New Playmobil Sets Revealed in New Catalog

Playmodb has a pretty awesome list of new 2010 sets revealed in a new catalog. A new bikini figure body is pictured, as is a new ancient temple theme, new trucks, what seems to be a space ship of some sort, and new blister packs. Wow!

Thanks @playmodb!

Toys "R" Us has 25% Off Playmobil This Week

Hey kids! Toys "R" Us stores in the USA have 25% off their existing Playmobil stock. Sounds like a great time to get something if you've been holding off.

Unintentionally Freaky Figure: Clown from 3553 Circus Arena

One of the fun things about toy collecting-- or being a packrat-- is seeing old stuff in a new light when sorting through figures. I kept my "vintage" Playmobil-- the pre-1990 stuff from when I was a kid-- separate from the "modern" stuff, or "what I've bought since college." (There was a big gap in there.)

From the Red Circus Arena, the clown (pictured) is surprisingly freaky. The set is fairly standard fare-- a ring, a band, some nifty vac-metal instruments-- but holy crap, look at this thing. In a post-Dark Knight world the various lines and red markings are just a little more creepy, but here's where it gets really good. Those red lines on his face are not merely painted-- they're carved in. Not content to merely paint the face, Playmobil went the extra mile to really engrave the look on his face.

This sort of attention to detail-- molding elements versus painting them-- is something we'll look at a little more in the future. But for now, I gave the closest thing I've seen to a Playmobil slasher star one of my spare knives so he can HAUNT ALL YOUR DREAMS. Enjoy.

Playmobil Figure-Inspired Office Chair Design

While not something you can readily buy, designer Rafael Morgan came up with the pictured chair as a design project. From his site, "The legs piece of the chair is the Playmobil King´s crown, turned upside down." Indeed!

Click the picture for more images and information, including angles which make the Playmobil figure's head a little more obvious.

Playmobil Sellers: Small Wonders

Name: Small Wonders
Focus: Lots of plush, a little bit of LEGO, dolls, BRIO, etc.
Selection: Lots of specials, numerous retired sets dating back to as far as 1995. Massive wall of product will require you to be tall or be driven by someone who is.
Prices: On par with or slightly above Playmobil direct service
Location: 550 Deep Valley Drive, Suite 135
Promenade on the Peninsula
Rolling Hills Estates, California 90274

I haven't seen a store that had Playmobil sets with the "RETIRED" sticker slapped on them in ages, so seeing tons of them in Small Wonders really made my day. Not only is there a pretty great selection of new and recent sets, but the wall o' product has so much blue it'll make you tickled pink. Sorry, that sucked. There's a small amount of pink boxes there too, for those who like the dollhouse line.

I was particularly pleased to see tons of very large sets in addition to a vast quantity of specials and single-figure packs. 2002 sets were present, namely the zoo, and a ton of animal packs were also up for grabs. This is easily one of the best selections I've seen here in Southern California in a while, excepting Puzzle Zoo, particularly because the prices weren't terrible either.

For the record, I picked up a 4667 Magician Special set. Which ain't bad if you decide you need something with a rabbit, top hat, and a magic wand.

[ Small Wonders web site ]