tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82781972114452639302024-03-06T19:33:56.561-08:00blarghhhspotMichael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-39705344947901910912012-09-11T07:41:00.003-07:002012-09-11T07:51:34.825-07:00A Mystery Solved...Just a real quick update. While perusing the internet for various Madballs and sorry imitations, I stumbled upon this at <a href="http://dinosaurdracula.com/blog/vintage-vending-4/">Dinosaur Dracula</a>...(that site has, possibly, the coolest blog header of all time)....<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfiGb97NgC0xtxjGN8UQVxGDQhyH_RCgtyVOkN-bCrKiawPDGfjyXjxtOMvVciy7jFD-ZRLHT281U1bnuYLvpSR-dkyUm2Xe0Qc1Oq6spXDOWtQUFjoresGDzBs-YMz4tnAPdV8Tlv5w/s1600/wacky+ghoulies.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 349px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfiGb97NgC0xtxjGN8UQVxGDQhyH_RCgtyVOkN-bCrKiawPDGfjyXjxtOMvVciy7jFD-ZRLHT281U1bnuYLvpSR-dkyUm2Xe0Qc1Oq6spXDOWtQUFjoresGDzBs-YMz4tnAPdV8Tlv5w/s400/wacky+ghoulies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5786929549480359362" border="0" /></a>These are the dummies I covered a few years ago <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/his-face-sucks.html">in this post</a>! I never thought anyone would've bothered naming or packaging these things because they're 100% <span style="font-style: italic;">stolen</span> designs!!<br /><br />And apparently there are eight of them?! I posted about six and have since gotten my hands on another....damnit!<br />Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-6279725296234069202012-09-10T11:00:00.000-07:002012-09-11T07:56:32.931-07:00Wacked Out Weirdos<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW83X4CKngFO4TCSU-AeOMFwG-RCAy2QegFJw_e6Q6pDatmbqx38GSHujBSluB7dVsdWM1yCGd8y9r9uuAA0hBIuqpoSpSVkM2ueA5gZ0EdL8I-UYgCU3QZ27XC2F0qRbH_AtOXL2O-E/s1600/wackihead.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW83X4CKngFO4TCSU-AeOMFwG-RCAy2QegFJw_e6Q6pDatmbqx38GSHujBSluB7dVsdWM1yCGd8y9r9uuAA0hBIuqpoSpSVkM2ueA5gZ0EdL8I-UYgCU3QZ27XC2F0qRbH_AtOXL2O-E/s400/wackihead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764890025575054274" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"Scuzzy! Scummy! A Total Gross Out!"</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">First off, I uploaded these pics and scheduled this to post like 2 months ago with the intent of going back and writing the post later. I forgot to do that and this posted with just images. Oops. Sorry for the weirdness.<br /><br />So these guys have been a bane of my monster ball collecting existence for quite some time. I first noticed them when I was trying to win one of those elusive monster wiffle ball bats. They were packaged under the name Gruesome Creatures then, and they contained aforementioned bat and a bonus ball. The card had drawings of all the balls you could collect and they were exactly the same as these. The trouble is, these are packaged as Wacki Balls. You can tell they're awesome because the spelling's weird.<br /></div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJVTha-WNxfe_cyUmiKU-hfN4ahzgq4EkuRekVTT-nkMaFBRKEzvX6i5-NMuuY-TKt4T4-qA6jbfvlmZw_3CIocQPRK7GfdskRHY2Xolc6rxyCvHA1JSEjjR0Te6PHODPxi18HRpKOPM/s1600/wacki1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJVTha-WNxfe_cyUmiKU-hfN4ahzgq4EkuRekVTT-nkMaFBRKEzvX6i5-NMuuY-TKt4T4-qA6jbfvlmZw_3CIocQPRK7GfdskRHY2Xolc6rxyCvHA1JSEjjR0Te6PHODPxi18HRpKOPM/s400/wacki1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764829244318859554" border="0" /></a>I gotta say, these dudes are pretty cool. They have names, stories, a cool stitched up logo and the designs are inspired by but not stolen from <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>. They also have cool stuff in French on them. Maybe to sell to Canadians? So wait, the packaging itself is kinda weird because it's simple but still has a TON of stuff on it. Like its just a green background witha black flare around the ball. There's drawings of the other monsters but it still seems kinda spare? Even though there's a deluge of slogans, ("Scuzzy! Scummy! A Total Gross Out", "Collect Them All", "Spook All Your Friend With This Ghoulish Gang", and finally the slightly pedo-ish "Touch 'em if you dare...and...if you dare you'll want to touch 'em all!!!" it seems like everything was spaced just right to give it a no frills look. What am I saying? After the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-spew-review.html">Zombie Zoo</a> fiasco of aught twelve, this is like the Mona Lisa of monster ball packaging.<br /><br />Like I said before, each monster has his own name and blurb, but the entire line of toys has a back story!<br /><br />"From beyond the universe, from the dying planet Grotesque, prepare for the invasion of Wacki Balls. Frightening fun with Freaky Footballs and Batty Baseballs, they're the scummiest, scuzziest, wackiest faces ever found on a ball."<br /><br />Take that <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnj0KOoge8fOQxTyDDdMI6c7RfkSfiYsTFhRp6wCw8_9L5obFFMgasasZ9PEvvPENTbi1OmNx03TxT2ZfhdnthI81JyYAnZkqmxuvGYj5eVsMpzyq_vq55jDYfudL7oD3u4bS8MgjY1E/s1600/wacki3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnj0KOoge8fOQxTyDDdMI6c7RfkSfiYsTFhRp6wCw8_9L5obFFMgasasZ9PEvvPENTbi1OmNx03TxT2ZfhdnthI81JyYAnZkqmxuvGYj5eVsMpzyq_vq55jDYfudL7oD3u4bS8MgjY1E/s400/wacki3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764829251405402402" border="0" /></a>Here's a quick look at the drawings of the idiots. Cool names guys. I've seen Mind Stein around on ebay before but Stevie Slimeball and Wrinkle Wart are super elusive. In fact, this is the first time I've had a hint of their existence.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib55_egqQKYMsf3MUx_N7dUHBR5I9Ps1RepqAwPLiBxE5uLFPDHgDRZitILScZ6ZfOL08e_g6FeKtGMmBYBySPiik2GmiSjON6uvSdH_sCSPhRKteYRwtz6m-Ds1mJm6SqIhRdw4JCtAo/s1600/wacki2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib55_egqQKYMsf3MUx_N7dUHBR5I9Ps1RepqAwPLiBxE5uLFPDHgDRZitILScZ6ZfOL08e_g6FeKtGMmBYBySPiik2GmiSjON6uvSdH_sCSPhRKteYRwtz6m-Ds1mJm6SqIhRdw4JCtAo/s400/wacki2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764829250665792050" border="0" /></a><br />However, I did find out <a href="http://www.luckystartoy.com/3/8/14/Index.Html">Lucky Star</a> is still making toys! If it's the same Lucky Star from '86, they're still makin' stuff but mostly plush toys and not gross out rip offs. Ok, let's get into our first monstrous meanie.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL63su9CjgtSzT0zjnZvGbuLVNOVqShGEvP0FIKpbUUUsbAoMzG72r7afbBQ3eyZOB8vnuvad_phAAZ7463dzU_OVIQfNel7h33RMDjgjG9vAjqPCTb2fkyfQOB5CQE0PbjPdYLDC7_38/s1600/wacki6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL63su9CjgtSzT0zjnZvGbuLVNOVqShGEvP0FIKpbUUUsbAoMzG72r7afbBQ3eyZOB8vnuvad_phAAZ7463dzU_OVIQfNel7h33RMDjgjG9vAjqPCTb2fkyfQOB5CQE0PbjPdYLDC7_38/s400/wacki6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764890017651350514" border="0" /></a>This dummy's name is Lizard Breath. The "lizard" part is a bit phoned in. I guess he's got fangs and scaly skin ,but other than that he just looks like an ugly dude. Don't get me wrong, he looks like an awesome ugly dude but still not a lizard. He's got the "classic" monster ball one bulging eye but combined with a completely missing eye! And he's also got a worm/snake slithering out from behind his oversized orb! So cool. I will say that out of the three of these that I have, I think that Lizard Breath is the most poorly sculpted. He's painted very well which covers most of his molded flaws but the rest have a lot more subtlety and nuance to them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbFceJOnl-fWCT_W9IrPVe4dgS-4O063XjTFWtdvk2OBav0S4ArrzbrK_g6rvlMkBFT7WC51aOiRjEqmfun44oytukO81F0FGaozII0n2Ad28ndaHsHAtqi7jpUboQVXKuVII0KKAoGo/s1600/wacki4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbFceJOnl-fWCT_W9IrPVe4dgS-4O063XjTFWtdvk2OBav0S4ArrzbrK_g6rvlMkBFT7WC51aOiRjEqmfun44oytukO81F0FGaozII0n2Ad28ndaHsHAtqi7jpUboQVXKuVII0KKAoGo/s400/wacki4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764890009212753794" border="0" /></a>Black Jack the Overtaker, is pretty awesome. I still can't get over the football shaped monster ball. As a kid I never even knew this was an option, so it still thrills me when I can secure an oblong oddity. This dude is painted a bit worse than Lizard Breath (look at that stupid tongue)<br />but the details in the hair and wrinkly face makes up for it. Now, I wouldn't complain about this next thing except that the drawing on the package gave it away, but he's supposed to have missing teeth that are floating around on his tongue (I'm guessing he got hit with a black jack and his teeth got busted). I wouldn't have known or cared but <span style="font-style: italic;">it's right there in the drawing on the package he came in!</span> Still he's pretty cool, I love the detail of the football stitching on the back of his head!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTJvyUe7ahFAA_2ec7-F6sFK5OPhR3FnBh-gUMfXUp3bAIABj6xwkUwbfcm5KRhnybwKAJMNGDcECbrFFJ1Nx2G9aIwZnEIi0AH9lIAv5_UnROiSKioHwsHHdjlE7gObaTqprsu0DJAA/s1600/wacki5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTJvyUe7ahFAA_2ec7-F6sFK5OPhR3FnBh-gUMfXUp3bAIABj6xwkUwbfcm5KRhnybwKAJMNGDcECbrFFJ1Nx2G9aIwZnEIi0AH9lIAv5_UnROiSKioHwsHHdjlE7gObaTqprsu0DJAA/s400/wacki5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764890014388710194" border="0" /></a><br />Last, and awesomest is Mud Brain. I love this dude. His paint job and mold is way better than the rest. Maybe they were trying to win an award or something? He's got six colors and the individual teeth and veins in his eyes are sculpted! He kinda reminds me of a mix between <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmadballs.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FSlobulus&ei=4xRKUKHpMejz0gHToYFY&usg=AFQjCNHdponA_AVL6VbDdO52o-PkbI1KMg">Slobulus</a> and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbGsl_ZrlcOK4lyJmSKx4j6IoJWBy6wjUlgOIoi32hAabaIMWw5CZ8j5ChWMity_k8W6JUvdTQnjPhTfe5KcgnGvbf-5sKuBgKLbGPzkkS2XDVW_i2xKiD-bYCA3_h1mo1kC9lzZtDbQ/s1600/footballs.jpg">Spit Ball Louie</a>. In fact, this entire line seems more like a rip off of <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/12/something-weird-this-way-comes.html">Weird Balls</a> than <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>....and I'm ok with that.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOMnZIrYqIq6dOc2AYCSq_Cv-b5T6UqrfMPJjgm9h8bJrnnjG4xQzTJNoKJH_3KJqkOtRi9dwpitvDEeeGdlCvskBo2oaitaffQ4JUX5Kg4jBwB5F5i1F2HoyfpoRYa2w1ICox0Fp0s4/s1600/wacki7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOMnZIrYqIq6dOc2AYCSq_Cv-b5T6UqrfMPJjgm9h8bJrnnjG4xQzTJNoKJH_3KJqkOtRi9dwpitvDEeeGdlCvskBo2oaitaffQ4JUX5Kg4jBwB5F5i1F2HoyfpoRYa2w1ICox0Fp0s4/s400/wacki7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5764890022971646242" border="0" /></a><br />Here's a size comparison! Oh I should also mention these dudes are made out of the same foam as <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>, not the hollow rubber of <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadballs</a>.<br /><br />In conclusion, snatch these up if you can! They usually go for a lot on ebay, but they're worth it. I got mine from a cool Italian online toy shop that I won't share with you because he's still got stuff I want (once I save up enough monster ball money).<br /><br /><br />Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-61052193277187852772012-07-16T11:00:00.004-07:002012-09-07T08:49:30.797-07:00Waterlogged Weirdos!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGFQfxhhh9SrayOyjgerHBFTAYRaWh1n-czi6QW6IA9EcOJz5NZqwq9KH7DT3LFmbeyr2fT68qf3Y_xeuM7f1_kXttbtrrsNJlCzdkNmxVwlk_YpnS2JXFLLeXcAdlVZxHatraf2MLg4/s1600/squirt3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiGFQfxhhh9SrayOyjgerHBFTAYRaWh1n-czi6QW6IA9EcOJz5NZqwq9KH7DT3LFmbeyr2fT68qf3Y_xeuM7f1_kXttbtrrsNJlCzdkNmxVwlk_YpnS2JXFLLeXcAdlVZxHatraf2MLg4/s400/squirt3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760037002154669602" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"Squirts In Multiple Directions"</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So this week's dudes aren't great but they're pretty fun. I feel like after that <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-spew-review.html">Zombie Zoo</a> post a few weeks back, you deserve cool stuff for the next few weeks to make up for it. These idiots are all water squirting hollow rubber balls. We've got two sets, Monster Spitballs and plain old ordinary Spitballs. One large, one small but only one deadly.<br /></div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJA_CLNDIffpiJEdYXZ6G-zCyOFqQYHOc1S7SeHOU6Gl7vCUHUrV9wTY00cKHiYK4a2c9Rtx7jKbejlegPT9-WLYCuyUN_PZLQkErmuP5FwxUxQ1O_DrBn_cEgx-rv05sXbGm242g9Jo/s1600/monsterspit.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJA_CLNDIffpiJEdYXZ6G-zCyOFqQYHOc1S7SeHOU6Gl7vCUHUrV9wTY00cKHiYK4a2c9Rtx7jKbejlegPT9-WLYCuyUN_PZLQkErmuP5FwxUxQ1O_DrBn_cEgx-rv05sXbGm242g9Jo/s400/monsterspit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701759094433908882" border="0" /></a><br />Monster Spitballs are up first and they definitely win the best packaging award. Entertech here, went for a classic monster motif, with a Frankenstein and a Dracula ball. Apparently <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertech">Entertech</a> were making all sorts of water based toys in the 80s like motorized water pistols and stuff! Thankfully, they moved into the monster ball market with these.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbac37cazAto0YpSFae4ybWUWYldKvEvHaEKRdFGRv5cYbkNz7ENJD91fwV5VdH5gJfKnfCGpqZkvgZC2o2r4IuWbwyhLfzQn1a10QE9iZd3HiSt361Y77wX6u52M53mpsbZa_5-12OY/s1600/monsterspit2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbac37cazAto0YpSFae4ybWUWYldKvEvHaEKRdFGRv5cYbkNz7ENJD91fwV5VdH5gJfKnfCGpqZkvgZC2o2r4IuWbwyhLfzQn1a10QE9iZd3HiSt361Y77wX6u52M53mpsbZa_5-12OY/s400/monsterspit2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701759097501218946" border="0" /></a><br />Look how cool that cover is! Dracula and Frankenstein frolicking together! OH MY GOD THEY'RE HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME! They're smiling! I like to think that they were on some sort of monster retreat at an ancient Transylvanian castle to build creature character, complete with trust exercises. "Entertech: Making Better Monsters".<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKEHPSfptdYuJr1B2EE1RrlZ8DuplJ7AEdJEMFTL_ujAtwrdFTruW8qANONksPbOOMf1sYVkYlehdRuxas_hKvLGXhwE0kQN-I-x6yf8CVnR6C6gPXcSLFxtcX6OhO8Q2hAxzBR4wlcM/s1600/monsterspit3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKEHPSfptdYuJr1B2EE1RrlZ8DuplJ7AEdJEMFTL_ujAtwrdFTruW8qANONksPbOOMf1sYVkYlehdRuxas_hKvLGXhwE0kQN-I-x6yf8CVnR6C6gPXcSLFxtcX6OhO8Q2hAxzBR4wlcM/s400/monsterspit3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701759107568297090" border="0" /></a>OH GOD THE BACK IS JUST AS GOOD! Look at that graphic. Like you couldn't figure out how these worked on your own, but it's really cute. Anyway, onto the balls!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieb_chcicYTQ61TLhXkSlGV6LeqJTAN5cRPP_RUONeThq4dBBvyZyzxgStFxI0RI5kBByEOGJgDjbHB7TA2XE3nFqiLcuQlipfV8b4Rg_eKOVPNATos33zqZzrA7HWgxwLB-X6vUPH2gc/s1600/squirt1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieb_chcicYTQ61TLhXkSlGV6LeqJTAN5cRPP_RUONeThq4dBBvyZyzxgStFxI0RI5kBByEOGJgDjbHB7TA2XE3nFqiLcuQlipfV8b4Rg_eKOVPNATos33zqZzrA7HWgxwLB-X6vUPH2gc/s400/squirt1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760036991151274658" border="0" /></a><br />The Frankenstein is pretty cool but a little more cartoony than the Drac. It reminds me a little of that weird 60's cartoon stylized Frank <a href="http://www.blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/frankensteins-monsterball.html">Monster Ball</a> from before. I like the purple bags under his eyes and his weird wrinkley mouth! The best part however, it the fact that the water squirts from the giant half stitched wound in his head!<br /><br />The Dracula is pretty cool too but in a different way. It actually kinda looks like Bela Lugosi! It's really well sculpted and designed, especially for something this small. It makes me even more mad about the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-spew-review.html">Zombie Zoo</a> idiots. They were so much larger and so much worse. Guh!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKjVUvcJlh3nFTgWsmkvVeevkKnW4cXe4brIExavQ4b1tQqLkLRv0eKqlnpvQYRHCp7eC5HggaFmBarG_y47TDWXPcZFlUbWwu8KVwTlysB0RKVzQlbigWwO37w_qn_P9C8KKkJjYgbk/s1600/spit1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 367px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKjVUvcJlh3nFTgWsmkvVeevkKnW4cXe4brIExavQ4b1tQqLkLRv0eKqlnpvQYRHCp7eC5HggaFmBarG_y47TDWXPcZFlUbWwu8KVwTlysB0RKVzQlbigWwO37w_qn_P9C8KKkJjYgbk/s400/spit1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701759111293447154" border="0" /></a><br />Moving from the 80s to the 90s we come to these regular style Spitballs. Well Spitball. I only have one. And it's a pretty cool one. It's named 20/20 and it's a giant Oculus Orbus influenced eyeball thing. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlPQUGev1L3Lj2Q8IrZZZdlESQPRdhKS7-_4i5JygQR1GyxHZCP9HAyrVmMZ0VvEMjuVSyIGyh9bukl9RpX2QU1yGHIsg5KLuEGtl_H_SKqmB4UIvyIrsndjy7ddKANFnI0PWWFljd5A/s1600/spit2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 366px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlPQUGev1L3Lj2Q8IrZZZdlESQPRdhKS7-_4i5JygQR1GyxHZCP9HAyrVmMZ0VvEMjuVSyIGyh9bukl9RpX2QU1yGHIsg5KLuEGtl_H_SKqmB4UIvyIrsndjy7ddKANFnI0PWWFljd5A/s400/spit2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701759118550134930" border="0" /></a>The back of the package is full of drawings and slogans and other fun stuff including MORE instructions. Why is it so hard for people to figure out how to use these things?!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoumOkX4nh3L_gvqZDpk7KW8HCa78BrWb_xRVtH6XyiIaflgcONwnCw3oUF1001fvNRgh2NkGypacGOsEdtgH7n3TksqFGyNZD47yqmEEieUGcMdaTNURZHqOv8B5FdLHnppAGtAbigo/s1600/spit4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieoumOkX4nh3L_gvqZDpk7KW8HCa78BrWb_xRVtH6XyiIaflgcONwnCw3oUF1001fvNRgh2NkGypacGOsEdtgH7n3TksqFGyNZD47yqmEEieUGcMdaTNURZHqOv8B5FdLHnppAGtAbigo/s400/spit4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701759573354676786" border="0" /></a>There were only four of these, a shark, a bomb and a crying baby were the others. A shark is pretty cool but the other two? WTF? Lame, guys. That's the same kind of lame I would expect from <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/laziest-of-lazy.html">Super Bouncing Weird Balls</a> or Foul Ba-.....OH.....MY.....GOD....Landard. I KNOW THOSE IDIOTS! THEY ACTUALLY <span style="font-style: italic;">MADE</span> <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/foul-ballsfor-real.html">FOUL BALLS</a>! OOF! Those were so horrible! But...dare I say, these are pretty good? So, what's the deal?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55Ko_g8uPz4cjEUeBEJVu-QprqHZ33E9-doRF8ID3DsQaoUEDuO3oE0yzcNCcRgAVdPtia-NeMspiHr_6kg1op06jPGSMkR0XlLZuyStKJPP1-OU_uHqmwcXS9eXKaVKJoxkg84LxHJU/s1600/spit3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55Ko_g8uPz4cjEUeBEJVu-QprqHZ33E9-doRF8ID3DsQaoUEDuO3oE0yzcNCcRgAVdPtia-NeMspiHr_6kg1op06jPGSMkR0XlLZuyStKJPP1-OU_uHqmwcXS9eXKaVKJoxkg84LxHJU/s400/spit3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701761100452749618" border="0" /></a>Oh, that's the deal! They finally make a monster ball that's half decent and it's poisonous! FULL OF LEAD! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Maybe it's some monster ball assassin trying to snuff me out for talking smack on their other toy lines? But that would mean that it was made in the 90's in in preparation for my late aughts betrayal! Like The Terminator!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPfcorkEdtmvLUA2jsWprdupOu-9HyUaLbNPyVlXvtnqxw1n6hCqPXa9GKSjgbeNt3L5DFqQzwAg3irhOZIizmrTBjOktKsvNLJD2wRpjBECv9RPFicPP3pGWrAh3h2RVonsp1VoPJrQ/s1600/SAM_2462.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPfcorkEdtmvLUA2jsWprdupOu-9HyUaLbNPyVlXvtnqxw1n6hCqPXa9GKSjgbeNt3L5DFqQzwAg3irhOZIizmrTBjOktKsvNLJD2wRpjBECv9RPFicPP3pGWrAh3h2RVonsp1VoPJrQ/s400/SAM_2462.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712941816681368146" border="0" /></a>Well, now that I know my arch-Madball-enemy has tried to assassinate me let's get this over with and look at this stupid ball. I mean the disembodied eye is a classic monsterball design. And this one is filled with details. All those lines in iris, and the three dimensional veins! I will say that it's weird that the actual eye ball has a brow? That doesn't make sense!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicefxPhXBMfOI8Ltx3qx0L0XSVTXtf7UWPV9aPPBefkEqnJks-O_8giWorkvRazYY2QLxrZx8RsNO8xBX2CPGJJiwTT09cnXHZ3UPHbr_8bqddw9VvowLEngHpzavDj05bIPa7gS79NTU/s1600/SAM_2464.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicefxPhXBMfOI8Ltx3qx0L0XSVTXtf7UWPV9aPPBefkEqnJks-O_8giWorkvRazYY2QLxrZx8RsNO8xBX2CPGJJiwTT09cnXHZ3UPHbr_8bqddw9VvowLEngHpzavDj05bIPa7gS79NTU/s400/SAM_2464.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712941820925960978" border="0" /></a>But it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> cool! Look how gross those giant veins are in the back! Ew! It's almost as bad as that goddamn Lanard logo. Idiots.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKjVUvcJlh3nFTgWsmkvVeevkKnW4cXe4brIExavQ4b1tQqLkLRv0eKqlnpvQYRHCp7eC5HggaFmBarG_y47TDWXPcZFlUbWwu8KVwTlysB0RKVzQlbigWwO37w_qn_P9C8KKkJjYgbk/s1600/spit1.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZTLdT-pVa5CeFy6zrz1NlB_5W9-c7KejAoel3KLcTfX50pT8LJrP9R_z_8Th7cLZEDDyW83E2ovkPHF3o4cp0qgNQDSCnkTUHmyjYYQnmqFMXU3yRhVHDQDfGqnuBeixQvLxEZI01Vs/s1600/squirt2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZTLdT-pVa5CeFy6zrz1NlB_5W9-c7KejAoel3KLcTfX50pT8LJrP9R_z_8Th7cLZEDDyW83E2ovkPHF3o4cp0qgNQDSCnkTUHmyjYYQnmqFMXU3yRhVHDQDfGqnuBeixQvLxEZI01Vs/s400/squirt2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760036994806793666" border="0" /></a>And because you've all been so good, you get a family portrait! Well actually, its so you can see scale.<br /><br />In conclusion, I'd suggest these guys to anyone. They're fun and well designed. Ok maybe I wouldn't suggest the Spitball because it's full of lead but the other ones, totally get 'em!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbac37cazAto0YpSFae4ybWUWYldKvEvHaEKRdFGRv5cYbkNz7ENJD91fwV5VdH5gJfKnfCGpqZkvgZC2o2r4IuWbwyhLfzQn1a10QE9iZd3HiSt361Y77wX6u52M53mpsbZa_5-12OY/s1600/monsterspit2.jpg"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJA_CLNDIffpiJEdYXZ6G-zCyOFqQYHOc1S7SeHOU6Gl7vCUHUrV9wTY00cKHiYK4a2c9Rtx7jKbejlegPT9-WLYCuyUN_PZLQkErmuP5FwxUxQ1O_DrBn_cEgx-rv05sXbGm242g9Jo/s1600/monsterspit.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlPQUGev1L3Lj2Q8IrZZZdlESQPRdhKS7-_4i5JygQR1GyxHZCP9HAyrVmMZ0VvEMjuVSyIGyh9bukl9RpX2QU1yGHIsg5KLuEGtl_H_SKqmB4UIvyIrsndjy7ddKANFnI0PWWFljd5A/s1600/spit2.jpg"><br /></a>Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-11975519570193002752012-07-09T10:00:00.006-07:002012-09-07T08:50:35.435-07:00Give Pop-Pop Your Hair<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwNjXCgMWh3OAIoclnNq3R4EMWYgbOi0wZy0wfdYL9cqHcz7cVdxIZj8qBR-xSfJS3RqdetANZ7BXgXxmfEEB6IEjPObIzROh1geppya2vIaf3KI6xrVdmFQ1xztT_NmFS0b7nxyKAK0/s1600/hairy1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwNjXCgMWh3OAIoclnNq3R4EMWYgbOi0wZy0wfdYL9cqHcz7cVdxIZj8qBR-xSfJS3RqdetANZ7BXgXxmfEEB6IEjPObIzROh1geppya2vIaf3KI6xrVdmFQ1xztT_NmFS0b7nxyKAK0/s400/hairy1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760053328374669426" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"The Hairy Balls You Hurl"</span> </div><br />So, someone was in a board meeting at Cadaco and pitched that catch phrase. You know, the one about the hairy balls.. Probably guys in suits or at the very least, business casual, and coffee and a giant 90's computer. They tossed various ideas around, but the one that they liked so much they put it on the front AND back of the package was "The Hairy Balls You Hurl".<br /><br />Despite that ridiculous faux pas, I have to admit that these are pretty cool. They're made of soft hollow rubber, filled with details and the designs themselves are pretty cool. There must have been a monster ball revival in the 90's that I wasn't aware of or paying attention to. Freak Balls, Spitballs and these guys all popped up around then.<br /><br />I had heard of these dudes but never actually seen one for sale anywhere. The package pictures below I saw (and stole from) <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29240&p=414641">Skullbrain.org</a>. But that's it. Never saw one at a toy show or even so much as a few strands of that gross hair at the bottom of a <a href="http://www.berlinfarmersmarket.com/">Berlin Farmer's Mart</a> $1 toy bin. Then one popped up on ebay, followed by a pair that were on etsy (all three were ridiculously cheap, partially making up for how much I spent on those stupid, stupid Zombie Zoos). We'll get to the toys in a sec. For now, let's look at these internet captured package pics.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLg1T5GrmRcF19kJfsp7ha1T2Vy6wHplkgcWimsmCZBJ68I7bB1BCID5YN1yHwuGoVmouQCtYj6eZDxcrYKTRA0AwLdKfU51mJnRnBzGyo1UQewJ8ywV3gkBKpsrCG-EWzetqe9QTjTfY/s1600/hairy6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLg1T5GrmRcF19kJfsp7ha1T2Vy6wHplkgcWimsmCZBJ68I7bB1BCID5YN1yHwuGoVmouQCtYj6eZDxcrYKTRA0AwLdKfU51mJnRnBzGyo1UQewJ8ywV3gkBKpsrCG-EWzetqe9QTjTfY/s400/hairy6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760055659187474066" border="0" /></a>Right off the bat, these guys are doing better than most. They have names, and little bios, as well as full color pics of each one on the back. Well done Cadaco!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3voYP-eJGXrkr0p-AdGgwgMdN0-OVS6QWNCCMy1mc_fYUBay4YCRP3YuC50D0alDOzaFaCQ6MfIQ6KG5k-HKUvVfuOw8gMn3aygCieMghl-9UXNVlLBE2zSpXoyFQ2JuflQ7QgJ8A2_Q/s1600/hairy7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3voYP-eJGXrkr0p-AdGgwgMdN0-OVS6QWNCCMy1mc_fYUBay4YCRP3YuC50D0alDOzaFaCQ6MfIQ6KG5k-HKUvVfuOw8gMn3aygCieMghl-9UXNVlLBE2zSpXoyFQ2JuflQ7QgJ8A2_Q/s400/hairy7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760055513552004770" border="0" /></a>The person I stole these pics from, was kind enough to take a close up of the copyright info. I did a little internet hunting and found out that Cadaco is still alive and kicking. In fact they made this awesome <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ideal-617-T-Rex-Game/dp/B000QX6F4G">thing</a>!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEininb7ibC9cEy0nBdxvBFLZyzms9cUZ_yZK-q3JH7jS0szIQc4Ix3j8iJW6hqIcYTVKg9zRooRk8F1FdoHg_haKPYRf3DpLfo2N6lsACcoLqd3sx64BQmypyvKDdnsm2hiHD8gwX9VsbA/s1600/hairy4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 336px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEininb7ibC9cEy0nBdxvBFLZyzms9cUZ_yZK-q3JH7jS0szIQc4Ix3j8iJW6hqIcYTVKg9zRooRk8F1FdoHg_haKPYRf3DpLfo2N6lsACcoLqd3sx64BQmypyvKDdnsm2hiHD8gwX9VsbA/s400/hairy4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760053341725855410" border="0" /></a>So, let's move onto the actual hairy balls. This first one is one of my favorites of that 90's era. Doc Hairline Fracture is a combo mad scientist/monster creation complete with stitches, bulging blooshot eyes, wrinkley green skin and LOTS of teeth (kinda like <a href="http://www.muppetcentral.com/guides/episodes/tms/season1/pics/6_dr_teeth.jpg">Dr. Teeth</a>). The detail in the sculpt is amazing. So many little folds and warts. Even the paint job is good! The veins in the eyes are super cool. But the most important thing, that separates these from the myriads of knock offs in the 80's and 90's are those disgusting strands. I appreciate the fact that Cadaco tried to do something that would set them apart, but why, oh why did they put hair on these? It's so gross, which I guess makes sense when you're making gross out toys. Ew.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-10i27jMW47RipkcRQxLUaKZI_cEBHBaQ4djvUfrz9BpcUCTXewIcBl0JU_xHPlvXsAPERgSmAo8cy3C5QUR85tQhuRzvlNUtTzLr32Uc6r8Xl38qk5oBti5qUqREfqR3_ijYWzZnp8/s1600/hairy3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 367px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-10i27jMW47RipkcRQxLUaKZI_cEBHBaQ4djvUfrz9BpcUCTXewIcBl0JU_xHPlvXsAPERgSmAo8cy3C5QUR85tQhuRzvlNUtTzLr32Uc6r8Xl38qk5oBti5qUqREfqR3_ijYWzZnp8/s400/hairy3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760053339675332562" border="0" /></a>Next up we have one of the rarest of all monster balls...a definite lady monster ball. Other than Snake Bait, I don't know of another monster ball that is purposely designed as a lady. It's a shame because I'm sure there were a bunch of gross creepy girls that enjoyed these toys back then. Mouldy Locks here is a gross, gross toy for all the ladies. Some sort of zombie with warts, wrinkles and splatters of slime and those disgusting curly green locks. I don't really mind the hair that much but it's odd because these Hurlers would've worked even without that added touch.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqTpPGEfwhrP3LO3KdZ_ze_mHhrWa33JZY21aVhD775dXcJ5k4UiDOulL4YlOUmxI_JFEckGA8E80GCnLzUNpnn9zBHwkY0zHdiP03xJzbO_3lNCJ19d0q46bB9tOqjSL1HcrozKoqhw/s1600/hairy2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqTpPGEfwhrP3LO3KdZ_ze_mHhrWa33JZY21aVhD775dXcJ5k4UiDOulL4YlOUmxI_JFEckGA8E80GCnLzUNpnn9zBHwkY0zHdiP03xJzbO_3lNCJ19d0q46bB9tOqjSL1HcrozKoqhw/s400/hairy2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760053329596407314" border="0" /></a>Lastly we have this weirdo (Buzz Head). He's not my favorite but I've never been a fan of the "regular guy" <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> (ie-<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsl282ZEfhY45YQXOtKFXv67sdQ117G3r_SNI2i8srdk2yZ-2P8-GLksJepvDIOoCLitQ-Cz5aDtqy5UsJI2jN3UkNkrFdHtA2dRsKc2gKnK3EoNbRklM0P7TEvOwLSVy-V52TGYl3d4s/s1600/meemiecompare.jpg">Screamin Meemie</a>). He just looks like a gross dude with buck teeth and red hair. Again though, there's tons of details that make him better than most of the bull crap imitations.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ofb_z6yYPSzWVZxMqGg-kDfPZluxkx5BqkMFlA-B5ciZo0kFFk_Qsx9Ca8PEp8BvvBNCZ_ZHgK0oSKqOS8AcjpaHe-0k51SUaTvDKvpfuOeXeMMsa4Cmgk679d4GCr3p5nyn4t4nEbI/s1600/hairy5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ofb_z6yYPSzWVZxMqGg-kDfPZluxkx5BqkMFlA-B5ciZo0kFFk_Qsx9Ca8PEp8BvvBNCZ_ZHgK0oSKqOS8AcjpaHe-0k51SUaTvDKvpfuOeXeMMsa4Cmgk679d4GCr3p5nyn4t4nEbI/s400/hairy5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760053349547854162" border="0" /></a>Up above you can see what these morons look like compared to actual <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a>. They're roughly the same size, but made of Sadball material and of course, with hair.<br /><br />In conclusion, if you can track these dumb-dumbs down, you shouldn't buy them because I call dibs. Unless they're the ones I already have, then go for it!<br /><br />They don't pop up too often though, so be vigilant and good hunting!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-85491198473313460302012-07-02T10:00:00.004-07:002012-07-13T09:21:41.755-07:00The New Spew Review<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhn3EBo00YkC7SOe0eejrWD4C4DUwqc7PRO4GNZ4q3J2bcruONdeaivbqQybsI2D-OE5gny_ev-FMS0xNbUGw2navNMj7f7y5q87vRXJFKnqZG5psLsUfnP0IZjDwarmLq_OjClW4S9A/s1600/zz1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhn3EBo00YkC7SOe0eejrWD4C4DUwqc7PRO4GNZ4q3J2bcruONdeaivbqQybsI2D-OE5gny_ev-FMS0xNbUGw2navNMj7f7y5q87vRXJFKnqZG5psLsUfnP0IZjDwarmLq_OjClW4S9A/s400/zz1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760014161870636114" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Mangy Mutants!"</span></div><br />Oh god. Seriously? I can't believe I decided to restart this blog with these awful idiots. Like, I know I've posted some garbage in the past (like <a href="http://www.blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/foul-ballsfor-real.html">Foul Balls</a>, <a href="http://www.blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/laziest-of-lazy.html">Super Bouncing Weird Balls</a>) but Zombie Zoo is by far the worst. Ok, maybe not "by far" but they're pretty bad.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0TgAUzYaXugseW61zD8StBOuRBgpuqKcVjV4EJEd-NZuQ3LFwEu0CcvAP68cXL4gebIN5ilpsEZ9XeNvBOuRI33ZvfH-mGrI4dmNwDwPTmrdMAQjk7iChKVegaQK1D8Avt-whBzRaXg/s1600/zz2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 290px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0TgAUzYaXugseW61zD8StBOuRBgpuqKcVjV4EJEd-NZuQ3LFwEu0CcvAP68cXL4gebIN5ilpsEZ9XeNvBOuRI33ZvfH-mGrI4dmNwDwPTmrdMAQjk7iChKVegaQK1D8Avt-whBzRaXg/s400/zz2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760014163367425282" border="0" /></a>I have to say, I was excited when I saw these pop up on ebay, because Zombie Zoo was a kind of rip off I'd always heard about, but never actually seen. I heard people refer to them and even read a few descriptions, but never had I actually glimpsed one. Like the cryptids of the monster ball kingdom. And much like someone that searches for a bigfoot or a chupacabra, I would've been better off having not seen them. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0zfEB15XdYyo9JFroFTQVstnN_DAUrRYoGtZpRcT0jrh-QvB12AsG51LjJBNLI8XbP5iXOoyNnTwMbDlavu10i6nm2dAGiZpS73G3ygxXi1u2jjen9ZHqaLBGWR6OIoBiLawT55gdog/s1600/zz3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0zfEB15XdYyo9JFroFTQVstnN_DAUrRYoGtZpRcT0jrh-QvB12AsG51LjJBNLI8XbP5iXOoyNnTwMbDlavu10i6nm2dAGiZpS73G3ygxXi1u2jjen9ZHqaLBGWR6OIoBiLawT55gdog/s400/zz3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760014169156798754" border="0" /></a>The packaging is misleading, with full color drawings, a super awesome logo (blood and lightning!), multiple slogans and even a backstory present these idiots to be way better than they are. Look at those drawings! They're only a little bit worse than some James Groman work. That's saying something! But the execution. Oof! We'll get to that in a minute. Before that I'll type out their origin for you:<br /><br />"One night when the moon was full, a weird color slime was found in a local city zoo. Cages were found open, bars were bent; and the result is the ugliest, mangiest bunch of zombies ever to escape captivity. Beware of the...Zombie Zoo Collection."<br /><br />While I do appreciate that they took the time to write a "story", it is pretty lazy. What was the slime? Where did it come from? Why does the monkey have a vice on his head if he's a mutant?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl13nZ30_cO4NtJAdPcj_fDTVbl7_266fTtCK-DXye1k1dael0Yw65MTuZVskGMWrapz4bmSYrdr4BtuYZStb9CxWnhJJ7uO9W-SYmqQQdhaeURgCBJv70pmkQMJcnzODggw73QASmI8E/s1600/zz5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl13nZ30_cO4NtJAdPcj_fDTVbl7_266fTtCK-DXye1k1dael0Yw65MTuZVskGMWrapz4bmSYrdr4BtuYZStb9CxWnhJJ7uO9W-SYmqQQdhaeURgCBJv70pmkQMJcnzODggw73QASmI8E/s400/zz5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760014177096027602" border="0" /></a>PS guys "These play balls are not recommended for ages 3 and under"...there's got to be a better way to say that. Oh and those slogans..."Throw 'Em", "Mangy Mutants", and "Creepy Bouncy". So lazy. That drawing of that kid is pretty cool though. Look at him "throwing". <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFohZOOlUFKOL9wY_rAbWoXlNdspTJ-j6mQYu1f9DQkFDrqCHhhpEASBXspZ3OWk9AGI-8eSNNfsAhaQrm7MkUvDePIjjyUfS2wgNZVs5zu4QUy1EExuBI5P3Zhi8wD_nr5G6BMvtoQbI/s1600/zz4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFohZOOlUFKOL9wY_rAbWoXlNdspTJ-j6mQYu1f9DQkFDrqCHhhpEASBXspZ3OWk9AGI-8eSNNfsAhaQrm7MkUvDePIjjyUfS2wgNZVs5zu4QUy1EExuBI5P3Zhi8wD_nr5G6BMvtoQbI/s400/zz4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760014174141580274" border="0" /></a><br />On the back of the package you can see all the cool drawings and names with even short descriptions of each guy. This is so much more effort than the dummies that made <a href="http://www.blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/laziest-of-lazy.html">Super Bouncing Weird Balls</a> put into their product. It's too bad the sculptors they hired were a bunch or moronic idiots with toes for fingers.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_BC854Wf4bSHOu_Jox3OTO-ZnXhehOWxNOyXiGCVxQ_xCM_eon0P5H0KJFdY64n3FiV2uVs7p_A28WihCqN_GkGFcpFFl_CZZ_KKz7-0ya7StcNYvYjo0v2cwiYNlEZlzhZzTTtfp3o/s1600/zz9.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_BC854Wf4bSHOu_Jox3OTO-ZnXhehOWxNOyXiGCVxQ_xCM_eon0P5H0KJFdY64n3FiV2uVs7p_A28WihCqN_GkGFcpFFl_CZZ_KKz7-0ya7StcNYvYjo0v2cwiYNlEZlzhZzTTtfp3o/s400/zz9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760019078576858850" border="0" /></a>Seriously. Look at Bone Breath here. Well, first look up at the picture that shows the drawings of them, then look down at this guy. Something was lost in translation. Details were deleted, nuances were tossed in the trash and paint jobs were haphazard. And this is the best one. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2blOq00qfQMyX67Zg6Plp-uiH-TZYj_Voy-Dqwx3xeZCUb6my09nxnQQ6ER8ZXghR70UOQ_tP2Fb9FKqVj4vngh0UBqBbMzLZQEPIY9RkXw4ulQdrBID5jub3fqtkqlbYrCGTn6nSUA/s1600/zz8.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2blOq00qfQMyX67Zg6Plp-uiH-TZYj_Voy-Dqwx3xeZCUb6my09nxnQQ6ER8ZXghR70UOQ_tP2Fb9FKqVj4vngh0UBqBbMzLZQEPIY9RkXw4ulQdrBID5jub3fqtkqlbYrCGTn6nSUA/s400/zz8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760019080531016626" border="0" /></a>Monkey Mash here is maybe the second best, at least as far as one looking like the animal it is supposed to represent. He's way worse that the drawing though. I think he's supposed to have a vice on his head? But again, just a huge pile of lumps and sloppy paint. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislOaDBSGbhGCBmjyQVGoTNtoX1kOBpliKF8f4rBy6uaJbmc1Lc1mz1NQZr-WrDsgAHGJ0vhfRjIla9RTdELcBuwWDPyrZnN6m2sTFvSVUmzVk3eyoUqcVlzvg0N_QqEPqv55g8-Uu47w/s1600/zz6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEislOaDBSGbhGCBmjyQVGoTNtoX1kOBpliKF8f4rBy6uaJbmc1Lc1mz1NQZr-WrDsgAHGJ0vhfRjIla9RTdELcBuwWDPyrZnN6m2sTFvSVUmzVk3eyoUqcVlzvg0N_QqEPqv55g8-Uu47w/s400/zz6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760019051575135170" border="0" /></a>Ok, ok, ok. This one is horrible. Atrocious. Like, what is this?! I'm guessing from the name Wart Rus, he's supposed to be a Walrus but maybe a walrus sculpted by a blind person that has never even heard a walrus described to them. I think his eyes are supposed to be stitched shut and his nose is bleeding..ketchup?, but then what are the two indented holes in between his nostrils and eyes?! Ugghhhhhh.....it's killing me. As a <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madball</a> aficionado, I am offended sirs! Even the material they used is abysmal. They're foam like <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a>, but really soft foam. It looks like there were bubbles in it that popped and left huge gaping holes in it. Guh!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1JaeEJ87o0A59G24jCbSSZ9ySarE7VG42mCSmcHO4wgsCKZv3h8nClCBDCjg-odARztoAYVG6ieax7ESXAOwQSKRgI1g4NiT95kg-U_8LGasSxnDflyXEkC8IhAZeo-pYsi0FbViyWc/s1600/zz10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1JaeEJ87o0A59G24jCbSSZ9ySarE7VG42mCSmcHO4wgsCKZv3h8nClCBDCjg-odARztoAYVG6ieax7ESXAOwQSKRgI1g4NiT95kg-U_8LGasSxnDflyXEkC8IhAZeo-pYsi0FbViyWc/s400/zz10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760019082995656114" border="0" /></a>Nope! I was wrong. This is the worst one. Bloody Bull?! NOOoooooooOOOOOoooooooo! THIS IS NOT A BULL! A- Why would it be blue. B-It's not a shaped like a bull. C-It's not shaped like any animal. D-It kinda looks like <a href="http://scoe70.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/trumpy.jpg">Trumpy</a>. E-Fuck you.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTOWplNz-zHcVqmFuwksbWNeWlo6CaynV0c5S_2ucpkdgBoWeKbx6PsSY3kGj66FJxYdndPfFiFFyZIPgkQcPNK5l-H-H63qCeL9txPVxVN9wcBwTMXC0AEQV-g_By83UQkIM5s1lFII/s1600/zz7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTOWplNz-zHcVqmFuwksbWNeWlo6CaynV0c5S_2ucpkdgBoWeKbx6PsSY3kGj66FJxYdndPfFiFFyZIPgkQcPNK5l-H-H63qCeL9txPVxVN9wcBwTMXC0AEQV-g_By83UQkIM5s1lFII/s400/zz7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760019056620270338" border="0" /></a>These write ups are actually starting to hurt now. Not emotionally but physically. It's paining me to write them. My stomach hurts and I have a headache. Because this is supposed to be an elephant. Missing an eye. Eye Lephant. It makes me even madder that the names are cool but the toys themselves are the worst. Like the worst. I may have just pooped myself from awful.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXO9C0f7acGf8L2e9WbgNNlLm9aEpfiIwOVbW0dFnXiCP1Zh26p9XwqW0kKYEi0-os9fxkjKzlKRNit7WJRih2xSxCreOCCdPOVPPrqnhz49ycnWaSdcOUjJCtVxZEg9u6w5VuPo3Su4/s1600/zz11.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXO9C0f7acGf8L2e9WbgNNlLm9aEpfiIwOVbW0dFnXiCP1Zh26p9XwqW0kKYEi0-os9fxkjKzlKRNit7WJRih2xSxCreOCCdPOVPPrqnhz49ycnWaSdcOUjJCtVxZEg9u6w5VuPo3Su4/s400/zz11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760019501630257618" border="0" /></a><br />Vein Brain. Dumb. I can't even write this one up. I mean I guess I can? But I don't really want to. A dog with a leash around it's neck and in its mouth and veins in his ears and his head cut off? And it kinda looks racist?! WTF?! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! BAD!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOgIjaUBwNhDcM_Y0zQ-9ZCmDtfCZOF3Py0T5ImYvLikCcfs4T1gj7PUTi8ILnUG7anSKwd_GRPJpXM5Ox5PYNku5R_OXlzznU57W-03p5PaEYcsMuqK14PcJNlv8Msh_DOGIA62Cc5I/s1600/zz12.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOgIjaUBwNhDcM_Y0zQ-9ZCmDtfCZOF3Py0T5ImYvLikCcfs4T1gj7PUTi8ILnUG7anSKwd_GRPJpXM5Ox5PYNku5R_OXlzznU57W-03p5PaEYcsMuqK14PcJNlv8Msh_DOGIA62Cc5I/s400/zz12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760019506877557090" border="0" /></a><br />I guess if you want to you can see the size comparison. Zombie Zoos are larger, and the foam is softer and they are also the worst. THE WORST. NO, NO, NO!<br /><br />As far as the dillholes responsible, I've looked up Panville Inc from Chicago and I've found nothing. Not a thing. Which is good, because that means they stopped after they unleashed this hell in ball form.<br /><br />In conclusion, only an idiot anal retentive collector would ever spend more than $1 on any of these stupid dummies and, trust me, I spent way more than that...boooooooo......<br /><br />The next post will be something way cooler, I promise.Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-7939676504744213672012-02-23T20:56:00.004-08:002012-02-23T20:59:31.502-08:00More To Come<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6F8ASWzcWtUukVyVGtSxZHwOo0DFsQp5fup4HEeoANrNltOdlE7IEiTByKkbK0P38rREMgz3MHY0gIKWIr4YS0zOnBdrsUfzE7eI0bKnpo5P5l-dvOdR_GYM6Y2hInD1hwwgCV8rwWc/s1600/SAM_2434.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6F8ASWzcWtUukVyVGtSxZHwOo0DFsQp5fup4HEeoANrNltOdlE7IEiTByKkbK0P38rREMgz3MHY0gIKWIr4YS0zOnBdrsUfzE7eI0bKnpo5P5l-dvOdR_GYM6Y2hInD1hwwgCV8rwWc/s400/SAM_2434.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712561673325126082" border="0" /></a>Just a sample of some of the new stuff I've acquired and will post about soon. Sorry for the wait.Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-40515091709569817882012-01-23T17:46:00.000-08:002012-01-24T09:13:58.585-08:00More Mini Mock-Madball Madness!!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y32PBs-3hCzG1LvcOyR-3qf4BZlv26J8NIvOcLKcGNRjT6l2Fa8iJJd6ikZnNvhdvUOmijWda9rH3KmRCpSwAbgWuC4zh1cg5V8bw46tvmtW-9QCwiKl3WqngJkbotaRbNQa7fg_ELg/s1600/SAM_2282.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 83px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y32PBs-3hCzG1LvcOyR-3qf4BZlv26J8NIvOcLKcGNRjT6l2Fa8iJJd6ikZnNvhdvUOmijWda9rH3KmRCpSwAbgWuC4zh1cg5V8bw46tvmtW-9QCwiKl3WqngJkbotaRbNQa7fg_ELg/s400/SAM_2282.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701009232591542994" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"No Comment"</span><br /></div><br />Well, dudes and dudettes, I've been managing to upkeep this blog more than I actually thought possible. Today, we have some tiny terrors that I know some of you nerds out there are obsessed with. See, these guys seem to be in higher demand because they overlap crazed collector criteria. They appeal to the maniacal <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> enthusiasts as well as the little rubber toy aficionados. I've heard horror stories about people trying to track these down, but I've managed to amass quite a collection without even going out of my way to do so. <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Ebay</a> lots that I've won, often come with a few of these crammed in the box as an added bonus...or an added <span style="font-style: italic;">bogus</span>!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cjnZn9NVxzYg7nd5NRZYyIudNIRfk999wMxT4tQoG1LRocTiefe5nuXI4Sy-RoljSqrSV5FUlqEt99MwVJ_EdCDSwQH1fqNhRAAEk63wbvWp5ctBFrEzXQVBxfb62sQ0gDQGVL2baD8/s1600/SAM_2288.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cjnZn9NVxzYg7nd5NRZYyIudNIRfk999wMxT4tQoG1LRocTiefe5nuXI4Sy-RoljSqrSV5FUlqEt99MwVJ_EdCDSwQH1fqNhRAAEk63wbvWp5ctBFrEzXQVBxfb62sQ0gDQGVL2baD8/s400/SAM_2288.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701009251456587970" border="0" /></a>Most of these little grotesqueries are minute renditions of larger dudes and seem to be some sort of pencil top eraser or eraser material. These two for example are tiny takes on the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeXw00FNk5JXD67pDuNXyhxxXB69Hk9Ilyac_rY_oE7mldYXnY2HMcB0OplIcKv4PHDtZxNV-z7Wwb-VsPghiRLiVgs4N_Z0U8vh8_Yw_SZg3vrxAaLF7MEbrlvUoSxWf9grjxuTKGfI/s1600/devil.jpg">classic devil Sadball</a>, and the horrible Horn Head. The problem with these two, is that the material doesn't work well this small. There are crease lines and the details aren't too crisp.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhpe0hyphenhypheneStrhv_7lbOCciM0Z8ZLI4aJLgygLAB3q4MBcoovRIyI7R7PwaBZLqknAh7CNT-6eATb_oOU24U-oiTjOcbJk7ZY6D1Bjj1IOZXV8CyBjjOqefCAsYa2Lv-Kx8h-JXpvrRAsU/s1600/SAM_2281.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhpe0hyphenhypheneStrhv_7lbOCciM0Z8ZLI4aJLgygLAB3q4MBcoovRIyI7R7PwaBZLqknAh7CNT-6eATb_oOU24U-oiTjOcbJk7ZY6D1Bjj1IOZXV8CyBjjOqefCAsYa2Lv-Kx8h-JXpvrRAsU/s400/SAM_2281.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701009443925768962" border="0" /></a>See how small this dude is? Regardless of the loss of clarity, both of these are pretty neat. They would be perfect if you were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Shrinking_Man">a really small person</a>...like miniature, and <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> were too large for you to hold in your freakishly tiny hands. Then again, I guess you'd have other things to worry about besides your toy collection. Like cats, and tarantulas and being so small that you cease to exist on a molecular level. Now I'm sad.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7DtHjfYfpjwTHOGIsY7pSgDVF7lckHaQWFN4Xl78Jkf9DbXZU5JLgCdaclfHeipvE8Fw9BwRjF-L8s8n7XZZoLXyJ1c0VjE1fsrwPdHt9r04SCcjvNn_LbpHrYa42K2CjJ5G3IQDINU/s1600/SAM_2290.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7DtHjfYfpjwTHOGIsY7pSgDVF7lckHaQWFN4Xl78Jkf9DbXZU5JLgCdaclfHeipvE8Fw9BwRjF-L8s8n7XZZoLXyJ1c0VjE1fsrwPdHt9r04SCcjvNn_LbpHrYa42K2CjJ5G3IQDINU/s400/SAM_2290.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701009250420474354" border="0" /></a>Not anymore! Look at these idiots! Another <a href="http://www.madballs.com">Madball</a> rip off (<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_CQQXEOibO_voqZ5F4NruCJONR87PHgv24y-OEvkrfh9JaCTTnPqPyklgDw2xIEDUeAoW3kRXDSmK4WrhCNy8TZozs-JWWXonfbaPuvZCnUC2SQEsOXup9yKQhHD1d-LtnSg0HcGZig/s1600/lacebro.jpg">Argh</a>) and two more <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadball</a> rip offs (<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWvTJv5mAgPHQkAwO9TQ_6_g7-8FzE2NNLMzIIZH2ApUyjaFLTbC_RkbE7T-qI4A0aOKA6S7_kiSHNnTxYPpIN2cfAp88Cd7mLVe8b3MsHzGanqtbOK4CVDV_tN4nsaVycuW0fqwvKRY/s1600/bloodbulge.jpg">Blood Bulge</a> and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgS34xMd-EEy49aIB0cPsIXbvqkDf1KDSCO2dK0ieT9BfLbgr4kb7IFyNsT0BV7mwzhHU-wyqGeAODyCesVhIPzMtop8X_pGDQmTrhX_YfTgxRLr-hybNbJ_vj1MQ1xWx9a99y1vOsds/s1600/brokebrain.jpg">Broken Brain</a>). Though, I think at the point you rip off a rip off you become something else entirely...like a rip-rip off. The rubber these three are made of is a little bit sturdier than the previous dorks so they look a little better. They also appear to have been painted at some point?! That's pretty cool. I actually prefer mini Blood Bulge to the adult version, because that design was pretty sparse in the first place. Cramming all those features on a 1" ball makes it look cooler. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-cjnZn9NVxzYg7nd5NRZYyIudNIRfk999wMxT4tQoG1LRocTiefe5nuXI4Sy-RoljSqrSV5FUlqEt99MwVJ_EdCDSwQH1fqNhRAAEk63wbvWp5ctBFrEzXQVBxfb62sQ0gDQGVL2baD8/s1600/SAM_2288.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKiY1n87CNuqwivRUO60cLIQXIx6vrkHO2rs765WXEd3bRp4UpFWfr_ytiui8knjYLOW46Z3xZ0xzGaRjsnf7URhrPRz4lDU-hoUbf1cCRq1d2RwWMhdqmg_Jo9Yj7KdNg7b2ljHzHu8/s1600/SAM_2285.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKiY1n87CNuqwivRUO60cLIQXIx6vrkHO2rs765WXEd3bRp4UpFWfr_ytiui8knjYLOW46Z3xZ0xzGaRjsnf7URhrPRz4lDU-hoUbf1cCRq1d2RwWMhdqmg_Jo9Yj7KdNg7b2ljHzHu8/s400/SAM_2285.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701009238697894850" border="0" /></a>Oh god, these triplets. I got them in a lot and I like them but they are uuuuuggggly. Almost too ugly? like the first guy is kind of hard to make out...i guess he's a fang toothed dude with a pig nose? Hogrible will be his name. The second dude is the real problem. I know this isn't the greatest picture but even holding him in my hand in the light I couldn't make out what the hell is going on with his face. At first. My hypothesis (as a <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> academic) is that he's a dude with half a skull and a mouth full of worms? Maggot Mouth it is, until someone else looks at it and tells me what's up. The last one is the most simple but also the easiest to see. He's just a generic monster type. His name is Gener-ick! from now on. The triplets here suffer from the same eraser material syndrome as our first two freaks. But those two, the eraser rubber hardened over time, these three have a porous softness to them that makes me think they may crumble in time...ah crap I'm sad again.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3y32PBs-3hCzG1LvcOyR-3qf4BZlv26J8NIvOcLKcGNRjT6l2Fa8iJJd6ikZnNvhdvUOmijWda9rH3KmRCpSwAbgWuC4zh1cg5V8bw46tvmtW-9QCwiKl3WqngJkbotaRbNQa7fg_ELg/s1600/SAM_2282.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdd4M1k8q4xq4Mj1CxnGYyBwuFsVqbwVb-osC9fz9wV0xYpZPoh7dKpZlrsu9BjGyLVFVJDxLqAnzWlB9g0POw7vSMDc9nRlbbMtVFcL-Y0bkQmZUuK7qzT9ifKKd4VGe226x76u9WmMQ/s1600/SAM_2291.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdd4M1k8q4xq4Mj1CxnGYyBwuFsVqbwVb-osC9fz9wV0xYpZPoh7dKpZlrsu9BjGyLVFVJDxLqAnzWlB9g0POw7vSMDc9nRlbbMtVFcL-Y0bkQmZUuK7qzT9ifKKd4VGe226x76u9WmMQ/s400/SAM_2291.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701009255311493426" border="0" /></a><br />Not any...no I'm still sad. This guy doesn't cheer me up. He looks like a yellow tiger stripped turd (Tiger Turd). Like if <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> were made the same way as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak">Kopi Luwak</a> but with tigers. He doesn't even have the excuse that he was made out of crappy (get it?) rubber. He's made of rigid hallow plastic. He could be well rendered if some lazy so and so had decided to spend a few extra cents. He had a key ring attached to him at some point but I don't think he suffered much damage from that. I think he was just poorly painted and designed. LAME!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfoXGKr5Yn0eYkKXLAkjCsClO2p976qYcR1befO1YVRHJV-A8-nkkvFbJ3OL6yfjSC_CL77lRCqi4q3tUpUUOEmZb_zW2Cx9pHZ1KjY0YVAR8PMyiPJb8q2EDZJ6Ym9ELviNh_pG8a30/s1600/SAM_2295.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfoXGKr5Yn0eYkKXLAkjCsClO2p976qYcR1befO1YVRHJV-A8-nkkvFbJ3OL6yfjSC_CL77lRCqi4q3tUpUUOEmZb_zW2Cx9pHZ1KjY0YVAR8PMyiPJb8q2EDZJ6Ym9ELviNh_pG8a30/s400/SAM_2295.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701009445849352338" border="0" /></a>In conclusion, These are fun if and when you can find them. They usually have a lot of rubs in them but are a neat addition to any <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Mad</a>/<a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadball</a> collection. Check above for a family portrait that depicts their relative size.Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-77061541332995865892012-01-18T10:00:00.000-08:002012-01-19T07:29:18.774-08:00Gross Out Legend<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >I did this interview almost two years ago. Mr. Groman was extremely kind and awesome about it. I was going to post it right away but had to wait for some follow up question answers and permission to use some of Mr. Groman's art. Since he's an extremely busy dude, making some extremely awesome work, I decided to not bother him and let him contact me in his own time. Well, I think, rightfully so, he forgot and then so did I. It'</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >s not too important anyway. I never got his permission to use art, and I don't want to overstep my bounds and just assume he'd be ok with it (having had my own art pilfered on the internet dozens of times), so I just sprinkled pictures of some of my collection to break up the talk. It is a very informative interview for Mad/Sadball collectors, but I think any hopes of a </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > reboot series three have been dashed in the 2 years since he and I originally corresponded.</span><br /><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />As a collector of toys, I gravitate towards things that are gross and monstrous. The toys I loved as a child were always the bad guys or the creatures with snarling faces and multiple eyes. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_Command">Cobra</a> over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero">G.I.Joe</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deceptacon">Deceptacons</a> over <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobots">Autobots</a>, and I always wanted the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inhumanoids">Mutores</a> to triumph over the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inhumanoids">Earth Corps</a>, because then we'd live in a monster utopia where everyone looked cool and ate trash. One thing I never considered as a kid was who the hell was designing these things. It also never occurred to me that one person could cross over. Like if anything, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattel">Mattel</a> had three creepy dudes locked in a basement that just worked on their stuff. As an adult (now an illustrator myself) I've done research as to who's broken brain spews this sweet stuff out. One name that I kept running into was <a href="http://jgroman.blogspot.com/">James Groman</a>. An amazing illustrator, James has been designing toys for 20 years and worked on my favorite line of all time, <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a>. He was kind enough to answer a few questions via email (please excuse the robotic tone of my questions) and add some insight into the world of monster faced balls.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN290wKGXvDdA68v0JXxuF-3hoGw9Cev-e-Qf9n09O2y0HKBxjtiaeZDk0YQjlbuHL5eGt7QvooPfKHhkfMRNVTBa9E8_YadHQWbPebKBmaacd0Mn9FIIpN2ULLJ4QaUr2YzBT1ksV7Ag/s1600/SAM_2264.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN290wKGXvDdA68v0JXxuF-3hoGw9Cev-e-Qf9n09O2y0HKBxjtiaeZDk0YQjlbuHL5eGt7QvooPfKHhkfMRNVTBa9E8_YadHQWbPebKBmaacd0Mn9FIIpN2ULLJ4QaUr2YzBT1ksV7Ag/s400/SAM_2264.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699064093621729250" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Let's start with a simple introduction..</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span>-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">James Groman is the name. I’ve been drawing, designing and sculpting toys and model kits for about 20 years now. I may be best known as a creator and contributing artist on toy lines like: <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a>, <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurpballs</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnyard_Commandos">Barnyard Commandoes</a>, <a href="http://www.toy-tma.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Stretch-Armstrong.jpg">Stretch Armstrong</a>, Star Wars, and a sculptor on model kits based on <a href="http://images.dead-donkey.com/images/mummyboriskarloff4ex.jpg">The Mummy</a>, Star Wars, <a href="http://www.hillcity-comics.com/models/sleepy_hollow.gif">Sleepy Hollow</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla">Godzilla</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creature_from_the_black_lagoon">Creature from the Black Lagoon</a>. I currently work as a Children’s’ Entertainment and Product developer for <a href="http://landing.americangreetings.com/brand_google/landing-36MW-6188YF.html?c=csga16335&agiti=ppc&002=2026151&004=778660082&005=4803193262&006=4747282422&007=Search">American Greetings Properties</a> in <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6845277&page=1">Cleveland Ohio</a>, as well as sculpt, paint and doodle monsters as personal projects and for gallery shows whenever time allows.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-How did you get involved in illustration and toy design?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-I have been drawing and sculpting since I was hatched. Back in the 60’s when I was growing up, we had what was called Super Saturdays, and Cartooniverse. All the programming on Saturday was virtually owned by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna_Barbera">Hanna Barberra</a> studios with shows like: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Herculoids">The Herculoids</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Ghost">Space Ghost</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdman_and_the_Galaxy_Trio">Galaxy Trio</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Ghost_and_Dino_Boy#Dino_Boy_in_the_Lost_Valley">Dino Boy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein,_Jr._and_The_Impossibles">Frankenstien Jr.</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Mightor">Mighty Mightor</a> et all. This was usually followed by a marathon of Saturday afternoon monster flicks on the Weekend Movie or Saturday Drive-in Theater. There I was introduced to most of the classic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_monsters">Universal Monsters</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Harryhausen">Ray Harryhausen</a>, the awesome <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_Studios">Hammer Studios</a></span> <span style="font-size:85%;">films as well a parade of way-cool B-movie monsters. I would sit in the dark like a morlock, eyes glued to the television, sculpting and etching every monster, alien or dinosaur that came across the screen.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">It ended up that practice makes perfect, or at least made me good enough to be able to attend <a href="http://www.cia.edu/">The Cleveland Institute of Art</a>. There I majored in illustration and Graphics and minored in Cinematography. I graduated with a BFA and moved into a career as an illustrator and sculptor for major toy product and model kit companies such as: <a href="http://www1.americangreetings.com/">American Greetings</a>, <a href="http://www.hasbro.com/">Hasbro</a>, <a href="http://www.hasbro.com/playskool/en_US/">Playskool</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ertl_Company">Ertl Collectables</a>, <a href="http://www.toydirectory.com/CapToys/">Cap Toys/Oddzon</a>, <a href="http://www.wildplanet.com/">Wild Planet</a>, <a href="http://www.friendlymantis.com/">Playing Mantis/Polar Lights</a> and <a href="http://www.geometricdesign.net/">Geometric design</a> to name a few.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQ8aEoSDLR25HGRwTwoSUHyVifn84sDSo_4ts5TE2v6krCBfvGLEd52Egq50nTMRXPvEKyfB50ngzUQVLyCnn1F6RLB0LEyyMNVBOhOrs6-J43TmV9Q1KZcu9kwi7qZkulyBNoIJzRUs/s1600/SAM_2237.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQ8aEoSDLR25HGRwTwoSUHyVifn84sDSo_4ts5TE2v6krCBfvGLEd52Egq50nTMRXPvEKyfB50ngzUQVLyCnn1F6RLB0LEyyMNVBOhOrs6-J43TmV9Q1KZcu9kwi7qZkulyBNoIJzRUs/s400/SAM_2237.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699063796912629986" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-It seems like you'd be a big <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_the_Crypt_%28comics%29">Tales From the Crypt</a> fan.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Can you tell us some influences?</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>187</o:Words> <o:characters>1067</o:Characters> <o:lines>8</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1310</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-I love the old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EC_Comics">E.C. comics</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_the_Crypt_%28comics%29">Tales From the Crypt</a>, and have studied the artwork of many of the great artists that worked on that comic magazine. I also grew up reading later day magazines like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creepy">Creepy</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eerie">Eerie</a>, Boris Karloff Presents, and the Marvel comics titles: <a href="http://marvel.wikia.com/Where_Monsters_Dwell/Covers">Where Monsters Dwell</a>, <a href="http://www.comics-db.com/Marvel_Comics/W/Where_Creatures_Roam/">Where Creatures Roam</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf_by_Night">Werewolf by Night</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein%27s_monster">Monster of Frankenstien</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tomb_of_Dracula">Tomb of Dracula</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-Thing">Man-Thing</a>. Artists like: <a href="http://frankfrazetta.org/">Frank Frazetta</a>, <a href="http://www.wrightsonart.com/">Bernie Wrightson</a>, <a href="http://www.williamstout.com/">William Stout</a>, <a href="http://www.davestevens.com/">Dave Stevens</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Ploog">Mike Ploog</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ni%C3%B1o">Alex Niño</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestor_Redondo">Nestor Redondo</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esteban_Maroto">Esteban Maroto</a> and <a href="http://www.tothfans.com/">Alex Toth</a> were all very highly influential to me. Though many have told me that they can see a big influence on my work from the early adventure cartoons of </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna_Barbera">Hanna Barberra</a> that I mentioned before.</span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Also, as I mentioned before, I am a huge monster move fan, the original <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong">King Kong</a> being my all-time favorite. Just a brilliant film on so many levels. Story, artistic vision, groundbreaking special effects, music and sound effects. I don’t think there has been any one film, (other than perhaps, the original Star Wars) which has influenced more artists and filmmakers than that 1933 classic.</span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I love the classic black and white films that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_monsters">Universal</a> made in the 30’s and 40’s as well as the films of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Harryhausen">Ray Harryhausen</a>, who has helped shape (or misshape) me into the man I am today.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizA2-8w8ovzV2yl_OASu7PIKK7x6zw2yVPLgMMSK8med39vrfueJMBC05W7iT78T0VVEHtS-SUCyeEk4Fi390z3y62KtkHXqOvzfX5TuC94WAtT5qjgezSsp5lLjfYLDopjTPGePpUdak/s1600/SAM_2269.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizA2-8w8ovzV2yl_OASu7PIKK7x6zw2yVPLgMMSK8med39vrfueJMBC05W7iT78T0VVEHtS-SUCyeEk4Fi390z3y62KtkHXqOvzfX5TuC94WAtT5qjgezSsp5lLjfYLDopjTPGePpUdak/s400/SAM_2269.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699364410596142898" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>147</o:Words> <o:characters>842</o:Characters> <o:lines>7</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1034</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Pick your favorite <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_monsters">Universal Monster</a>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">That would have to be the Gillman from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creature_from_the_black_lagoon">Creature from the Black Lagoon</a>. One of the all-time great monster designs ever created for motion pictures. I was lucky enough to be selected to sculpt the Gill-man for <a href="http://www.geometricdesign.net/">Geometric</a> models official licensed model kit of the character a few years ago. If they only knew I would have done it for free…</span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">And though the choice of the Gill-man as my favorite seemed to come to me rather quickly, it did not. I am also a huge admirer of make-up master <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Pierce_%28makeup_artist%29">Jack Pierce</a>’s incredible <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein_monster">Frankenstein Monster</a> that has gone on to define the character.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-6a8hERD-ENHiFNZrZQMW6mxMdUGAyAZIDuva5km1Lr3cpvj07DbQGB8bfb-6emCn1dhTxbY8jSztlkjRPtJnaD_5rJwI3BLkNgusrIZYxu1Phyphenhyphen9nQ8Db4VKdDOwSS4O1THgx2b3W00/s1600/SAM_2234.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-6a8hERD-ENHiFNZrZQMW6mxMdUGAyAZIDuva5km1Lr3cpvj07DbQGB8bfb-6emCn1dhTxbY8jSztlkjRPtJnaD_5rJwI3BLkNgusrIZYxu1Phyphenhyphen9nQ8Db4VKdDOwSS4O1THgx2b3W00/s400/SAM_2234.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699063794375681858" border="0" /></a></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Creech has always been my pick too! I really like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monster_Squad">Monster Squad</a> version of him. What's your favorite <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_Studios">Hammer</a> version of a classic monster?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">I love the werewolf make-up used in Hammer’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curse_of_the_Werewolf">Curse of the Werewolf</a>. What I always enjoyed about the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_Studios">Hammer Studios</a> horror films was as much as they followed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_monsters">Universal</a>’s lead on atmosphere and drama, they always brought something new to the proverbial table. And that could be said of the awesome Victorian style werewolf played in that film by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Reed">Oliver Reed</a>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>168</o:Words> <o:characters>961</o:Characters> <o:lines>8</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1180</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-I love the werewolf make up in that too but <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000489/">Christopher Lee</a> as <a href="http://www.soundonsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/christopher-lee-as-count-dracula1.jpg">Dracula</a> will always be my favorite. I prefer him to <a href="http://acomplete180.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/dracula-bela-lugosi.jpg">Lugosi</a>. Speaking of monsters (clever segue huh?), you worked on a comic called Buce N Gar after school. Was it self-published?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Buce & Gar (now spelled Boose & Gar) was published by my friend Robert Kraus with his company <a href="http://www.rakgraphics.com/">RAK Graphics</a>. We traveled the country doing comic book shows and promoting B&G to the comic-buying public for a number of years back in the early 1990’s. This was a very enjoyable time of my life, talking to all the people who loved the books and the characters across the U.S. I recently ran into a guy in California that used to buy Buce & Gar when he was a kid. I happily handed him the new, collected edition of the books that I recently self-published. It made my day.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-That's awesome! The new edition was a long time in the making. An entire issue was lost right?</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Actually, it was the final 7 pages of the entire 100 page, 5-issue story arc. It was lost at the printers along with two full color pieces of cover art. Broke my heart. Years later Bob Krause showed up at my studio with an envelope he found with my lost pages. I was so happy that I published the complete 5 issue run as a collected volume, which is available through KaBlam comic publishers and my website. Though it was done early in my career, I think it is still a fun read.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <!--EndFragment--> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9wjkiiP4Mva8wU_3qI_qWtubr8pN2FC2b8dM35cYspOHN-xr5QZ4B1HW_SG3xL9U25vX5MfcC6T9mmjWBhsk9RXVsXadvWg5eiFNnBsCWHTE3Q3iXf2ETsHQwlQ95osIKi6KykA8_ag/s1600/SAM_2263.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9wjkiiP4Mva8wU_3qI_qWtubr8pN2FC2b8dM35cYspOHN-xr5QZ4B1HW_SG3xL9U25vX5MfcC6T9mmjWBhsk9RXVsXadvWg5eiFNnBsCWHTE3Q3iXf2ETsHQwlQ95osIKi6KykA8_ag/s400/SAM_2263.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699063812056405618" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>196</o:Words> <o:characters>1121</o:Characters> <o:lines>9</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1376</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Then your first toy job was at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> right out of college?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Yup. I always fancied myself doing paperback book covers, comics and film design while attending school, but being hired by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> product development division set me on the path of a career in toy design. Never saw it coming, but it’s kept a roof over my family’s head ever since.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Can you tell us the origins of the Madball line? Any significant predecessors?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">I was originally hired at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a> because my style seemed to be a good fit for the work being done on <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> and a couple action figure lines they were working on. The idea of <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> seemed to come from a toy concept based on <a href="http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=hot+potato&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=8297657387823621740&ei=QRXjS5bDGYWBlAf35oGVAg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=image&resnum=3&ved=0CC8Q8gIwAg#">Hot Potato</a>. Some designers at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a> started drawing the toy potatoes with goofy faces on them. This seemed to click with everyone, and before long the concept had jettisoned it’s hot potato origins and evolved into the horrendous monstrosities that we have come to know and love. Most of the artists working on the balls at that time were quite talented illustrators who drew from their knowledge of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EC_Comics">E.C. comics</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eerie">Eerie</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creepy">Creepy</a> horror comics with a wink to <a href="http://www.bigdaddyroth.com/">Big Daddy Roth</a>. You see, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a> is mostly known or cute and cuddly critters like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care_Bears">Care Bears</a>, <a href="http://www.agkidzone.com/strawberry-shortcake">Strawberry Shortcake</a> and <a href="http://www.agkidzone.com/holly-hobbie/">Holly Hobby</a>, so working on something as irreverently horrific like <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> was a form of therapy for some of us.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>161</o:Words> <o:characters>923</o:Characters> <o:lines>7</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1133</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>161</o:Words> <o:characters>923</o:Characters> <o:lines>7</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1133</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-You worked on BOTH lines of <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> (80's and 00's). What was your involvement with the 80's line?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">I came in after most of wave 1, 2 and 3 had been designed. What I was recruited for was to work on the lesser-known <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> action figure line. This I dove into with reckless abandoned. I designed a couple of the wave 1 figures, and almost all of wave 2.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Who were the other designers involved?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> concepts and designs came from many different people. Some of the ideas came from art directors who never put a pencil to paper, but still were instrumental in their inception. Many of them are still very good friends of mine to this day. The artists were James Elliott, Mark Spangler, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/vintgonser">Vint Gonsor</a> and <a href="http://www.tskuebler.com/">Tom Kuebler</a>. Kuebs is a well known sculptor these days, and you can find some of his amazing work on his website:</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="http://www.tskuebler.com/">www.tskuebler.com/ </a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Other folks who were instrumental in the creation of the balls were George Chanter and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0787324/">Ralph Shafer</a>. All of us were part of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> division called Those Characters From Cleveland who was responsible for many of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a>’s most memorable characters.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <!--EndFragment--><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMZharGN8-cIY0op6gz0Er5eeCGBJobCvIPEdT7i5aKn1HwnWWJ9HfzEBUB9_WlenFzJFamw9N3_RIItv5IgVD3P5sLUxkpswWXjVXZhYphBqMCaakfm_cAZMaGo10_IngtBziMxdHzs/s1600/SAM_2266.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMZharGN8-cIY0op6gz0Er5eeCGBJobCvIPEdT7i5aKn1HwnWWJ9HfzEBUB9_WlenFzJFamw9N3_RIItv5IgVD3P5sLUxkpswWXjVXZhYphBqMCaakfm_cAZMaGo10_IngtBziMxdHzs/s400/SAM_2266.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699064089463988562" border="0" /></a></span><br /><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>248</o:Words> <o:characters>1416</o:Characters> <o:lines>11</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1738</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Can you discuss your process in designing toys?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN-</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Most of the time my approach depends on the project on which I am working. It usually starts with a discussion on what the toy is, and what the expectations are for its features and aesthetic. How big is it? Does it have electronics? What is its price point at retail? I know, it doesn’t sound like that much fun,…but most of the time that is exactly what a toy designer needs to take into consideration when designing most toy product. The cool thing about <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> was they really didn’t have a ‘demonstrable feature’ or mechanism. The main feature of <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> was all-aesthetic. It was all about the unique, imaginative monstrous designs.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style=";font-family:Geneva;font-size:100%;" >A lot of times I will brainstorm with other artists and creatives working on the line, or I just sit down and start jotting down ideas and thumbnail drawings. When my concept roughs are approved, I then move into more finished designs, many times moving into color. If the design makes it through the many in-office product reviews, concept and licensee approvals. It more than likely then moves on to the prototype or model stage. Many times I will be called on to create style control drawings, (often referred to as schematics or orthographic views) of the toy and it’s various parts. I will create highly detailed drawings of the character, accessory or vehicle from multiple angles so that the sculptors and model makers can create 3-dimensional versions of the toys I have designed. While at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Hasbro">Hasbro</a> toys I usually oversaw the sculpting process as well as the choices of color for paint on the models. Keep in mind that I have greatly simplified the process here as to not to bore your readers with too many details.</span><!--EndFragment--><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7YGGQhuU38bef-gg1AZ956j8wnZs6hKPbJKNImZPcr1VT-ggiLbyJYlelQbUXTXVNGaIuTuronx_yJ1RYCR6yxU2HnL8WyvqtC21V8J9To8Z9YCSnm0Gk-CV20NhZUL71NJY5SFF7h0/s1600/SAM_2271.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7YGGQhuU38bef-gg1AZ956j8wnZs6hKPbJKNImZPcr1VT-ggiLbyJYlelQbUXTXVNGaIuTuronx_yJ1RYCR6yxU2HnL8WyvqtC21V8J9To8Z9YCSnm0Gk-CV20NhZUL71NJY5SFF7h0/s400/SAM_2271.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699364423707453602" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">BLARGHHH</span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >-Haha, I'm actually fascinated by it. As someone who appreciates toys I have very little knowledge about the process of making them. </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Were there any designs that were deemed "too gross" back then?</span><br /></div><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">I don’t remember too many designs back in the eighties being too gross to be released. But I do remember having to cut back a bit on the red blood paint operations on the balls. We had to turn alot of the bloody deco into the green slime that has become synonymous with the line. But we do have a few designs in the new line that had to be pulled. One was a gangster riddled with bullet holes, and the other (not designed by me, I might add) involved a wonderful mouthful of maggots.</span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">We did have one character whose name had to be changed for reasons that I think most of you will understand. His original name was <a href="https://glammatoys.com/item-picture/48612/picture">Crack Head</a>, and that is the name that appeared when he originally shipped in the 1980’s. Later product shipped with a small sticker over that name on the backer card. His new name had been</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> changed to <a href="https://glammatoys.com/item-picture/48612/picture">Bash Brain</a>, which it remains to this day.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49GgGQxFdZLMKy7on44oqZe0V5ODS7h7GSo8nWFjZUt1G4QukkCOSqQ_YuRlW7pGUifRkvqq3u8F0QsB9YtNOcOnyxc5qi8nqu5ZnV0RsdRIHpGEIO4bGpJyct2zlVQN44OajIcBPNOc/s1600/SAM_2270.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49GgGQxFdZLMKy7on44oqZe0V5ODS7h7GSo8nWFjZUt1G4QukkCOSqQ_YuRlW7pGUifRkvqq3u8F0QsB9YtNOcOnyxc5qi8nqu5ZnV0RsdRIHpGEIO4bGpJyct2zlVQN44OajIcBPNOc/s400/SAM_2270.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699364416044896498" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-The one I have definitely has <a href="https://glammatoys.com/item-picture/48612/picture">Crack Head</a> stamped on the back. Aside from the balls themselves there was a </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >ton</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> of <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> merchandise. And MOUTHFUL OF MAGGOTS?! How much would it cost me to get that made? Oh god. Anyway, back to the questions: What was the weirdest related product you worked on?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Wow. Weren’t <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> pretty weird themselves?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Haha, point taken.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Well, a lot of the other <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madball</a> product was designed by whatever licensee had picked up the license from American Greetings. But I will tell you the weirdest stuff I have seen are the countless <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madball</a> tattoos on various parts of the human anatomy people have sent me over the years.</span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">And yes, I have considered getting one myself.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <!--EndFragment--><br /><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>80</o:Words> <o:characters>461</o:Characters> <o:lines>3</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>566</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-More in the 80's than now, <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> had a fair share of imitators and bootlegs. What was it like seeing something you'd worked on be copied like that?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Well, most of us saw it as an educational experience. It taught us at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> that we needed to be prepared to follow up a successful toy line like <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> with new, fresh product. Because if your not prepared for success with new product ready to ship, you give all the rip-off companies a chance to line the shelves with copy-cat merchandise that waters down the market for your product.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD-80JsXCiM_-ffUDhrjKUzENEppJuECMGSx0Nb8QQejCjS8NCiA7R6mtV9vBY8AZMr7uHZzhIaSbCUmENbczER_pow55r0IRSWowYvf5OOvpQGYQvpCoOVEpSFWnvKkp2yYMFBOLjTA/s1600/SAM_2239.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD-80JsXCiM_-ffUDhrjKUzENEppJuECMGSx0Nb8QQejCjS8NCiA7R6mtV9vBY8AZMr7uHZzhIaSbCUmENbczER_pow55r0IRSWowYvf5OOvpQGYQvpCoOVEpSFWnvKkp2yYMFBOLjTA/s400/SAM_2239.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699063807703574754" border="0" /></a></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <!--EndFragment--><br /><meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>117</o:Words> <o:characters>668</o:Characters> <o:lines>5</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>820</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Do you have any insight as to why "gross-out" toys (<a href="http://www.garbagepailkids.com/">Garbage Pail Kids</a>, <a href="http://dukenostalgia.com/MadSci/MM_toys.html">Mad Scientist</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boglin">Boglins</a>, <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>) became so popular in the 80s?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">All of us in the toy industry are constantly trying to find the next big trend in toys. Every once in a while you come across an empty space on the toy shelf that if you fill it, creates a whole new category in the marketplace. I’m not sure who is responsible for the wave of ‘gross-out’ products in the 1980’s, but I know that we at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a> and TCFC are partially to blame. I suggest that it started with <a href="http://www.garbagepailkids.com/">Garbage Pail Kids</a> collector cards (who were continuing a tradition begun by the wonderfully infamous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Attacks">Mars Attacks</a> cards), and we took it to the toy shelves.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwhJ6iuHwyvFsjcbfWECRrBXkJ2koGCatfa5kdXDrwlHTFzXhtaBCc5IN-IGZUpCj7ktZUKMIdGsmw8zcgQthmOvCFtXquN4WzS3hKH8HliVRqndlGIozGS8wLvJVaiQaYJQcx3gDYg4/s1600/SAM_2268.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwhJ6iuHwyvFsjcbfWECRrBXkJ2koGCatfa5kdXDrwlHTFzXhtaBCc5IN-IGZUpCj7ktZUKMIdGsmw8zcgQthmOvCFtXquN4WzS3hKH8HliVRqndlGIozGS8wLvJVaiQaYJQcx3gDYg4/s400/SAM_2268.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699364409348199634" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-You were also the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >sole</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> designer of <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurp Balls</a> is that right? They may be my favorite toys after <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <!--EndFragment--> <meta name="Title" content=""> <meta name="Keywords" content=""> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>81</o:Words> <o:characters>466</o:Characters> <o:lines>3</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>572</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <!--StartFragment--> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Yes, I had the pleasure of being the sole designer of that line. But I must in good conscience remind everyone that an imaginative guy that goes by the name Rick Reising penned the names of the <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurp Balls</a> characters. Rick still works with me here at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> Properties, and has been instrumental in christening our new <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> characters with their perspective monikers as well. </span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I might mention that one of my favorite <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurp Ball</a> characters was never made. He was an astronaut that fired a satellite from his mouth. His name was Up-Chuck Yeager.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-You're blowing my mind here. Up-Chuck Yeager is maybe the funniest thing I've ever heard. Whose idea were <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurp Balls</a>? </span><meta name="Title" content=""><meta name="Keywords" content=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>86</o:Words> <o:characters>495</o:Characters> <o:lines>4</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>607</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Once again, ‘success has many fathers, failure is an orphan’, so many different stories exist on the creation of <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurp Balls</a>. I know that I was in the brainstorm at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> that initiated the concept, and that its origins are quite bizarre. As I remember it, a young lady in our group brought a rubber monster prop she had bought in California to our meeting. For some strange reason we ended up putting a <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> into the creature’s mouth. When the critter’s soft rubber body was squeezed, the <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> shot across the room and launched the <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurp Balls</a> toy line.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <!--EndFragment--> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-What were the differences in designing <a href="http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29673">Blurp Balls</a> as opposed to <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>? </span><meta name="Title" content=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>102</o:Words> <o:characters>583</o:Characters> <o:lines>4</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>715</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Actually the thought processes were somewhat similar. Though we tried to brainstorm characters that inherently involved a kind of ‘side-kick’ character or prop that they might ‘blurp’ out. Like a cat and mouse, dinosaur and caveman, Baseball catcher and baseball, Vampire and heart, ect. And we also decided to pull back a bit on the gross out factor of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a> in comparison to their <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> cousins. I think we had been beginning to see a slight opposition at retail to toys that were too disgusting and gross in nature.</span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">But I believe that we still were able to sneak a bit of that <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> disgustablity into the line.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >- I'd say so! Croaky Bugchuck is really nasty! I mean not as nasty as <a href="http://madballs.wikia.com/wiki/Splitting_Headache">Splitting Headache</a>. So, what was it like when you got hired on to redesign <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a>?</span><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Keywords" content=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>80</o:Words> <o:characters>456</o:Characters> <o:lines>3</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>560</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--StartFragment--></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">It was magical. When I came back to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> they had already started bringing back the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a> line, so I dug in and battled to claim it as my own. I think my excitement an enthusiasm helped everyone believe that I was okay to be trusted with working on the designs for the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a> brand, so I went to work. Other folks at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a> Properties who were instrumental in the relaunch of the new <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a> product line were Jeffery Conrad, Anthony Davila, Rick Reising, and Judi Schuman.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7YlgDQE9ktlBINozdXrGbm9XBgbDePRL1xQ51Rb4ccpISIJX-8xYJDqxKqxaZwRRgOtFBUpKv-1Y_xfN8yYH_nbKcOT1RuGfZWOoOedxSKj2d0AMD_3uS1IxM5_jKBZ7ZmGzOcbd9dI/s1600/SAM_2272.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7YlgDQE9ktlBINozdXrGbm9XBgbDePRL1xQ51Rb4ccpISIJX-8xYJDqxKqxaZwRRgOtFBUpKv-1Y_xfN8yYH_nbKcOT1RuGfZWOoOedxSKj2d0AMD_3uS1IxM5_jKBZ7ZmGzOcbd9dI/s400/SAM_2272.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699364425423017074" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><meta name="Keywords" content=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>173</o:Words> <o:characters>987</o:Characters> <o:lines>8</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1212</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-So, I've seen photos of a third series of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a> floating around on various blogs along with the design artwork. Are those ever happening?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">The product line at <a href="http://www.basicfun.com/">Basic Fun</a> toys (the company licensing and manufacturing the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a> toys) is on hold at the moment. But artwork of the characters of which you speak has appeared on sticker sheets, greeting cards, wrapping paper, hats, shirts and other print product. I am hoping that they will be made into toy product as well. Truth be told, we have about 80 additional characters that are part of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a> brand that have never been seen by human eyes. Even I drew them while blindfolded.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-80!? There were also sweet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong">King Kong</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla">Godzilla</a>-esque designs (as well as a lady and an android) on some of the new sticker sheets. Also a no go?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Only for the moment, my friend. Only for the moment. They will eventually see the light of day if I have anything to say in the matter. As far as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong">King Kong</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla">Godzilla</a> designs, they are based on two of my favorite movie monsters. You all know that the original <a href="http://www.virtualtoychest.co.uk/lindgrenpics/lindgrenmadballs/mb_horn_head_1_c.jpg">Horn Head</a> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madball</a> is loosely based on the way-cool <a href="http://goremaster.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/7th-voyage-of-sinbad-cyclops.jpg">Cyclops</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Harryhausen">Ray Harryhausen</a>’s film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_7th_Voyage_of_Sinbad">7th Voyage of Sinbad</a>, don’t you? </span><span style=";font-family:Geneva;font-size:85%;" >Well, now you do!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMHD4g4vVY_y-2njRTYaer5m6XyPo5J7AM6Mhu9j4rlD5whVYcLiMbwYEXkmuuARwvlGFevZ00jcnKCHprNz9JA_czm132J4Uj77ZRBXsOyq1AWOtPX1hF0eOmnDZJ9PL6EvL5wzM3Yw/s1600/SAM_2238.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMHD4g4vVY_y-2njRTYaer5m6XyPo5J7AM6Mhu9j4rlD5whVYcLiMbwYEXkmuuARwvlGFevZ00jcnKCHprNz9JA_czm132J4Uj77ZRBXsOyq1AWOtPX1hF0eOmnDZJ9PL6EvL5wzM3Yw/s400/SAM_2238.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699063802349459442" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><meta name="Keywords" content=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>104</o:Words> <o:characters>596</o:Characters> <o:lines>4</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>731</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--StartFragment--> </p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Did you have anything to do with those little <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=200438084496">European Madballs</a>?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Actually, yes. That company chose a few of our lesser-known designs from the new set of 80 characters that were created last year. I had some help on those designs by some buddies of mine at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a>. Artists <a href="http://carlosillustration.blogspot.com/">Carlos Villagra</a> and <a href="http://sacks10.blogspot.com/">Saxton Moore</a>. This licensee did a great job on the sculpts, too. If you can hunt those down, I would recommend it. They are awesome, and they squirt water too!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Yeah I love them! Will there be more?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">As always, it will be based on the sales of the existing line. I sure hope they do more, because of the quality they obtained with their first wave of product. And as I said, we have about eighty more characters for them to choose from.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JJBUk_6H9hJ1W2SBFFEycFSnCWmlch-u22Ic0Um0DF9h0MzxEweUw6qJRoLC_TYXv699F5EXcg7Deb3p9OJGqA336yQja0KL_KXqwi3akkUWZ3UCyVSjrEaYWixNN55sLrpUmeRVwck/s1600/SAM_2265.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JJBUk_6H9hJ1W2SBFFEycFSnCWmlch-u22Ic0Um0DF9h0MzxEweUw6qJRoLC_TYXv699F5EXcg7Deb3p9OJGqA336yQja0KL_KXqwi3akkUWZ3UCyVSjrEaYWixNN55sLrpUmeRVwck/s400/SAM_2265.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699064096158038242" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><meta name="Title" content=""><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><meta name="Keywords" content=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/snyderman/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>204</o:Words> <o:characters>1163</o:Characters> <o:lines>9</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>1428</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>11.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotshowrevisions/> <w:donotprintrevisions/> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:usemarginsfordrawinggridorigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Geneva; panose-1:0 2 11 5 3 3 4 4 4 2; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Geneva;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--StartFragment--><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:85%;" >BLARGHHH</span><span style="font-size:85%;">-Please stop reminding me that there's 80 <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Madballs">Madballs</a> I can't have. What's in the future for you?<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">GROMAN</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">-</span><span style="font-size:85%;">Well, at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">American Greetings</a> we have a number of very cool entertainment projects that I am part of that will be on the air very soon. One of them is an amazing action adventure property with lots of creatures and sci fi hardware. I continue to work with all the incredibly creative folks at <a href="http://www.blogger.com/American%20Greetings">AG</a> on the characters, vehicles and backgrounds for all the various shows we will be launching in the coming year!</span></p><div> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I have recently got back into sculpting again with a new 23 inch tall resin figure called <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxgG0I4ko0ZTYjioSV9ODWnlfafbODhvXqs4mGoLaXBmJnUBbyDD5l25rVZ-cTUFJhMshIHT3hnOI3F0uWYgF4BWXCElG0LwpRla7LASQYH2yC5oyVnf_8Ay6Ut7s9zvF45OztIjCwwQ/s400/Zombot_image_1.jpg">The Zombot Ghoul</a> which I am producing and marketing on my blog. I have been contacted by a collectable company about a sculpting commission, and begun work on stories for a couple comic book companies. I have also just got copies from the printer of what I am calling ‘an illustrated screenplay’. It is a script I wrote a few years back that I have had published in book form with a number of highly detailed black and white illustrations. It is called ‘<a href="http://sketch-o-rama.blogspot.com/2006/02/monster-hunter-cast-of-characters.html">Monster Hunter</a>’ and is also available in my blogstore.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><span style="font-size:85%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><!--[endif]--></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">I like being busy, and am somewhat schizophrenic. I love to draw, paint, sculpt and write, and try to do all of these on a regular basis. So if anyone is ever curious about what I am working on at any given time, just hop on over to <a href="http://www.jgroman.blogspot.com/">www.jgroman.blogspot.com</a> and find out. And leave a comment while your there. Always love hearing what people have to say about my work.</span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p><!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p><p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-14248376657438780522012-01-11T16:00:00.000-08:002012-01-19T11:48:28.890-08:00A Journey Into the Unknown Part 4: Don't Call It a Come-BLECH!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfs1QhppKcdmPuXmAZLWkITCgq5QPB22Zbt99jJb8Yg9wgYl8vdWfNHkPMJ8tcdJsrvFC_8tIezkRXXVL5mys0Cq-54_4HrNJ3uqmLDz-Xw0TANrb7e7ZFqLcxJc9xu1stm6aWprBrTM/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfs1QhppKcdmPuXmAZLWkITCgq5QPB22Zbt99jJb8Yg9wgYl8vdWfNHkPMJ8tcdJsrvFC_8tIezkRXXVL5mys0Cq-54_4HrNJ3uqmLDz-Xw0TANrb7e7ZFqLcxJc9xu1stm6aWprBrTM/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593940231248338" border="0" /></a>Hello fiends and revenants! I know it's been a while since I dished up some ghoulish 80's monster ball madness but it wasn't due to laziness. In the 10 (!!) months since my last post I've been on trips to Ireland/England, Maine, Vermont/Massachusetts/Connecticut, and Portugal. On top of that I've been focusing on my <a href="http://www.hplovecraft.com/">H.P. Lovecraft</a> monster blog( <a href="http://yog-blogsoth.blogspot.com/">Yog-Blogsoth</a>) as well as doing gallery shows and freelance work.<br /><br />While there hasn't been much time for ball blogging, there has been plenty of time for ball buying! I've scored some gems in the past year and I'm going to start posting them again. The first batch are all inflatable rubber rip offs, about the size and shape of an authentic <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madball</a>, much like the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">5 original Sadballs</a>. Saint Sadball Of Orb. There's a lot of pics to make up for lost time, so enjoy!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOxOJM_7UeXrSJGemrPSicfkWrejxIcZyBv6XTGN9V85lIisy5YJRi-FtwBwQ9IdMkOa7LVcvBPiGydrEgEFeBs3I3ECyTiS9NaXUxXKtSIJJpc6A_xJHPQ1ylQQULtftvNuUQ7YnGyc/s1600/Pinkeye.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOxOJM_7UeXrSJGemrPSicfkWrejxIcZyBv6XTGN9V85lIisy5YJRi-FtwBwQ9IdMkOa7LVcvBPiGydrEgEFeBs3I3ECyTiS9NaXUxXKtSIJJpc6A_xJHPQ1ylQQULtftvNuUQ7YnGyc/s400/Pinkeye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593562053236418" border="0" /></a>Our first new entry is this dillhole. A creepy wannabe that I scored in a lot on ebay. I've seen this guy around but only just got one for myself. He's an excellently sculpted, super gross skull-thing with a huge bulging eyeball. The scar tissue around said eye and completely covering the other eye makes it look like his face is a huge zit that has just been popped. I think the blue and red color combo helps with that as well. He has a weird set of stitches on his head that may be baseball stitches? I dunno...he doesn't look anything like a baseball except for that. OH! I almost forgot to name him. Let's go with Baseboil...that sums him up!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQDS01kqAe4-MtBja7tSdu2ansD7haLvX_8Wwp9ZbVtQxXq6Ib-O1xLACqtXFvFOMoATfMEkgngJoeJNZq8EHN3kg-N5K7UL8hQx1kOfdM120JIFiSv4P10aurqETQiS4Ugxe-98nxKg/s1600/Patchone.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQDS01kqAe4-MtBja7tSdu2ansD7haLvX_8Wwp9ZbVtQxXq6Ib-O1xLACqtXFvFOMoATfMEkgngJoeJNZq8EHN3kg-N5K7UL8hQx1kOfdM120JIFiSv4P10aurqETQiS4Ugxe-98nxKg/s400/Patchone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593557067197314" border="0" /></a>God, this <a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2001/222/lorrepeterbio.jpg">Peter Lorre</a> lookin' dude (Peter Gory!) that's next kinda sucks. He's not really a monster as much as an extremely ugly guy with a pirate patch. I guess he does have that scar <span style="font-style: italic;">above</span> his patched eye and that patch has a pupil?! He's also not really shaped like a ball, but kinda like a nut. Thumbs down!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnGgvOCSr-lFFJuG9viPfsLyjnM2FPzPbPKfSpf-EcHr9BxlDCCIxcq-XXPYQMzbSUFF8sMh3XyoSvytFImCe3PshtexU4vXfla8AsfLwrC36fL8FbWt5l9HTY1ZO3EK6j6B729ogusQ/s1600/skullpatch.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnGgvOCSr-lFFJuG9viPfsLyjnM2FPzPbPKfSpf-EcHr9BxlDCCIxcq-XXPYQMzbSUFF8sMh3XyoSvytFImCe3PshtexU4vXfla8AsfLwrC36fL8FbWt5l9HTY1ZO3EK6j6B729ogusQ/s400/skullpatch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593560869985282" border="0" /></a>Our next malformed mutilated monster, is an extreme mess. Don't get me wrong, Two Eyed Willy here is pretty neat (way better than Peter Gory), but he just looks a bit...off? There's a lot of detail but everything seems wonky, like a child drew the original sketch. Again, we have a skull-thing creature, with parts of his skin still on but sloughing off? He also has an eye patch but for some reason it's covering up, what appears to be, a fully functional eye. It does have some pizza sauce beneath it so maybe he's just a messy eater and the patch is like an eye bib? His gnarly fang mouth is cool, as well as his skeletal no-nose, but they're all crooked and skewed. Definitely a weird one.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpKhDNdqdN-xTFS-KPL0XjrS6ItzrBkIR37q9M8SLSQSBqIdliM6BwrYX6p0FC6RuMmFFt0_kzsLZlRpS8iZQnBHYIPDKclHWd6PQLN-amY_E5-LUNKYRRFxBAF7jegyAaFmRn0U2TGA/s1600/fishyjoe.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpKhDNdqdN-xTFS-KPL0XjrS6ItzrBkIR37q9M8SLSQSBqIdliM6BwrYX6p0FC6RuMmFFt0_kzsLZlRpS8iZQnBHYIPDKclHWd6PQLN-amY_E5-LUNKYRRFxBAF7jegyAaFmRn0U2TGA/s400/fishyjoe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593258235123602" border="0" /></a>These next two are really bizarre. Whoever designed them was on mescaline or peyote or whatever monster ball designers use, but maybe they used too much. Obed Marsh here is a crazy fish-human hybrid, with bulgy (look at the detail) eyes, tiny fins and tropical colors. He also has human teeth, nose and tongue and for some reason two sets of lips? I love this dude, but the back has absolutely nothing goin on. Junkless trunk.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_XpjNk1sqU6f_oTtQizvFa525H0rM8_ILr86wrkKopP_RDMDDEXPdpDj_TswSnSEB6uyJJDswVE-Tpj78XzOSuePhu-4EeJVxBQybJfjFWgnGx09ITlt8rQgEbc92BzB757kulRd0Vc/s1600/Fatlip.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_XpjNk1sqU6f_oTtQizvFa525H0rM8_ILr86wrkKopP_RDMDDEXPdpDj_TswSnSEB6uyJJDswVE-Tpj78XzOSuePhu-4EeJVxBQybJfjFWgnGx09ITlt8rQgEbc92BzB757kulRd0Vc/s400/Fatlip.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593249334566178" border="0" /></a>His compatriot (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy_aahkIdEI">Ball Of Confusion</a>) defies all logic. Same over the top color scheme but with a...ummm....I guess I'll start with his mouth? What's going on there?! Did he get punched and it turned green? Is he half dinosaur?! Why only 2 perfect teeth (not fangs even)?! His one small eye seems to be sheathed in some sort of...skin flap...ew, while his other huge eye has growths on it! The rest of his face is covered in orange scars! Don't forget the huge blue eyebrows and reptile nose! WHAT?! So cool.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKe0hyphenhyphenQCVu3dP8Qzbajt0Uf3fbE2RhbMyeidEK4CQ15nfNLAnukdTOR8HyUCBR70XHIT9ITuGuqkRzOvvHzLsCWPYgdVzYS7RUvh8ZYVOK23FJvL5Jse5quLicuYA-QQ3ESJHB_MFGXI8/s1600/achnestein.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKe0hyphenhyphenQCVu3dP8Qzbajt0Uf3fbE2RhbMyeidEK4CQ15nfNLAnukdTOR8HyUCBR70XHIT9ITuGuqkRzOvvHzLsCWPYgdVzYS7RUvh8ZYVOK23FJvL5Jse5quLicuYA-QQ3ESJHB_MFGXI8/s400/achnestein.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593243611697954" border="0" /></a>Next, Fr-acne-stein is like the Monster Ball Frankenstein was sent through a <a href="http://jgroman.blogspot.com/">James Groman</a> machine. Much more gruesome and without that 50's retro style, this guy has a horrid orange color, with red patches of zits on his cheeks. The green scar on his head is super pronounced and delicately sculpted as are the bolts on his neck/chin. The half shut eyes add to his overall deathlike appearance and he's got a cool slick backed hair style. I do miss the classic Frankenstein flat top, but all his grossness more than makes up for that!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROrZVWOe8JeGE7IDt9T1j-9PXWUhGv8ezUxwZV-pZ2iCOBlcD6oUZOpkMoVCU7noVuxwsBGSwE2wIMJQf8G7lpIQ451VhOy3bYCW-u8CUIiIbKQoTyXhKjPecj9AJ1eVpt7I8cPTigUc/s1600/orc.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROrZVWOe8JeGE7IDt9T1j-9PXWUhGv8ezUxwZV-pZ2iCOBlcD6oUZOpkMoVCU7noVuxwsBGSwE2wIMJQf8G7lpIQ451VhOy3bYCW-u8CUIiIbKQoTyXhKjPecj9AJ1eVpt7I8cPTigUc/s400/orc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696593261328351458" border="0" /></a>Last and kinda not least is this <a href="http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100415131058/lotrgames/images/0/0a/Goblins.jpg">goblin</a> inspired sadball I've named Ballgoroth. He's not the most exciting dude in the world but he gets points for an interesting design. His huge floppy nose and tiny peg-teeth are pretty cool. His face is all wrinkly and saggy too! I checked his bottom (photo coming soon) and he's got a familiar Emson Freaky Fred stamp! He's related to these <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZvkEn9Nt1ph7VKwklI7T3l8RA3pCEjYOTpQO9RflebNLEKFNIHNQL-WftNUIW2iUJetvdlT61t130yYXS8HyRsWWSSS_0d1IlzP34LwFvdRpE_ZRKQdLl2FTPVGBz5H8syJcdTND9Aw/s1600/unknownfreaky.jpg">guys</a>! Why his name is exactly the same is beyond me but he now resides very close to his brothers...what the hell is wrong with me?!<br /><br />In conclusion, these are all (except for one, and he knows who he is) cool and worth grabbing, but good luck finding them. The only one that I've ever seen pop up before is Baseboil. Anyway, I've got something REALLY cool in store for next week. A two year old interview I did with <a href="http://jgroman.blogspot.com/">James Groman</a> himself!! See you next week nerds!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-67451465747255174312011-03-29T14:16:00.002-07:002012-07-13T09:07:22.411-07:00Unwanted and unloved...<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuyOLDYRwkKB1naGgq87eN-BkQ0Ij-H6F0FbzqEMkxRLVSWcrvCNFHTnMPkJ5Dwnryh4KKqrVUMk5MkhfFL2msZH67Y3Y4eS88LMXKhe2cQ2079XI4qb5UOjjLT0fgZEGKTHiuQ_I4gs/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuyOLDYRwkKB1naGgq87eN-BkQ0Ij-H6F0FbzqEMkxRLVSWcrvCNFHTnMPkJ5Dwnryh4KKqrVUMk5MkhfFL2msZH67Y3Y4eS88LMXKhe2cQ2079XI4qb5UOjjLT0fgZEGKTHiuQ_I4gs/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589618222160085682" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"No Comment"</span><br /></div>So there's a little story that goes with this weeks grossos. Not even a story, a blurb really. When I found these guys on ebay, there were two lots of them from the same seller, each lot with 10 balls. They both looked the same so I randomly picked one and bid $4. Then I notice a note from the seller in the description that said (and I'm paraphrasing here, because the auction has been removed) "I don't know why anyone would want these but if you must have them feel free to bid". HA!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxFpoQUzuNNctFyLODixKx4e93erdeZ8CdM_pIVUQybR9CVte_msx48YZAQAtMEAMK1NhHdYNN9SC1LvZdFE0XfzYcVoW7IPLeD9ym2YRS5Dt-Hazp1bICyr0k5wgk_Cs114K3i4aY5Q/s1600/package.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxFpoQUzuNNctFyLODixKx4e93erdeZ8CdM_pIVUQybR9CVte_msx48YZAQAtMEAMK1NhHdYNN9SC1LvZdFE0XfzYcVoW7IPLeD9ym2YRS5Dt-Hazp1bICyr0k5wgk_Cs114K3i4aY5Q/s400/package.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589618423684818882" border="0" /></a>I thought that was the extent of the seller's hatred for these dudes until I won and received <span style="font-style: italic;">both lots in the mail!</span> I guess no one bid on the second lot and he couldn't stand to have them around his house, glaring at him and mocking him with their awfulness.<br /><br />I mean they are weird and ugly but not that bad. When they arrived they were mostly loose but a few were still in their mesh net packaging and there were a couple with the tags on.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vDWTXVVN_pJn8E_O1tbZ2yoAdM3V0YnYp8M9oa2IX7QYcJt2O3OFqPqjS0O3MdL2iFfytE8bVULBCTy43TfQUAe9IOzLPzf5fR41TRyO9anN3BlkY4lQUwA16os7fVAdLr56TCiYpWc/s1600/tag.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vDWTXVVN_pJn8E_O1tbZ2yoAdM3V0YnYp8M9oa2IX7QYcJt2O3OFqPqjS0O3MdL2iFfytE8bVULBCTy43TfQUAe9IOzLPzf5fR41TRyO9anN3BlkY4lQUwA16os7fVAdLr56TCiYpWc/s400/tag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589619499510713538" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.noveltyinc.com/">Novelty Inc.</a> , a company from Greenfield, Indiana is the responsible party but I'll cut them some slack because it looks like monster headed balls aren't their usual market. They make christian trinkets, energy drinks and smoking accessories. Huh? Anyway, they really did just churn these dudes out and move on. Only three sculpts, no packaging and no names. Like someone at the factory got coerced into making them. Obligation fulfilled, now leave me alone. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1T1bo7QSY4acdJkDxie3qBT2hl1XRQyB1S5VHtyaetOa70ADFb4l2bkC27RhiSMzjyVRLFYWxTEwqu_a8AF-bnJE1L1rWCEVq6cN3GS7t1zHPnIwZLgQPPCldpcreoBiUjGDNmN_nhM/s1600/ralphie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1T1bo7QSY4acdJkDxie3qBT2hl1XRQyB1S5VHtyaetOa70ADFb4l2bkC27RhiSMzjyVRLFYWxTEwqu_a8AF-bnJE1L1rWCEVq6cN3GS7t1zHPnIwZLgQPPCldpcreoBiUjGDNmN_nhM/s400/ralphie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589618430166457970" border="0" /></a>First off, we have a dude I'll call Randy. He's kinda just a guy with some stitches and a flat-top. Like the rest this guy is soft squeezable rubber that was filled with slime. So when you applied pressure the slime would push out the holes in his eyes and mouth. After years of sitting on a shelf, not only has the rubber hardened but the slime is now just a tacky glistening ball.<br /><br />Anyway, Other than his cauliflower ear, there's not much to this dude. His features are distorted enough that I don't find him boring but he's not a monster.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__6YI76YitcKMHBmOLpAuaMO0jX_AMw7ZqknXxoqKQIxwHwUg8Glq_aqT0VLGwu-ZIrrYbSEstfXL-bHRcwXwWjEA_uk2mj1DsvW896AopV4qU_85EfEyow01jsI5jYyt0bwA1K88F_s/s1600/skullface.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__6YI76YitcKMHBmOLpAuaMO0jX_AMw7ZqknXxoqKQIxwHwUg8Glq_aqT0VLGwu-ZIrrYbSEstfXL-bHRcwXwWjEA_uk2mj1DsvW896AopV4qU_85EfEyow01jsI5jYyt0bwA1K88F_s/s400/skullface.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589618437677206690" border="0" /></a>This next guy is a cool skull. He was in some sort of accident that knocked out a tooth, cracked his top, exposing his brain and gave him little cuts all over his skull.....which bled. Wait? What? Despite his slime holes, you can see he was once a blue eyed boy...but wait, what's that under his eye then? It can't be an eyeball cus, he's still got those. Well it looks like a Cadburry Egg with the top cut off. Either that or it's a piece of...oops. Let's call him Brown Eye. I may make fun of the logic of it, but the details and lopsidedness are actually pretty appealing. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIItvglHG6uIKfZKkxg5clBJHizo4466ud3fMisNu25xzMSVaTr12uc0W5UKltQWf24zLCyyBeouWaSINWHPdhZXAPTrNP_VAe1ZrCstofvYvLkawepCy1uT9eiW10hphpwWQmAX855tc/s1600/frankensloth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIItvglHG6uIKfZKkxg5clBJHizo4466ud3fMisNu25xzMSVaTr12uc0W5UKltQWf24zLCyyBeouWaSINWHPdhZXAPTrNP_VAe1ZrCstofvYvLkawepCy1uT9eiW10hphpwWQmAX855tc/s400/frankensloth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589619498588029378" border="0" /></a>Frankensloth is our final subject and my favorite. He looks like some disgusting orc from Lord Of the Rings. The oversized tear drop eyes and the wagging blue tongue are really gnarly but what gets me the most are those teeth. Horribly blackened gums and tiny pegs of teeth barely breaking the skin. Ew.<br /><br />In conclusion, these dudes are kinda simple but neat, especially when you consider how much detail is crammed onto such a small space (1.5" diameter). I don't think you'll be able to find them anywhere but if you really want one I can part with a few. After all I have 20!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-37507191454324986072011-03-22T11:03:00.000-07:002011-03-22T11:14:24.828-07:00Crossover Madness!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTCc3V4Ft3pHHYgJ_VGoKY0hTt_66ithc9FF1JpWJPIaCsya1Kgb7ne5m9JRloOu_xCfSZKdL5ED6yeMj-Uzp6ak9Mf3BAFE2woUmBpdsw6iGyPNQD0NPOjakPz1h_Cd3LfCXDD6EgM4/s1600/BadBallGroupLarge.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 109px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTCc3V4Ft3pHHYgJ_VGoKY0hTt_66ithc9FF1JpWJPIaCsya1Kgb7ne5m9JRloOu_xCfSZKdL5ED6yeMj-Uzp6ak9Mf3BAFE2woUmBpdsw6iGyPNQD0NPOjakPz1h_Cd3LfCXDD6EgM4/s400/BadBallGroupLarge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586967790735698402" border="0" /></a><br />Hey dudes, I just realized I forgot to post a link to this awesome toy crossover. <a href="http://minifigures.blogspot.com/2011/02/eraser-bouncing-bad-bad-ball.html">Toypedia</a> (an excellent site you should bookmark) did a feature on <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/something-old-something-new-both-things.html">Eraser Bouncing Bad Bad Balls</a>! I reshot them for the post so you should check it out for some more detailed pics. Also, check back regularly for all your tiny rubber toy needs.Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-12766034032047294652011-03-21T07:47:00.000-07:002011-03-31T05:39:35.403-07:00Ready...Aim....BLURP!!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fJitI3x7lPqsBqNAdu6c13UpoSI9Sphl61hcOzeZxFRzGuc3dBBxfu_W6b6QDoWDqoNLND6pUVROCVKiFFnVmbbRrF4dzJH931cRmZFiWefpUG9pRvA6zKAlmgR1cNdtAIUiCxC2M1o/s1600/blurpheader.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 103px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fJitI3x7lPqsBqNAdu6c13UpoSI9Sphl61hcOzeZxFRzGuc3dBBxfu_W6b6QDoWDqoNLND6pUVROCVKiFFnVmbbRrF4dzJH931cRmZFiWefpUG9pRvA6zKAlmgR1cNdtAIUiCxC2M1o/s400/blurpheader.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586556980575662434" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"They Retch It! You Catch It!"</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hey dudes! I know it's been a really, long time but I've been super busy with art. That doesn't mean that I've been slacking on the <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a>/ripoffs collecting front. On the contrary, I've scored some awesome bootlegs in the past few months that will make their way on to this blog soon enough. In the meantime, I wanted to do a special deluxe post for my 1 year anniversary of blogging. So.....I present you with the closest thing to an "official" </span></span><a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Madballs</span></span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> ripoff...BLURP BALLS!!!</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwejZnMcOkBHfUzS2HM3KdyAZTT289viDBt-TP1M-tMgqFxry_0bMB9GqOx0bKMVAPf9VTO-AgqnsTxAJ1h5_KG7Js9C2Y573AferE0GyXJLhCAFHDULhFgM7Eq4TDoIemBAMBhn3Is0/s1600/blurp1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwejZnMcOkBHfUzS2HM3KdyAZTT289viDBt-TP1M-tMgqFxry_0bMB9GqOx0bKMVAPf9VTO-AgqnsTxAJ1h5_KG7Js9C2Y573AferE0GyXJLhCAFHDULhFgM7Eq4TDoIemBAMBhn3Is0/s400/blurp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586556981208240770" border="0" /></a>What makes them "official" is that they were designed (soley) by <a href="http://jgroman.blogspot.com/">James Groman</a>, one of the designers of the original <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action"><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Madballs</span></span></a> series <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> the 2007 reboot (not to mention <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMRDbo899Koh3M9D-V2NNBYcW1-S_2RokeZOZjfaQx-Te1NCA4qM-647W503eiTPj5a2oGY_ughfiOn5fUVnHTzrMVwLCbSIflbxR-uqPh0VkMXWYicQZxLR8lSOtB9myFnCbvbOyCDdK/s320/Food+Fighters+G.JPG">Food Fighters</a> and <a href="http://s4.hubimg.com/u/1256607_f520.jpg">Barnyard Commandos</a>). Ertl (famous for toy trucks) brought Blurp Balls to the table in the mid 90's way after the gross out trend had died but they tried to expand on the idea by adding projectiles into the mix. Essentially, making the toys barf or blurp.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />These things are slightly larger than <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> and the material is similar to the soft rubber of Sadballs but a little more durable, which allows better paint jobs.</div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5znMX4dIx0CRyhw1zG_WQmh6HoTkPusHt-S_1tKe00wGWsHP6vmqPY49YcnbxtRRDrfS-Qssb_A1ChRJaFAqSc2SgNpG1CNFSMPqX7v2pvYnGs7weBnKVqD87k08CZH75owVgxxg_bU/s1600/blurp2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5znMX4dIx0CRyhw1zG_WQmh6HoTkPusHt-S_1tKe00wGWsHP6vmqPY49YcnbxtRRDrfS-Qssb_A1ChRJaFAqSc2SgNpG1CNFSMPqX7v2pvYnGs7weBnKVqD87k08CZH75owVgxxg_bU/s400/blurp2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586556983298675090" border="0" /></a>I managed to get my hands on two of these dudes MOC but as you can see the packaging leaves a lot to be desired. There's huge amounts of open space, the text is blocky and irregular. It just all seems dated. And that drawing...ugh. It reminds me of some 4th tier <a href="http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/justiceleague-10.jpg">Image</a> comic that would have a preview in the back of <a href="http://sequentialdegenerate.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/shadowhawk13_cover.jpg">Shadowhawk</a>.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQ_V91Dn2gEnlZXX_Q8ca15R29mfvXBQtNWU1Lw9OP-qC8479gXm5FyAEpG-z8a7x0Cair-8YOapxEh-vrJ1XTSPY_Yeo2Gd5XvAJLrYF6CVYxR7Ps50ZJcGxrIP48kt1wDPMFNNEX_Y/s1600/blurp3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQ_V91Dn2gEnlZXX_Q8ca15R29mfvXBQtNWU1Lw9OP-qC8479gXm5FyAEpG-z8a7x0Cair-8YOapxEh-vrJ1XTSPY_Yeo2Gd5XvAJLrYF6CVYxR7Ps50ZJcGxrIP48kt1wDPMFNNEX_Y/s400/blurp3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586556986855265426" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5znMX4dIx0CRyhw1zG_WQmh6HoTkPusHt-S_1tKe00wGWsHP6vmqPY49YcnbxtRRDrfS-Qssb_A1ChRJaFAqSc2SgNpG1CNFSMPqX7v2pvYnGs7weBnKVqD87k08CZH75owVgxxg_bU/s1600/blurp2.jpg"> </a>The back is simple in a good way but still...that orange..oof! The back provides pics of the rest of the dudes, and that's where the real joy is. While the packaging may suck, the toys themselves are amazing. They even have funny names like Count Heave-a-heart!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdty5suViv0TwTd9kdQCE1hha-PK1YJnpiaIUZixkSIx4xstvhh__Rlw5k6Pfqi0V391vO0L7AllVlaTHqfhX9EE8VauFQv4MErrYPzqWUbRcbeMfjMCnkPeuC1ECd8TG_EchQZJPpn2M/s1600/blurp4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdty5suViv0TwTd9kdQCE1hha-PK1YJnpiaIUZixkSIx4xstvhh__Rlw5k6Pfqi0V391vO0L7AllVlaTHqfhX9EE8VauFQv4MErrYPzqWUbRcbeMfjMCnkPeuC1ECd8TG_EchQZJPpn2M/s400/blurp4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586556989897556226" border="0" /></a>As with any toy that fires a projectile there are some hilarious warnings. I mean, they're soft rubber nubs that shoots out of a ball when you squeeze it, how bad could that hurt you?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fJitI3x7lPqsBqNAdu6c13UpoSI9Sphl61hcOzeZxFRzGuc3dBBxfu_W6b6QDoWDqoNLND6pUVROCVKiFFnVmbbRrF4dzJH931cRmZFiWefpUG9pRvA6zKAlmgR1cNdtAIUiCxC2M1o/s1600/blurpheader.jpg"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFMCGz8AFh0Phz0fT3IuRKdW0QWXeyyjFRQ07QyQoTzUAAX9FGHvfJ4qTFprzHBFFl_gUVQs74ZVoBlx4jRf4LB4mWsttYA6b3jbDrmOC0x6_x3bQt9BMEVZDN1MffPr_ZZ5gSbXrLCE/s1600/blurp5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFMCGz8AFh0Phz0fT3IuRKdW0QWXeyyjFRQ07QyQoTzUAAX9FGHvfJ4qTFprzHBFFl_gUVQs74ZVoBlx4jRf4LB4mWsttYA6b3jbDrmOC0x6_x3bQt9BMEVZDN1MffPr_ZZ5gSbXrLCE/s400/blurp5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586566459258601586" border="0" /></a>Before we get to our actual fiendish friends, I have another version of the packaging for you. This one is an Italian card that I scored from an online toystore. Everything about the toys is exactly the same and the Ertl name is still present but there's another company (perhaps just Italian distributor?) named Giochi Preziosi stamped all over the thing. They've replace the garish orange with a technicolor swirl that I somehow like better?<br /><br />I know this is gonna sound like I'm making a joke, but I swear to you that the Italian one smelled like cheese when I opened it up.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRSMPePqtPMFGNZ5TTHJwNkonIVv2pd4vfCiw8vXn_5EJjDfD3OGmKztbpgCGV7IYikDiI0mb9Q2J4R8awfBXTlRbX6_56AA5ELvKWYuodUKn658RS4d2-k3RpHo93hWjXrPrQoa7OO4/s1600/blurp6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRSMPePqtPMFGNZ5TTHJwNkonIVv2pd4vfCiw8vXn_5EJjDfD3OGmKztbpgCGV7IYikDiI0mb9Q2J4R8awfBXTlRbX6_56AA5ELvKWYuodUKn658RS4d2-k3RpHo93hWjXrPrQoa7OO4/s400/blurp6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586566459615370498" border="0" /></a>Babel Fish is basically useless, so I have no name translations for you, although, I'm pretty sure Vampir is just Vampire. Teeth Something, Shark Something, Something Cat...that's all I got. Let's get to it then, shall we?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lkThtfFZk_OAkFXZgInBz1uI2uL4I0zODeWGudob6jojIp9DDb52dncuO7-Sr5cec6ZwKSWOe6WZy-lg4c5pziprdP_0FVPmTnRpsPY3_hNQLI23bq5Xf9KpM1WhsEbw-6wIihqfVMk/s1600/biff1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lkThtfFZk_OAkFXZgInBz1uI2uL4I0zODeWGudob6jojIp9DDb52dncuO7-Sr5cec6ZwKSWOe6WZy-lg4c5pziprdP_0FVPmTnRpsPY3_hNQLI23bq5Xf9KpM1WhsEbw-6wIihqfVMk/s400/biff1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586566464079568786" border="0" /></a>Biff Barfball is the first one up (get it?). He's probably my least favorite because he's kinda just a guy that got beat up and then caught a cold but went to baseball practice anyway. He's not a zombie or a monster or a messed up animal. Just a dude. I guess it's cool that he swallowed that ball, and he is sculpted very well. All of these have an astonishing (that's right, astonishing) amount of detail.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVS2LJAf4DumrPVzn3HxIGD4VFVigMiTRdNEiZcZB86K10gMruHjWBXh5bV-msjvDs5LjnC7oZGjPXAocumqQsG9HlcS2FkHEfgrombZdba-jYf1oM7n6e35YBR1ZWLCYvfi6HpZO9dM/s1600/biff2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVS2LJAf4DumrPVzn3HxIGD4VFVigMiTRdNEiZcZB86K10gMruHjWBXh5bV-msjvDs5LjnC7oZGjPXAocumqQsG9HlcS2FkHEfgrombZdba-jYf1oM7n6e35YBR1ZWLCYvfi6HpZO9dM/s400/biff2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586566469647754562" border="0" /></a><br />Here's his blurp (I don't know, what would you call it?!) up close. It's a baseball and it's got his teeth embedded in it as well as splashes of blood on the top and bottom. Ehhh....it's ok but kinda boring. I guess the teeth gross me out a little because I think of getting hit in the mouth with a baseball. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkK4rR5NolS1V_r-rkHHdgALNQwceN5ABxc3jrYcPFr9xgVwKr1zlzs965yj3xDTZBFIZ8Gx3J4DdWLu8hs4mEleTLX2HolbAFGqFAD_zTOaaELejjdVAMVEKbpx9NGTaeTGXAmK4oAU/s1600/count2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkK4rR5NolS1V_r-rkHHdgALNQwceN5ABxc3jrYcPFr9xgVwKr1zlzs965yj3xDTZBFIZ8Gx3J4DdWLu8hs4mEleTLX2HolbAFGqFAD_zTOaaELejjdVAMVEKbpx9NGTaeTGXAmK4oAU/s400/count2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586566473884737666" border="0" /></a>My second favorite is the immaculate Count Heave-a-heart. A super wrinkley vampire with pointy ears a bad complexion, and beady little yellow eyes! Despite all the spiders, cobwebs and bats clinging to him, the Count still find time to dress nicely with a purple high collared jacket and dress shirt with skull cufflinks. I wish I looked that good. Oh check out those sideburns too!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrc2st08rSpANO_3eH1BwH6ejkrmZnFi6rmqtRA1tw9hkcDT2GY5CFp5o_0zgRYXyVnJN17IeT_hXxrJ_iVgpIegJ9iFB-vIV4nh9nutXJecC0zxyrNS7-J9dPeLbApP8exESErJO9UJY/s1600/count3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrc2st08rSpANO_3eH1BwH6ejkrmZnFi6rmqtRA1tw9hkcDT2GY5CFp5o_0zgRYXyVnJN17IeT_hXxrJ_iVgpIegJ9iFB-vIV4nh9nutXJecC0zxyrNS7-J9dPeLbApP8exESErJO9UJY/s400/count3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586571600903877026" border="0" /></a>That's all well and good but what makes nasty nosferatu even better is that his blurp is an anatomical heart!! This is actually pretty accurate for its scale and material and even has muscle ridges and veins!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96YoElbioe9UtufN_cszsojTntxRC0brlyhyaebplUqGMdgPmcoCTisHXQH8xEQbtfGBhrdrjPJ9IKAojRb-_kpQSKf_INZZvwWJkBmuQnZZmteyNElV_1GD-GdUKw_kXYE5Bo3sJ3lE/s1600/croaky1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 77px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96YoElbioe9UtufN_cszsojTntxRC0brlyhyaebplUqGMdgPmcoCTisHXQH8xEQbtfGBhrdrjPJ9IKAojRb-_kpQSKf_INZZvwWJkBmuQnZZmteyNElV_1GD-GdUKw_kXYE5Bo3sJ3lE/s400/croaky1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586571780230211218" border="0" /></a>Normally I wouldn't really care for monster balls that are modeled after animals but Croaky Bugchuck here is really disgusting. He's dripping with ooze from his mouth, he's covered in bugs and the texture of the rubber he's made out of almost make it feel like you're holding a real frog. Weird! I especially like the contrast of the dark green skin and light yellow eyes. Nice touch.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVz2VLjo61Ti0B2_ki-73peVJ7WeOfuK-b0UZZ6AUu3dHuhsz2BaFZSvxPu9Rt9O0r1s-OoreSZEC_rjIo3ISe8QWvz8K1jEVSYBjPt9_UzuckblC7SanzGOBHwU342QOh7lt88w-MAcU/s1600/croaky2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 103px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVz2VLjo61Ti0B2_ki-73peVJ7WeOfuK-b0UZZ6AUu3dHuhsz2BaFZSvxPu9Rt9O0r1s-OoreSZEC_rjIo3ISe8QWvz8K1jEVSYBjPt9_UzuckblC7SanzGOBHwU342QOh7lt88w-MAcU/s400/croaky2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586571781841017042" border="0" /></a>Croaky's blurp is by far my favorite. It's a gross little fly with huge red eyes and a puckered purple sucker. No shortcuts here, all six legs are present and he's clinging onto some awful black snotball or something. Ewww!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LCSZknMIa9NI50ccP4_A3clARdbVC39jI7j7J-EfsCCkuKMknwct9wAsVYrMgG0NCYoisXYTRD27iuB-MrsF5J4U_A70xYDVsBmTBJxIJOxVnDMLzmNfNSEf7ekQ9lhpnHF0A6JTnfI/s1600/bony1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 79px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LCSZknMIa9NI50ccP4_A3clARdbVC39jI7j7J-EfsCCkuKMknwct9wAsVYrMgG0NCYoisXYTRD27iuB-MrsF5J4U_A70xYDVsBmTBJxIJOxVnDMLzmNfNSEf7ekQ9lhpnHF0A6JTnfI/s400/bony1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586575592283785906" border="0" /></a>Skulls are always popular, especially when it comes to monster faced balls. Boney Tossteeth is the Blurp Ball version and it's a cool one! He's still got eyes deep in his sockets which is a plus and somehow his brains are coming out through the bottom of his skull?! Not only that but there's a <span style="font-style: italic;">rattle snake in there</span>!! WHAT?! How and why does that happen?! While those are all confusing <span><span class="theColor">component</span><span id="hotword">s, what really throws me for a loop is how a skull has lips, and why is he spitting his flesh covered teeth at me!?</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtTAwtCb5a92QJsJszCAvxM0opDMFXcAJf4mjjpf-loXgBxmwTKQTmlzYWIinYUH2UbShzPUSFat5n8sUwNPdNJ4nfhBqDIGh-o_PRPSxuxdnzEa8Sn8C9C89uDZayQMaiqwTtFQZ_is/s1600/bony2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtTAwtCb5a92QJsJszCAvxM0opDMFXcAJf4mjjpf-loXgBxmwTKQTmlzYWIinYUH2UbShzPUSFat5n8sUwNPdNJ4nfhBqDIGh-o_PRPSxuxdnzEa8Sn8C9C89uDZayQMaiqwTtFQZ_is/s400/bony2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586575595097331730" border="0" /></a>Maybe these are supposed to be dentures but I get the impression that they're a separate part of his anatomy that can launch at will! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7PwX21kth0Hb7ZnFReAChYZVYnEH0cdWhjU76Sj4OAdImkSDQxB04OiVmuHoBMlwguWujlmuaonhlorsHpQ-M5yaQ1-vMkiklrfuBLnBpoT5MAs8CfUet6qbTS1qjN5rH-QpLBleY0Q/s1600/retch1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 79px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7PwX21kth0Hb7ZnFReAChYZVYnEH0cdWhjU76Sj4OAdImkSDQxB04OiVmuHoBMlwguWujlmuaonhlorsHpQ-M5yaQ1-vMkiklrfuBLnBpoT5MAs8CfUet6qbTS1qjN5rH-QpLBleY0Q/s400/retch1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586579761846962194" border="0" /></a>This cheesy smelling dude is my favorite. I love dinosaurs. I also love false history where dinosaurs and cavemen hung out. Tyrannosaurus Retch is an amazing example of all that. He's gorgeously molded and very highly detailed, with a lizard and dragonfly on his back, bumpy ridges and scaled all over him and a spear stuck in his hide! I'm really into how his arms, legs and tail all tuck underneath him to retain the ball shape.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRw8pe92Q_9krx0IAVY-zvSKyxuuhxtjmvftAP0Xzdse6bGiqXVsCat3g48lBCkWQZOQHr3ovEryXpFgsErq4NVoDqekmpnco-L4uQbZVJEzE8UItOoe34jD7T8gWW0sVg97sE41uh1U/s1600/retch2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 109px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyRw8pe92Q_9krx0IAVY-zvSKyxuuhxtjmvftAP0Xzdse6bGiqXVsCat3g48lBCkWQZOQHr3ovEryXpFgsErq4NVoDqekmpnco-L4uQbZVJEzE8UItOoe34jD7T8gWW0sVg97sE41uh1U/s400/retch2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586579759665812738" border="0" /></a>His blurp is also really detailed on par with the fly. A little caveman holding his nose and wearing a Flintstones style one piece! YES! Look at his tongue flapping in the wind! I've already made up my own story about how these two wound up together but I won't share it and ruin it for you. Come up with your own!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zaSzcvnNNhtMeWBNWmkoj8aILO9qfQsB1trkXmGtpXsaGDMrq0ny3_GUawQOt5DCorD5uiEsyegvYV2CTTLyKgEnNFq329HoM1_kayDDaiVyrdy9KFN35wXz7DsnUakaIon0fVuR49I/s1600/tomcat1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 88px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zaSzcvnNNhtMeWBNWmkoj8aILO9qfQsB1trkXmGtpXsaGDMrq0ny3_GUawQOt5DCorD5uiEsyegvYV2CTTLyKgEnNFq329HoM1_kayDDaiVyrdy9KFN35wXz7DsnUakaIon0fVuR49I/s400/tomcat1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586587237045707442" border="0" /></a>Retch-a-rat Tomcat is similar to Croaky Bugchuck but not as gnarly. He honestly just looks like some of the strays in my neighborhood, which is sad not cool. I do love the detail of his fur and paw pads but hes honestly a little boring. I think I do like the animal ones but this one isn't doing it for me.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XvQ6P6SrrAuuNJvETKLGoRr7yipfX1GXZWMGtSN1yVqV6Xst37v-j8eDsBO181JUZIey-1qWJ6yyK_hUTZRCV3N6ncRElMAOJ1bEylCTadcjCkWW76g5Rw-xLbvQGzrQ7iWL1Vt-11Y/s1600/tomcat2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XvQ6P6SrrAuuNJvETKLGoRr7yipfX1GXZWMGtSN1yVqV6Xst37v-j8eDsBO181JUZIey-1qWJ6yyK_hUTZRCV3N6ncRElMAOJ1bEylCTadcjCkWW76g5Rw-xLbvQGzrQ7iWL1Vt-11Y/s400/tomcat2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586587243322791490" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">However</span>, his blurp is really amazing. He's a cute little rat with a bandaide on his butt! I'm sure he was so filthy that even that disgusting tomcat had to spit him out. The look on his face! Love!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSh99LMHYcmvjYWpTEcW3gMWl-lJOIot3W0NnNELLHKCBgLJcR7PuxjOqGTYnsaH1b2T4I0Hhqbi0D0nBZ9KoCf7oQ1UdHa_sBkBpjt4OBeVViKNpfgQbc8WFKJY1Upl_DOdXWct6Seg/s1600/sharky1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSh99LMHYcmvjYWpTEcW3gMWl-lJOIot3W0NnNELLHKCBgLJcR7PuxjOqGTYnsaH1b2T4I0Hhqbi0D0nBZ9KoCf7oQ1UdHa_sBkBpjt4OBeVViKNpfgQbc8WFKJY1Upl_DOdXWct6Seg/s400/sharky1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586592534385305746" border="0" /></a>Last but not least is the best of the animal designs. Sharky Skullsquirt wins points just for being a shark but he's also really well designed. He's covered in wrinkles and jabbed with a hook and a harpoon (we won't talk about the really poorly rendered blob-of-a-lamprey on his butt) as well as drooling blood all over hmself!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURTbRq2r6-ehll6Pf8D9nHdclT87y1CK7xjzBpBWbo9D2fzkAPR5Z6bnIkPCxW-jy6mEb325jzOjnMEJAFglUN706U9TY-1Rs50IOagZpuKv0f8zmZ6N4Jh7BOmlaj0ZgSIVMKf1alxw/s1600/sharky2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURTbRq2r6-ehll6Pf8D9nHdclT87y1CK7xjzBpBWbo9D2fzkAPR5Z6bnIkPCxW-jy6mEb325jzOjnMEJAFglUN706U9TY-1Rs50IOagZpuKv0f8zmZ6N4Jh7BOmlaj0ZgSIVMKf1alxw/s400/sharky2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586592543069581474" border="0" /></a><br />His blurp is amazing too. A skull (with eyes again....I love that) of a diver, maybe the d-bag that tried to harpoon him and failed.<br /><br />Before I wrap this up, I thought I'd show you some close ups of some of the more impressive monsters so you could see why I'm so impressed.<span><span id="hotword"><span style="cursor: default;color:transparent;" id="hotword" name="hotword" > </span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0qlxBBw_jUIVP9z8VMyoVuxjXwswgeDX2n8ohb_DVndVYu9xgb-opuZoacn7G1FAyQzslAwU2jLMTR6862AXGtBExy2JDBldTYPQRenCX5klcO8-sJuTTFffiwzqY64dymRp3TLk9fI/s1600/blurpdetail1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0qlxBBw_jUIVP9z8VMyoVuxjXwswgeDX2n8ohb_DVndVYu9xgb-opuZoacn7G1FAyQzslAwU2jLMTR6862AXGtBExy2JDBldTYPQRenCX5klcO8-sJuTTFffiwzqY64dymRp3TLk9fI/s400/blurpdetail1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586592554634635218" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZSYnk28f5nVqEHqayxvVw-wqmb8nL48hBaxrQkygj85MNHr20cNTXrtqjpvX-IsItVC01UoxlaHWbWC4U9-6QBwO0Lhr6fD-KxDFnM6wrxYEoE2uyVOBuBOaiNyxVjT6AJnNrNFCJ5I/s1600/blurpdetail2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZSYnk28f5nVqEHqayxvVw-wqmb8nL48hBaxrQkygj85MNHr20cNTXrtqjpvX-IsItVC01UoxlaHWbWC4U9-6QBwO0Lhr6fD-KxDFnM6wrxYEoE2uyVOBuBOaiNyxVjT6AJnNrNFCJ5I/s400/blurpdetail2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586592569857185154" border="0" /></a>In conclusion...DO IT! These toys are really amazing and surpass most nonbootleg monster ball toys. The level of intricacy and design are top notch. <a href="http://jgroman.blogspot.com/">James Groman</a>'s signature gross-out style come delivers the goods. Not to mention they hold up really well due to the rubber they're made out of.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgFU7z-aoELgZPfGddlLvVL-meSs7Wftfp8_Zh0ZJl8-3mXIfb5oah6OTNX5uXIg791RY_QVv7eZF3DfzaiPIhCW2sxcCxJrjUHXfY9U6cWFJHtiP87kTmg99EhcFT8McZ19vzZxmNtw/s1600/Blurpballs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgFU7z-aoELgZPfGddlLvVL-meSs7Wftfp8_Zh0ZJl8-3mXIfb5oah6OTNX5uXIg791RY_QVv7eZF3DfzaiPIhCW2sxcCxJrjUHXfY9U6cWFJHtiP87kTmg99EhcFT8McZ19vzZxmNtw/s400/Blurpballs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590222655173100450" border="0" /></a>As much as I love these dudes, it's hard for me to recommend them to other collectors solely for the fact that they are <span style="font-style: italic;">super</span> expensive. Most of the ones I've seen on ebay MOC are $75. Most of mine I hunted down in vintage toy stores, message board trades, and craigslist. That's actually a funny story.<br /><br />I google-searched "Blurp Ball Craigslist" and actually found a listing for Retch-a-rat Tomcat and Croaky Bugchuck from some dude in Rochester, NY who was asking for $10 for both! Not only did the purchase go smoothly but I also discovered he's in a power metal band called <a href="http://childrenofthenewsun.com/fr_home.cfm">Children Of The New Sun</a>!!!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-72639555047018559212011-01-29T15:21:00.000-08:002011-01-31T10:39:20.965-08:00A Journey Into the Unknown Part 3: Motley Spew<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hjqhRzobmZwR1AetByPp3NTjE4trf3HbirlkMNNr7YQj34o7sdFfK_HN0PJvwP2hOI-msIgWSkwRGli_wx7HJtpF2uH_lJBMt-0qGzipw4n0t3Y2X7C5fnLSklwQV-nX5VDDCGovo4s/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hjqhRzobmZwR1AetByPp3NTjE4trf3HbirlkMNNr7YQj34o7sdFfK_HN0PJvwP2hOI-msIgWSkwRGli_wx7HJtpF2uH_lJBMt-0qGzipw4n0t3Y2X7C5fnLSklwQV-nX5VDDCGovo4s/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567753626718487346" border="0" /></a>If you guys have been reading this blog for the past few weeks, you know that I had a very fruitful two month Sadball hunt. For some unknown reason <a href="www.ebay.com">ebay</a> has been a gold mine for the crud. A crud mine. Working in the crud mine. Ummmm....anyway, this week's post is gonna be dedicated to seven (!) inflatable rubber Sadballs I scored in December and January. Most of these dudes I'd never even seen before they were auctioned, but there's a few that I'd been coveting for a lonnnnngggg time. Either way, get ready for some bad made up pun names.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPuTTzILed1Oa4u-Yoc3kmdWL1Y-s5BbQ1a16Q1KZwopJHQlvMjAGZ9S9QTI8P-Atdgl9YpA6PAbEkzkdUF3EDY-Rv6k3YRems7UDGYWDxmht8gGmc1KdIeoQPBcsPP_MuP8EYaBAVUs/s1600/faces1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPuTTzILed1Oa4u-Yoc3kmdWL1Y-s5BbQ1a16Q1KZwopJHQlvMjAGZ9S9QTI8P-Atdgl9YpA6PAbEkzkdUF3EDY-Rv6k3YRems7UDGYWDxmht8gGmc1KdIeoQPBcsPP_MuP8EYaBAVUs/s400/faces1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567757357236453714" border="0" /></a>First off is one of the dudes I've been eyeballing since I started collecting Mad/Sadballs. I initially saw him in a pic on the <a href="http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7237/madballsyd4.jpg">Skullbrain</a> board of a bin of <a href="www.madballs.com">Madballs</a> at the <a href="http://www.mishka.com/">Mishka</a> headquarters. I have absolutely no idea what the hell this guy is or what line he's from but there's been rumors that he's from some sort of <a href="http://scifipulse.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ghostbusters_cast_320x240.jpg">Ghostbusters</a> line? Google searches have provided little info and by little I mean none. Despite his elusiveness, he's awesome and I shall name him Face Face! I love the two faces, and not just double faces but faces that share an eye! It's like a Frankenstein but not stitched together. More like he's grown that way as some sort of orange mutant! He does have stitches, but not sewn together ones. He was probably in a bad car accident and got fixed up. I suppose driving with three eyes would give you a better view, but maybe not. I'm glad he's ok. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpKMcWU4hRIWNP4MEZh7fgbW2-5bsJdnSPRU2F6G1O6CiwcXegp5VqhuMmr3ZtXPlJK2MxxXw8Eoc0agy0lJsJzNPlxDgVSsNn8slGFh3cJjcqVVoUrk3PqGSCl-S1S6qpBXfEmRLJMg/s1600/frogeye1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpKMcWU4hRIWNP4MEZh7fgbW2-5bsJdnSPRU2F6G1O6CiwcXegp5VqhuMmr3ZtXPlJK2MxxXw8Eoc0agy0lJsJzNPlxDgVSsNn8slGFh3cJjcqVVoUrk3PqGSCl-S1S6qpBXfEmRLJMg/s400/frogeye1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567759300330810242" border="0" /></a>This dude (Pain Toad!) is amazing! I absolutely love him, like I would marry him if I were a <a href="www.madballs.com">Madball</a>. He's well painted, sculpted and has beautiful eyes. Wait, what?! Is that a <span style="font-style: italic;">frog</span> in his freakin' eye!? Yes, yes it is. I mean that frog is genius. Without it he'd be another <a href="http://post.thestranger.com/images/blogimages/2009/01/23/1232739869-1910692914_cef48b3027.jpg">Argh</a> mimic, but with it, he's got an amazing mysterious back story. Was he on a joy ride in a convertible and a toad slapped him in the peeper? That would explain his grimace and car accident stitches. Why are they all driving? None of them have arms? I should rethink my theories.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP6XKx8J21j1g3_niNzdf-5M7Y4s4yPHoyjz81vlWEVPBzjl_Cc-jRmt9AIpQ-ckLYM5gX07HimTqw94hee7vqNRPsuqaA8WJxSZHR9bwTpPtq98iiZTWDthWadnyERxOtSvZFXh3KOA/s1600/skull.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP6XKx8J21j1g3_niNzdf-5M7Y4s4yPHoyjz81vlWEVPBzjl_Cc-jRmt9AIpQ-ckLYM5gX07HimTqw94hee7vqNRPsuqaA8WJxSZHR9bwTpPtq98iiZTWDthWadnyERxOtSvZFXh3KOA/s400/skull.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567761209533699938" border="0" /></a>Next up, is a toothy <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx7aGWdxyOCHQa0JXvSOVNmekCzwhpaSOUwXvweT-97ImuUebmpbuvcTGgWdyHm7-iNIXDRGKB0x615VT0m1gcUKVp91ik9z0HOlvkkNTm-f8nSPSOKlnznlRCKSt9Oc2J7-vQ9W8eQ4/s1600/SkullFace3.jpg">Skull Face</a> imitation. I'd seen him only one other time in a huge overpriced <a href="www.ebay.com">ebay</a> lot but admired his exaggerated smile, buck teeth and horrible head gash. Seriously, it looks like someone's making meatballs in a wound. That's nasty. I probably wouldn't have called him out as knock off if it weren't for those eyes. He's got lips and even veins on his head, but the keyhole shape sockets is one of the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx7aGWdxyOCHQa0JXvSOVNmekCzwhpaSOUwXvweT-97ImuUebmpbuvcTGgWdyHm7-iNIXDRGKB0x615VT0m1gcUKVp91ik9z0HOlvkkNTm-f8nSPSOKlnznlRCKSt9Oc2J7-vQ9W8eQ4/s1600/SkullFace3.jpg">Skull Face</a>'s signature features. I mean, either way its a pretty cool stylization of a skull and very well designed and painted. I'm having trouble namin-wait! Brain Ball Bill! Yes!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKadHahIwDSAguiINcLtzj5ku21icKN_2Rnv2KZui_zj37VimrhenwX9XTZjHz0zYkEnGkv0lMuATPxDjd-X_J069omv7pU-5Q4-rDvbS53K3L6SnH7mg9bIghwdWbfTcEIA3hGwDDBw/s1600/mummy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKadHahIwDSAguiINcLtzj5ku21icKN_2Rnv2KZui_zj37VimrhenwX9XTZjHz0zYkEnGkv0lMuATPxDjd-X_J069omv7pU-5Q4-rDvbS53K3L6SnH7mg9bIghwdWbfTcEIA3hGwDDBw/s400/mummy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567814843506026610" border="0" /></a>Toot-enkamen here is obviously an homage to our dear friend Dust Brain. He doesn't have as much detail but I enjoy the crisp edges of his paintjob and the fact that his one eye is all out of whack. He must've had some serious birth defect, because that thing is way high and poppin' out through the bandage! Not to mention they're both weeping rust colored goo, even the squinty one. The ancient Egyptians may not have had proper eye care but dang did they have good dentists. Look at those pristine chompers! Well, there's some gaps, but they're beautifully white and square.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7smOvdvF2EX2cvQocnmABg2s_9EtfeXzv_7MhTmdmYm1IJ88Ztsjrg0PR0hkSRztNiL9LE3q3i28kyWJvnj3ILDDJun6LsUjGAMyDDz4eL1xQgDQ_WicLk8bVSiY5r3gXwgBltNqPZ5M/s1600/mummy2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7smOvdvF2EX2cvQocnmABg2s_9EtfeXzv_7MhTmdmYm1IJ88Ztsjrg0PR0hkSRztNiL9LE3q3i28kyWJvnj3ILDDJun6LsUjGAMyDDz4eL1xQgDQ_WicLk8bVSiY5r3gXwgBltNqPZ5M/s400/mummy2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567816771697667106" border="0" /></a>Our new friend actually isn't that new. We talked about him a few <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/12/king-kong-played-ping-pong.html">posts</a> ago in a smaller format. I just had no idea they made a full sized version of him. Weird.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSISehGXoi2t5ySN7rhRbQQ0ktxwU7Wwl1WiDkxB2SJ2efB1tRJcnYZPPCq3rrTPlpaU3rqjEQMywMGsrZfm_EKJiGTNVnysJGAusl20rluLtAUK70OI_nIGg8d7yvBWmK3gMWlrK1JI/s1600/greeny.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSISehGXoi2t5ySN7rhRbQQ0ktxwU7Wwl1WiDkxB2SJ2efB1tRJcnYZPPCq3rrTPlpaU3rqjEQMywMGsrZfm_EKJiGTNVnysJGAusl20rluLtAUK70OI_nIGg8d7yvBWmK3gMWlrK1JI/s400/greeny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567763208535234274" border="0" /></a>I'm naming this sorry nerd Snaggle Fink due to his prodigious incisor and his ho-hum appearance. Not much goin on here. Just a green dude with a chip on his shoulder. I still like him though..<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqcWTHDIV5Ly3yOCr5Iv33ftKCYfcw50R7tyyHtWQZfcBl3meBYovJ8JKW6rU-ef5rPnrHoUftaCcJNuNoLp617Jq_RTsuPXyEodGJiwFHPEZQdnNDYogbw_3liK5YzAVq8y1LMGEctU/s1600/greeny2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqcWTHDIV5Ly3yOCr5Iv33ftKCYfcw50R7tyyHtWQZfcBl3meBYovJ8JKW6rU-ef5rPnrHoUftaCcJNuNoLp617Jq_RTsuPXyEodGJiwFHPEZQdnNDYogbw_3liK5YzAVq8y1LMGEctU/s400/greeny2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567764325124310002" border="0" /></a>Actually, I felt similarly about <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/journey-into-unknown-part-2-this-time.html">Winnie the Puke</a> here. I don't know if they're from the same line but they have a lot in common. Snaggle Fink is completely new to me. I only know he exists because a fellow collector on <a href="www.littlerubberguys.com">Little Rubber Guys</a> sent him to me out of the kindness of his heart. Or because he knows I'm an idiot that gets really excited about stupid balls. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhPlwoApAOKMKKBXIKK_qcUTgsNTdF4gXsHrmgqVVpiERoz4jdHGOUV_Fzdc3Z0boDqoSyndIURqgF95X1fQVVDFPR6few6_Ys8Tay0HqXm9Lr1e4N2LZTD3uSzyLq0KMmLha1PiWMs0/s1600/skullbat.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhPlwoApAOKMKKBXIKK_qcUTgsNTdF4gXsHrmgqVVpiERoz4jdHGOUV_Fzdc3Z0boDqoSyndIURqgF95X1fQVVDFPR6few6_Ys8Tay0HqXm9Lr1e4N2LZTD3uSzyLq0KMmLha1PiWMs0/s400/skullbat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567819353762408146" border="0" /></a>These last two are two of my favorites out of this recent haul. Full of detail, gross barfy colors, odd accoutrement. You know, when you go out on the town you need your dressy bat hat and centipede veil. This guys is obviously yet another <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx7aGWdxyOCHQa0JXvSOVNmekCzwhpaSOUwXvweT-97ImuUebmpbuvcTGgWdyHm7-iNIXDRGKB0x615VT0m1gcUKVp91ik9z0HOlvkkNTm-f8nSPSOKlnznlRCKSt9Oc2J7-vQ9W8eQ4/s1600/SkullFace3.jpg">Skull Face</a> rip off but there's so much flare and weirdness. Honestly, the more I look at that hideous color and that deformed ear, the more I wanna barf. Which is the point.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkgJCHYvr9w8UI_YModEszSSQOLgtRrnCcCJE4I1uFK7Jzpks7s-zLDHhH9bicKCamUkER48OmAhwf8lkFJJl5kxYKPMKlbCuY90fJjfhHVqWkx-Xor_4Qg7dtYvokShGgH1nxoKkJ-Q/s1600/compare.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkgJCHYvr9w8UI_YModEszSSQOLgtRrnCcCJE4I1uFK7Jzpks7s-zLDHhH9bicKCamUkER48OmAhwf8lkFJJl5kxYKPMKlbCuY90fJjfhHVqWkx-Xor_4Qg7dtYvokShGgH1nxoKkJ-Q/s400/compare.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567821213552297250" border="0" /></a>This handsome fellow is a bit familiar though. We looked at his striking younger brother in the same post as Toot-enkamen's sibling. Yup, it's a giant <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/12/king-kong-played-ping-pong.html">Trog</a>! He stole my heart as a ping pong sized grosso and now he's doing it as a regular ball sized dude. Up close, and with this paint job, he also bears a resemblance to <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/journey-into-unknown-part-2-this-time.html">Purple People Eater</a>, to the point that I'm almost positive that they're from the same manufacturer. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZfqXGRB2JNpVchyphenhyphenf3M5sr49lWTlrz0eZk2Kp84ycU9x3Sb6fbds2G9IkeDjTl6vLBlYVkoccFGeYhSoK84tdVI6Op1a7EGGmfobAFCehXl9uRZpPfHQBRCxMkYx3Kxf2pqV0VTjcB_U/s1600/football.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZfqXGRB2JNpVchyphenhyphenf3M5sr49lWTlrz0eZk2Kp84ycU9x3Sb6fbds2G9IkeDjTl6vLBlYVkoccFGeYhSoK84tdVI6Op1a7EGGmfobAFCehXl9uRZpPfHQBRCxMkYx3Kxf2pqV0VTjcB_U/s400/football.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567822547634281218" border="0" /></a>Last but certainly not least is this bizarre, football shaped moron. I love Gridiron Grin but jeez what a weirdo. He's got those lazy grape shaped eyes, that tiny nose, and those bizarre domino teeth. But seriously, the most disgusting part is the double set of lips. What sick weirdo would think of that and make me look at it? I hate/love it. As with all these acquisitions, Gridiron has no markings. There's no "Made In", no manufacturer stamp, no date, nothin. Mysterious indeed.<br /><br />In conclusion....don't try to get stuff like this cus you'll probably be bidding against me on <a href="www.ebay.com">ebay</a> and that pisses me off. Seriously though, I think there's another Brain Ball Bill up right now and he's well worth the price. Go for it!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-48299870823683827272011-01-26T09:11:00.000-08:002011-01-26T16:17:05.909-08:00Un-bead-lievable!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzQ0HEIC1upXH86NdcH6bBcPI7YstbkOyGWvFzs4KmFurN6Bf8uegqszdCRy83QIEaW7wIl19grBqYEOp8GwbrlwvgYDqvpD_RNwKisiLGFzDb46UquDiFC3-9jpZOV5IHuELb28jRus/s1600/b-header.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzQ0HEIC1upXH86NdcH6bBcPI7YstbkOyGWvFzs4KmFurN6Bf8uegqszdCRy83QIEaW7wIl19grBqYEOp8GwbrlwvgYDqvpD_RNwKisiLGFzDb46UquDiFC3-9jpZOV5IHuELb28jRus/s400/b-header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566558819055623362" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"No Comment"</span><br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a>. Their existence prompted so many forgeries by so many no name companies trying to make a quick buck, that it boggles the mind. To this day I still uncover monster balls that I had never seen before. They inspired a staggering plethora of mimicry, making the gross-face-ball collector sigh in frustration. And while the copies similar in shape and size are plenty enough, there's the smaller bouncy balls to contend with too. And as I recently discovered. The microscopic!<br /><br />A member of the Littlerubberguys forum posted that she had a bunch of these Sadball beads for sale and I hopped on it. Each one is about half and inch in diameter and has a hole on one side and a peg on the other so you can string them together as a necklace when you go to your next debutante (mad)ball.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgf3pox4QNN7xYjwKgH00iBft3JUmrLikx7B_nAV6-rnOG4gLVUwZEWcvFLamX7OITJYUOU2PScQjUCrCWpvScmiqA5MHuTQcO_B5tIOCKiNBxw-Ok7PJUrBuQBgpIDX0HmRcaXyW7OQw/s1600/f-beads.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgf3pox4QNN7xYjwKgH00iBft3JUmrLikx7B_nAV6-rnOG4gLVUwZEWcvFLamX7OITJYUOU2PScQjUCrCWpvScmiqA5MHuTQcO_B5tIOCKiNBxw-Ok7PJUrBuQBgpIDX0HmRcaXyW7OQw/s400/f-beads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566563475791683090" border="0" /></a>There are eight different characters here, some varying slightly and most recognizable from other sets and series. It's not the character design here that's impressive, it's the sheer tininess! These are the smallest <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madball</a> ripoffs I've ever encountered!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FhtuT-IJbtl4-pMKaZFnT8Gxz2qL5L6dGeefjQ1tS1kH7afC5iZkIUe5qaOkadwkrtLhvNQq82CzeoZyrf0YGb1YqSKjzL8LHWGjqGjI-Sdcx5NCgOJQXyujQflj8ot9ie-6JzO9Mfo/s1600/d-beads.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 93px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FhtuT-IJbtl4-pMKaZFnT8Gxz2qL5L6dGeefjQ1tS1kH7afC5iZkIUe5qaOkadwkrtLhvNQq82CzeoZyrf0YGb1YqSKjzL8LHWGjqGjI-Sdcx5NCgOJQXyujQflj8ot9ie-6JzO9Mfo/s400/d-beads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566558823977460658" border="0" /></a>Ok, so our first friend is a very surprised pink ape that I'm dubbing Gore-illa. I really like this design (especially the fangs) and I've never seen this design before! I'm really shocked that there aren't more gorilla themed sadballs. Secondovly, is a screwy vampire-ish guy. He's not really that special but an ok monster. Bug eyes, gnarly teeth..the usual. We can call him...Nosferatooth. His neighbor is a generic Argh rip off, so he doesn't get named. Be more original if you want a name, nerd! Argh forgeries are always fun though so I can't completely hate on him. The detail is there at least, which is impressive for dudes this small. They're all highly rendered.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZFzmWzhS9s3f1pds1QRkcEVF4lVO4uUON-EVkHYqq-3fF6B9yj9OV6yEUIJBZRfmDEAdYiMK7hr5RCXX8SKmZCP7-3BlfHOL-bPb1kE0cFUA73th1j-YEX6C_Aj_Gw1LpuBKQm7W2mY/s1600/e-beads.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 96px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZFzmWzhS9s3f1pds1QRkcEVF4lVO4uUON-EVkHYqq-3fF6B9yj9OV6yEUIJBZRfmDEAdYiMK7hr5RCXX8SKmZCP7-3BlfHOL-bPb1kE0cFUA73th1j-YEX6C_Aj_Gw1LpuBKQm7W2mY/s400/e-beads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566563477616447074" border="0" /></a>This dental duo are variations on the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx7aGWdxyOCHQa0JXvSOVNmekCzwhpaSOUwXvweT-97ImuUebmpbuvcTGgWdyHm7-iNIXDRGKB0x615VT0m1gcUKVp91ik9z0HOlvkkNTm-f8nSPSOKlnznlRCKSt9Oc2J7-vQ9W8eQ4/s400/SkullFace3.jpg">Skull Face</a> theme. The blue dude being more of an outright copy than the yellow. Bone Brain, as I'll call him, has more of a lip that <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLx7aGWdxyOCHQa0JXvSOVNmekCzwhpaSOUwXvweT-97ImuUebmpbuvcTGgWdyHm7-iNIXDRGKB0x615VT0m1gcUKVp91ik9z0HOlvkkNTm-f8nSPSOKlnznlRCKSt9Oc2J7-vQ9W8eQ4/s400/SkullFace3.jpg">Skull Face</a> and one eye in a large socket and an empty smaller hole on the left. He's even got a vestigial nose. Still, not the most impressive alterations but a nod for trying.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKJdtDnuvkhSE7QsA91qcXILIC741Lp7TwW5DjT5ONlp1x9a-uBFXoNgY9vH1s5TZ2X0_hbRJu-L15uLvsvhyphenhyphenup0ZvT7NWZEjJTLlhp80ox_GCUdyW5FuBREgdbRZgfoGykyXcn8vfk8/s1600/c-beads.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 91px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKJdtDnuvkhSE7QsA91qcXILIC741Lp7TwW5DjT5ONlp1x9a-uBFXoNgY9vH1s5TZ2X0_hbRJu-L15uLvsvhyphenhyphenup0ZvT7NWZEjJTLlhp80ox_GCUdyW5FuBREgdbRZgfoGykyXcn8vfk8/s400/c-beads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566577761697718546" border="0" /></a>Our last trio starts off with a pair of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoC1QlTbmueEa69m3b5NusMcjX_Sz5rZie-dVe9asZL3t25nu2nRH1j9syj3qFqXM9hERz2-bVTOGh_fdi27lfFfyshVZons7tIxiEDv9ka-nrNiYM1otfJ0wWhAfH4lILrgiaBuSCa4/s1600/DustBrain3.jpg">Dust Brain</a> copies. Like the Skull Face ones, the first is an exact (though tiny) duplicate, while the other has subtle changes. Band Ache (ooh I like that one) is a little more rotten and has less bandages. His teeth are less perfect as well, making him look like a putrid mummy rather than a dry one. Last but not least, is this fake <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjjKWOtdjX_N1Sv86HQFeIScv9nXTZexdXqJzOLphaC0V5oCjycHzE4H2XRowkLbd5CGxuoJkjNw7MNTQzORW9z-IjQca3EocVWBkl3uQRsds6GueYJv3MhijpC3tyAtZBbOD_RBvk_w/s1600/HornHead3.jpg">Horn Head</a>. He looks extra familiar because he's not only a Horn Head rip off but a copy of this dude we <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/12/small-round-and-out-of-control.html">covered</a> a few weeks ago.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphensCa2DpZiR1VRByiThLkYTQ5GbHXWLhH1WM2xOz30CPMBk4ECkA0ONzDQnRVvG9oRqmIG_AhPzW4B3lJyx9Ljm1KNpYIbJ88TUGCHhNf28khFs7lu_eySQ0VyVjfZQa6kqGeIgc3f0U/s1600/a-compare.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphensCa2DpZiR1VRByiThLkYTQ5GbHXWLhH1WM2xOz30CPMBk4ECkA0ONzDQnRVvG9oRqmIG_AhPzW4B3lJyx9Ljm1KNpYIbJ88TUGCHhNf28khFs7lu_eySQ0VyVjfZQa6kqGeIgc3f0U/s400/a-compare.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566558819728735506" border="0" /></a>He's got those same bulgy eyes, a nose that grows out of his palette, gap teeth, and that odd sunshine design on his forehead. Unlike, his big brother he's got ears and an actual horn, but neither are cyclopses.<br /><br />In conclusion...get these! They're fun, cheap, really well sculpted with more detail than they ought to have. You can try here at Sherrie's store <a href="http://www.kinnikumart.com/">Kinikumart</a>. I'm not sure if they're still up but she's really nice so inquire!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-48013031195765474472011-01-11T10:21:00.000-08:002011-03-21T12:34:07.771-07:00A Mystery Of Ep-ick Proportions!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryiTJFgEgkXkwbBDKLHQGtS0Qb17ZY_j9Vx16etNVTcDLCqXnBw-MeMnSSJrhYYQJodLmnr2BvsP_HHjSM0_5n_TlTzv2tZKg9ywHqAMg4deFk8_wyxp_DYIEn2brtvHaAsnV8PE8ymQ/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryiTJFgEgkXkwbBDKLHQGtS0Qb17ZY_j9Vx16etNVTcDLCqXnBw-MeMnSSJrhYYQJodLmnr2BvsP_HHjSM0_5n_TlTzv2tZKg9ywHqAMg4deFk8_wyxp_DYIEn2brtvHaAsnV8PE8ymQ/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560995368147121298" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Collecte 12"</span><br /></div><br />Hey dudes! I've got a sweet mystery for you this week. Actually, it's not a mystery as much as an observation, because I solved the mystery part already. It's probably not that interesting of a story either, unless you're into fake <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a>...which, if you subscribe this blog, you are!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9uVDOPKwurKdhHecbQksPSsoQg-2Dorve79FT2tbx4NzAPETUjCbmrI-EIi-6oa1gdMUtiLsSwDoKV5UltFOMINWl14J32lYYuaLQa04N5QsIMWh7zgHcYEgquaTwKFqXKi9-JPiUC8/s1600/package1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9uVDOPKwurKdhHecbQksPSsoQg-2Dorve79FT2tbx4NzAPETUjCbmrI-EIi-6oa1gdMUtiLsSwDoKV5UltFOMINWl14J32lYYuaLQa04N5QsIMWh7zgHcYEgquaTwKFqXKi9-JPiUC8/s400/package1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560995367914363234" border="0" /></a>This duo of bouncy blasphemies were auctioned off separately by the same seller on eBay and advertised as unopened, mint condition Madball knock-offs called Odd Balls. I've seen Odd Balls before and they're usually the six original <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadballs</a> repackaged. I had never seen either of these molds before so I attacked those auctions with nerdy force. And prevailed!<br /><br />When they arrived, I got a sneaking suspicion that these weren't Odd Balls after all. I mean I've seen those <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadballs</a> packaged as Horror Balls and Monster Balls but it's always the same six guys. So the new designs were my first clue but then also.... the packages had been opened then restapled.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSzn6zzvzi4g710bE7hLUI3_YX0cTrRUCLY_rMuGQNVNA_yyJZajs3norjASSqm3lvzKiwhGeOVW8_mJD1rc5T23y0CU4UMwcZbhDE2yMHfRRrAGXaJ-yJ0WkAYUOX6v-RK8J0XtEecc/s1600/package2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSzn6zzvzi4g710bE7hLUI3_YX0cTrRUCLY_rMuGQNVNA_yyJZajs3norjASSqm3lvzKiwhGeOVW8_mJD1rc5T23y0CU4UMwcZbhDE2yMHfRRrAGXaJ-yJ0WkAYUOX6v-RK8J0XtEecc/s400/package2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560995371792582258" border="0" /></a>I can't necessarily blame the seller for this because a company set on bootlegging <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a> probably doesn't have any scruples when it comes to repacking stuff. But I also notice that the Odd Balls card says "Odd Balls are re-inflatable". Well, these guys are not, they're straight up foam. The final nail in the coffin was vague sense of familiarity. The Horn Head specifically. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpc_iW-pYk3KqEFZ9LTl9RD-nCxBppqVnsvvACZwg74mu_CZ-FP6gH5wFJn0watss89TVM3HDmu6K_GZcSapIy0qu8aFjBM2Vuf1YDOj-DFE8iQkhy22ilyf7DgfM7M5U_BvYN-CUGZ4/s1600/krazy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpc_iW-pYk3KqEFZ9LTl9RD-nCxBppqVnsvvACZwg74mu_CZ-FP6gH5wFJn0watss89TVM3HDmu6K_GZcSapIy0qu8aFjBM2Vuf1YDOj-DFE8iQkhy22ilyf7DgfM7M5U_BvYN-CUGZ4/s400/krazy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560995379971421618" border="0" /></a>In my many "rip off <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a>", "imitation <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a>", "fake <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a>" google image searches, I came across the above image, from an <a href="http://www.x-entertainment.com/updates/pics/madnew/3.jpg">X-entertainment</a> article about monster balls. I remember gazing at the vertical two eyed Horn Head (aka K-6) with longing. It's a cool design! To further prove my point, I'll ask the jury to look at exhibit K-1, who's unique head injury matches our "Odd Ball" exactly! We have Krazy Balls in the guise of Odd Balls in the guise of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.madballs.com">Madballs</a>! Ohhhh the villainy!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDwooI2xyyx1myMvh7B30sfEwCR20NvjFMzvgZkc5k2msRw0DMsfPjlV457dkXn7ylgJLPdKU_fPgmE1QsyTUUroN5qg2poZEaISaM3IGLaOM8m7_po3L5XVWEprNK3_tQ0yAQifuEkM/s1600/hornhead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDwooI2xyyx1myMvh7B30sfEwCR20NvjFMzvgZkc5k2msRw0DMsfPjlV457dkXn7ylgJLPdKU_fPgmE1QsyTUUroN5qg2poZEaISaM3IGLaOM8m7_po3L5XVWEprNK3_tQ0yAQifuEkM/s400/hornhead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560995380258317682" border="0" /></a>Anyway, check this crap out! This guy rules!! Known in monster circles as K-6, he's obviously gunning for Horn Head's position in the gross ball world. It's too bad he's so budget though. While, I love the two vertical eyes design, it's not executed with much precision. It kinda looks like a brain damaged 8 year old drew a Madball and had no capital for production. I do like the blobby brains coming out of the back of his head but that's not enough to make him good.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBcrHY0vP9umA5qe3x1nc7QUJUoge6G8mbmGdIU_IpyPPtvd4Jm-0QTsMUlKRLVkalJRtgPN3ZglMNJBybOUDqqJLywWX_A4pM0texyQ8QIj5wE2EPyK5aX6Jnbwtf2trRcFyVH_KU8Y/s1600/hornhead2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBcrHY0vP9umA5qe3x1nc7QUJUoge6G8mbmGdIU_IpyPPtvd4Jm-0QTsMUlKRLVkalJRtgPN3ZglMNJBybOUDqqJLywWX_A4pM0texyQ8QIj5wE2EPyK5aX6Jnbwtf2trRcFyVH_KU8Y/s400/hornhead2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560996002398843458" border="0" /></a>Oooofa! When you look at them side by side you can really see why AmCo garnered all that praise from kids looking for something gross. The detail and refinement is unparalleled (aside from <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/holy-grail-of-sadballs.html">Rude Ralph</a> and <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/12/something-weird-this-way-comes.html">Weird Balls</a>). K-6 is painted without the subtle gradients that Horn Head displays. You can also see the teeth not only go back in space but have gums showing. K-6's are clumsy triangles and that's all.<br /><br />I should say that despite all this bashing I am quite fond of these dummies. They have a vulgar charm all their own. And I have to applaud them for trying to elaborate on an idea rather than just stealing one. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSz1j7-T3FPg8b8mnDXUpq3HkQhbQEf9VaWqArFuoyqMQvix6fXWUEMaNSlwfiOCYHGrcTxw-btIf_Oc1OIjjAtqCcZo1cfk2L3yTWpZXTVPs_DA_HZruqiQc9r7-KY4LXskRs9Mhym4/s1600/crackhead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSz1j7-T3FPg8b8mnDXUpq3HkQhbQEf9VaWqArFuoyqMQvix6fXWUEMaNSlwfiOCYHGrcTxw-btIf_Oc1OIjjAtqCcZo1cfk2L3yTWpZXTVPs_DA_HZruqiQc9r7-KY4LXskRs9Mhym4/s400/crackhead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560996005155650338" border="0" /></a>Next up, K-1. This dude is <span style="font-style: italic;">kind of</span> a counterfeit Crack Head but in subject matter only. They're both victims of some sort of horrid beating or accident but they don't really look alike. K-1 has a garish vacant tooth smile and one long stitched wound bisecting his face. He's also got hair and...gulp...that disgusting gash on his head! That's really the perk that sells this jerk. The bunched up skull in the front and the straight smooth divot from front to back...ew. It almost looks like someone was looking at actual corpses while they designed this. Maybe <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Savini">Tom Savini</a> drew it up or something.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6N-tNlD0WYjzKljYKoGvBHvXBtWWMK-d-NtbzjTUz2mtw7PC28KXeclwyG0sGwjModr1uxWj-lQA3Z-G8KMvBrJhckVZpIpT2YWnS6io_WeUipIaXuvgUeFkdaJTgufiXJqee0g2iQo/s1600/crackhead2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6N-tNlD0WYjzKljYKoGvBHvXBtWWMK-d-NtbzjTUz2mtw7PC28KXeclwyG0sGwjModr1uxWj-lQA3Z-G8KMvBrJhckVZpIpT2YWnS6io_WeUipIaXuvgUeFkdaJTgufiXJqee0g2iQo/s400/crackhead2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560996004765641250" border="0" /></a>Again, you can see the contrast in quality from one to the other. The paint variations and accuracy are so beautiful on Crack Head and K-1 looks like garbage! Totally unprepared for the photo shoot!<br /><br />In conclusion....if you can get these guys as either Krazy Balls or Odd Balls you should. You shouldn't pay a ton, but they're a great addition to any knock off collection. Way better than <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/laziest-of-lazy.html">Super Bouncing Weird Balls</a>, <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/foul-ballsfor-real.html">Foul Balls</a> and even some of the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/04/bells-and-whistles.html">smaller knock offs</a> Krazy Balls have a unpolished allure much like <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadballs</a>. Happy hunting nerds!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-30619561766149498332011-01-03T10:55:00.000-08:002011-01-26T16:18:23.413-08:00A Ball To Arms!!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfY9TTZ4h5Tynbdi3vwZLHEJ2HWQtyKwmtb5CXGsq87DwiWSj-VlsxmolNoEoD-7VymLR1YQ6KF-Du9VT37vc87FE2EjQC3JveoODvJb7xItVM_JHX7Q8zMx9JEuUKVXdfBy2rssvTo4/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 103px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfY9TTZ4h5Tynbdi3vwZLHEJ2HWQtyKwmtb5CXGsq87DwiWSj-VlsxmolNoEoD-7VymLR1YQ6KF-Du9VT37vc87FE2EjQC3JveoODvJb7xItVM_JHX7Q8zMx9JEuUKVXdfBy2rssvTo4/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558035536816198850" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Wild Bizarre Bounce!"</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">First things first. I should apologize for my current photo set up. I broke the bulb in the lamp I usually use so I have to use <a href="http://wanderinggenie.blogspot.com/">Jeanne</a>'s super high powered <a href="http://thereservoirblogs.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/gremlins02.jpg">Gremlin</a> thwarting light. It works but it casts some crazy shadows. I'll get a new bulb and pics for the next post should be better.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeCCs7VCmVBvYV_9iShX0BldbTkWcPoH_4i4Bum45iOpllVOyH1x-dpeWDiwhfpSDESJv9Vm9jUrMBHLZkCjhjZ1pWCn91LU9YhnDgZWP0d8DjV330EYB40k0QpLXEuOMDRRfHmf-0n4/s1600/cat.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeCCs7VCmVBvYV_9iShX0BldbTkWcPoH_4i4Bum45iOpllVOyH1x-dpeWDiwhfpSDESJv9Vm9jUrMBHLZkCjhjZ1pWCn91LU9YhnDgZWP0d8DjV330EYB40k0QpLXEuOMDRRfHmf-0n4/s400/cat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558061987389009218" border="0" /></a>You can see what I have to work with here, and why it's so hard to get a picture without hair in it. That's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/business/media/20adco.html">Vinegar</a> and luckily he has no interest in Madballs other than when I'm photographing them. Enough talk about stuff that isn't balls. Jeez!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y0SfyjYZjZ9zrbFHFFuysGe-Wkyts_yP7-QmbyXuSYomdHEdikN86zNDwSO5oHys6HlZelDZryXHB5iFl6i2BOlI2LRlEVgkoXEwMJ-ycuB51rpzTlOfrIog3ZBco0H5ioOezteQJM8/s1600/pack1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y0SfyjYZjZ9zrbFHFFuysGe-Wkyts_yP7-QmbyXuSYomdHEdikN86zNDwSO5oHys6HlZelDZryXHB5iFl6i2BOlI2LRlEVgkoXEwMJ-ycuB51rpzTlOfrIog3ZBco0H5ioOezteQJM8/s400/pack1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558035532139435298" border="0" /></a>This week, we have an awesome Xmas score from <a href="http://www.ebay.com/">eBay</a>. I found these Bizarre Balls while present hunting and managed to grab an entire set for $2! I had never even seen these dudes before the auction so...yay!<br /><br />They arrived in a box with the manufacturer's logo on it, making me think an ex-employee was ditching some basement surplus. You can see a pic in this <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/12/merry-christmas-to-mike-and-to-mike.html">post</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibX7SptTpPWIpYQeDI684jrJclTOfohyphenhyphenTHqAKSpXWyKeC0TytUAgerVtZpYNa5KMc-FIpUK0fzbgDxM69X2xO8ubiHrp78xtiAoynhI5bq-OSeEitaVmCDjMxXqsUUokF7qpXyNv5duF4/s1600/pack2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibX7SptTpPWIpYQeDI684jrJclTOfohyphenhyphenTHqAKSpXWyKeC0TytUAgerVtZpYNa5KMc-FIpUK0fzbgDxM69X2xO8ubiHrp78xtiAoynhI5bq-OSeEitaVmCDjMxXqsUUokF7qpXyNv5duF4/s400/pack2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558069297764359266" border="0" /></a>Look at that 90's graphic design! Holy crap the colors! Swirls and explosions and that notebook print thing...it's like the opening credits to <a href="http://www.tv-intros.com/s/saved%20by%20the%20bell%20.jpg">Saved By the Bell</a> or a <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3nRz6QfeOb7hj_u-WWIs0Qvkpmy70tyBZ7A3c_GfmzKnxdTchHXDOWMCPCd4a-GKh_sxL6_UROPBnMouYn20DZosDXc-yQ-EuHrXpRh2Qeu8-VjAYCCk9HvIic6PhT_J83uL3enyeT65/s400/trapper+keeper.jpg">Trapper Keeper</a> on acid!<br /><br />I do love the mascot/logo of the Cool Products Corp. A little ice cube with shades? Yup. It's cool figuratively and literally.<br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6Vm5XgPRe9NvBUTyNGakNVoOxOARn3cDkTFiBYYYhhJFSVv-ido2W3zPIFfKSspuatBlzLbBfz_wEfJWJf3B0Sjybznf82SO8eAd_oQvhtjKmkbOWH_-w44grV6BsXcpDhP_3BJJUnU/s1600/pack3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6Vm5XgPRe9NvBUTyNGakNVoOxOARn3cDkTFiBYYYhhJFSVv-ido2W3zPIFfKSspuatBlzLbBfz_wEfJWJf3B0Sjybznf82SO8eAd_oQvhtjKmkbOWH_-w44grV6BsXcpDhP_3BJJUnU/s400/pack3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558035527230809602" border="0" /></a>Looking at the back you can tell Cool Products took this stuff seriously. Not only are there multiple characters, but they've all got names <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> drawings. They even tried to branch out from the other guys by adding new types of monsters and putting twists on the standards (eyeball, smiling guy). Not only that but they went all out and added......gasp....<span style="font-style: italic;">arms</span>!<br /><br />I usually like my balls to be just balls (ha!), but this is a pretty cool innovation on what, at the time, was a toy line that seemed to be dead. They're also smaller than a Madball (1.5" in diameter) and made of bouncing ball rubber. Good job Cool Products!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiQ6Vatt3C5iH0beGqjYdYARHz9xx0cFmBf4NEY5D3b5e96KePYDtIS9hqSxGX1eSOV9BImcyIE0UXxyrc5_EFfvk6vKh4afQkM-CHgmuE9JJlqGH_j3DYR21kwwJ0lwPPrJRETpsb7s/s1600/eye.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiQ6Vatt3C5iH0beGqjYdYARHz9xx0cFmBf4NEY5D3b5e96KePYDtIS9hqSxGX1eSOV9BImcyIE0UXxyrc5_EFfvk6vKh4afQkM-CHgmuE9JJlqGH_j3DYR21kwwJ0lwPPrJRETpsb7s/s400/eye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558035519693717922" border="0" /></a>First up is Eye Gore. I want to take a second to appreciate how awesome that name is. It's a double pun, playing off both <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYjZeEwZp27j20nuGZko0vaLScr-vY-3F6EFLCSma97L2pdIcX7DIlcJLr803MzZhnbqkGX1gk4NUys7qE-YqmRHJuFzwaesY5KwuJ0fBrWDJIZ-jLoKLbD2BUwgDJMem1Ni-7QGO51Q/s400/eyesore.jpg">eye sore</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh841HcU9jCDL3RbJm02XQIdVuaxVFbFMOyv6F9RNMlbtDpWv1TQzJ8pg5KRH7Qeh1omTqJu3ARv40IgJmMvtvFZhnaFUFxVNlOe-D03F5SXtZr0CprGcHM21Dfz8pktUx4oie4E4vuN-Q/s1600/MartyFeldmanIgor.jpg">Igor</a> while adding a gruesome twist.<br /><br />Soooo.....this guy is pretty neat. He's a standard eyeball bouncy ball, with lots of details in the blood vessels and a little highlight painted on his iris, but all the good stuff is in his arms. They got a surprising amount of detail in essentially two dimensional appendages. Much like the <a href="http://madballs.wikia.com/wiki/Oculus_Orbus">Oculus Orbus</a> <a href="http://www.poeghostal.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/ocuorb.jpg">head popper</a>, Eye Gore's arms have no skin. Just muscle and tendons. Twisty muscles and tendons with gnarled up hands and the end! Sweet!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7hVbQYnssm6qGbUrB-HiYEZI1RjtV9rC1Zzht8qdi7qrDZRQJ_RZTSbLp9vXLxnGporgkI7bZbq7cdklTnivs05mROej-rePTTaYfND3T0J1pLg-H5vE9VzRUfpRPnN_O-hpBSLBLGY/s1600/pirate.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7hVbQYnssm6qGbUrB-HiYEZI1RjtV9rC1Zzht8qdi7qrDZRQJ_RZTSbLp9vXLxnGporgkI7bZbq7cdklTnivs05mROej-rePTTaYfND3T0J1pLg-H5vE9VzRUfpRPnN_O-hpBSLBLGY/s400/pirate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558038192253287234" border="0" /></a>Mutiny here is my favorite of the bunch. This was before Madballs had introduced <a href="https://glammatoys.com/item-picture/49090/picture">Blech Beard</a>, so this is a new monster face ball character. Not bad for a fourth rung rip off line. His face is really neat with lots of details like stitches, an earring, an eyepatch and cracked teeth. Those teeth are <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> cool. I love the way that color green pops on the red. This guys arms may win the neatest prize. One's a muscly hook arm and the other one is a skeleton arm! Ahhhhhhh! So good.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThkJ7KvjhcaYHxyhyphenhyphenMz2KzX7CEaoIp25VTRZJIvzMk6cICay6SzGvXnUSaGPY-ZzqunL5QGMEAKZ5CFHbXSGgL20Pervx-sNNIzUkJMnXiACBG6RAo0sNDAYdbMSkD4eylxujyOFF1fs/s1600/sunglasses.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThkJ7KvjhcaYHxyhyphenhyphenMz2KzX7CEaoIp25VTRZJIvzMk6cICay6SzGvXnUSaGPY-ZzqunL5QGMEAKZ5CFHbXSGgL20Pervx-sNNIzUkJMnXiACBG6RAo0sNDAYdbMSkD4eylxujyOFF1fs/s400/sunglasses.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558038189689930018" border="0" /></a>Snorrreeeee....I could do without this guy. He's supposed to be a punk or extreme sports dude or some such malarky. Well, his name's Punky, so I guess they were goin for punk. There's nothing really gross about him or monstrous aside for his beartrap green teeth. Not even stitches...even the lamest of fake Madballs have stitches. He's actually lacking on detail altogether. Meh, I'd've chosen another monster design instead of this garbage. I hope the designer of this dude reads this and cries.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw63L1QeJZ5hdX5PhLqqkjqMpt5eQsl7VmX3yWzUEbyR3P-q7-L_4fJZcCT9FQP1pjze89veiq-n9AbmKfdHmj-OXOpxtgYu1N2qFSglHsqDki0WnsVbVbulJ0iEj0OBEeqT7cByhc3s/s1600/boxer.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLw63L1QeJZ5hdX5PhLqqkjqMpt5eQsl7VmX3yWzUEbyR3P-q7-L_4fJZcCT9FQP1pjze89veiq-n9AbmKfdHmj-OXOpxtgYu1N2qFSglHsqDki0WnsVbVbulJ0iEj0OBEeqT7cByhc3s/s400/boxer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558054243039336786" border="0" /></a>Yaaaaayyyyy!!!! That's what this guy looks like he's yelling! I'm into him! he's not a monster in the normal sense but he's beat up and kinda sculpted the way <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2093/2336259124_536a479c43.jpg">Garbage Pail Kids</a> are drawn. Swollen shut eye, a bunch of stitches, missing teeth and a giant crazy grin. That's what I like to see! His arms are kinda boring but I suppose the gloves really push the boxer thing and set him aside from a guy that just got beat up. And being from <a href="http://www.rembrandts.com/Rembrandt-Pics/Home-Page-Pics/Philly042107-014-RockyStatue.jpg">Philadelphia</a>, I have to give <a href="http://www.plu.edu/%7Eallenca/stallone-sylvester-rocky-arms-3700761.jpg">Rocky</a> some extra points for the name.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSghVBWnrHViF1q1sF3cUjD-Vp5fV-xeGQRzHWXBYigled0uto61NBaZdj5n7YJ6W9cbiF4euDUV0uWPhN0WZJ2rCKlBGGHcGaNWkPzAX-_yMzCNmGPZuySin6NHc22XCqm6t89cGuB9E/s1600/frank.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSghVBWnrHViF1q1sF3cUjD-Vp5fV-xeGQRzHWXBYigled0uto61NBaZdj5n7YJ6W9cbiF4euDUV0uWPhN0WZJ2rCKlBGGHcGaNWkPzAX-_yMzCNmGPZuySin6NHc22XCqm6t89cGuB9E/s400/frank.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558056380872411122" border="0" /></a>Cool, stylish, simple....classic. Frank, isn't breaking new ground but he's really well designed and sculpted. He's full of wrinkles, covered in stitches and I love those <a href="http://sp.life123.com/bm.pix/celebrations-history-halloween-jack-o-lantern.s600x600.jpg">jack-o-lantern</a> teeth. His arms are kinda lame, though. I wonder if they ran out of "arm budget" after they drew up Eye Gore and Mutiny. They have the coolest ones. It is kinda fun to make them high five each other...wait, what? No, I didn't do that. HIGH FIVE FRANKENSTEIN!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYD3B3q-Z9E1A-ZS30mHX0RV9e7fztLsrO754b5UJp5VT5C3wnEuZ64n389_7etCEkbmzVVKE40qhyphenhyphenJ0lgvDvnNVKzQSqjNZyqOgyLMoaYhyphenhyphenGbBoMYVQLB1ITSLUByi5Z3NK1Jhy5zcjM/s1600/teeth.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYD3B3q-Z9E1A-ZS30mHX0RV9e7fztLsrO754b5UJp5VT5C3wnEuZ64n389_7etCEkbmzVVKE40qhyphenhyphenJ0lgvDvnNVKzQSqjNZyqOgyLMoaYhyphenhyphenGbBoMYVQLB1ITSLUByi5Z3NK1Jhy5zcjM/s400/teeth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558061979568899330" border="0" /></a>Ok, now we're getting weird. This is just strange. I think he's supposed to be a riff on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsl282ZEfhY45YQXOtKFXv67sdQ117G3r_SNI2i8srdk2yZ-2P8-GLksJepvDIOoCLitQ-Cz5aDtqy5UsJI2jN3UkNkrFdHtA2dRsKc2gKnK3EoNbRklM0P7TEvOwLSVy-V52TGYl3d4s/s1600/meemiecompare.jpg">Screamin' Meemie</a> but they just went <span style="font-style: italic;">all</span> teeth. Like, so much teeth that they had to put dude's eyes on the back of the ball! His teeth aren't even cracked or fangs or discolored. Just <span style="font-style: italic;">huge</span>! Oh, and he's giving us the peace/victory sign with both hands. Maybe he's <a href="http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv265/feralboy12/Nixon/victory.jpg">Nixon</a> inspired? I can't really say what the heck is goin on with Smiley but I <span style="font-style: italic;">think</span> I like him. I wouldn't vote for him though.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5n9VglMpAOUPVfIXJ7k9N8gPUmeYEvOIg29j8TIbr9HMrwsKvuPnDI3oBS8A7x3j2FLdZ5LCr_tpOCmVdkH2AUzNMix1v-jxEhomnvZ6yKX1V7hKG_htiR1Rhc1hD-7c7ECU7kpMXiMo/s1600/buttstamp.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 101px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5n9VglMpAOUPVfIXJ7k9N8gPUmeYEvOIg29j8TIbr9HMrwsKvuPnDI3oBS8A7x3j2FLdZ5LCr_tpOCmVdkH2AUzNMix1v-jxEhomnvZ6yKX1V7hKG_htiR1Rhc1hD-7c7ECU7kpMXiMo/s400/buttstamp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558061979456469906" border="0" /></a>Check out this dude's butt. The 90's for sure. Cool Products were classy. They put their stamp on each of these dudes unlike <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/laziest-of-lazy.html">Super Bouncing Weird Balls</a> (bane of my toy collecting existence) or <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/foul-ballsfor-real.html">Foul Balls</a> who any of the nameless imitations that couldn't be bothered. It's nice to see someone take pride in their work. It's the monster face ball factories that power America! Well, China, and Taiwan I guess....sighhhhh.<br /><br />This was right before the internet was invented so there's no website for the Cool Products Corp. and <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=cool+products+corp&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a">Google</a> searches yield nothing. I hope they're somewhere still making cool products and putting as much love into them as they did these bouncy bruisers.<br /><br />In conclusion...these are great! If you can get your hands on them, go for it. They hold up pretty well, they're full of detail, painted well and are an original spin on an old idea.Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-11568332171886073242010-12-28T13:40:00.000-08:002011-01-26T16:19:39.707-08:00King Kong Played Ping Pong...<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjFp-C9icavg24oo6L9r1In7OcpIxL3FFz59B06MgF8d2Z0BVwsbP7N_p8IyTWh5FCoGrOLPiI7519V6naRuYqZOBIoa-v6jBegtQc-SZswWLExB1y4WGivUo0X0s4u7_as92bdfKh7U/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjFp-C9icavg24oo6L9r1In7OcpIxL3FFz59B06MgF8d2Z0BVwsbP7N_p8IyTWh5FCoGrOLPiI7519V6naRuYqZOBIoa-v6jBegtQc-SZswWLExB1y4WGivUo0X0s4u7_as92bdfKh7U/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556148037646227090" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Once More...No Comment"</span><br /></div><br />Hey boils and ghouls! I know I said I was gonna post about Bizarre Balls next but I think I'll save that for my first post of the new year. Especially since I already had the photos of these turds ready to go.<br /><br />These are a type of fake <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> I've never seen before. They're about the size of a table tennis ball, hollow and poorly painted. I don't think they're a set, since they have no manufacturer stamped on them and the colors of the plastic vary. There are three distinct sculpts, one of which we're already familiar with. Let's look.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhq40gDm4s9g4uSIudLkH3_eeGYq3Nd7kWEa8kFMT31L_rgtcExt30_D6yUrZgyfA8L8QgdJUWzj-SN2KrrLsgZdnJpPZp1KTBtTKU6wuhOfVleELc1R05tVtBnDD7jhi9n8ceiRplGI/s1600/SN858493.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhq40gDm4s9g4uSIudLkH3_eeGYq3Nd7kWEa8kFMT31L_rgtcExt30_D6yUrZgyfA8L8QgdJUWzj-SN2KrrLsgZdnJpPZp1KTBtTKU6wuhOfVleELc1R05tVtBnDD7jhi9n8ceiRplGI/s400/SN858493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555856061311196946" border="0" /></a>First up is a melty <a href="http://screamer.alt-world.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Slobulus.jpg">Slobulus</a>-style ball in two colors . She's got a bunch of gross stuff, like missing teeth, bandages, a wandering eye and stitches. It's too bad the paint jobs on these are sooooo bad, because no paint at all would probably be less distracting from the cool design. That eye really bothers me. In a cool way. It's disturbing to think of how it got that high and crooked.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwrNFmuGcJJOb58kj8P_mFSc3FTFx_SpIdjOd1-hIlIRjKMINRZVbJBewH042D8Y6Ci9r2H7P28bwV4smeqVruvLa-e7FQgy955QGuqxFGCqVLEEn0AsfYJ3HSQemylttSgUPBu2_HIU/s1600/snakeeye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwrNFmuGcJJOb58kj8P_mFSc3FTFx_SpIdjOd1-hIlIRjKMINRZVbJBewH042D8Y6Ci9r2H7P28bwV4smeqVruvLa-e7FQgy955QGuqxFGCqVLEEn0AsfYJ3HSQemylttSgUPBu2_HIU/s400/snakeeye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556150115224430082" border="0" /></a>Next up is my personal favorite. He's an angry looking dude that's biting a snake that wraps around his head and goes <span style="font-style: italic;">under</span> his eye and out again!! Ewwwww! The under-the-eye thing may be the <span style="font-style: italic;">grossest</span> thing I've come across in the monster head wrangling business. His paint job is the best out of all of them (he's still go an unexplained patch of black on his nose) and it makes me wonder if the hard plastic they're made out of just doesn't hold paint very well. In honor of my friend Josh (who's obsessed with G.I. Joes), I'll name this guys Snake-Eye (or V<span style="font-style: italic;">eye</span>per Pilot, or Serpen<span style="font-style: italic;">torn</span>)!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRJvRhOm8TQSuvyEaWByTcMIROeGNEJc3qMbbyZKLKwKIiZe9E5AtmoROInY0BZrd03RIZOfMb0RcUH-Q5kH9LkA8EjIZPRlde98mRAecACP9Ko6RIBoo4MqecHmK51Fp_w3tx0FVw-4/s1600/bloodbulge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRJvRhOm8TQSuvyEaWByTcMIROeGNEJc3qMbbyZKLKwKIiZe9E5AtmoROInY0BZrd03RIZOfMb0RcUH-Q5kH9LkA8EjIZPRlde98mRAecACP9Ko6RIBoo4MqecHmK51Fp_w3tx0FVw-4/s400/bloodbulge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556150116055150962" border="0" /></a>Next up is a small red version of the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadball</a>, Blood Bulge. You should recognize him! You guys have met before...thousands of times! Ok, maybe once before on this blog...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo64Z-HjA35CdV_Knt2b9lQbzFz3WQbUXwrq7dlnnUpYz1AZQXDnRFOFmmH8a3X_muJhE5zhWdWDlTqFFbJn48730JIxyv63CZ-lgVRwiNd1phwia8YcWlFIm1PU134df6uE0APxeclo/s1600/SN858496.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo64Z-HjA35CdV_Knt2b9lQbzFz3WQbUXwrq7dlnnUpYz1AZQXDnRFOFmmH8a3X_muJhE5zhWdWDlTqFFbJn48730JIxyv63CZ-lgVRwiNd1phwia8YcWlFIm1PU134df6uE0APxeclo/s400/SN858496.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555856066240659490" border="0" /></a>As you can see there is <span style="font-style: italic;">no</span> difference between the two other than size. The gross mouth muck is still there and the odd triangle nose complete with his three hair mustache! The paint really didn't hold to this dude but the sculpt is good despite being unoriginal.<br /><br />In conclusion, these are neat little monster heads and cool designs. They're also pretty durable (excluding the paint). I'd recommend them but I've hardly ever come across any. The one's I've gotten were from a trades on <a href="http://www.littlerubberguys.com/forums/index.php">Little Rubber Guys</a> and with Justin from <a href="http://www.weirdotoys.com/">Weirdo Toys</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">__________________________________________________________________</span><br /></div>UPDATE!<br /><br />So, I won a few more of these guys as parts of lots in a recent <a href="http://www.ebay.com/">Ebay</a> bonanza (December and January have been good months for <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> hunting!).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4lIwv_PD4aIRubWt4bbW4MOt5_uu-iU9JbmxGF697kjWPBKPty2IMT4N0zYTDR0M23bRg7soomBEFodA3OI0jiTAkBWMcCBOSJPNFUBDiCHTGsTbQh2GVnQbClbtM8qE_0AKCty4_Y4/s1600/trog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4lIwv_PD4aIRubWt4bbW4MOt5_uu-iU9JbmxGF697kjWPBKPty2IMT4N0zYTDR0M23bRg7soomBEFodA3OI0jiTAkBWMcCBOSJPNFUBDiCHTGsTbQh2GVnQbClbtM8qE_0AKCty4_Y4/s400/trog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564014342893593874" border="0" /></a>This first guy is probably my favorite out of <span style="font-style: italic;">all</span> of these ping pong guys. A ton of detail but not muddy like <a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61jYOF1U2BL.jpg">Slobulus</a> and well sculpted. He's a bumpy skull with a pig nose and a disgusting centipede crawling on his face. The teeth are very reminiscent of <a href="http://thumbs2.ebaystatic.com/pict/3503698998698080_3.jpg">Skull Face</a> but other than that he's a pretty new spin on the skull ball idea. Not to mention that he's got a bat on his butt! Maybe he's some sort of gross skull head taxi that takes night creatures to their seedy destinations.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2g8TwG6S7E6Ho7IBlxogJsmAvURgDmkDQPkFOILpcVqnrX3cA3ObRtWfTq1RImXeuoM_Qj7nHP0muWT9O3tgD8BKUXdh2kbbbCEnRwOupdDTRH5xSEKoi8UM2eu23bQxfZgom5wK4Fg/s1600/boo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2g8TwG6S7E6Ho7IBlxogJsmAvURgDmkDQPkFOILpcVqnrX3cA3ObRtWfTq1RImXeuoM_Qj7nHP0muWT9O3tgD8BKUXdh2kbbbCEnRwOupdDTRH5xSEKoi8UM2eu23bQxfZgom5wK4Fg/s400/boo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564014338665505618" border="0" /></a><br />Next we have the standard <a href="http://post.thestranger.com/images/blogimages/2009/01/23/1232739869-1910692914_cef48b3027.jpg">Argh</a> rip off. He's well scuplted for how small he is but nothing new. Yawn. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosjl077A2v9Q8aJxIXI1bpSrm1lEKu8bTXROkKMgVZu4JMGK60lNXVHioTMNC7b4uf2yNAqnwW_7T7oH5lM1N8ReEsdz-AsERyohzYOuYBKRrOJImSonWNTC95OqgYsSr4WLz8e1gS6A/s1600/bootrog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 74px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosjl077A2v9Q8aJxIXI1bpSrm1lEKu8bTXROkKMgVZu4JMGK60lNXVHioTMNC7b4uf2yNAqnwW_7T7oH5lM1N8ReEsdz-AsERyohzYOuYBKRrOJImSonWNTC95OqgYsSr4WLz8e1gS6A/s400/bootrog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564014335842494354" border="0" /></a>However, both these guys have stamps on their rears! A "PG" in a circle and...gasp...names! Turns out our vermin infested friend is named Trog (this name delights me), while our <a href="http://post.thestranger.com/images/blogimages/2009/01/23/1232739869-1910692914_cef48b3027.jpg">Argh</a> wannabe is named Boo. Boo-oring is more like it. You're friend is way cooler than you, Boo.<br /><br />All searches for "PG Toys" are fruitless. Unless, family friendly toys are your idea of a good time. Anyway, I'm into these guys despite Boo's lack of motivation to be innovative. Trog rules the day!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-11076424793855533202010-12-26T12:00:00.001-08:002011-01-26T16:20:48.837-08:00Merry Christmas To Mike, and To Mike a Good Night!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRPV5ciTOmcWbJ05ZFRfhLHyNsAD2DN-TqTyQcGvrCGZePFdgVSVy7CRNkkE8pubs53MN5fXm-R-2IpmEEeWG6qrfigZSVIihhw3XoeSdCPwnKQKRULodTjS2bJvUbI8rTRmD3jCdKOg/s1600/SN858565.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRPV5ciTOmcWbJ05ZFRfhLHyNsAD2DN-TqTyQcGvrCGZePFdgVSVy7CRNkkE8pubs53MN5fXm-R-2IpmEEeWG6qrfigZSVIihhw3XoeSdCPwnKQKRULodTjS2bJvUbI8rTRmD3jCdKOg/s400/SN858565.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555083411405934370" border="0" /></a> Hey dudes, this is just a preview of some stuff I recently found myself while shopping for other people. It all arrived 2 days before christmas! Those Bizarre Balls were an excellent score, and will probably be my next post. The water squirting Oculus was a sweet gift from a person who follows this blog in Australia! And that little suction cup Swine Sucker was an ebay purchase. Sorry to keep this short, but I'm gonna go watch Gremlins for the 4th time this season, hope your holidays are gross and yucky!!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-26341834055201541202010-12-13T07:28:00.000-08:002011-01-26T16:21:40.747-08:00Small Round and Out Of Control!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhv4gS_AE5-jKIfHY4VVeVmh5_8rgZbknqRbEhbJJ_uGfCPODcN7zRU3-ugONQos38K6RtAd7xGhtimxb08nE1U0Lfbs4IJSAclUZ6kHhgSl0A-w0-WTpYmVQQFQrbSxq-pSyh2swuFU/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhv4gS_AE5-jKIfHY4VVeVmh5_8rgZbknqRbEhbJJ_uGfCPODcN7zRU3-ugONQos38K6RtAd7xGhtimxb08nE1U0Lfbs4IJSAclUZ6kHhgSl0A-w0-WTpYmVQQFQrbSxq-pSyh2swuFU/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550190714244194306" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"Still...No Comment"</span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br />Ok buds, this week we have another mystery set I scored on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ebay.com">eBay</a>...and they're tiny! As much as I love the full sized rip offs, the tiny bouncy balls are probably my favorite because everything is cooler in miniature. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">The seller had a bunch of these and said that anyone who purchased them would get a random six, so I'm not sure if this is a full set or not. When they arrived I was surprised at how detailed they are for being 1" in diameter.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTQdgRAUBG7ndSj3mYFa3vB24_qQnYLGiyLqkCJV2wbC2LOfWE_Jeat4Jclytyyh4OyBhBQOP-6eYJtKWXjc1K3KBOqVp8FhgLe8_vP8K1uZ6JZwOEAd4IWlNxtoZhQvzH0l2iYD6iVs/s1600/lineup.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTQdgRAUBG7ndSj3mYFa3vB24_qQnYLGiyLqkCJV2wbC2LOfWE_Jeat4Jclytyyh4OyBhBQOP-6eYJtKWXjc1K3KBOqVp8FhgLe8_vP8K1uZ6JZwOEAd4IWlNxtoZhQvzH0l2iYD6iVs/s400/lineup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550194359477839250" border="0" /></a>Here's our lineup, and it's a pretty handsome group, if you ask me. First off, there's the fake Dust Brain, but with bulging eyes and a really pristine grin. I like his Christmas colors! He's followed buy a mutated gorilla of some sort with a gnarly overbite. The twisted flesh around his eye and the jagged irregular teeth really get me. The next two friends look a little familiar.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aDMV4eM-svBDmWCAAnaGd5pDNSyBppLaPtdPOFFe52LROxxiE_CvjtBD1MhufKtj6VGY3R1J7Kg0AgOwatR91fDGYqiy1vkwKHzqCgz6gB7sKyIJ-sXEHjx4pxefz8HbdB8F7denoBw/s1600/compare.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aDMV4eM-svBDmWCAAnaGd5pDNSyBppLaPtdPOFFe52LROxxiE_CvjtBD1MhufKtj6VGY3R1J7Kg0AgOwatR91fDGYqiy1vkwKHzqCgz6gB7sKyIJ-sXEHjx4pxefz8HbdB8F7denoBw/s400/compare.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550195091801733218" border="0" /></a>They're almost exact replicas of these tiny <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/06/land-of-retching-sun.html">Japanese dudes I wrote about a while ago</a>! The only difference is the color, size and lack of pencil hole at the bottom. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWhWX_PFklUFHPlSF3uUcqAl7MPFReoaAKaUTDww_cXAJ-OkTgcNh87JFL1cs_C1wyD_3C66S4yQZr-Wg7godX1uJSTfZUFEVf-ePbP8vu_bpzXSwKEW8DqCdcp7cZ85U_b7kTEBqODQ/s1600/multicolor2.jpg">Buck Tooth Terrance</a> and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqlKonaxb9UEnjoh9Mpqd3yZpCw5Xtt9pQkTpet0BB5YNyq1ufDNoutrI9XYADlRnCkmk6tACAoMV3LKf8AVJEt_wvsC0wMNCWnbdeFGPGNRohahZnyhONTmSBDxxfQLwZFraBxDUmkE/s1600/multicolor1.jpg">Yellin' Meemie</a> make me wonder if this entire set is just a redux of those pencil toppers.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTItci2TAuKEXDw4TohcAmNIKPgaN_7Li5T-2Qdkw04_5a6vk3eYK_ALj5eBRtNYM1ZB21RPGVcVPDSapmnGukJ1adz3PjACAUkUJYQjja3bSVIFh7XQRQ_PiS4INRrn87_cyaKzVtMU/s1600/teethy2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTItci2TAuKEXDw4TohcAmNIKPgaN_7Li5T-2Qdkw04_5a6vk3eYK_ALj5eBRtNYM1ZB21RPGVcVPDSapmnGukJ1adz3PjACAUkUJYQjja3bSVIFh7XQRQ_PiS4INRrn87_cyaKzVtMU/s400/teethy2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550195706661715266" border="0" /></a>Bringing up the rear, are these amazingly monstrous twins. This guy looks dangerous, like a <a href="http://www.nefariousfilms.com/Images/Monsters/haircut_critters.jpg">Critter</a>. I really like his bug eyes, which seem to be a signature of this set, and his fangy mouth. I'm not really sure what the symbol is on his head but it does look like something that would be on a <a href="http://blog.uofmuscle.com/">M.U.S.C.L.E.</a> figure, furthering my Japanese theory.<br /><br />Anyway, I wish I could tell you where I got these and forward you the link to the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ebay.com">eBay</a> store, but it was so long ago that my history has erased it. Since they're nameless and have no manufacturing info, this post is especially useless. Oh well, sighhhhh. If you can find 'em, get 'em, cus they're neat.Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-16715958329925969422010-12-01T15:28:00.000-08:002011-01-26T16:22:11.094-08:00Something Weird This Way Comes<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7bSKFMRyC18ngdVxlz8tCzbIO2j5S0rWmUD-ioZN_X9EyoDKxHrjueOXkNwMNZlG8naHtUQr3q6eQku1lulhGt36zRJt8GQcjq4dF-lhy0Vxd764ewHn3KwjnhporI-uhZw27tu2xJI/s1600/weirdheader.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 96px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7bSKFMRyC18ngdVxlz8tCzbIO2j5S0rWmUD-ioZN_X9EyoDKxHrjueOXkNwMNZlG8naHtUQr3q6eQku1lulhGt36zRJt8GQcjq4dF-lhy0Vxd764ewHn3KwjnhporI-uhZw27tu2xJI/s400/weirdheader.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545860203157810690" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Dissatisfaction Guaranteed"</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Hey boils and ghouls! It's been a very long time since I updated this disgusting blob of a blog. A lot's been goin' on since August. I had a show at <a href="http://www.bennascafe.com/">Benna's Cafe</a> (20 drawings of monsters inspired by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Manual">D&D Monster Manuals</a>), I went to Romania with <a href="http://wanderinggenie.blogspot.com/">Jeanne</a> to hunt for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlad_III_the_Impaler">Dracula</a>, and had a bunch of last minute freelance work. Anyway, I'm back now with a second cool post about Weird Balls!<br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjxJIl-xhIfzg0GYH2PXhCnYxcC4TOIOM-jufpqkhYOHmZcEZqiHJrN9O-mTt2e9pzKS3FsI5V4CgiEcLVZqXvwhOEsCH0isTfczXCOcI37fkJXAkjvjPrCF1GpPnhyphenhyphenpF8hTJrYpoYFs/s1600/SN856909.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjxJIl-xhIfzg0GYH2PXhCnYxcC4TOIOM-jufpqkhYOHmZcEZqiHJrN9O-mTt2e9pzKS3FsI5V4CgiEcLVZqXvwhOEsCH0isTfczXCOcI37fkJXAkjvjPrCF1GpPnhyphenhyphenpF8hTJrYpoYFs/s400/SN856909.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545860206328699170" border="0" /></a>We've already discussed (or disgust) Mel Appel's unsurpassed dedication to knock offs in a <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/04/all-encompasing-rip-off-artists.html">post about the giant sized Weird Balls</a>. A quick recap, TMAC (The Mel Appel Company) not only copied <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> and Super <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a>, they also had a <a href="http://www.garbagepailkids.com/">Garbage Pail Kids</a>-esque trading card series, a M.U.S.C.L.E. style little rubber guys line and even a WWF inspired action figure set. I think it goes without saying though, that their attempt at fake <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> was by far their most inspired moment. Not only did they manage to create their own stable of vile characters but they even delved into football shape before TCFC (Those Characters From Cleveland) got around to it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrgtcmX6rFHTuvXXfvJ3s1W0ClRkf-XnQywkAv0az4D2lzWBz7adqfnhnx7gKr_PXSuYzpUNClJQSI5TRiu0Netvm3xJGfA4biqVIByy-jH1IP6kd8DrRuJTwLcEoHkmGVbAB2osIoqk/s1600/weird2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrgtcmX6rFHTuvXXfvJ3s1W0ClRkf-XnQywkAv0az4D2lzWBz7adqfnhnx7gKr_PXSuYzpUNClJQSI5TRiu0Netvm3xJGfA4biqVIByy-jH1IP6kd8DrRuJTwLcEoHkmGVbAB2osIoqk/s400/weird2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545863415089016402" border="0" /></a>Aside from the toys themselves, the packaging for Weird Balls was also top notch. A drippy logo, putrid slime colors and similar blisther packaging helped this gross group seem legit. While <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> went for clean drawings (clean line work but still gross stuff), the Weird Ball drawings are looser and grimey, reminiscent of <a href="http://www.dccomics.com/mad/">Mad Magazine</a> (and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_the_Crypt_%28comics%29">Tales From the Crypt</a>) artist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Davis_%28cartoonist%29">Jack Davis</a>. TMAC also realized the value of the art itself, allowing kids to "own" the art in trading card form. This is a big plus for me, since i love the drawing and design part of these dudes so much.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77_MZp62hj16_Q_nRVfDS5dIbbNSwP4zCBT5bxMtOVWlxqEol4nU4dVMgGYJ6CKGXKfPyWNYVhCLJDsFuHP-5uo7IBqN3_oczAvHc_Se2c8SOg2_mzxDIzKZrnr4ed3nrmd7st2XMpi8/s1600/weird1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77_MZp62hj16_Q_nRVfDS5dIbbNSwP4zCBT5bxMtOVWlxqEol4nU4dVMgGYJ6CKGXKfPyWNYVhCLJDsFuHP-5uo7IBqN3_oczAvHc_Se2c8SOg2_mzxDIzKZrnr4ed3nrmd7st2XMpi8/s400/weird1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545863494035504226" border="0" /></a>There was no stone left unturned...<a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> packages said "Freaky Fun For Everyone"? Well, Weird Ball packaging has about 5 crude slogans and boorish phrases (not including the ones on the trading cards!). Their marketing technique is to highlight their production flaws, knowing kids love stuff that's cruddy and half assed! "That's right you won't be satisfied with our stupid unoriginal toy...what're you gonna do about it?" Any <span style="font-size:100%;">connoisseur of awfulness, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ren_%26_Stimpy_Show">Ren and Stimpy</a> or <a href="http://www.mtv.com/shows/beavis_and_butthead/series.jhtml">Beavis and Butthead</a>, will let you know, the worse the better.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEyKeKNPtEGOFxMK4ZzmO2aDgemeNx6KTKkQaGwYFDxkQQc9_hWkJoIjMMYQdQEM1z8KZ2pThPTqc58-Wfz-kKqoyOdEzmC2b7qTx5avQxq2_GrH47Tq-7tVdbL3Hqig12Ah6OO9aJe0/s1600/round.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEyKeKNPtEGOFxMK4ZzmO2aDgemeNx6KTKkQaGwYFDxkQQc9_hWkJoIjMMYQdQEM1z8KZ2pThPTqc58-Wfz-kKqoyOdEzmC2b7qTx5avQxq2_GrH47Tq-7tVdbL3Hqig12Ah6OO9aJe0/s400/round.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548050126315372242" border="0" /></a>Let's check out the first group of dudes here, the traditional round guys. First up is Shrink Head, a guy that I first thought was a half-ruined android, but it turns out he's a dessicated zombie-type thing. His skin is all wrinkley and shriveled and his skull is showing through in parts. His upper lip skin does kinda look like a <a href="http://hotbeans.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/mustache-_0004_burt-reynolds.jpg">Burt Renolds</a>' mustache but his red bulging eyes make up for any lack of creepiness his faux facial hair may have caused. The second guy here is Sewer Face. He appears to be a <a href="http://www.muppetcentral.com/">Muppets</a>-type purple monster with a slimey, pus-caked nose. He's maybe the least defined out of all the Weird Ball, because he looks like a ball of clay that someone rolled up in their hands and then painted yellow eyes on. He's cool but lacks details. Snot Nose is the third roundy and probably my favorite of all. He's a giant ball of boogers with a bulgy eye and buck teeth. Where his other eye should be is a gaping socket filled with maggots! Great!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbGsl_ZrlcOK4lyJmSKx4j6IoJWBy6wjUlgOIoi32hAabaIMWw5CZ8j5ChWMity_k8W6JUvdTQnjPhTfe5KcgnGvbf-5sKuBgKLbGPzkkS2XDVW_i2xKiD-bYCA3_h1mo1kC9lzZtDbQ/s1600/footballs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbGsl_ZrlcOK4lyJmSKx4j6IoJWBy6wjUlgOIoi32hAabaIMWw5CZ8j5ChWMity_k8W6JUvdTQnjPhTfe5KcgnGvbf-5sKuBgKLbGPzkkS2XDVW_i2xKiD-bYCA3_h1mo1kC9lzZtDbQ/s400/footballs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548043832323700706" border="0" /></a>Here's where Weird Balls get really innovative (as far as monster shaped balls go!). The football shaped dudes. Wart Hog is the hideous <a href="http://www.shockya.com/news/wp-content/uploads/frankenstein_monster_boris_karloff.jpg">Frankenstein</a> on the the left. His stitched shut mouth, plentiful warts and bulging blood shot eye are super gross. His friend Spit Ball Louie has the counterpart bulging eye with a really nasty heavy lid and some sort of mustard slime oozing out of his goofball mouth. This is also where things get weird. I have no idea where this guy came from. He's obviously a Weird Ball (he's stamped with the Mel Appel logo on his hinder) but the packaging has his name listed <span style="font-style: italic;">only</span> as Spit Ball <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> he's round. I would've thought that there was just a packaging error but I've seen pics of the round Spit Ball. I also don't know about a second series, but perhaps he's from that. If you have any insights into this mystery let us know!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBowiRW2WeMX9eDj4PLlQTbkzszS6aQ46vYAfggJyr9AF_AxqAs47jQP3ajE7XwkXQnaL9ihicf1Dy-px6AMolWjBEtD6f3tdE2h5CoC4EE0iV0QVk0fEao2_YExUg-odsNa62WagxGi4/s1600/footballs2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBowiRW2WeMX9eDj4PLlQTbkzszS6aQ46vYAfggJyr9AF_AxqAs47jQP3ajE7XwkXQnaL9ihicf1Dy-px6AMolWjBEtD6f3tdE2h5CoC4EE0iV0QVk0fEao2_YExUg-odsNa62WagxGi4/s400/footballs2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548044678762290098" border="0" /></a>Lastly, is my favorite of the oblong nerds, Worm Skull. He's one of the better sculpted and executed of all the Weird Balls and a pretty cool stylization of a skull. When I reviewed the giant version of him a few posts back I mentioned how I thought he would look better scaled down and you can see in that comparison photo how he looks much better tiny.<br /><br />Sooooo.....Weird Balls are probably my favorite of the <a href="http://www.madballs.com/home.action">Madballs</a> rip off family. They took the Madball formula and ran with it. They were definitely copying but they were creative enough to make their own characters, sculpt them well and up the insolence. If you can get your hands on some of these guys, go for it! They're pretty hard to come by, but I think there's one up on eBay right now. Again, sorry for the delay, expect the next post soon!Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-28802666034458511822010-08-18T11:12:00.000-07:002011-01-26T16:22:44.930-08:00Savings and Groan<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdNAPqSumFiqovj0BcBylF4yFPS6-8MIi5fP92Hw6p-l3P1TkPWv-dOIFVcbpo6BrRrykGrgIVjlZmpZM1-ScAUuLDYVw77FIpzkcU3MpJtUOeSc759Rwc1GrBXE3skZ8LHs7uvMaisc/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdNAPqSumFiqovj0BcBylF4yFPS6-8MIi5fP92Hw6p-l3P1TkPWv-dOIFVcbpo6BrRrykGrgIVjlZmpZM1-ScAUuLDYVw77FIpzkcU3MpJtUOeSc759Rwc1GrBXE3skZ8LHs7uvMaisc/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506817828093463410" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"Wacky Cash"</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNB0OHlwy6-_DOnzid1HPxEmTeMa4E6BzRxcuj9fxxQhfHygim-mSML7J_F5bOFNDrO5mRRnBaq9uNUL4nSKOq-u4PNKuWfK6RuROazkvG_FdLF4YEOfPeDY5DGmrIsnqob_O8SbAqJ0/s1600/details.jpg"><br /></a>Hey dudes and dudettes! Sorry for the lapse in posts but I was on vacation in Maine, tirelessly hunting in New England flea markets for toy balls with monster faces on them. Alas, I came up short. Before I left though I won these two bad boys in an <a href="http://www.ebay.com/">eBay</a> auction for one smacker! A single buck for these two gems of gross out nostalgia. Check it out!<br /><br />This recession has us all concerned about the safety of our money. Just like a Depression era grandmother, many of us no longer trust the big banks to hold our money securely. Well you don't have to rely on them any longer! What could keep your money safer than Screamin Meemie's horrible visage? What bank has the security of Swine Suckers bile coated lips? WHICH BANK I ASK YOU?! That's right <a href="http://shopping.aol.com/toys-video-games/dolls/manufacturer-vendors_arco-toys-ltd-ARTLD/">Arco</a>, the people that made the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/06/hideous-heat-wave.html">Water Squirting Madballs</a> are back with another <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> licensed product...piggy banks called Wacky Cash!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhiHlh_9ZSS8n7Nf8OVSsMWyHrLFiq3BONXnhGFvKOC-D_SX5VF3AfO72WX3nhUXhjOR-zw-yLWmbiiNmnoPoBN7XBuux-XwyXb4bmDIHx6H-lCdjoPwH3B_SWjVKNS4JGFPVHc514eM/s1600/mbank1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhiHlh_9ZSS8n7Nf8OVSsMWyHrLFiq3BONXnhGFvKOC-D_SX5VF3AfO72WX3nhUXhjOR-zw-yLWmbiiNmnoPoBN7XBuux-XwyXb4bmDIHx6H-lCdjoPwH3B_SWjVKNS4JGFPVHc514eM/s400/mbank1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506814691777150082" border="0" /></a>These dudes are super cool. Made from a hard sturdy plastic and really well painted. Check out Screamin Meemie here. This character doesn't have too many details to begin with but the ones that are present are well sculpted and exquisitely painted. Exquisitely? Yup, exquisitely. They even put him on a pile of slime!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Rky-WCq_T1cSFRi5nMbaL2zwb8okRjoOmfhrt40yJfYtQNocvsooxpNpwtHfeXCB6XjGw6neB-a_8Voz6UyYGrV1oOYdCH11bjJ-3PQ5RlKum4_Wviojcy4WQWIBJ9m6gvxIM92EjZY/s1600/mbank2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Rky-WCq_T1cSFRi5nMbaL2zwb8okRjoOmfhrt40yJfYtQNocvsooxpNpwtHfeXCB6XjGw6neB-a_8Voz6UyYGrV1oOYdCH11bjJ-3PQ5RlKum4_Wviojcy4WQWIBJ9m6gvxIM92EjZY/s400/mbank2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506814697532992114" border="0" /></a>Here you can see the size difference between the balls and the bank. The Wacky Cash Meemie looks much more like their <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/06/hideous-heat-wave.html">Water Squirter</a> mold (which I like better) than the original design. Maybe he's a little more wall-eyed than he needs to be but whatever. He's still cool!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rbRjVvW4bIT5tkIr2e1HebSDsgSPaLcuACtHf9FBL_Oy_8l6ec0SrKWtHmLQgKC1JebXZYKXn5K3EAc5uNiABk8udHDbHfnWVAvr86EoFDHez-NxwblAil3YxMiFa_XT9PZoWvmtbZE/s1600/sbank1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rbRjVvW4bIT5tkIr2e1HebSDsgSPaLcuACtHf9FBL_Oy_8l6ec0SrKWtHmLQgKC1JebXZYKXn5K3EAc5uNiABk8udHDbHfnWVAvr86EoFDHez-NxwblAil3YxMiFa_XT9PZoWvmtbZE/s400/sbank1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506817831756767314" border="0" /></a>Of course, you couldn't make a <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> piggy bank without using they're ungulate incarnation Swine Sucker! This porky monster has a lot more detail than Meemie and it all looks great. From the bile and snot to the warts and stitches, this guys got it all.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9EYnLlirSoYFk_9qCs-IsuuCBPK3bmYsE0fGkle0yBe4FNuQ1NALeO6-uQFJOZKTV0WadJoovX-BtOq93All14yAxqBI11S7VfRVwCh1cfzfHMs0XnylIZpk6GS0sFbL6i6bAg3qHak/s1600/sbank2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9EYnLlirSoYFk_9qCs-IsuuCBPK3bmYsE0fGkle0yBe4FNuQ1NALeO6-uQFJOZKTV0WadJoovX-BtOq93All14yAxqBI11S7VfRVwCh1cfzfHMs0XnylIZpk6GS0sFbL6i6bAg3qHak/s400/sbank2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506817842337796562" border="0" /></a><a href="http://shopping.aol.com/toys-video-games/dolls/manufacturer-vendors_arco-toys-ltd-ARTLD/">Arco</a> resculpted Swine Sucker for Wacky Cash and I have to say I think I like their version better here too. The gums are a little more enflamed, the teeth a little more jagged, and even the pupils and retinas have texture and depth. They also go the extra mile and really make the warts pop out.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNB0OHlwy6-_DOnzid1HPxEmTeMa4E6BzRxcuj9fxxQhfHygim-mSML7J_F5bOFNDrO5mRRnBaq9uNUL4nSKOq-u4PNKuWfK6RuROazkvG_FdLF4YEOfPeDY5DGmrIsnqob_O8SbAqJ0/s1600/details.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaNB0OHlwy6-_DOnzid1HPxEmTeMa4E6BzRxcuj9fxxQhfHygim-mSML7J_F5bOFNDrO5mRRnBaq9uNUL4nSKOq-u4PNKuWfK6RuROazkvG_FdLF4YEOfPeDY5DGmrIsnqob_O8SbAqJ0/s400/details.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506817825445705074" border="0" /></a>Here's some detail shots of Swine Suckers hinder. Both Wacky Cash banks, have the <a href="http://shopping.aol.com/toys-video-games/dolls/manufacturer-vendors_arco-toys-ltd-ARTLD/">Arco</a> logo stamp and a sticker with the <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> logo and characters name right beneath the slot.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6DTu2XqQSLveVG3xNfsKmssz5yl4mgrC8wK3-Bk_6SsV9nZnWBFy-KNzd-B042uT0HW5ux8tH8FnG5gR1dQZkyeLKNuhyphenhyphen1m5JPAtTcKlPExUDwxeqGbacD8ydSWMcWPzq7_WnZTPCvE/s1600/wackycash.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6DTu2XqQSLveVG3xNfsKmssz5yl4mgrC8wK3-Bk_6SsV9nZnWBFy-KNzd-B042uT0HW5ux8tH8FnG5gR1dQZkyeLKNuhyphenhyphen1m5JPAtTcKlPExUDwxeqGbacD8ydSWMcWPzq7_WnZTPCvE/s400/wackycash.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506817843978753970" border="0" /></a>The base of both have this wrap around sticker with Wacky Cash printed next to the logo. Also a really cool <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> seal of approval, so you know you're not trusting your savings to a <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/laziest-of-lazy.html">Super Bouncing Weird Ball</a> bank. Or god forbid a <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/foul-ballsfor-real.html">Foul Ball</a> bank. Ugh. Instantly bankrupt.<br /><br />In conclusion, these rule! One of my favorite bits of <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> memorabilia. If you can find them on <a href="http://www.ebay.com/">eBay</a> I suggest you snap them up.Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-28738886758395270072010-07-26T12:35:00.002-07:002011-01-26T16:24:18.997-08:0080's Mash-up!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilH6_G0fhMnegIfwj-Iojz0vtAdH9h7nxshSnQtZRoJeXkUu-G7G9Vqz04L_P0xWEj99MEbvxNrvski3MfMFaZJpzhSp93pNPnnLy53hAA1verX-yF5fxL6ji2KhZM8sJ4m5PxSDrMwJw/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 79px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilH6_G0fhMnegIfwj-Iojz0vtAdH9h7nxshSnQtZRoJeXkUu-G7G9Vqz04L_P0xWEj99MEbvxNrvski3MfMFaZJpzhSp93pNPnnLy53hAA1verX-yF5fxL6ji2KhZM8sJ4m5PxSDrMwJw/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498301308654861106" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>We've got some sweet sweet Madball art from a friend I met on <a href="http://www.littlerubberguys.com/">Little Rubber Guys</a>, named <a href="http://www.ctupa.com/">Chris Tupa</a>. He totally went the extra mile and did <i>four</i>(!) 80's cartoon characters as zombie monster balls. Let's have a look!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl818C88USa1R05HvePuPGruh9-uLXutbdKXxDS_DDXxhkgZCvpsp3uzWSEWTIgtBukRS5zPbUrU2vy41hOTMEf7ShR9-f_ZQALwNWosc53vpUiW0FRrPBv6neX4npvuBtN4sUKyOjoyY/s1600/GetAttachment.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 366px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl818C88USa1R05HvePuPGruh9-uLXutbdKXxDS_DDXxhkgZCvpsp3uzWSEWTIgtBukRS5zPbUrU2vy41hOTMEf7ShR9-f_ZQALwNWosc53vpUiW0FRrPBv6neX4npvuBtN4sUKyOjoyY/s400/GetAttachment.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498301037748567970" border="0" /></a>First off, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_ruxpin">Deady Ruxpin</a> (<a href="http://www.ctupa.com/">Chris</a> didn't provide names so hopefully I'll do them justice)! I barely remember this dude except that his electronic bear mouth could actually hurt you if you put your finger in there. <a href="http://www.ctupa.com/">Chris's</a> watercolors are great and add a level of dirtiness and grit.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u96MZDqhSjqiZKVpeeObt_-mjlGcWbYQkCtCJA3ISBLbYKGT42nF_MTVdMbESlpAMcwjYGKLTjG14AUYLCujAMke8p0jt5uPdlwB2yuDKl0ygLNCRpSWaVh-ORLSX0d0cosxQtNYQGw/s1600/GetAttachment-3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 351px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u96MZDqhSjqiZKVpeeObt_-mjlGcWbYQkCtCJA3ISBLbYKGT42nF_MTVdMbESlpAMcwjYGKLTjG14AUYLCujAMke8p0jt5uPdlwB2yuDKl0ygLNCRpSWaVh-ORLSX0d0cosxQtNYQGw/s400/GetAttachment-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498301028464321010" border="0" /></a>Jane Retchson (best put I could come up with for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetsons">Jane Jetson</a>, sorry). Love the skull and cockroaches!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa76ai__yYeFGUKrKgLXjOUjG49xT1j3zb8MCB0uQWubU2KCFgjs6_7QwSPyab5gU5gwUyelZjyqe2-x5YruuplpAwv4AVAw264TguV1udggJOt1-fYFfnzwFmTIOkq3WcSCGfkBpX8M/s1600/GetAttachment-2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 354px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa76ai__yYeFGUKrKgLXjOUjG49xT1j3zb8MCB0uQWubU2KCFgjs6_7QwSPyab5gU5gwUyelZjyqe2-x5YruuplpAwv4AVAw264TguV1udggJOt1-fYFfnzwFmTIOkq3WcSCGfkBpX8M/s400/GetAttachment-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498301024166696642" border="0" /></a>Hmmmm....blood vomiting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monchhichis">Monchhichi</a>....ummm.....how's about, Vomchhichi? I like it! (thanks Jeanne!) This thing looks like she went to town eating someone's guts. Blood is something you don't see to often in monster faced balls but I like it! Come to think of it, there aren't many female monster faced balls (girls like gross stuff too!).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-DCA70b2xpZifigbBs10oXJLoOu6f7uYuSR12s6bmc8Mle6ElNl2NeaTluaViBhrAzhQiK7N3mrTnyaKmHX01Rkg1BQbRKJW99AVJpexXw9rQmMCApp7t358unEvi7pQuEQGQzG3_y4/s1600/GetAttachment-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 367px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-DCA70b2xpZifigbBs10oXJLoOu6f7uYuSR12s6bmc8Mle6ElNl2NeaTluaViBhrAzhQiK7N3mrTnyaKmHX01Rkg1BQbRKJW99AVJpexXw9rQmMCApp7t358unEvi7pQuEQGQzG3_y4/s400/GetAttachment-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498301018824257730" border="0" /></a>Rigor Mortis Smurf. Done! I think that may be my best pun this week. Franken<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smurfs">smurf</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smurfs">Smurf</a>enstein were also considered. This one's my favorite of the bunch. He looks really sinister and gross. The standard big/small eye are present and I really like the crappy grin he has! This also reminds me of that sweet <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MAYrF1PDks">Unicef commerical</a>!</div><div><br /></div><div>These are great and <a href="http://www.ctupa.com/">Chris</a> has them for sale on his website, so go get 'em!<br /><br /></div>Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-79531967433756096382010-07-22T20:30:00.000-07:002011-01-26T16:25:24.863-08:00His Face Sucks<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8SqpB8hTzXAMvHPF1Ga8ZW4EOxuZoTics87rfUJ3HDQhSaRK6ikLRTACKZi3Qz8DKWsNBoZ-XRVtIjGFGAOr-r7ALGvxqZQVC2JLqaCr8JaL37pDo3iHCdW76ibYuXmj9Hsy8rf7McE/s1600/suctionheader.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 63px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8SqpB8hTzXAMvHPF1Ga8ZW4EOxuZoTics87rfUJ3HDQhSaRK6ikLRTACKZi3Qz8DKWsNBoZ-XRVtIjGFGAOr-r7ALGvxqZQVC2JLqaCr8JaL37pDo3iHCdW76ibYuXmj9Hsy8rf7McE/s400/suctionheader.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496939228851156594" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"No Comment"</span> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgDhTvQnaJmdRu9hV56YRdAVJ6r9KFsTQp2OssnwQNlYoeTKTLn6td27uW_dTcZPlufJyx7GyHlyWuwUx-EnY9SxdeALY1srnWLxQuo6DgGytfjveyFvX6b_LaeEGRDiIorrAB5TvJBQ/s1600/suction.jpg"><br /></a>Remember the wonderous world of vending machine toys? When you had to suffer through a trip to the grocery store (even though riding in the cart was really fun) with your mom or dad, you most likely got some small compensation in the form of a 25¢ piece of plastic. I'm discovering, a surprising abundance of quarter machine knock offs were <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> related.. Maybe it's not so surprising. The <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/something-old-something-new-both-things.html">Super Bouncing Bad Bad Balls</a> were just the right size, as were plenty of those other mini balls and the Euro mini <a href="www.madballs.com">Madballs</a> are a modern take on that (but $1 instead of a 25¢). What we have today is a weirder monster. <div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IPYJ5_kKl4_gIbJHK8UfWFpJ_6tkcSqmxlq39reJMPtcfLPTO0efIHuVnjAhtJVjm86wv6LIg2norrPVMeZqFN1dw_I_yysbkcArFmjYmzO0p1px2SnyerSCvmoe2MEzjCkmzIvDB0g/s1600/hornhead.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3IPYJ5_kKl4_gIbJHK8UfWFpJ_6tkcSqmxlq39reJMPtcfLPTO0efIHuVnjAhtJVjm86wv6LIg2norrPVMeZqFN1dw_I_yysbkcArFmjYmzO0p1px2SnyerSCvmoe2MEzjCkmzIvDB0g/s400/hornhead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496939219731000642" border="0" /></a>These dudes are floppy rubber suction cup backed replicas of <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> faces. There's no attempt at all at creativity or expanding on the concept, these are straight stolen. I'm assuming so. There are no markings whatsoever on any of these guys. No, <a href="http://www.experiencefestival.com/those_characters_from_cleveland">TCFC</a>, no date, no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AmToy">Amtoy</a>...nothin'. However, the molds and likenesses are really good! Definitely a step above the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/foul-ballsfor-real.html">Foul Balls</a>, and <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/03/laziest-of-lazy.html">Super Bouncing Weird Balls</a> of the time.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNw7nsYbSlAE7wLxiGkGuB536xWPIM9kbjAjo_qnoO1XR3D2vgqYgYof_ojlPTip4jek1XbhsWhxlh9lf7zea5gLgO9h-FoPr_1CColhyphenhyphen6vhWczVXd8APX9rAL95UwSC2nYIbbPAbrUM/s1600/slobulus.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNw7nsYbSlAE7wLxiGkGuB536xWPIM9kbjAjo_qnoO1XR3D2vgqYgYof_ojlPTip4jek1XbhsWhxlh9lf7zea5gLgO9h-FoPr_1CColhyphenhyphen6vhWczVXd8APX9rAL95UwSC2nYIbbPAbrUM/s400/slobulus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496939216284124082" border="0" /></a></div><div>The paint jobs are awful, but that adds to the grotesqueness of them. Slobulus is gross enough green, but that pale white rubber with garish splashes of red for his mouth and hair make me queazy. Horn Head's white puckery eye isn't a treat to look at either. Actually, this rendition of Oculus Orbus may be one of the most truly disgusting monter face balls I've ever encountered. The texture and coloring conjures up images of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Um-njLk2U9PzQLGmdsX3qGppUG1-28q1qQ8ndAic0AnG9jv2CaUqNdGd04COqN-01bjfdrcmEZwMfCD3CTUoE2Z7_iUvRD3V-ew-wPveHEaedQ01uO8KCCLFCx0MgyuQjU1wSEq5l0Qi/s400/Terminator+%281984%29+2.jpg">Schwarzenegger</a> plucking his eye out in <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYRiYPRidyWf_pSNGgxZTKTzCpjUkKmF4b9LJT2ee6rOIsomrtaehYnEmbXN8mcobkQyDEhcSySp3b58NE_X_e6AKA6dScS6228xSyYDaJGhufeZpU1XnXVhQ2jFSpXnWctSECCSMyjoQ/s320/Terminator1984movieposter.jpg">Terminator</a>, or a real sheeps eye. Ugh...</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNw7nsYbSlAE7wLxiGkGuB536xWPIM9kbjAjo_qnoO1XR3D2vgqYgYof_ojlPTip4jek1XbhsWhxlh9lf7zea5gLgO9h-FoPr_1CColhyphenhyphen6vhWczVXd8APX9rAL95UwSC2nYIbbPAbrUM/s1600/slobulus.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhST6_qPF38mvesk3hGVwXPMRcignVoG24R9tAsiySDFzChW1gv7BbLlnjImmtblTiXVa8V_ql6pnQ5GsVfefSEDkmbUHjMWAL5z-2u7A2w_5nhK4vtlYnLRwvfGZu-onT90kaL0uU9PCM/s1600/oculusmeemie.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhST6_qPF38mvesk3hGVwXPMRcignVoG24R9tAsiySDFzChW1gv7BbLlnjImmtblTiXVa8V_ql6pnQ5GsVfefSEDkmbUHjMWAL5z-2u7A2w_5nhK4vtlYnLRwvfGZu-onT90kaL0uU9PCM/s400/oculusmeemie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496939206948097138" border="0" /></a>The one downside of these is that they don't retain their original shape very well and considering they've been crammed in quarter machine "eggs" for decades, it's no shock to see some are a bit lopsided.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgDhTvQnaJmdRu9hV56YRdAVJ6r9KFsTQp2OssnwQNlYoeTKTLn6td27uW_dTcZPlufJyx7GyHlyWuwUx-EnY9SxdeALY1srnWLxQuo6DgGytfjveyFvX6b_LaeEGRDiIorrAB5TvJBQ/s1600/suction.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgDhTvQnaJmdRu9hV56YRdAVJ6r9KFsTQp2OssnwQNlYoeTKTLn6td27uW_dTcZPlufJyx7GyHlyWuwUx-EnY9SxdeALY1srnWLxQuo6DgGytfjveyFvX6b_LaeEGRDiIorrAB5TvJBQ/s400/suction.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496939221841297810" border="0" /></a>In conclusion, these are cool! They're available cheap from some dude on Ebay (which I can't find right now, but these were still for sale a little while ago), and well worth it if you're into <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a> or quarter machine toys. </div>Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-23635218353945742192010-07-21T09:39:00.000-07:002011-01-26T16:26:04.279-08:00Blood On the Ice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvvXO55XKYUtFlyQ-JjeENlSsgLWGqEmmBSAVcgSeXk0uMVU-a3OupOnB3RcK62M8Ra5qTUBlN99Qm8W-ta6P4hZQ0oAMu0vLVH8PJvn4BSTpRcUR92a4SW-P-1Vj8NTMd7AYzYs9_Ik/s1600/header.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvvXO55XKYUtFlyQ-JjeENlSsgLWGqEmmBSAVcgSeXk0uMVU-a3OupOnB3RcK62M8Ra5qTUBlN99Qm8W-ta6P4hZQ0oAMu0vLVH8PJvn4BSTpRcUR92a4SW-P-1Vj8NTMd7AYzYs9_Ik/s400/header.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496583627963419858" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">"Obnoxious and Gross!"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweTMI57huv1YJU3xRt0eRKE9QI1P3Az65KoRNYHWsxZvtqD2BU-le8ArC4ZKMFCz07sC8kDDKVx94HSztghZBmjA1ghacn9RUe1wCoUXIO1iEuD-fNNdnPFK2_lFPppu2N3xqXQOqx6Y/s400/hockeypack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496400465721780098" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">I've never used my </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> for sport. As a kid they would get thrown AT someone but never to them, or they played the part of giant spherical monsters that </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_Organization">Cobra</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> employed to constantly harass </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero">G.I. Joes</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> with barf and boogers. As an adult, my </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> (and rip offs...don't ever forget the rip offs) sit majestically on shelves as an homage to children's gross out culture of the 1980's (one nickel will get you into the Bukowski Madball Museum). Point being, they never got tossed around in a game of catch or baseball, they were usually used mischevously. </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Greetings">TCFC</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> designed a toy that would be perfect for misbehaving little boys and girls. We all knew instinctively to peg little Jimmy in the back of the head with </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://madballs.wikia.com/wiki/Oculus_Orbus">Oculus Orbu</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">s or try to get the bolt on </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.x-entertainment.com/articles/0678/10.jpg">Touchdown Terror</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">'s nose (the hardest part) to hit your sister directly in the spine. Well, this hockey stick made in conjunction with the 2007 </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madbal</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">l line is a testament to the spirit of misbehavior. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdiwf2mUqiidbKyqA9u8F4V2rlP4do6cZ7HOkWIA_6SKxT-VdYPQOsSTojLITVOOFUPDSIWvFcpph1CHCfpuSG2uFawIZ8wHY1fbe3eA81kBf6TWariAEhiXPfRWlP8m4ivWWNkgVn4s/s400/hockeyout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496402014082197474" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 289px;" border="0" /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's right. A padded hockey stick (and puck) with monster faces printed on it! You could use it to pretend you're on the ice in your parents living room, but most likely you'll be thwapping someone in the back of the knees with this bad boy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sXiYIiiGUNveAUR4I33IWH4LsNkaPVsu7JScgJC0_G-Bl3YseBtvinvdnCt5aRTstq79z7LOLAtZC3mfX4HV86rX_z78ZokkDUGLrmBZYW45yGr2Lqx6O3bRsokUnmQAdh0xG6TrW5U/s400/hockeyclose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496400452359220194" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 175px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.peasantmagik.net/">Sal</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> got me this at a Marshall's (of all places!) as a surprise. I was super pumped because this harkens back to the days of </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> merchandising mania (folders, lunchboxes, cups, mugs, sleeping bags) where their ugly likenesses were plastered on anything and everything. The more I thought of it, though, the more disappointed I am that this wasn't more like the Gruesome Creatures wiffle bats. Those were molded plastic with HUGE monster faces on them. Kinda like </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> but in bat form. It would be really cool if </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Greetings">TCFC</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""> broke the baseball/football mold and started making pucks, basketball hoops, etc with sculpted monster faces. Oh well.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKsT9NrclBPBIy8X4oetfEe3LA_T_Cv_bP5RvBVKqmGrOM52Q_uYBu0i6pYUAAZ_hGlmIWp060x1ZwOgoDToE1SK8NGC9-IsJ36M1oQJYpdqX590zlDthytKFBa4uB8a-onan_R-KOI8/s400/puckclose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496400464440000818" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 202px;" border="0" /></span></span></div><div>This set is fun and I'm sure any nerdy kid would love it. It's not the sturdiest thing in the world (which is good for whoever's on the receiving end of it) but it's cool because it's basically a vehicle for the sweet Madball design art. Repvile takes center stage, with his ugly mug occupying boths sides of the puck, and the stick is graced with the revamped versions of Slobulus, Skull Face, and Screamin' Meemie !</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m2IxA04NbMqkIwzlmvI9Q9EICKTT3ef39a9i8AiS2V9EitkG_Ca2IdQ2Q5RkTW-uVVGrPdzKE1d7z1wt0VR7WOEDQtMFgj-IMJvPBdIzYodueJcKugSg03QoyJYWXpeXjQ5haeSLap0/s1600/tag.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m2IxA04NbMqkIwzlmvI9Q9EICKTT3ef39a9i8AiS2V9EitkG_Ca2IdQ2Q5RkTW-uVVGrPdzKE1d7z1wt0VR7WOEDQtMFgj-IMJvPBdIzYodueJcKugSg03QoyJYWXpeXjQ5haeSLap0/s400/tag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496400477246354274" border="0" /></a>Upon closer inspection, it looks like this set was made this year and by <a href="http://www.kellytoy.com/">Kellytoy</a> who make nothing else I want. It is encouraging to see that <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> merch is still being made. Maybe that Series 3 really will come out....sigh. <div><br /></div><div>In conclusion, pretty fun. Mostly for the absurdity of what it is and where it was found. I really do wish it was sculpted though. Thanks <a href="http://www.peasantmagik.net/">Sal</a>!!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoVf4vG6kUED8sP8M9c8GQ94qmVe7i_GTu5v94zGCSiYVmUe4iQBm0boRGKqM_dNkxw1DLepuOreSx3SLRMC4bniAPyAIK0P49nLbgstguq9Pmo5I4WTTZ-YDg7Fdn5hbtIkX93nlswY/s1600/hockey1.jpg"></a></div>Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278197211445263930.post-56296363526260482372010-07-13T20:26:00.000-07:002011-01-28T09:08:35.682-08:00A Journey Into the Unknown Part 2: This Time It's Personal<div> </div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUQVVduh3YVrqE3pExj8bm6mj5GjqtuCFvqKcGJD7IzxeS9F9Sxv_iM0nf7G4gW_IY2ALXNToN8cApYf8dUWVEY9oV8SbVj0D4YatN_P4VZYthsl9y7KLFDLlemkx_DXB5a4QZ3VqUyM/s400/unknownheader.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598361216419058" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 182px;" border="0" /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">"No Comment...Again"</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"></span><div><br /></div><div>In the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">A Journey Into the Unknown</a> post from a month ago, I showed you a bunch of iconic fake <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madballs</a>. Rip offs that are almost as ubiquitous as their predecessors. Today, we go into the dark bowers <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">of Madballs</a> domain, the slimy underbelly of Orb. These are rip offs that aren't part of any series, have no morals, usually no manufacturing markings and can even be knock offs of knock offs. Welcome to the dark side of <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> collecting. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SQ8kWh5xVopjRDtPq-Ac4WRkQfn56qUwLDvRBXia69k7DDzAeJ404HFKEjQhTf_Ve-fv7oPb47JyqOxuVeN7gtzWsOLMeVzMlpQrTPQhl42XnZWYObW6bM6RtdV5Qpxb_pjf804JDaQ/s400/unknowndrac.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598338467450722" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 181px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">First up is one of my favorite fakes ever! Let's call him Dracenstein (that's right I'll be naming these anonymous creeps!). He's made from Sadball inflatable rubber and painted in only 3 colors, but he's sculpted really well! I also like the Frankenstein/Dracula combo. Fangs and stitches go together really well...who woulda thought!? He's also got some cool touches like the one bug eye and the volcano-esque warts under his chin. Dracenstein is simple enough that he's not a mess to look at (<a href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z167/Great_WhiteSnark/slobulus.jpg">Slobulus</a>) with lovingly crafted details to make him interesting. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-v7N3J1oFzY24UurBEuA1Gq79LIeYEoKvCPG6k9Io63GinSYzDxLtXuR4ifgFqQaZ2Nz_fnXhz3gRHJRtdcUnd7jNghDixzAZeXvCyNuofFfNfy2D3s-Jv-yxLwKMDwqUOmMEcBucH8/s400/unknownfootball.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598345024583266" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" border="0" /></span></span></div><div>Ohhhhh man. Here we go. This guy is a jerk. He's a rip off of a rip off (a combo of Weird Balls <a href="http://cdn1.ioffer.com/img/item/144/048/733/plzG.jpg">Wart Hog</a> and <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/04/all-encompasing-rip-off-artists.html">Worm Skull</a>), and he's made out of a really crappy material. Not <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> foam and not <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadball</a> rubber, Wart-worm is made of a hollow, semi-rigid plastic that makes him really unfun to play with...not that I play with these..oh whatever. Like you can't throw him at your brother's head or step on him at all without causing permanent dents or chipping. The paint comes right off this dude. Like <a href="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z167/Great_WhiteSnark/slobulus.jpg">Slobulus</a>, he's got too much goin on. The elements they stole from both Weird Balls are cool on their own but its hard for me to tell what I'm looking at now that they're all crammed onto one tiny football. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJStqu1taQWPnJO8vXrYUPc07BvzNE1jQYtBZDuw3xgXIyKeEn6zN-gOtX6XpJ8pfOWRdV2grqZcdO5myZRUd04SBm1gQdcsB25V4DOEqV_pW6KOx2yH_ot8Lyl5X2bGCPhgmtxHk7n2k/s1600/unkonwnrips.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJStqu1taQWPnJO8vXrYUPc07BvzNE1jQYtBZDuw3xgXIyKeEn6zN-gOtX6XpJ8pfOWRdV2grqZcdO5myZRUd04SBm1gQdcsB25V4DOEqV_pW6KOx2yH_ot8Lyl5X2bGCPhgmtxHk7n2k/s400/unkonwnrips.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598946246147666" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">Up next we have two MORE imitations of imitations. We'll name them Allergic Reaction and Ghost Mummy.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqMrJ8IKkUVsWwcoPQ-qHT6hEs29-buqc6M2M3gPH22WMgwuu88rdt1JnrfKposfmT2j3BpnSVizgMQ4H0lUOzRvtwDqnxDNKLSOV7D98fn1-yGvAdRuRukEsDo6bWbS0VXw97en8yl0/s400/unknownrips2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598563609248754" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 244px;" border="0" /></span></div><div>Allergic Reaction is most definitely a poor attempt at a Shrink Head Weird Ball but molded in the same semi-rigid plastic as Wart-worm. He's really bad. Just poorly designed, no flourishes and an odd choice of colors. I prefer Shrink Head, but when Josh finds this guy for you in a flea market bin for a dollar you can't go wrong!</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4sjVwF3SDlVb52pDU8zreQb3kcqjJzHofDHhZFTEC51pNNYGJTQhM1pDFsnME60zJDFqEnodwgVqQ_rjbKn9ztUahW7GKLBOJ2EuZq7wRgUc2TfX1mJiKuINFw3qjogD8nCGJuTb24k/s400/unknownrips3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598568346191330" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 231px;" border="0" /></span></span></div><div>Ghost Mummy is where things get weird.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"> </span>The dude on the left is Fantasma from the <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/06/me-gusta-balls.html">La Pelota Del Terror</a> Argentinian line. Ghost Mummy is the same exact sculpt but inflated more, made from a different rubber and painted better. He's pretty neat, but I prefer the crappier Argentinian dude. He's funnier. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSpooIWY9yNgGc0tQmc-zMjBfivBOLrJG4wX0u6jJ_m6rKvuUAWqYpY7Y_PQq-bbnTTZn2VZZSpwgnfDefmsg3ufKlnfRa9BqG78SgZn6nPqeXPIO3-dM-pagiEdOLN64XGgYJmA7G4c/s1600/unknownnosering.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSpooIWY9yNgGc0tQmc-zMjBfivBOLrJG4wX0u6jJ_m6rKvuUAWqYpY7Y_PQq-bbnTTZn2VZZSpwgnfDefmsg3ufKlnfRa9BqG78SgZn6nPqeXPIO3-dM-pagiEdOLN64XGgYJmA7G4c/s400/unknownnosering.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598554168176530" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"></span></div><div>Now what <i>really</i> makes things weird is Purple People Eater. Though he's barely painted (and what's there is sloppy) he's a really cool mold! However....</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtUv2HA68UGLk3GATwG_WXzWPtg07w6GKQfz5-joyxIjXHqWstjiMVne2N62nQXNkPH92_ei8u654mh5PvUe6oprSmzeKwDwWOovQ6fJRTrry0W-Cfol5L45-o6IxXvMjgVsLmsMO5dA/s400/unknownnose2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598541543183474" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 230px;" border="0" /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">These dudes look kinda similar. Which is making me question which dudes came first. The <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/06/me-gusta-balls.html">Pelota Del Terror</a> guys or this unknown purple freak. He's rendered better and with more care but painted poorly and, as far as I can tell, not part of a series. They both have the same mouth, nose and eyebrows! Yeah they don't look too similar in the above pic but the paint and color of the rubber may be throwing you off. Check this out..</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgppBxQ7T6V4tsabsF7Z5knxSbdJf72Y8SofVBvcd7wPxRJ7UzQ_j0CrLxYJrS_Umc1SMP2KtNig-FQNcSjzDdP-UFuUKLzu8Ai_asyuOQn35w77XrzUmwwRVmqLrKSBXuv9kJaqwnp4pY/s400/unknownnose3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598545986515106" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 130px;" border="0" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Broncudo has a weird worm on his head in the same spot that Purple People Eater has that hitchhiking gecko. They also have those "worms" breaking out of their skulls right in front of their ears. The stitches are in different places but they're there. It almost looks like someone got hold of Purple People Eater and imitated him in a rush OR someone got a hold of Broncudo and saw his glorious gross potential and took the time to make him better. Either way I'm confused. </span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4PDL3XkvvIHquyR8Bn-bDb4Du7fGl0WH6bqf9Z0dexKoBIfcvfGpz-hjwcH1HtF3KAaZ5aF5GjT-YP2WHYkkwIvkcqtXDAg45MDXi2viSggE5JSvT32Rl0aDxeBvL4tgsuyQT1rd8A4A/s400/unknowntongue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598926357728530" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 183px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Get ready for really bizarre now. John McEnblow is pretty gross with his pink skin, huge irregular teeth and bulging eye. What really puts him over the top is the disgusting bundle of bloody tendons falling out of his eye socket! Ew! They're all red and shiny. It grosses me out. He gets his name cus I think he's supposed to be some sort of athlete. The headband is giving me that impression. Yeah, he's got a headband, that's cool. But it's not as cool as this...</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvr8nMKXwYbwdwVFJDfWoXNGjxuLHnTvvsJCYePKLh5uLsj6Xa4Vv0pFVeR1On5TYmSnq_e-ARbxqdGk8smpwkyCa6ueSLfS20YU1uBbp_1DsENgCpEoQTypfYcHjS9wfz7Xn24YzP94/s1600/unknownvampstamp.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmFUNSNjqBnhDk1cuSjSQ4h23_XJg6vwSyLfheJJ5S3hFlfBMXWKCYKjVDKCMMccMxI5ACdUGdorVRfOkyk1fexSNQAbECEsZHclwyHT_2F5w8MosSbl_6iqntQGL6W6qc4EKafOtvO0/s1600/unknowntongue2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmFUNSNjqBnhDk1cuSjSQ4h23_XJg6vwSyLfheJJ5S3hFlfBMXWKCYKjVDKCMMccMxI5ACdUGdorVRfOkyk1fexSNQAbECEsZHclwyHT_2F5w8MosSbl_6iqntQGL6W6qc4EKafOtvO0/s400/unknowntongue2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598930925629698" border="0" /></a>BAM! Just give ol' Johnny a squeeze and out pops his <i>balloon tongue</i>! What?! Yeah it's odd. He's a little smaller than a <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> so maybe the manufacturers thought they had to jazz him up a bit...with a balloon tongue. Again, no markings so I guess I'll just have to dream of more of these, cus this guy rules. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSpooIWY9yNgGc0tQmc-zMjBfivBOLrJG4wX0u6jJ_m6rKvuUAWqYpY7Y_PQq-bbnTTZn2VZZSpwgnfDefmsg3ufKlnfRa9BqG78SgZn6nPqeXPIO3-dM-pagiEdOLN64XGgYJmA7G4c/s1600/unknownnosering.jpg"></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4nyg5pj5W5nkW75DEvWVSqG-wvaNWiaWbRYTubuoYclZNSFNEWlTRInwNdXrmOmfuXKuTNh4b2QCBWYNXy9EmOyKetsnl3wPtT_cdk3NfInZWKHQnNan_gLW2Cgzy90hORXhNvoTqkA/s1600/unknowngreen.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4nyg5pj5W5nkW75DEvWVSqG-wvaNWiaWbRYTubuoYclZNSFNEWlTRInwNdXrmOmfuXKuTNh4b2QCBWYNXy9EmOyKetsnl3wPtT_cdk3NfInZWKHQnNan_gLW2Cgzy90hORXhNvoTqkA/s400/unknowngreen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598358735878162" border="0" /></a></div>Haha! I always forget about this guy cus he's the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeyore">Eeyore</a> of <a href="http://blarghhhspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/journey-into-unknown.html">Sadballs</a>. Just a goofy nerd that's put together poorly and everyone ignores. We'll call him Winnie the Puke. He's some sort of lizard with fangs and the standard <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> asymmetrical bug eyes. But he's also got a weird exposed skull with veins on it? Or it's a white brain? Or it's just poorly made? Yep! That's it. I do like this guy despite his faults. Mostly because of that lackadaisical look. I'd pet him.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZvkEn9Nt1ph7VKwklI7T3l8RA3pCEjYOTpQO9RflebNLEKFNIHNQL-WftNUIW2iUJetvdlT61t130yYXS8HyRsWWSSS_0d1IlzP34LwFvdRpE_ZRKQdLl2FTPVGBz5H8syJcdTND9Aw/s1600/unknownfreaky.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZvkEn9Nt1ph7VKwklI7T3l8RA3pCEjYOTpQO9RflebNLEKFNIHNQL-WftNUIW2iUJetvdlT61t130yYXS8HyRsWWSSS_0d1IlzP34LwFvdRpE_ZRKQdLl2FTPVGBz5H8syJcdTND9Aw/s400/unknownfreaky.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598350700307106" border="0" /></a>Last but not least are two dudes from an unknown series. I scored these idiots over at <a href="http://monstercollectibles.blogspot.com/2009/01/castle-of-frankenstein-4-1964.html">Monster Collectibles</a>. Unlike the rest of this motley crew they actually have names! On the left is Vampire Vinny and on the right is Freaky Fred. I personally think they got the names mixed cus the dude on the right totally looks like a <a href="http://jameswaites.ilatech.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/nosferatularge.jpg">nosferatu</a>! </div><div><br /></div><div>Both these guys are really cool, filled with gross details and painted really well with lots of colors. Vampire Vinny's puffy eyes really disturb me as does Freaky Fred's big warty nose. While Freaky Fred looks like a gross old <a href="http://www.fullhalloween.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dracula.jpg">Dracula</a>, Vampire Vinny doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before. Maybe a mutant human/insect hybrid? Look at those jacked teeth!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvr8nMKXwYbwdwVFJDfWoXNGjxuLHnTvvsJCYePKLh5uLsj6Xa4Vv0pFVeR1On5TYmSnq_e-ARbxqdGk8smpwkyCa6ueSLfS20YU1uBbp_1DsENgCpEoQTypfYcHjS9wfz7Xn24YzP94/s400/unknownvampstamp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493598937012799186" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 220px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Both of them have their names and "Emson" stamped on their hinders but <a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=emson+toys&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">Google</a> searches have yielded little information about the makers. It makes me sad because they seem to be part of team whose other members I want to own and put on a shelf! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In conclusion, cool and suck but overall cool. There's a lot of these mystery monsters out there and some are poorly made while others have the love and horror of an actual <a href="http://www.madballs.com/">Madball</a> put into them but all are great examples of the 80's gross out phenomena. Even the really really bad ones tend to be funny. So, happy hunting, and let me know if you have any info on these dorks or spy any others!</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-v7N3J1oFzY24UurBEuA1Gq79LIeYEoKvCPG6k9Io63GinSYzDxLtXuR4ifgFqQaZ2Nz_fnXhz3gRHJRtdcUnd7jNghDixzAZeXvCyNuofFfNfy2D3s-Jv-yxLwKMDwqUOmMEcBucH8/s1600/unknownfootball.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SQ8kWh5xVopjRDtPq-Ac4WRkQfn56qUwLDvRBXia69k7DDzAeJ404HFKEjQhTf_Ve-fv7oPb47JyqOxuVeN7gtzWsOLMeVzMlpQrTPQhl42XnZWYObW6bM6RtdV5Qpxb_pjf804JDaQ/s1600/unknowndrac.jpg"></a><br /></div>Michael Bukowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551050082487650160noreply@blogger.com1