Felipe 9-inch Figure by Juan Muniz Now in Stock

Absurdly cute Felipe vinyl figure by Juan Muniz! These are 9.5" tall and super limited - 200 in this color variant! Support our buddy Juan and pick up this SUPER KAWAIIIIII vinyl figure! Felipes are $55 each and available here in our shop.

Hikari x MLP Glitter Rainbow Dash by Funko Now in Stock in Our Amazon Shop

This glittery pony is limited to 1000 pieces. Made in Japanese soft vinyl, Hikaris are about 8 or 9 inches tall. Pretty good size for a $49.95 item. Grab your Glitter Rainbow Dash in our Amazon shop here - qualifies for free shipping if you have Prime!

PROTIP: Marketing Yourself Online via Instagram and Email - Stop Tagging Random People!

I see many artists randomly tagging people on IG and FB in an effort to get more eyes on their artwork. It's gotta stop. It's not effective and it basically just irritates each of those people - counterproductive. I sent the below suggestions to someone who was doing this to me on IG, and it's worth sharing so I'm blogging it for your benefit.

(NOTE: below is just my opinion, based on my work experience online over the past few years. I am by no means the final word in internet marketing strategies, but I doubt any expert will tell you to start tagging a dozen random people in your images.)

OK so first off, tagging someone on social media when they are not involved in your project/piece won’t do anything.

That’s the absolute most passive way possible of getting the word out. It’s like standing in the middle of an empty field with a sign that says “Hungry. Please help.” No one is coming by to help, you need to go to where the people are and specifically ask for help.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
You need to ask yourself what you want to accomplish by tagging random people, and then take very specific actions to make that happen.

In this case I’d imagine the purpose is to sell artwork.

SET UP A SHOP
So, you need a shop. Make sure your shop is linked to from your website, blog or online portfolio in the nav menu.

If you don’t have a shop, set one up or else you will be forever doomed to handling orders by email. At some point that will become too time consuming. Shopify, Big Cartel, Storenvy, eBay, etc etc.

If you do have a shop (outside of your main website), make a nav menu button that links to it so you can sell stuff.

Once you have a shop, you have a link to direct people to to make purchases.

NOW TELL EVERYONE
Once you have a link, you can start writing press releases.

Make a list of the bloggers you have heard of, get their email addresses. They all make that info very public.

When you have new work to share, send the bloggers an email with images and a chunk of copy they can literally copy and paste into a blog post, links and everything. You will refer to yourself in the 3rd person so that the blog post on someone else’s blog makes sense when the reader reads it.

Email bloggers no more than once per week but no less than once per month.

USE INSTAGRAM LIKE A PRO
You can continue to post on IG, of course, but tagging random people in the posts should stop. IG is super useful and a great platform to show off your best images. Post one post per day, make sure the image is AWESOME. Curate your own images. Make sure you use relevant hashtags. Don’t bother posting teasers or half pics of pieces. Your followers see thousands of pics every day, make sure that when you show them something, it has meaning and value. That means show the FULL piece in your IG images. You can use IG videos too to get the pieces from all sides. A turntable is helpful to do that.


Don't post negative shit, stuff about your ex-wife, or pics of your food. That crap doesn't help you sell your art.

EMAIL TIPS
As an aside, EVERY link that you have - every social media page, website, blog, shop etc - should appear in the signature of your email. Figure out how to set up a signature in your email account. At least that way you know 100% that every person you email knows exactly where to find all your stuff.

Another note about email: be careful how you send emails.
You need to maintain an email thread chain for long conversations so the person you are communicating with can read back and see the full conversation in one email. Always hit reply to reply to a conversation. Do not start a new email. This makes re-reading the conversation easy for all.



ALWAYS write a subject for every new email. Emails without subjects is like mailing junk mail - probably won't get opened, will definitely get lost in the shuffle.

When sending newsletters or press releases: if you don’t have an email service like MailChimp or MadMimi to create email lists, you will be simply pasting all your recipients into the BCC field in your email. DO NOT use the TO field for multiple recipients. Put your own email address in the TO field and all the rest of the recipients in the BCC field. This hides your recipient list from the rest of the recipients.

For more tips and instruction, hire Benny.

Cousin Typhoon and Tarth Brienne Resin Figures by Quiccs

Quiccs recently made available online, some resin figures originally created for SGTCC. Pirated Empire figures features similar characters from a popular series. Cousin Typhoon and Tarth Brienne are 3" resin figures that come bagged, with a header card. The heads are still articulated on these figures and the rifles are also removable. These resin figures are priced at $28 each plus shipping, while a combo pack that includes both figures is priced at $50 plus shipping. Shipping is expected to happen in the 3rd or 4th week of November. Head on over to the Hidden Fortress Manila webstore to pick up a figure, or even a set.

- Mark-Anthony

Google+

The Crow Custom Muttpop Dr. Destruction by Jon-Paul Kaiser

Jon-Paul Kaiser has been pretty busy lately, prepping for his trip to California to attend Designer Con 2015. All this show prep doesn't stop him from continuing to deliver on completed commissions. Jon-Paul's latest delivered commission is a custom Dr. Destruction figure, by Muttpop. The Crow, Eric Draven, emerges from the Dr. Destruction figure, after a weekend of sculpting and endless sanding. This custom required a bit more sculpting work, due to the shape of the original head and intended completed result. Sticking to a simple color palette, JPK was able to create movement in the long coat and pants, as well as the added crow sitting on the shoulder. A nice completed commission, that should make the private collector happy. Photos were taken by Justin Allfree. For those attending Designer Con 2015, be sure to stop by Jon-Paul Kaiser's Booth, #112.

- Mark-Anthony

Google+

Bow to the Squeaky Adorable Overlord Dthulhu

I think it's safe to say every bathtub in every home in R'leyh should come equipped with a Dthulhu squeaky bath toy, so that come bath time, every Old One might feel young once again.
Dthulhu is an adorable bathtime-safe vinyl friend (because let's face it, our inner child may not be above putting our toys in our mouths; mine certainly isn't) currently up for funding on Indiegogo here.

Dthulhu's packaging looks like something out of a dreamscape, and supporters may pledge at a variety of levels for a plethora of Lovecraftian-inspired 2D artworks, digital rewards and goodies.

Definitely give Dthulhu a look on Indiegogo here and make your pledge so "that [which] is not dead... can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may..." take a bath and get ready for bed.

-Tasha Zimich

Big C Baby Fatts at DCon Booth 228

Breaking News!  On the heels of the discovery of the Baby Fatts Stone Idols in the former Mesopotamia, archaeologists found more Baby Fatts Stone Idols in the recently discovered "Lost City" in the rainforests of Honduras.  Archaeologists claim that this most recent discovery proves that worship of the World's First Dragon, was a worldwide practice. 

The Stone Idol (distressed jungle) edition of Baby Fatts will be limited to 8 pieces, available at Designercon (dCon) at the Hitsquad booth #228.  This version is similar to the Stone Idol version, but features the typical deterioration that one would expect to find with ancient jungle excavations, chipped surfaces, dirt stains and moss.   Baby Fatts is roughly 3.5” high, 3” wide, 3” thick, and will sell for $60 each. And remember that the final 6 pieces of the original 10 piece Stone Idol edition will be available as well.  Make sure you put this “toy of the year” at the top of your convention shopping list.  With only 8 total pieces available, they won’t last long. 

Big C will be offering bundles for those who want multiple items.

About Big C:

Big C is a visual artist, from the San Francisco Bay Area, who produces work as a painter, sculptor and illustrator.  His work has been displayed all over the world, including the de Young fine arts museum, and San Diego Comic Con.  He is influenced by his life’s struggles and triumphs.  Big C loves to design toys, paint canvases and create original sculptures, but he also likes to create art out of many non-traditional objects that he sees canvases and armatures.  He has many huge projects in the works.  His work can be seen online at https://www.facebook.com/BigC.artwork and on instagram at big_c_art As always, he would like to thank you for supporting the arts.

Superpowers: binge watching Netflix, while sculpting and painting.

Dthulhu: Bath-Sculpture x Douglas Prince - Indiegogo

Dthulu is a hybrid Cthulu, rubber ducky vinyl sculpture perfect for your bathroom or tub. Dthulhu will be medical and food grade, PVC, Phthalate, and BPA free recycled vinyl. Just like a regular rubber duck, (many quality rubber ducks are vinyl) Dthulhu can play in the tub and will also squeak when squeezed! What could be more fun than your very own Old One in the tub! 

Dthulhu will come in a full color box which will have the theme of the poster as well as a window so you can see The Old One sleeping behind the great doors in front of the palace in R'lyeh.  Across the front of the box is the chant of the cult members and on the right hand side is the translation:

"Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Dthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"

"In his house at R'lyeh dead Dthulhu waits dreaming

On the opposite side is an original poem dedicated to Dthulhu and written by Douglas' wife Sasha Prince,

From the deep crawl eyes that creep with green and hidden terror.

They beckon those who crave its throes of sadness and despair.

They spread their slime and turn to grime the believers who in error

lose their hope and for proof grope after a deathly prayer.

The project is now live on Indiegogo and includes a regular edition, gid edition, poster and papertoy as some of the rewards. The regular edition will run you $20 and the GID $30 or both for $40.

Hikari x My Little Pony Glitter Noir Rainbow Dash by Funko in Stock Now in Our Amazon Shop

The Glitter Noir Rainbow Dash is limited to 1500 pieces and we have them available at $49.95 in our Amazon shop here.

High Times Covers Nugglife at NYCC 2015

Yeah, that's right. Ian Ziobrowski's Nugglife NYCC presence was fully documented by none other than High Times Magazine, who stopped by our booth to say what's up! Check the full slideshow here. It's a match made in nuggy heaven. Big thanks to Z for hooking it up!

Loot Anime Launches Next Week!

via Loot Crate:

Looters asked for it. We are ready to deliver it! Loot Crate is proud to announce our new subscription crate service for anime and manga fans: Loot Anime!

Every month, we’ll deliver a selection of figures, collectibles, manga, apparel, accessories and more, valued at over $60 USD, for just $24.95 + $5 S&H (domestic)!

Loot Anime launches next week with limited inventory. For more information on how to get the first Loot Anime crate when it launches, head to lootcrate.com/anime and enter your email address!

TOY OF THE DAY: PREORDER BREAKING BAD HEISENBERG 1:6-SCALE FIGURE BY THREEZERO

1/6th scale Breaking Bad Heisenberg collectible - officially licensed. Produced by Three Zero.

- 12 inches tall articulated figure featuring tailored clothing

- Head sculpt with realistic likeness

- Exchangeable hands for holding gun

- Tailored cloth costume :

- Glasses

- Sunglasses

- Pork-pie hat

- Black windbreaker

- Pistol

- Five stacks of blood money

Preorder BREAKING BAD HEISENBERG 1:6-SCALE FIGURE BY THREEZERO today!

D3COB0T x Joaquin Delgado

This is a 8' Custom Munny, inspired by retrofuturistic mid century Psy-Fi design concepts from Joaquin Delgado.  

It has 5 additional points of articulation in modified areas, in addition to the standard head and arm movements. LED lighting is installed in head area and controlled and powered by slide switch & replaceable coin cell battery in a back panel compartment. 

Work consists of vinyl, sculpy, milliput, styrene plastic, resin, acrylic & enamel paint. It is available at the Citcustank store online for $400

The Mummy YouZha with Sarcophagus x Plaseebo

This is the second in a series of one of a kind custom YouZha figures to be released over the next few months. Plaseebo had the opportunity to collaborate with Kearjun, the China-based artist who created the 8 inch vinyl YouZha figure. 

The “Mummy YouZha” has 2 red glass eye inserts and is wrapped in mummy cloth. He also has a motion activated color-changing LED unit inside the body and comes with a 9 inch tall reddish/brown vinyl sarcophagus. Signed.  $350.

The “Mummy YouZha” custom will be available from the Plaseebo web-shop on Friday November 13th.  

Introducing Gemr - the New Social Community for collectors!

There’s a new social community for collectors and it’s called Gemr. 

What makes Gemr so unique is that it allows like-minded individuals to come together as a community to not only buy, sell and/or trade their collectibles, but also discuss and learn more about the history or value of their items. 

Gemr offers a wide range of clubs including Toys, Funko, Lego, Disney, and more. Users can join these various clubs in order to showcase their collections for others to favorite and admire.

One cool aspect of the site is that users have the ability to

"CrowdScore" items in order to give people real-time market valuations of the particular product.

In addition, Gemr has an app for iOS and Android to make it easier for people to access and upload items on the go.

Best of all, it’s free to join!

You can sign up for Gemr by clicking this link: http://gemr.it/1Y06lbN

SNEAK PEEK: New Pieces from Kidrobot, Developed by Bigshot Toyworks

 I guess since Frank Kozik is sharing these images on his own social media, it's cool for us to do a blog post. Here you see several pieces developed by Bigshot Toyworks for production by Kidrobot- two Jeremyville pieces (above) and several variants of the Colonel. Just a ton of awesome shit coming down the pipe and Bigshot is right in the thick of it. 

Looks like KR has an exciting 2016 for us all!