BLOG DESIGN - Big Thanks to Ugly Club member Graham Schneider for the righteous pixel art! Graham is working on a retro game concept and other radness - have look at his current site where he's sharing his work!


Sunday, December 18, 2022

Follow up about CLUTTER Live - AND LUCKY BAGS SOON!

 Hello to any and all who've voyaged to the blog for a short read. It had been my intention to be more 'post-y' on here this year, but you know what they say about best laid plans...

Anyway, here we go!

The other day I agreed to take part in one of CLUTTER gallery's livestream interview thingies on their YouTube channel. It's not common (even less common than my blog posts) for me to get on camera. Something about the way my voice sounds...  But it was actually a sorta interesting conversation, and it was fun to talk shop about some of the formative years for RAMPAGE TOYS, and a bit of what went down when I was living in Japan for 5 years.  You can now watch the whole thing at your leisure over on the CLUTTER YouTube channel. Here's the link:

CLUTTER LIVE with RAMPAGE

Since it isn't live you can skip past any segments that you don't like, or rewind and critique at your leisure. And that brings me to the subject of critique...

The live format is fun and spontaneous, but it certainly doesn't allow for edits or thorough corrections. I attempted to be as factual as possible, but certainly there's plenty I don't know, and there's TONS that gets grouped under the blanket term 'DRAMA' that can only be truly discussed with A LOT of backstory already understood. So, yeah, take from the whole thing whatever you like, but let it be known that the thing would have to be many many hours long for all the historical stuff (even just the past 10 years) to really be clarified properly (or fairly).

I'm writing this in light of being told that there are now makers who have taken it upon themselves to create online forums not only to promote their own works, but also to talk smack about others. At the level of maker/artist, and in discourse amongst makers/artists, that's the sort of thing that generally gets relegated to personal (or private professional) conversations, and should stay exactly there. When a maker goes public, and his audience is only exposed to his/her opinion, there's a good chance the public will simply side with said person. There is always more to what's said than what's written in a forum post, or an instagram post. Be sure of that. When people start acting like some sort of cult around an artists - fearful that they won't get the goods if they are known to have 'mis-stepped' or their 'allegiance' isn't 'pure....' - WELL - that's just fucked up.

If people genuinely enjoy my work, and they choose to spend money they have earned on buying and collecting my work, then that is the highest compliment I can receive as a maker. This applies at all levels - be it five dollars, 20 dollars or one thousand dollars. The fact that my creative efforts are not to EVERYBODY's liking is a fact of life, and is to be expected. 


AAAAANYWAY!


RAMPAGE 2023 LUCKY BAGS ARE COMING!!!!


Ugly Club members will receive an offer for all available bags in early January, and remaining bags will go live via other outlets a bit after the UC gets dibs. Bag contents are still a bit up in the air, as I've been waiting (quite some time) to get the last batch of figures I am hoping to use in the bags. I'm aiming to include a few brand new figures in the bags if all goes according to plan!

This year bags will be available via the following Outlets:

-RAMPAGE TOYS webshop (shipping worldwide and offering an array of options)

-ONEUP (limited lucky bags and micro gachapon release for customers in Tokyo)

-MUSHROOM TOYS (for customers in Taiwan)

-Vintage Vinyl Club (limited quantities for customers in Hong Kong)

-Sofubi Art Base limited quantities for customers in Macau)


STAY TUNED for all the release info!

-Jon (RT)


Wednesday, January 5, 2022

The Rare BEAST - THE BLOG POST on the RT Blog!!!!

 

HELLO HELLO! It's LUCKY BAG SEASON!

Well, the last time I posted on the blog was over a year ago... Since then, COVID has vanished and we are all living in the Utopia we have been waiting for... Oh wait - no - that's not right at all!  Boooo...

Anyway, the epic saga of a world enshrouded in pandemic woes continues. I mean, sure, some people are flying all over willy nilly and fancy free - but that's not me. I'm saving it for when I can actually enjoy the flight to Japan - sipping free Sapporo and binge watching films I had previously deemed unworthy for a real theater visit. 

But, I digress. You all didn't bother to open this defunct website to read a rambling gripe from this old toy maker.  You're here for the LUCKY BAGS! I'll babble a bit more after the bag info, so read on if you so desire.  Here's the goods:

2022 RAMPAGE LUCKY BAGS - releasing in the RAMPAGE TOYS webshop on Friday, 1/7/2022, at 11AM EST. 

This years bags will come in 3 varieties:

STANDARD RT LUCKY BAG:
8 (or more) Figures. 2 Mid/Standard sized figures and 6 other toys (sizes will vary). A mix of painted and unpainted figures. Some collabs in there. The GOODS!  $300 per bag

MICRO LUCKY BAG:
5 (or more) PAINTED figures. One robot or one Viking. One micro in plane or tank. 3 painted micros (plenty of unicorns and weirdos). $80 per bag

TINY LUCKY BAGS:
3 Painted Micros. Like playing the Gacha machine 3 times. $36 each

All bags will contain a wide array of figures from the now 11 year old pantheon of RAMPAGE characters!

As per usual, the bags are being sold on a pre-order basis. All bags will be prepared to ship in February (exact shipping date TBD). 

This year I will be providing bags to a few outlets in Asia. For locals in those areas, you can get bags from the shops listed below - to save on shipping and to support these shops that support me!

***For those of you in Hong Kong (and surrounding countries)- you can grab bags from Vintage Vinyl Club. These bags are similar to the ones I am selling, but different in their contents. VVC usually times their pre-order around the same time as mine, but best you keep an eye out on their site and social media for updates.

***For those of you in Macau (and surrounding countries) - you can grab bags from Sofubi Art Base. These are bags custom tailored to Sofubi Art Base. Please stay tuned to their social media for information on the release of their bags.

***For those of you in Taiwan - please stay tuned to @qingshi46 on instagram for some special micro bags (similar to my Tiny bags, but exclusive to their shop). I believe these will drop around Chinese New Year time.

That's all the information I have on that.  Thank you in advance to all who grab bags! They will be fun - I promise.


In unrelated news, social media is silly, and in the late Fall of 2021 I was made aware of the danger of relying on Instagram as my outlet for sharing updates about RAMPAGE. There was some bug - some insidious, unintentional and unseen technological malfunction - that blocked me me from posting any text or stories on the ol' gram.... I was lucky to be in touch with someone on the inside (thank you benevolent one!), but it still took weeks for the code people to figure out why I was blocked from participating in the internet banter functions of Instagram... Fortunately, in time, it was all made clear, and a fix was discovered! But it left me with a strange taste in my mouth. WHAT IF (a la those old Marvel Comics...) RAMPAGE could no longer post to Instagram? WHAT IF the 13K people who have deemed it worthy to follow me over the past 11 years of Instagramming could no longer follow me?  Honestly, I know the world would go on just fine - BUT I do plan on using my blog (THIS blog) again to share information about new figures, events and the like. And hopefully, with a bit of luck, this outlet proves to be just as reliably clunky, archaic and EASY as it always has. Fingers crossed!

-Jon
RT

Sunday, March 1, 2020

What What?!?! A Blog Post!!!

Hello anybody who might still be checking here!

Well, the blog went dormant for a long long time! Last year was a crazy year for me - lots and lots of  life changes, traveling and lots and lots of events and releases. However, there were scant new figures. Gyango and the Undeadicorn both saw their first releases over a year ago, and the rest of the year was primarily full of oodles of MICROS! Ha!

Well, this year will be a little different, hopefully!

Currently OneUp Toy in Tokyo is making the mold for a Unicorn wrestler figure that will become part of the OneUp x Art Junkie Wrestler Line of figures. This guy should be around fight-ish size, and will be primaily mask/factory painted. Both OneUp and I will do releases (separately). I'm excited for this figure, and hope to see a sample soon!  Here's some pics of the wax prototype (along with one of the bodies it will be on):





 

NEXT UP - just today I demolded the sculpts for THREE new Skullheadbutt heads!  This batch will feature two new head sculpts by myself (BAT-X and DimensionX-X) as well as one new sculpt by SPLURRT!




I'm aiming to have these wax protos done this coming week, so keep an eye on Instagram for updates, as I do quite a bit of the final sculpting/cleaning-up of the designs in the actual wax phase.

Lastly, I'm working on some micro Ultra Kaiju fun, which, owing to the whole license thing, I cannot yet show images of.  Wax is in the works for these guys - I'll just say they ride in little cars - hopefully!

Well, that just about scratches the old blogging itch, so I'll log off again.  Until the next time in the indeterminate future of the RT Blog!

-Jon
RT




Tuesday, July 16, 2019

SUMMER SLIME 3

Hey Hey Hey!  A blog post!  YEAH!



Mark your calendar! Saturday, July 20th, 6pm – here comes…

SUMMER SLIME 3 - Sun of the Slime!!!!!!

Join us for an evening of Toys and Tacos! Featuring toys and art from over 10 artists; Paulkaiju,  Bwana Spoons, Rampage Toys, along with special guests Anime Jungle and Uky Daydreamer hosting a variety of exclusive sofubi from Japanese artists. 

Hosted at GUNNZO's old location:  2445 Juan St, San Diego CA 92110

Free tickets to enter the drawing to purchase figures will be distributed starting at 6:00pm
Ticket numbers called via random drawing at 7:30pm


Libations brewed by LAGUNITA’S will be available for your sipping pleasure.  There will also be some tasty tacos on offer.  Basically, everything you need will be available in one place – TOYS, DRINKS and FOOD!  What more couldja want????

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm actually taking time out of the studio today to get my life in order, prepare for this upcoming trip to Cali AND to actually update this silly blog thing for once.  I have been lazy about puting up product and price lists for most events recently - but here's a pretty good summary of what I'll have on offer at SS3:

*Chubby Thighs Moon Goons (RTxPK):  $50 each
*Monster Buddy Set - Splurrt Diggler and Uglier Unicorn Sets: $70/set
*Slime green Snack Packs (vaguely hulk-colored): $30/2-figure set
*Slime Green Geoffery the Giraffeycorn and Shaggy Little Unicorns (full paint): $10 each
*Bright Colors mixed-parts Moon and Kappa Ponies (blanks): $10 each
*Quang Bunny Bears (fuller paint): $10 each
*Salary Dogu w/ Pet Suchinoko (RT x Science Patrols): $60 each
*Kaibustsuya Painted sets (3 figure micro set in cloth bag - 2 versions available): $35/set
*RT x beaK Slime Green Mini Monster Sets (vinatgey paint app): $35/set
*Ooze-Alien Hunter (RT x MVH x SHB): $200 each
*Bubby Assault! (RT x Neil Ewing): $10 each
*Weirdo Micros (full paint): $10 each
*RT x Grumble Toy Micros (full paint): $10 each
*Tank and Car cruiser micros (blanks): $10 each
*MICROS - blank micros for $5 each or $20 for 5 (you choose your favorites)
*a smattering of items from past events and shop drops (deals abounds!)

HOPEFULLY I will also have some new patches and stickers - which will be something like $3 or $5 or something.  They are supposed to get here tomorrow.  Fingers crossed!

As has always been the case, you may buy one of each painted item when at the table, and once everyone has had a chance you can come back to mule for your friends (or what have you).  I will be selling at the same time as everyone else (just like last year).  In the ccase of the blank micros - no purchase limit (within reason).


Soooooo, let's hang out, have some brews, eat some tacos and talk toys!  

Psyched to see you all out there!

-jon
RT


Thursday, May 2, 2019

DESTROY ALL MONSTERS at CLUTTER GALLERY!


Yup.  Best Show on Earth is coming up at Clutter Gallery, and AKAMATSU will be there in the flesh! 

Show opens on 5/11 during Beacon's Second Saturday Artwalk.  Opening time is 6PM.  Closes at 9.  Sales will be by ticketed lottery, so it's going to be random luck of the draw for purchase order kids.

Number of pieces per person will probably be determined by the crowd size.  There are A LOT of AMAZING figures for this show.  Basically the entire range of SKULLHEADBUTT figures ever made are on offer - as 1-offs mostly.  There are also some SUUUUPER beautifully painted Karzworks 1-offs, a whole bundle of long out of production minis and some MARMIT Godzilla awesomeness to boot.  You'll have to come out to see what all will be there, but here's a little taste of some of the SKULLHEADBUTT magic:






















The new Clear with guts action and the new heads and arms - BONKERS!!!!!

BE THERE!

-RT

p.s. I have also made a fair amount of stuff for this show  - including my own SHB figures and some of my other original stuff.  I will be selling micros out of my tote bag on opening night, so bring those 10's and 20's - CASH ONLY!

Friday, March 1, 2019

RAMPAGE x SPLURRT RT Webshop Takeover!

Hey People!

Tonight at Midnight there will be a bundle of joy in the webshop - mostly RAMPAGE paint and some mash-ups of SPLURRT's fun figures.

Have a peek at midnight (EST) to see what you can get.

-RT


Friday, December 14, 2018

RAMPAGE Instagram Photo CONTEST!

Hello out there in the interworlds!

Having recently reached 9,000 followers on instagram (after over 7 years of posting too much and browsing too much, but generally having fun doing so!), I figure it's time for another RAMPAGE PHOTO CONTEST - just like a few years ago.

So, it's happening NOW - and here's all the info you need to know:


Thanks everyone for all your support since I started using this Instagram thing in 2011!   For funsies, starting now and going through next Thursday (12/20), let’s do this photo contest thing to see who will win some (still TBD) rad #rampagetoys goodies!   To enter:

***post a photo (to your instagram feed) of your RAMPAGE TOYS figure(s), collection or some of your ORIGINAL artwork of any RAMPAGE character(s)
***toys and/or character must be RAMPAGE creations - NOT customs of other people’s work that I painted at some point
***you may post a new picture to your feed EVERY DAY!  
***each picture you want entered must be marked with the following tags:  #rampagetoyscontest2018 #rampagetoys

You don’t need to follow me to enter. This isn’t some obnoxious ‘follow and repost’ thing.  I hope this just gets people to post some fun pictures and/or art!

How to win:

***next Friday I will choose my personal top 10 photos
***my chosen top 10 will be posted to my feed and will have around 24 hours (give or take) to accumulate ‘likes’
***the people responsible for the top 3 most liked pictures will get prizes, which I will ship out at my convenience (holidays and all, it could take a bit).

Ready, GO!