With the current lockdown in place, I had the great opportunity one morning to take my camera and a couple of board-riding action figures to the empty skatepark in my hometown of Keynsham, Bristol.
From the toy archives in my loft I found both versions of Mondo Gecko from 1990 and 201x to photograph for a hangout and a skate-off. Normally, this popular playarea is populated by locals and this was a creative chance to make the most of.
Enjoy this gallery of select photos taken on this cold April morning.
===HERO
This Single Father.
I know of this single father.
He’s not a spring chicken, possibly not a legal immigrant, had to leave his loved ones behind and probably has a warrant on his head from where he fled.
This single father has lived in isolation for the best part of 16 years and on top of that adopted 4 boys raised from babies each with their own quirks and personalities. One of the boys is a hothead, the other possibly has high functioning ADHD, one is a keen learner and the other a more introverted soul who wants to create alone. This single father raised these boys alone through their developing quirks and personalities over time, all with no help from social services, hardcore homeschooling and no co-parent to tag in for an afternoon nap. These boys were raised with culture, learning to defend what’s right, and in the eyes of future friends turned out ‘just fine’.
There would come a day where those boys would want to venture out from their hiding place and make their names in this world. That single father grudgingly knew he couldn’t keep on those training wheels on his sons forever. Those 4 boys turned out to be the most resilient dynamic of brothers who could easily deal with anything lifes adventures had to throw at them. They had each other’s ‘backs’ and could always turn to their now older single dad (when he’s not watching American soaps on TV) in times of need. Not bad for kids raised in hiding.
That single dad probably had to so much to complaint about. That single dad lost the woman he loved and was robbed of his life back home, forced to live in unidealistic housing, but, in the long run still gained a unique family dynamic that would protect the weak and punish the oppressive.
On top of that, this single dad had to deal with an accidental life change to overcome.
He was a mutant… Half rat in fact. That single dad’s humanity remained and prevailed regardless. He was a great teacher and a great dad regardless of circumstance.
As for those 4 boys.
Most people know the rest.
Hamato Yoshi, otherwise known as Master Splinter. We raise a pizza slice to you.
Cowabunga.
🐀🐢🐢🐢🐢
Cakeworthy TMNT Flannel
As I write this, we are in a difficult global pendamic which has put a lot of the usual ‘everyday’ on hold til we ride it out.
I’ve been eyeing up the TMNT Cakeworthy Flannel Shirt for a while (as well as thier Ghostbusters one). Since I’m in the UK, importing goods from abroad is off the table. Fortunately, I discovered that TruffleShuffle.co.uk are selling Cakeworthy clothing and I just had to snag this ‘retail therapy’ item.
There’s stock images online, but these are my personal up close photos. This shirt is beautiful up close.
I did take a selfie too…
Stay in, Stay Safe.
===HERO
Duzmachines84 :: Rhino Guys Helmet & Pig Guy’s Drill Gun (( 2020 ))
Duzmachines84 :: Rhino Guys Helmet & Pig Guy’s Drill Gun (( 2020 ))
** Customizer DUZMACHINES 84 on Instagram **
** Comicbook artiat Juan Gedeon on Instagram **
🦏 🐗 💥 👣
–>> As of our first ( and semi – rare,,i know, sorry guys. Hard times right now. ) speacial-feature post of 2020 , i wana high-lite Independent artist, toy customizer and designer “Duzmachines84”. He modified the 2013 PLAYMATES TOYS TMNT: Classics 6″ scale Bebop & Rocksteady ‘ NEAR COMPATIBLE ‘ accessory molds. Rocky’s Army Motorcycle Helmet and Bebop’s Turtle Shell Drill. These are to supplement the alien weapons that are included in the **NECA Target Exclusive 2 pack.
The 2013 helmet for Rock was almost a good fit, but the 2019 figure’s head is a little larger than the somewhat leaner ’13 figure noggin, so the helmet is not of the best fit . Remolding, slight flattening, and cell-style color paint matching presents an almost near perfect, TMNT season one screen-accurate look for the mutant Rhino.
..with original “Classis” ’13 Rocky Helmet
..original 2013 “Classics” ROCKSTEADY
Bebop’s iconic Turtle Shell Drill from his original 1988 Figure was recreated for the 2013, highly stylized release.
The drill fits perfectly but Duz’s remold and cell-based paint-matched drill looks like it popped right off the TMNT T.V. Toon ready to drill holes in those Toiitles’ pretty little shells !! !! ~ t
..with original “Classics” ’13 Drill
.. Original “Classics” Bebop ’13
DUZMACHINES 84 is one of the most innovative, indy-toy creators and customizers i’ve met within the past decade. Always frustratingly talented, friendly and elevates the game with his NEW/OLD take and paint jobs on modern & vintage toys. So damned innovative, he really encourages his fellow artists to step up their game !! ARRGGH!! Damn, love the guy !! !!
• •
In the news aggregate and INYMI :: New York Toy FAIR 2020,IMPERATIVE TMNT toy related walk-thru’s, reviews and recaps by your favourite T0y-Reviewer and Pixel Pal – PIXEL DAN !!
• •
• NECA’s RANDY F. and the AMAZING NECA / Trevor Zammit and Company ’20 reveals ( ..** ahem ** Rahzar and my Namesake anyone ?? ) Get ready to blow ya top !!::
• •
•SUPER 7’s B.F. and the incredible TMNT ULTIMATES, Reaction Figures and then some ’20 reveals ::
*** Preorders on Super7 itself for the TMNT Ultimates wave 2 are over, Independent toy sellers & specialty shops like Sure Thing Toys ARE still taking preorders, however. **
• •
• TINY ARCADE’s shocking TMNT ARCADE reveals and such !!!!
• Toy Fair 2020 Recap with **Pixel Dan, ***Toy Galaxy DAN & ****Fwoosh Robo..
• •
• •
• Dan’s Review of – in TIME : SLASH ..
**NECA: TMNT : TURTLES IN TIME wave out now in Specialty Shops & indy Collector sites like BBTS !!
• •
• ** Cowabunga Corner’s M. Ivey’s 2013 Interview with Veteran T.V.,cartoon & Filmation, TRANSFORMERS, BATMAN TAS,SMURFS, TMNT TOS ,et. al. writer, the legendary & inquisitive David Wise, 1955 – 2020.
Peace, DAVE – thank you for shaping all of our toony, pizza filled childhoods & hope to see you someday wherever you are now. If anything, see you in our Turtle Dreams
~ t
Lord Dregg, the later villain.
Lord Dregg to me was a character I didn’t get to know until long after the original 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series concluded.
Growing up in the UK during the 90s, our terrestrial BBC 1 helping of the original cartoon was the extent of an edited down rendition of the first 3 seasons. Any household wanting to watch beyond this had to have Satelite or Cable TV to have the SKY 1 network that broadcasted the later adventures including the ‘red sky era’.
When I finally had more internet access, I was like a kid in a candy store getting up to speed with the original Fred Wolf TMNT production. Rewatching the uncensored episodes was like a ‘directors cut’ with unseen clips that made more sense of what I was watching. The episodes after introduced a big new player in the game of the Turtles defending Earth.
Lord Dregg (voiced by the late Tony Jay) and his alien armada made thier debut and the overall tone of the long running show had a makeover.
I was really pleased years later that Lord Dregg or rather a newer version of the character was joining the 4th season of Nickelodeon’s 2012 TMNT series. Not just that, he was getting an action figure from Playmates!
Dregg stands as one of my all-time favorite Turtles villians and I’m sure the TMNT fanbase has not seen the last of future incarnations of this galactic overlord.
===HERO