Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Marvel

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the Marvel themed releases we will see over the coming months.

The “Next Marvel Series”

When announcing this series, Disney Design Group artist Thomas Scott was very careful with the words he chose. He said that this is series is NOT Marvel Series #3, but is in fact a “smaller set” of figures that will be based on the upcoming Age of Ultron movie. This means that this is going to be the first series that is not based on comic books, and will instead focus on the Marvel Cinematic Universe vision of these characters. While this is a really cool idea, with the immense history and an insane roster of characters that Marvel boasts, this feels like a lost opportunity to me. We have already gotten almost every figure that this series can have in the first Marvel series that came out. Having said that, I really do like the idea of getting these versions of the characters on the platform. Let’s take a look at who might make the cut for this series:

Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.)

This one is already a given, since he is insanely popular (and not to mention, is on the box). But with how much Iron Man is more Tony Stark than he is the suit, I think were going to need Robert Downey, Jr. to make an appearance somewhere, either as an unmasked variant or as a chaser.

Steve Rogers / Captain America (Chris Evans)

Marvel Studios keeps making this character look cooler in every movie, and a large part of that is the continued updates they keep bringing to his suit. I’d love to see what details Thomas Scott would put into this character in this set.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth)

Like Captain America, Thor continues to have amazing costume enhancements with each Marvel iteration that is released. Would love to see his lightning powers reflected in the figure, as they didn’t really have a place in the first figure we got.

Bruce Banner / Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)

As awesome as the Hulk is, I think I would actually prefer a Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner vinyl more.

Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)

As the veteran female of the group, you think she HAS to pop up somewhere in this set. Would love to see her electric bracelets somehow utilized.

Clint Barton / Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)

While I’m not the biggest Hawkeye fan, Thomas Scott loves this character, so chances are he’ll be making an appearance in this set.

Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) (and by default The Vision (Paul Bettany)

Two newcomers to the MCU are Quicksilver and The Vision, who happen to cameos in this picture. While I would LOVE to see Quicksilver represented in this set, since we have never had him, I think Thomas Scott already made about as perfect a Vision as you can with the variant from the first series, and would hate to see this cool character get overkilled.

Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen)

The twin sister of Quicksilver, I would also really like to see her make an appearance in this series, since she was a character we didn’t get in the first set. I think she has the potential to look really cool.

Ultron (James Spader)

The chaser from series 1, and the major villain in the upcoming movie. He would look absolutely bananas if done right.

Of course we could also get Nick Fury, Maria Hill, etc. But with being deemed a “smaller set” and so many design choices for the characters listed above, I think its safe to say these will be the majority. Can’t wait to see what Thomas Scott has in store for us with this series!!

Iron Patriot / War Machine Limited Edition Two Pack

December 2014
LE 1500
$29.95

Wow, I cannot wait to get my hands on this two-pack. This is a release that makes complete sense, and looks absolutely fantastic. Both of these characters are featured in the Iron Man movies, with Don Cheadle getting behind the armor to represent them. However, in the comics (which is what these look to be based off of), Norman Osborn was the original Iron Patriot, so if you get your hands on the Green Goblin variant from the Spider-Man series, you can recreate this menacing character.

I must say, I absolutely LOVE the detail on these two. I think they blow the Iron Man from series 1 out of the water. Thomas Scott really outdid himself with this two-pack.

Ant-Man Eachez

December 2014
Hank Pym 9/10 odds (LE 2250)
Scott Lang 1/10 odds (LE 250)
$16.95

I love that we’re getting this as an Eachez release. It makes complete sense, and both designs look AMAZING. Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man, will be the common, while Scott Lang, who is the second Ant-Man (and the centerpiece for the upcoming movie, played by Paul Rudd). It’s interesting that Scott Lang was chosen to be the variant, since people will be more familiar with his version of Ant-Man once the movies come out. But I love that we’re getting two completely different characters with this eachez release. That alone is going to make me want to hunt down both of these. Plus, they will go great with the Yellowjacket / Wasp two-pack that we got with series 1. The mask on Hank Pym looks amazing too (tell me that that does not look drawn on). These figures are both based on the comic book versions, and here is a look at how well they have been represented:

And a preview from the upcoming movie:

Peter Parker Eachez

January 2015
Spider Sense 9/10 odds (LE 2250)
Peter Parker 1/10 odds (LE 250)
$16.95

The final preview we got for Marvel, and the one that I’m most excited about, is the Peter Parker eachez. A lot of people, including myself, were curious as to why Peter Parker was noticeably omitted from Marvel Series 2 that just came out. Well, it looks like we got our answer! The common version of this figure is Peter Parker looking considered while his “Spider Sense is tingling”. Throughout his run in the comics and animated TV shows, his face normally flashes to half his Spider-Man mask, while yellow rays encircle his head when this event happens. Thomas Scott did an amazing job bringing this to life on the platform.

The variant figure is the happy-go-lucky Peter Parker that we all know and love. The yellow flashes have been replaced with spider webs in his ears, and he is sporting a much less concerned look. If you have the Mary Jane Watson variant figure from series 2, this is a great opportunity to recreate their iconic first scene together:

The Amazing Spider-Man #42

Well, this wraps up all of the previews we got for Marvel from the Imagination Gala! Let us know what you think about these upcoming Marvel vinyls!

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Movie Based Mystery Sets

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the movie based mystery sets we will see over the coming months.

Disney Design Group artist Thomas Scott said on Sunday that the blind box mystery series is still the foundation of the hobby. At the Imagination Gala, he announced a few new blind box mystery sets based on both classic and brand new Disney films. Let’s take a look.

Peter Pan

8 Figure blind box set
Release Date: June 2015

We did not get to see much, but the artwork of half of Peter Pan’s face peeking over the side of the box is enough to hook me. (get it? hook me…) Also, knowing this series is in the hands of Caley Hicks and DDG’s best character artist Ron Cohee, I think we will be in Neverland with this set.

There are a few things I need from this series. First, a really amazing Captain Hook… WITH A HOOK ACCESSORY. I also want mermaids. Caley should be able to give us some really good ones. There are a few ways to go. I’d love a scene of Mermaid Lagoon. But a single mermaid with variants works too. Wendy, Michael and Peter are practically a given. Then there is one thing I do not want, a 3″ Tinker Bell. Not needed.

Cinderella

8 figure blind box set
Release Date: January 2015

This set wins the award for the most unnecessary one previewed at the event. We already have a great Storybook combo set of all the main characters, complete with a wonderful prince and Cinderella and perhaps one of the finest accessories of all time… a glass slipper. That said, Enrique Pita drew up some fine artwork for this Disney Store series.

I’m biased, because this film is way down on my personal favorite’s list, but if you have been collecting Vinylmation for a while, you probably have most of these figures already. Fairy Godmother may look odd with a turned head. I will say Lady Tremaine is better than the Villains version. Lucifer is spot on to his Whiskers and Tales counterpart. Then we have a Bruno who is a nice addition. Then we get to the three cindy’s. Can anyone say EACHEZ?! This is what Eachez was made for! No need for another Cinderella set. The art is cool on the Cinderellas, but it would make an amazing Eachez.

101 Dalmatians

8 figure blind box set
Release Date: December 2014

What are you thinking Enrique!? Another Disney Store release will be 101 Dalmatians. Again, not speaking to the artwork, but this is just boring. If you want to do these characters, trickle them into the Animation series.

Cruella looks great. Maybe our finest one yet. Nice artwork on Roger and Anita. But I don’t need to by blind boxes and get another Dalmatian. I have some already and I’m not good enough to tell them apart.

Big Hero 6

8 figure blind box set
Release Date: Fall 2014

This series is based on the upcoming Disney Studios animated film based on the Marvel Comics property, Big Hero 6. The movie will be released on November 7, 2014, so expect a set release date around that time. I am warming up to this film the more I see trailers, and the artwork on these figures is like nothing we have in Vinlymation. It is in an anime style and seems spot on to the comic.

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: The Designer Series

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

MC and I saw this coming years ago. A series of mass produced Vinylmation designed by a famous artist that also produces one-of-a-kind customs for events and occasions. A few years ago, we saw this person as being Noah. He was the primary professional artist in the spotlight with customs at all the events. While he is still very visible, Miss Mindy sure has carved her niche in the hobby as well. She has really become a fan favorite over the past two years and has created some incredible pieces of art that have wowed the community.

At the Imagination Gala, Thomas Scott brought Miss Mindy up on stage to announce the new Designer Series. Coming in 2015, we will be treated to a blind box set designed by Miss Mindy. Then, future Designer Series will be designed by other professional, non-Disney Design Group artists that presumably have a strong connection to the custom Vinylmation community.

Miss Mindy’s style really shines through on the box art sneak peek we saw at the event. This is a wonderful idea for the Vinylmation brand that will now trickle into the more mainstream art community exposing the brand to a whole new audience. It almost legitimizes the brand outside of Disney. Also, Miss Mindy was very well received by the audience at the Imagination Gala making her a great choice to connect various audiences. No exact release date given on Designer Series 1, but we will keep an eye, or a monocle?, out for it.

Here is a look at some of Miss Mindy’s custom Vinylmation over the years:

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: STAR WARS

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the Star Wars themed releases we will see over the coming months.

Destination Vinylmation’s Ben Levitt breaks it all down and predicts what figures should be in Star Wars Series 5…

One of the biggest highlights for me during the Vinylmation previews announced on Sunday at the Imagination Gala were the multiple announcements adding on to the rapidly growing Star Wars series. As a life long Star Wars fan, naturally series 1 was my first exposure to the Vinylmation brand on a trip for Star Wars weekends back in 2011. From the limited edition packs, creative variants and 9 inches, the Disney artists have found unique ways to expand and make the Star Wars line one of the most exciting and sought after Vinylmations.

Star Wars Series 5

Release Date: 2015
Artists: Casey Jones and Maria Clapsis

First, we were given a tease for the upcoming Star Wars series 5 blind box series. I know Brendt and Nick were discussing in the podcast that this should have been the time to go into prequel territory and I have to disagree. First off, I’m with you guys, I am not a prequel hater and there are plenty of characters from the prequel films that I would like to see translated to the mold. However, since The Empire Strikes Back got a second series, I think it’s totally fair that A New Hope and potentially even Return of the Jedi get the same treatment. This may mean we are digging a little deeper character wise but I say bring it on, it never stopped the action figure collectors, so why should it stop Vinylmation collectors. So since with this series we were only given the box art featuring the TIE fighter pilot (which looks excellent by the way), lets do some speculating on whom we could see in this series.

Biggs Darklighter

Luke’s best friend on Tattooine. In the original theatrical release, Biggs was mentioned and only seen in the cockpit of his X-wing. For the Special Edition release in 1997, a newly added scene showed Luke and Bigg’s meeting in the hanger on Yavin IV before the Death Star assault. The 2012 blu-ray releases took it a step further and finally revealed the deleted scenes of Luke and Bigg’s friendship on Tattoine at the beginning of the film. I would love to see an X-Wing fighter Bigg’s as the common, and then icing on the cake, a deleted scene Tattoine Bigg’s as a variant., with that cape.

Jek Porkins

One of the cult favorite characters during the assault on the death star is Jek Porkins. Even though the design might be similar to the previous X-Wing pilots, I think a lot of fans would be pleased to have this guy represented here.

Admiral Motti

We got Grand Moff Tarkin in Series 2, why not add another Imperial officer by putting Admiral Motti in this set. He’s the guy that famously got choked out by Vader, so it would be great if they could incorporate that on the design somehow.

Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru

I expect to see an Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru in this set as well. I know we like to see some continuity with the ears for these sets, but it would be neat to incorporate the moisture farm for these characters. If they do not incorporate blue milk into Aunt Beru’s design; I quit.

Dr. Evazan

In the last series to cover A New Hope, we got Ponda Baba, the cantina patron who gets his arm cut off by Obi-Wan. The man that really starts the whole thing is Doctor Evazan, he’s got the death sentence on 12 systems. I think he will look great next to his alien buddy; I say he’s a must for Series 5.

Sandtrooper

Even though we are getting one in the upcoming Junior troopers set, I would bet we get a 3’ Sandtrooper to go with the other 3’ troopers we currently have.

Dewback

To go along with our Sandtrooper, it’s possible they attempt to put a Dewback on a 3’ platform. It might just come off looking like a dinosaur, but we will see, could be interesting. Maybe throw a sandtrooper in it’s ear to make it look like he’s riding it.

Bantha

If they are going with creatures, then we probably end up seeing a Bantha as well. Do the same thing in the ear by making it look like a tusken raider is riding it. It also could look nice with our Tusken Raider from Star Wars 2.

Luke and Han disguised as Stormtroopers

I know a lot of people were doing this in the first series, but if they make new designs with the faces, it might be pretty cool to get a Luke and Han disguised as Stormptroopers in this set.

Nick mentioned it in the podcast, and I think it would be a cool idea to see medal ceremony versions of Luke and Leia. Gold suit Luke would be awesome. Honestly I don’t need a Han one because his outfit isn’t any different. Potentially they could do a hair accessory for Leia, similar to what it looks like they are doing with blue dress Cinderella. Have to have the temple of Yavin in the ears; perhaps even R2-D2 and C-3PO in the ears would be a great touch.

Diogana

My idea for a chaser would be the Diogana, or more commonly known as the creature that attacks Luke in the garbage pit. The body should be the garbage pit, with the eyeball coming out into the head. It would be awesome to see Luke getting attacked in one of the ears.

Jr’s Series 13: Troopers

12 figure blind box series
Release Date: December 2014
Artist: John Henselmeire

A few Juniors Series ago, we got a Star Wars set and they went with droids. Some designs in that set worked, overall I felt that other than the fact that they are droids and are small, the idea sort of fell short. Here however, I think they knocked it out of the park. These troopers look so cool in this junior form. There is something about the designs, that just really make them pop on this platform. Taking away the key chain element is also a huge plus, especially for these. I think lining them all up together on a shelf is going to look great.

Now, there have been a lot of rumors that Stormptroopers will be in the upcoming Episode 7 film. It would be pretty awesome if the official reveal of the new look for Stormtroopers came in the form of the chaser for this series.

Star Wars Eachez

I wasn’t too fond of the first Star Wars Eachez release from Star Wars weekends this year. The R2-MK was fine, good design, and he makes a good presense during the event at the park. The problem was, we already had an R2-D2, so why would I want to keep bloxing until I got it. With these two releases they really have made it worthwhile to want to grab that variant.

Yoda

January 2015
$16.95
Yoda 9/10 odds (LE 2250)
Ghost Yoda 1/10 odds (LE 250)

First, we have a Yoda, with a Ghost Yoda variant. The yoda looks fantastic, the most detailed yoda by far. Love that they have continued putting the planet locations in the ears. The ghost version of Yoda, while going to be tough to find, if you can grab it, will look amazing with the Ghost Obi-Wan, if you have it. Maybe eventually we can re-create that final scene from Return of the Jedi (not the DVD version though)

The second one they revealed however, is the real homerun. We have two completly different Luke designs. To me, this is what Eachez should be all about. Not a subtle change for the variant that doesn’t really make much difference, but something that really makes you want to grab that variant. Here you have Luke in his Tattoine poncho as the common.

Luke

January 2015
$16.95
Maria Clapsis
Luke 9/10 odds (LE 2250)
Face Shield Variant 1/10 odds (LE 250)

The design looks great. The facial expression is well designed, certainly less cartoony then the series 2 version. The goggles painted on are a nice touch. The only gripe I have is, do he really need a lightsaber here? We know Luke doesn’t have a lightsaber during the scene in the film, I say it’s not needed. Now the variant here is perfect.

Luke’s first training as a Jedi occurs on the Millenium Falcon with a little training droid, and that entire scene is perfectly portrayed on this canvas. You have the interior of the Falcon in one ear, and the droid in the other. The painted on blast shield was an incredible touch. Overall this Eachez is perfect.

Star Wars Open Window

The Inquisiter
LE 2500
May 2015
Thomas Scott

First we have the Inquisitor, the villain from the upcoming series Star Wars Rebels that will premiere on October 3rd. This design is pretty straightforward, he looks just like all of the preview photos and video we have seen from the series. The Imperial logo in the left ear is a nice touch. This is the first time a new character from the Star Wars universe has been translated to Vinylmation, but my guess is it certainly will not be the last.

Next, the Star Wars Holiday special, which aired in 1978, was a big deal at the time. It was the first new material of the rapidly growing phenomenon that was Star Wars. Unfortunately the quality of the special is not what audiences were hoping for, and over the years it has become the laughing stock of Star Wars history. However there is one highlight in the special and that is the animated segment, mainly for it being the first official appearance of bounty hunter Boba Fett.

This I think was a genius idea to put him in vinyl form. This is the origin of a fan favorite character, and the design is perfect. The color pallet matches the animation style perfectly. At Star Wars Weekends we got a vinyl of the prototype suit from original screen tests, and these will pair perfectly together.

Boba Fett Holida Special

LE 1500
November 2014
$16.95
Casey Jones

How do you guys feel about all these upcoming releases, what is your favorite, and which are must haves?

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Annual Passholder Mickey Waffle Eachez

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the Annual Passholder Mickey Waffle Eachez that will release sometime in October at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

The Mickey Waffle is a rite of passage at the Disney Parks. I don’t know what it is, but a waffle just tastes better when it is shaped like Mickey. I assume it has a lot to do with where you are when you are eating one. Most likely you are at a Disney resort and are loading up before a full day of Disney magic. Go ahead, top them however you choose, just a whiff of the batter baking in the food court makes my mouth water. So when Disney unveiled the new Annual Passholder Exclusive Mickey Waffle Eachez, the community got very excited.

Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland will get the same base figure. The difference will be on the back where it will say the resort name. Overall, the figure is limited to 1000 at each park. The base figure will be seeded at 9 in 10 odds making an LE 900.

The design is absolutely brilliant. Think of it as a look straight down onto a Mickey Waffle sitting on a Disney Parks disposable plate. You can see the red rim of the plate and all the character and icon silhouettes that adorn the plate as well! What a great touch. The waffle is covered in syrup.

Mickey Waffle on the current Disney Parks plate

The variant version is seeded 1 in 10 making it a highly desired LE 100 at each park. And it is here, that the variants really diverge not only from the base figure, but from each other as well. The Walt Disney World variant gets covered in chocolate sauce, whipped cream and chocolate chips.

The Disneyland variant has powdered sugar and strawberry.

These wonderful figures were designed by Maria Clapsis and Thomas Scott. We should see these in October for $16.95. A valid Annual Pass must be shown when purchasing these figures at D-Street.

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Disneyland 60th & D23 Expo 2015

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the Disneyland 60th and D23 Expo releases we will see in 2015.

There are two exciting celebrations in Anaheim, CA in 2015. On July 17, Disneyland turns 60 years old. Besides the many exciting entertainment announcements on the horizon , Disney wouldn’t waste an anniversary that ends in 5 or 0 (or 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 or 9) without releasing all kinds of merchandise for us to buy. We have not seen much yet, other than some of the graphics…

But in our little corner of the Disney collectible market, we already have a taste of things to come. We can expect much more, but Thomas Scott showed off a couple special Park Starz Variants that will help celebrate Disneyland’s 60th.

The Disney Design Group has chosen the Haunted Mansion Bride and the Pirates of the Caribbean Skeleton and created them in a silver tone. They also added a diamond to each figure, which is the prominent theme in the merchandise (the previewed pins featured diamonds as well). The Bride will release in August 2015 and the Pirate the following month. I do like the look of these figures and they both represent important attractions in Disneyland history, but I would much rather see original content created for the 60th as opposed to reimagining of figures that have already been done in variant form. The saving news… Park 16 is all Disneyland based.

That said, Park 16 should be a celebration of Disneyland milestones and important events and attractions from throughout all 60 years… but the Disneyland 60th vinyls should be specific to 1955. Casey Jr. Circus Train, Autopia, Rocket to the Moon, Golden Horseshoe and the Stagecoaches should all receive treatment during the 60th. I fear however, we will get reimagined designs and characters dressed up to celebrate the occasion.

Also in 2015, is the D23 Expo. A huge convention held by Disney for Disney fans every other year. It will be held from August 14-16 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Tickets are on sale now. Each convention, a few Vinylmation are made to be sold at the event’s main merchandise shop. We now have a look at one of those designed for 2015. It is a gorgeous Chernabog Eachez celebrating the 75th anniversary of Fantasia.

I guess I am a hypocrite, because although this is also a reimagined figure (like the Park Starz), I am loving this colorful paint scheme. D23 is always a blast, and having some fun pins and Vinylmation to look forward to is always a great bonus.

It’s hard to predict D23 vinyls since they are normally based on classic Disney animation and not tied much into the event (besides the logo figure). But if we are looking at anniversaries, like Chernabog above, Toy Story (20 years), Cinderella (65 years) and Pinocchio (75 years) are celebrating next year. While Toy Story and Cinderella have had numerous designs over the years (including sets shown at the gala), Pinocchio is under-represented and a special combo pack or Eachez (can anyone say nose accessory?) could be created for the expo.

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Villainous Duos

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

Last year at Reflections of Evil, attendees were given the opportunity to vote for who they thought was the “Most Villainous Duo”. Our choices were Si & Am from The Lady and the Tramp, Pain & Panic from Hercules, and Flotsam & Jetsum from The Little Mermaid. After voting was over, we were told that the winner would be turned into a limited edition two-pack, which would be sold at the Imagination Gala the next year. The winner was revealed to be Si & Am, and Maria Clapsis went on to release this set, which was sold to us at the Gala:

At the Gala, it came to be revealed that Si & Am were in fact going to be the first in a brand new series. This new series turned out to be “Villainous Duos”, a line of limited edition two packs featuring famous evil duos throughout the history of Disney films. (It also turns out that it didn’t really matter who we voted for, because all of the characters ended up making the line). We got 4 new reveals from this line at the event, which will start rolling out in November 2014 (November will see the release of set #2, since Si & Am are being considered #1 in the series). Here are the reveals:

# 2 Pain & Panic (Hercules)

November 2014
Maria Clapsis

Here we have Pain & Panic, Hades little minions from Hercules. These guys are going to be the second release in the line. I think both of these figures are exponentially better than the release we got in Villains #4. Although that design did these characters justice, I just love how they look here.

Having them both stare up at the Fate’s eye that is drawn in Panic’s ear is a really cool design that tells a whole story. Pain also looks great on the platform, since he is drawn a little chubbier.

#3 Flotsam & Jetsum (The Little Mermaid)

December 2014
Maria Clapsis

Love Love LOVE how these two look here!! Although I was a big fan of how they looked as the chaser in The Little Mermaid series, I think Maria absolutely blew it out of the water (pun intended) here! The way they kind of wrap around the platform with the sand drawn in between looks great. And I love how the arms that were used for Dory in Pixar #2 are working well here. Finally, thanks so much to Crystal, who posted the following image, justifying while the silhouette of Ariel and Flounder is flipped in the ears here (and effectively proving Nick wrong):

#4 Anastasia and Drizzela (Cinderella)

January 2015
Maria Clapsis

A simple, but effective design for both of these characters. The Minnie platform is a fantastic touch here, since both of these characters love their dresses and bows. And the expressions are priceless here. If you’ve ever tried to have your picture taken with either of these characters at the parks, you know especially how funny they look here. I spoke in an earlier post about how I liked how limited edition releases were being used as extensions to series, and I’m looking at this as an extension to the Cinderella series coming out. We don’t get these characters in that set, but I like how you can kind of “add them in” by picking up this release.

#5 Jafar and Iago (Aladdin)

February 2015
Dave Perelo

I have to say, I think this is the weakest Jafar that we have gotten so far, which ultimately makes this the weakest of the five sets for me. The Villains #1 Jafar chaser, and even the Robots #4 Jafar, look significantly better than the Jafar here. Iago, on the other hand, I think looks great. I love the little touches of blue on the hands and feet that gives him a sense that he’s flying. And the feathers in the ear are perfect. I think this is a good set, just not as strong as the other four we got previewed.

So that’s it, all five “Villainous Duos” sets. Let us know in the comments which one’s are your favorites. And if you picked up Si & Am at the Gala, will you be continuing with this line?

Vinylmation Spotlight: Mickey and Friends – Pirates of the Caribbean

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the upcoming Mickey and Friends Pirates of the Caribbean reveal/conceal set.

In my opinion, the Mickey & Friends Haunted Mansion series will go down as one of the top sets of 2014. So when the idea of a Pirates of the Caribbean version of this Reveal/Conceal concept was brought up, I was all in! After all, I am more of a fan of the wildest crew that ever sacked the Spanish Main than the 999 happy haunts. The mansion version was huge win for many reasons. Just increasing the revealed character to 2 instead of 1, made a huge difference in a 5 or 6 figure set. Having a mix Cast Member costumes and attraction characters was a great choice. And handing the Haunted Mansion set to the talented Ron Cohee assured the best looking characters we could possibly have. All that said, Mickey & Friends Pirates of the Caribbean takes a giant leap backward.

Let’s count the ways… First, there is only 1 revealed figure. That is a big mistake for a Vinylmation set. Second, the figures are NOT based on the attraction, but rather the movie franchise. You have a HUGE library of beloved attraction characters! And third, the artwork is really sub par. If this set was in Ron Cohee’s hands, we would have such a different outcome here. Instead, the design duties went to a different artist on the DDG team. They look like a simplified toy version and are probably based on the toys/action figures that have been in the stores for years (which I do love and collect by the way).

Here is a look at the set starting with the Mickey Mouse revealed character and then the 4 concealed characters:

Mickey Mouse as Jack Sparrow

Donald Duck as Will Turner

Minnie Mouse as Elizabeth Swann or Angelica?

Pluto as the Dog with Jail Keys

Stitch as Captain Barbossa

I’ll be honest, I can not definitively tell if Minnie is Elizabeth or Angelica. She seems more like Angelica, but the hair makes me lean toward Elizabeth. Although I think both characters wore a red coat and handled a sword in the movies. I am just very disappointed in this set because I love the concept and the attraction and I think the execution was fumbled. We will see this limited release series released in November at D-Streets for $24.95 per combo blind box. For those not familiar with Reveal/Conceal, each purchase will get you a Mickey that you see and then a blind box attached that contains either Stitch, Minnie, Donald or Pluto all seeded at the same odds.

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Limited Edition Combo Sets

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the limited edition combo packs DDG has designed to extend already existing series.

I really enjoy getting vinyl releases that help extend a series, and to an extent, help further tell a story. I loved when we would get a ton of 9 inches and two packs for an Animation series, especially when they were obscure figures that would never see a set of their own, but fit in nicely under the Animation theme. Even the Park series used to get bombarded with releases. For a ton of reasons, these kinds of releases have been highly reduced, for better and for worse.

This is why I got really excited at the Imagination Gala when I saw that we were getting some new releases in already existing series. I think it is so cool when artists like to extend a series, either because they had too many figures that they wanted to make, or maybe they just wanted to revisit a set. Regardless, here are some new limited edition two-packs that you can add to your collection:

Animation 5 – Tarzan & Jane

January 2015
LE 1500
$29.95
Casey Jones

I absolutely love this two-pack. I was wondering if/when we would finally see some Tarzan vinyls. The wait was well worth it. Tarzan looks absolutely fantastic! We got a sneak peak at what could have been a Tarzan vinyl from Animation 1 last year, when a lucky fan pulled him from a trading box at Reflections of Evil. It looks like he was updated for the new platform, but fits perfectly on it. Jane looks amazing too. I love that she’s looking up at the trees, and she has a great use of the Minnie platform here. The matching ears are a great touch as well. This is a must have for me.

(A look at the original prototype Tarzan figure that surfaced last year)

Animation 5 – Lilo & Scrump

November 2014
LE 1500
$29.95
Ron Cohee (he was an animator on the film)

Another great release for this series. We have only gotten Lilo once, in a Hawaiian Disney Store exclusive two-pack. And like Nick said in the podcast, she fits on the platform so nicely, as the characters from this movie were drawn kind of “chubby”. She looks great. As for Scrump, people were saying he should have been a junior, but I think he looks great on the 3 inch platform. These two together make for a wonderful LE release.

Haunted Mansion – Blonde & Medusa

January 2015
LE 1000
$29.95
Casey Jones

Wow, talk about a blast from the past! This is a perfect example of what I mean, revisiting old sets to give them cool additions and make them even more exciting. Casey Jones did the entire original Haunted Mansion set, and here he adds two more figures to a stellar series. These figures are based on the one of the changing paintings that hang in the mansion. As your Doom Buggy passes by a portrait of a blonde women, she turns into Medusa before your eyes.

At LE 1000, I think these will be extremely popular. He was not on hand at the Imagination Gala, but I would love to know what drew him back to this set. I would love to see a series like The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast get a treatment like this.

Classic Collection – Mickey & Goofy

November 2014
LE 2500
$29.95
Natalie Kennedy

This is a very interesting release. Eric Caszatt designed the entire Classic Collection, but here we have Natalie Kennedy adding an extension to this series. This is pretty cool, maybe she liked the set so much she just had to add to it. Anyway, these two guys are from 1934’s Orphan’s Benifit and are a wonderful addition to this amazing series.

The Classic Collection is one of my favorite sets, and I am really looking forward to adding this two-pack to it. Although, I do think the LE is a little high here.

What do you guys think? Do you like this idea of extending series, especially ones that we haven’t heard from in a while? Are there any series in particular you would like to see get additional figures? And of course, will you be picking up any of these? Let us know!!

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Mickey Mouse Cartoon Series

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

from DestinationVinylmation.com

This is part of a series of articles spotlighting the Vinylmation that were previewed at this year’s annual Walt Disney World Pin and Vinylmation trading and merchandise event, “The Imagination Gala.” The event was held at Epcot’s World Showplace from September 5-9, 2014. Today we look at the series based on the new Mickey Mouse Cartoon shorts.

In March 2015, Disney will release a Vinylmation blind box 8 figure series based on the new Mickey Mouse Cartoon shorts. It was designed by Billy Davis.

Mickey from “Croissant de Triomphe”

Mickey from “Yodelberg”

Minnie from “Yodelberg”

Goofy from “No Service”

Daisy from “No Service”

Zombie Goofy from “Ghoul Friend”

Panda from “Panda-monium”

Mystery Chaser

Tag: Vinylmation

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Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: STAR WARS

Star Wars Series 5

Jr’s Series 13: Troopers

Star Wars Eachez

Star Wars Open Window

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Annual Passholder Mickey Waffle Eachez

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Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Villainous Duos

# 2 Pain & Panic (Hercules)

#3 Flotsam & Jetsum (The Little Mermaid)

#4 Anastasia and Drizzela (Cinderella)

#5 Jafar and Iago (Aladdin)

Vinylmation Spotlight: Mickey and Friends – Pirates of the Caribbean

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Limited Edition Combo Sets

Animation 5 – Tarzan & Jane

Animation 5 – Lilo & Scrump

Haunted Mansion – Blonde & Medusa

Classic Collection – Mickey & Goofy

Upcoming Vinylmation Spotlight: Mickey Mouse Cartoon Series

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