WickedCoolBlog

The WORST toy of 2008

They're famous! They're super skinny!  They're sexy!  They're for six year olds????    

And the TOADY (Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young Children) goes to....  Barbie Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader!

 

This collection of long legged impossbly thin Barbies was picked out by The Campaign For A Commercial-Free Childhood for it's ability to promote unatainable body image ideals and premature sexuality in young girls.

Now before you guys shout HELL YEAH! imagine it's your daughter... 

CCFC Steering Committee member Joe Kelly said “Do we really want to teach our young daughters that they belong on the sidelines, not in the game, and the way to get noticed is show a lot of skin?”

Now if they'd marketed these as a collectible for immature adult football fans they might not have gotten criticized at all.

Runners up were:
Baby Alive Learns to Potty by Hasbro
Lego Batman Video Game by Warner Brothers
Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade by Fisher-Price
Smart Cycle by Fisher Price

None were carried by WickedCoolStuff.com.   We've got your back.

Forces of Geek - The Second Coming of Sid And Marty Krofft

I am now a contributing author at ForcesOfGeek.com - check out my column:

RECYLED POP  "The Second Coming of Sid and Marty Krofft"

WE Are Watching The Watchmen

It’s been a long road from comic to big screen –but they’re finally coming.  The Watchmen.   Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ creative masterpiece – a graphic novel hailed as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 novels of all time – will open as a major motion picture on March 6, 2009.  

When The Watchmen first appeared in 1986/7 as a monthly comic spanning 12 issues… it was a year long read with a month of suspense between each chapter… and because Moore/Gibbons/DC fell behind schedule… sometimes more than a month of suspense. I still say that the pause between chapters made it EVEN BETTER - letting us pour over theimages, re-read every word for hidden meaning and deeper context.   The extra month(s) it took for the final issue to come out only built the anticipation and made the payoff that much more incredible. It's hard to imagine a 2 (or 3) hour movie being as enjoyable.  Still, the movie looks awesome from what's been shown so far.

 

 

The collected graphic novel has never been out of print and has received praise from both in and outside of the comic industry.   Often called “unfilmable” (even by writer Alan Moore who refuses to have anything to do with the movie) the project has bounced from studio to studio for decades… finally coming home to Warner Brothers (owners of DC Comics) where the film has finally come to life in the hands of Director Zack Snyder. 

In the past month we got a scare as dispute between 20^th Century Fox and Warner Brothers threatened to delay the release date… but it’s all be cleared up and The Watchmen are/is coming!

First movie posters, then trailers, and now  viral videos are starting to come out with incredible visuals from the decades long story… Check out this 1970 Newscast about Dr. Manhattan:
 

While it’s not unfilmable, there is certainly more to film for The Watchmen than will fit into a typical 2 hour

Hollywood

movie… Fans of the graphic novel will no doubt swarm to theaters March 6^th – but the real treat is going to be The Watchmen DVD – which no doubt will be loaded with extras that were jam-packed into the graphic novel – treats like Hollis Mason’s “Under The Hood”, commercials for Veidt Enterprises products, and The Tales of The Black Freighter.

 

And we're sure to see people in line wearing their Watchmen T-Shirts, carrying Watchmen Lunchboxes and toting Dr. Manhattan messenger bags.

The film’s (and book’s) central question is “Who Watches The Watchmen?”   The answer is WE DO.

Get Your Package In Time For Christmas! (updated)

We are CRANKING to get out your holiday orders and have them delivered to you in time for Christmas.   Our goal is to have it to you by December 24th (if you need it earlier than that (Hannukah, office parties, travel, etc - please tell us!)

To successfuly order for pre-Christmas delivery please note the WickedCoolStuff.com warehouse is in southern California, the greater the distance, the greater the time.  

UPDATE 12/17- UPS has informed us that they are at capacity and cannot guarantee our 3Day packages will make it by 12/24  most will, some might not.  We now recommend 2nd Day Air or Next Day shipping for pre-Christmas delivery

Please note the following ordering deadlines:

• Tuesday December 16th - last day to order UPS GROUND and Priority Mail packages  (also last day to order Life-Sized Standups!) 
  

• Sunday December 21st - last day to order UPS 2nd DAY AIR shipping
• Monday December 22nd - last day to order UPS NEXT DAY AIR Shipping  (only available from 12/17-12/22) and last day to order Will Call (see below)

Please be sure to provide a valid email address (and check it) so we can contact you if there are any questions or issues with your order.  When your order ships you will be sent an email with your tracking number from NoHoShipping.com 

Currently orders are shipping within 48 hours of placement.  That will speed up as more overtime kicks in this week.

As of today 12/14, we cannot guarantee pre-Christmas delivery to our international customers, or domestically for the following items Upper Deck (UD) Sports merchandise, Framed Encore and Sports Image International Sports Collectibles (ENC and SII), Superman Computer Accessories, Rugs. 

Life-Sized Standup orders placed between now and 12/16 will make it.  After 12/16 you will have to choose 2nd Day Air shipping. 

WILL CALL - Our Los Angeles area customers can place orders online or by phone to PICK UP at our North Hollywood warehouse the following day.  We will be open for Will Call pick up on Saturday 12/20.  Please note we will be closed from 12/24 to 12/29 for the holidays.  Please pick up your Will Call packages by 5pm on 12/23

Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas Phones Are Ringing...

Oooh boy are we jamming!  

The phones are ringing off the hook and I'm afraid some callers are being redirected to voicemail.  We will check all the messages and return your calls - please leave as much information as possible and so we can be ready with an answer when we return your call.

Alternatively you can email customerservice@wickedcoolstuff.com and we can answer any questions that way 24/7

Every order is important to us and we are all working overtime to get your holiday orders shipped in time for pre-Christmas/Hannukah delivery!

Thank you for your patience!

The Geek Gift of the Year?

We were already pretty excited about the Darth Vader Computer Mascot Bobblehead as a cool gift for Christmas...

And now MSNBC.com's Cosmic Log published a list of the Top Geek Gifts for the year - and the Darth Vader Computer Sitter is on the list (#15)

They're taking votes to determine the best Geek Gift of the season... so please visit and vote!

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1697462

I think he should easily beat the Periodic table shower curtain and R2-D2 fish tank...

And if you're looking for a truly geeky Secret Santa Gift or Stocking Stuffer - the Darth Vader Computer Sitter bobblehead is only $8.95

Sending Bettie Page our Best Wishes

In the news: 
Pin up Icon Bettie Page has been hospitalized at age 85 after a bout of pneumonia and a subsequent heart attack. 

We wish her a speedy recovery and send thanks for all the years of delightful memories.

Update: Sadly Bettie Page passed away a few days after this post.  There are links to obituaries and tributes to her at BettiePage.com 

Prequel of The Apes?

Here's an early Christmas present for Planet of the Apes fans... during last weekend's "Channel of the Apes" marathon on Fox Movie Channel Fox Chairman Tom Rothman announced that“We are very close at Fox on a new Apes script.  This one of a kind prequel story set before the first movie marks a return to the social thematics that marked the first one, but with an entirely contemporary setting, Earth 2009.”

Chud reported this as a script caleld Geneis:Apes, set in the present - the story of a genetically engineered ape name Ceasar, who launches the ape revolt.   Sort of a remake of Conquest of Planet of The Apes - which was also a prequel...

This sounds like they're rebooting again after the dissapointing Tim Burton remake of Planet of the Apes.  Though to be fair, the problems with that film were not by Burton, who came in on a project in progress and had the studio force the ending on him.   Let's hope Fox does a better job this time.

Here's the article on CHUD

Obama Bobblehead - Setting the Record Straight

Everyone wants an Obama Bobblehead!  Well, maybe not everyone, but right after the election was finalized we started getting slammed with orders… only to run out by 10am Wednesday.   We tried to restock but Funko, the manufacturer, was sold out too.  There was only one thing to do… create a new PRESIDENT Obama version!

This is the third version of the Barack Obama Bobblehead… and we’ve been fielding calls and emails from people confused over what’s what – so please allow me to explain...

 Earlier this year we started taking Pre-Orders for a Senator Barack Obama Talking Bobblehead.  At first all we had was the pre-production illustration (see left) – showing him with a red tie and "Obama 08" on the base.   When we did get the actual product it turns out he had a blue tie and "Obama" on the base (see right).  Not a big deal really.  Only one person of hundreds complained.  The Talking Obama Bobblehead sold consistently all summer and fall… we sold our last one in mid October.  

There was still demand and 2 more weeks to the election, so next came the non-talking Barack Obama Bobblehead.  The same design, same color tie (blue) etc… just quieter.   That was in stock through 10am the day after the election – when they blew out.

 

Coming late December, or early January will be the PRESIDENT Obama Bobblehead.  Again it’s the same sculpt, and doesn’t talk. 

There are a few changes – the tie is red, the base reads “President Obama” and the box will also feature the Presidential Seal.  We started taking pre-orders for this one on November 5^th.   We won’t have them for Christmas gifts, but they will ship in time for pre- Inauguration delivery.

Any questions?

CHROME WARS!

As I previously wrote the Star Wars Bobblehead collection by Funko includes a Chrome Base chase figure in every case.   Over time we have collected several of these rare variants, and with the holidays approaching now seemed as good a time as any to Release the Chromes!

The bobbleheads themselves are great looking, but the chrome bases are spectacular.  If you haven't seen one, take a look at the Gamorrean Guard Wacky Wobbler:

We have a limited number of Star Wars chrome base chase wacky wobblers - typically we only have one per character... occasionally more.

So if you're missing a chrome for your collection, or want to really WOW a bobblehead collector or Star Wars fan this Christmas check out our ebay listings now through Christmas.

We currently have Chrome Obi Wan and Chrome Gamorrean Guard listed... more coming in the days and weeks ahead.

http://stores.ebay.com/Wicked-Cool-Stuff

Happy Holidays, and May The Force Be With You!

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ADDED TO EBAY LISTINGS AFTER THIS POST:
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11/7 - Holiday Special Boba Fett Chrome Base Bobblehead