LIKE TOYS, LOVE CLUTTER
ISSUE FEB 2016 ISSUE 36 35 MARCH 2016
CLUTTERMAGAZINE.COM
FREE
MONDO
AMANDA VISELL SNATCHPUNCH • FRANK MONTANO SCOTT TOLLESON . THE JELLY EMPIRE SEYMOUR • ODDFAUNA TRAP TOYS. DEE TEN
04-08 May 2016 @centralworlD grand opening 04 may 2016 free admission
Exhibitors: 3A / threezero / COARSE / Amanda Visell / Fools Paradise / FUNKO / 1000toys / GlitchNetwork / Black13park / Mindstyle / MightyJaxx / Lighblack / KONAMI / DevilToys / Fluffy House / Pobber Toys / Black Book Toys / IXTEE Dolls / Nanoblock / Instinctoy / Disney and many more
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LIKE TOYS, LOVE CLUTTER
ISSUE 36
CLUTTERMAGAZINE.COM
MAR 2016
36
FREE
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AMANDA VISELL SNATCHPUNCH MONTANO SCOTT TOLLESON• FRANK . THE JELLY EMPIRE TRAP TOYS . DEE TEN SEYMOUR • ODDFAUNA
MONDO 26 Nostalgia Bizzarro Article by Nick Curtis On The Cover Madball Prototype by Mondo
DEETEN
08
Visions of Future’s Past Article by Nick Curtis
SCOTT TOLLESON From Sexy to Sofubi and Everything in-between Article by Miranda O’Brien
JELLY EMPIRE
19
Ready for this Jelly: The Uprising of Selina Brigg’s Robot Empire. Article by Marc DeAngelis
34
TRAP TOYS
44
Hip-Hop Toy Box Article by Nick Curtis
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TEAM Miranda O’Brien Editor-in-Chief
Marc DeAngelis Contributing Editor
Matt Dorcas Advertising Sales
miranda@cluttermagazine.com
marc@cluttermagazine.com
matt@cluttermagazine.com
Josh Kimberg Managing Editor
Nick Carroll Art Director
josh@cluttermagazine.com
nick@cluttermagazine.com
Nick Curtis Associate Editor
Jason Ryule Technical Coordinator
nickcurtis@cluttermagazine.com
jason@tradeincool.com
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VISIONS OF FUTURE’S PAST BY NICK CURTIS
“Atlantean Relic, circa ???” (detail), 2012
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Watching them go about creating things of their own from random and scrap materials was really inspiring. Rsin has also definitely helped me out with a few tips regarding Sculpey, he’s the sole purpose I even thought about getting a heat gun. A lot of artists gain inspiration from what they collect, so what do you personally collect? And do you think it inspires your art?
“Anti Air Siren, circa 1886,” 2014
While you would expect to read this revelation within the pages of Time Magazine, The New York Times, or Scientific American, it somehow falls to us to disclose that a stable miniature black hole was intentionally formed inside a Pasadena, California residence. The work of artist and amateur physicist David Ten, the negative energy of this constructed nothingness holds open a traversable wormhole at its center and, occasionally, artifacts from an alternate universe emerge. Or, at least, that’s one fanciful interpretation of how Ten, who works under the guise DeeTen, creates his custom designer toys. Known for having intricate backstories that associate his pieces to a parallel dimension, instantly recognizable vinyl forms are built upon to resemble statues from long lost civilizations and cracked open to reveal mechanical, clockwork innards that once made it theoretically function. For those curious as to where this steampunk-laden vision of an alternate past originated, Ten illuminates us on the history of his craft as well as where it is headed in the future.
What’s your art background? Formally trained?
I don’t have an art background aside from always being someone who would watch others create and learn from their methods. Who are some of the artists you’ve learned the most from watching, then?
“Autonomous Amplifier, circa 1886,” 2014
Well, when I started working on vinyl I was definitely watching Matt A* and Miss Monster, [and] even asked both of them about their methods at the time. The fact that they actually did answer really helped to give me enough confidence to try customizing.
I am an avid collector of many different objects: fortune cookie fortunes, rocks from travel locations, antique books, arcade tokens, and maps from Disneyland, subways, cities, and malls. Toy wise I’m a big fan of 3A’s Tomorrow Queens, Rangeas by T9G, Bear Osman by Goccodo, [and] Living Dead Dolls, to name a few. My collection absolutely inspires my art; some of my pieces are very doll-like because I enjoy the doll aesthetic and creepy feeling that my Living Dead Dolls have, [and] many colors I use on pieces are inspired by the ornamentation of the antique books I have on my desk. Your work tends to have an antique feel with “broken” areas exposing steampunk-ish inner workings. What is your intent with this aesthetic?
I wanted the pieces to look like they could actually function, [and] have a life of their own. The underlying story that binds my pieces together presents them as objects that worked and operated in a parallel dimension until they were brought back here. Once they crossed the barrier they ceased to function and are now antiques for display. Each piece’s background in the story is quite extensive actually. Have you mapped out this parallel dimension in detail or do you create it as you go?
Some sections of the story are pretty detailed like the underwater city of Titan, the lunar city [of] Infinite Vegas, and the levitating city of New Alexandria. I draw a lot from myths and legends — think Indiana Jones, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, etc. Other parts of the story are still materializing. I like to create the world as I go since each piece adds to the lore of the dimension. Clutter 36 | 11
creations and then hand-paint and/or modify them, have you considered going down this route? If so, why haven’t you done so yet?
I have definitely considered going down the resin route before. This was about five years ago, I even had resin and silicone for molds. I tried it once, didn’t want to do it again, didn’t have the proper equipment. Most of my customs use found pieces and parts and cut open sections, cavities, none of which are resin production friendly. Since then production of pieces has been on the back burner until recently. I have familiarized myself with Japanese vinyl and I really like the feel of the material. The process of creating the pieces and low production numbers have caught my interest, so there is some potential for pieces there. I’m in a much better position to consider that production in the near future.
“The Guardian Bot, circa 1886,” 2013
Oh, sofubi production, huh?!? That’s amazing! Any hints as to what you’re thinking of producing that way? Is the idea to create your own platform but customize each one?
“The Anubian Crusher, circa 1886,” 2013
“Idol of Luck and Properity,” 2014
When you start a custom creation, what is your process? Do you create the design or the story for it first? Or do you just create more free-form, crafting the tale of the piece’s origin after completion?
You use a lot of found parts, yes? Not to give away any “trade secrets,” but where do a lot of your parts come from?
I definitely take a more free-form approach to my pieces. I like to just dive in by slicing the piece up, removing parts I don’t like. The fun, and sometimes daunting, task is figuring out how to fill in all the gaps with whimsical machinery and pipes. It’s much more enjoyable for me to create something and then find a purpose for its existence in the other world. Most of them are given a practical, functional role in that world. 12 | Clutter 36
I certainly do. Sometimes the pieces are inspired by the parts used to creating them. Where do I even begin with the hunting down of parts? eBay has been a big help with specific pieces I might need as they usually provide measurements for the parts. Yard sales, estate sales, antique shops, swap meets, bead stores, junk yards, Craigslist, etc. I generally keep my eyes peeled wherever I go, great pieces can be anywhere. [I’m] looking at you, H&M jewelry accessory rack. Given how common it has become for artists to resin cast their own
It’s still in the early stages right now so nothing is confirmed aside from “I’m slowly working on it putting everything together.” The main idea was just to create something I’d enjoy on my own shelf, [but] using it as a platform is something I’m toying with. It’d be fun to do an artist show with my toy used as the platform but that’s getting way ahead of myself right now. Baby steps. One thing I’ve learned in this scene is nothing comes fast. What do your current art plans for 2016 look like?
My art plans have slowed down in general, life is doing that thing where it steals all the free time you get. But I’m looking forward to finishing my last few overdue customs and begin production of my very first sofubi. I feel 2016 is a year of transition where I start taking on some of my bigger art goals. Sofubi being the first. I don’t plan to stop customizing or creating, it’s too much fun! For more information on DeeTen, please visit: instagram.com/deeten
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What is 1000toys is an independent art-toy brand started in 2012 to show the world the excellence of Japanese creativity. 1000toys has started the ‘TOA HEAVY INDUSTRIES’ brand with the ‘1/6 synthetic Human’ as its first product in 2014. We will be re-producing this ‘1/6 Synthetic Human’ again in 2016. For a diverse line-up which has never before seen in the industry, 1000toys is also working in conjunction with multiple Japanese creators to build up a new world of art toy. 1000toys will keep on providing high-quality art toys worldwide, so be sure to keep an eye on us!
To learn more about IZMOJUKI please check out 1000toys at FB: @1000toys Instagram: @1000toys 16 | Clutter 36
IZMO’ is a name borrowed from Japanese mythology. The heavy machinery of IZMOJUKI are the first of AI robots and will be the predecesers prophecy to the coming of working robot socyiete. The as Japanese mythology IZMO’ is a name borrowed and froma Japanese mythology. Theage heavy machinery of IZMOJUKI are same the first of AI robots and builtpredecesers upon Three and Godsa and Three to Sacred Treasures, products can also splitasinJapanese to three catagories: will beisthe prophecy the coming age ofIZMOJUKI working robot socyiete. The be same mythology is built upon Three Gods and Three Sacred Treasures, IZMOJUKI products can also be split in to three catagories: 1. Machinary that will build or otherwise bring to life building and objects are the Light Side of Heavy Machineary 2: Attacking and weapons that destructive capavilites formthe theLight DarkSide SideofofHeavy Heavy Machineary. 1. Machinary that willdefending build or otherwise bringhave to life building and objects are Machineary 3: Heavy machineary that dothat not have belong to either side but have thethe capability to move to either side. 2: Attacking and defending weapons destructive capavilites form Dark Side of Heavy Machineary. 3: Heavy machineary that do not belong to either side but have the capability to move to either side. These heavy machinary were all born from the maker above them = humans These heavy machinary were all born from the maker above them = humans
1/12 scale Midget Class 1/12 scale Midget Class
Probe20WT 20WT Probe Order Start/ March
Order Start/ March
To learn more about IZMOJUKI please check out IZMOJUKI 1000toys at To learn more about @1000toys please check out FB: 1000toys at Instagram: @1000toys FB: @1000toys Instagram: @1000toys
Clutter 36 | 17
Whats huge, articulated, lights up, and popular in Japan? It's the 12� MechatroWeGo!
12 MechatroWeGo Aqua Retail Price: JPY16,000 (Shipping Included) Release Period: July, 2016 Purchase:
m-wego.com/ece To learn more: FB:@wego Instagram: @Mechatro_wego
@WeGo
@Mechatro_WeGo
What is MechatroWeGo?
“MechatroWeGo” is a fictional single-seated MECHATROBOT, developed by CHUBU MECHATRONICS, Ltd. Designed by MODERHYTHM/Kazushi Kobayashi it was originally released as a 1/35 scale toy in late 2014 and has already spanned over 20 variations as well as 3 custom displays shows in Japan.
Where to buy?
Versions seen above will be sold at the NSURGO website http://nsurgo.com/ They willl also be available at Wondercon on March 25 to 27, Los Angeles Convention Center!
To learn more please check:
FB: @wego | Instagram: @Mechatro_wego
READY FOR THIS JELLY:
THE UPRISING OF SELINA BRIGG’S ROBOT EMPIRE BY MARC DEANGELIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY SELINA BRIGGS & MARC DEANGELIS
Jellybot enamel pin, 2015
Selina Brigg
them to life and also made them pop out of the page. The opportunity to make toys arose when I first met Eric Nocella from Argonaut Resins. He saw my character and asked me if I was interested in evolving this into 3D art, and my response to that was a big fat “yes!”
Micro Jellybots, 2015
Resin can be a polarizing medium. Its accessibility and affordability compared to vinyl essentially democratizes the designer toy world, allowing artists to create whatever their hearts’ desire. The division comes when artists decide whether that creation is a bootleg mashup of two Kenner Star Wars action figures or something more original, and Selina Briggs is no kitbasher. The Brooklyn-based artist, originally from Manchester, England, tosses her sci-fi fueled roots, creative energy, and resin into the pressure chamber and pulls out an army of boxy and endearing robots. Clutter Magazine sits down with The Jelly Empire’s overlord to find out how she discovered resin casting and how her Jelly minions are invading new toy and media formats. I understand that you had already created your Jellybot characters before designing toys? Yes! Before moving into 3D art, I had spent awhile trying to decide what my character would be. Jelly had actually started life out as an eggplant (aubergine in [the] U.K.) because I thought it would be funny but then I decided that there wasn’t enough versatility with the character’s persona or shape. That was when I looked into
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You team up with Argonaut Resins often. Do they do all your resin casting? What’s the relationship and workflow like between The Jelly Empire and Argonaut? I love working with Argonaut Resins. Eric Nocella has become a great friend and mentor. We are always bouncing ideas off of each other and where we could take things. We both work hard when we are together but we also don’t forget to have fun doing it as well. I head down to his studio in Hoboken as often as I can, because he helps me craft my resin pieces and teaches me how to sculpt them myself. He has taught me a lot about the toy industry in general. He is an extremely talented guy and knows a lot about everything, so whenever he is showing or telling me anything, I listen and act like a sponge just trying to absorb all of the information.
a new approach and came up with the idea of a cute little robot, and the Jelly Empire was born.
Has the way you’ve portrayed Jelly, in its resin form, evolved over time?
What drove you to starte making toys, to make the transition from 2D to 3D?
Definitely! In a lot of my earlier custom resins, I played around with spots, paint splatter, and even some cool colored leopard patterns. It was a lot of fun. I sort of used Jelly as a vessel to portray my personality with all the things I love as a visual language. In the earlier days, I used a lot of parody. I love the idea of dressing him up and having him take
The idea of making my own toys when I first started seemed like a pipe dream. I had always drawn my characters with a 3D element to make them look like more than just a flat image because I felt it brought
Plush Mister & Miss Jellybot, collaborations with Shlii, 2014 & 2015
Jelly and Ice Cream print, 2014
Blue & Pink Emojibots, collaborations with Shlii, 2015
on the persona of different characters whether it’s from a favorite movie or a video game. Now I am trying to create my own characters with their own back story, but these are still influenced by my love of sci-fi and comics. Of course I always try and sneak some food references in there when I can - I love to eat! But working as a creative, my brain really never switches off. I’m always researching new ideas, techniques, and new platforms I could try. I do a lot of experimenting and this helps evolve my characters and take them to new levels. You mentioned being influenced by science fiction. What specific sci-fi media are you into? I love sci-fi. I find everything about it very fascinating: crazy ideas, the future, aliens, space travel, time travel, and, of course, AI. It was my dad who got me into it. When I was little, I used to read all of his comics about a space captain hero called Dan Dare, and we would watch some great classic sci-fi movies together, such as Forbidden Planet and Silent Running. One of my favorites was The Black Hole because of the little floating robot V.I.N.CENT (“Vital Information Necessary CENTralized”). I guess Micro Jellybot, 2015
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now that I listed those three movies, I realize that they all have robots in them with some form of artificial intelligence! As a pattern maker by day, do you have to stop yourself from applying all sorts of patterns to your Jellybots? I’m trying to turn my Jellybots into patterns to have them printed onto fabrics now. I have fun ideas, and I want to try them out with accessories. Look for that soon! On the topic of fabric, your Jellybot plushies sold out almost instantly. Could you walk us through the creative process behind those toys? Any plans for future plushies? After working with the resin pieces, I really wanted to expand my toy line into the plush world. At New York Comic Con 2013, I was lucky enough to meet an amazing artist named Jaclyn who is the owner and creator of Shlii Kawaii Handmade Toys. We hit it off instantly and we got on to the topic of plush toys, so I asked her if she would be interested in helping me create my new line, and she agreed without hesitation! She does really amazing work and bringing the plush figures to life with her was quick, in terms of design. The actual figures are handmade by Shlii herself, so they take quite a lot of time and effort to make each one, but her craftsmanship is flawless and it really shows that she puts a lot of love into each piece. Over the last three years, we have been building up the plush family. Starting out with the original design, we have since then added Mister Jellybot (a gentleman Jellybot with
Work in progress pieces, circa 2016
a most dashing mustache!), Miss Jellybot, and the latest, Emojibots. At the moment, there are only two Emojibots, but I have more designs drawn up to add more to the family soon. I’m really happy with the success of the plush figures, and would love to have more of them in stock. Speaking of which, I am actually looking into doing a Kickstarter in the near future, which I will hopefully campaign by the end of the year, so keep an eye on my Instagram account for more news! Your Jellybot characters have crossed over into comic books, which have been going strong. And you’ve even been invited into a comic anthology. How awesome is that? It makes me super ecstatic! I can be my own worst critic and have my low points where I feel like I’m not good enough, but having someone ask me to be a part of something, I
always feel so honored. Even with my own comics, I’ve had a lot of people asking for more issues or when the next one will be out, so it makes me truly happy to know that I’m on the right track. It’s also good to look back at when you first started, to see how far you’ve progressed. It makes you realize that over time and with practice, you really have come a long way. What’s next for The Jelly Empire? World domination, of course! But on a more serious note, I’m always moving forward with new ideas, new directions, new mediums to promote Jelly. I’m probably most excited about my upcoming plush Kickstarter, but I also can’t wait for MoCCA Fest to see my friends and fans again. Spring can’t get here soon enough!
For more information on The Jelly Empire, please visit: thejellyempire.com
Jellybots, 2014
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The Iron Giant Deluxe Figure, 2015
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Nostalgia Bizzarro BY NICK CURTIS
The Austin, Texas-based Mondo is probably best known as the poster boutique arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain, but to fans of films they are the purveyors of beautiful prints. Running the spectrum from stark minimalism to incredible ornateness, from cult cinema to box office blockbusters, Mondo releases officially licensed, screen printed movie posters that transcend being marketing and become works of art. “What does this have to do with designer toys?” you might ask. Most recently, Mondo has expanded their range to include vinyl records and collectible art toys, both using their already wide range of licensed properties and an artistic pool of talent. Not such a surprising move for the company that associated itself with Monster Worship, Retroband, and Unbox Industries at MondoCon, their annual convention. Poised to become a massive player in the scene quickly, we were honored to learn the behind-the-scene details from Mondo’s Creative Director of Toys & Collectibles, Brock Otterbacher.
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Raphael 1/6th Scale Collectible Figure, 2015
Mondo has been known as a specialty shop of art prints for a while now. What inspired the addition of vinyl, both records and collectibles, to the catalog? What did you think you could do better — or at least differently — than everyone else making toys?
“these are the licenses we have, what would be cool?” And it went from there.
simply said “yes!” Not a very sexy story, I know, but that’s how it is most of the time.
The very first piece made available to buy was the Iron Giant figure. Why was this selected to debut the toy line with?
Did doing Lil’ Mikey open the doorway to the 1/6th scale rendition of the TMNT comic and cartoon characters?
I can’t speak for records — though I suspect that it’s because we have both Mo Shafeek and Spencer Hickman on board, who are not only vinyl experts but HUGE fans as well — but regarding toys, being fans ourselves, it seemed like the natural place to expand to. And with our particular tastes, we saw some cool voids in the marketplace to fill. I think if you look at the variety of items we’ve been showing for the past year or so, that should speak to what we think we can do differently. At least, I hope!
Actually, it was the Lil’ Mikey vinyl figure, based on Mike Mitchell’s illustration.
Totally. Once we showed we could actually do this, they were very open to us doing the 1/6th scale figures.
Damn! So much for my research abilities. So why opt to debut with Mike Mitchell’s Lil’ Mikey?
All four of the turtles will make their 1/6th scale appearance, but I
Since the announcement that you would be doing collectible toys, Mondo has had a steady stream of release announcements. I’m sure this was part of a well-thought out and discussed collection, so which piece or pieces did it begin with?
Not as well thought out as one might imagine! (Laughs) When I was asked to come on board, it was more of 30 | Clutter 36
It started there because, a) it was taking an artist our poster fans were familiar with, making a toy based on art they like, and easing them into the idea of us doing toys, and b) because he’s so damn cute! Was it difficult getting the permission of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird for the use of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, especially for such a stylized redesign as Lil’ Mikey?
Kevin and Peter sold off the rights for the Turtles years ago to Nickelodeon, so it was about going to Nickelodeon and presenting them with the idea. And to Nickelodeon’s credit, they
1/6th Scale Baby Hellboy Figure, 2015
a sound feature, allowing it speak lines from the film. Why opt to go so “all in” with this piece instead of starting with something a bit simpler?
The First Hellboy Statue (B&W Mondo Exclusive), 2015
It was really about making a statement, not only to our fans at the time but fans of toys and pop culture stuff in general. Like, we’re serious. Not messing around. Dip a toe? No! We’re diving in!!! What about the “First Look” pieces? You did one of a TMNT turtle and one of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. What exactly is this line?
I wouldn’t really call it a line. It’s just that there were two pieces of art that we liked, and thought they would make cool 3D products. Not sure there will be many more like this, as it’s rare to find a first concept of a character that looks cool and different enough from what they eventually became.
remember there being a teaser of a Mouser in the planning. Is that coming soon? Any other figures planned for the line?
The Mouser will actually be a twopack! And yes, they’re coming very soon! Like, they might be up for pre-order by the time this article sees print! As for other characters, the plan is to move into the human characters, like Shredder, Foot Soldier, and Casey Jones. Then, from there, who knows? I mean, I know, but I gotta hold some stuff back! (Laughs) It seems you’ve really delved into the 1/6th scale figure industry, as you’re also making a figure based on Alfred Hitchcock. What about 1/6th scale figures appeals to you?
At Mondo, we are big on celebrating filmmakers, and what better director to celebrate than one of the greatest himself: good ol’ Hitch! Also, him being quite the character himself lends to making a fun figure. Speaking of fun figures, let’s quickly talk about The Iron Giant piece. It was loaded with details — over 30 points of articulation, interchangeable heads with light-up features, a magnetic “S” to optionally affix to the chest, and… well, lots of stuff. Plus it had
So why did you choose to make the “First Looks” pieces instead of versions of their more polished, final renditions?
There are tons of TMNT and Hellboy products, based on various versions of the characters as they appear in different media, but none based on their first looks! Again, looking to fill those cool voids in the marketplace. Speaking of which, there are a ton of forthcoming toys you’ve announced already, but I suspect your 1/6th scale versions of HeMan and Skeletor from Masters of
The First Turtle Figure (B&W Version), 2015
I love the scale! It makes characters large, so you can get a lot of great detail, and have lots of fantastic articulation. And for collectors, they tend to feel more like a significant addition to a collection. And, speaking of the Hitchcock figure, why choose to depict the famed director rather than one of his iconic cinema characters?
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Digital sculpts of the forthcoming 1/6th Masters of the Universe figures He-Man and Skeletor
the Universe is one of the most anticipated. Where did these designs come from?
Yeah, these have been so much fun and so much of a challenge! It started with the basic idea of “hey, let’s do 1/6 MOTU figures, but combine a bunch of influences to create designs that are fresh and familiar at the same time. Should be easy!” (Laughs) We enlisted an artist called Dave Rapoza, who did the initial designs, which were fantastic. Then we moved them over to Joe Allard, who fleshed out the designs even more, and then over to Ramirez Studios, who began
sculpting, and that process involved even MORE designing. As the sculptures evolved, we were always redesigning and fixing on the fly. These are VERY complicated figures, and I’m really proud of the work everyone has done on them.
twice the size and have a lot more articulation. Obviously, the designs are different, but the direction was to stick to the original looks of the characters while enhancing and embellishing on various details, like armor, weapons, etc.
What can you tell us specifically about these new MOTU figures you’re doing? What makes them different from the original toys and the Matty Collector line? And, more importantly for those of us with nostalgia, what remains the same?
Since it’s safe to say these MOTU figures will be a success, do you plan to make other characters from the MOTU cartoons?
The obvious differences are scale and articulation, being that’s they’re
Absolutely! I’ve already got the next four characters in mind. I’m gonna hold off saying which ones until we launch the first two, but it’s safe to safe to say at least two of them have “Man” in their name.
Phantom City Creative’s Godzilla design from original poster to digital sculpt to prototype
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Aside from revisiting original Madballs designs and bringing the aesthetic to licensed characters, are there any plans to enlist Mondo’s artist roster to create wholly new designs?
This is something we’ve discussed, yes, but we’re more focused on getting the line out there at the moment. Once it’s up and running, and — hopefully — successful, we can start branching off and doing fun side lines. Marvel Comics’ Venom in prototype Madball form
Another biggie is the return of the Madballs, which I understand are part of a bigger line. What can you tell us about these spherical pieces of nostalgia?
The idea is to take the “gross out” aesthetic and apply it to other pop culture characters, like Marvel, TMNT, and others — including Madballs, of course. These won’t be foam, as it doesn’t show detail well and rots over time, but rather they’ll be vinyl. Very, very excited to introduce these guys to the world!
Any chance you might consult with James Groman, one of the original Madballs designers, who currently happens to work in designer toys?
Yeah, that would be cool! I haven’t talked to him about it, so I don’t want to sound like we’re working with him or anything, but I’m very open to it. You’ve also revealed that you’re turning Phantom City Creative’s kaiju-centric Godzilla design into a statue. That piece looks magnificent! Do you think you’ll add other statues to the line-up?
Thanks! And yes, doing statues based
on some of our posters is very much something we’re doing. Expect to see a few in the next few months! So aside from Phantom City Creative’s Godzilla, what other statues are in the works?
There are several, but the only one we’ve announced was a statue based on Francesco Francavilla’s Red Rain Batman print he did for us a while ago. The only thing I can say at this time is that the sculpt is done, and it looks AWESOME. Anything else on the horizon you can share with us?
How about a closing buckshot of an answer? Here we go: Batman the Animated Series in 1/6 scale and the Ramona Flowers figure finally going up for pre-order!!! We have a lot of other stuff we’re working on, of course, but that’s a tale for another day!
For more information on Mondo, please visit: mondotees.com
Three prototypes from the forthcoming Madballs line
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Imperial Lotus Dragon 8� Dunny (Tan), 2015
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SCOTT TOLLESON:
FROM SEXY TO SOFUBI AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN BY MIRANDA O’BRIEN
Scott Tolleson, a self-declared “toy junkie,” is well known and loved in the art toy community. Tolleson switches styles and aesthetics like a runaway convict trying to throw us off his scent, and despite his every attempt to confuse and confound, he just makes us love him more. Bold, brave, and courageous, Tolleson is willing to try new things and sometimes fail. It’s a refreshing trait in an art world that appreciates artists retreading their work every year, in an attempt to satisfy their collector’s desire to own an artist’s definitive work. Not all of his toys have been widely accepted, but his willingness to produce everything from
geometric patterns to evil anthropomorphic vegetables to sexy pin-ups and cute plush, Tolleson has time and time again made classic must have toys. True artists don’t feel the need to be consistent. They try to shock us, try to show us something new, and Tolleson does just that. On the back of winning the 2015 Designer Toy Awards’ Artist of the Year award, we sat down with him and tried to get all of the Star Wars secrets out of him. After hours of prodding, he did not crack (as an Imagineer, he has CIA training from Disney and took the pressure well), so we decided to talk about what makes him tick instead.
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Tell us a little about yourself, your background and how you got into toys. I am a 41-year-old artist that loves puppets and movies! As a kid, I was into all the shit that kids of the eighties were into. Especially action figures, video games, heavy metal, Playboys found in the woods, etc. I moved a few times with my family to various places and eventually ended up in SoCal where I still live today. I attended Cal State Fullerton where I received a BFA in Illustration. While I was still attending school I landed a dream job at Disney. That was almost eighteen years ago, [and] I’m still with Disney today! So you are a Disney Imagineer, do you find Disney creatively satisfying? Yes and no. Working for the Mouse has always been a team effort. I do feel satisfied to a certain extent. It does not, however, feed my creative muse. I need to do things outside of Disney to stay happy. When I first started at Disney, I was able to stay happy and energized with the work I was doing. As years passed, I felt like I had more to offer. It’s when I started making toys that I realized this is where my heart was. You can clearly see the Disney aesthetic influence in your work. Do you think that Disney influences your personal work in a positive or negative way? I feel I’m able to consciously pick and choose what influences I pull from Disney. I think overall it’s positive. Being at Disney has taught me how to be a professional, how to multi-task, and [to] give clients what they want. I can’t say I’ve noticed any negative influences. One important thing that Disney has taught me is if you have a strong work ethic [then] you can go far. It’s not about working hard or working smart; it’s about doing both simultaneously. This mentality, I think, has carried over into what I do with designer toys. Where else do you find inspiration? I find inspiration in many things. Everything from childhood shows, 38 | Clutter 36
Chop Chop, 2014
Dirty Detention Girls, 2006
toys, and memories to new experiences. As I type this I’m about to leave Japan after two weeks. Being here and soaking in the culture has been a very inspiring experience. I’m looking forward to getting back to work on some projects. You have two beautiful girls, do you think your art has changed since you had children? YES! Absolutely. I think having kids has pushed me towards exploring a cuter side to my art. Since my first daughter was born six years ago, I designed the Nosellots plush line, Kookie No Good, Pinkerton Qee, Paco Taco, various cutesy designed Androids, BittaCritta, etc. I often ask them what they think of my designs.
Scott Tolleson
It’s always nice to get a thumbs up from them. Having said that, I still try to be true to my artistic self and make things that I think are rad. So, what was the toy started your collection and gave you the bug? Somewhere around ‘05, I started collecting various designer toys. I think my first toy was the Doze Green TravelA, but the toy that I loved most and still wish I owned was the 18” Kenner Alien from 1979. I was 5 when that toy came out. I remember getting it for Christmas and loving the hell out of it. Looking back, I think my parents were cool for getting that for me. There’s no way a 5-year-old should own that toy.
with production toys, but I wouldn’t say they have MORE of a place in the art world necessarily. Do you prefer working on custom toys or production toys? I definitely prefer working on production pieces over customs. I enjoy everything about the process, from concept to package design to project managing. There’s a sense of accomplishment during the process of a production toy that I don’t get when I do customs. I could do production toy work all day! Having said that, I do enjoy making customs when I’m actually sitting down and doing it. It’s a way for
me to stretch my wings and get experimental. What is your favorite medium to work in? Lately, I’ve really enjoyed traditional sculpting. I’ve been using sculpey firm a lot [and] it’s very therapeutic for me. For some reason, I’m way more relaxed when I sculpt than I am when I paint or draw. It’s a mystery. I wish I could sculpt more but currently, my schedule has been stacked with projects that aren’t allowing me much free time. A good problem to have, I suppose. By no means consider myself a sculptor but I have a great time when I’m able to sit and focus making a sculpt.
Ah! So like most of us, the collecting bug bit you at a young age. What do you collect now? I have a little bit of a problem when it comes to toy collecting. My problem is that my tastes are all over the place. I like things from simple and cute, to crazy kaiju type stuff. I own 3A, Kidrobot, Lulubell, etc. I also like to seek out indie toys. Whether they are resin or vinyl, some of my favorite toys are made by independent artists. One that comes to mind was a gift from Jeffrey Koh. It’s a resin piece called “Dog” from Simon Lee. It’s such a bizarre piece. I love it. What do you think is the major difference between toys in the art toy world and toys in the mainstream? Generally speaking, I think collectors of art toys have more of an appreciation of art. For example, I think an art toy collector is more willing to buy a toy they find aesthetically pleasing. Someone who collects a toy based on a property may not be as concerned about that. They are simply wanting to own a toy of a character that they loved in a movie. I collect both so I’m not even sure it this makes sense. Haha. Do you feel like custom toys have more of a place in the art world than production toys? I think a huge appeal with customs is that they are one of a kind art piece that have been physically created/ altered by an artist. This isn’t the case
Lyle Bean (cream)
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great experience on every level. From start to finish Kidrobot made sure to keep me in the know about the status of production, payment, marketing, signings, etc. They are a well-oiled machine and they are BACK! We have plans for more collaborations in the coming years and I feel blessed for the opportunities they are giving me. #kozikshowislegit I would say that the Deadbeat has been your most wellreceived production piece, why do you think that is? I think it’s just because he’s weird. Also, it’s a food toy? People love food toys. At that time, I was getting sofubi produced for me quickly. I could put in an order and have pieces in a couple of weeks. I was able to do small runs and, for a while, I was releasing a new Deadbeet monthly. Where did the Deadbeat concept originated? Kookie No Good (Retal Version), 2014
So I’m a bit of foodie. Not really one of those super picky ones but the ones that will eat many different things. However, there’s one vegetable I have a strong distaste for and can’t wrap my head around how any human can put in their mouth… the beet. They are gross. One afternoon I was doodling and came up with Deadbeet. I thought it was pretty ridiculous and drew him a few more times until I came up with a tight drawing that I really liked.
So, for production: Vinyl or Resin?
you have produced (custom or production)?
That’s a tough one. I guess it depends on the sculpt. Personally, I prefer vinyl but sometimes it’s cost prohibitive to produce a toy in vinyl if the sculpt is complex. Generally, resin is cheaper and you can do smaller runs... If the sculpt is crazy detailed, I’d rather have it resin. Resin captures details of a sculpt better than vinyl. BUT I prefer vinyl in general.
Currently, my favorite is the Imperial Lotus Dragon Dunny (produced by Kidrobot). I love how that figure turned out. I’m sure things will be different a year from now.
What’s your favorite piece
Working with Kidrobot has been a
GRIMACE DeadBeet, 2013
“Deadbeet” fresh edition, collaboration with Lana Crooks, 2013
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The Lotus Dunny was very well received by your fans. Tell us about working with Kidrobot on that project.
As the week went on I kept thinking about this character and if I should
Tricycle Terror, 2008
2015 Designer Toy Awards
make him into a toy. I showed my buddy, Mr. George Gaspar and I think it hit him like a brick of inspiration. He asked if he could sculpt it and, of course, I said yes. About a week later he shared the sculpt with me. He absolutely killed it. The rest is history. Tell us a little about the conception of your first toy, the Tricycle Terror. How did you approach that project, where did the inspiration come from?
toy. I had been a collector for a couple of years prior and just decided one day I was going to make something. It was a bit of an experiment for me, there was so much I didn’t know at that time so I was willing to play. My inspiration for Tricycle Terror came from my love for Big Daddy Roth and classic animation. Also, is there anything more rad than a badass chick on a Tricycle or Big Wheel? I would love to remake this toy in vinyl one day.
I think it was 2005 when I made that
Why did you move away from
producing sexy women, both in your 2d and 3d work? Heather, for example, was a stunning piece but seems pretty far removed from your more recent works. I used to do a lot of pin-up art. I think, honestly, I just got burned out on it. I had other interests that I wanted to explore with my art. I still am a fan of pin-up art and released a pinup resin piece, Bella Lee last year with Pobber.
Weishaupt, collaboration with Doubleparlour, 2015
Malicus, 2014
Otis and Otto, 2007
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“Old Beetaronomy”, Collaboration with Lana Crooks, 2014
How did it feel to win artist of the year at the 2015 Designer Toy Awards? Dude, it was shocking! Just being nominated is a great feeling of accomplishment and recognition. I am still beside myself about winning that award. I’m a typical artist in that I never really feel comfortable or accepted around large groups of people. It’s that weird awkward feeling of not knowing how to act in social gatherings. It’s a feeling that as a kid I thought I wouldn’t be dealing with it as an adult. Anyway, I tried to play it cool at the ceremony but when I got back to my hotel room afterwards I was shouting and fist pumping like a fool. What advice would you give a young Scott Tolleson? Stay focused. People, self-doubt and other circumstances will try and sway you from your goals. Just stay focused and on track. Also, have some fun and relax occasionally. It recharges the batteries.
Is there someone who would be a dream collaboration for you? I like this question! I love collaborating with other artists. Some artists I would love to collaborate with are [Frank] Kozik, Skinner, Jimbo Phillips, Jermaine Rogers, Glenn Barr, Camille Rose Garcia, Kathleen Voigt, Mark Nagata, Jason Freeny, Doktor A, Chris Ryniak, Brandt Peters, Andrew Bell, Dabs Myla, Dalek, and Junko Mizuno. I have a list, I tell ya! Also, really enjoyed collaborating with Doubleparlour last year. I hope to work with them again in the near future. What does the near future hold? Any exciting plans you can share with our readers?
Baxstar (Fonzo), 2013
Many new toys planned this year and next, including collaborations, self-produced sofubi, resins and other surprises. Many new things should be in hand by San Diego Comic-Con.
For more information on Scott Tolleson, please visit: stolleart.com 2X2 Android, 2013
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Imperial Lotus Dragon 8� Dunny (Gray), 2015
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HIP-HOP TOY BOX BY NICK CURTIS
When Michael Lau and his contemporaries brought the aesthetic of hip-hop and street culture to their action figure-based works of art, some say that urban vinyl was born. While the term has fallen by the wayside in recent years, it was synonymous with designer toys for the nascent period of the movement. And, now, fans seemingly hunger for a return to the urban vinyl form. Leading this renewal of hip-hop head interest in art toys, the duo behind Trap Toys merge mass-market toy profiles with rapper identities, creating an homage and parody simultaneously.
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call. Luckily we get on very well in real life too! AW: We’re on the same wavelength with rap, pop culture, and toys. We form a natural team. So Action Bronson was the very first piece you collaborated on together. How did that go? TR: The Action Bronson figure came first, but we had to put the brakes on that due to copyright infringement. AW: By the time I had cast a handful, we were told the project couldn’t happen. It was my first casting gig, and the trial for me casting for Trap. TR: We couldn’t help but smirk when he got blasted by Ghostface last year over his “he ain’t rapping like this no more” remark. Fuck outta here, Bronson! #wutangforever Your Atrak figure was an official release, from the artist side of things. Was that important to you? Action Bronson × The Simpsons, 2014
Who are you guys and how did you come together to form Trap Toys? Tony Rotwang: I was — and still am — running a blog called Streets of Beige, where we occasionally put together bootleg toy shows featuring a bunch of different artists and illustrators. I decided to make an Action Bronson × The Simpsons mashup figure with Bernard Rollins and cheekily submit it into my own show! (Laughs) The piece turned out cool so I decided to make more hiphop based toys under the new name of Trap Toys. I have skills in sculpting but not in casting so I searched Instagram for a resin-junkie to team up with. I soon found Adam…
we needed to stake our claim in the bootleg toy scene. After a whole year of working together, and despite living within such close proximity, we’d never actually met until we came face to face at Grand Central Station in New York for the Rhyme & Resin show with Retroband at Clutter Gallery. Up until that point, we had corresponded purely via Instagram, WhatsApp, and the occasional phone
TR: Yeah, certainly at the time it was because it meant that we were producing work of a certain quality, something that appealed to professionals. AW: It’s also nice when we have a bit of contact with the artist. TR: The only problem was our lack of interest in Atrak’s music. From that point on, we decided to stick to making toys of artists that we actually listen to.
Adam Williams: Hi, I’m Adam. Tony wanted to collab with a resin artist that was local-ish to him, and I’m from Worcestershire in the UK — so we’re about a two-hour drive from one another. We talked back and forth about casting some Bronson figures for Trap Toys, and other projects, and [we] worked well together. TR: Suddenly, we had everything
Atrak × Futurama, 2015
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TR: I actually designed that piece before Trap Toys existed. I made a big version using the 11” Krang figure and then tweeted it to RTJ. Their response was great and it resulted in loads of requests from fellow RTJ fans to purchase [it]. A few months later we were speaking to Retroband [Aaron Moreno] and he was asking if it was going to be released at any point, and I said that we were working on doing a mini, blaster-packed version but we were hunting for the right kinda artist to nail the illustration. He suggested that we ask Worthyenemies [Gabe Hernandez], which was kind of surprising coz we thought he wouldn’t want us stepping too far into his lane. It goes to show what a good dude he is! Anyway, we used the smaller 5” Krang for the figure while Worthy smashed the backing card design and it all came together nicely. AW: RDJ was my favorite project so far. We will have more dropping soon. You mentioned the Rhyme & Resin exhibition before, which was you alongside Retroband. How did that come about?
Run the Jewels × TMNT, 2015
The Run The Jewels figure, made in the likeness of TMNT’s Krang, was probably the first things of yours I’d seen. Was that your break-through release or was I just late to the game?
TR: Yeah, the icing on the cake was meeting Killer Mike and El-P backstage after a show and putting toys directly into their hands. Fuck money, that’s what it’s all about right there!
AW: Nah, not so late. It was kind of our breakthrough, yes. It did receive a lot of attention from toy and music fans alike, and Run the Jewels have been massively supportive.
AW: It’s great [that] they can dig what we do. Nice when the artist knows we don’t do it to make £££, but that we’re fans making fan toys.
The Shaolin Chef, 2015
IronSam, 2015
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AW: That came out of the blue for me. TR: We had sent a copy of the RTJ figure to Retroband as soon as we could, [and] he liked what he saw and just straight-up asked us if we’d be keen on doing a show together at Clutter Galley. AW: We are both big fans of Retroband’s work, and were both more than happy to say “yes.” That
Spider-Mandem, collab. with Richt, 2015
Eazy-He, 2016
made my year, for sure!
Raekwon…
TR: The rest is history.
TR: So it was just a case of looking at all of the characters from The Muppets and trying to find an appropriate character to remix. As soon as we saw Sam the Eagle it was a match coz, if nothing else, they both share the same FUCK YOU scowl!
For Rhyme & Resin, you made a couple of figures, including the Shaolin Chef and IronSam. I was especially fond of the latter, which I thought was a super smart take on Ghostface Killah though I imagine quite a few missed the joke. Where did this concept originate and how did it evolve? And, for those that didn’t get it, what was the twist here… TR: It doesn’t matter if a few people missed the joke, coz we make this stuff for fellow hip-hop heads who do understand… People just like yourself, Nick!!! We already had the Shaolin Chef idea locked down, but wanted to do another toy for the show. AW: Since we had Raekwon decided upon, we kinda knew that we should pair him up with Ghostface. TR: As the two rappers are synonymous with each other. AW: Tony sent me various images of them both, and we traded ideas back and forth. The eagle theme kept coming up, and we already had The Muppets theme going with
AW: Thus IronSam was born. The Ghostface head bracelet switch was a last minute addition. It was one of my favorite pieces to work on so far. You’ve recently collaborated with Richt on a Spider-Mandem figure, which looked fantastic. You — or I should say Tony — had originally worked on the Mego-style version that Streets of Beige had released, so what made you want to revisit the design? TR: Richt submitted his big Spider-Mandem figure into our Kill Your Shelf bootleg toy show held at ToyCon UK last year. The figure caught people’s imagination and it went viral, so he wanted to make a smaller edition to supply some of the demand. We proposed to make them under Trap Toys because they were in keeping with our brand anyway. It’s safe to say that project was a success!
What’s next for you guys? C’mon, I know you’ve got some brilliant new mashes in the works… TR: (Laughs) We couldn’t possibly divulge our secrets!!! Nah, to be honest, we don’t know just yet. “Concept is king,” so we only undertake projects when we’re absolutely convinced that the idea’s solid enough to justify the months of back-breaking work ahead. AW: We did have a busy start to this year: a double drop of SpiderMandems and Eazy-He got a grand release at February’s (In)Action Figures 4 group show. TR: Yeah, it’s been manic ever since we started Trap. The assumption might be that we’re making some cash over here, but one year in the toy game has left us with nothing except a stack of chiropractor bills to fix our aching backs… and a bit of hooker change for Adam’s late night creeps, of course! (Laughs)
For more information on Trap Toys, please visit: instagram.com/traptoys Clutter 36 | 49
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There’s a new bunnie on the block. 6� Vinyl Bedtime Bunnies.
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