Curated by the Harold Golen Gallery and hosted by Miami Beach’s prestigious Art Center of South Florida, Kaiju Monster Invasion is a multidisciplinary art show whose primary focus is the artistic interpretation of Japanese kaiju – giant beasts from the golden age of Japanese film and television.

Curated by the Harold Golen Gallery and hosted by Miami Beach’s prestigious Art Center of South Florida, Kaiju Monster Invasion is a multidisciplinary art show whose primary focus is the artistic interpretation of Japanese kaiju – giant beasts from the golden age of Japanese film and television. The group gallery show features amazing artwork an impressive list of “low-brow” and pop surrealist American artists, plus internationally acclaimed artist from Japan. This combination provides a rare occasion for bringing the best of the East and West interpretations of kaiju under one roof. Many participating artists are regular collaborators with STRANGEco, including Mars-1, Jim Woodring, Mark Nagata, Ron English, Amanda Visell, Attaboy, Anthony Ausgang, Brian McCarty, Bwana Spoons and scores of others.

The Kaiju Monster Invasion show will also feature a special retail shop with a host of special edition items produced by STRANGEco and designed by artists participating in the show – including never before seen items by Jim Woodring, Mars-1, Ron English, Anthony Ausgang, Amanda Visell and others.

Opening Reception: Wednesday December 3rd, 2008 8:00pm-10:00pm
ART CENTER OF SOUTH FLORIDA
800 Lincoln Road, Miami FL 33139

A new designer toy series from acclaimed British designer James Jarvis

[San Francisco, CA - October 27, 2008] - STRANGEco, the premier producer of high-quality designer toys and gifts, is pleased to announce the King Ken Mini Series, a new toy series created under license from London-based Amos Novelties. Designed by famed illustrator and Designer Toy pioneer James Jarvis, this series consists of new 4-inch versions of his popular King Ken character in six special color variants. The King Ken Mini Series debuts worldwide on November 22, 2008, for the holiday shopping season.

Born and raised in South London, James Jarvis is widely considered one of the pioneers in the modern “designer toy” phenomenon. He has been designing original vinyl figures for over a decade, beginning with the now iconic Martin vinyl figure for UK street fashion brand Silas & Maria in 1998 and continuing through his own toy company, Amos Toys. In 2003, Amos released the original King Ken as a 12-inch limited edition vinyl figure. An instant classic, the character was re-released in a series of limited edition color variants, each as popular as the next. King Ken next appeared in Vortigern’s Machine and the Great Sage of Wisdom, a comic novel created in 2006 by Jarvis and Amos co-founder Russell Waterman. This exposure has established King Ken as one of the most popular and recognizable characters in Jarvis’ potato-headed universe.

The King Ken Mini figure series features a new direction in the collaboration between STRANGEco and Amos Toys. San Francisco-based STRANGEco has distributed Amos products in North America since 2003 and, for the first time, is stepping into the role of producing James Jarvis’ toy designs. Like many designer toys, King Ken Series 1 is packaged in a “mystery box” assortment – much like a trading card, each figure is packed in an identical box, so the actual figure inside is unknown until the box is opened. The series features five main color variations – two from the original 12-inch collectibles and three original colors – plus one special surprise “chase” figure.

The King Ken Mini Series ships to retailers worldwide in late November 2008, through a network of distributors in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.

A fresh collection of high-quality artist designed toys, gifts and design objects, including great work from tokidoki, FriendsWithYou, The Museum of Modern Art and more.

STRANGEco has done it again!

A fresh collection of high-quality artist designed toys, gifts and design objects, including great work from tokidoki, FriendsWithYou, The Museum of Modern Art and more.

Please come visit STRANGEco to see the most exciting brand to emerge from the contemporary "designer toy" movement.

Booth #1679 - Javits Center - August 17-21, 2008

Strangeco and Max Toy Company reveal Comic-Con plans

Max Toy Company is the brainchild of Mark Nagata, a local San Francisco artist, toy collector and designer. He's been releasing some of the most innovative stuff in the tradition of classic Japanese character toys. This year at comic con, Mark has created a whole series of limited releases, most of them that he hand-painted himself. Details and pictures are below.

1. TRIPASU - Cronic x Max Toy Company
Cronic is a Japanese workshop run by Naoki Koiwa, who has made a name for himself by sculpting and producing super limited run kaiju designs. Tripasu sculpted and produced in Japan by Cronic, based on Mark's design, and hand-painted by Mark. Only 15 have been painted for the show.

2. PHAROAHS (SDCC edition) - Rumble Monsters (hand-painted by Mark Nagata)
Another super limited edition figure by Japanese DIY toy company Rumble Monsters - Pharoahs is a classic toy mold, which is hand-painted by Mark and is limited to an edition of 5.

3. EYEZON - Max Toy Company (hand-painted by Mark Nagata)
Eyezon is a mutant potato monster, fully designed and produced by Max Toy Co. Mark has hand-painted 16 Eyezons in this very cool gold color version. It's a clear figure with visible guts.

4. BOOSKA - GLOW IN THE DARK - Max Toy Company, designed by Martin Ontiveros
Booska is one of the most iconic characters from the golden age of Japanese television - this version has been re-interpreted by Portland artist Martin Ontiveros for Max Toy Company. Only 40 pieces available during Comic Con.

5. BOY KARMA (Glow in the Dark and Solid Black editions) - Mark Nagata
Boy Karma is the mascot of Max Toy Company; 30 pieces each of these two special editions will be available during the show.

STRANGEco is proud to announce that it is now the exclusive distributor of Max Toy Company, the brainchild of obsessive toy collector, magazine founder and artist Mark Nagata. Max Toy Company creates high quality vinyl figures in the tradition of classic Japanese character toys, with exclusive designs by Nagata, Bwana Spoons and others, as well as premier licenses from the golden age of Japanese kaiju.

STRANGEco is proud to announce that it is now the exclusive distributor of Max Toy Company, the brainchild of obsessive toy collector, magazine founder and artist Mark Nagata. Max Toy Company creates high quality vinyl figures in the tradition of classic Japanese character toys, with exclusive designs by Nagata, Bwana Spoons and others, as well as premier licenses from the golden age of Japanese kaiju.

Ask anyone who knows Mark Nagata to describe him and the two things that will come up are toys and art.

After attending the Academy of Art College in San Francisco during the late 80's and picking up a New York artist's rep, Mark embarked on a 10-year plus journey as a freelance commercial illustrator. Churning out hundreds of assignments over the years, coupled with deadlines from hell took a toll, both mentally and physically. "I had to reassess what was important in my life and refocus my abilities towards a new goal. " said Nagata.

"I'd been collecting Japanese toys all along, and suddenly realized it would be cool to have a magazine of some type devoted to them." So it's no surprise that Mark ended up creating and co- publishing Super7 Magazine. After successfully building the Super7 brand for nearly 4 years, it was time to move on. "I wasn't able to paint as much as I wanted, and I realized that the part of Super7 I enjoyed the most was creating toys and artwork, " reflects Nagata.

Thus was born Mark's new venture called Max Toy Company, named after his son, Max. With a nod to the Golden Age of Japanese toys, Max Toy Co. will continue the tradition of offering classic Japanese character toys by all the best toy companies. Max Toy Co. produces its own exclusive toys, both licensed and original.

In addition, Mark writes about Japanese Toys and is the toy editor for the bi monthly magazine called Otaku USA, available at all major bookstores. Now Mark has teamed up with StrangeCo to help wholesale and distribute its product to a much wider audience.

"StrangeCo is the leader in distributing Art Toys and really curate their offerings with care while expanding the brands identity. I think Japanese inspired toys is a growing aspect of the Art Toy market and I'd like to expand Max Toy Company products to these collectors. I'm looking forward to have Max Toy Company as a part of their select group of offerings."

Max Toy Co is a synthesis of toys and art ... both of Mark Nagata's life long passions.

For more information visit:

www.STRANGEco.com



CLICK HERE to visit the Max Toys Catalogue Page

ABOUT STRANGEco

Based in San Francisco, CA but catering to the world at large, STRANGEco is a dynamic force behind the growing phenomenon of the designer art toy movement.

After developing the successful online designer toy retailer, Kid Robot in 2002, co-founders Gregory Blum and Jim Crawford left in order channel their creative efforts in a different direction. Their hard work resulted shortly afterward with STRANGEco.

Working closely with artists they admire, the STRANGEco staff helps to develop character designs often only seen in two dimensions. The end results are beautiful original art pieces in three-glorious dimensions which fans can actually afford and collect. Notable artists STRANGEco has worked with include Mars-1, Jim Woodring, Friend With You, tokidoki, Nathan Jurevicius and many others.

When Computers Go Bad...

STRANGEco, the purveyors of the peculiar, are proud to announce the release of Mainframe, designed by Dean Bradley, a native Southern Californian and an accomplished artist and graphic designer. Bradley's work has quickly spread internationally and he has worked with the likes of Hurley International, Fuel TV, Buff Monster and Angry Woebots. Mainframe, is a forceful axe-wielding computer, come to life, with a monitor for a head, CPU unit as torso, a keyboard for one hand, and wires and cables carrying all the action.

Created in 2002, Mainframe is an exploration about our delicate relationship with technology. Begun as a series of paintings, the image and concept of Mainframe took root and spread rapidly across the globe. Through stickers, gallery shows, television exposure and now the STRANGEco collaboration, the concept of Mainframe has taken on a life of his own, much like the computer it was born from.

"I was spending a lot of time in front of my computer. I felt like the computer was a part of me. I realized there was a conflict within, a struggle between nature and technology."- Dean Bradley

The limited edition 8" Mainframe rotocast figure is available in three colorways-
Orange (400 pieces), "Duck Season" Camouflage (500 pieces) and Hi-Gloss White (200 pieces).

Mainframe will be available October 2007 at finer retailers. MSRP $54.99

For more information visit:

The new mini figure series from STRANGEco and tokidoki

FIRST SHOTS OF THE MOOFIA!

The new mini figure series from STRANGEco and tokidoki

Take a look at STRANGEco's new mini figure series - THE MOOFIA, designed
by fashion wonderbrand tokidoki! The Moofia features 8 original dairy-themed
characters, each figure is appx. 3 inches tall and will retail for $6.99 each.
Coming in early December 2006!

Note that the pictures feature hand-painted prototypes
- the final version will vary with much tighter painting schemes. But you get
the idea.

More info is here: http://www.strangeco.com/store/Shop_item.php?id=856&cat=20&sub=0

Come celebrate Toy Fair week with STRANGEco and Yoyamart!

Yoyamart & STRANGEco present STRANGE CARNIVAL

Come celebrate Toy Fair week with STRANGEco and Yoyamart!
this special party promises high spirits and good times, plus special artist appearances by Friends With You, Nathan Jurevicius & James Jarvis!

Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 7 pm to 11 pm

YOYAMART
15 Gansevoort Street (@ Hudson St.) NYC
(212) 242 5511

Everyone's Invited - Come One, Come All!

The first in a series of Mini Treehouse Vinyl Figures by Nathan Jurevicius!

STRANGEco presents Mini Treehouse, a new series of elaborate vinyl figures from the wonderful imagination of Nathan J! Based on his original Mini Treehouse mini figure characters, each vinyl increases the scale and comes packed with multiple outfits and accessories. The series begins with Naal!

Innocent-looking Naal is the first character in the series, and is actually a determined keeper of the mushroom patch. Naal's ultrasonic helmet listens for any unwanted shroom-spiders. Once engaged in battle, he furiously defends his fungii with war pipe, visor and fearsome robot arms.

Naal comes complete with full accessories for both his "Action Hero" and "Mushroom Lover" forms - including 2 separate helmets, arms and pipes, a net and bag, plus 2 mushrooms and a small family of shroom-spiders.

A First Peek at STRANGEco's new vinyl figure series - The CACTUS FRIENDS, by tokidoki!

A First Peek at STRANGEco's new vinyl figure series - The CACTUS FRIENDS, by tokidoki!

3 vinyl figures are featured in the series; each has interchangeable spines. The Cactus Friends are designed by Italian artist Simone Legno, whose art brand tokidoki is rapidly winning fans with its cute and sexy characters, flash animation and product design. Ciao from Japan, by way of Rome!