A week ago, I asked you, readers,  if ya'll wouldn't mind contributing to a birthday fund so I could purchase the SDCC 2008 Frank Kozik Salary Ika Clear/Money Filled Colorway. Within an hour, 2 sweet, blog-reading sugar daddies dropped the neccesary fundage to make my wish come true. Salary Ika came in the mail today, and its more awesome than I thought. I also promised pictures... And its actual US Currency that's shredded, making up the guts of the Salary Ika.

For even more pictures, visit the flickr set here.

So my Birthday is coming up next Friday and I was thinking how awesome it would be if all the people glued to my lifestream would Chip In and get me a present. Consider it  for the peek I give you into my life. It would really encourage me to give back more, and I'd cherish for ever... I don't want much, I was actually going to ask for a new harddrive for the ole macbook pro, but I found something more frivolous and awesome: Frank Kozik's SDCC 2008 colorway for Salary Ika, available at rotofugi for 110 bucks. If you read my blog then you know my love for vinyl, my obsession for Kozik, and my fascination with this particular figure. The colorway is an exclusive SDCC (San Diego Comic Con) 2008 colorway, featuring a clear body stuffed full of shredded money,  lightly airbrushed to tint. Salary Ika is part of the Super 7 series, and is produced by InTheYellow. If you would like to make my Birthday wish come true, please click on the Chip In widget below, or on my sidebar to the right. It will take you to a paypal page where you can send money via paypal, or use your credit card of choice (look for the link on the bottom left of the paypal page). $5 dollars, $10 dollars, $50 any little bit will help. The fund will last till the 16th, which is my birthday. I'll be 23 in case you were wondering. UPDATE: Thanks to two incredible donations of $60 and $50  from John and Joe respectively - two people I have never met (that I know of) but who have become honorary sugar daddies - I reached my birthday wish in an hour and the Salary Ika is on his way to my grateful arms! You guys rock! If you wanted to donate, you still can, I could use the money for other things, like web hosting costs, booze, birthday lapdances, Excedrin for my post Blowoff hangover... But I'm truly grateful for all of it. Thanks!

Its gonna be a party, and as much as I'm almost burnt out on the Dunny platform, i'll be there snatching up the goodies. As I become more knowledgeable in the Designer/Vinyl toy realm, I start to get more excited about the individual customs. Series 4 I was a complete dummy; in this cycle I'm amped for Amanda Vissel, Frank Kozik, Huck Gee, DevilRobots, Jesse LeDoux, and of course, MISHKA. I wear a lot of MISHKA, thanks to the boys at Krudmart keeping me in stock. The MISHKA Dunny is the first second (see below) for the NYC fashion label, and to celebrate, they are selling 25 custom Bear Mopped autographed Skunk Ape Dunnys from their online store.

I of course, just bought one, but I'm anxious to get another; keeping the collectors pack in mint condition.

[Update: Not ten minutes after posting this, does MISHKA comment and remind me that they actually had a figure in Series 3, "My Pal the Crook." This goes to show how much I paid attention to S3. Either way, totally stoked and essited. Way to go MISHKA! ]

I always get jealous reading vinylpulse, all these awesome custom shows in NY, SF, LA, SD, never BUF. well, now mother fuckers, I get my wish. Hero Design Studio is proud to bring you their first ever custom show: THIS B.U.D.'S FOR YOU!

• WHAT: Hero is hosting a custom toy show featuring one-of-a-kind custom toys from over 30 artists from all over the world. The figure being customized by every artist is the 9" Blow Up Doll from Jamungo (as seen to the left) and each custom toy will be available for purchase.

• WHEN: October 24 - December 23, 2008. The opening reception is Friday, October 24 from 7pm - 11pm at El Museo directly next door to Hero. The show will only be on display at El Museo for the night of the reception (Hero will still be open next door) and the show will move over and remain on display at Hero from October 25 - December 23, 2008.

• WHERE: The opening reception is Friday, October 24 at El Museo, 95 Allen Street, Buffalo NY 14202. The collection will be on display for duration of the show at Hero Design Studio + Boutique at 93 Allen Street.

• WHY: This B.U.D.'s for You was organized to spotlight the phenomenon of custom designed toys and the artists creating them. We are featuring seasoned toy designers, gigposter artists, fine artists, illustrators, tattoo artists, musicians, etc. and there will be local artists as well as international artists. Each piece is a one-of-kind toy and they are all available for purchase.

I've seen full shots of some of the customs and this is going to definitely be sick as hell. If you want a chance at owning one, you best be at the opening night.  After the gallery showing, what hasn't sold will be put online. I have plans to steal Kozik's and Dr. A's so don't come looking for me a'right? The artists participating in this show are:

Frank Kozik • Dalek • Doktor A • Michael Michael Motorcycle • Shawn Smith of Shawnimals • Bobby Dixon • Aesthetic Apparatus • Anne Benjamin • Jordan Buckley • Mike Budai • Jared Cain • Coreroc • Delicious Design League • D-LuX • Doublenaut • DROID • Dwitt • Edreys • Jason Goad • Eleanor Grosch • Hero Design Studio • Richard Kegler • Bucky Lastard • Leecifer • Jon Mirro • Punchgut • Thomas Rooney • Rob Schwager • Craig Seder • Mike Slobot • Dan Springer • Dan Stiles • Strawberryluna • Adam Swinbourne • Steve Tenebrini • Amy Jo + Tooth • Lonny Unitus

After the simply unattainable Kozik clockwork orange Ludwig, I have to post something a little bit more in my price range. Hows about the new colorway for Brian Flynn's Super7 (Snakes of Infinity) Kaiju, (Blood Rage) Squirm? This time, he's a clear rotocast with red accents on his eyes and tentacles with brown painted boots, drops this Saturday online and at the San Fran store for an oh-so-do-able $50. And while I'm on a kaiju fix, Hero Design Studio got a few new awesome Kaiju For Grownups in: I'm snatching up the Green Usagi-gon, which would go well with Kozik's newest Kaiju, the Salary Ika I've talked about, finally on sale from wonderwall for ~$80

• Hero Design Studio - 93 allen, Buffalo NY
• Via Vinyl Pulse
• Frozen Empire Toys

And now for something no one can afford.

Frank Kozik has always tailored to the higher end vinyl art scene with his extremely limited busts of political icons, twisted in subtle ways. The busts are typically vinyl or fiberglass, often flocked, and sell for about 300 bucks each. This time, Kozik, is releasing the first bust under his Ultraviolence line, a line meant only for the deep pocketed. Meant to connect Alex from Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange with his love Of Beethoven, Ludwig features a bowler cap and will be finished as a bronze mold, set upon a pedestal of marble. While the price isn't set, expect this very limited run (only 20) to set you back at least $3000. But I'm sure after a wee night full of ultraviolence, you could come up with that much cash, eh?

• Pre-order one for me at lulubell toys, and I'll kill anyone you like.
• Via Vinyl Pulse

I've been a wee bit absent about designer toy posts for a bit, ok, pretty absent about a lot of stuff.. to think I let BRO beat me to the punch on the Elmwood Strip Updates because I was too lazy to get the info out first. I'm approaching that point right now where blogging is getting harder and harder because i'm working more and more. I've got some tricks up my sleeve though... Anyways, the Vinyl Toy Network was May 4th, an occasion full of collaborations and new customs and release teasers, like the one DKE Toys put out: a plush Anarchy Labbit. No word on price or release date, but I'm getting one.

• via ToyCyte

Courtesy of Skullbrain, Frank Kozik teases our wallets with  a first look at his latest Kaiju, Salari Ika. From proto to the finest Japanese vinyl, expect this 22cm corporate squidman to drop its red tape in the next month or so, possibly Wonderwall. SkullBrain via ToysREvil

Kozik is back working with Wonderwall (maybe) to produce another Kaiju (think Godzilla/power ranger type Japanese monsters, but less gay), and he's packing papers. Salari Ika is much like Kozik's previous Kaiju, Ika Gila, but he's ditched the body in favor of a suit with a briefcase prop.  This is going to be one slick toy, and Kozik says he is going to make the colorways "Corporate" like "Exxon, IBM, Halliwood-Burton, Krupp, GMBH, GE, etc." No clue yet on when this toy will slither from protomold to distributor, and it may not even be a WonderWall release. Either way, expect at least one to appear on my desk as soon as it drops.

• Images and Info Frank Kozik via skullbrain.
• Wonderwall

I finished off the case of Heatherettes at Hero Design today; Mark wanted an Amanda Lepore, and I wanted Mack Dugan and the rest of the set. So, I bought the 8 that were left, and gave mark the tranny Lepore I found. The rest were Richie Riches, but I did get the other Trevor Rains (left in the photo), one of the Mack Dugans (right), and the chase (center) which I believe to be Paris Hilton. I've kinda exhausted Hero of all the new stuff; the next few months are bringing an 8-inch Dunny with the Fat-Cap, more Munny Pulls, and of course, the French 3-inch Dunny's. For now, I topped off with a few more Kozik mongers... Herman, from Mongers..... and Dmitri the Magnificent and Popov from Mongers Menthol.

• P.S. as soon as I was getting ready to leave, Mark pulled out the last case of the Heatherettes. I may get the whole series then.

• Hero and Sound