Custom Toys Based on 80’s Slasher VHS Tapes

As a kid, perusing horror movies at the video store was pretty much the pinnacle of human existence for me. (As an adult, I actually still feel the same way.)

Since 80’s slashers hold such a special place in my heart, I took some of my favorite 80’s slasher tapes and turned them into custom horror toys. 

Official ‘Coven’ Figures Signed by Mark Borchardt!

I’ve teamed up with director Mark Borchardt to create some official figures for the 20th anniversary of his short film Coven. With a simple sculpt cast in resin and a black cloth cloak, these mysterious hooded figures are mounted on a VHS-style cardback autographed by Borchardt himself (see pics below).  

CLICK HERE TO BUY ONE!

Mark’s 1997 short film Coven was highlighted in the documentary American Movie. Since then, he’s gained cult status, with VHS copies of Coven becoming extremely collectable. Working with Mark on this project was really fun, and he was enthusiastic about these figures from the start.

Anyone familiar with Coven knows the guerrilla-style approach Borchardt took to make it, which involved him handling basically every aspect of the production on his own. These Coven figures definitely capture that same DIY spirit. Not only was it designed (along with the card art) and sculpted on my own, every single one was molded, cast, painted, clothed, and packaged entirely by myself. Death by Toys is literally a one-man operation with no factories or assembly lines.

This run is limited to 100 figures with 75 of them being up for sale in the Death by Toys online store. The other 25 are being saved for various toy dealers so they can be available at some conventions and boutique toy shops (I also want a few for myself).

I debated making a figure of Borchardt himself, but the fine details involved with it didn’t feel right against the simple aesthetic of the VHS-style cardback. So I opted for the black hooded coven members with an extremely simple sculpt and single color design.

This is a non-articulated piece that is truly meant to be displayed in its entirety, cardback and all. So stop reading this and GO BUY ONE. 

Vintage Horror Movie Comics by Vile Consumption

What happens when you blend old-school horror movies with retro comic book covers? You’ll have to ask Cory Holliday (aka Vile Consumption), because he already took care of it for us. 

Custom Beverly Hills Cop Banana & Tailpipe Playset

Last week, I stole a toy banana from my 4-year-old’s play food (because I’m a monster). I packaged it up with a plastic tube I found to make a Beverly Hills Cop Banana and Tailpipe Set. (If you need an explanation, then this post isn’t for you.)

Custom Dig Dug Figure for Clutter Gallery’s “Inaction Figures 5” Show

I’ve wanted to make a custom Dig Dug action figure for a while, but I’ve been so caught up in other project that there’s never been enough time. Fortunately, Clutter Gallery asked me to contribute some pieces to their 5th Inaction Figures show, so this seemed like the perfect time to make one.

Embrace Death with These Action Figure Body Bags

Just in case your 5-POA figure is DOA.

As 2016 finishes up killing our favorite celebrities, I figured it was fitting to get on board the death train and create some tiny action figure body bags. Limited to just 10 (for this initial release, at least), each cloth bag has a functioning zipper and fits most 3-3/4" figures.

CLICK HERE to buy one from the Death by Toys store.

The Unappreciated Side Art of Vintage Lunchboxes

Most toy collectors have an appreciation for the full color, embossed artwork that graces the fronts of vintage metal lunchboxes. But very few of us (myself included until recently) take the time to turn them over and truly give them a full body-cavity inspection. After doing so with my entire vintage lunchbox collection, I came across tons of overlooked scenes painted on the sides, bottoms and tops that were worthy of a mention.