Dead Presidents at SDCC 2010...!!

Matt Walker aka Dead Presidents has been quite profilic this year. The question is not whose toys he's painting, but whose toys he's not painting because he seems to be everywhere. Between his customs, new Monster Kolor paint line, his Presidential Coatings Painting Service, toy collaborations and his new Cosmic Squadron original toy line sculpted by Sunguts, Matt is the hardest working toy guy around. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy either.

New Cosmic Squadron line. Look for new helmets, heads, accessories and weapons.


collaboration with Brand Loyalty and their line of toys called Big Plastic


collaboration with Plaseebo


RealxHead custom


Max Toy Co. Minis painted by Dead Presidents


More pics after the jump...

KAIJU MONSTER INVASION is Coming!!!!

OPENING NIGHT : Wednesday December 3rd, 2008 8:00pm-10:00pm
ARTISTS SIGNING: Friday December 5th, 2008 8:00pm-10:00pm
KAIJU THEMED COMPUTER MUSIC CONCERT: Saturday December 6th, 2008 8:00pm-10:00pm,

For all info about this event go to: KaijuMonsterInvasion

SHOW LOCATION:
ART CENTER OF SOUTH FLORIDA
800 LINCOLN ROAD
MIAMI BEACH, FL 33139
305-989-3359

Photography above is a Brian McCarty portrait of Mark Nagata's Eyezon.

From Harold Golen Gallery

What's is Kaiju? The meaning of the Japanese word Kaiju is Strange Beast or simply a Monster. During the 1960's in Japan, toy vinyl figures of popular Japanese films such as Godzilla (a radioactive lizard) and Gamera (a giant flying turtle) became popular collectibles. Over the next four decades the popularity of Kaiju spread around the world, especially here in America, where renowned Lowbrow/Pop Surrealist artists such as Ron English, Coop, Kozik and Isabel Samaras amassed their own collections of the famed vinyl Japanese monsters. Recently the Kaiju have spread throughout the western world popular culture, their influence can be seen in the emerging popularity of the art toy movement, modern couture and in the artworks of many lowbrow artists from around the world. The concept of the Kaiju show at the art center will be to bring the most exciting and subversive artists from Japan (East) and the United States (West) in a single exhibition that will showcase the various interpretations of the Kaiju in both Eastern and Western cultures. This exciting exhibition, aims to break new ground in the Kaiju art form, while at the same time, honoring the Kaiju rich history. EXHIBITION: The exhibition counts with many of the top exponents of the Lowbrow Pop Surrealist movements. Plus, internationally acclaimed Japanese artists, making this show a rare occasion that brings the best of the East and West interpretations Kaiju.



Here is Bob Conge's piece: " PLASEEBO - The Awakening " and is inspired by that part in "The Legend of Plaseebo" story where the Mummy of the Japanese Pharaoh of Egypt, "Plaseebo", is awakened and released from his entombment by the two British archeologists who break into his pyramid one a dark night in 1803.

Strangeco x Max Toy Co. @ SDCC 2008!!!

STRANGECo brought the heat to San Diego with a slew of releases from SF's own Mark Nagata of Max Toy Co. Not only that, but how about two new Bounty Hunter toys?? The lines were crazy long at STRANGECo so good job anyone that managed to get what they wanted.

Custom painted Eyezon by Mark Nagata. $1000!!



the new Cronic x Max Toy Co. Tripasu...



SDCC08 Exclusive Eyezon



Max Toy Co. x Rumble Monsters SDCC Exclusive Pharaoh.



Max Toy Co. x Martin Ontiveros GID Booska



James Jarvis x Bounty Hunter





James Jarvis SDCC Exclusive Amos





I like this MARS-1 colorway



this one not so much

Rocket World Launch Party!!

You guys might have seen the article on Vinyl Pulse a few days ago, but I thought I would add a few more pics...



If you live in the Bay Area and haven't done so already, it's worth checking out Patrick Ma's retail store Rocket World which happens to share the same very cool and urban warehouse space as TAD Gear. I would say this store is one of the most interesting around. TAD Gear is Patrick's first love and venture. It showcases high-tech / quasi-military outdoor gear and custom knives. Rocket World is the other half and features Eco-militant animal toys. The two seems very desparate, but if you know anything about Patrick, they are actually linked closely together.



I was there for the Rocket World Launch Party of their very cool Retro toy rockets which come with blinking lights and a mini figure. There were a lot of people and the Sushi was flowing. Very San Francisco scene. Half the store which had all the TAD Gear equipment was dimly lit and gave an interesting shadowy urban vibe with a giant T-Rex Skull seamingly ready to open it's jaws and eat you at any time. People mingled about the custom knife cases and hi-end military-spec flashlights while checking out the endless racks of Desert Storm-like backpacks and outdoor gear.



The gallery floor itself was more brightly lit and showcased all of the new IWG figures, the new rockets and mini figures. Patrick tells me he is going to be releasing a new IWG Bear on a Vespa Scooter which should be out soon. I was hoping that he would do one of his characters on a likeness of his custom Ducati race bike but he said it's not eco-friendly! Dunno, what could be cooler than a Japanese Ninja Snow Monkey on a Race Bike with swords and guns a-blazing??

It was a great show as you can see from the pics and we look forward to many, many more great things from Patrick, Rocket World and TAD Gear!!

















Greg Blum from STRANGEco who produces Rocket World's IWG Toys



TAD Gear's exclusive "Creature Hoodie" which is taking the fashion market by storm!

Rocket World Rocket Ship Launch Party March 9th!!

Patrick Ma and his Squad of I.W.G. Eco-Militants from Rocket World team up with STRANGEco for the much-anticipated release of the Rocketship Playset featuring all three colorways of this retro-looking spaceship that comes complete with a mini-I.W.G. figure to terrorize the humans!!

From STRANGEco:

The I.W.G. Rocketship launches in San Francisco!

Join STRANGEco and Rocket World for the official release of the I.W.G. Rocketship playsets, featuring all three color versions of this brand new mutated animal warcraft. The release party is at Rocket World's own gallery, a prominent section of one of the coolest boutique stores in S.F.

Aritst Patrick Ma will be in attendance, and special editions, giveaways and a peek at the new I.W.G. Special Ops Mission pack sets will be there, too!

Friday, March 9, 2007, 6-8 pm
Rocket World Gallery
660 22nd Street (at Third)
San Francisco, CA 94107
415 318 8258.

See you there!

Also, I.W.G. Series 4 is available now!!! Check out this:



Makutu the Yellow Eyed Penguin and Oishi the Japanese Snow Monkey are HERE! Humans Look Out! Each figure is a total Limited Edition run of 500 pieces. These two new designer vinyl figures stand 5"and feature their own accessory weapon of choice to dispatch those bad poachin' and pollutin' humans. Each figure is articulated and comes in an I.W.G. Box with the latest I.W.G. Camouflage pattern. $35.00 each and available now! As always Rocket World supports Wildlife Conservation and a portion of all sales of the IWG product line is donated to select non-profit Wildlife Conservation groups.

I'm hoping to score this custom Black Ninja version of Oishi the Japanese Snow Monkey at the launch!!