T-Shirts, Toys, Etc.


Book Review:
Cinderella - A Dream Come True

tumblr_nina67jU5i1ske259o7_1280Cinderella: A Dream Come True may only be 8” tall, but it is PACKED with gorgeous concept art and insightful behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

The first half of the 160-page hardcover is a delightful re-telling of Walt Disney’s Cinderella. What makes this ‘storybook’ section so special are the illustrations. The book uses crystal-clear stills from the film, Mary Blair’s pretty pastel concept art and various pieces of pencil animation and storyboard excerpts to bring the text to life.

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Andreas Deja Recommends:
Ken Hultgren’s ‘The Art Of Animal Drawing’

ad_khOver the years, Andreas Deja has animated quite a few iconic animals. There was the devious Scar, the lovable Tigger and the irrepressible Roger Rabbit. Oh, and who can forget the lower half of King Triton? More recently, Deja has been busily working on a new animal character - Mushka the tiger - for a feature film that he is personally writing, directing and animating.

According to Deja, there is ONE BOOK that made all of these characters possible: The Art of Animal Drawing by Ken Hultgren. Continue reading

UK-Only Bonnie Doll May Reveal The Top Secret Plot To ‘Toy Story 4’

96TIL that Disney/Pixar released a limited-edition Bonnie doll, and she’s scaled to the size of the previously released Toy Story dolls! While this minor retail-revelation was pretty cool in its own right, it was the unsaid, un-implied and entirely untrue follow-up thought that made the synapses in my sleep-addled brain light up like your neighbor’s seemingly year-round Christmas decorations:

I think I just discovered the top secret plot to Toy Story 4! Continue reading

Every DreamWorks ‘Art Of’ Book…Ever

tumblr_ng505g7kuy1ske259o1_1280Believe it or not, the DreamWorks ‘Art Of’ books are a great gift for DreamWorks detractors. While they may not be enough to change anyone’s mind about the artistic merits of Turbo, they DO give a gorgeous glimpse at what could have been. I mean, YES — Shrek Forever After was CLEARLY a corporate cash-in, but did you see the eerie-as-f*ck concept art depicting Shrek’s decrepit tree stump home?! It’s AWESOME! But the only way you’re ever going to see it is by flipping through a copy of The Art of Shrek Forever After. The movie version was…blah.

Compiled after the jump are the covers and ordering info for each and every one of these books. There’s a bunch, so make sure you view on a full wallet.

(P.S. I love me some DreamWorks, but even I think Turbo was trash.) Continue reading

Impeccably Packaged & Endlessly Inspiring

24Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Nine Old Men: The Flipbooks

This box set of nine flipbooks pays tribute to Walt Disney’s legendary animators, The Nine Old Men: Les Clark, Eric Larson, Frank Thomas, John Lounsbery, Ward Kimball, Ollie Johnston, Mark Davis, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Milt Kahl. In addition to the flipbooks, the set contains a booklet of brief bios about The Nine Old Men, written by amazing animators like Glen Keane, Andreas Deja and Ron Clements. (Pic and GIF via A113.)

Problem, Solution

3When it comes to hipster hobbies, knitting is second only to micro-brewing. When it comes to cartoon-loving kiddies, Frozen is second-to-none. So according to my iffy, imaginary pseudoscience, that makes Drunk Girl Designs‘ ‘Cold as Fuck’ mittens the nexus (nadir?) of 2014′s pop culture trends.

Curious? Crafty? Cold as fuck? Click here to purchase the pattern.

This Totoro Futon Is The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of (And On)

0Back to school shopping has begun! You’ve bought your pencils, your erasers and your animation themed laptop decals. But what about your dorm? You want your new roommate to know you’re a cartoon fan, but you also want them to see you as a tasteful decorator. What to do, what to do? Enter the Totoro Double Bed-Sized Futon. It’s cute, cuddly and available on Amazon!

Recommended Listening: DANGERDOOM


DANGERDOOM’s 2005 album, The Mouse and the Mask, is an amazing example of advertising-as-art. Created by two of music’s more idiosyncratic artists — producer Dangermouse and rapper MF DOOM — it simultaneously served as an extended ad for Cartoon Network’s mid-2000s programming and a truly great rap record. Continue reading

Print ‘N’ Cut Papercraft: Super Stylish Slipcovers For Your Disney Blu-Rays

1Quick show of hands. Who here loves the ugly, off-model artwork Disney uses on their DVD and Blu-Ray releases? Anyone? Anyone?

That’s what I thought.

Artist Miguel Roselló is also not a fan. But instead of just sitting around typing rhetorical questions about it, he’s creating a series of sumptuous slipcovers for your Disney Blu-Rays — and they’re FREE! What’s more, he’s formatted them so that all you have to do is print, cut and insert. How cool is that? Click here to begin.

A Printable Present For Animation Fans:
Official Walt Disney Prod. Stationary

000This FREE, downloadable Walt Disney Prod. stationary (circa 1938) not only makes the PERFECT PRESENT for that diehard Disney fan in your life, it’s also the ideal canvas upon which to role-play your favorite old-school animators!

Sketch a curvy nude à la Freddie Moore! Create a kooky Christmas card à la Ward Kimball! Write an angry letter to the unions à la Walt Disney!

The possibilities are LIMITLESS!

For the full size stationary, click through… Continue reading

For Sale: Popeye Pop Art & Gundam Gravestones

600Jeff Koons’ 7 foot tall Popeye statue — only three were made! — is expected to sell for $25 million at an upcoming Sotheby’s auction. As for the 13 foot Gundam gravestones, they’re only available via the Kise Sekizai grave makers in the Shiga Prefecture of Japan. (Price unknown, buyer pays all shipping fees. No exchanges or returns.) Start savin’!

Via: The NYTimes and RocketNews24

Eyegasm: Every Disney ‘Art Of’ Book…Ever

00The Disney ‘Art Of’ books are an animation fan’s nirvana. Chock full of captivating concept art, these books shine a light on the brilliant artists working behind the scenes, and give a gorgeous glimpse at what could have been. Compiled after the jump are the covers and ordering info for each and every one of these books. Kiss your paycheck goodbye. Continue reading

The Books That Inspired Disney’s Cartoons

500“Disney ruins the classic fairy tales!”

It’s the go-to gripe in every anti-Disney arsenal. This, despite the fact that none of the gripers have actually bothered to READ all of the books that Disney has based its animated features on. Hell, I’m a Disney fanatic, and even I haven’t gotten around to it. We’re talking ‘s 33 titles — and counting! You’re gonna have to forgo a lot of great television, movies, comic books, sexual encounters and, yes, other books and cartoons if’n you want to complete this syllabus.

Think you’re up for it? Well, it just so happens that I’ve cobbled together a COMPLETE LIST of the books used as the basis for Walt Disney’s animated films — including some super-cool cover art!

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WTF Merch: Attack On Titan Playset

01If you’ve watched even the briefest bit of the amazing anime, Attack on Titan, you should already be scratching your head over this odd piece of tie-in merchandise. I mean, A COLOSSAL TITAN PLAYSET?! How creepy is that?

Making this “playset” all the weirder is the official sales pitch, which enthusiastically boasts the following bonus items: “The Titan that ate Carla…and one other secret titan are also included to help bring out the tense atmosphere. Miniature villagers and soldiers and even a broken wall are also included!”

For more pics of the playset (and a handful of other Attack on Titan items), click through. Continue reading

Benedict Meets Batman

1212Or: Benedict Cumberbatchman, The World’s Greatest Detective²

I L-O-V-E these tees! Blending the logos from Bruce Timm’s 1990s Batman cartoons with the silhouettes of Sherlock and Watson was an inspired idea, and the results are as iconic as they are eye-catching. Both shirts are available on Amazon:

Sherlock: The Dark Knight T-Shirt - $19.99

Adventures of Sherlock & Watson T-Shirt - $19.99

Kinky/Creepy Totoro Bodysuits:
Now Available On Amazon!

amazon_pageDepending upon your personal kinks, this lycra Totoro bodysuit is either (a.) a nightmarish pairing of Studio Ghibli and American Horror Story or (b.) a super sexy Valentine’s Day gift.

Everyone who picked (a.): Click here to further fuel those nightmares.

Everyone who picked (b.): Click here to order.

‘She Wants The D’ Tee

tumblr_mzxvh6D6f81sm5nbto1_1280Let’s keep the hip hop/Mouse House mash-ups going a little longer, shall we? Here’s a lovely little t-shirt for the ladies featuring some suggestive slang that doubles as a declaration of Disney love.

Planning a trip to Disneyland?

Getting away to Walt Disney World?

This tee will either offend everyone in your ‘Small World’ boat or draw similarly sick minds into your social circle.

To order one off Amazon (all sizes and colors available!), click here.

 

Related: Hip Hop Lyrics + Disney GIFs…

A Printable Present For Comic Book Fans:
Official Marvel Comics Office Stationary

2This FREE, downloadable Marvel Comics office stationary (circa 1967) not only makes the PERFECT PRESENT for that luddite comic book fan on your shopping list, it’s also a great way to role-play your favorite old-school comics creators!

Write a love letter from Stan Lee to Stan Lee!

(For bonus believability, always alliterate.)

Pen a paranoid letter of resignation from Steve Ditko!

(Don’t forget to quote Ayn Rand.)

Call Stan Lee a pest, a punk and a plantation owner, care of Jack Kirby!

(Tip: Crackling energy dots were Kirby’s version of emoticons.)

Why, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination and mental storehouse of useless comics gossip. In other words — LIMITLESS!

Click through for the full size stationary.

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Top 5: Most Disturbing Disney Toys

1Christmas is just around the corner. You’re struggling to find the perfect presents for the folks on your list. Loved ones are easy. You could probably pick a hundred ‘perfect presents’ for them. But what about the folks whose names are way, way down at the bottom of your list? The co-workers you can’t stand? The family members you’ve been damned to interacting with for the rest of your life? The filthy next-door neighbor you know is going to give you a zip-lock bag full of homemade cookies that you wouldn’t even eat as part of a suicide pact? Buying for them is HARD.

No longer!

Skunk & Burning Tires has put together a list of the Top 5 Most Disturbing Disney Toys. These totems to tastelessness are not only good for a cheap laugh, they make the perfect passive-aggressive present for those folks you’re only gifting out of guilt.

 

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