Red Tooth Wedgehead VINYL

I am SO psyched. Just saw on Uglyblog that my beloved Red Tooth Wedgehead is being immortalized in VINYL.



David Horvath mentions in his blog that great time and care was taken to insure that the blue of the body matched the blue of the arms. The Uglydoll company always comes through with a top quality, safe, and amazing product.

The release is just around the corner at New York Comic-con. Since I can't travel to New York, I will start early to develop a strategy to get one of these beauties. I'd like to avoid paying flipper prices on ePay, but that may be my only recourse. Have any suggestions on how to get one straight from Comic-con?

My Red Tooth Wedge wanted me to post his picture too, so you can see the amazing resemblence to his Action Figure. They nailed it, didn't they!



The creative genius of David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim rolls on and on.

With the exception of the Uglydogs, I have a set of the Critterbox release of Uglydolls first Vinyls, and they are top notch. I am so looking forward to the next generation of action figures from Uglydoll.
My impression is that the upcoming action figures will be slightly smaller than the Critterbox Vinyls, and will move at waist, rather than at the neck.

Below I've included a pic of the older Critterbox version of Vinyl Wedgehead standing next to a snack bag of Cheetos, Little Ice Bat, and Little Tray. It's a good size comparison. Wedge is wearing his neck warmer because he is out on a visit to a friends office.


For those of you who are now saying, hey, there is ALREADY a Vinyl Wedge, so what's the big deal, I have two words. Red Tooth!

Note: The Critterbox Vinyls are no longer in production.

Fantasy Christmas List

Little Weloos Mom suggested the Fantasy Christmas List of things you'd buy if you were rich rich rich.
So far I've come up with a couple items, but more to follow.

The Batman Button. $50.00





Of course I grab this set of Uglydog Vinyls with bowl for 1500.00
And I'd grab a set for Mary.




Angrite Meteorite. One of only 12 known to exist on earth.
This one weighs in at 5.26 pounds. Too big for a pocket worry stone,
but perfect for a door stop, or to stuff behind the car tire on a hill.
$15,548,000.00. Yep, fifteen mil and change.

Green Abima is in the House

No adult supervision leads to all kinds of fun. As soon as Winged Green Abima arrived from Tokyo he whipped the cape off my old Ice Bat and got spooky.

His black wings are velvety soft. Bright yellow eyes give rise to a very cheerful expression. Green Abima is from a limited edition of 25, from Uglycon Tokyo 2008. Four color sets of Abima's with Wings were released at Uglycon:

• Our Green boy pictured here
  
• Red Abima with black wings
  
• Black Abima with red wings
• Pink Abima with blue wings
  

Each is a limited run of 25. We count ourselves lucky to have one. He brings happiness to our home, and a smile to my face each time I see him.

Stay tuned for photos of our other Uglycon treasures.


Green Abima is another brilliant manifestation from the mind of Uglydoll creator, David Horvath.

It's Johnny's Birthday

Have you ever heard the Beatles song that says "It's Johnny's birthday, it's Johnny's birthday..."? Is that the title as well? Anyway, the way-back machine is not working perfectly today, but I think it might have been on the White Album.
Well, today it IS Johnny's birthday. Happy Birthday John Lennon. And Happy Birthday Sean Lennon. A shared birthday is very special.
Love to you John, and Sean.

Cloning Sheriff Dart

I'm not yet a big fan of cloning, but if we're going to clone, for heavens sake let's clone Sheriff Dart. Standing between innocent renters and surprise eviction is Sheriff Thomas J Dart of Cook County, Illinois, a county that includes Chicago. , who today refused to do the dirty work of banks by putting unsuspecting renters out of their homes and on the street. Some say he is breaking the law he swore to uphold. Others, like myself, see a heroic person who stands up for what is right, even if it means going against established laws designed to protect some and not others. He may suffer from this. Might even lose his job for taking this stand. But he will not lose my respect, his self-respect, or the personal qualities that make him say NO in the face of powerful, greedy forces bent on mindlessly ripping lives apart.
This article explains the plight of renters facing eviction because their landlord did not pay the mortgage. Can the banks do any more to ruin their reputation? We shall see.

After we clone Sheriff Dart, let's spread him around on school boards, committees, and even up at the highest government levels. Any place that we need integrity and a cool eye for fairness.

Next I plan to navigate over to The Cook County Sheriff's Office and give Sheriff Dart a personal high five for being a real, feeling, thinking human being! I invite you to join me! Here's the email address. You can also see his picture there. On top of all his virtues, he's also a fairly handsome fellow.

Choco's Chicko Not-So-Sicko Soup

Choco's Chicko Not-So-Sicko Soup
Originally uploaded by Dragon's Landing

Choco may not have made it in the chocolate factory, but he has other skills. Here he is seen creating his Choco's Chicko Not-So-Sicko Soup that put us all to rights within an hour. Target says it will put hair on your chest. He should know.

My Hero, (or my alter ego)

wagehead
Originally uploaded by Dragon's Landing

Here he is, my hero, Wage. I hope everyone gets an up-close and personal look at Orange Kaiju Wage. He is extraordinary. (Ok, Mary, I've posted, and it's all your fault. :) :)

Made my day!

R0023750
Originally uploaded by DAVIDUGLY

Oh my gosh! I just found this on the Uglydoll photostream. It is practically perfect in every way, just like Mary Poppins. I can't stop smiling. With this face in it, the world is a better place. There may even be hope for the economy in that eye. Yes, hope.

Kaiju in my window

My office window is transformed by the arrival of these amazing Kaiju. They all arrived on the same day. I juggled the boxes up the stairs and tried to decide which to open first. Finally, I grabbed a box knife and just went for it. Each box was more breathtaking than the one before, but nothing topped the glory of Clear Orange Wage, shown in the center. It's worth it to click on this photo to see a close-up of Wage.

The taller pieces are Mothman and Flatwoods Swamp Gas Type in pink, then El Grande himself, Clear Orange Wage, and Chupacrabra with the gold top notch. The little guys are all Uma. Each of these is from the creative genius of David Horvath of Uglydoll fame. The Uma are offspring of Mothman and Flatwoods, but not together, as I'd previously thought. Call me a romantic, but yes, I thought Mothman and Flatwoods were a couple, or at least met up sometimes outside work.

What is so appealing about this group of Kaiju? Where to start! Quality shows in every part of them, from David's design to the final product. They gleam in the light, and when backlight at dusk, or by the porch light, they radiate color and coolness. They are smooth to the touch, and are poseable. In his photo Chupacabra is seen with his head turned to the wide so you can see his face and the ridges down his spine. Chup's tiny arms are also articulated. Even the hoods pop off of the Uma Flatwoods, the little guys with the pointy heads. And if all that wasn't enough, Mothman and Flatwoods GLOW IN THE DARK.

They are fun to look and fun to touch. That to me is a collectors dream.

A 25 cent grab

Who's that in Deer Ugly's boat? That's Koffing, a Nintendo plush from the early 1990's.
And he's happy to be aboard.

Was at a garage sale last week, plunged my hand deep into the 25 cent toy bucket, snaked down through a foot and a half of plastic cast offs, cupped something soft and round, and came up with this little purple ball. Brought him home, cleaned him up a bit, then did some research. Turns out he's Koffing of former Nintendo fame, and worth many times more than a quarter on eBay. He will, however, never see the auction block. We love him.

He is not, by the way, the Koffing ball toy that you can turn inside out. He is the original Koffing from days gone by. A real celeb.

Mothman and Flatwoods are coming

Ok, I admit it. I'm still a kid. Formerly more a closet kid, I've busted out. And I find I am not alone.

Mothman and Flatwoods Swamp Gas Type are coming. I've dusted off my shelf (several times) in preparation. For weeks I'd look at that shelf and see Mothman in my minds eye, sitting there in his Swamp Gas glory, reflecting pink awesomeness. My vision did not include Flatwoods due to the extra cost of having them both. No, I was resigned to only having Mothman, listening to that practical voice within. But suddenly "practical voice" got laryngitis, and I bought the Mothman and Flatwoods set. And soon they will adorn my office window.

How did I make my decision among the very appealing versions of Mothman? It could have come down to the fact that most other versions are sold out. But I was lucky. My love was Swamp Gas, and by the time I saved enough cash to get him, he was still available. Makes up for all those other times I was too late.


I ran my "death bed" senario to make this decision. There I am, on my back, dying. I just knew I would look up and say, "I should have bought Flatwoods". Check one more potential regret from the I Wish I'd Done It list.

Give credit where credit is due. And I must give credit to Cinko, who is always at my side when I shop for Uglydolls, Kaiju, Noupa, or other prized items. Cinko is unfailing in his eye for a good bargain, and uncanny at winning auctions.

Further credits go to David Horvath for dreaming and designing Mothman and Flatwoods. To Wonderwall, kudos for making some of the best Kaiju in the world.

Important message: Never stop playing.

Uglydoll Action Figures on the way

I had to open with a photo from Uglyblog. Just look at them. They are the upcoming Uglydoll Action Figures. They are more than mere vinyl. They move at the waist. So cool. And the colors are extraordinary, as are their perfect little shapes. I imagine their size will fit perfectly into my hand. In the vinyl action figures world, these will be superstars.

So far it looks like price will be between 8.00 and 9.00. They will be available separately, and in a complete set of one each. I'm going for the complete set myself, as soon as they are available. My experience with getting just one piece, and trying to pick up the rest of a set as times goes by has always left me paying higher prices, and sweating it out on ebay auctions. So with the pre-release info in hand, I know it is time to save up and be ready.

There is something to be said for purchasing one at a time. It stretches out the Ugly pleasure over a series of months. You debate, then choose the next member of the clan. You order, you wait, the packges is in the mailbox. Everyone runs to the dining table for the grand arrival of the newest Ugly. A brief moment of danger as too many cutting tools come flying, but soon the package is ripped away. Ah. Bliss.

With the complete set, it's like a sonic wave of enjoyment. The Fun Meteor doesn't break up and fall to earth in pieces, but hits our dining table full throttle and in one piece. Bam. They're all there standing before us. No doubt we'll all compare, appreciate, evaluate, bond, and discuss the individual virtues of each piece. We'll pick favorites, change our minds. The camera will come out and we'll pose them around the house, the property, and all around town. After all, they are posable action figures.

Receiving them is a tasty moment, but anticipation tastes pretty sweet itself.

Keep watching for their release on the Uglydolls web store and grab yourself a new buddy, pronto. You won't be sorry.

From info I've gleaned here and there, they will be out in early 2009 to the general public. However, I am no Uglydoll official, just a big fan, so the date is my guess.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

If you are a Firefly or Serenity fan, or simply like creative, original material that makes you laugh, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a must-see video series. It's back on Hulu at the moment. If you miss it there, you can get it from iTunes.


You may notice some familiar faces amongst the cast, like Nathan Fillion, our beloved Capt. Mal from the Serenity. A sharp eye at the end of Act III will notice Liz Vassey, Capt Liberty from The Tick. Not intended as a spoiler, but she's changed sides.

I read an interview with Dr. Horrible creator Joss Whedon, who said a sequel is possible, due to the success of the first installment. So don't get left behind. Go check it out!

Joss Whedon also brought us the TV shows Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Firefly, plus the fabulous movie, Serenity, based on the equally amazing Firefly series.

Want something fun to do today?

How about getting your hands on a powerful, remote control telescope complete with a camera to capture the best the sky has to offer? Too pricey for most of us as individuals. Not to mention most of us live in so much light pollution we'd be hard put to see much.


The good news is Slooh.com, where a membership gives you access to two domes of eye-popping telescopic magic high atop Mt. Teide in the Canary Islands. You can view the 5 to 10 minute missions for hours at a time, taking up to 3 shoots per mission with their built-in camera. The photos are saved to your own folder where you can sort them, make notes, and post the the highlights to your Slooh Gallery. Here's my gallery. If you've always wanted a big, fat telescope, here's your chance. It's one of the best times you can have without leaving your seat.

Soon slooh.com will open a second observatory in Chile. That will be double the fun.








I took this photo with the slooh.com telescope.
Notice a white heart in the nebula.

Ugly Dolls

Ugly Dolls. Just the title brings a smile to the face. My first encounter with an Ugly Doll was at a local grocery store. As I often do, I began to wander as my partner went through the checkstand. I scanned for eye-candy. Pottery from Russia, lovely but too busy. I could only tolerate one piece of it in my kitchen. Carved wood ships in the traditional faded red, white, and blue. Possible Father's Day gift? Little interest for me. Mine is dead. And besides, he was an Air Force guy. Mug. All manner of mugs. Nothing pretty. Nothing funky. Nothing classy. Nothing comfortable. Bad mugs all around. Maybe I'll wait outside.

But WAIT. What is this? I reached into a bucket to retrieve....something. Could I believe my eyes? It was brown. We can say that for sure. And softish, like fleece. It had great, round, saucer eyes, a straight, black line of a mouth that spanned most of his face, and a pair of downward facing teeth. A pair of ears stuck out like half-dollar pancakes. His arms were low, way too low, and his feet were too tiny. He was odd. Very odd. He was ugly. He was perfect. I squeezed him. My heart melted. It was love.

Chuckanucka was his name, and he was an Uglydoll. As excited as could be, I thrust him at my partner. Look, I said. Can you believe this? Isn't he wonderful?
Ok, it wasn't love at first sight for Chuck and my partner. However, the money was plopped down, Chuck came home. My partner is now more than on board the Ugly Train. More than.

And so began a relationship with a doll that has grown into a passion. I don't know how many people stop with just one Uglydoll. But that certainly was not to be for us. The care, adoption, and admiration of Uglies is a major part of our lives. We plan, we play, we watch ebay auctions, we read about them, chat on forums, study their history and variations, set them up for photo shoots, take them for rides in the car or on the bike, and enjoy the heck out of ourselves doing it.

I was never one for traditional dolls. In fact, you could say I loathed them. In my childhood, stuffed animals ruled. When I was told I was too old for toys, I never agreed. Stop playing? Why?

As a young adult, my toys moved with me, slept with me, traveled with me. I was devastated to discover most of them were stolen while I was away. It seemed nothing could replace my trolls, action figures, and other great companions. Replacing them with the toys of the day held zero appeal for me. My heart was broken and did not heal for many years. Until Chuck. He gathered up the pieces, and together we got my groove back.

Chuck is now part of a growing Ugly Family. In the photo, Chuck is in the upper left corner, top shelf. Big Chuck, as we call him, is a 2 foot Tall relative of his in the bottom right corner. Isn't he wonderful?

He's waiting for me in there right now.