Extreme Wrestlers of Vinylmation

This set just keeps getting better and better. A few days after pictures leaked onto the net showing the Extreme Wrestler series, Vinylmation.com has announced they come with trading type cards!

Each figure will come with their own card with their name, bio, hometown and signature move! Love it. The packaging design is great as well. They will be released in Disney Stores on October 29th for $9.95.

Here is a look at the full tray and 11 figures…

Mickey’s Circus- Robots 3

Disney Store announced Robots 3. It is a twist on the first two sets. This one, is all Disney characters as robots! It will still be a 12 figure blind box series. Both MC and I are super excited to see where this one goes. We also love the character selection so far with the first two figures shown to us not being a part of the Fab 5.

A Zloser Hook at Zooper Heroes

The Vinylmation Blog likes to hold back secrets at times, but they had no problem divulging the identity of the Zooper Heroes yesterday.

This is the next 12 figure mystery series that will hit Disney Stores and online on December 10th. The blind boxes will retail for $9.95 and are full of various animals dressed up as super heroes.

To me, the classic comic book packaging is the best part about this set and becomes an early front runner for best packaging at the ’13 Dee Vees. When this series was first announced at Mickey’s Circus, I was skeptical. It seemed to be an odd design to place on the Mickey platform. I compare it slightly to Extreme Wrestlers. Neither use the vast library of Disney characters. Instead, the artists imagine their own characters to populate the set. The difference between the two sets is that the wrestler designs seemed to hit home with me, while this set does not. I think, however, the Zooper Heroes will be an instant hit among children who spot the product on store shelves.

Overall, the designs are nice enough to make a fun cartoon or comic strip… and even sell some action figures. But on the Mickey canvas, I’d rather see the Disney characters as super heroes… and I would buy that series in a second. I understand Disney needs to target a variety of audiences with it’s Vinylmation products and this one is not for me. But I do not understand why the Disney Store is focusing on non-Disney sets these days. The DS artists do an amazing job with the characters, and I hope they shift focus in 2013. I will give them acknowledgment for wonderful use of accessories lately. They go above and beyond when it comes to hats, Cinderella’s slipper and now that toy duck the female bird is pulling around in this set.

Wild Prediction: There will be a variant for each of the 12 figures that shows the Zooper Hero in their “normal” alter ego.

Disney Character Robots Release: November 19

The Disney Store decided to attempt a little reboot of the Robots series. They announced back at Mickey’s Circus how Robots 3 will be Disney Characters as robots. Now, we have a release date for the series of November 19 at Disney Stores. On Friday, the Disney Vinylmation Blog reveled 4 never before seen designs.

The artist(s) seemed to have put a lot of though in decided what defining characteristically or themes from each character to put into the designs. Minnie has some pink tones throughout and keeps her bow. She has a Mickey head at her core and has yellow on her feet representing the heels she never leaves behind. It wouldn’t be Winnie the Pooh without a tummy full of honey! I absolutely love that feature. But the coolest (and not just because he’s one of my favorite characters) design feature in any of these is the claw drawn onto the body of the Little Green Man from Toy Story. He also gets an antenna and the Pizza Planet logo. Grumpy, a favorite of the DS Artists, still has his trademark beard drawn on, but it is almost sucked into a hole on his belly and has wires wrapped around and through it. I liked the concept when this was announced, but was skeptical. I really hope they give me a Donald Duck and I’ll call this set a win! Here is a look at the Tigger and White Rabbit we saw previewed at Mickey’s Circus.

Nursery Rhyme Disney Store Series

Update 09/12/12 This new 12 figure blind box series is set for a September 24 release at Disney Stores. It will retail for $9.95. We also have some updated pictures of this series taken at Mickey’s Circus.

Pictures from Vinylamtion Kingdom

Over at Vinylmation Kingdom their source told them that there will be a series of Nursery Rhyme figures. Below is the Three Blind Mice. They are also reporting the following figures-

Little Miss Muffet
Three Little Pigs
Cat and the Fiddle

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Humpty Dumpty
Little Bo Peep

Little Boy Blue
Hickory Dickory Dock
Mother Goose
Elves and Shoemaker or Old Woman That Lives in a Shoe

They have already mentioned that the Three Little Pigs will all be on one 3″ vinyl and Three Blind Mice will all come as Jrs in a box instead of a 3″, which is a really interesting concept. Check out Mother Goose’s hat and the Cat and the Fiddle’s awesome accessory! VK is also reporting them to be a blind box series.

What do you think of these? Especially because Little Bo Peep and the Three Little Pigs will be repeats (of sorts).

Cinderella’s Blu-Ray & Vinyl Ball

Update 09/12/12 We snapped some pictures of the 9″ Cinderella Castle and 3″ Prince Charming at Mickey’s Circus. We also learned of a September 17 Disney Store release. The price of the 9″ is $59.95 and was designed by Gerald Mendez. The price of the 7 figure pack is $69.95 and was designed by Ignacio Rodriguez.

On October 2nd, the Disney animated classic Cinderella goes Hi-Def when the Diamond Edition Blu-Ray combo pack is released.

To commemorate the re-released of one of Disney’s treasured films, the Disney Store will also release some (presumably LE) Vinylmation on October 2nd. A big thank you to Vinylmation Kingdom for unearthing this info. The first figure is a 9″ that will retail for $59.95.

The figure depicts Cinderella’s castle in a very animated style. Even in this grainy photo we can tell the colors and artwork are beautiful. The castle steps lead down toward the feet with the glass slipper sitting on them with sparkles all around. The packaging itself add to the collectability of this piece. A blue box with stars and what looks to be Cinderella’s coach at the top. Next, is a set of Vinylmation.

This 7 figure set includes five 3″ figures and two Juniors. Depicted here are:

Cinderella: Dressed in her ball gown with stars in her ears as well as a glass slipper. All of these figures take on a slightly exaggerated cartoonish style that the Disney Store artists seem to prefer over the more true to the animation style the Disney Design Group artists strive for. It’s not a good or bad thing… it’s just a style and a matter of preference. I still would love to see Thomas Scott take on the princesses, but this one is done beautifully. As with Rapunzel from the 25th Anniversary set, Cinderella’s hair is used to frame her face, keeping her face from appearing chubby.

Prince Charming: He is all dressed in his best clothes for the ball and boy is he happy! And why not? He just found the foot that fits the glass slipper… WHICH IS A HOLDABLE ACCESSORY!!! That is by far the best part of this set for me. Very cool idea.

The Fairy Godmother: This is our second version (Animation 1) and as described above, this is a more cartoonish as opposed to true to animation approach. This one also has a wand. Her ears have stars, with the left one also having an outline of the castle.

Jaq and Gus: A brilliant idea to make the two mice Jr figures. Especially with the detail artists can put on these 1.5″ figures now. They both look great with a ton of character in their tiny faces.

Anastasia and Drizella: Cinderella’s stepsisters are chosen without their mother Lady Tremaine. This is a commendable decision given that Lady Tremaine can already be found in the Villains 2 series. Their design looks good… evil and mean… just what the artist was going for.

The Disney Store has now given us another classic princess. What are your thoughts? Here is the trailer to get you ready for the big release.

ZoMG: Under the Big Top Release Party

Zoe went to the Costa Mesa, CA Disney Store release of the new Vinylmation mystery box series Under the Big Top. Check out her pictures:

Poster advertising the big event!
There were clowns, a carousel, games and other entertainment.
Wow! The packaging looks great!
Gold and Silver tickets were handed out to guests. 
The more product purchased, the more autographs you could get.
Here is a look at what Zoe and her friend pulled from the blind boxes. All signed by artist Gerald Mendez.

Under the Big Top Explained

Under the Big Top Explained
Release Date: July 21 at Costa Mesa Disney Store. July 23 Nationwide Disney Stores
Price: TBA
Details: 12 figure mystery box set based on circus figures. There is an artist signing with Gerald Mendez at the Costa Mesa Disney Store on July 21 from 10:30 – 1:30. There will also be special events and activities at the event. Some interesting fine print for the event. If you purchase a full tray of this set, then you get a gold ticket, good for up to 7 signatures. If you buy 3-8 boxes, then you get a silver ticket, which gets you up to 3 signatures. While supplies last.

Bearded Lady

A cross between a nice lady and a werewolf, this lucky gal has a crazy cool face follicles.

Gymnast

Similar to the Philharmagic Donald, the vinyl is upside. The hair in the feet doesn’t work quite as well as similar designs in the past, but it’s still fun and creative.

Mime

Not much use of the ears, but a great expression on his face. Although I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pudgy one.

Scary Clown

If you follow the podcast you’ll know that lots of people are scared of clowns. This one is not going to help that. Perfect for those of us who might be getting a little too much sleep at night.

Snake Charmer

Not really a North America type, I do like the accessory flute! And I like that the feet are actually the basket the cobra is coming out of.

Strong Man

Check out that accessory. It’s gotta be the heaviest one yet! The sweat is a nice added touch.

Tattooed Man

At first I thought this was a Hairy Man, but that didn’t really seem all that special. On second look, he’s covered with tattoos. Let’s hope for some easter eggs.

Fire Eater

Love the accessory (I always do). Looks great.

Ring Master

Great mustache. And Hat.

Monkey

Reminds me of Abu. Another nice accessory!

Fortune Teller

Great us of artist technique to show the table and crystal ball in front of the vinyl.

Mystery Chaser

Click on image to reveal chaser.