February in New York brings the US toy industry together for Toy Fair, a trade-only marketplace where everyone from Hasbro to Lionel Trains shows off their latest toy lines. Widely considered a show for kid’s stuff, Toy Fair could have been the least likely place to find creative, designer-based toys. But last month, the Boutique Toy Aisle broke the mold.

A dozen participating companies— grouped together in the 5400 Aisle under the auspices of The Toy Growers— rocked the Javits floor with varying styles of originally designed action figures and toys. Buzzing with energy over the entire four days (February 15-18, 2004), buyers, journalists and executives visited the aisle in droves.

As the show got started, there was barely time to leave the booth and walk the Javits Center floor. Special shouts, however, go out to a few companies that we didn’t get a chance to photograph— Scary Stories, Mezco and Uglydolls, whose products are all first-rate. Search for them on Google and enjoy!


James Jarvis Appearance/Toy Tokyo Pre-Show Party :::::::::::::::::::::::::
As a warm-up to the show, STRANGEco and Toy Tokyo sponsored an in-store appearance by UK toy designer James Jarvis, whose character design for Silas and AMOS Toys have made him a worldwide underground phenomenon. Held on Friday the 13th at Toy Tokyo (the toy collector’s mecca in NYC), James arrived with pen in hand and drew a sketch for everyone who waited in line to meet him.

After the signing, the party moved upstairs to Toy Tokyo’s office and gallery. The event quickly became a veritable who’s who of the international art & toy world: James Jarvis, Pete Fowler, Nathan Jurevicius, Stash, Futura, Seen, Kostas, Dr. Revolt and the majority of the Toy Growers were all in the house. Lev, Toy Tokyo’s proprietor, deserves a special nod for putting together a nice party all around.
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STRANGEco/Rocketworld/Warning Label Design ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
With the double-wide booth as one bookend to the boutique aisle, STRANGEco featured a combination of originally branded toys and specially distributed products. In addition to the previously announced Dorbel, MARS-1 and Tiger Baby vinyls, STRANGEco previewed The Neo Kaiju Project -- co-produced with Super7 Magazine, this new series features reinterpretations of Japanese monsters by Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Seonna Hong, Kathy Schorr and Todd Schorr.
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The booth also showcased Scarygirl by Nathan Jurevicius (including the upcoming Mini Scarygirl series), Sony Japan’s Vanimal Zoo and Art Capsule mini figures, Presspop Gallery’s high-end vinyl figures and the new Punk Is Not Dead series by James Jarvis and AMOS Novelties.
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STRANGEco also shared booth space with Rocketworld and Warning Label Design, the two finest Oakland-based toy companies around. Rocketworld unveiled the full line of figures from the I.nsurgents W.ilderness G.ruppo, including the finished Titus plus unpainted sculpts of eight other characters from the series.
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Warning Label Design presented a complete display of the B.I.T.DZ. (Biddies) series 1, plus a sterling silver figure, orange & yellow promo keychains and a special preview of three characters from Series 2.
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Achy Breaky Toys/Messex Industries :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A three-time veteran of Toy Fair, Achy Breaky Toys teamed up with Messex Industries to collectively feature an irreverent bag of pop culture-focused product lines. Branching out from the successful Mulletheads figures, Achy Breaky unveiled the Gutter Punx and The Fooies (with Biddies creator Warning Label Design), plus a wide variety of Mulletheads merchandise and apparel. They also featured the Swear Bears, soft vinyl figures designed by Aaron of Toedesign, Inc.
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Messex Industries displayed their range of exclusive plush and vinyl products made for Hot Topic, X-Large and others, and officially released the Paxx iLL limited edition figurine.
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Burnco :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A chance placement dropped Burnco across the aisle from STRANGEco, and a-Toy Growing they did go. Their special antenna toppers of low-brow influenced icons (including Big Daddy Roth’s Rat Fink) attach to special "Auto Bodies", turning them into articulated action figures. A company to watch, with a cool Rat Fink bicycle as well! (photos courtesy of Burnco)
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Critterbox Toys ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Under the motto "Toys Art Us," Critterbox featured a beautiful booth display to match their high quality toys. All of their previously announced vinyl figures (by Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Dave Cooper, Kaz and Tony Millionaire) were there, as were new Uglydoll vinyls designed by David Horvath and Sin-Min Kim. Critterbox also unveiled new 12-inch versions of Gary Baseman’s Dunces figures, originally made popular by Sony Japan’s Vanimal Zoo series.
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Friends With You ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Friends With You spread their magic far and wide at the show, often in the middle of the aisle passing out promotional materials and posters. In addition to their popular plush creatures, Friends With You unveiled the Good Wood Gang—a series of six modular wood toys named Black Foot, Sweet Tooth, Albirdo, Lucky Doovoo, Squid Racer and Mr. TTT Burger.
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PixelBlocks :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A special shout-out goes to PixelBlocks. Although not located in the Designer Toy Aisle, PixelBlocks were the coolest building toys to be had on the 2nd floor. Their booth showcased an amazing mural by Berlin-based design team, EBOY, along with impressive models of a 3D bonsai tree & monkey. (photos courtesy of PixelBlocks)
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Rock America ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Across the aisle from Friends With You, Rock America showcased figures by fellow San Francisco artists Attaboy and Alex Pardee. Attaboy’s Arxtrx and Qweshun were featured in the front of the booth, and he was showing the new Embryo mini figure project as well (which is coming soon).
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Alex Pardee’s Bunnywith plush was a new and twisted discovery. Based on his self-published comic of the same name, the plush rabbits feature a bunny "with"—bunnywith goiter, bunnywith baby, bunnywith siamese twin, etc. I’m halfway through the comic now, and the possibilities are endless. (Photos courtesy of Rock America)
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Superfun Company ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sharing booth space with Toy Tokyo, NYC’s Superfun Company rolled out a full array of Toxic Teddies resin figurines. Featuring an elaborate, infant-sized pop-up coffin display, Superfun announced a new Toxic Teddies characters—including the new "Downtown" series and The Sportsman with his downed unicorn.

In their infinite wisdom, the Toy Fair organizers placed Thomas Kinkade and their new teddy bears directly across the aisle from Superfun. The plush cheesefest never had a chance.
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Toy Tokyo :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
NYC specialty toy store Toy Tokyo was the other bookend to the Boutique Toy Aisle, featuring a range of products that replicated the selection in their East Village retail store. Highlights at their booth included Playbeast’s new Cardboy figure by John Mark James, an advance preview Mezco’s new Living Dead Dolls series and Medicom’s Futura Umbrella set. For those celebrity watchers in the audience, graffiti legend Seen spent a lot of time at the Toy Tokyo booth.
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