MC's Top Ten Vinylmation Stories of 2013?

Instead of a top ten Vinylmation stories, I'm going to write about something more personal, the highlights of Destination Vinylmation this year. If you haven't heard or seen these posts you should check them out.

5. The 2013 Christmas Special

We always have a lot of fun creating our yearly Christmas episode. This year I think we pulled off the best one yet. Nick took a classic and turned it into a unique story about how Vinylmation effects us all, sometimes to an exaggerated degree. This episode also represented the most guest voices we've ever had.

4. Brendt's Role in Destination Vinylmation

This year we had Brendt come into the fold as a DV cast member. He's been able to help out with a lot of the day to day news for the site. Thank you Brendt!

3. The March Custom Madness Contest

We had a great roll out of a new event at Destination Vinylmation this year. The Custom Madness contest was awesome and we had an amazing turn out in submissions and voting. Thanks to everyone who participated.

2. Reflections of Evil coverage

This year we tried something new, and I think it worked well. Nick went to the show and I stayed home and posted to the site. We managed to break a lot of news as well as post some great images. Our live coverage of the talk was also great, despite Disney prohibiting recording and pictures during it. (And why? We still don't know)

1. 2013 DeeVees

This marked our third year, and our third awards show. We added several categories, including increasing our custom awards, and had a solid turn out. We can't thank everyone enough for being there to make this website and our podcast possible. Thanks to everyone in the community and here's to 2014!

MC's Top Ten Vinylmation Stories of 2012

It's the end of 2012. Time to look back and reflect on the year that was in Vinylmation. At the end of each year, Nick and I come up with our top ten lists. To try to bring you a different side of things, we make these lists up of things we personally feel are remarkable from the past year... instead of trying to pick what a majority may see as the biggest stories. We also want to invite you to submit your lists as well. Just email them to DestinationVinylmation@gmail.com. Please include your name and hometown.

MC's 2012 TOP TEN

10. Lambert Announcement

A perfect start to this list. Lambert is a great childhood memory of mine. There are a million smaller characters out there and this year Disney has started to delve deeper into their world of characters. Lambert, as part of Whiskers & Tails, shows just how much farther they are willing to go to hit some great niche characters. Another example would be the two packs from Fantasia by Thomas Scott.

9. Variants

 

This year, like each year before, the Disney Artists have outdone themselves with their designs. This also includes chasers and more importantly variants! This year we saw some amazing Mickey platform variants, including the Haunted Mansion Ghosts and the 2012 DeeVee Winner Park 9 Dapper Dans. But there were also other variants in the Vinylmation arena, four Park Starz variants and two Popcorns. I can't wait to see what they do next year.

8. Star Wars Disney Chracters

A great combination of two beloved franchises. And when you get Maria Clapsis to design them, they come out great. Well done Disney. Remember this. Now get us Marvel. (But thank you for announcing Muppets 3!)

7. Clown Jr

At Mickey's Circus we got a special treat. Like the year before, they had a 3" figure that you could only get as a cast trader. This year, in addition to that 3" figure, we also got a Jr figure as a cast trader. Two cast traders and two separate lines just added to the joy of the big yearly trade event.

6. Oswald / Classics

Sometimes things are so perfect that when they come true they are glossed over because they just make so much sense. I feel that way about the classics set and more specifically Oswald. I put them on this list so that we can cheer for them one more time. This is the perfect set. Great characters, great history, and great design. More accessories then any set, ever. Perfect. Also worth mentioning is the over all push from Disney over the last year with Oswald from Oswald ear hats to Oswald's second video game appearance in Epic Mickey 2.

5. LE Special Packs

In the past, LE's were 9" figures or 9" figures with 3" combos. With prices rising, these sets made less and less sense financially for me as a collector. Then we got new LE sets like the 6 piece Kitchen Kabaret from Park 7 or the Big Bad Wolf set from Animation 2. These sets allow the Disney artists to give us groups of characters all at the same time. Usually characters that would not do well as part of a 12 piece set. Oh, and I love Star Wars 2 getting an LE Hologram Leia!

4. Rhino

I know I already talked about LE sets, but 2012 DeeVee winner for Best Accessory, Rhino, is the ultimate example of how cool these LE sets can be. The imagination to create the ball was inspired. I will always cheer for outside of the box thinking like that. 

3. Robots 3

Almost the perfect example to conclude my thesis on Disney characters. The first two Robot sets sold only all right, and the buzz was light. But when Disney announced that Robots 3 would include Disney characters, the people near me at Mickey's Circus were ecstatic. Remember this Disney and Disney Stores, new out of the box sets are great, but don't forget it's the Disney-ness of your toys that keeps people wanting more.

2. Director Mickey

This figure won the DeeVee for Best 3" Figure. There is no question to why. The figure had a great combination of a unique figure, unique location, and great accessory. But what I think took it over the top was the combination of the classic Mickey Mouse with the ideas and look of Walt himself that made this figure a fan favorite.

1. Customs

This past year I've had even more interaction with custom artists and have been able to acquire more customs then ever before. I implore all of our listeners to check out any of the artists we've shown on the site, or any you've found on your own, and get your own custom. There's nothing better then giving a custom piece to someone you love. (Even if you didn't paint it yourself.)

Collector's Corner: MC

Name: MC Hometown: Orlando, FL Collection Size: 3" = 448+ 9" = 6 Jrs = 15 Park Starz = 0 Customs = 3 Pocket Watch= 1 How long have you been collecting? Since August of 2010.
Chelsey's Ninja and Celeste's Samurai lead my army of Green Army Men and Storm Troopers. (In front of my signed Star Wars case).
What is your favorite figure that you own? Chelsey made me a Ninja and gave it to me during D23.
My Evilos Carbonite Mickey is watched over by the Star Wars Boba Fett. Near by Luke and Han dress up at stormtroopers. Also seen is the great Pocket Watch from Steampunck as well as several Passholder specials. Pluto and Goofy represent my Nerds collection (AM just helped be finish them with a Daisy) and Alice in Wonderland shows up without the chaser. Also notice the signed Thomas Scott Bearded Man!
What is your favorite figure that you don’t own? Ghost Obi Wan.
The rest of the Star Wars 1 crew hang out on top of my display case under the Millennium Falcon.
What is the best feeling? Getting a figure you need from a trading box.
Unlike Nick, I only have a few of my collection out at any one time. This is the second shelf of my case. Here Urban 4 and various tins hang out. Also of note for me is the Admiral Donald and Bronze Donald DLC pieces and the Bird and Tree Trade City set. Oh, and a few various Jrs.
On the forth shelve I have the Sea Creatures, a complete Park 4, and a partial Pirates set. Also this is were I display the Park combo toppers.
On the bottom shelf I display the Day of the Dead combo from Trade city. Also, there are two years worth of Marathons and the first two Disney Afternoons (The rest are still in their boxes in storage). I also picked up the whole set of Animal Kingdom and 3" Sports (with various Sports Jrs.) Florida Project Minnie rounds out the crew.
Some other displays I have include the two incomplete cases you saw at the top of this post where I keep series I am currently working on completing. (Since this picture was taken it now includes 10 of out 12 of Park 7 and 11 or 12 Park 8s.) I also have these two hanging cases, in which I rotate sets. Right now the Park 3 set is in one and Flags is in the other. In the background is the Disneyland Ticketbook set.
And then, finally, most of my sets is in my closet packed up in various cases. (Each one hold two different sets.) This doesn't include the various sets I have no way of displaying and the hundreds of traders I still have. However, every day I "Keep on Collecting!"

A Long Time Ago...

If you've heard either of the last two podcasts, MC will be teching an Orlando Fringe show called "A Long Time Ago, The Eighties Strike Back". The first show starts tomorrow, May 17th, and we have shows at various times throughout Fringe which ends on Sunday May 27th. Check out the show, it's really funny.

The link to the official Orlando Fringe site (where you can buy tickets): ALTA
Official Website: 80strikeback.com