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1. Anita
   January 8th, 2007 at 2:30 am

   Do I qualify?

   Either way, The Nathan Jurevicius creation (urban vinyl sushi chef) has to be my favorite, followed closely by Pete Fowler’s middle character (looks kind of like The Rock from the Fantastic 4 trying to go on a diet).

   Cool contest.

2. marvin
   January 8th, 2007 at 2:35 am

   i want one of these toys…

3. Patrick
   January 8th, 2007 at 2:35 am

   From Junko Mizuno and KAWS:

   The 1/2 bones, 1/2 organs is definitely my favorite. Very detailed and creative! The contrast in color also adds a lot, I think.

   The sushi character is quite creative as well.

4. quinnn
   January 8th, 2007 at 2:44 am

   I love the tiki/totem ones I am guessing by Tim Biskup

   they just look fun.

5. Alex
   January 8th, 2007 at 2:52 am

   You can also select artists and artworks outside the ones I listed (Actually, this is probably better!)

6. Eva
   January 8th, 2007 at 3:25 am

   Ha! I was just at a new local gallery on Friday that had a whole section of ‘designer toys.’ Picture:

   http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o248/Teapotfox/atmetropolis.jpg

   How interesting, to see this review just a couple of days later. Incidentally, so many of bOINGbOING’s coolest links come from you, I eventually found my way to the source. You’re a very fun read!

7. Th0mas28
   January 8th, 2007 at 3:30 am

   One of my favorite vinyl is the classic Davy from LMF by Michael Lau.

   http://www.xuss.net/2004/softv/Davy/
   http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/artoftoy_1931_110350084

   It would be nice if I win a copy of this book. =)

8. Alex
   January 8th, 2007 at 3:51 am

   Ah, that’s what I’m talking about Eva & Th0mas28 - you guys are on the right track!

   Thanks for the kind words, Eva! BB rocks!

9. Matt
   January 8th, 2007 at 3:55 am

   Paid advertising…

   People are fed advertising day in, day out. News media nowadays is nothing more than paid advertising. You can’t go anywhere without being fed something someone wants you to buy. Not even this blog.

10. Alex
    January 8th, 2007 at 4:06 am

    Well, Matt - unfortunately, server and bandwidth cost lots of money. So, if not for ads, we wouldn’t have free entertainment like this blog.

    This is not an unannounced ad masquerading as news: I fully disclose the fact that it is a sponsored review.

11. Patrick
    January 8th, 2007 at 4:23 am

    I disagree, Matt. I visit this site every day, and I am sure many other people do to. I do not mind ads for free content. Plus, this “ad” has prizes! Very cool idea, in my opinion.

    Anyways, I’ve been reading about these things all evening since my original reply (above). I found this one by Roberto Jwareghi:

    http://www.cameroncollectibles.net/prodimages/AFranken_Monkey_Green_Lg .jpg

    I like this one for a few reasons; it is cool looking, it’s interactive, and it glows in the dark! Very unique from the other ones I was seeing.

12. Eric N.
    January 8th, 2007 at 4:48 am

    I personally love Kid Robot’s Dunny, Munny, and Smorker… their packaging is done very well, with a metallic (plastic) pouch.

    I also like bearBricks, kubricks, and (the ex) itroduced me to a hilarious spin off “tofuBrick”.

    As the toys enter the mainstream they have gained a lot of polish, distribution is wide, and money is being made.

    Some folks dislike blind-boxing, but I’ve become obsessed with buying these little guys up, and opening them up in the store, or before I leave the parking lot!

    For Xmas I gave about 20 of them to family. One such gift made my cousin think I was introducing her to some cult, because of the odd website of one of the producers.

    Vinyl Toys are odd… sometimes thought provoking… fun to collect… fun to give… and an can become an expensive habit.

    Eric N.

    Click my link to see photos of a few of my Dunny’s.

13. Rence
    January 8th, 2007 at 5:22 am

    Hate these things, they all look the same…

14. Meg
    January 8th, 2007 at 6:15 am

    Yeah, like Eric up there I’ve always really digged the Kid Robot stuff…doesn’t hurt that they’ve made 3D versions of all of the Gorillaz characters either.

15. AC
    January 8th, 2007 at 8:50 am

    Hi Alex,

    British illustrator James Jarvis designs some ‘neat’ vinyl figures, you can check out his company Amos Toys:

    http://www.amostoys.com

    Do you know if James Jarvis is covered in the Full Vinyl book?

    P.S.1: Does anyone remember Sony’s Time Capsule toy project?

    http://shift.jp.org/063/timecapsule

    P.S.2: Oh yeah, great contest!

16. Noel
    January 8th, 2007 at 9:23 am

    I love the Kubricks, especially the ones designed by KAWS where he recreated the artwork he did back in the day on New York Bus stops.

    Baseman’s also a fav, although I enjoy his artwork in frames better.

    I’d love to have one of those books.

    Peace,

    Noel

17. Aaron
    January 8th, 2007 at 11:09 am

    I love the Nathan Jurevicius’s Butcher Girl. It reminds me of a Hindu goddess of a Butcher Shop with the bacon and knife. It looks like its face is saying, “Your next!”

18. sophie
    January 8th, 2007 at 11:21 am

    My all-time favorite vinyl toy is Spooky: The Thing What Squeaks by Jhonen Vasquez. It’s been on my desk at work for years, and it makes me very happy.

    I’m also a huge fan/collector of Tim Biskup and Nathan Jurevicius stuff.

19. tom
    January 8th, 2007 at 12:41 pm

    My favorite is a very recent toy, and to me seems to be the epitome of what the toy sculptors and manufacturers can do to capture the spirit of the artist/designer’s vision: Jim Woodring’s Mr. Bumper, from Strangeco. A multi-legged, psychedelic vehicle with a blase amphibian riding inside, and when the vehicle body/carapace is removed it’s revealed that the shell is just a dressing!- a ceremonial outfit covering the amphibian, the owner and operator of all of those legs! It’s a perfect translation of Woodring’s paintings into plastic. All of the legs move for a variety of walking poses, and the removable cowl makes this a possible play object for children as well as an art object, which is a nice touch.

20. Chris
    January 8th, 2007 at 2:11 pm

    I love Sam Flores’ Fatima and Tigerbaby. The Fatima is the sculpt that got me into collecting. It is a perfect transition from canvas to 3-D and it is a stunning piece of affordable art. I think the best toys take the artist’s original version and turn them into accurate 3-d models, that are more affordable, accessible, and look great displayed.

21. Denita TwoDragons
    January 8th, 2007 at 2:13 pm

    Sophie: I got a Spooky too!! ^___^

    The sushi chef is hilarious! I want one for my computer desktop…!

    –TwoDragons

22. James
    January 8th, 2007 at 2:19 pm

    One of my favorite figure series was Jason Siu’s “Speaker family” series. (link)

    Not only was it a sick series of figures (speaker-incorporated figures appearing in everything from jerseys, hoodies and track jackets to other more abstract figures barely resembling people at all), but all of the figures were real, working speakers, allowing for stereo hookup. The different members of the series incorporate everything from one small to three substantial speakers, so anyone could collect them as they wish, compiling their own stylish speaker system in the process. If any urban vinyl took form and function to their advantage, it’d be the speaker series. Definitely whats up.

23. Tinkergirl
    January 8th, 2007 at 4:12 pm

    I love Doktor A’s stuff - particularly his Steampunk creations. “Professor Whistlecraft’s Astounding Incendiary Automaton” for example!

    http://ccgi.firewyre.force9.co.uk/brassgoggles/?p=254

    I’m afraid I can’t enter (being in the UK) but I just wanted to let others know about Doktor A’s stuff. It’s quite different from a lot of other, more flat-coloured vinyls.

24. UncleDonVito
    January 8th, 2007 at 4:53 pm

    Jeff Soto is def one of my favorite artist, Vinyl or otherwise. http://www.potatostamp.com/images/store_minnqeelrg.jpg

    http://www.potatostamp.com/images/qeefrontsm.jpg

25. Meghan
    January 8th, 2007 at 5:23 pm

    *shameless plug* Book! Book! Book!
    Junk Mizuno of course, and Pete Fowler’s Monsterisms are among my favorites…and who could forget the smorkin’ rabbits!

26. brayden
    January 8th, 2007 at 6:55 pm

    I’m new to the whole vinyl scene, but I feel this is more reason to share this lovely craft with me in book form. I’ve gone over everyone’s comments, and I must say that the Franken Monkey Vinyl is my favorite on this page; something about lovable, three-eyed mutant primates really gets me going.

    One more thing: Alex, while I would be annoyed at the shameless plugs if they related to unneat topics, I do feel that free books on new pop art forms are quite neat. As long as the subjects relate to your theme (neatness), and you clearly label them, I personally have no problem with you getting a little help from sponsors every once and a while.

27. Molly
    January 8th, 2007 at 6:57 pm

    My favorite is the Tokidoki Dunny. It’s just so damn cute!! I made three trips to Urban Outfitters in one day trying to get it, but lucked out all three times. My wonderful hubby got two boxes for my Christmas stocking and one turned out to be the one!

28. Emperor
    January 8th, 2007 at 8:23 pm

    I’ll second Tinkergirl’s nomination of Doktor A (well I would as I spotted him thanks to her fine detective work) and I dug out details of others:

    http://tinyurl.com/ybvjnf

    His “Mysterious sighting in the Thames!” is a close second but also check out his “Professor Teslastein”, “The Automatic Girl”, “Autumn Mummy” and “Copperpod” amongst others.

    I’m also not in the US either (although I can provide a US shipping address which might qualify me ).

29. Klim
    January 8th, 2007 at 10:52 pm

    This stuff is like inspirational sugary snack food for character artists.

    This book looks awesome I have a met and worked with some of the artists I would have to say that Nathan J has some extremely fertile imagination and an amazing sense of line and color He is my personal favorite I have insane ammount of respect for Michale lau and his ability to constantly reinvent his style

30. Nathan B.
    January 10th, 2007 at 10:15 am

    I’m a big fan of Nathan Cabrera’s SpanDroid. I just wish I could afford one.

    http://www.spanofsunset.com/store/html/9.html

    Then again, a Cheshire Cat would have been nice. It’s sold out now.

    http://www.spanofsunset.com/store/html/330.html

    All of these vinyl toys are cool. I’d love to have a book about them. Go HarperCollins and Neatorama!

31. andythebean
    January 10th, 2007 at 4:30 pm

    simply put: Me Likey.

32. Yoong
    January 11th, 2007 at 3:32 pm

    Am I too late?! I love urban toys of all kinds! Vinyl, plastic, plush, paper, limited ed., big, small– I’ll buy “flawed”, broken or even homeless ones that lost their special box packaged homes!
    One of my favorites: Michael Lau’s first series of Crazy Children, specifically, Littlewest. She is one tough hoodrat.
    One that Needs to be a part of my collection: Chax Colony’s Gloomy Bear big bloody plush or vinyl.
    One that makes me proud: SUG, Portland’s hometwon hero!

33. Cory OBrien
    January 12th, 2007 at 11:16 pm

    I love Gary Baseman’s Baby Napper because I loved playing that knock down game when I was younger and they just look so funny with all of the hair sticking out of the sides.

34. Alex
    January 15th, 2007 at 1:19 am

    Thank you everyone for the comments (many are quite insightful!) - there are more comments than I have books to give away, so there is a little “randomness” in choosing the winners.

    You’ve been notified by email - those who qualify will get a free Full Vinyl book courtesy of Harper Collins. If there are any left over, I’ll go back to the list of commenters. Otherwise, thank you for taking the time for this promotion!

35. Chris
    January 17th, 2007 at 12:30 pm

    Was I too late to claim a book? I will be so sad if I missed out on this. Please let me know if I made the cut-off, I recieved the email but just saw it the other day. Thanks for this cool promotion, I love this site.

36. Eric N.
    January 19th, 2007 at 8:51 pm

    I recently picked up a weird wrestling dude… from the
    “TokiDoki vs. DevilRobots Trexi PLUS” series at UrbanzToys here in Hawaii.

37. Kim D.
    January 15th, 2008 at 11:24 pm

    I like Sam Flores , and my favorite figure/toy is female Fatima, they are sooo beautiful!!!

38. a.c.
    October 19th, 2008 at 12:25 am

    Does anyone else agree that some of the characters from the ‘Walter the Farting Dog” kid’s picture book series would make great vinyl toys?

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