Half Dead Fred: A Zombies & Toys Exclusive

The name Philip Hynes should sound familiar to readers. He was featured previously as the talented sculptor behind Dead Ringers. He's also an active member of our little Facebook community. So some of you may already know about Phil's blog that highlights his current projects as well as their progressions.

His latest creation is a zombie modeled after our very own Zombies & Toys logo! This one-eyed flesh eating creation Phil sculpted has become known as "Half-Dead Fred". You can watch the transformation of this piece from a skull to a full-blown bust over at Phil's site.

An extremely limited number of these guys are being cast and hand-painted and will be featured in the Zombie Toy Store! There will be more details involving this opportunity in the month's to come. In the meantime, have a look at the amazing work!

Dead Ringers - Custom Zombie Sculptures

It is finally time for my review of the appropriately named Dead Ringers I wrote about a few months back. Being a collector of statues and busts, I could not resist the opportunity to have a statue of myself as a zombie. They are not exactly cheap, but in my opinion are worth every penny. Is the final product worth your hard-earned change? Sit back as I discuss with you the pros and cons as well as offer some pointers in case you decide to take the plunge.

I will first start by admitting that my review may be overly-enthusiastic. Again, being a collector of statues and busts and an obvious fan of zombies, I was eager to have a Dead Ringer made. The process is simple: You email several pictures of yourself from different angles to the sculptor, Philip Hynes. Make sure to include any specific details you are looking to have done. What type of injuries do you have? Were you simply bitten or have you had an arm ripped off and half your face eaten? What skin color do you want? Bloodless and pale or Romero Dawn of the Dead blue? Maybe classic green? What about a pose? Would you be a shambling zombie with a blank stare or a fierce one lunging to attack?

My request was to be a freshly turned zombie. I wanted one eye removed and my cheek torn exposing my teeth. I included a picture of a zombie from Land of the Dead as my inspiration. I asked to have one arm out stretched slightly and the other dangling freely. In my mind, I envisioned the care-free dead from Romero's Dawn who just wandered around aimlessly, lazily, and effortlessly.

Now for the actual product... The good? Detail is aplenty and the sculptor is truly talented. You can view muscle fibers beneath the torn skin. There are tiny teeth visible where my cheek is missing. There is texture in the hair. Clothing has a natural flow. And while the statue as a whole is somewhat (and intentionally) caricature-ish, everything is proportioned well. More good? The painter, Martin Whitmore, is talented also. Skin tones look great. Colors are natural. And creative applications with a steady hand are apparent. The areas where skin is missing have a gloss finish making the wounds look realistic and wet. The shirt I wore had a white and gray coi fish that Marty was able to reproduce perfectly. He was even able to paint the tattoo that peaks out from under my shirt. As a whole, I received a statue that I am thoroughly impressed with.

So what about the bad? There's not much, really. The few things I will point out are really not all that important but I want to be thorough in case anyone reading decides to buy one. There are a few areas where it is apparent that this is hand made. The rare and slight "imperfections" are really not worth basing a decision on, though. It's no different than buying a hand-made vase or piece of glassware. It's art and it should be expected. I only mention it for anyone who would want to compare their sculpture to something produced by the likes of Gentle Giant or Bowen Designs. But then we're talking about companies who fine-tune items for editions of hundreds and even thousands so a completely flawless item is a bit more expected.

Pointers before contacting Marty to start your Dead Ringer? Think about what kind of zombie you want to be. Grab some inspiration from your favorite films, paintings, or zombie-walk participants. As goofy as you may feel, don't be afraid to be expressive in the pictures you send. I imagine it would make for a more fluid and believable pose to have a more animated facial expression. Choose to wear clothes that you don't mind looking at for a long, long time. Clothing is a small, yet obvious, detail that I did not consider when sending in my pictures. Another obvious one is to make sure you are having a good hair day and are wearing jewelry you don't mind having immortalized. Finally, make sure to send me some pictures so that I can feature you and your Ringer on ZT!

Thanks to Marty and Phil for an excellent addition to my toy collection and for providing me with what is now one of my favorite pieces. You can pick up your Dead Ringer 'Groaner' bust or 'Shambler' statue by visiting Marty's site. Prices range from $150 to $250 depending on what you want. As a zombie fan and toy collector I think it is money well-spent. In fact, after seeing mine, my son wants one! So who knows... you may see a second review in the future!

Marty and his Dead Ringer:

Holiday Gift Guide For Zombie Fans - part three

Welcome to the third installment of Zombies and Toys' Holiday Gift Guide for Zombie Fans. This week, we’ll take a look at some toys. First, let’s recap what was covered in the previous weeks for those who have not been following along at home.

We looked at some ways to wear your zombies by featuring products by Sourpuss, Zombie Liquorice, Zombie Head, and Kiddo47. For a thorough look and ways to get a discount on purchases, click here. Zombie Liquorice is offering readers 10% off by using discount code "ZTOYS" and Sourpuss is offering 15% off by using discount code "DISCOUNT15" (don’t forget to mention Zombies & Toys).

The following week, we took a look at some various forms of zombie media. Books, games, and movies were the focus. For a complete roundup, head over and read part two.

This week... this week we cover one of my favorite subjects. Toys. Where do I start? Call me selfish, childish, or materialistic, but Christmas is about the toys! Some toys can be the focus and core gift, while others can play the role of supporting cast. This week, we'll get a few major players out of the way first. So get ready for some suggestions for the lucky people on your list who have been especially good this year.

Sideshow Collectibles… nuff said. With prices ranging from $50 to $300 for zombie goods, pretty much anything with the Sideshow name is bound to put a smile on someone’s face. Their in-house line of collectibles appropriately called The Dead should put a smile on any zombie lover’s face.

If you feel like really putting a dent in your Christmas gift budget, you can spring for their Premium Format Patient Zero (review) or their latest, The Specimens (review). Patient Zero is sold out from Sideshow directly but if found will set you back about $300. The Specimens, however, were in-stock last I checked. At $225, they are not exactly cheap but do make an amazing zombie collectible. Not reviewed but equally as cool is Sideshow’s first Vinyl collectible from The Dead, Mort. Mort is available in a classic black & white color scheme or in full color. Both are available directly from Sideshow for around $70. Finally, don’t forget about the root of Sideshow’s The Dead, their line of 12” figures. There’s a small horde available to choose from with prices around $50 if the collector is just starting out. Or, you could help fill in a gap or two. Don’t forget, several were available with different color schemes or accessories as exclusives. And if you really want treat that special someone on your “good” list, you can pick up the long sold out flagship character, Patient Zero on the secondary market.










Sideshow is great, but what if you don't want to frighten every child and the majority of adults that walk into your home? We should see in time for Christmas a new line of collectibles called Pocket Zombies. Details are slim about these little guys. The owner of Atomfreak Studios, Alex Rodrigue, shared some information with us a while back and not much new has been uncovered. I do know, however, that they will be sold individually and the price of each may be between $40 and $50. I also know that these will be available to purchase through Zombies & Toys Zombie Toy Store.






Also available in the Zombie Toy Store is a trio of family-friendly Skateboard Zombies. These guys stand around 8" to 10" tall and come in window packaging so display well in or out of the box. Of course, I know you'll be shocked when I tell you that they each come with a skateboard. They are from P Creations LTD from Japan and designed by Tsuchiya Shobu.


Finally, Dead Ringers may be one of the most unique gifts you could give. I doubt there's a zombie fan who would not love a hand-sculpted and painted statue or bust of themselves as a zombie. Head over to Martin Whitmore's site for fulll details. The full sculptured "Shamblers" are available for around $175 and busts for around $100.

One Of The Coolest Things Ever... EVER!

Alright, so I'm a geek. I wear that badge like a medal of honor. I like science fiction, Star Wars, toys, and (of course) zombies. Something I've been wanting to do but have yet to get around to is having a family portrait zombified. I mean, what can be better than having a photograph of you and the ones you love turned into zombies?

Any lover of zombies and toys (the things, not the website) should be able to appreciate this one... Who reading this would like to have a sculpture of themselves looking like a zombie? Okay, okay, put your hands down. Well, I'm here to tell you that this dream can now become a reality. Bring in Dead Ringers. Heck, even the name is catchy. So keeping with this month's "zombie art" theme, let's talk about Dead Ringers.

So what is Dead Ringers? It's a joint effort of Martin Whitmore and Phil Hynes. It's a simple concept with great execution. You email Phil some photographs of yourself. You tell him what kind of zombie damage you would like to have. Missing an eye? Bite marks on your face? Blue skin? Green skin? Phil will sculpt you in all of your undead glory. Shortly after, your zombified self will end up in the hands of Martin where you will be painted.

For complete details and ordering information click here. You can turn your image or the image of someone you love into a zombified bust for around $100 or made into a statue called a "shambler" for around $175. Not exactly cheap, but look at what you're getting for your money. A personal hand sculpted and hand painted zombified version of yourself that could last a lifetime. I'll admit that my opinion and excitement is somewhat biased. I personally have a collection of busts and statues and the idea of having myself immortalized as a zombie is thrilling.

So here's what I'm doing... I am currently in the process of having a zombified version of myself made. Once this process is complete, I will post a review of the finished product as well as pictures of both myself and the sculpture in addition to some words from the creators. The reason behind my mentioning this prior to the finished product is two-fold. First, it keeps with this month theme of zombies in art. Second, it's news and I wanted to give everyone reading heads-up. We're approaching the end of September and it's prime time to get prepared for Halloween or start some holiday shopping. As a fan of zombies and toys, I would go absolutely nuts if someone were to give me a zombified sculpture of myself for Christmas.

So, you can wait for my review before ordering your own or make your decision sooner by checking out the links above. I expect Phil and Marty to be busy closer to the holidays so don't waste too much time. Expect some hands-on opinions very soon...

More pics can be found here.