The Ryugyong Hotel (link roundup)

North Korea's Ryugyong Hotel has been called "the worst building in the history of mankind." You can read about it here, and see lots of photos at Flickr. The notes on those photos are also interesting reading.

And a few more links:

1. Robot by Tom Whalen.

2. Ghost Rider art.

3. Lego Headless Horseman.

*Previously: Video of lightning striking the John Hancock building.

*Buy Headless Horseman toys at eBay.

American Apparel Halloween Costumes (link roundup)

Go here to see the entries in American Apparel's Halloween Costume Contest - - costumes made using at least a little bit of American Apparel clothing. Above are iPod Silhouette, Hipster Han and Slave Leia, and Wolverine and Poison Ivy. Via.

And a few more links:

1. Fark headline: I just won a radio contest to have backup dancers follow me around for a couple hours this Saturday. Sadly there is no cash equivalent. How can I best utilize this weird, semi-retarded prize?

2. How to design your site to avoid takedown notices. Via.

3. An argument for why we should blanket the world with low-flying satellites to provide internet service, and explanation for why we haven't done it before. (Soviet nukes play a starring role.)

*Previously: Amira Sa'id is a professional Slave Leia belly dancer.

*Buy Slave Leia costumes and toys at Amazon.

Cucos now on sale (link roundup)

Tenacious Toys now has open box Cucos on sale.

And a few more links:

1. Various entries in Project Rooftop's Wolverine redesign contest have been posted.

2. Good roundup of information about the Los Angeles area teens that burglarized the homes of rich celebrities. (Their story will presumably be made into a movie on Lifetime by the end of the month.)

3. Go here to see the toys in Wave 13 of the DC Universe Classic line.

*Previously: Toronto Crime Stoppers places fake bullet holes on car windows.

*Buy DC Universe Classics toys at eBay.

Mickey Mouse/Venom mashup costume (link roundup)

Mickey Mouse/Venom mashup spotted in this list of costume ideas.

And a few more links:

1. Gawker and Gizmodo are looking for writers.

2. First line in a blog post: "I've pretty much had a sinus infection since mid-December, and its cumulative effect has been to bring me closer to the sense of losing my mental health than anything I've ever experienced in my life."

3. Rihanna's hair looks like ram's horns.

*Previously: Mickey Mouse as Jack Skellington toy.

*Buy Venom toys at eBay.

Spy vs. Spy vs. Predator vs. Alien

Ryan Dunlavey posted 14 comic strip mashups. Here are three samples:


Garfield meets Masters of the Universe



Peanuts meet Doctor Doom



Spy vs. Spy meets Predator vs. Alien

There's almost a dozen more clever strips here.

*Previously: Disney/Marvel mashups.

*Buy Predator toys at eBay.

Windows 7 Whopper (link roundup)

Microsoft is promoting Windows 7 in Japan with the Windows 7 Whopper at Burger King. Via these sites.

And a few more links:

1. In case you missed it, wild claims of sexual improprieties by Steve Philips and other ESPN employees.

2. You can now play Bioware's free webgame Dragon Age Journeys. (I lost interest almost immediately.)

3. Corey Lewis' version of Longshot in Strange Tales #3 looks pretty good.

*Previously: Former ESPN anchor Dan Patrick's real last name is...

*Buy X-Men action figures at eBay.

Wizard of Oz propaganda image (and more)

Lots and lots of great covers in Marvel Comics solicitations for January 2010. Here are my favorites:


The Marvelous Land of Oz #3 cover by Skottie Young: War comes to Oz as the sassy General Jinjur and her army of amazonian milkmaids storm the city gates. And what do the ladies want? Gems, Fudge, and Sandwiches with the crusts cut off! Well, that and the head of King Scarecrow. Join the best-selling team of Eric Shanower and Skottie Young as the revolution heats up!




X-Babies #4 cover by Young



Punishermax #3 cover by Dave Johnson




Deadpool: Merc With a Mouth #7 cover by Arthur Suydam: Special double-sized issue with art by ROB LIEFELD, KYLE BAKER, DAS PASTORAS and regular series artist BONG DAZO. What do you do with a homesick zombie head? Take it back to the zombie universe, of course! Hopping through an interdimensional portal in the Florida swamp with Headpool tucked under his arm, Deadpool soon finds himself bouncing through a series of outlandish alternate realities, each more warped than the last. Wade Wilson, say hello to Major Deadpool, the Deadpool Kid and – va-va-voom – Lady Deadpool.





Punisher #13 cover by Mike McKone: Trapped in the dank tunnels under New York, surrounded by a savage team of Japanese monster hunters, filthy in the blood of his friends, Frank Castle turns, lifts a giant rifle and smiles. They aren’t prepared for this, you aren’t prepared for this, an entire issue loaded full, completely dedicated to bleeding, sweet, revenge-splattered murder in traditional hardcore Punisher style. Frank’s been through hell -- time to give a little back.



Daredevil #504 cover by Esad Ribic.

You can see the rest of Marvel Comics solicitations for January 2010 here.

*Previously: Los Angeles as the Emerald City.

*Buy Deadpool toys at eBay.

Marvel Comics meet Lovecraft

Paolo Rivera says:

here is my first page of promotional art for The Marvels Project. I was asked to simulate a journal from the 1930s, written by a scientist who is involved in a secret government program to engineer super-powered soldiers. I wasn't given much direction beyond that, so I had a good degree of freedom (even with the text).

More art on the way.

I'm not up to date enough on current comics to know whether this is a new project or part of the campaign for The Marvels Project issues that have already come out. You can read a long interview with Ed Brubaker about that story here. He describes it as "an epic pulp adventure/espionage tale" about the earliest Marvel heroes, and "a widely-focused character piece with a sprawling cast... from the US govt. to the heroes like Angel, Cap and Torch, to the scientists in Germany and Russia, the spies who moved through all these worlds." You can see art from and reviews of that story at these links.

*Previously: Scholarly journal accidentally puts Chinese brothel ad on cover.

*Buy journals at eBay.

Dull Boy and The New Mutants

Two images by Zachary Baldus:


Book cover for Dull Boy, available at Amazon.




Poster for a New Mutants book signing and art exhibit.

See also: Monstrous vampire and a cool Smallville illustration. Via.

*At Toycutter: Custom Magik action figure.

*Buy Magik toys at eBay.

Paolo Rivera's business card

A narcissistic Crusher Creel stars on Paolo Rivera's business card (his blog is called "The Self-Absorbing Man.")

*At Toycutter: Absorbing Man custom action figure.

*Buy Absorbing Man toys at eBay.

Wind-up papercraft car (link roundup)

Download the car paper toy here.

And a few more links:

1. Reminder: Don't post something on Facebook unless you're prepared for it to become public knowledge. Via.

2. Seven secrets known only by two people, including Baseball's favorite mud and the location of Oliver Cromwell's head.

3. Steel Doctor Doom and The Thing heads. Via.

*Previously: Stainless steel punch-out ring.

*Buy Dr. Doom toys at eBay.

Marvel versus Capcom concept art and desktop wallpapers

Joe Vriens posted Marvel vs. Capcom concept art and desktop wallpapers here, here, and here.

*Previously: Papercraft Blanka.

*Buy Street Fighter action figures at eBay.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 intro and gameplay videos

Opening cinema and gameplay videos for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

*At Toycutter: Marvel Comics custom action figures.

*Buy Marvel Legends action figures at eBay.

Thundercats cake and cupcakes (link roundup)

Thundercats cake and cupcakes. Via.

And a few more links:

1. Hulk/Wolverine mashup.

2. Cory Doctorow responds to a legal threat from Ralph Lauren. You don't want to miss the horribly photoshopped image that's at the heart of the matter.

3. Coraline director Henry Selick has "left" Laika.

*At Evil Buttons: Coraline and Goth Coraline dolls.

*Buy Thundercats action figures and collectibles at eBay.

Iron Man covers (link roundup)

Iron Man covers by Rian Hughes. Of course, it seems like only yesterday that Stark was disassembled by Tony Harris. Via.

And a few more links:

1. $12 t-shirt sale at Threadless.

2. Where the Wild Things Are design a fort contest. I was going to put together a fort photo gallery for inspiration, but found almost nothing worth posting.

3. Interesting analysis of the 2016 Summer Olympics vote. It was probably a lot closer than you think.

*Previously: The original Chicago 2016 Olympics logo.

*Buy Iron Man toys at eBay.

Victorian-era Omega Red (link roundup)

Victorian-era versions of Omega Red, Sabretooth, Cyber, and Lady Deathstrike by Alex Mitchell

And a few more links:

1. Procter and Gamble is trying to open a nationwide chain of Mr. Clean-branded car wash franchises.

2. Rolling Stone has a long interview with Stephen Colbert in the latest issue. I don't think it's online, although there are outtakes here. The most interesting revelation was that Colbert uses his Colbert Report persona when he has to make a difficult phone call. Before making the call, he'll ask someone to sit on the couch in his office so he'll have an audience that will help him maintain his persona and not take no for an answer.

3. Creepy monster paper toy.

*Previously: Watch a woman faint mid-interview.

*Buy Omega Red toys at eBay.

Website dedicated to ROM Space Knight

ROM by Michael Deforge and Jonathan Case. Both spotted at the ROM blog. Via.

*Previously: Vintage ROM toy.

*Buy ROM toys at eBay.

Spider-Man sketch cards by Katie Cook (link roundup)

Katie Cook posted four sketch cards, including Spidey and Mysterio.

And a few more links:

1. The Mwanza flat-headed rock agama looks like it's wearing a Spider-Man costume. Via.

2. Disturbing report of misleading billing by Bally's.

3. A real life Jedi was kicked out of a Tesco store because he refused to remove his hood. The store's rep had a great comment on the incident: "If Jedi walk around our stores with their hoods on, they’ll miss lots of special offers." Via.

*Previously: How Sonia Sotomayor managed to get out of her gym membership.

*Buy Mysterio toys at eBay.

Best Marvel and DC Comic Covers December 2009

Magog #4 cover by Glenn Fabry.



DC Holiday Special 2009 cover by Dustin Nguyen.

You can see all of the DC Comics solicitations for December 2009 here.




X-Babies #3 cover by Skottie Young.



The Torch #4 cover by Alex Ross.

You can see all of the Marvel Comics solicitations for December 2009 here.

*Previously: Namor vs. a giant octopus.

*Buy Magog toys at eBay.

Captain America and Bucky vs the Nazis (link roundup)

Captain America and Bucky by Paolo Rivera - - if you buy one his black and white illustrations at Splash Page, he'll also send you a color version.

And a few more links:

1. Vivid description of working on a magazine in the 80's.

2. Want to reduce your appetite for awhile? Look at this photo of the world's biggest English breakfast. Via.

3. Tenacious Toys has the ThreeA Bramble robots available for preorder.

*Previously: Kinda stylish Captain America outfit for a girl.

*Buy ThreeA toys at eBay.