BLAO!!

Secrets, secrets, secrets...

Man, you'd think I just gave up or some shit! :P Haha...definitely not--but I do feel like I owe y'all a status report.

Well, before I do, I wanna remark about some interesting shit I've been noticing. One of the funny things about being involved in the creative side of a typically consumer-based hobby like this...is SECRETS! A lot of us are doing making websites, making comics, painting toys, making toys...with out-of-pocket money. And ain't none of us lamping on any fat yachts. Punk rockers call it "DIY", and I'd like to think that spirit isn't dead. But the thing is, in order to keep doing this stuff, and keep it fresh, and keep from over-hyping your shit, ya gotta maintain your secrets!

So what generally happens is you keep all your shit on the down-low, then pop as soon as you're ready to drop. Sure, you can release a little teaser info here and there (like the pics below) just to connect with your people and generate a little buzz before shit blows up. That's legit. But that's MAD different from some of the bullshit out there--not to digress--like the NagNagNag soft vinyl toy (don't know? better not ask somebody--trust me). But the reality is that you don't want to over-promise...then under-deliver later, y'knowmsayin? What sucks more than having your expectations for an ill movie get inflated...only to have it suck when it finally comes out? And not only that: it also sucks to drop all this info about a release...and then have delays after delays after delays keep pushing it off until no one fucking cares anymore (hey, that sorta happened with the Super7 Jumbo Stormtrooper).

Heh...so my "plan" was to create this blog only a couple weeks before the first toy was ready to ship. Didn't quite make it, huh? ;) It's all good, though. Make progress every day, they say. And that's what's happening. Packaging is finally almost done...and y'all should thank your gods that I spared you that nightmare (let's just say I'm on my third fucking printing company). And most importantly, I should have what I'm hoping is the final prototype in my hands by the end of the week. I think at that point, some legit photos will be in order!

East Coast Chogokin Summit

Been almost a couple weeks since my last update, but don’t get it twisted. Things are proceeding quite nicely. Trust me! Even with the cat mostly out of the bag among the inner circle folks, we’ve got some surprises in the works for ya.

But enough of that, I just wanted to talk about the Summit real quick. This year…fantastic. The turnout was incredible, but more importantly than that, we just had a dope time having great conversation with a solid crew of heads. We had a lot of the local Massholes including the Godfather, Alen, and of course greats like Josh DX (JoshB), Josh ST (fraser), Ed (atease), Mason (mcfitch), Keith F., and Dave (Nekrodave). We had cats from all along the eastern seaboard like Jason (Jerilock), Mark (machinesoldier), Dan and Nadia (shogundan, and shogunnadia), and Chris (ChrisM). Solid heads like Ben (Prometheum5), Jon (repairtechjon), Charles (chachipower), Dan (Anavel), and Josh (The Enthusiast) were on hand as well and added much to the event. Legends in the vinyl game, liquidsky and locomoto566 were there to rep kaiju…I just wish there was more time to pick their brains about what they collect and what they think of the “vinyl scene”…

Naturally, assorted toy widows and widowers abounded.

And I’m sure I’m forgetting tons of other “regulars” (apologies)…

But what blew my mind the most was the number of new folks that showed up. There were local folks like the brothers, Chris and Scott, and Mecha Zone’s David White, who knew about us through these sites, but had never registered. Well, they not only showed up to the Summit to meet us all (a tremendous honor), but also brought tons of toys and a genuine desire to hang out, get to know the crew, and share the love.

I’ll be sure to get my pics uploaded soon…I’m a fucking lazy chooch. But for now, there’s plenty of shit for y’all to sift through. There’s a brog on TBDX, it’s accompanying thread…and a completely separate lead-up thread on the OT. On CDX, there’s a dope photo thread and a wrap-up thread with some killer video.

Cookout. Toy talk. Retiring to Mason’s lair for some Grandizer-watching and a skype call from the Chairman. Dinner at local diner. Dim sum the next morning. All amazing. If y’all are around the Boston area next summer, holla.

I'll leave you a nice shot JoshF took at the Summit...and yet another random teaser:

Nature of the beast...

Unfortunately, the reality of making shit like this involves one big obstacle: learning to accept delays. For example, yesterday, I ran into a couple--namely, packaging. Bags and header cards for vinyl kaiju are great...but for something like what I've got cooking, they just aren't gonna cut it.

I was hoping to show off the completed packaging (and a figure in some state of completion) at the East Coast Chogokin Summit. But no dice. I'll spare you the agony of detailing the nature of the delays, but let's just say that Photoshop bugs can be a bitch to work around.

But whatever, man...the gears keep on grinding...

In the meantime, here's some more Photoshop teasing!

It's official...

I got off the phone with my fabricator yesterday. Shit is ON.

We're in production as we speak (or...as I type) on Brownnoize Productions first major release. I'm going to start leaking info out slowly now. Stay tuned, y'all!

And here's something other than my long-winded blabbering for y'all to check out:

Here's a hint: save up about a hundred bucks...

The toy Master Plan

The idea is to make toys that *I* would actually want...not toys that are "hot" or controvertial. Toys that stand on their own merits. Not things that make you cool because you possess them. I want these toys to be made entirely in the US. I know that's gonna be hard with sofubi kaiju, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Check it, I also have a day job (NOT toy-related) that's funding all these projects. On any given project, if I take a bath, I take a bath. I'll have a closet full of dope toys that I actually made--my way--and that's cool with me. In other words, there will be NO dick riding or selling-out just to pimp these things. Integrity actually means something to me.

And my goal isn't to shove my political views down anyone's throats, but it's important to me that y'all know that these things we make will be made by hand in the US...and my prices will be set just a hair over what they cost me to make them. If I have to, I'll make them one-by-one to order. As a middle-class USer with a job, I have the privilege to do that shit...so I'ma do that shit.

Okay, so the near-future plan. My first major release is on some top secret shit like Val Kilmer. Plenty of madness is going on behind the scenes as I type this. Why the secrecy? Well, I'm not trying to make all these ill announcements and generate all this bullshit hype to whip up heads into a frenzy...only to have delay after delay piss people off. As a fan, I hate that shit...so why would I make others go through that nonsense just for my shit? And besides, even if there aren't any delays at all, like Chuck D says, Don't Believe the Hype. Remember, toys that stand on their own merit. Nah, I'ma start leaking info when shit's really ready to drop. And then, when everything's boxed and ready to ship, I'll make the big announcement. That'll give me the time necessary to work the bugs out of my system at a chill pace. No deadlines to meet means I can focus on getting shit right.

But believe me...this is fucking killing me! I'm a fan first, remember, so I want to share everything with you guys. So, basically, I'ma tighten up the whole manufacturing process on this, my first run. Once the cat's outta the bag, there'll be no reason for any further secrecy, so on future projects, I'll finally be able to post every excruciating detail of the process as it happens! Now, that will be some sick-ass shit!

The brown behind the noize

Ever see that episode of South Park? The one with the worldwide recorder concert? Where the boys don't know what "queef" means. Yup. Cartman discovers the "brown noise", the legendary sound frequency that causes listeners to shit themselves uncontrollably. Fucking fantastic. Gotta love South Park!

Well, I've commandeered the term for my toy production label! In a little double-entendre magic, I'm also using it to refer to the fact that I'm brown...and noisy. Hip hop's been in me since before I was old enough to buy my first cassette tape. I really should amend my previous post: not only did Voltron and Optimus Prime teach me right from wrong, but I also had KRS-One and Chuck D to help me cope with this world we live in. And, hey, I'm a first generation USer...it's not like my parents had much experience with racism to pass on to me and my sister.

So what's in a name? On one hand, I'll be fucking damned if I (or anyone else associated with this label) end up taking this shit too seriously. Yeah, it's more "artwork" than actual toy making. But make no mistake, anything I/we produce will be no more or less noble than anything you can pick up at Toys R Us. Word is bond. This shit ain't about dick-riding the right "artists", listening to the right music, or belonging to the downest hipster clique. If you like what you see here, bet. I'm just a fucko with some CAD skills, a sense of humor, and desire to make some shit.

And on the other hand, I'm also an Indian man in an overwhelmingly white hobby. Y'all gotta know that. Putting my shit out there like this just isn't that simple for me...and it's not a struggle I often feel safe enough to talk about, y'knowmsayin? I'm blessed to be surrounded by these knuckleheads in the local Boston toy crew. They may not understand *everything* I tell them about being brown, but they damn sure give me that room to tell them. Nuff respect due.

So with that support backing me up, along with invaluable wisdom from the Godfather, the Chairman, and many more...Broinnoize is born.