more info: http://www.vinylpulse.com/2008/08/dave- ... .html#more

its not bad but still looks wrong to me. also seems like riding on kaws wave...
what u think???

I like Kaws.

I don't like this.

It doesn't really capture either character well.

Looks atrocious. Looks like a bootleg of both characters, mashed together. Or maybe like what a 4th grader would draw on his Pee-Che during math class.

I am not into this. But it's not bad and it shows a little more thought than some of Kaws more recent mash-ups with bubble skull.

It's also good to see this guy getting his name out there. He's sculpted tons of stuff for the western scene including most of JLEDs more famous and expensive pieces. It's kind of like Kiyoka when he worked for SecretBase-- he's the man behind the toys that make the money.

this particular toy has a nice sculpt, but I guess that's what Bondi's all about.

I think holy fuck does that thing suck.

Granted, Bondi's a great sculptor (Possessed head?), but...

yawn... NEXT!

Seriously? That's what you think of when you think of great sculpts? I think any 3rd grader with a can of Playdoh could sculpt that.

My bits. Meant to include the Possessed, not just the head.

no

i am not stoked on his sculpts, in fact some are pretty growdy

For some reason it just looks really cheap and sort of reminds me of something I'd see at a flea market.

Plus why these 2 characters? I mean, I know both are giant corprate childrens icons, but Mario is not NEARLY as big as Mickey. I know to a lot of us Mario might be, but everyone knows Mickey, not everyone actually knows Mario, so why these 2?

It's ugly regardless of it's "message" (or lack of message.)

i dunno....I think its debatable that mario is less popular than mickey....especially in this day and age. He may very well be, but the gap of disparity between the two is closing fast.

I don't know, but perhaps Mario is as recognizable in Japan as Mickey is in the US?

i would say astro boy is more appropriate in the 'mickey mouse is to the usa' analogy.

this piece doesnt wave my flag.

It made me laugh--so I guess it did something for me!

I was expecting something much better. this looks pretty fugly. was that the artist's intention or was it as far as he could go with the idea?

I agree with you completely on this one. These characters have nothing to do with each other.

yikes this is a bad toy

I would think of Mario as the "Mickey Mouse" of video games.

...I dunno...it's pretty weird, but I think it's funny. If I ever saw one at a flea market, I'd pick it up.

that's a bit of a stretch in my mind, but i think you hit the nail on the head. pick it up at a flea market..

Think of all the old people who think "Mario" is just a guy who owns a pizza place. People of all ages know Mickey, I bet from any country too. I think Mickey is in the top 5 most recognizable characters on Earth, I don't think Mario hits 10. Superman's top 5 too, I gotta find that study.

He explained the figure a little bit in the comments here: http://www.vinylpulse.com/2007/07/dave-bondis-mxm.html

Not really a fan of this figure, he's done some of my favorite western sculpts though.

True, but disney hardly has the stranglehold on the entertainment industry it once had....which led to Micky's rise to fame. In the world today, and to children today Mickey is relatively unimportant, while mario is a hands on super hero bringing in a new age. I don't doubt that mickey is known in the hearts and minds of more people than mario, currently...but given the demographics of preference, it may not last forever.

anyhow...personally i would only pick up this figure to throw it, I think its lame.

Rather than a celebration of famous characters, Dave's new hybrid figures questions the status of commercial icons in a pointed fashion.

I don't know why but comments like that annoy me.