Disney x Play Imaginative Toys Play Foul

Artist and toy designer Sergio Mancini has alleged Play Imaginative are not fulfilling a toy design contract after several years of design, production and excuses. The toy in question, pictured above, is a design contracted from Sergio based on his hand-painted custom for their Play Imaginative Mickey 2012 showcase.

The toy is fully produced through Play Imaginative, and the design is even appropriately credited to Sergio on their website.

Play Imaginative is no stranger to licensing- with an expansive line of active licenses from globally recognized popular culture brands. Meaning there's no excuse to jerk anyone around with fulfilling a contract. Especially when the original artwork was provided to them for their showcase for free, and production design payout consists of only 20 production pieces.

Sergio is no stranger to licensing and production design either, with global clients including Kidrobot, Andrew Bell's Android Mini, Toy2R, Designer Apparel brands and a CV of international exhibitions. Companies would do well to tidy up their business with contracted designers. 

So, why blog it? After a generous amount of time going in circles by email, independent creative professionals usually get to choose between public awareness or letting things go. For small contracts, a legal consult and retainer to even plan taking a negligent party to task would be more costly than the payout due. As a creative community we can hold companies accountable, and inform their patrons and potential designers of potential risks. Disney, and many others, have licensed their character's friendly faces to companies they trust to represent them. And this kind of treatment in representation of anyone's intellectual property deserves a pass.

If you would like to add your support to industry awareness of Play Imaginative's alleged neglect in fulfilling their contractual obligations, feel welcome to reach out through;

Disney's Instagram

Disney's Facebook

Disney's Twitter

e-Mail Disney

Play Imaginative's Facebook

Play Imaginative's Twitter

Play Imaginative's Instagram

eMail Play Imaginative

-Tasha Zimich

New O.M.F.G. AP series - King Castor

File under: HOW DID I MISS THIS?!

The King Castor O.M.F.G. Artist Proof has been released.  Buy it here for $6 or get an AP with sketch card for $12.  The original flesh color is also available for $3 each.

I have gone on record that this is my favorite Series 1 figure.  I have ordered my AP with sketch (and an extra flesh one because I am weak).

Also, if you haven't pre-ordered your O.M.F.G. Series 2 (in Tenacious Toys White here, complete list here) what are you waiting for?

- Ahren

Skyrim Super Deformed Vinyl

Tuscon, AZ based Symbiote Studios has secured the rights to produce vinyl toys using Bethesda Softworks intellectual property including The Elder Scrolls, Dishonored, DOOM, Fallout and QUAKE.  Their first wide release against this license (beside a special edition figure for QuakeCon 2012) is a 3" super deformed (SD) Dawnguard from the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim!

This vinyl figure is articulated at the head and arms and has a removable helmet and multiple weapon options (pics below).  Currently in pre-order for USD $9.99, they should begin shipping some time in August.

In my head, this will play like a small version of the Mighty Muggs Mola Ram and I am totally ok with that.  Time will tell as Symbiote has not released pictures of the production piece despite how near we are to the ship date but I remain optimistic.

- Ahren Gauthier