Mater and the Ghostlight: Ghostlight Ramone

Based on his appearance in the Disney·Pixar Cars short film Mater and the Ghostlight (which was released in 2006 as a DVD bonus feature), here we have the latest Mattel 1:55 scale diecast re-release of "Ghostlight Ramone." While there are a heck of a lot of versions of Ramone out there, this is actually the only time we see him with a blue paint job. That makes this version automatically pretty awesome!

This is the fourth time this particular Ramone has been released. He was first available as a Walmart exclusive in 2007, then as part of the "World of Cars" series in 2008, and then in the "Race O Rama" series in 2009; so it's been eight years since he was last available! I'm happy for this re-release, since I missed getting him in years past.

Ghostlight Ramone here is one of the very first 2017 mainline singles to be released. In fact, he started hitting stores before the new year even hit (I found him at Walmart right around Christmas). He's #3/19 of this year's "Radiator Springs" sub-series.

Now I just need the rare 2009 Mater with "glow in the dark lamp" (AKA Ghostlight) to go along with this Ramone. I'm sure you can expect an update with that here soon enough though (knowing me).

You can find this Ghostlight Ramone in stores now or on eBay HERE. I've also included a direct link to Amazon below. Best of luck to all my fellow Cars collectors out there!

Toy Story: Hamm "Gift Box" with Men's Boxers

Sold exclusively at Target stores this past holiday season, here we have a brand new incarnation of everyone's favorite piggy bank, Hamm from Toy Story! This is a super unique version of the character since it's technically not an exact replica for collectors, neither is it a toy; it's classified as a "gift box" and contains men's Toy Story inspired boxers inside. As in, yes, this can be found in the men's underwear section of Target. You read it right! Random huh?

Hamm himself is made of PVC plastic while the boxers are Jersey knit 100% cotton with an elastic waistband (featuring screen printed characters of Hamm, Rex, Woody and Bullseye— as well as the film's logo and iconic clouds). Just twist off Hamm's head to take them out (there's really no less weird way to say it). 

Unfortunately this version of Hamm does not include a movie accurate cork on his underbelly, but rather just a pink plastic plug.

Since the very beginning of Toy Story merchandise, Hamm is a character who has really gotten the short end of the stick (in regards to full scale replicas). Any releases of him have been very few and far between. Thinkway toys made the initial version of him in 1995/96? (seen in my post HERE), but it was on the small side. Then there was a 2010 Kellogg's mail away Hamm which was semi-decent (still too small), but it was an odd round about way of getting the character. The only movie accurate size Hamm was released at the Disney Store in 2010 (see my post HERE), but that was a decorative item made of resin and not plastic (though it's still my favorite Hamm out there). A second version of that same Disney Store design was briefly available in 2014, but it got downsized in scale for some reason. You may have also noticed a Chinese version on eBay, which is extremely similar to this one. That's really it! Still no definitive version after 21 years.

For those of you wondering, this Hamm is about 8"L x 4"H. I have placed him in the middle of the other two Hamms I own for a size comparison below. On the left is my original Thinkway toys Hamm and on the right is my 2010 Disney Store [resin] Hamm. This one is literally between the two!

All in all, I'm glad I picked this one up. I had been debating getting him for weeks and finally decided to just go for it. Even though I don't want the boxers (and don't plan on wearing them), I figured it wouldn't hurt to have another version of Hamm in my collection. I also feel like it's one of those random "come and go" Pixar items that not a lot of people know about and I wanted to make sure it was properly documented.

And good news! It's still available. If you're interested, visit your local Target to check for availability or pick it up online (with free shipping) on their website HERE. Original retail was $11.99.

What are your thoughts on this and/or the other versions of Hamm out there? Definitely let me know in the comment section below! 

A Bug's Life: Funko "POP!"

Though Disney·Pixar's A Bug's Life has since gone down in history for being "the forgotten Pixar film", I still adore it tremendously and have so many classic childhood memories associated with it. With that said, I'm always incredibly thrilled when ANY A Bug's Life merchandise gets released. It's a very rare treat in these days.

Leave it to Funko to remember the film and give us fans something cute to add to our A Bug's Life collection with these "POP!" vinyl figures of Heimlich, Flik and Princess Atta– released just last month! These hit US shelves in very late November/early December, not too long after the film's 18th anniversary.

As you all know by now, if you've been following along, I absolutely love Funko POP! figures (click the designated label to the right of this page to check out all the ones I own). I think their designs are always so adorable and spot on and I love how perfect they are for both kid and adult collectors. These three are numbers 27, 28 and 29 of the ongoing Disney series, for those of you keeping track.

The paint application on these is just fantastic. Flik and Atta even have a semi-metallic paint that gives them a subtle sparkly look. Some of my favorite details include Atta's clear wings as well as Flik's telescope, hat and backpack. It's also awesome that Flik and Atta come with stands for easier display (they stand up OK on their own, but they are pretty precarious; the stands help out a ton). If I had to pick a favorite though, it'd have to be Heimlich as he's always been one of my favorites.

Let's take a closer look!

Flik

 Heimlich

 Princess Atta

These ones, including their antennae, are all between 4"- 4.5" tall, have articulated heads and typically retail for around $10.99. With this trio and a handful of POPs based on Ratatouille coming later this year, that means every Pixar film has been represented in Funko's POP! collection (though technically there haven't been any Cars 2 specific characters other than Mater released yet).

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You can find Funko products at Toys R Us, Target, Walmart, Hot Topic, Barnes and Noble, etc...really wherever collectibles are sold. I've also included some direct links to Amazon below (which is my "go to" site).

I can't recommend these enough! If you're any kind of Pixar/A Bug's Life fan, be sure to pick them up for your collection. Let me know your favorite/any thoughts you might have in the comments below! 

"World of Pixar" Print by Illustrator Jerrod Maruyama

From one of my favorite Disney freelance artists of all time comes one of my favorite Pixar inspired prints of all time— "World of Pixar" by illustrator Jerrod Maruyama! This was released on Saturday, December 17th 2016 at Disney's Wonderground Gallery (found at Disney Springs, FL & Downtown Disney, CA). On the day of release, Jerrod was there in person at the CA WonderGround Gallery to say hi to fans as he debuted this print as well as his latest hipster Mickey and Minnie piece.

This is Jerrod's sixth piece in his very own "World of..." series following "World of Cute" (Disney heroes), "It's a Small World of Cute" (based on the Disneyland attraction), "World of Evil" (Disney villains), "Galaxy of Cute" (Star Wars), and "Kingdom of Cute" (featuring Disneyland icons).

As a mega fan of Pixar Studios myself, seeing the reveal of this print took me by surprise and essentially knocked me off my feet. With nods (iconic characters, props, logos and other designs) to all current 17 Pixar films and many of the studio's short films (all in Jerrod's signature cute style), this was, and still is, a sight to behold. I know a lot of time, love and dedication went into creating this masterpiece.

Let's zoom in to take a closer look!

You can stare at this print for ages and still continue to find additional details and subtle Pixar references (like I literally just noticed the Brave inspired will-o'-the-wisps near Merida). From the Adventure Book from Up to the memory orbs from Inside Out to the boot from Wall·E...heck even the original Pixar computer logo makes an appearance; the nods are plentiful. See what you can find!

The print I have here is the deluxe sized 14" x 14" matted paper print ($39.99 ), but it was also released as a postcard ($4.95) and on wrapped canvas ($195.00, Limited Edition). Pick up yours at either the CA or FL WonderGround Gallery or by calling the Disney merchandise guest services number at (877) 560-6477 (which is what I did). Be sure to act now before this incredible tribute is gone! A big thanks to my wife Brita who hooked me up with this for this past Christmas.

Learn much more about the ever so talented Jerrod Maruyama and his stunning art on his blog HERE. You can also follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr, Dribbble and Twitter. Can't wait to see what he does next!

Finding Dory: Hallmark Decoupage Ornaments

A few years back, Hallmark brand began releasing a collection of decoupage, "shatterproof" stylized Christmas tree ornaments geared specifically towards young kids—available primarily at Target, Walmart and Toys R Us stores. Many characters from many different properties have been made in this particular style over the years (DC, Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, Pixar, Wizard of Oz, Peanuts, Scooby-Doo, etc...) and I had thought about collecting them for some time.

This collection has caught my eye since its beginning (I really love the designs), though I only finally decided to start collecting them this past holiday season. I figured they would be perfect for a separate, smaller Christmas tree in our kids' room someday.

This past year saw the brand new release of this trio inspired by Pixar's 2016 hit sequel Finding Dory. Included here we have none other than Dory herself, Nemo and everyone's favorite cranky septopus Hank (which was Target exclusive). Each measures about 4" in size and retails for around $7.

Let's take a closer look!

Dory

 Nemo

 Hank (Target Exclusive)

Now I'm regretting not collecting these sooner, because I've missed out on so many awesome previously released characters who aren't around anymore! Decoupage ornaments of Inside Out characters (Joy, Anger, Sadness and Disgust), Toy Story characters (Buzz and Woody), Cars characters (Lightning Mcqueen and Mater) and Monsters Inc./University characters (Sulley, MU Sulley and MU Mike) have come and gone. Buzz and Woody were re-released this past holiday season, but I was too late in the game to snag them. Blast!

At any rate, I'm sure I'll be able to find [at least most of] the retired Pixar characters I need on eBay; even if it's just a little bit at a time. I'm going to do my best to find them all and post the complete collection here! Look for updates here soon.

Side Note- As a massive Star Wars fan, I also wanted to collect all those characters from this line that I could. Luckily I was able to snag them all before they sold out this past year (including the Walmart exclusive Kylo Ren). Visit THIS POST as featured on my Star Wars Instagram page to check them out!

Cars 2: Mater & Lightning Mcqueen with No Tires 2-Pack

Just when you thought there couldn't be any more versions of Mater and Lightning Mcqueen made...here they are! Released last year from Mattel, here we have a 1:55 scale 2-Pack featuring the iconic duo once again; this time featuring NO tires. Mater with no tires and Mqueen with no tires are numbers 6/7 and 7/7 (respectively) of the 2016 "95 Returns" sub-series.  

As shown in the screen shot above, this set is based off a brief moment in Cars 2 when Mater and Mcqueen slide down train tracks without tires on— one of Mater's brilliant ideas! Their fun is cut short when they mistake Galloping Geargrinder for an approaching train.

Lightning has a pretty good frightened face detail, which seems to be an entirely new expression for this release.

This pack was first available last spring, but I actually never found it in stores surprisingly. I had to finally resort to Amazon just recently. However, it does seem to be making a comeback in a more recent case. It has been spotted at Target stores nationwide a bit in the last few weeks, so there's still hope for you if you haven't found it yet.

If you'd rather ditch the hunt and buy it online, check out current eBay listings HERE or visit Amazon using the direct link below. Best of luck out there to all my fellow Cars fans/collectors!

Disney Figural Kingrings (Series 8) PAGE UPDATE 2

Hello once again! Life update: Sorry for the lack of post yesterday...unfortunately sickness has finally grabbed hold of me this season and I'm still not completely feeling well. Regardless, I figured I would bite the bullet today and give you a short and sweet final update to my Disney Figural Keyrings Series 8 collection. Check out the original post HERE to see who I got!

Thanks so much as usual for stopping by. If you're new here, welcome! Be sure to check back daily for more from my ever expanding Pixar collection of toys, collectibles and more.

The Incredibles: Hallmark "One Incredible" Family" Picture Frame

Released fall of 2014 exclusively to Hallmark stores, here we have their Disney·Pixar The Incredibles inspired picture frame! This was part of a substantial line of decorative products which also included a similar Toy Story frame (which I reviewed HERE).

This is a very cool, tastefully done textured paper-wrapped frame with fantastic minimal silhouette characters designs featuring Mr. Incredible, Mrs. Incredible, Dash, Violet, Edna Mode and the text "One Incredible Family" (among other iconic shapes).

The full size of the frame is 10" W x 8" H x 0.5" D, yet it holds just one 4x6 photo (right now I just have an Incredibles postcard there as a placeholder, which isn't quite that size). The frame has a stand on the back so that you can easily display it standing up, but if you'd rather hang it on a wall, there's a convenient hook on the back as well. Original retail was $14.95.

If you're a fan of The Incredibles, then this is obviously a perfect choice for your home or office. I look forward to printing a legit picture of my family one day for it! It has since sold out at Hallmark, but there is currently an eBay listing you can check out HERE if you're interested.

Now we sit back and patiently wait for next year's release of The Incredibles 2! Are we there yet?

Cars: Japeth

I know, I know. Another car. I know Cars isn't the most popular of Pixar films (which translates into my Cars posts being the least popular), but I do still love it and enjoy the diecast collecting aspect! With Cars 3 coming out this year, be prepared for a very Cars centric year ;) I know there are plenty of fans out there besides myself though, so let's get to it!

Today my Disney·Pixar Cars collection continues with yet another pretty new, never before released 1:55 scale diecast release from Mattel...Japeth! He is part of the 2016 "Rust-eze Racing" sub-series (#8/12).

As shown in the screenshot above, Japeth is a rusty car seen in the front row of the Rust-eze sponsor tent after the film's opening race. Once again, Mattel outdid themselves with the rust/dirt paint application here. They've really mastered that!

TRIVIA: Japeth is named after Japeth Pieper, a Pixar Studios digital painter who passed away in 2010. His painting credits include Wall·E, Ratatouille and, of course, Cars.

If you haven't been able to spot this one in stores, you can always browse current eBay listings via THIS LINK or shop on Amazon using the direct link below. Happy hunting to all my fellow collectors! Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Cars 2: Vic Vanley

From Disney·Pixar's Cars 2, here we have Vic Vanley... yet another relatively new, never before released Mattel 1:55 scale diecast! This character hit shelves back in September (but only just started showing up in my area a few weeks back) and is part of the 2016 "Cruisin' Tokyo" sub-series (#4/9).

As shown in the screenshot above, sleepy Vic is briefly seen in the streets of Toyko checking in for the night at the Capsule Motel (during, what I call, the "You Might Think" arrival to Japan montage).

Though nothing too unique or special, Vic is another solid addition to my ever growing Cars collection. I do like the paint color, which also seems to have a little bit of a metallic sparkle.

Looking to pick this one up but can't find it in stores? No worries— here's a link to current eBay listings or be sure to check out Amazon using the direct link below. Happy hunting!

Monsters Inc: Scream Canister Portable USB Charger

As a pretty huge fan of Monsters Inc., this has got to be one of the coolest items I own. Here we have the Monsters Inc. inspired "scream can [canister]" USB portable charger (or "mobile battery"), sold exclusively in Japan! As you may know, it's very rare that I purchase any foreign products since there's just too much of it out there; but when I saw this, all bets were off. I absolutely needed this in my collection! A big thanks to my parents for hooking me up with this for Christmas.

Of course, the scream canisters in the film store the scream energy needed to power the monster world and this is modeled directly after them. Now whoever thought of taking that design and making a replica charger to help supply power to one's phone is just brilliant.

This charger is 4" in size with the average price being around $55. Though the directions are completely written in Japanese (as well as just about everything on the package), this is a pretty self explanatory item (especially if you've owned a portable charger before).

All you have to do to charge the scream can up for use is this: plug the small end of included USB cord into the canister and then plug the opposite side into some kind of USB wall outlet attachment (like the one you use when charging your iPhone) or computer. You will immediately see red lights in the center, illuminating one at a time (meaning the device is charging). Let charge for two to three hours or until all five red lights are glowing.

Your charger is now full of energy and is ready to take on the road! When needed, just plug your phone's USB cord directly into your phone and the can's USB outlet. Press the button on the side of the can to start the power flow.

It even comes with seven stickers to decorate your canister with! There are also plenty of screen accurate details, such as the words "Max. Scream Capacity 8400 SUV" imprinted right on the can. Pretty neat stuff.

This is not only an extremely cool looking item but it's very practical as well. I love my portable chargers in general, especially when I'm traveling (particularly in airports), at a convention or anywhere where it's difficult to find access to a wall outlet for charging. They always come in handy while I'm away, as I know I'll always drain my phone before the end of the day by continuously being on social media and taking endless pictures.

Lastly, here's a little video I took for my Instagram while the canister was charging up. Now you can see what I was referring to in action!

Remember, this item only ships from Japan— so if you're looking to add this to your Pixar collection, the most convenient way to pick this up is on eBay (visit this direct link to current listings).

For all you Monsters Inc./University fans out there, this might be a must have for you. Be sure to scream out your thoughts in the comments below!

Disney Figural Kingrings (Series 8) PAGE UPDATE

So remember my Disney Figural Keyrings Series 8 post from a couple days ago? And I said I was debating about whether I should pick up more or not? Yah... Well I did (who was I kidding). That didn't take long right? I went back and picked out four more and, what do you know, luck was on my side once again.

Click on through to the original post HERE to see who I got this time around!

Cars 2: Jason Hubkap

From Disney·Pixar's Cars 2, here we have Jason Hubkap... yet another new, never before released Mattel 1:55 scale diecast! This character hit shelves late last year (around fall time, but I didn't find him until recently) and is part of the 2016 "Paris Parts Market" sub-series (#5/6).

As shown in the screenshot above, Jason is a parts vendor briefly seen at the car parts black market (in the scene directly after Tomber is tased by Holley Shiftwell).

This is a really unique looking, tri-colored rusty car with some fantastic details. I love his look as it's unlike any other car in my collection!

I was able to find this one at Target right before Christmas, but I have yet to seem him since. He definitely was a harder one for me to track down. If you never found Jason in stores, you can always check out eBay HERE or Amazon using the direct link below.

Best of luck all my fellow Cars collectors!