“Ironheart is an armored figure shrouded in mist and shadow. He has recently been sighted around the perimeter of Castle Blackgard, although his purpose there is still unknown. Some say he is a Gardian of the Castle itself, while others have specuated that he is looking for a way inside.”

It looks like we won’t be waiting too much longer to get our grubby little mits on an Ironheart figure, as Tom over at Blackgard reveals a tantalising image of the new Smoke Grey edition straight out of the mould! Unfortunately, information on pricing and availability are still thin on the ground, so be sure to keep checking the Blackgard blog here for further developments. Want to see the figure in all its painted and accessorised glory? Then head over to our original Ironheart post here for an in-depth look at the (long since sold out) clear purple edition…

Following on from our look at the Super Rare M.U.S.C.L.E Can yesterday, we bring you day two in our week of Nama x Nilla Man-E-Toys exclusives, this time around showcasing the mighty SD Splatterhouse Rick… The only figure from the group of 5 that has been solely sculpted and produced by Eric Nilla, the beautifully realised “Super Deformed” style character pays homage to one of the late 80′s gaming greats, Splatterhouse. Featuring the iconic hockey mask, ripped jeans and detachable cleaver, the 2″ tall figure has been cast in a “Man-E-Faces” blue (with rare purple chase!), using an authentic keshi-style rubber. Priced at $15 plus shipping, SD Splatterhouse Rick will be joining the other 4 figures in the Man-E-Toys store this Friday at 9pm London time…

“The invasion has seeped into Arizona, and the Wild Strawberries are on the front lines!”

Created in conjunction with TRUTH Games, Lulubell Toys are proud to present the first online release of the Flavor Monsters… Based on the new gaming app available for both Android and iPhone in which you must fight off the Flavor Monsters and save humanity from destruction (!), the first of 3 disgustingly evil mini-sofubi releases, “Wild Strawberry”, comes in 3 different flavours; Pink Brute, Black Nasty & Lime Gunk… Produced and hand painted by Lulubell Toys’ very own Luke Rook, the trio will be touching down in the Lulubell store later today (1pm Pacific time to be precise!) for just $15 plus shipping…

We have to admit that we’ve only stumbled upon the mind-boggling work of keshi (rubber mini figure) artist Zoomoth recently, but judging by his latest sculpt reveal, the Rick Taylor ‘Splatterhouse: Part 2′ Sega Genisis keshi, we’ll be featuring him a hell of a lot more in the future! Sculpted in casteline wax, the incredible 2″ figure features the same iconic hockey mask, ripped jeans and bulging muscles of the cult 80′s videogame star, all wrapped up in one of the most professional, kinkeshi-like sculpt styles we’ve witnessed since delving into the scene… and that’s saying something! Unfortunately it appears that production runs on the artist’s various pieces are super-rare and often limited to Japan’s various festivals, although if we do here of any releases available to western customers, you guys will be the first to know! Head over to the Zoomoth site here to find out more…

With the much talked about first toy show at the newRampage Studios opening it’s doors later this week, we’ll be giving you guys the full lowdown on all the various figures we’ll be debuting as The Disarticulators. Today we start with our first truly collaborative project, the Tiny Terrors from the Deep mini figure pack…

Featuring 3 separate figures from Tru:Tek, the Amazing Zectron and Bigmantoys, each design has been influenced by a different character from 90′s underwater RTS videogame, XCom: TFTD. Initially produced in an authentic kesh-style rubber by Tru:Tek, a standard blue/pink edition (pictured) will be available in extremely limited quantities at the Rampage Studios opening, with further stock hitting the Man-E-Toys store alongside an edition of 5 ‘M.U.S.C.L.E fleshies’ soon after. Aside from the debut rubber variants, a mini artist series is in the works (artists TBC soon!), as well as a slew of special edition ‘singles’ and custom resin 3 packs from Bigmantoys… Packaged in a PS One style window box, the set will be retailing for around $40, with singles starting at $15- expect release dates and exclusive colourway reveals soon!

Character Profiles//

Lobsterman (designed and sculpted by Zectron): “The Lobsterman is a formidable opponent. Lobstermen form the shock troopers of the deep and also hold very high positions amongst the alien hierarchy.

The Lobsterman, in addition to using standard alien weaponry, has big meaty claws that allow it to viciously strike aquanauts when in close quarters. This means that whether or not it is carrying firearms, a Lobsterman is a constant threat until it is incapacitated.

The Lobsterman’s other – and perhaps most – distinguishing feature is its thick carapace that makes it nearly invulnerable. Their actual protective plating is very light, but the Lobsterman’s extreme damage resistance greatly reduces the effectiveness of most weapons. Low powered weapons are rendered ineffective.”

Bio-Drone (designed and sculpted by Tru:Tek):“The Bio-Drone is a creation only an alien mind could conceive of. It is a brain, (human or alien) suspended in amniotic fluids and connected to a powered base unit that can fly on land or below water.

Each Bio-Drone is armed with a powerful auditory disruptor, part machine and part organism. Some of our scientists have suggested that the weapon is driven by the host organisms original vocal cords. Highly accurate and tenacious these super guard dogs are widely used by the aliens to protect valuable assets.”

P.A.T (designed and sculpted by Bigmantoys):Little is known about this relatively unthreatening, yet horrific creature. No doubt a failed attempt at alien assimilation, “Pat” (Partially Assimilated Terrestrial) as we call him, still lives near or within alien colonies. This would not be so disturbing if it were not for his remaining human traits. He still goes through the motions of waving hello as he advances on our troops. Rather than neutralise him, Aquanauts tend to run away, perhaps out of reluctance to kill any remaining humanity inside.”

[info: UFOpaedia]

Following our look at the incredible Spatterhouse: Part 2 keshi sculpt last week, the supremely talented Zoomoth are proud to reveal the 2″ figure in all it’s fleshy, rubbery goodness! Joined by the equally amazing ‘Arthur’ from fellow cult 80′s side-scroller Ghosts ‘N’ Goblins, the pair will be available exclusively at Wondefestival next month. Unfortunately, due to these pieces being under strict licence from both Namco and Capcom respectively, it is unlikely that there will be any made available outside the event- As soon as we here anything different, we’ll let you guys know…

Following the hugely successful Samus Aran (Metroid) sofubi, Nerdone returned to Wonder Festival at the weekend with their latest pair of fully licensed retro game figures, the adorable Konami Man and Konami Woman! Taken from cult NES platformer ‘Konami Wai Wai World’ (which strangely featured a cameo from The Goonies’ Mikey!), the pair have been cast in a pale, 80′s inspired ‘flesh’ soft vinyl. Unfortunately only available during one day at the festival due to the strict copyright conditions laid down by Konami, we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for further editions (including a briefly mentioned keshi/eraser style version) soon…

Like so many of us, our good friend Lee over at Bigmantoys was a huge fan of the original Duke Nukem 3D, but was always a bit disappointed by the severely limited range of merch… I mean, every good 90′s videogame character worth their salt has their own mini figure, right? Well 17 years (and the world’s most terrible sequel!) later, Lee’s given up waiting and set about producing his own homage to “the king”, as he proudly presents the “NUCLEARMAN” custom M.U.S.C.L.E! A spitting image of the wise cracking, chauvinistic pig we all know and love, the figure has been kit-bashed and re-sculpted from various mini figures, coming resin cast in M.U.S.C.L.E flesh, orange and black. With Lee currently looking into a few different packaging options before confirming a release, you can be sure that as soon as we hear of any more developments, you guys will be the first to know…

“In a world where flowers can let you spit fireballs, and mushrooms can make you grow instantly or even gain an extra life, eating the wrong mushroom can have terrifying effects…”

Chris Moore aka WeBecomeMonsters kindly share details of his latest one-off custom sculpt, “Ate the Wrong Mushroom”… Created for 1AM‘s upcoming GAME ON group show, the absolutely stunning piece depicts everyone’s favourite plumber in the unmistakable WBM style, featuring deep textures, grotesque flaps, multiple eyes and a suitably grimy paint job. As mentioned before this guy is unfortunately just a one off, but Chris has stated that the base resin figure used, entitled ”The Hell?”, will be making it’s debut shortly… More news on that as soon as we hear anything!

“GAME ON” will be opening March 22nd, 2013, from 6:30-9:30pm, exhibiting through April 20th. Featuring graffiti art, street art, traditional paintings, drawings, custom vinyl toys and more from the following artists:

Vogue, Jesse Hernandez, Frank Kozik, Monty Guy, Robert Bowen, Sam Rodriguez, Pemex, Satyr, Nate1, Christopher De Leon, Mike “BAM” Tyau, Estria, Tim Diet, Goser, Toro, Ardabus Rubber, JC Rivera, Igor Ventura, Carson Catlin, Grimsheep, Mark Troup (Gomi), Rsinart, Clark R, Chris Moore (We become monsters), Timbone, Sekure D

Originally previewed here a couple of weeks back, our good friend Lee over at Bigmantoys has just put the finishing touches to his latest custom bootleg release, the rather aptly titled Nuclearman… Influenced by late 90s FPS characters (a certain Duke instantly springs to mind!) and the Kinnikuman tradition of parodying various other movies and comics, this Uzi-wielding chauvinist is Bigmantoys’ love letter to the golden age of gaming- when all that mattered were solid gold characters, wafer thin storylines, and potent aresenal at your disposal! Limited to just 10 pieces, this deluxe version comes complete with resealable crystal case, painstakingly crafted brick and steel effect diorama packaging, and a classic flesh toned Nuclearman. Dropping on the Bigmantoys store this Sunday, March 17th at 4pm EST (9pm GMT), expect to pay around £10 plus shipping…

The highly talented Plastic Playhouse delves into 90′s pop culture once more as he proudly presents his latest M.U.S.C.L.E custom… an ode to Mortal Kombat’s Goro! Using the four armed ‘Ashuraman No Sensei’ figure, PP has painted him up in the final boss’ familiar orange tone, complete with subtle washes, meticulous highlights and even a newly sculpted pony tail! Currently available to purchase through PP’s dedicated LRG thread here, we suggest heading over pretty quick if you’re interested- he most definitely wont be around for long!

It’s been just over 4 months since we originally featured the awesome Silent Hill inspired custom M.U.S.C.L.E from Leviathan, but with a little help of none other than Eric Nilla, the ominous Pyramid Head is finally seeing the light of day! Based on the cult videogame/film’s reoccurring monster of the same name, the figure has been ingeniously kit-bashed using M.U.S.L.E’s 104 and 107, coming with additional ”stitched leather” apron and sword sculpted in epoxy. Produced in an authentic keshi style rubber, the little guy will be available in the Nilla store soon in a number of different colours including the all-important muscle flesh!

As massive fans of iconic NES game Pro Wrestling back in the 80′s, the latest figure from HamFX has got to be our favourite yet… a custom bootleg rendition of our favourite character, The Amazon! Kit-bashed from an undisclosed vintage action figure with newly sculpted boots, shorts and head, this “Second Round” edition has been cast in clear green GID resin with purple and black hand painted detailing. Featuring an awesome full-colour NES cartridge inspired cardback printed by none other than Sidekick Labs, the figure comes packed with an ingeniously designed bubble that can be easily opened and closed without any wear! Limited to just 10 pieces, The Amazon will be touching down in the HamFX store right here for just $65 plus shipping… Here’s hoping for a follow-up Star Man figure soon!

With the Summer ’13 Wonder Festival just around the corner, the highly talented duo over at Zoomoth have begun teasing their latest exclusive keshi release, and judging by the first pixellated reveal, we’re most certainly in for a doozy! Consisting of 2 figures this time around, the PVC injection moulded pair have been taken from a soon to be confirmed 80′s video game- another NES classic if past releases are to go by! As with Zoomoth’s many other keshi, these guys are likely to be licensed for just one day at the festival with no additional sales, so if you’re interested in picking them up you better start looking for a toy mule ASAP! Stay tuned for a full reveal of these guys later next month…

Teased here a couple of weeks back, the Zoomoth duo finally unveil their latest keshi release… a 2 pack based on Namco’s cult 1992 TurboGrafx-16 release, Samurai Ghost! Featuring the main character Taira no Kagekiyo alongside one of his many demonic adversaries, the beautifully realised pair have been PVC injection moulded for a 100% authentic keshi finish. As with previous Zoomoth releases, the 2 pack has been fully licensed by Namco- the catch being, it’ll be just for one day at Wonder Festival later this month! Keep an eye on the Zoomoth IG feed here for the full lowdown, and be sure to ready a reliable toy-mule for that inevitable must-have purchase…

As if the recently revealed Samurai Ghost 2 pack wasn’t enough, the duo behind Zoomoth come with yet another must-have keshi for Wonder Festival later this month… Ghosts ‘n Goblins’ mascot, the Red Arremer! A follow-up to last year’s take on the game’s main protagonist Arthur (pictured top right), the beautifully realised design has been sculpted in wax, coming injection moulded in a flexible PVC. Due to go on sale exclusively at Wonder Festival on July 28th, the figure has been licensed by Capcom for just the one day… So if you’re dying to get your hands on one, you better find a decent toy mule quick- or face the inevitably steep eBay prices!

As if the previously featured Samurai Ghost and Red Arremer keshi weren’t enough, the guys over at Zoomoth have got yet another figure up their sleeve for this weekend’s Wonder Festival… Super Ghosts ‘n Goblins’ Samael! Opting for an upscaled piece this time around, the Demon Emperor marks the duos first ever sofubi release, coming cast in a blue vinyl for this initial release. Once again, this piece will unfortunately only be available under licence from Capcom for just the one day of the con, so be sure to find a decent toy mule quick- or face the inevitably steep eBay prices later…

The guys have also revealed images of fully painted versions of the previously posted Samurai Ghost and Red Arremer keshi (pictured below). We’re guessing that these are just one off pieces for display, although we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for a limited run in the future! Head over to the Zoomoth IG feed here for a closer look.

Prolific mini figure painter Ersico tackles yet another popular custom keshi with ease… presenting Silent Hill’s Pyramid Head! Kit-bashed/re-sculpted by Leviathan and cast by Eric Nilla in a super-flexible rubber, the stunning mini figure has been painted in an ultra-realistic mix of flesh tones, metallics and leathery browns, finished with some gruesome crimson splatters and Ersico’s signature detailing hugging washes and highlights. Created for a private commission, we suggest heading over to Ersico’s dedicated LRG thread to enquire about a similar piece… Alternatively, you can hit up his store right here to check out what’s currently available!

With Superfestival 64 opening it’s doors this Sunday, the guys over at Zoomoth are proud to present one of two mini figures that they’ll be debuting at the event… The Adventure of Link‘s Horsehead! Making an appearance in the cult NES game as the boss of Parapa Palace (the first dungeon), the character has been expertly realised in keshi form, standing at a slightly oversized 2.5″ tall with removable rubber cape and armour. PVC injection moulded in a variety of colours for the event, we’re guessing these will be offered up under a similar one day license as Zoomoth’s previous Nintendo figures- which unfortunately means that collectors in the West are going to need to find a toy mule quick, or face those extortionate post-sale prices! Stay tuned for a full reveal of the second figure later this week…

As promised in our coverage of Horsehead a couple of weeks back, we’re proud to reveal the second licensed keshi that Zoomoth will be debuting at Wonderfestival next month… Namco’s Dr Bomb! Featuring as the final boss and main antagonist in obscure arcade and PC Engine title Bravoman, Zoomoth have once again nailed the character in their classic keshi style, featuring the same signature cane, huge cloak and A-bomb hair do. Due to be produced in an injection moulded PVC, the figure will be up for grabs under the same one day license as previous releases, with a variety of colours up for grabs at the event on February 9th, priced at 3,000yen ($29) each…