: the same used for most Secret Base fight figures, from the Skull Brain (above) to the Skull Wing, to the Pumpkin Brain. It’s that versatility that gives the fight figure an advantage in the vinyl toy world. Some people say you have to fight to live, I say I live for fight figures.

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

Mikee’s Mail Day: MVH’s Unpainted DX Sludge Demon!

So yes, I admittedly took a week off from mail, but that’s ’cause I was going toy wild at this year’s NYCC!! I will be posting a full Mikee’s Mail Day: NYCC Edition soon, but first I wanted to showcase one toy in particular:

To be completely honest, I love Mutant Vinyl Hardcore’s DX Sludge Demon. I think it’s my favorite sculpt this year; it has this fun/creepy look that reminds me of the movie Ghoulies. Add the fact that I, too, am a very sick and twisted individual who was raised on horror movies and Misfits records, and you can see why this toy may be my soul mate. Rich Montanari Jr., the evil mastermind behind MVH, is a long lost brother from another mother!! Out of the four Sludge DX releases at NYCC (YES! Four! I bought five!), two were themed on horror movies. Did you read what I just wrote? Two were themed on horror movies!!! The header card art for the above “Chest Burster” is riddled with Alien references! I almost cried.

(I instead went back to the place I was crashing at and watched Prometheus, but I wanted to cry.)

It’s also worth noting that this release was coupled with a print by Scarecrowoven. The print is layered and gorgeous and terrifying.

With MVH ready to release a painted version of the DX Sludge Demon in the next month or so, I can’t wait to add to the MVH collection. It’s October, guys: embrace your inner Mikee and be creepy! Don’t sleep on something this awesome!

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

Mikee’s Mail Day: Splurrt’s Mecha Cadaver Kid!

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A day late but not a buck short, Mikee’s Mail Day is still alive and running folks! Bewitching had me firing on all cylinders and I had no time to open my mail. It was very painful to stare at a bunch of fun boxes and not get to play. But now is the reckoning, I am gonna spend all day tomorrow playing with new toys … be jelly!

This week’s mail piece is the first-ever Mecha Cadaver Kid from Splurrt. Now if you’ve read my column before, then it’s nothing new to you that I love Splurrt’s stuff and the Cadaver Kid is among my Top 5 all-time favorite toys! So when Joe Splurrt decided he needed a new head with a big soggy eyeball, I cried tears of joy.

Now here we are, and the Mecha Cadaver Kid is out and in my grubby hands: the new head sculpt is awesome! Look at the picture folks, you see that clear vinyl? That’s a flippin’ brain plate cover! You can see his BRAIN! Seriously, I can’t stress how incredibly awesome that is. Rumor has it that Splurrt is going all-out for NYCC, so hopefully we got some more Mecha CK heat coming our way!

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

 

Mikee’s Mail Day: The Pollen Kaiser!

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Sometimes you have a mail day so good it brings you to tears. Standing behind the counter, weeping and worshipping a new god, while customers stare at me confused. These mail days are few and far between. But yesterday was one of those days.

If you are in the know in the Kaiju scene, you know that one man towers over most with his top hat and trademark evil grin: Paul Kaiju. He is a beast, pure and simple. His works are this amazing blend of sick and elegant. The Pollen Kaiser is a huge example of how great Paul’s work truly is. The Pollen Kaiser stands 10″ tall and around 12″  with the staff. This particular version was the recent Toy Art Gallery factory paint release and is a great lure to getting people to look back at some past Pollen releases. Seriously , the handpaints from SDCC this year still haunt my dreams. That and I would sell my mother into slavery for a Mockbat … any takers?

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

Mikee’s Mail Day: Monster Kolor!!

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Well another week has passed over here at Stranger Factory, and admittedly, it was a little slow for me mail-wise. That said, I did get one package I feel like geeking out over:

This week’s mail day is brought to us by the amazing, unstoppable beast known as Monster Kolor! Monster Kolor is a company that lives to make the best paint they can for toy customizing, be it vinyl, resin, PVC … whatever your little twisted heart desires. Recently I picked up some Monster Kolor for my airbrush gun so I could do a little recreational custom work. I’m getting the hand sharp for some projects in the works and have to be able to do “gruesome” just right! Don’t think it’s all airbrush though; they also carry brush and aerosol paints to help give your creature just the right finish or feel.

When it came in Brandt and Kathie made me promise not to sit in the house and spray it. Also they said I have to wear a mask while I do it from now on … safety first kids!

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!