Star Trek + Potatoes = Awesome

Wow, I can't type at all today, so I'll keep this short & sweet. Saw this throw away post on io9 and was mesmerized. The good people over at PPW Toys are making, get this, Star Trek Mr. Potato Heads. The first set will feature Captain Kirk and Klingon nemesis, Kor.

Of course, I'll be holding out for the Mr. Spock. And perhaps a whole STNG set (pretty please with sugar on top!). I am already seeing a display shelf full of Mr. Potato Heads with Worf, Picard, Geordi, and Data.

Anyway, look for the first set of Star Trek Mr. Potato Heads later this summer! Just in time for another adventure with Portland's "Star Trek in the Park!"

Angry Birds - Pigs in Plush

(h/t TechCrunch)

I assume that everyone knows about Angry Birds at this point. I'm stuck somewhere in level 2, wishing I had more black bomb birds, but so it goes.

Just in time for Xmas this year, Angry Bird plushies! I'll dig up a link to the birds later, but late last week I saw the first images of the pigs. They are so irritating with their smirks and oinks when I can't get them! Where's my yellow bird?!

Pig with mustache is my fav...

Alternative Press Expo (APE) 2010

As you may, or may not, recall, I missed out on San Diego Comic-Con this year, for the first time in about 14 years. It was a big bummer. Even though I couldn't make it to SDCC, I was excited to hit up the Alternative Press Expo -- or APE -- last weekend in San Francisco.

APE is run by the same folks who put on WonderCon (also in SF) and San Diego Comic-Con. But it is really nothing like a "typical" comic book convention. This was my 7th or 8th APE Con, and over the years, I believe it has become my favorite event of the convention season. In addition to catching up with my geeky & creative friends, APE offers up a lot of interesting small/self-published comics, art/prints from a range of artists (many who are up-and-coming in the comic/animation/web world), and various other products that you can't find just anywhere.

I always leave APE so excited about the treasures I've collected over the day. This year was no exception. If anything I wish I had more time to explore the concourse floors, as the convention seemed to about double in size this year. The attendees are a really fun, mostly local crowd. My only complaint is that, while the Concourse is fairly convenient -- located right off the freeway and plenty of parking nearby -- there doesn't seem to be a great range of food options in close proximity. On the plus side, it's the only convention I've been to where you can drink on the floor. So, hooray for that!

Here are a few pics I took along the way.

Convention center floor just before opening:

Sparkly art by Charlene Kelley (my husband purchased one of these for his Marion collection):

My new owl print by Ashley Burke:

Plushie food, including a giant hamburger by Jakc Designs. PS - I'll do another entry on the Adventures of Slider (or "Bored at the Airport Part I") soon.

Felt octopus by Jackie Huang:

Beastlies by Leslie Levings:

Walking Dead Gifts for You

The premier of AMC's The Walking Dead in just few weeks away, and you better believe, this no lost marketing opportunity! Comics Alliance reports that Robert Kirkman's fan favorite is branching out into novels and plushie toys, so you too can get your zombie on!

Just in time for Halloween/Christmas/Zombie Apocalypse:

Hello Kitty Figures?

I hope to God these are real custom kits or custom made Hello Kitties. Must. Have. Them. ALL!

See post on Comics Alliance for all the variations (and some question whether they are real or digital illustrations).

If they aren't real yet, let's get this going. These are fantastic!

Friends with Kids? How About Bacon!

Bacon is big. I mean BIG. I don't eat the pork products, and I can't get away from bacon. Especially in NW cuisine -- I swear, they shove bacon into most everything here. Macaroni, waffles, mashed potatoes, salad, doughnuts, chicken, soup. You get my drift.

But I can appreciate the devotion to bacon. There is an almost cult-like status to finding the "new" bacon product totop your friends. There are whole websites dedicated to bacon in all its forms and functions.

Well, here's a little gift suggestion (via ThinkGeek) for those bacon-loving friends with kids. Let's get them started while their young, shall we?

My First Bacon


Isn't he cute and/or silly? Not only is he a fuzzy plushie toy, but when you squeeze him, apparently he says "I'm bacon!" Hey, could even be a fun dog toy, if you don't have small children hovering around!

PS - while you are at it, why not throw in the PVC action figures "Bacon Vs. Tofu." A fun gift for your hipster friends. They can put it in their cube with the rest of their toys! (Btw, I can't cast stones on that one...)

Amigurumi = Cute!

Thanks to good ol' Wikipedia, I learned what "amigurumi" means, other than ridiculously cute.

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. The word is derived from a combination of the Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed doll.

There were two BoingBoing posts this week featuring nerd-inspired arigurumi, both inciting me to "Awwwww" at my monitor. That's how I know they are good. I also am reminded that I need to start knitting and/or crocheting again. Maybe after I move. And start volunteering. And learn how to race a dragonboat. You see where this is going. Sigh...

Anyway, enjoy some cute toys.

Mighty Boosh Toys

In keeping with the recent theme of toys, I saw this post over on The Beat and had to share. My husband is a huge fan of the Mighty Boosh, so I know he'll be thrilled to see the existence of some MB toys. I think this is a good start, but I think there are quite a few other characters to add.


If you aren't yet familiar with the Mighty Boosh, and if you are a fan of British comedy, check it out.

Old Gregg is legend at this point:




"Have you ever drunk Bailey's from a shoe?" You know you want to hang out with these people.

The Boosh's songs are some of the most fun, such as this one (don't they look ready for Burning Man? minus the snow, of course):



I'm really looking forward to the toys from these two clips.

Toy Fair Highlights

I wish I could be at Toy Fair this week. I love a nerd convention, and one focused exclusively on toys would be amazing. Except that I'd have to go to New York in February, during what I've heard has been one heck of a snowstorm. Given that I've had 3+ days without rain in Portland, also in February, it's a toss up.

But since it's not even an issue this year, I'll just share some highlights I've seen floating around the web. Plus, I'll get to see some of these toys later in the year at San Diego Comic-Con.

via Comics Alliance come an image of a new AT-AT from The Empire Strikes Back. I love that they are still making toys from movies that are pushing 30. But Empire is still my favorite of the Star Wars movies, mostly because of the scenes on Hoth (see poster in yesterday's posting!). So check out this AT-AT figure that can hold 20 regular sized Star Wars figures inside.


I spent so much time looking for other reports and good images from Toy Fair, that I'm already out of time this evening. Sometimes, research for the blog takes a while! But, I did find a great set of images on Flickr from Ken Miller. I picked a few favorites either because the toy looked really cool or I love the property (or know someone who does!).

First up, from the Mr. Potato Head family and in honor of the new Iron Man movie due later this spring, "Tony Starch." Get it?


In honor of the Peanuts' 60th anniversary, Dark Horse is releasing some vintage-Peanuts figures. I heart Snoopy!


I spied these new Venture Bros. figures and immediately thought of Rich! I'll be looking for these in San Diego...


Finally, Rorschach (Watchmen), Lobo (DC) and Beetlejuice -- because they amuse me.




In looking through quite a few of the images, it appears there continues to be an interest in the 80's, as reflected by new toys based on Ghostbusters, wrestling icons of the era (Rowdy Roddy Piper, anyone?), Terminator, and so on. So, there's more of the 80's to look forward to, in case you didn't get enough the first time around.

I'm thinking of doing another post just on some of the female figures. I used to collect those and still have a place in my heart for them. Sadly, I have no room in my storage container for any more.

Happy Toy Collecting!