“You can pick one.”

A story of self control and making connections 🙂 https://jimstoybox.com/2023/03/29/you-can-pick-one/ #MakeMineMego #walmartfinds #dccomics #greenlantern #aquaman #Shazam #TheFlash #Mego #jimbumgardner #jimstoybox

Collecting nostalgia in a nostalgic way (and it’s as tough now as it was then).

How does one choose a favorite friend? Today I figured it out.

Act 1 – The Challenge

If you were like me back in the golden age of going to the store with your Mom and Dad, I know you faced this challenge while standing in front of them with an armload of toys; “You have to pick one.” They delivered it in a way that made it sound so easy. Of course it wasn’t but you had to do what you had to do or be a brat about and loose the negotiation completely. Nobody wanted that.

It’s with that perspective and memory, I challenged myself as a parent now, to treat my collector habits like they did then. I could only pick one. Considering the choices it was just as tough now as it was then. Even though it was MY money! Still, it was a fun idea and would be a practice in self control. “What could warrant such a highly dramatic approach to buying a toy, Jim?” Four letters that followers of my online exploits know very well:

M E G O

Having went a little crazy on picking up the first series of 50th anniversary Worlds Greatest Superhero’s (Superman, Batman and Robin), the second series arrived at my local Walmart and I promised myself (and wife and daughter) that I would be a little more restrained in my impulses. But come on! There were now faithful reproductions of Aquaman and Shazam joined by new offerings (as if Mego made them back in the days of disco) of The Flash and Green Lantern to add to my block o’ nostalgia and collectors dream come true. It’s with that in mind that the challenge was born. And today was the day that I had to face the challenge.

Act 2 – What are the factors?

With the self imposed restrictions of my purchasing power agreed to, I walked into the Walmart here with a bunch of determining factors to consider:

So which one do I go with? What will the final decision be based on?

A. A faithful reproduction? Aquaman or Shazam

B. The new and exciting? The Flash or Green Lantern

C. The short packed? This was interesting too as it was a split between one of each classic vs new (2each Aquaman and The Flash’s and 4 each of Shazam and Green Lantern)

It was a serious dilemma I was facing but I was determined to make a logical (by my definition of logic that is) decision as to which one it was. One factor that was starting to come to the forefront of my selection process was to make it easier on myself by going chronologically. To go with which came first in the old days: Aquaman or Shazam. The newbies could wait. And as I was looking at them all and reverting back to my 6 year old self in 1979, something happened that was completely unprecedented in my neck of the woods:

John showed up.

Before I get to who John turned out to be, I must share the background and why his appearance had to be of some sort of dimensional enigma wrapped in a quagmire. You see dear reader, I am pretty much if not the only dyed in the wool, hardcore Mego fan in this neck of the world. I can prove this by point you back to earlier on this article of how I went a wee bit overboard with the series 1 assortment. I literally bought them all. Not at one time though. I spread the purchases out over several weeks as to not be one of “those guys” who hoards things. Sure it may look like it if you don’t know the story, but I don’t care. Those were fair shipping terms as far as I’m concerned. Plus, literally no one else was buying them here. Not one. To me that was a disrespectful shame and not an Afro t to the things I love to be allowed for too long. Hence my surprise when John walked up and politely asked me if I had grabbed the ones I wanted.

“What is happening here?” was the first question that popped into my head. “I’ve never seen this guy before. Is he a reseller? Is he looking to snatch away my precious plastic memories? What was this guys deal?!?” My rational journalistic mind snapped back into play and decided to just ask him. His answer was one for me that was of a serendipitous and maybe even divine intervention.

He was a fan.

Not only that but he was also a really good dude. I told him about my challenge and asked him if it was cool that I interview him for this most monumental encounter. He agreed and not at all awkward. You see, dear uninitiated to the collector world, we fanboys and fangirls share a kinship that knows no labels or limitations. It’s a wonderful thing.

Along with sharing his story of being from out of town but making it a point to pop into Walmarts along the way in search of these little prizes, he also shared so much about his connection to the toys and his hopes for kids to discover them as well. So many times his answers sounded like my own thoughts, words and deeds. I’m telling ya, gang, it was a fantastic exchange. That is until he posed the question back to me that I had started this journey off with; “So, which one are you going to pick?”

I had to pause due to this new x-factor which came in the form of John and the figures in his hands. I shared with him my points of consideration to which he completely understood. He also understood how the scale was now tipped with his selections. I’m not aging this was like a scene in a movie where the camera cuts into an extreme close up of the heroes eyes and we see the one bead of sweat appear and slide down his eyes… but it was close.

Scarcity. That would be my determining factor! But… it is MY money and this challenge is dumb and I might miss out on the one if I pick the other… damn it! So I grabbed them both. There was no shaming glance from John as it appeared my will power fell through and I put both Aquaman and The Flash into my handcart and we both headed toward the registers.

Before we made it all the way up though, I did need to touch base with my wife to see if there was anything else I did need to pick up before I left. Perhaps it was in this moment of responsibility, I made the internal judgement call to put one back. And I did.

*To note, John saw his three selections all the way to the end.

Act 3 The decision

So what did I do?

Who did I choose?

Why did I choose this one?

What is the moral of the story?

As I walked away from the collectibles section having returned The Flash to his spot amongst the remaining Shazam’s and Green Lantern’s, I looked down at the Aquaman in my hand basket and smiled. I had practiced self control and used (once again) my own form of collectors logic and justification in making this choice. I decided to proceed forward by staying chronological in my selection. Way back when, Aquaman was one of the original four including Superman, Batman and Robin so that made sense and also set the order of operations for my next pick ups in the coming days or weeks. I still want to give other fans a shot at them although, jumping ahead of the four Shazam’s to get to the now one lonely The Flash will be a chore I’m sure.

So the moral? Self control is still possible in an on demand, I want it now and not only that, it’s incredibly satisfying to know that in the most unexpected ways and at the most unexpected times, we all have opportunities to connect with like minded folks and share stories and moments so long as we’re willing to accept a challenge.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 03/28/2023

If you liked this article, I’d truly appreciate it if you would take the couple seconds to time to like, comment, subscribe and share it far and wide. It would also be swell if you are in the market for Mego toys to stop by your local Walmart and pick one up there. I can’t speak from a position of authority in this but I do believe the more that sell at retail the longer the line will go on. But of course, supporting your favorite online retailer is a great thing to do too as they are truly committed to helping folks bring the magic literally home via the various shipping services available. Yet if all that fails or those avenues are out of stock, I would ask you to consider buying a Mego their official store on Amazon where I do get a piece of as an Amazon affiliate. And if you want to learn more about all things Mego consider joining the official Mego Ambassador group on Facebook for the latest news and informs straight from the source.

“You can pick ONE!”

A story of self control and making connections 🙂 https://jimstoybox.com/2023/03/29/you-can-pick-one/ #MakeMineMego #walmartfinds #dccomics #greenlantern #aquaman #Shazam #TheFlash #Mego #jimbumgardner #jimstoybox

50th Anniversary MEGO World’s Greatest SUPERHEROES Shipping NOW!

Jim’s Toy Box isn’t getting any kickback on these links at all. I’m doing this shout out solely for the purpose of celebrating a small business that earned my business the old fashioned way: AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE!

Late night heads up thanks to my brother from another mother, Tom. Movie Posters Etc has the new Mego reproduction figures of Superman, Batman, Robin, Aquaman and Shazam and the wish list figures they missed of Green Lantern and The Flash in hand and shipping now! Needless to say, I got my order in! Anyway, when you click on any of the picture links below you’ll see that their price is incredibly good even with shipping figured in and is better than a certain mega retailer that doesn’t need the free advertising.

To note, the Toy Box isn’t getting any kickback on these links at all. I’m doing this shout out solely for the purpose of spreading the Mego heads up and giving a shout out to a small business that earned my business the old fashioned way: AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE! I’ll share more about that story soon but for now, go Collect ’em All!

Jim 11/19/2022

All are officially-licensed, approximately 8″ Classic action figures released to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of MEGO’s release of the DC super hero characters. The figure is produced by MEGO and remains new and sealed in MEGO’s original NEAR MINT window box-style packaging.

Happy Mego Day? A timeline adventure.

UPDATE!!!!! Want to let you all know that right now (11/20/2022) You can order the new 50th anniversary Mego Superheroes from Movie Posters Etc NOW! I know I stressed the “retail experience” and I do hope to do that BUT more importantly I want what I want and I also would MUCH RATHER see a small business benefit from your purchase. Check ’em out and Collect ‘Em All!

Jim’s note: This post will be updated throughout the day. Check back or refresh the page often.

Introduction: Why it all matters to me. They’re just dolls for God sake. But not really. They’re a life long source of inspiration, entertainment and joy for nearly 50 years. And now we’ve come to a bookend.

Preface/ prelude 11/05/2022: the discovery.

HAPPY MEGO DAY? 11/06/2022

5:50 am: up and at em! Fall back in full effect. Feel pretty good with the “extra” hour of sleep I got. Now for the morning chores with the cats and dogs. Then off to work.

7:11 am: popped into the home base Walmart. Nothing as expected but tried anyway. Now on to work… best word for today: Anticipation!

7:46 am: thinking about it all (which is always my thing anyway), how to make a game of it beyond the silliness of it all, my mind is pondering using these 50th anniversary figures as a reward system. Trade the treat for a bad or non existent habit I want to break or create. In essence treating myself like a kid who needs to finish his vegetables before desert . So silly. Time to do the day job… bet your bippity that my mind will be filled with ideas for the blogs and podcasts to come inspired by this new hunt.

8:35 am: in regards to last point… work tasks are getting done quicker. So much for the passage of time being manipulated by distraction. I

10:25 am: I truly enjoy and appreciate my day job… but man oh man would I like to be able to check those pegs right now! Not completely obsessed as much as I want to see this happen.

But regardless of the days final results… my heart will go on. Just like Celine sang 😉

Going for a better outcome then these two.

The trick is to just focus on the workday stuff. I swear, these posts come at times that are ethical. No slacking here from this fanboy.

1:34 pm: Lunch time but not enough time to run across town. AKA adult problems. “Just call or order online.” How about no. This about the retail experience and showing support at the register for the company. More on all of that later.

2:01 pm: Could it be any slower? As Johnny Cash so intensely sang; “Tome keeps dragging on.” Now, while I’m not stuck in a prison, the clock is certainly an annoying warden at the moment.

Like sands through the hourglass that doesn’t actually have a hole in the middle. Welcome to my Sunday.

3:33 pm: just found out I have dinner plans right after I get off sooooooo…. I broke and called the store. The young man was nice but had no clue even after looking. The tension builds like a Willie Wonka meme.

4:42 pm: So close to quitting time but the dinner plans have taken precedence. Grrrrrr…. But the biggest reveal so fat is how much I’m getting a kick out of these timeline updates. Something to this form of storytelling 🙂

5:07 pm: dinner party is still waiting for the table sooooo….. update shortly. 🙂

5:28 pm: Nevermind . Family first. 🙂

7 pm: Almost done with dinner. Anticipation slightly muted by post pasta grogginess. Honestly though, I’m not feeling that the final stop is going to turn out with a happy ending.

7:59 pm: It appears to be a bust. But I ain’t going without some digging…

Photo credit: Alicia. She totally gets me and I appreciate that more than you know.

8:18 pm: Learning new things. While the system shows that the figures will be here, when is actually an uncertainty.

“not in transit”

So in at the end of the day the anticipation was left unfulfilled, but most certainly not a waste of day or unbearable disappointment. Watch this space for more on this “Happy Mego Day” that wasn’t plus the podcast that will talk more about the true significance of all of this silliness.

Now, go play!

Jim 11/06/2022

P.S. Not a total bust at the CCP Superstore. Found this fun little star of the FNAF universe from Funko for Freddy’s biggest fan. We call her Kaitlynn. 🙂

Kirk is going where no 90 year old man has gone before?!?!

In case you missed it the most epic announcement of the actions of a pop culture icon just dropped: William Shatner is going to space! How amazing is that? Captain Kirk going to space for real?!?! I’m not that big of a Trekkie but I sure do love me some William Shatner!

And while this is awesome in and of itself, this isn’t the first time that the influence of the fictional “Star Trek” has manifested in our real world. For those who may not have known or forgot, once upon a time ago the bridge crew of the Enterprise were the guests of honor when the REAL Enterprise was rolled out for all to see… well, everybody but the Captain…

I guess this is the Shat’s way of making up for that really stupid blunder on his part. As of this writing, I haven’t been able to find an official reason as to why he wasn’t there but ego’s were ego’s back then. Oh well, let the past be the past right? Right!

Being as fanboy as I can be, this announcement gets me stoked about Kirk Merch (plus that sounds kind of cool)… and on that note, I’m thinking to commemorate the moment I just may go aheaad and get my hands on the new 14″ Mego Kirk via my longtime pals at Entertainment Earth. Hmmm……

Hell, I think I may need to give in to more impulse buying and round out the whole old school crew via the Mego way. Also could be a really good time to give the folks at ZLC Collectibles a shot…. I see tribble size trouble on my hands if I give into all this madness.

But what a way to go! I think I’ll start right here…. I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂

https://zlccollectibles.com/collections/mego-star-trek/products/mego-star-trek-kirk

Logan: He is the best at what he does, bub!

Logan7Good morning gang! I know, I know: Why time stamp this post when you never know when exactly someone is going to actually be reading it? Because its morning right NOW, duh. And morning was very crucial to the decision to do this sunrise photo session and quick post about Logan: the Wolverine.

Logan here is from the Diamond Select / EMCE Toys Marvel 8 inch Re-Mego collector set. Well one of two heads and outfits separate from the complete Mego-style Wolverine figure in the set. And on a Type S body from ZICA / Castaway Toys (as constructed by my pal Gregory Harris. Again sir, you are much hoss!). Hopefully this week I can do more of a full on review but right now this post is all about THIS figure and the fun that it inspired on a Sunday morning in August, 2015.

Taking our lovely little Yorkie out to do her morning business, excuse me, be demanded to take out Her Royal Roundness for her morning water blessings of the lawn, everything looked “just right” to bring this guy out and get some pics in natural light that I hoped would show how fantastic this figure is. And I don’t say that lightly at all.

I have been on the fence with these DST/EMCE Marvel 8 inch figures for some time and still have some issues I want to discuss later this coming week but for now I just want to share and celebrate with you this Canadian that means nothing but business. Check out the pics and tell me what you think either here or on Facebook.

Now, Go Play!

Jim 08/02/2015

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ALSO !!!!!! I’ve created a Streaming Channel for the ROKU! It’s much more than toys but I would appreciate it if you would take a look sometime. Plus you never know when I may get more playtime in for the Toy Box that will find it in the Arts&Entertainment section of the channel. Still waiting on the final approval from ROKU to put it in the official channel store (fingers crossed) but in the mean time you can still access the channel using the Vanity Code below. Thank you again to all of you wonderful folks for the encouragement in all of my weird and wacky adventures 🙂 – JB

ROKU AD 1

Sea Ghost – A fantastic voyage to the bottom of the sea and top of the imagination.

sg01logoGetting children involved in oceanic preservation is crucial to the long term success and legacy that you are working towards. One way to get them interested and involved is to help them fall in love with the sea. One way to do that is through fun and fantastic tales and adventures. For that I have a suggestion that: Captn’ Eli and his amazing friends.

images (1)Hearkening back to the days of Saturday morning cartoons and super heroic fun, young Eli saves the seas with his pal Commander X. While the Commander is a formidable hero on his own his efforts are more than amplified thanks to his pal, the Sea Ghost.

74c18514d8770790834e7ddae1e83823I can not stress who incredibly clever and fun these comics are. Adventure, excitement, mystery is all there plus the 2D and 3D artwork created by artist and writer Jay Piscopo is beautiful. And a long with the comics and cards Jay has also put together a series of action figures based on Commander X that helps kids get into the action and create their own adventures. And now Sea Ghost is joining the ranks of playtime and collector fun.

Sea Ghost - 3 PrototypesSea Ghost is currently up for Pre-Order now at the discount price of $16 which is an incredible value considering the quality that comes from it’s maker Paul “Dr. Mego” Clarke of EMCE toys. Not too big, not too small, these toys can stand up to play and collectability. Considering how much you all love the sea feel free to get an extra one for you too.

download (1)The way we play is a reflection of how we live. Introduce your kids to this fascinating undersea world today and help deepen their sense of importance in saving the seas and all of its inhabitants while enjoying some fascinating fun and adventures with Capt’n Eli, Commander X and the Sea Ghost!

Now, Go Play!
Jim 02/27/13

That winning lottery ticket needs to hit!

What a year for 8 inch Mego style action figures! Between the Figures Toy Company reproductions, the full lineup from the Big Bang Theory and the customizing possibilities with the S-Type body I only thought I was going to have to get a third job to pay for my hobby. Well I guess I gotta start looking for the fourth job now thanks to Bif Bang Pow and EMCE toys…

bluntman

I just pre ordered my set and hope you will be so kind to do the same via the links I have up here (and share this posts link too). Actually if enough of you do I won’t have to find that fourth job. Oh who am I kidding? The way this is going I’m probably going to need a fifth.

Now, Go Play (and Pre-Order!)

Jim 02/23/14

Looking back and forward at the Venture Bros.

Entertainment Earth

Dear Reader I present to you the coolest Re-Mego yet!
At one time Henchman 24 knocked my socks off, the options have only gotten better and better so the top spot is always changing!

While I’m on a pretty hardcore Sheldon Cooper / Big Bang Theory kick at the moment some of you may recall my appreciation for the Venture Bros. line of 8 inch Classic style of action figures. And as some of you may recall that appreciation of the fun and fantastic show came after the discovery of their Mego style action figures from Bif Bang Pow.

This still impresses me; the fact that the merchandise was so so cool I couldn’t help but get lured in. Well played BBP, well played. I really enjoyed talking up these figures in the past and Dr. Orpheus is still my absolute favorite of the line.

 

 

 

The special "magic hand" is simply to die for.
The special “magic hand” is simply to die for.

With the rest of the Triad coming out later this year my collector gene is kicking into high gear.  While they are not a part of the in-stock sale you can Pre-Order Jefferson Twilight and the Alchemist (plus Pete White and Shore Leave) via these links: Order The Venture Bros. Pete White and Jefferson Twilight Figures from Entertainment Earth!Order The Venture Bros. Shore Leave and Alchemist Action Figures from Entertainment Earth!

Microsoft Word - Dexterl022608_approvedfinal.docThis all came to mind again because of the big Bif Bang Pow sale going on now through February 20th at Entertainment Earth. Sadly I had to sell off the majority of my collection last year but 2014 is looking to be much better and brighter. I hope the same is true in your situation whatever it may be. If that is the case do yourself a favor and check out the sale. There are a lot of really good deals on some really GREAT collectibles and toys from BBP.

However if things are still lean for you rest assured that your old buddy Jimbo is gonna keep my eyes peeled for good deals to hopefully help all of us get back on our collecting feet and get our shelves overflowing with fun and merriment that only comes from officially licensed, product tie ins. Now, Go Play! – Jim 02/16/14

8 Inch Venture Bros.
The Venture Bros. Dean Venture 8-Inch Action FigureThe Venture Bros. Series 4 Hank 8-Inch Figure, Not MintThe Venture Bros. Dr. Venture 8-Inch Action FigureThe Venture Bros. Dr. Girlfriend and Hank Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Dr. Orpheus & Phantom Limb Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Brock Samson and Killinger Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Molotov and Billy Quizboy Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Shore Leave and Alchemist Action FiguresThe Venture Bros. Pete White and Jefferson Twilight FiguresVenture Bros. Monarch & Dr. Mrs. in Tin-Convention Exclusive

3&3/4 inch Venture Bros.
Venture Bros. Dr. Venture 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Hank Venture 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Dean Venture 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Naked Brock 3 3/4-Inch Figure - Con ExclusiveVenture Bros. The Monarch 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Dr. Mrs. The Monarch 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Phantom Limb 3 3/4-Inch FigureVenture Bros. Monarch Unpainted 3 3/4-Inch Figure-Exclusive

3 Robins: Different but equally loved.

Robin Group

I thought it would be fun to put all of these fellow’s together, side by side and chat about them for a moment. Our subjects in case you didn’t know are Robin the Boy Wonder in three different incarnations.  In this article I’ll do a basic breakdown of the nuances of each.

MEGO

Robin MegoUp first is the original Mego Robin. This particular specimen is the T-2 body style which has been the standard that most good re-Mego’s have followed (Yes I am dissing you Mattel, go back to your corner and slouch and as you recall, you didn’t even bother making a Robin.).

Nothing will ever replace this wonderful feat in toy engineering for me. No matter how good a reproduction may be, nothing will ever match this version note for note. But it is clear to see this fellow has been loved quite a bit over the last few decades. While the gloves are reproductions everything else is original Mego including the internal rubber bands that hold him together.  Actually this Mego Robin is my daughters that she has been playing with for the past couple of years. Don’t worry Kaitlynn, Daddy will bring him home once I’m done with this article.

Figures Toy Company

Robin FTCNext we find the Figures Toy Company reproduction. In their marketing they use the term “Exact” however this is not the case. There are noticeable color variations, Robin’s head is smaller while his neck is longer, the internal rubber bands are almost too tight which has caused some breakage issues for some folks and the body is made of a lighter weight plastic. With all of that said though, none of those are damnable offenses.

I consider the color variations not much different than what can be found in Mego’s original run of the World’s Greatest Super Heroes.  As far as the head size, to the casual observer and non- Mego collector this is most certainly a passable facsimile.  The rubber bands are what they are and I’d almost be willing to bet that FTC is going to get this resolved as it would be the poor business plan to have to keep replacing bodies all the time, which I hear they have no issues with. As far as the lighter weight plastic this isn’t a bad thing. If not for the super tight rubber bands these bodies are actually quite durable. Again I would like to take this time to publicly commend Figures Toy Company for having really turned their quality ship around. Bravo to you!

Castaway / ZICA

Robin S Type

And our final specimen is the S-Type body from the combined efforts of Castaway and Zica Toys outfitted in the Figures Toy Company’s Robin accessories and head. While I love the body as a whole and raved about it in the video I posted earlier there are two issues that I would like to point out. The first is purely aesthetic. The S-Type is just different enough from the T-2 body that it does stand out as being just that, different. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying.

And secondly the legs and arms are not as beefy as the T-2 or the FTC facsimile of the T-2 body. This is not a huge deal BUT the oven mitts will slide right off with little provocation and the shoes are loose. Again none of these are terrible flaws and in fact this one is the most playable. I even offered it to my daughter but Kaitlynn is a creature of habit and loves her “old Robin” just fine.

Conclusion

In the end I feel I’ve shared with you three examples of some great toys that hit on numerous positive levels.  The negatives that were pointed out were merely observations that I make as a lover of these toys. It does sadden me however that I didn’t have a Doc Mego or EMCE example to post along with these as the good Dr. will always in my eyes be considered the champion of the Mego cause and without him none of this resurgence would have happened.

Now, Go play!

Jim 02/12/2014

Brick Returns!

You know sometimes people are simply wonderful.

 

As many of you may recall, towards the end of the year last year I went all in on raising funds for my film / documentary “Now, Go Play!”. In doing so I sold of the majority of my own personal collection to raise funds for HD camera and other equipment needs. While the film is on a temporary hiatus (more on that later) the love that has been generated from it continues to grow.

 

You see as part of the big sell off of 2012 I parted ways with one of my favorite pieces Brick Mantooth. He was taken into the home of a very swell fellow by the name of Jason Shackleford (jshack to my fellow MegoMuseum peeps). I could go on and on about Jason and more of his other more than generous contributions to the project but for the sake of your time and attention let me just say he’s an amazing giver. Note the Executive Producer Credit on all of the new Toy Box videos. Moving on…

 

This past Saturday I walked to the mailbox a bit late in the day not expecting to see anything short of perhaps another regular monthly bill. Image my surprise when I opened the door and saw a cardboard box from none other that Jason. I smiled. Once I got inside the smile grew even larger when I peeled back the tape and the layers of air packing to see none other than my dear old pal Brick Mantooth. He was back. The smile began to hurt it was so big.

 

So here I am, a 39 year old man as overjoyed as an 8 year old on Christmas morning staring at this long lost friend who was now smiling back at me in all his 70’s catalogue model charm, oozing with cheesy charisma. Of course I had to snap a picture. It was a monumental occasion. Truly worthy of a Kodak moment and a facebook posting.

brickpic

You see, the time that has passed since the original inception of “Now, Go Play!” has been one of the most life altering times of my life. First up, it was the first time I exposed myself and my passions to the world in such an open and needy manner. Follow that with my first opportunity to experience faith and generosity to what at the time appeared to be a cold and uncaring world. People that I had never met or had only known through cyber relationships were actually showing support both moral and financial to me and my cause. Humbling and encouraging all at the same time. Those feelings served as a springboard into an adventure into personal and professional growth that I have never before known. Real confidence. Determination to break out of my rut and belief that life as I knew it was all that there was. Indeed the air had shifted and the change was coming. Again more on that a little later but for now let me again focus back on my now returned pal, Brick.

 

This charismatic hunk of plastic will forever represent to me the love and belief that comes from others when they are given the opportunity to share, care and support a fellow true believer as Stan Lee would say. This fantastic piece of plastic now goes from being a toy with mucho heart (click here for the full scoop) to being a symbol of inspiration and determination to follow ones dreams and trust that the world is indeed on your side and not fighting against you. I’m sure that Brick’s creators Brian Heiler and Scott Adams had no idea that their creation could transcend to such a highly regarded position, but I’m here to tell you he has. Thanks guys (and to all the others who made Brick possible) and to all of my supporters of “Now, Go Play!” Ben Peterson, Aaron Ber, Douglas Tooley, Dawn O’Connell, Russ Dould my lovely wife Alicia, Kathy Tarochione, and of course all my peeps at the MegoMuseum (forgive me if I left your name out, it was far from intentional just freeflowing thought at the keyboard at the moment). I love and appreciate you all.

 

The future is looking very, very bright for me, mine and the film. I could go on and on but instead I just want to enjoy this moment of reflection and love that all of these folks have brought to me. And rest assured that at the end of the day I will work diligently to not let you down. Just like Brick, I aim to spread the joy and fun that comes from imagination, passion and the spirit of fun for all of the rest of my days on this planet. Thanks for reading my ramble. Now, Go Play! – Jim 01/28/13

You can get a Brick too… Click HERE… and also check out some other cool swag at Plaid Stallions including Brian’s new book that is a fantastic collection of incredibly crappy toys by clicking HERE and see what al the guff is abotu by watching the videos below…

 


 

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