Did you think you’d seen the last of the Muscamoot figure from The Lake Monsters line of Midwest kaiju? Well, clearly, you were wrong!  Here is the latest and greatest colorway for this sculpt and it looks amazing.  But wait, there’s more!  It glows in the freaking dark!

From Rotofugi/ The Lake Monsters Blog:

Thanks to everyone who snatched up the first Brian Morris figure – Dredge Imperial colorway. If you are kicking yourself for missing out, you may want to pay close attention here as you will have a new chance to score the next Muscamoot later this week. And boy is it a beauty! Kirby, Chris and I put our heads together and came up with what I think might be our best Moot colorway yet. Painted with greenish -blue and black on Glow in the Dark vinyl.  Check out the pics and we will announce the exact day and time this week it will release.

So yes, stay tuned to Nerd City for more info about this version of the Muscamoot.

Or, get it straight from the source by checking back at the official Lake Monsters blog here.

The Lake Monsters line of Midwest kaiju figures from Rotofugi has been the proverbial “Toast of the Town” since their Muscamoot started popping up around a year ago.  Steve Seeley even went so far a calling the Booskamoot version of said figure “Toy of the Year” for 2009.  Well, today marks the release of the newest installment in the Lake Monsters series, Dredge, designed by Brian Morris and sculpted by Chris Ryniak. This piece is 8 inches of pure evil (with a bit of vinyl mixed in there for durability)!

From Rotofugi:

The first release of our newest figure, Dredge, is upon us! We’re calling this first release the Imperial Version after the pearl purple finish and because, after all, purple is the color of royalty. This release is black vinyl with silver and pearlescent purple sprays and silver eyes.

Dredge – Imperial Version will be released on Friday, February 26th. It will be available in-store at Rotofugi in Chicago beginning when we open at noon. Online sales at rotofugi.com will begin at 2pm the same day. The price for this release is $60.

If you can’t make it in to the store today, get your Dredge at 2 p.m. CST today here.

To see more from Brian Morris, check out his official site here.

Super 7 is about to release a definitive book on the Neo-Kaiju scene, featuring all of its prominent brands and icons, with their new “Encyclopedia of Kaiju”.  Produced in collaboration with Hyper Hobby of Japan, this awesome resource should be available through the Super 7 site any day now.  This book is really a great opportunity to have images of all of these amazing toys in one place.  And, since Super 7 s behind it, you know that the overall design of the book is going to to be top notch.

A few more pics after the jump… (more…)

Do you like kaiju cyclops gorillas?  I’ll bet you do.  I’ve actually always dug this Cyclomagnon sculpt from RxH, but this white vinyl version with a black paint rub is by far my favorite.  The yellow scarf is a sweet touch, too. You’ve got to love a giant cyclopian gorilla who knows how to accessorize!

I’ve stolen the images for this guy from our friends at Rotofugi, who have him for sale here.

Here’s an amazing one off custom of the super rad Muscamoot River Monsters Kaiju vinyl figure done by its own designer, Chris Ryniak.  I love the look of this piece.  Chris calls this custom “Natural Habitat Coloring”.

More pics/links after the jump. (more…)

Engrish alligator-robot gray matter, you can’t beat it! Rumble Monsters has finished out the yet with yet another amazing release in their Robot Nine series.  This was no doubt my favorite designer toy/kaiju sculpt of the year and it featured quite a few amazing colorways.

Here’s to hoping for a clear version in 2010!

p.s.- Today’s my birthday, so feel free to buy these for me.

Click image for full size version.

Last weekend was Japan’s Super Festival 50, an event which brought us all sorts of limited edition/ lottery only kaiju/ vinyl pieces that most of us will probably never get our hands on.  Of all of these releases, I feel like the collaborations that RxH did with various other artists/ companies really stold the show.  I’ve expressed in the past my enthusiasm for the Chaos Beast sculpt by RealxHead, and this was a really cool chance to see what other artists could do with the piece.

Again, these were released in very limited runs (maybe 20 or less) and typically sold in a lottery.  They are by, from left to right, RealxHead, Shef, Itokin Park, Skulltoys, and Ichiban Boshi.

Image stolen from Datadub’s flickr.

As I’ve said in the past, when it comes to modern Japanese designer Kaiju vinyl, there is no brand cooler than RealxHead.  Their figures draw from all aspects of pop culture and have, over the last few years, created a world as odd and amazing as any fantasy/ sci-fi universe, while creating many pieces of high end collectible art.

The third series of Mutant Zone figures from RxH started to trickle out late last year, and over the course of 2009, many of them have been popping up, Stateside.  The general theme of this series has been the combination of a figure from series 1 with a figure from series 2.  Of all of these figures, I’m really loving the Chaos Beast figure.  He’s a combination of the Mutant Chaos

and the Cyclomanion

For anyone who is looking to learn more about the wacky/badass world of RealxHead, I would highly recommend that you check out this section of the Skullbrain message boards.

Also, many of these images are borrowed from Rotofugi, where they have lots of RxH available.  Check them out here.

Perhaps the single awesomest Kaiju/toy event to come to Chicago since, well, Toy Karma I is about to hit Rotofugi on September 5th.  Toy Karma II will feature a mind blowing lineup of artists who are all producing custom toys or other pieced of art with a classic Japanese toy theme.

Click through for artist and exclusives list. (more…)

Super 7 is going to be bringing a cray-zay amount of exclusives to SDCC this year, including work by some of Nerd City’s favorite artists:

From Super 7:

Jade Mongolion by L’amore Supreme

Designed by L’amour Supreme and sculpted by Como Liquid for the Sankes of Infinity Line of charaters, Jade Mongolion may just be what the Terracotta Warriors have been protecting for centuries. Cast in a slithery translucent green vinyl mixed with opaque green vinyl, before hand brushed and painted, this figure is just as precious and complex as its namesake. Be careful crossing borders with this figure because nobody is going to believe it is made out of vinyl.

Available all days. $65 ea.

From Super 7:

P.G.I.D Mummy Boy by Brian Flynn

Super7’s mascot is back again, although I am not sure he remembers why. Still looking for his lost arm, he will be searching Old Town all night looking for any clues. Cast in a newly developed (and exclusive) Super7 vinyl, Mummy Boy is solid pink vinyl that glows green in the dark. Day or night, this latest Mummy Boy will haunt your dreams day or night.

Available all days. $50 ea.

From Super 7:

Glitter Ooze Bat by Chanman

Another first in technical production, Chanmen’s slippery sludge monster, Ooze-Bat, is back. This Snakes of Infinity series kaiju is made in clear vinyl filled to the max with as much metallic silver glitter as we could fit inside the figure. Disco may be dead, but Ooze-Bat has risen again.

Available all days. $50 ea.

From Super 7:

Green Gorilla Biscuits from their debut 7″ cover

“Better watch out, better be scared!” Seminal hardcore and straight-edge band Gorilla Biscuits teams up with Super7 once again for the final release of the figure based on their debut 7″ cover. A tribute to the 12″ G.I. Joe figures of the 1970’s, heavily collected by Civ as well as many of the early Revelation records staff, the figure is cast in army green vinyl and comes packaged in a wooden footlocker with wraparound art of the Gorilla up to his elbows in urban warfare.

Available all days. $65 ea.

From Super 7:

G.I.D Franken(Berry) Fighter by Brian Flynn

One of the longest running collaborations out there, the Super7 x Secret Base Frankenfighter is back for this year’s con. A tribute to the the colorway of classic monster cereal madman Franenberry but twisted with a special glow-in-the-dark vinyl that shows up bright blue in the dark, this Frankenfighter is a must have for all classic kaiju collectors.

Available all days. $65 ea.

From Super 7:

Citrus Steven the Bat by Bwana Spoons

Back again for the first time, Bwana Spoons’ first figure and Super7 classic toy has finally returned! Ready for his encore, Softcrusher’s resident drummer and jelly bagel addict, Steven the Bat has just flown in for summer, and brings with him the colors of the season.

Available all days. $25 ea.

From Super 7:

Big Sal by Kathy Olivas and Brandt Peters

Having two creators, Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters, makes Big Sal one of the more eccentric members of Monster Family. Donning straightjacket and space helmet Big Sal is just as likely to have escaped from the asylum as the mother ship. Cast in clear blue vinyl with faded white spray and candy cane tentacles Big Sal is terminally attractive.

Available on Thursday at 3pm,
until sold out. $25 ea.

From Super 7:

Vampire Bat by Josh Herbolsheimer

From beneath the soil, the seed of terror is growing, and the Vampire Rose is born! The first minion of a hostile Earth stalks among the living, destined to reclaim the planet from those who would plunder and pollute it. Be not fooled by the appearance of this cute little sprout, for he is surely a harbinger of doom to come.

Available only in the white unpainted set at the Monster Family signing on Saturday.
(prototype shown.)

From Super 7:

Magenta Massacare Hollis by LeMerde

If you don’t know about Zeu by now, I feel sorry for you. The enigmatic leader of Zeu (the greatest rock band in the world) and former tennis pro Hollis Price knows how to make a racket with or without his racquet. Now is your chance to get to know Hollis better.

Available all days. $25 ea.

From Super 7:

G.I.D Milton by Brian Flynn

The latest spirit to arrive from Ghost Land, Milton is the first of the candy characters set to arrive later this year. Milton materializes in one of Super7’s signature colorways, a glow-in-the-dark vinyl with blue and red spray. The first painted release of Milton, stop by for your taster of this sweet little surprise.

Available all days. $15 ea.

From Super 7:

Red Devil Lucha Bear by Itokin Park

Itokin Park makes some of the most unique vinyl figures today. With his signature style, Itokin Park has managed to make his mark in both resin and vinyl, creating several incredibly popular characters. His first figure made by his own toy company, Lucha Bear, the Red Devil version is various tones of red on a clear based vinyl filled with red and silver glitter and custom designed paper inserts.

Available Friday at noon until sold out. $65 ea.

From Super 7:

Skulletor Dokurocks by Skull Toys

Japanese manufacturer Takeuchi-Yu and Skull Toys are back with a great rendition of his classic Dokurocks mini figure. Colored up in the signature Super7 Skulletor colorway, this blue and yellow mini sized marvel is not to be missed.

Available all days. $45 ea.

All in all this is a really impressive lineup!  I really really like that jade version of the Mongolion.  And I’m also interested in Brian Flynn’s new Milton sculpt.  SDCC should be pretty rad for kaiju collectors.

To get all of the details of Super 7’s SDCC plans, go here.

These new egg-shaped robot figures from Rumble Monsters are, without a doubt, my favorite designer vinyl/kaiju toys to have come out this year.  And this red colorway is the coolest version of them yet!  The Scorpion Platoon figures will be exclusive releases for the upcoming Taipei Toy Festival.

For more info, go to this page on the Rumble Monsters site.  If you look, there’s still a space on that page for the SDCC exclusive version (which has yet to be unveiled).  Keep your fingers crossed for something cool and keep an eye on this space for more info.

Kaiju-Taro has just posted pics on their Flickr of what ended up being one of the coolest custom designer vinyl/ kaiju shows that I’ve seen in a long time, the Sugarcubism show @ Stitch Gallery in Tokyo. For even more pics, check out the KT Flickr here.

From The Lake Monsters Blog:

Here’s the paint sample of our very first Lake Monster release. The sculpt is “Big Muscamoot” by Chris Ryniak. This version is LM001A, aka “Fire on the Water.” At least that’s what we’re calling it for the moment. We’ll be finalizing the release date shortly (hint: it should be pretty soon).

Loving this sculpt and loving this first colorway.  Midwest Kaiju represent!

For all of the latest on Mr. Muscamoot and his pals, check out The Lake Monsters blog here.

If you were to make me pick what my all time fav. designer vinyl toy is up to this point, I would probably have to pick Joe Ledbetter’s Hammerhead from the Kaiju For Grown Ups line. Luckily for my wallet, things have been pretty quiet on the Hammerhead front as of late. We haven’t seen any new colorways of the sculpt for quite a few months. However, Joe has done something really cool and done a custom painted version of the Hammerhead figure in a style that makes it look exactly like one of his illustrations come to life. This is a one off piece for a show @ STITCH Gallery in Tokyo, starting May 29th and exhibiting through June 14th.

If anyone is looking to get their Christmas shopping for me out of the way early this year, feel free to contact the fine folks at Stitch here.

Attention NYC nerds: This Friday, April 3rd, the awesomely ridiculous Kaiju Big Battel comes back to Brooklyn @ the Warsaw in Greenpoint.  The mayhem begins @ 8. Learn all about Kaiju Big Battel here.

Direct Youtube Link