I'm going through shopping withdrawals.The Christmas "Spirit" results in me buying way more than I can handle. I LOVE buying cool presents for people. I want to be seen as that one guy that you can count on for a neat present. Unfortunately, taste is very subjective.While all my other friends are trying to buy things that are a bit more sophisticated like dress shirts and wallets...my idea of a cool gift is usually associated with fun t-shirts, games, and toys. I'm now past the phase of having some agenda with my gifts (during my college years...I was CONVINCED I could find the PERFECT Comic for everybody on my gift list...bad idea...my parents were VERY confused and a little concerned that year)...but sometimes I forget that people don't quite have the exquisite tastes that I have been endowed with.So sometimes,instead of giving up an AMAZING gift to a friend or family member that can't appreciate it...I'll buy that very gift for myself. This Christmas I did this...A LOT. My credit card is not happy...but, damn it, no one appreciates a BRILLIANT gift as much as I do!Case in point? These Super Mario Bros. Sound plushes. Any video game fan can understand their genius. These are the first generation sound plushes. The second generation (which include a new Question Block, Koopa Shell, and Invincibility Star) are of far inferior quality than these. Both the Goomba and Question block are perfect embodiments of both designs and are the perfect size at around 6 inches (16cm). Banpresto did an amazing job with these. Unfortunately, I think they realized they could sell with ease even at a far lower level of quality...hence the far inferior versions that are found with the second series.GoombaQuestion Block

The EXCLUSIVE preview of Lucha Libre #3 can be found at CBR.CC (Comic Book Resources).This is the first issue to showcase Tikitis by Jerry Frissen and Fabien M. That's especially important because our next Lucha Libre figure (King Katch) will be coming from that series.Be sure to pick up Lucha Libre #3 at your favorite comic shop this Friday, January 4th!

Wow. Out with 2007, in with 2008.As always, it'll probably take a quarter of the new year for me to finally get used to writing "2008" on my checks...but I'm excited about the new year and all that it has for myself and Muttpop.Amongst the continuing development of the Lucha Libre and Mini line, 2008 will be Muttpop's debut on two licensed projects: the Oban Star Racer figure and the Tcho Mini Figure line.Molly's a beauty to see in person and we're pretty far along on the development of our Tcho line. Expect to see more about the Tcho mini figures very soon. So, there should be more coming out from Muttpop in 2008 than any other year of it's existence.Muttpop will be unveiling it's new and improved website. We will FINALLY be able to have our blog, toy information, and anything else we can imagine housed at Muttpop.com...announcements on WHEN will occur once we fine tune the website with plenty of images and information that you've all be asking for...Also, I'll be turning 30 (in June) AND getting married (in August) this year...so it should be a wild and exciting year for me both professionally and personally.Good luck to you all. I hope 2008 is wonderful for everyone.And thank you for making the growth of Muttpop as exciting as it has been. You guys rock.To start off the new year, I HAD to showcase this gorgeous piece by Fabien (artist of Tikitis) with the Luchadores5, Tikitis, and Tequila: