Frank Kozik might think purple Telegrinnies “are for girls”, but purple revolutionaries apparently cross gender lines. He just sent over a shot of his purple personal version of the Dead Che Bust. It’s an edition of 50 pieces with 25 reserved for Kozik subscribers and the other 25 available to the general public for $200 plus shipping (& CA tax if applicable). Email FrankKozik [at] SBCglobal [dot] net if interested.
Frank Kozik and Eddie in San Francisco
If you’re reading this story, you’re probably not at Comic-Con in San Diego. Since you’re missing out on toy overload, the least I could offer in my absence is a big batch of cute overload. I’ve been saving up this “fluff piece” for just the right occasion. Ever notice how a lot of artists have cats? I did. “You can use Stripes even though he doesn’t like you,” said Eric of 64Colors. “He doesn’t like anyone because… he’s a cat!” All cats are different though. Adds Stephen Donaldson of Tomopop, “Samkin loves figures of all types and sits and looks at them all day long.” Just like toys, cats come in all shapes and sizes. (Don’t tell Dodgrr’s Sam he weighs 30 pounds or Ernesto’s female cat Prince she’s named after the singer!) There are Persians, Bengals, tabbies and tuxedos among us, but Sergey Safonov gets the prize for his most unique Peterbald feline companion: “He’s the son of world and Europe breed champions, but he has a slight ‘defect’ so we bought him cheap.” Awesome!
Tofu lives with artist Sergey Safonov in Moscow.
Bailey and Mitch live with blogger/collector Jeremy in the Bay Area.
Artist Lunabee and Gwen in the UK
Mao lives with artist/blogger Andy Heng in Singapore.
Stripes lives with artists 64Colors.
Artist Jay222 and Ella in the Bay Area.
It keeps getting cuter.
We thought toy king, Frank Kozik was not in the Cult of The Twitter, but as it turns out, he’s been quietly tweeting about rainbows and farts for a couple months now. While Frank’s not (yet) fond of, as he puts it, “twatter,” he’s agreed to amp up the twittery so you can keep tabs on his whereabouts (and bathroom bouts) at SDCC. Now that glory-stealer LeBron James is done with his Twitter debut, we shine the light on Frank’s feed. If you’d like to know what Kozik’s thinking, follow him here: http://twitter.com/frank_kozik.
Now, for those of you who are not on Twitter (or even if you are), let’s get ready to waste some (more) time. In honor of our comment form’s new capability to accept your Twitter handle (for example, type in: @jeremyriad), we’ve got a contest just for you.
The first correct answer will be noted and revealed on Frank’s Twitter account on Friday, July 16th. This astute person will receive a never-before-seen signed 10-inch SDCC exclusive Cubano Labbit sent directly from Kozik HQ. So get guessing, and as they say in the Twitterverse, “please RT”.
Frank’s email was entitled “Rainbow of Filth,” and above you see what was attached. Similar to the Ludwig Van Bust Frank released at SDCC, he will have the 100-piece orange colorway available this July at the con. The 11 other colorways are editions of 50, which will be exclusives at various entities, including fluorescent pink for Kidrobot and silver for Juxtapoz. The SignedbyKozik folks (not a direct affiliate of Kozik’s) will be offering the one I’m most curious about: GID green. Frank’s own subbers are going to get the metallic purple version, and Frank said he’ll have a couple full sets available, no doubt for counterculture-loving completists who live in large houses. For a comprehensive list of who’s getting what, check out SpankyStokes’ sleuthing here.
Above, you see the prototype for the Dead Che Bust courtesy of the talented sculptor, Brin Berliner.
Frank’s Ludwig Van and Ho Chi Minh busts were sold at Christie’s Pop Culture Auction, and you can see the full rainbow spectrum of those here. I’ve often felt that while I’m not sure how a bust (any bust: Kozik, KAWS head, etc.) would fit into my collection, there’s something striking about seeing them all lined up in a “rainbow of filth”. When you line up more than one, I think it really does make the jump from vinyl art toy to art multiple.
Here’s Kozik posing with a Che print and a customized Che bike. Frank said he’s been painting Dead Che since the mid-1990s. Click through for a look back at the many canvases (skatedeck, BUD, iPhone skin…) upon which Frank has added his Che-mark.
Initially, we were confused about the Kiss eyes of Frank Kozik’s latest ‘Labbit pack. But Frank cleared it up for us:
“When we where adolescent teens we liked Kiss, and we had a Stoner Fort in some crappy woods behind the strip mall where we’d hang out and party…This was 1976….”
Shocker alert: I have to admit, I’m kind of a fan of the themed Labbit packs. The Pride pack makes a lot of local customers really happy. (Similarly, this is true of the Pimpin’ pack.) Anyway, in the latest incarnation of Kozik x Kidrobot Labbits, they’re smorkin’ a little something else. The cigarettes have been exchanged for tiny joints. 100% of the Neon Monsters agree on the neon color scheme of this pack, too. In the shop for $19.95 now.
Click through for a related image on how I spent my weekend. Savvy nerds will note that this pic is 420 pixels wide. Read the rest of this entry »
How are Last Gasp and Earth Day connected? Glad you asked. Legendary local purveyors of underground books and comics, Last Gasp, published its premiere comic, Slow Death Funnies #1, on the first Earth Day: April 15, 1970. This year, they celebrate their 40th anniversary with a showcase of “the haut monde of lowbrow” at 111 Minna Gallery. Naturally, we checked it out.
If you’re not familiar with Last Gasp, chew on this:
Once upon a time at a Christmas or New Year’s party in the Berkeley hills almost thirty years ago, someone handed a very stoned graduate psychology student a copy of ZAP™ Comix and rekindled a forgotten love of comic books. “I remember reading it and remarking how close it came to the heightened mind-experience one got when stoned,” recalls Ron Turner, owner and founder of Last Gasp. “It brought back all my love of comics, but in an adult form that I could appreciate. I went into the back room and started reading the damn thing over and over”.
That was the beginning of Last Gasp (read the rest of the origin story here), and 40 years later, they’re still going strong. Today, they publish 12-20 new titles per year, focusing on Lowbrow and Pop Surrealist artists, as well as graphic novels. Some of those artists are included in the Last Gasp 40th Anniversary Art show:
Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Glenn Barr, Robert Crumb, Richard Corben, Guy Colwell, Ron English, Tony Fitzpatrick, Christopher Felver, Camille Rose Garcia, Justin Green, Bill Griffith, Rick Griffin, Ed Hardy, Frank Kozik, Joe Ledbetter, Carol Lay, Adrian Lee, Michael Manning, Chris Mars, Scott Musgrove, Junko Mizuno, Liz McGrath, Laurenn McCubbin, Mitch O’Connell, Annie Owens, The Pizz, Mark Ryden, Michael Rosen, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, Dori Seda, Winston Smith, Eric White, Robert Williams, Attaboy, Aye Jay and more.
It’s pretty humbling to be in a room with so much talent and art and history. It makes you start to think of that wonderful crossoversauce where comics and toys collide. Of course, one can’t take this all too seriously. Ron wouldn’t want you to. Generous helpings of NSFW art (such as) mean you should definitely stop off at the gallery on your lunch break. If you’re outside the San Francisco Bay area, I suggest you check out the work virtually, but um, maybe not on your office computer.
Each of the paintings featured in this post is by an artist who has also made a toy. Challenge yourself (without squinting or mousing over) to name them. There’s a wide world outside of vinyl. Last Gasp art books by Gary Baseman, Frank Kozik and others can be found here.
Frank Kozik brought us several COMPLETE SETS of Smorkin’ Labbit Series 4 when he came out to sign with us at Wondercon. That’s right…Monocle, Stabby, Airplane, Ball & Chain, the whole shebang and even the elusive second chase can all be yours…straight from Frank’s studio. You get the fun of opening blind boxes with the safety of knowing you can achieve completion. Best of both worlds?
Entirety of Series 4 Smorkin’ Labbits in a case w/ open boxes (and empty boxes where dupes would have been) for $150. Look for the link to go live around 9PM PST with the other Labbits here. If you are the type who likes surprises, we’ve got sealed cases of Series 4 at a 10% discount for $110 (25 boxes) here and individual blind-boxed Labbits for $4.94 here.
[The Labbits are now live! You know what I mean... There are 8 complete sets. Get 1 here!]
By the way, scrolling through this Kidrobot forum thread on Labbits, I saw some SICK Labbit collections. Wow. They look great as groups. I’m talking to you: Danimalx and Igor1080!
Wondercon 2010. At first, it was rather quiet. Even amongst the mini-Mitches.
…And then the doors opened.
My pal Domo stopped by. It’s always good catching up with him.
Not sure who these guys are, but the one in the striped shirt poked me in the eye. Watch your back at Wondercon 2011, buddy.
Isaac and Jacob Pritzker, co-founders of Neon Monster, stopped by on Saturday. They take good care of me.
Click through for tons more pictures.
Yes, indeed, the man who is known for Smorkin’ is, in fact, smirkin’ in this photo with Neon Monster’s Mitch. Frank Kozik stopped by Wondercon on Saturday to sign Neon Polka Dot Labbits and Series 4 Mini-Labbits. A couple of chase Labbits were pulled, which bodes well for case ratios. That said, if you’re not into buying blindly, Frank brought us 8 complete sets (with chases), and we’ll be putting those online later this week.
Immediately prior to this picture being taken, my mother opened a blind box and got the mini-mustache Labbit, to which she responded, “Oh, I really wanted one that was smoking.” How dope is my Mom? And because I know she’s going to read this, I want to point out that I’m using “dope” in the way that means “cool,” not “stupid.” Isn’t language crazy? (Crazy meaning “wild” not “insane.”)
Everyone should have a mini me. For instance, I heard this morning via Twitter that Task One and Leecifer might turn this into me… Do it!
“Dude! He totally signed the butt!” Thanks, Frank!
Saturday, April 3rd from 12-2PM, Neon Monster presents a signing with legendary local toy designer, Frank Kozik. We will have a massive array of all things Kozik: including 3D vinyl and plush to 2D decals and books. With Sunday being Easter, it’s rabbit fever at our booth. Cadbury eggs are delicious, but unoriginal. Getting Frank’s autograph on the new 10-inch neon polka dot Labbit? Now that’s a gift.
Naturally, we’ll have some specials for the event. One highlight is several full sets of Labbit mini-series 4 (including the chases). Frank seems to enjoy the vintage bunny aspect of Easter, as evidenced by the set-up below we saw while recently visiting his studio. Kozik is also digging the DIY spirit of resin, so we’re eager to hear his thoughts on our Wondercon Resin Showcase.
