Are you fed up with the way that ninjas are portrayed in the media as always being in unreasonably perfect physical shape?  Do you feel that these unrealistic images and ideals put far too much pressure on young ninjas to look exactly like them?  Would you like a plush toy that portrays a REAL ninja with healthy curves?  Well, this is your lucky day!  Today marks the release of the next installment of the Ninja of the Month Club from our friends at Shawnimals, Notso Wee Ninja!

From Shawnimals:

Ninja of the Month: Notso Wee Ninja!

The 3rd of 12 all-new Ninjas has been revealed! Notso is surprisingly agile, despite his seemingly… ahem… unbalanced physique. He loves cookies, of course, but also uses them as currency and weapons? It’s all very confusing…

AVAILABLEWednesday March 3rd at 1pm CST!

From the tag:
More sumo than stealth, Notso can defeat Chubby Devils by literally throwing his weight around. And although his dietary habits are not part of Ol’ Master Ninja’s training regimen, Notso insists he’s following a disciplined cookie diet – he sees cookies, and he eats them!

Motto:
“Are you going to eat that?”

When you order this $30 product you get…

• A handmade 7″ × 7″ plush Ninja limited to 100 pcs.
• Signed and numbered fancy hang tag
• Fun accessories – A cookie with a munch taken out, and crumbs!
• A character sticker
• A character button

You can also purchase more Ninja of the Month merchandise like stickers, buttons, a poster and more, including a full SUBSCRIPTION, right over here:

http://shop.shawnimals.com/collections/ninja-of-the-month

More pics/link after the jump! (more…)

Attention New Mexico Nerds! Our friends @ Oh Baby So Tasty, are hosting Cool Kids Never Die, an art/ plush/custom toy show, this Saturday, February 20th @ Studio Broadway in Albuquerque.

Featuring an assortment of awesome pieces, it’s really cool to see this kind of thing going down Southwest style. So if you live in the Albuquerque, N.M. area, or even if you don’t, this is a show to definitely check out.

Get all the info on Oh Baby So Tasty and Cool Kids Never Die here.

So, I really like what the Shawnimals crew with pretty much all of their endeavors.  We here at Nerd City are fans of their plush, their vinyl, and even their video games.  But, I’ve got to say that there’s something about this month’s Ninja of the Month Club entry, the Yeti Ninja, that makes it a personal favorite for me.  I love the look of the fur on the base ninja design, and the little snow man side kick is also super cool.  and, you’ve got to love a yeti ninja that is comfortable enough with its emotions that it’s not afraid to let you see it cry.

From Shawnimals:

Ninja of the Month: Yeti Ninja!

We are super excited for the release of the second of 12 all-new Ninjas made for Ninja of the Month! The Yeti Ninja is a force to be reckoned with, and yet is terribly lonely. He wouldn’t admit that, of course. He needs to keep his monster cred in mind after all.

AVAILABLE Wednesday February 3rd at 1pm CST!

From the tag:
This lonely, misunderstood beast of a Ninja lives in the snowiest, most remote parts of the Feroshi Mountains, without a soul nearby. Except for his BFF snowman pal named Rawr. That he made. With his own paws. It’s a little creepy, sure, but mostly sad.

Motto:
“Rawr… rawr, rawr… RAWR!”

When you order this $30 product you get…

• A handmade 7″ × 7″ plush Ninja limited to 100 pcs.
• Signed and numbered fancy hang tag
• Fun accessories – His snowman sidekick named Rawr
• A character sticker
• A character button

You can also purchase more Ninja of the Month merchandise like stickers, buttons, a poster and more, including a full SUBSCRIPTION, right over here:

http://shop.shawnimals.com/collections/ninja-of-the-month

More pics after the jump. (more…)

Max and Ben welcome their friend, plush toy artist extraordinaire, Steff Bomb.  They discuss her career as a plush artist, touch upon the importance of safe sex in the Muppet community, and even dabble in a bit of celeb gossip as they discuss the budding romance between Phil Collins and Magic Johnson.  If you don’t listen to this episode, you will totally suck.  And, you don’t want to suck.  Episode 75 of Nerd City is here for you right now!

Pics and links after the jump…

(more…)

Our good buddy Shawn Smith and the Shawnimals gang have done it again. Their recently launched Ninja of the Month Club is coming @ you in a big way with their debut ninja: Baker Ninja.

As a fan of both martial arts and cookies, not in that order, I am super stoked to see that this was their first release.

The Ninja of the Month Club is just like it sounds, with Shawnimals sending you a sweet new plush ninja each month. Finally giving you a reason to look at the mail.

Learn more, and sign up for the Ninja of the Month Club here.

Listen to the Shawnimals gang on Nerd City here.

Our good buddy Shawn Smith and the crew @  Shawnimals has done it again. Check out this super adorable Land Lump from the plush world of Professor Fliggins.

Limited to 100 only. Get one here.

This should be a great weekend for gallery openings here in Chicago.  Oh No! Doom is the home of Trophy by Lana Cross.

From Oh No! Doom:

Lana

crookedart.blogspot.com

lanacrooks.bigcartel.com

OhNo!Doom

2955 West Lyndale Street

Chicago, IL 60647

(Blue line to California)

Corner of Sacramento and Lyndale

info@ohnodoom.com

www.ohnodoom.com

Opening reception: September 26th 6-10pm

Exhibit runs until October 20th

Complimentary Beverages

Music by DJ Madrid!

Artist will be in attendance.

OhNo!Doom Displays A Few New Trophies

Enter the lodge and discover creatures you never new existed. Big game Baku, small game jackalope and a number of other ridiculous critters grace the trophy room’s walls. It’s Lana Crook’s new show, Trophy. Put down your musket, no animals have been harmed (or even taunted) in the making of this show. This solo exhibit features Lana’s new hand-made and one-of-a-kind sculptural plush works.

Lana, a self proclaimed “plushinator”, creates illustrative works with fabric. Most of her pieces hang on the wall, fixed in place, while others are free standing (or sitting) sculptural objects. One will still see some of Lana’s signature cephalopods but will also be exposed to a bevy of new creatures. Her new pieces have been inspired by folklore and a little twisted reality. Come by the gallery and warm yourself by the plush fire. Crooks’ Trophy opens September 26^th 2009 (6-10pm) and will be up for viewing until October 20^th at OhNo!Doom in Chicago, IL. Music provided by DJ Madrid.

About OhNo!Doom Gallery.

OhNo!Doom is part gallery, part think tank. The space is owned and operated by the OhNo!Doom Collective, a group composed of artists, designers, animators and overall nice people. The gallery is home to amazing, cutting edge exhibits that surpass all expectations. It is also a great place to take in the work of established artists as well as new up-and-coming talent.

About Lana Crooks (Yes that is her real name)

Lana Crooks spent her formative years in South Florida. During high school she was deemed most likely to become a pirate, and began to amass a seaworthy crew. The crew sailed to Savannah and attended the Savannah College of Art and Design. Lana pilfered herself a BFA in Illustration in twenty ought two. One day, on a whim, she made an expedition to Chicago and made it home, trading the ocean for a giant lake. Originally an illustrator, Captain Crooks eventually took to sewing and began work as a freelance costume designer. In what seems like a natural progression, plush became her main focus in 2007 with her Octoplush series; a series based on her love of cephalopods. Her work has been seen at Munky King, A.Okay Official, DVA, Rotofugi and Gallery 1988 to name a few. In addition, Lana has curated shows for A.Okay Offical and OhNo!Doom. She has also worked with Rocket World, Matt Sharp, Max Bare and a number of other artists to create crazy collaborations.

Our friends @ Oh No Doom! are hosting Lana Crooks‘ new solo plush show, Trophy, this Saturday, Sept. 26th.

Former curator of the now sadly defunct A.Okay Official gallery, and soon-to-be-guest on Nerd City, Lana is awesome, as is her work, and we are super pumped she is working with the gang over @ O.N.D. This is definitely one to check out.

Oh No Doom!

2955 W. Lyndale Street

Chicago, Il

Man, I wish I was going to SDCC.  Yesterday, Rotofugi revealed their official plans for the con:

Welcome to the Rotofugi Somewhat Infrequent Update SPECIAL PRE-San Diego Comic Con 2009 Edition!

If you were with us last time you learned that we’re getting ready to embark on an epic roadtrip….to San Diego Comic Con!

In just a few short hours we’ll be hopping in the car and heading south by southwest with the eventual goal of getting to San Diego in time to set up at Booth 4930.

We’ll be eating tasty road food, listening to lots of audio books (Neal Stephenson’s Anathema was my choice) and most importantly…Twittering. Just follow us @rotofugi to keep up with our progress and maybe get a chance to win a little something here and there (think trivia).

Now…on to the good stuff…here’s some of signings and the stuff we’ll have for sale once we get there….

Saturday 12 Noon-1:45PM

Chris Ryniak Signing and Special Release

The Lake Monsters Big Muscamoot
Fire on the Water Version

What was originally meant to be the very first Lake Monster is now a reality! A little bit of trouble with the first batch of vinyl we received delayed this release but we’ve re-grouped, got new vinyl and won’t ever trust that factory with glue again. Orange vinyl with red, orange and yellow sprays. FIRE.

$60

A small number of pieces will be available AFTER SDCC via lottery. We’ll announce details later. Thanks!

Saturday 2-4PM

Ohm Signing and Special Release

Pure Tcho! Captain Biceps by Muttpop

Tcho! figure design Ohm will be on hand to sign and doodle on a blank version of his Captain Biceps design (not shown…it’s the cool robot one!). Limited to just 50 pieces!

$15

Sunday 12 Noon

Special SDCC / Wonder Festival Summer Dual Release

The Lake Monsters Big Muscamoot
Booskamoot Tribute Version

This tribute to one of our favorite Japanese pop culture characters is a dual release at SDCC as well as at Wonder Festival in Japan. Orange base vinyl with ivory, brown and yellow sprays and a fine misting of silver paint to give a rad pearlescent finish.

$60 at SDCC - Limit One
¥5900 at Wonder Festival

A small number of pieces will be available AFTER SDCC via lottery. We’ll announce details later. Thanks!

Available All Days

Handmade Pocket Devil by Shawnimals Debut Release

A new pocket plush, handmade by the fine Shawnimal folk makes it’s debut…with special SDCC Tag!

$15

Available All Days

The Lake Monsters Big Muscamoot Discount Factory Reject Unpainted Figures

These are the not-so-perfect pieces of vinyl our factory sent us (the reason the Fire on the Water Release was delayed). Some have ill-fitting arms, some have glue drips, some just aren’t right….so we’re selling them off cheap! Mostly they look pretty darn good, they just weren’t good enough to be made into final releases (we’re picky). DIY anyone?

$30 each

Available All Days

Rotofugi Toy Nerd 09 T-Shirts

Chances are that if you’re reading this…and will be attending SDCC, then this is the shirt for you. Be proud of what you are in this 100% Cotton Tee! We are! Sizes Small through XXL.

$16 each

Other Stuff

We’ll also have a good supply of Ninjatown Micro Plush, Marshall Series 1 and Tear Drips Series 1 on hand plus a couple Inked Pulp letter press prints and some neato buttons to pique your interest. So, if you’re going to be at SDCC stop on by Booth 4930 and say hi!

From Shawnimals:

Check out the all-new Pocket Plush addition: Pocket Scrub! He’s a plush soap, except he doesn’t actually clean you.

Look for it Wednesday July 1st at 10am CDT direct from the Shawnimals online shop.

Limited to 300 pieces, with a numbered box. Each Pocket Scrub comes with a unique name, so you won’t know the name of your Scrub until you get your box! Will it be Larry? Or maybe Thelonius? Or perhaps even Antoinette?

Get your new plush soap best friend here.

From Shawnimals:

Phew! We thought for sure Professor Fliggins was a goner, deep inside the Dark Forest being ‘tortured’ by Mr. Demon. Luckily, the oh-so-skilled Pink Ninjas were able to save the day!

From the tag:
“With her Candy Star aerial assault this Pink Ninja is sure to save the day. Beware of her lofty, bubble gum balloons and sassy demeanor!”

Size: ~ 9” x 9” x 3”

Each month Shawnimals will release a new discovery…

• An all-new handmade plush character
• Tagged with its description and numbered
• Limited to 100 pcs
• Each comes meticulously packaged with brown paper, tied with a cotton string
• Special accessories – one stick of Ninja Gum?!
• Character-specific artifacts – this time a grape-flavored Candy Star! (not really candy)
• A goody bag filled with a sticker and two special buttons!

These monthly releases have an MSRP of $40 each plus shipping. First come, first served!

Get yours here.

From Shawnimals:

Special Edition FOREST SPIRIT Wee Ninja set to release to celebrate Earth Day

Shawnimals and Noon Solar have partnered up to present the all-new Forest Spirit Wee Ninja plush, the first Shawnimals plush that is 100% organic and sustainable! The Forest Spirit was once a regular Forest Ninja that literally became one with the forest – made up of everything organic around him.

This special edition Forest Spirit Wee Ninja will be available on April 22nd in celebration of Earth Day directly from the Shawnimals’ shop at http://shop.shawnimals.com for $40 USD plus shipping.

For more info on the Forest Spirit Wee Ninja go here.

And, to get your very own Forest Spirit and single-handedly save the Earth, go here on Earth Day.

From Shawnimals:

Professor Fliggins: The Royal Barber

THE ROYAL BARBER!
Or Tarvis Whiskerton to be exact…
A beard that’s also a barber??? That’s correct!

From the tag:
“This chipper clipper has one of the busiest jobs in the Territory, always trimming the bountiful tallocks and goatee shrubs of this land’s rolling hills and vast plains. Gross!”

Size: ~ 9.5” x 10” x 3”

Each month Shawnimals will release a new discovery…

• An all-new handmade plush character
• Tagged with its story and numbered
• Limited to 100 pcs
• Each comes meticulously packaged with brown paper, tied with a cotton string
• Special accessories – Like his trimming-filled apron
• Character-specific artifacts – this time super-sharp sheers!
• A goody bag filled with a sticker and two special buttons!

These monthly releases have an MSRP of $40 each plus shipping. First come, first served! Or you can guarantee you’ll get every plush released (plus some awesome incentives!) with a subscription here.

Get your very own Travis Wiskerton here.

From Shawnimals.com:

• • NT Micro Plush release PARTY

  • When:

    Saturday, March 28, 2009, 04:00 PM - 08:00 PM

  • Where:

    Rotofugi
    1953 W. Chicago Ave.
    Chicago, IL 60622
    312.491.9501

  • Info:

    UPDATE: Date corrected! Sorry about that!

    Come celebrate the release of Ninjatown Micro Plush series 2.0 and 1.5 at Rotofugi in Chicago!

    We’ll have lots to see, and Shawn Smith and Jen Brody creators of Ninjatown will be at the event for signings. Individual boxes and full cases will be available for purchase. In addition, look for specially made Ninjatown related goodies, and special raffles through the night!

    Questions? Give Rotofugi a call, or email them!

If you can’t wait for Saturday, Ninjatown Micro Plush 1.5 and 2 are now available online here.

This was a great show from our friends @ Shawnimals and A.Okay. You gotta check it out while it’s still there.