Throwback Thursday - Minnie Bot

Series: Robots #3

Artist: Gerald Mendez

Released: November 2012

Ink & Paint Series Preview

Disney Store and Vinylmation artist Enrique Pita posted a preview picture on Instagram this week of Donald, from his upcoming Disney's Ink & Paint Vinylmation series. He also announced that this series will be released in May.

Here's the concept art for this series that Enrique posted on Instagram earlier this year:

The Backside of Vinyls - Nemo Submarine

This vinyl is so cute and the back is just as as exciting as the front. The Nemo Submarine figure from Park #4 is based on the Nemo Submarine Voyage attraction at the Disneyland Resort in California. I have never been on the ride, but I still appreciate the accuracy of this vinyl. The back of this vinyl shows the submarine's propeller on the body and one of the submarine's portholes, featuring Peach the Starfish from Finding Nemo, on the back of the figure's head. A really neat touch!

Peach the Starfish from Finding Nemo

Vinylmation Stories - Hollywood Studios Clapboard

Hollywood Studios Clapboard

Series: Park #6

Artist: Caley Hicks

As a movie geek, I am a HUGE fan of Hollywood Studios (I'll be politically correct here, but to me it will always be Disney MGM Studios). I love all types of movies, from old movies like Footlight Parade down to the latest releases. When I saw this vinyl in Park #6, I had to have it! First off, it's so iconic to the park and movies in general, it's an old school clapboard, that I really liked it from the moment I saw it.

But how awesome this figure is doesn't stop there. The ears have been wonderfully used as film reels and the place on the clapboard where the movie title would go reads "Disney's Hollywood Studios" - a great tie in to the park. Plus, the director's name is "M Mouse" another subtle touch that makes me love this vinyl even more. It also reminds me of Mickey holding a clapboard on the Earful Tower.

Finally, the back of this vinyl is just as amazing as the front! It wasn't left plain black and it's not even the back of the clapboard, it says "Lights... Camera... and Action!" a great use of the back of the vinyl that I will talk about more in a future Backside of Vinyls post. It also reminds me of The Great Movie Ride, one of my favorite attractions at the Studios. Since the vinyl is such a fantastic design by Caley Hicks and a beautiful homage to Disney's Hollywood Studios, this vinyl had to join my collection.

Vinylmation Review - Indiana Jones Series

I was pretty excited for the release of the Indiana Jones series, especially because it's Raiders of the Lost Ark themed. I think that's probably my favorite. While it doesn't scream Disney to some people, I think it's a good choice for Disney fans. There's the Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland in California, there's the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios (which I have had the honor of participating in) and there's a scene from Raiders in the Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, so this series can be a great theme park souvenir as well as some great movie memorabilia. 

Reasons to love this series:

• Every memorable character has been included. The man himself, love interest Marion, Indy's pal Sallah, the evil Nazi Major Toht, villain Rene Belloq, the swordsman in Cairo who picked a fight with the wrong guy and the Nazi mechanic
• The chaser is pretty impressive. Maybe it was just me, but I didn't see that one coming. The Golden Idol was a fantastic idea and although it's not perfect in my opinion, it looks pretty dang close to the real thing
• The accessories - Indy needed a good hat and he got one, plus the Cairo swordsman by definition needed his sword
• Good use of ears. If you've been reading here for a while, you probably know that being lazy with the design of the ears is one of my pet peeves. Sallah's and Marion's ears are a little plain, but I love the fire in Major Toht's ears, resembling the scene in Raiders where he burns his hand in a fire, the propellers in the mechanic's ear look like he's standing in front of a plane as he does in the movie, the bricks in the swordsman's ears really reflect his scene in Cairo, and Belloq's ears show the scene where he inadvisably opens the Ark
• I think Thomas Scott did a great job with most of the figures. Major Toht, Indiana Jones, Sallah and the Cairo swordsman all look true to their human counterparts. The mechanic and Belloq still look good, just not as good to me
• The combo topper is also awesome! Indiana in his Egyptian disguise was another great choice of figure and more what I was picturing for the chaser. The face is spot on with Harrison Ford's and the disguise is accurate too. The hieroglyphics in his ears are just perfect, an impressive touch, and adding the staff of Ra as an accessory? What more could you want?!

Things that aren't so great:

• Not to be too repetitive, but again, it would have been good to see a better use of Sallah and Marion's ears, but that's just me getting picky
• I'm sorry to say but I really don't like Marion. I know human faces are hard and I couldn't do any better, but the face doesn't look human or like Karen Allen

Thanks for joining me for another Vinylmation Review!