For His Most Casual of Times

I hope the sight of Brick Mantooth in a monk's robe is all you need to make this week an epic win. 

Like Brick could ever be celibate......

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Goodbye to the World's Coolest Basement

This week got a l'il emotional as I bid goodbye to my grandparent's home. Even though they both had passed a while back, my whole family was a bit attached to their place and it took some time to finally decide to let it go.

For me, the hardest part about it was that it was a perfect time capsule complete with wood paneling, funky carpets and even rotary phones (which now reside in my home). It was like stepping into my childhood every time i went there:

I played with my Mike Power: Atomic Man in this corner, wrote my first post college resume on that desk and more recently filmed the Brick Mantooth toy commerical here.

The house was built in the mid 1960s and honestly I think they stopped decorating around 1972. They kept everything perfect so it was museum quality and it was also filled with weird "high tech" items like electric space heaters and intercoms in every room!

Seriously, what kid wouldn't play with this for hours? It was like living in the Venture compound!

This house will forever remind me of catalogs (my grandmother kept them for years, so yeah I got it from her), the Lawrence Welk show (which I hated then but now cannot get enough of) and Dean Martin records. I'm sorry to see it pass but I'm also taking all of those things with me, so it's never truly left has it?

Speaking of "taking it with me" I did manage to inherit something, somehow my siblings, parents and even nephew didn't fight me from getting what was truly mine.

Yes, this magnificent belt massage device works and it's all mine! Those fools just let me have it.

Thanks for reading, have a terrific weekend!

An original Mantooth

Last week I got a wonderful "Mystery box" from my friend Robyn. The majority of which were amazing mementos of our last couple of decades working together on the "Mego Museum" website but at the bottom was this. An original sketch when we were planning (ok she was planning, I'm useless) to do a Brick Mantooth animated short. To me, this is priceless. I can't begin to describe the joy it will bring me as i pass by it every morning to work on this site.

PlaidStallions turns 11

This week marks the 11th anniversary of the launch of PlaidStallions. Truth be told, it was two days ago but life has been so bumpy lately, I totally forgot about it. That would have been a big mistake and here is why.

In eleven years of doing this, it has never felt like work and while it doesn't pay, it does pay back in all the wonderful (and often hilarious) feedback I receive from you folks. I look forward to doing this.

I cannot begin to properly explain how you all have impacted my life in a positive way and for that I'm very grateful today and this the reason that 11 years later I'm still scanning my smelly old catalogs.

Lining up some fun things for the remainder of the week including a new minisode podcast but I just wanted to start by giving praise where it's due. Thank you.

Turtleneck and Jackets

It's my goal in 2017 to make this look a thing, who's with me? We can all meet at Sears.

Mr Mantooth's wardrobe provided by Botany:500.

Odeon Toys Presents: Captain Canuck

I'm proud to finally announce that Odeon's latest action figure, Captain Canuck is now available to order.

For years, I had been struggling to find an iconic Canadian character to bring to market, many of the attempts dissolved when rights weren't clear. Which was kind of a bummer.

Thanks to my friend and partner in this Sam Noir, I was introduced to the good people at Big B Comics and Captain Canuck Inc, who are as responsible for this as I can claim to be.

Captain Canuck definitely resonated with me as an Ontario lad, I distinctly remember him drawing pictures of him saving the prime minister (with a thought balloon of "why am i saving this guy?", because at 8, I was a master of political satire.). If I had seen this hanging on the shelf of my local Woolco in 1976, it would have been mine.

The photo above is the entirely selfish reason I did this.

Many thanks to Paul "Dr. Mego" Clarke, Mark Huckabone (you saved the maple leaf buddy!), Andrew of Covalt studios, Paul from Laser Mego and Brian Leitner.

Thanks for reading.

You can get the Captain Canuck action figure at the PlaidStallions Shop right now.

And Hey, if you're in Canada and want one today, you're in luck, it's Captain Canuck day! The figure is launching in comic stores like Big B and Strange Adventures (pictured above) right now in cities from Coast to Coast, here is a list. 

More Sky Diving Parachutists

 

Ever since I mocked up a set of parachuting AHI Super Monsters last year, I've been kind of smitten and inspired to make more. I had a major spurt of creativity this summer and here is the result.

Above is a Brick Mantooth Parachutist, this was inevitable and I'll likely do a bunch of different variations for him. I wish they made plaid spray paint.

 

We got AHI Parachutist figures for Space:1999, so why not Gerry Anderson's other 70s opus, UFO? I've got Ed Straker half done right now.

 

Finally I made this for my pal and podcast partner Jason Lenzi for his birthday (delivering a full two months late) it's the first of many TV detectives I plan to make. Seriously, I'm going to make a Quincy.

More soon!

Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings is a limited edition 144 page book from the creator of Plaid Stallions. Order from us and get three free promotional post cards.

Sears Space Command Center and Sound Studio

This oddity from 1979 was a generous gift from my pal John, it's one of those things that Sears stuck in their catalogs to sell along side other licensed toys. This one tries for all the marbles, trying to get some Star Wars heat and the 12" celebrity doll craze. More pics after the jump!:

Brick Mania @ Mego Meet

The underlying theme of this year's Mego Meet customs auction was Brick Mantooth, I donated Brick heads to any customizer that wanted to provide their own take at our spokes model.

The results are as I'd hoped, a fun fusion of mad skills and imagination. Above is Brikk Mannigan and yes, he goes commando.

Meet Brick's wrestling alter ego "Brick Schlithouse"

Stormtoother and Squeeze Leia are a take on an obscure science fiction film whose name escapes me.

Doctor Thrust is an adult film star who gained super powers.

Brick as Captain Avenger, his resemblance to John Ritter is amazing.

What if Brick was an Italian Superhero? meet Super Faviloso.

Toy Hawk is going to swoop in and take money from my wallet.

Vantooth is the sweet ride Brick drives around in and solves mysteries, I love this more than air.

What a fun experiment and one I hope to repeat next year. 

There are plenty more amazing custom Mego items up in this year's auction and you don't have to attend Mego Meet to bid on them, check out this site for more information.

Mondo Long Johns

My pal Steve sent in this winning page, which finally provides me a Brick Mantooth/Lanny crossover I've so desired. I can finally retire!