I'm sure there's still a few KAWS fans out there. It's nice to see something other than another iteration of the companion being pumped out. The sculpts on these look great in my opinion. I love Count Chocula cereal but I think my favorite is the Frute Brute. For anyone interested who missed the news, these will be up later today on KAWSONE @12 PM ET.
I respect your point of view and understand the distaste for what defines the bulk of his portfolio, but to be fair figures like these are always licensed so the way I see it that makes the process no different than when any other artist does their own sculpt/rendition of a character they didn’t create (e.g. Godzilla, Ultraman, Astro Boy, etc.).
But at least it can be argued they create something new. It's their 'version' based on an established character. Like superhero comic artists do. Kaws just adds two minor things onto other people's creations. Often just the X's for eyes, so just one. Blink and you'd miss it details, like the recent Peanuts plushies ... 'Joe Kaws' my arse!
Would have been alllll over these 15 years ago, feels like the first fun Kaws toy in a while. If this has done anything, it's got me wanting a set of the 70s squeak originals which look to be around 1/3rd the price!
This is a fun looking set for sure and is arguably one of his best releases in recent years, but it seems the kaws ship has sailed for a lot of OG fans. The oversaturation of the "open editions" in the last half decade and the fact that everyone's favorite artist these days is either kaws or murakami (or those are the only artists they know) have really killed it for me personally. And the adverse effect this has had on the market for the OG figures sucks but it's surely something anyone could've seen coming. I don't expect to have any urges for kaws products for the foreseeable future, I just want to sell my mono astro and green kvp dammit! This is still a pretty cool set though
What I don't get is these were were teased back when the initial collaboration happened back in 2022 and they couldn't wait until like summer to launch these for an October estimated arrival? Clearly manufacturing timeline affected this outcome but if you've waited this long, why not try to sync up with the season better? When I got my tiny cereal figs from the giveaway they came in like February of 2023... well past spooky season. Kaws has fully embraced the commercial approach of his art which I get down with, get paid brotha, but just not getting the timeline strategy here with this whole collab.
I’d rather Medicom release licensed versions of this quartet than have Brian shit his lazy ‘art’ on the eyes, hands/feet and the back of the head. I do enjoy the size and literal translations of each character, but they’re butchered by the Kaws brand in my opinion. They’re not by any means done badly, they look *great*, but would simply prefer actual GM mascots than contrived hype nonsense.
I'm a sucker for a GM Monster and at first glance I liked these but the more I've looked at them, the less I like them and that is all down to the KAWs additions. To my eyes, they don't add and simply detract from the original figures; akin to someone remixing a track you love... they better bring something new to it, that raises it up, because anything less will make you compare the original to the remix and find the former lacking. I'm in the 'just makes me want to have an OG set' camp.
To be honest, I didn’t even really notice those I guess I’m accustomed to every popular character having them at this point
I used to think Kaws and Murakami were gateway artists for people into the scene and now I think they're kind of like the expensive mass produced decoys that keeps people with disingenuous interest out of the scene. Sure, These appear to be well made but that $320 pricepoint plus $60 for shipping for an officially licensed bootleg seems to be pricing in the flippers and resellers.
Agreed I’d definitely go for these if someone like medicom or neighborhood just made a true licensed set. But the trademark laws elements don’t really do anything for me, except make me wish they weren’t there.
@JoeMan Man, Neighborhood would’ve been bad ass. Hell, I could’ve even seen Bounty Hunter putting these out like they do the licensed Disney toys!
I think of the full color Neighborhood Mickey and Big Bad Wolf. That is exactly what I want. A set of cereal mascots made just like that. The BXH would be cool too, but I feel like it would automatically just be solid black.
Ooh, very good call on those Mickey/Bad Wolf sets. Perfect pair in vinyl, and also great scale. It just sucks to have these be such a literal translation of the characters and have the soul sucked out of ‘em with the simplest fuck ups throw over the top. I genuinely haven’t full on liked a Kaws figure since his Dissected 5YL. OG Bounty Hunter Companion reigns supreme, though.
