The Way Toys Should Be Made
I found a link to Iron-Cow from a toy reviewer I read frequently. It's a site where two guys, Matt Cauley (Iron-Cow) and Cason Pilliod (Casimir), showcase toys they've created. For those of you non-toy people, that means they make their own versions of comic book characters, either by enhancing the original toy made by a licensed toy company or by making their own from scratch.

WOW, WOW, WOW!
I spent over an hour looking at all of their creations and reading about how they made them. I have no artistic talent at all so I am amazed by the skill and dedication put into to these mini masterpieces. They really are works of art. Why the hell don't Hasbro and Mattel hire these guys? This is how toys should look when you buy them. All I can say is they got skills! Unfortunately, none of the figures are for sale, so you just have to use them as inspiration for your own creations.

They also have amazing original art. As I drooled over the toys I decided my favorites were the custom made figs of characters that will never be made in mass production. For example: Penguins Ladies, the Grey Ghost and Calendar Girl, among others. My personal favorite was Nora Fries. (Comic translation: Mr. Freeze's wife. She was the only character in the last Batman movie they didn't screw up.)

Top 10 Toys
Okay, I tried to just do a top five, but that wasn't going to happen. "Angst" is a term used for the style toys that feature "expressions of anger and angst". To understand the background, it's best to read Matt's explanation.

1. Nora Fries
2. DeadMan
3. Souvenir Hellboy
4. Scarecrow
5. BatGirl - Angst
6. Talia - Angst
7. Batman Beyond's Terry McGinnis
8. Captain Gordon
9. Kitty Pryde (If I didn't put her in here, Editor Steve would never forgive me)
10. DeeDee's-Angst From Return of the Joker.

If you're ready to start your own collection, take a look at their recommended list of tools. We'll even send you pics of newmoanyeah staffers to work from!