Spin-offs is Blog@Newsarama’s weekly look at the wonderful world of licensing. This week, we’ll celebrate LEGO’s 75th birthday, see what’s new with Milk and Cheese, Go back-to-school with the Transformers and look at the new Hello Kitty and Edward Scissorhands dolls from Korea.
LEGO turns 75
In 1932, Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen began making wooden toys which eventually evolved into what we know today as LEGO. August 10th marked the 75th anniversary of LEGO, and since those humble days of wooden toys, fans of all ages played with and painted their very own LEGO toys, including artist Todd Nauck, who made an impressive collection of custom LEGO people.
n 1999, LEGO Star Wars was introduced, the first license LEGO product in the company’s history. The success of the Star Wars line lead to LEGO grabbing other licenses including Spider-Man, Harry Potter, Batman, Spongebob Squarepants and Indiana Jones.
Greg Hyland of Lethargic Lad fame, worked on comic strips for both LEGO Batman and LEGO Spongebob Squarepants. LEGO also called Hyland to design a Star Wars image. His design was reconstructed into an 11′ x 5′ 82,000 piece mural seen at Star Wars Celebration IV and later at San Diego Comic Con 2007.
LEGO continued its love affair with licensing when TT Games developed LEGO Star Wars: The Videogame. in 2005. The game was critically acclaimed and award winning, which lead to a sequel, LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. In the near future, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga is due out in November. Lego BAtman and Lego Indiana Jones 4 will also have games coming, with no release dates.
Happy Birthday LEGO! Thank you for all the fun!
Designer toys gone bad
Plasticky Vinyl Milk and Cheese toys are now available for pre-orders on SLG Publishing’s website.
Yes, yes, it’s true! Finally, the dream is realized! Little toy versions of America’s favorite violent alcoholic pop-culture junkies for you to have for your very own, to love, cherish and worship! It’s Milk and Cheese, Dairy Products Gone Bad, stylin’ in glorious rotocast and injection-molded plasticky vinyl! Designed by Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer, and sculpted by Mitch Martinez, Milk and Cheese are ready, willing and more than able to kick the living crap out of your pathetic junky little action figures and highfalutin’ designer “urban vinyls”. Behold! The Carton of Hate stands tall at 8″, while the Wedge of Spite is a no-less intimidating 6″. Rejoice! Featuring articulation at the arms, wrists, legs and feet, the little monsters also come equipped with three interchangeable Mayhem Accessories: the cranium-cracking “Hammer Time” Hammer, the ever-trusty Stick-With-A-Nail-In-It and the classic Broken Gin Bottle. All this greatness comes packaged as a complete set in a four-color windowless cartoon-festooned box designed by Dorkin and Dyer. Playtime is over, kids. Mayhem is in season. Start saving now.
Transformers go Back to School
Hasbro unveiled their Back-To-School marketing swag this week.
• Graphic t-shirts from Extreme Concepts
• Tops and bottoms from Kids Headquarters
• Learning activity center from Kid Designs
• Footwear from Elan Polo
• Underwear from Fruit of the Loom
• Notebooks, portfolios, binders, pencil pouches from Mead Westvaco
• Backpacks and lunch bags from Accessory Network
• Key chains and backpack clip-on accessories from Basic Fun
• Radio control pens available exclusively at Radio Shack.
Now come on, Hasbro! The pen isn’t the main feature, Hasbro. Even Radio Shack acknowledges this!
Pullip Gets into Licensing
I imagine not many people know what a Pullip is. Basically it’s a Korean doll that’s highly articulated. The bodies are about Barbie height but the heads are MASSIVE! Kind of cool and kind of creepy.
Here is Hello Kitty Pullip:
Here is also a TaeYang (male Pullip) Edward Scissorhands:
