Ron English Cereal Killers 3-Inch Mini Figures Video

Who has original video footage of the upcoming Cereal Killers 3-inch vinyl mini figure series by Ron English? That's right, we do! We recorded this video in February. Please your preorder here for the full case / full set of 12. Shipping Late Oct / early Nov, $120 for the full set of 12! And we ship free within the US. BAM!

USAopoly Launches Project Raygun at 2017 New York Toy Fair

Just got back from Toy Fair setup day and got to the sneak peek of a really cool new project / label / subdivision of USAopoly: Project Raygun! And while I am literally frothing at the mouth trying to hold in who they've tapped to design one of their lines, I tell you this: she's an artist we've been fans of for 6 years now, super cool, and we couldn't be happier for her. And her line is just part of the Project Raygun offerings. Ugh... can't tell any of you more right now but you'll all find out probably by end of this weekend. I'll post pics when I am allowed to.

Bigshot Toyworks Exhibiting at Toy Fair 2015

I'll be at Toy Fair next week helping Bigshot Toyworks in the Creator Studio space between the escalators leading down to the lower show floor. This is immediately outside the floor where the Diamond booth is located.

And it also happens to be the other half of the space occupied annually by my buddy Argonaut Resins.

Will be a good time. Klim and I will be talking toys and showing off the Bigshot Toyworks design studio capabilities. If you're attending, please swing by!

It's literally impossible to miss us. As you ride down the escalators, you will be staring at our space. It will be full of All City Style trains, Maddies, Four Horsies and all sorts of other Bigshot goodness.

- Benny

Here's the blurb from Bigshot:

Hey Toy, Game, and Entertainment industry folks heading out to NYTF next week. If you get a chance, please swing by our super secret set up and check out some of our upcoming releases, prototypes and get a chance to chat about some possible collaborations. You also get a rare opportunity to see our friend Louie Gasparro create magic on our AllCityStyle trains, see some custom painted Maddies and other goodies from The Four Horsies of the 'Pocalypse project. Contact Klim Kozinevich if you want to make an appointment or just say hi as you pass through. Oh, and if you say "Voldermort sent me to talk about the 'Pocalypse" you can get some free swag (while supplies last)!

GIVEAWAY: Toy Fair Exclusive Maisto 1:64-scale Corvettes

Every year at Toy Fair, in addition to meeting with reps, placing orders and talking toy business, we wander around and collect free samples from the companies that we personally enjoy but do not do business with on a wholesale level. For me personally, that means visiting all the die-cast car manufacturers. 1:64-scale cars like Hot Wheels and Matchbox were the first items I began collecting, and I mean EARLY. Super early. The story goes that my mom potty-trained me one day by promising me a Hot Wheels car if I used the potty.

Upon successful completion of my end of the bargain, my mom placed a frantic call to my dad to instruct him to pick up a Hot Wheels car on his way home from work.

Needless to say, I've been pooping in the toilet and collecting die-cast cars ever since.

Anyway, back to Toy Fair. Every year Maisto has a cool Toy Fair exclusive vehicle to give away, and this year I grabbed a few of these Corvettes. Since we get them for free, it's only right that I give them away.

I sent one to my man Rich for an unboxing video, the other 3 I am going to give away right here on this blog.

The rules are extremely simple: to enter you must leave a comment under this blog post telling us what your favorite 1:64-scale vehicle is: brand, which vehicle, and year released if you know it. That's it! 

Contest runs from NOW until Saturday March 8, 2014. 3 winners will be picked randomly from the comments below. Contest is open to ANYONE worldwide. I'll ship the Corvette to the winners no matter where you are. Good luck!

By the way, sometimes in contests I pick winners and then I can't get in touch with them to arrange the shipment. Make sure you're either available on G+ via email, or you check back here on March 9 and look at the end of the comments. I'll announce the winners both IN this blog post as an update at the bottom below the close-up image below, AND in the comments section via my own comment.

New York Toy Fair 2014: Tenacious Toys Photo Coverage

Eric Nocella Diaz, fellow business owner (Argonaut Resins) and fellow local, sculpting live at Toy Fair.

Toy Fair is always exhilarating and exhausting. We get to see old friends, make new connections, check out new products, plan collaborative projects. This year, 2014, was the first time I personally felt I was a part of something important and bigger than myself. Instead of wandering around alone, picking up free plastic giveaway crap from large manufacturers, I was meeting with the people who really make stuff happen in the toy world. And I'm a part of it now, helping make things happen. I'm being very vague here but since you read my blog, you'll know when I start talking about big projects....

Anyway, in this post I'll throw in a few pics but I have a nice selection of about 50 pics from Toy Fair at the following link:

Click here to view our pics from Toy Fair 2014

Steph gets a big thumbs-up from Evan, owner of Mimoco. Evan started his business the same year as we did.

left to right: Sean Gallagher (toyasobject.com), Klim Kozinevich (bigshottoyworks.com) and Digger Mensch (formerly of Art Asylum, here at Toy Fair consulting with theloyalsubjects.com). Three dudes who could easily execute any possible design project, and blow you away with the results.

Jonathan Cathey (theloyalsubjects.com) in between meetings

it wouldn't be Toy Fair if I didn't spend a few hours running around acting like a total jackass...

3A Booth at New York Toy Fair 2014

The 3A booth at Toy Fair was most excellent for many reasons. We got to meet both Ashley Wood and Kim of Threezero, as well as Siu Yin and Gimbat. We got to check out a few upcoming items that we'll be able to order (most compelling was the cartons of Adventure Kartel Action Portable carded figures). I personally bitched and moaned about the US distributorship of 3A figures and the high cost of carrying them. Ash didn't blink an eye and explained why they went the route they did. Not a guy to back down in the face of tough questions. Good stuff. Respect!

Anyway, get yourself on our email list if you want to be the first to know about preordering the 3A items we will be carrying.

Click here to view our full album of photos taken at the 3A booth.

The Loyal Subjects Transformers Custom Show at Toy Tokyo February 15

TLS is bracing for the year that is Transformers...

What better way to kick Toy Fair off with a Party and Art Show at the legendary Toy Tokyo in NYC.  The Art Show will feature some of today's best Illustrators, Customizers and Artists as they take their hand at Transforming the TLS DIY Optimus Prime. 

Each artist will have an Original Art piece accompany their Prime.  Each piece will be available for purchase from the Gallery.  We also will be featuring some Exclusive Slag T-Shirts, a Soundwave Hoodie, the 2 Pack Cybertron Set and the 3 Pack Rainmaker set as well as the first time debut of the Ultra Magnus figure (pictured below).  Refreshments, Beverages and Snacks will be on hand.  Come enjoy yourself, soak in the talent and let's cheers to 2014 in NYC style!

Introducing Compulsion Magazine for the iPad

Compulsion Magazine: The Art of Collecting Toys

We'd like to introduce you to our latest project: Compulsion Magazine! In order to spread the toy collecting love far and wide, we began developing a digital magazine about toy collecting late last year. Compulsion Magazine is currently available on the iPad (although we plan on expanding to the Kindle for Issue #2) by clicking here and going to iTunes. Follow the link and get a full table of contents for the issue.

Big black boxes are for videos, which are embedded into the page! Hours of viewing entertainment!

Compulsion's first issue was compiled with the help of many people in the toy industry: artists, bloggers, writers, manufacturer representatives, photographers and internet TV shows all provided content. We're even running a giveaway inside the issue for one of Furry Feline Creative's NYCC plushes!

For Issue #2 we will be tapping some of the same resources by including TV shows and videos about toys, articles, show coverage and interviews. But we used the recent Toy Fair in NYC as an opportunity to get some bigger and more mainstream toy manufacturers involved:

Speaking of Toy Fair: recently we rolled out a quickie free Special Issue that gives you an inside peek into Toy Fair 2013. With photographs by Toygodd spanning 20 of the major booths at the event, this issue brings you in where the general public usually can't go. Click here to go to iTunes to the Compulsion page- the Toy Fair Issue should be a free download for you on your iPad. Each manufacturer's page also includes links to buy those toys on the internet.

If you dig what you see, you can opt to download Issue #1 for $1.99, or better yet, subscribe so you get the chance to download Issue #2 when we roll it out. Our next issue will incorporate discount codes and promotions exclusively for subscribers, the value of which will far exceed the cover price!

We hope you enjoy reading COMPULSION MAGAZINE!

FREE GIVEAWAY Contest: Toy Fair Exclusive Maisto 1949 Mercury

Toy Fair is always a good time, and the fun doesn't end when I leave the convention center... at night you get to see which of my fellow retailers have pillaged the vendors' freebies and are flipping them on eBay! Case in point: for the 2013 Toy Fair, the fine folks at Maisto made these exclusive 1:64 scale 1949 Mercurys in their awesome Muscle Machines line. This is basically a repaint of the purple 1949 Mercury that Maisto released in 2012.

If you check eBay, you can see these being flipped- successfully- for up to $60 each! That's a whole lot to pay for a 1:64-scale vehicle that should retail for $5.

At Tenacious Toys, we do not take advantage of the collectors like that. Instead, we're GIVING THESE AWAY. I'm keeping one (hey, I collect too), but I've set aside 3 to give away, for free, to members of our shops email list.

Here's the details of this giveaway: All members of our email list are entered to win. If you are not on the Tenacious Toys email list, click here to sign up. I promise not to spam you or give anyone your email. I email maybe once a week, if that.

The contest will end one week from today: February 23, 2013. On Sunday the 24th I will compile the list of newsletter subscribers and use random.org to pick 3 winners.

Winners will be notified by email, where I will ask for your shipping address. That's it!

Extra added bonus: everyone who signs up for our email list gets a 10% off coupon code towards their next order.

Good luck! Click here to enter and please SHARE THIS POST on the Freebie message boards & websites!

Toypocalypse 2: Futuretro - The Four Horsemen Toy Tokyo Feb 10

Beginning February 10th 2012 at 7pm EST, Four Horsemen Toy Design and TT Underground Gallery in New York City presents Toypocalypse 2: Futuretro - The Four Horsemen's  second gallery show!

The Opening reception of the show begins on Friday night Feb. 10th from 7pm until 10pm.

Saturday Feb. 11th through Wednesday Feb. 15th: 2pm until 7pm.

Featuring special items from the past, present and future of Four Horsemen Toy Design, Futuretro will be celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Outer Space Men acton figure line with a special edition extremely limited set of Outer Space Men figures re-vamped by the original Outer Space Men creator himself, Mel Birnkrant!

 The Outer Space Men Cosmic Creators series - The Birnkrant Edition figures consists of alternate versions of four of Mel Birnkrant's most famous creations. The set featuring Metalmorpho, Deep Blue Astro-Nautilus, Goldiac and Blazing Inferno will be signed not only by Mr. Birnkrant himself, but also each of the Four Horsemen. Each set of figures will also come with a special edition Outer Space Men print by fan favorite illustrator and frequent Four Horsemen collaborator, Nathan (Baena) Baertsch! Each set is $125.00 at the Futuretro gallery show.

Toy Tokyo Underground
91 Second Avenue, Lower Level
New York, NY 10003

Props to my man Toygodd for letting me know about this show. 

Will probably view this show with him after we hit Toy Fair together.

INSIDE TOY FAIR: Fully functional Ryan Sheckler skateboarding action figure by Action Sports Toys

One of the most innovative concepts I was able to experience at the 2010 Toy Fair was the "Omni Tech" Ryan Sheckler skateboarding action figure by Action Sports Toys.

I am a skateboarder but I'm 31 now and I recognize that at this point, there is NO WAY I will ever be able to bust a 360 kickflip into a boardslide. I will never land an ollie impossible. It's just not going to happen. Skateboarding, for me at this point, is just a really fun way to navigate Manhattan.

But that doesn't mean I don't watch Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory and fantasize about being able to pull off 1/10th of what Rob can do so effortlessly. Thankfully, I came away from Toy Fair with a sample of this Omni Tech Figure and now I can pull tricks right in my own apartment without breaking my geriatric bones.

Action Sports Toys really did work wonders with the technology on these figures- out of the back of the figure is a sort of 6 inch handle with 4 knobs on it- the top 2 knobs can be twisted relative to one another to spin the board and move it away from the feet of the rider. Twisting the middle knob twists the waist & legs of the rider. Pulling up one side (or both sides) of the bottom knob kicks the riders legs. Since you can control the legs separately, the rider's legs can actually kick at the board to spin it for a kick flip. The set of controls, once mastered, really does allow you to recreate just about any trick in the book.

Another cool aspect of this toy is the packaging, which is NOT to be thrown away: the plastic blister pack actually has a quarter pipe, a mini ramp, a tabletop and a couple stairs molded in. Throw a little gray or black spray paint on the underside of the plastic and you have a realistic, to-scale ramp to practice your tricks on!

Besides the ready-for-store-shelves Ryan Sheckler model that was being displayed at the Action Sports Toys booth, I also got a sneak peek at the next figure, which is an amazingly cool street bike figure capable of pulling off just as many bike tricks as the Ryan Sheckler figure can skate tricks. Parents: definitely watch Action Sports Toys in the near future; they've got a great product line that is innovative, non-violent, constructive and about as eco-friendly as a plastic action figure can get. You can visit Action Sports Toys' website to buy this figure, learn how to use it, watch skate videos and more. You can also follow them on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter or check out their YouTube videos like the one below:

INSIDE TOY FAIR: Idolz Toys stackable figures

While I was hanging out with the guys from Elite Gudz in the designer toy aisle at Toy Fair, NEMO mentioned that down the aisle were some really cool stackable toys that he would love to get his hand on to customize, so I took a walk and here's what I found:

Idolz are a platform toy concept a little different than the rest: they do have articulated feet & arms, and they do have accessories, but what sets them apart from the rest is the fact that the apendages are removable and the Idolz can stack on top of one another. I think what got NEMO going was the endless totem-pole-esque opportunities this platform offered him as a customizer. Idolz are about 3 inches tall and cost $9.99 each.

Gruntor (the green camo design in the front of the pic below) is the first design that Idolz made, but I bet you could contact them and inquire about DIY blanks. I know for a fact that Damien, the president of Idolz Toys, has a few blanks in his office. If he runs out and there are enough requests, I think he could be convinced to make another run of DIY blank white versions to sell alongside the future colorways. The future colorways are detailed on the Idolz website here.

If you want to find out more about the Idolz, check out their website, read Gruntor's blog, and friend him on Facebook! Gruntor even sends out the occasional tweet. His username is gruntor, of course.

INSIDE TOY FAIR: Band Mates plushes shaped like instruments

One of the standout new lines of plushes I found at Toy Fair were these super-soft Band Mates plushies in the shape of musical instruments. From left to right, they are: DJ MC, Mike, Tom & Axe-L. They retail between $14.99 and $19.99 each and you can read their backstories, check out the web comic, download wallpapers, and find out more about the cool people behind this line of plushes on their website.

I'm digging DJ MC the most, I think. Which one do you like best? Drop us an email or leave comment!

NEMO's Mannequin, executed live @ Toy Fair 2010

Check out more pics of this amazing piece on NEMO's blog.

I believe Toy Fair will be auctioning this piece off for charity.

INSIDE TOY FAIR: Vamplets 7" baby vampire plushes

One of the first gems of Toy Fair I found was the Vamplets line of 7- to 8-inch tall baby vampire plushes by artist G-Ra. They retail for around $15 each. There are currently 6 characters available: (starting at upper left and moving clockwise:) Burton Creepson Jr, Cadaverson Nightshade, Count Vlad Von Gloom, Midnight Mori, Lily Rose Shadowlyn & Evilyn Nocturna. There will soon be companion animals to go along with them. There's also a Disappearing Bottle of Blood accessory for the Vamplets for just $4.95.

You can explore the backstories and the extensive world of the Vamplets here- there's lots to see on their website!

Vamplets set up a great cross-promotion with the Toy Fair: they had a second booth in the back where you could donate blood, and Vamplets would give you either a special-edition plush or a special Vamplets t-shirt as a gift for your generosity.

We're really diggin these cute/creepy plushes; email us at tenacioustoys@gmail.com if you want to see Vamplets in our store! They really are very cuddly and huggable, I can personally attest to that.

INSIDE TOY FAIR: Live art by the Elite Gudz crew

I was really excited when, at the last minute, I heard that the artists from Elite Gudz had been tapped to perform live art and customization in the Designer Toys aisle of the NY Toy Fair! The platforms for this project are the Mannequinz you see in the following shots.

Elite Gudz, headed up by street artist/designer/entrepreneur Phetus, is a Long Island, NY-based creative studio. One of their many projects is the Concrete Immortalz comic book. Their roster of artists includes some of the best and brightest of NY-area street artists from all walks of the art world: Phetus' resume spans the fashion, design & comic book worlds, Rolo works in illustration and fashion, Mr Den is a tattoo artist, sculptor & painter, Brian works on comic books and handles PR for Elite Gudz, Narek's a digital painter & illustrator, my buddy NEMO, of course, is an independent sculptor & painter extraordinaire who I've mentioned countless times.

Toy Fair got in touch with Elite Gudz not so long ago and offered them a spot so they could show attendees some art in action. I have to say, their booth does lend quite a bit of street cred to an otherwise all-business convention.

Elite Gudz setting up early Sunday, the first day of Toy Fair:

Rolo gets to work on a Wall Lord-themed Mannequin:

Narek, NEMO & Phetus starting their projects:

Rolo cannot be stopped, he just bangs out the most amazing illustrations in minutes:

Mr Den sometimes smiles.

But even when he does, he somehow still looks like he might rip your arms off. He's a really nice guy, I swear:

NEMO in his element, pushin clay:

Phetus at the start of what looks like a very colorful Mannequinz project:

I told you Rolo works fast. The dude's a phenom:

If you can, stop by booth #4954 on the lower level of the Javits to check out the artists at work!

I am sure Elite Gudz will be posting up pics of the finished Mannequinz on their website after Toy Fair.

You can also fan them on Facebook.

First post...

...we are working out little butts off over here at Tenacious Toys, trying to get our new & improved website up & running. One aspect of the new Tenacious Toys site is this blog, which we will link to from our new homepage.

The purpose of this blog is to keep you informed about what's going on in our store, without having to shoot off newsletter emails every day. We will be posting up info about upcoming toys, artists, pics and info about anything else related to our shop.

We have been talking about switching hosts and putting up a new website for a while now, and we finally got the time to get that big project done without the help of outside designers or programmers. Okay, almost done. We will most likely end up launching the new website this upcoming week. It's a lot of work, especially with our old website still up & running, orders to fill and 3 trade shows in NY this month. Whew!

Benny is off the Toy Fair today to scope out new toys and meet with vendors. In particular we are going to finally meet in person the distributor that is handling the fulfillment of our orders from Toy2R USA! So in the upcoming months, expect more Toy2R products at Tenacious Toys.

And with that, we're off!