Results tagged “toys”

There’s a hint of melancholy in the eyes of artist Tara McPherson’s characters—wan, porcelain faces that remind us of a cross between Blythe Dolls and the lovably macabre creatures born from Tim Burton’s brain. If you’re a fan of the scary fairytale style, head to Rotofugi this Saturday where McPherson will be signing her latest book, Lost Constellations. Published by Dark Horse comics, this new release chronicles the NYC-based artist’s most recent paintings, drawings, and sculpture. Also on display will be McPherson’s new Kidrobot mini-figure series, Gamma Mutant Space Friends.

Move over Pokemon, with your boring trading cards: this game has exploding balls. Bakugan, the latest Japanese toy craze to hit the U.S., is leaving Chicago kids whining at empty shelves and their parents paying double for the toys on eBay. Bakugan is a collectible strategic card game -but so much more exciting- because since Bakugan means "exploding sphere" in Japanese, this game has gumball-sized balls that explode into creatures when you throw them. Spin Master, the manufacturer, expects to sell over 40 million "ball and card" games this year.

Gooden's unique coiffure reminds us of one possible face on the Wooly Willy toy we remember from our childhood. The simple game, with its iron filings under plastic atop a hairless face and a magnet to "draw" with allowed for countless varieties of hairstyles and facial 'dos. But the bald and shaggy beard look is right there on the toy itself, among the suggested looks on the left side.

Everyone knows Bratz dolls cause cancer of the AIDS. But Jammin' Jenna dolls, a slightly softer-seeming knock-off from Ty, are also poisonous. Her vinyl shoes contain an amount of lead that's illegal in Illinois, but Ty refuses to recall the toys, saying they'll stop selling new dolls to Illinois distributors but won't pull the dolls already on shelves.

This shopping holiday season, we’re committed to buying our kid’s presents from local small businesses. Our new crush is Timeless Toys in Lincoln Square.