H is for Horde of Homies

Not really a 'horde' but quite a few and the A-Z trope has been hacked to death now . . . although I'm not sure what a 'horde' consists of; a horde of guns might be less than a dozen, but a horde of enemy warriors tends toward thousands as a minimum!

Mr Berke sent us these just as we all went into lockdown . . .

All new poses with seven homie's and three babe's hanging around the 'hood and three more 'doing something'! I like the Ice Cream trolley and the guy in his bathers seems to be accidentally advertising Macky-D's while the chap in blue reminded me of a figure already in the collection, so before I'd looked to check, I eMailed Brian to say I thought I might have some really early Homies in the storage-section of the stash . . .

. . . but it's not a Homie (bottom middle, blue jacket with the red stripe), he's marked Hasbro or Mattel (I can't remember and I've put him away now! and dated 2002 I think?) on his back but he fits in beautifully and looks like a teenage BA Baracus - Wha'da'yer mean FOOL; I aint gow'in no 'plane! He's been posed with all the front-branded Homies-shirt wearers, from both the donation samples.

While top left we have "But officer; all me'Homies have a pet lizard?" and top right is "OK, so it's Ma' Buggin's Doughnut's on the corner of 7th and 33rd and I tell 'em you sent me, cheers pal; I owe yah one!"

There's a good potted history of the line here, and there's a useful checklist here, they now do Homies big-head deforms and bobble-heads, but I prefer the original gum-ball machine toys!

And many thanks, again, to Brian for another bunch of these charming figures.

H is for How They Come In - Brian

As the current closedown was spreading it's shadows and I decided to self-isolate (more than a week earlier than the PM considered it necessary!), I received a parcel from New York (the virus doesn't survive on absorbent surfaces - so please stop fucking-up the Metro dispenser by pulling one from underneath, you minority of ignoramuses!) and had managed to thank Brian just before I withdrew from society!

But still time to thank him publicly, for a nice sample of stuff from 'across the pond' and to mention that my thoughts are very-much with him and those close to him as New York faces the worst of the fall-out from Trump's arrogant grandstanding, ignorant dithering and crass, childlike stupidity.

More Homies (post already done), top-ups for two of the '100 thing' comic-ad' sets and firemen - large and small - for the forthcoming page, a nice sample of Hong Kong copies of Airfix 1:32nd scale paratroop piracies in 25mm, and in a purplish-blue polymer, which is new to me, along with a charming carded set from Pyro . . . of all people!

A set which is pretty self-explanatory if you know Pyro made a series of early ship kits and vessels some (most?) of which were box-scale, several of which (along with offerings from Aurora and Monogram) scaled-out at around 1:90, 1:96 or 1:100, explaining also the diminutive size, and generic sculpting of these chaps!

Indeed, the walking chap - once painted - would pass for scratch-built and I wonder how many I may have seen, on deck or dockside in the museums at Greenwich or Kensington? Captain, First Mate and four swabs . . . Brilliant! And mint as a minty-thing that's been grown in a pot of mint to be served with lamb . . . or julep!

Needless to say . . . like a rat up a drainpipe, like a moth to a lamp, like a fuckwit to a populist's rally, she was in the box in seconds, for keeps! Just how she likes it - about a quarter of the size that would be comfortable!

H is for Homies

I'm loving these, I'm not sure if they pass muster as Rack-Toys, more of a blind-bag or carded 'collectable' thing, but my blog-my rules and all rules are made to be broken, even "Rack Toy Month means Rack Toy Month" and I'm loving them anyway.

I don't know anything about them, there's a link here to the website where there's loads of stuff if you want more. Also because they are popular/originate over the pond, I wouldn't try to explain in depth something a chunk of the readership probably know more than me about.

From the author/artist:

"The Homies are a group of tightly knit Chicano buddies who have grown up in the Mexican American barrio (neighborhood) of "Quien Sabe", ('who knows') located in East Los Angeles"

- Dave Gonzales.

They were a gift from Brian Berke, and while they may have been available over here, I suspect it would have been in small quantities, somewhere like Forbidden Planet, where they wouldn't have been cheap! Let's look at them . . .

There are various sub-stories/genres within the line, some of which involve clowns!

I love the guy with the 'Stars & Stripes! Is he a vet, or is he a wannabe? Either way he's proud . . . "Don't tread on the flag dude!". When I get my stuff out of storage and set up my desk he's going to squat on the disc/dongle tub; guarding the archive!

They all have so much character, they are quite cinematic really, but I believe they are now a cartoon as well. However as figures they vary between quite cartoonish, flat caricatures and almost realistic sculpts, yet they fit together wonderfully, each is 'right' for his or her part.

Left - "I ain't seen nut'un. Straight-up!"

Middle - "Guys! Look up! I'm trying to take a snap here!" although after I took the shot I realised whatever he's holding has a power lead, so I think he's actually a barber!

Right - Priceless . . . if there's one thing about American culture that the whole world knows, one trope, one stereotype which has travelled via Hollywood round the world it's the whole fat-cops and doughnuts thing! And the Pigeons on the bin! Thinks "Any minute now the guy in blue is gonna' run to his cruiser's voice and that third doughnut is mine!" he's just willing the cop to drop one!

Close-ups. I didn't think to do a photo but I think they go well with the boarders/surfers and probably the Kid Robot street performers, but I don't know for sure?

Product-placement is got around by using the Homie meme for everything logo'ed, which is a really nice touch in a world where everything is covered in brand logos or product-placed. Scale varies as much as humans do, and they are all made of a stable, soft but firm vinyl, like old school Bully, Heimo or Comic Spain stuff

I love the look on the face of the older guy, talking to the graduate . . . "You got a degree? Little Louie got a degree? I don't think I can spell degree, you gonna' make loads of money and move away huh? Buy a big house up the hills? Sheeesh, whoda'thought it; from this neibourhood?"

Brain - Thank you so much for these, I love them!

Could someone over the pond do an article on them for Plastic Warrior magazine, I don't think they've been in yet (maybe in 'new product news'?) and they need to be, I'm sure Paul M would appreciate it? With a little more knowledge/background than I've managed!