Custom Toy of the Day- Holiday Trooper!

It has been a while since I have customized an actual action figure. Most of the toys I have made of recent have been all vinyl designer toys, so I decided to try my hand at a good ole fashioned 12" action figure. Now the base of this toy is made from a 12" Hasbro Snow Trooper from the Star Wars Collector's Series toys. I initially got the sweater from a Michaels Arts and Craft store in the Christmas ornaments. I couldn't help getting the sweater and had first planned to make a Masters of the Universe holiday custom. The sweater was way too big. I started digging through parts and found most of the pieces of the Snow Trooper. A few coats of paint, a sweater, and some festive decor have helped change this guy into the Holiday Trooper! This guy will become a staple in our Christmas decorations every year. He'll be like an elf on a shelf without all of the stupid shenanigans. There are also more pictures of this piece below the important messages below. 


Recently, I was being filmed for a convention documentary called, Unconventional. You can see it here. While you are at it, you should check out Johnathan Paul's other video work here. 

Just to let you know all know, I am taking commissions. If you would like to commission me for original artwork, head over to the commissions tab in store to see how. 

Issue 5 of Xenex the Bug Man is available on indyplanet.com! I have all Xenex the Bug Man comic books available for print on demand. You can see that listing here on my store's tab for comic books. 

I have posted some new shirt designs in my Cafepress store. Head over to my Cafepress store and get a shirt or a couple! 

I have opened a storenvy.com shop to sell my toys. Here's the link: http://taylorlymbery.storenvy.com/

If you have not heard about the Podcast called, "Talking Toys with Taylor and Jeff", then it's time I let you know! Jeff and I are on the show where we talk about toys! (Go figure, I mean Go action figure!) Seems simple enough. We pick out a toy line to discuss in each show. We share our childhood memories, our favorite five, and talk about the one toy in the line that got away. Jeff talks about how he cherished his toys and I talk about how they ended up in the garden! The other show is The pilot episode, where Jeff and Cory break down the Pilot Episode in TV series. The shows are great! If you are interested in what we got, go to Marvindogmedia.com  and give us a listen. You can subscribe to the shows on itunes and get up to date info on upcoming shows on facebook:

Talking Toys with Taylor and Jeff on facebook
The Pilot Episode on facebook

If you like what we have, be sure to tell your friends! We need your word of mouth to help us keep making shows!

And now, pictures!

The Holiday Trooper is an original work by Taylor Lymbery in 2014. This piece is also shown on my deviantart page and my figurerealm page. 

Action Figure Friday- G.I.Joe: Pursuit of Cobra: Alley Viper

When Hasbro started releasing new sculpt editions of the 80's G.I.Joe characters back in 2007, I was ecstatic! I have been a big fan of the original 3 3/4" line, and I knew that I would be a huge fan of this line. For the most part, the line delivered till it abruptly ended before putting out all of the characters from the 80's joe line-up and thus moving into the Rise of Cobra toy-line. Out of that original line-up, I really wanted an Alley Viper. He was one of my favorite action figures as a kid. Hasbro did release a version of him in the new sculpt in his original colors. Unfortunately, that version of Alley Viper came in a box set that I could never find. A few years later, I got another chance when Hasbro put out the Pursuit of Cobra line.  They dropped the bright orange and blue camo and gave a nice crimson and black paint job. For the most part, I really like the Pursuit of Cobra line. It was a nice move away from the weirdness of the Rise of Cobra Movie cutting the oversized spring loaded weapons out of the packaged action figure equation. Hasbro took many characters and gave them a bit of an updated futuristic look. My one complaint about this toy and many from this line is too much gear for each toy to carry. With this Alley Viper, the secondary helmet and gas mask are not needed and have no where to store on Alley Viper's gear.  Because I don't like having random parts, and weapons lying around, I have tried to attach all of his pieces to him while he is posed. It works ok, I guess. If you collected any figures from the modernized run of the  3 3/4" line, this is definitely one Cobra trooper you want in your ranks. He is a nice action figure with lots of articulation and detailing. Which brings me to my next question, "Hasbro, why are your G.I.Joe action figures for the Retaliation line so bad?"

You can find this action figure on Amazon.com: 

G.I.Joe Pursuit of Cobra 3 3/4 Inch Action Figure Alley Viper Cobra Urban Trooper

I do have a table for the Sci-Fi Expo on February 9-10th. I'll be there with some new work to sell,my pin-up girl posters, the newest issue of Xenex the Bug Man and custom toys. Jeff will be there with me selling some Marvindog media merchandise and taking toy memory recordings! Stop by, say,"hi", and show your support. I hope to see you there!

I have posted some new shirt designs in my Cafepress store. Head over to my Cafepress store and get a shirt or a couple! 

I have all Xenex the Bug Man comic books available for print on demand. You can see that listing here on my store's tab for comic books. 

Just to let you know all know, I am taking commissions. If you would like to commission me for original artwork, head over to the commissions tab in store to see how. 

If you have not heard about the Podcast called, "Talking Toys with Taylor and Jeff", then it's time I let you know! Jeff and I are on the show where we talk about toys! (Go figure, I mean Go action figure!) Seems simple enough. We pick out a toy line to discuss in each show. We share our childhood memories, our favorite five, and talk about the one toy in the line that got away. Jeff talks about how he cherished his toys and I talk about how they ended up in the garden! The other two shows are The pilot episode, where Jeff and Josh Taylor break down the Pilot Episode in TV series, and The Loosely Based Podcast where Brynna and Jeff compare the book to the movie adaptation! The shows are great! If you are interested in what we got, go to Marvindogmedia.com  and give us a listen. You can subscribe to the shows on itunes and get up to date info on upcoming shows on facebook:
Talking Toys with Taylor and Jeff on facebook
The Loosely Based Podcast on facebook
The Pilot Episode on facebook

Give us a like! And, if you like what we have, be sure to tell your friends! We need your word of mouth to help us keep making shows!

Sketch Card of the Day- The Horde Trooper!

Horde Trooper Sketch Card by Taylor Lymbery

Our sketch card of the day is the Horde Trooper!  When I was a kid, I searched everywhere for this action figure! I really wanted one! Not only was this guy bigger than all of the other Masters of the Universe figures, but he also had a cool action feature of falling apart when you hit a big red button on his chest! Yeah! Think about it, if my Fisto action figure hit the Horde Trooper square in the chest, this guy would fall apart! This seems silly, but even now I am quite excited about the idea. Action features on toys, back when was a kid, was a deal breaker for me. Other than the really cool toy, the horde trooper was nothing more than a mindless robot that built up Hordak's army. The cartoon portrayed them as a basic army builder. There is not a lot to say about them having a back story or even a story to be excited about. The Horde Trooper action figure went to store shelves back in 1986. I never found one to add to my collection. These days I will check out the prices on ebay, and they are rather expensive for not being complete and really expensive if it has it's staff. I really don't see me getting one, because I just don't have the extra money for this. So far, there is no word of if Mattel will do a Masters of the Universe Classics version of this guy. If they do, I might look into getting one, but that depends on it's action feature...You can also see this art piece here.

Just a quick update: I did go ahead and purchase a table for the Fan Days Convention in October. So I will be there (given that I don't have another mishap).

There's been an update to the store tabs on both Xenex the Bug Man, and this site. All of the print on demand issues, cafepress stores and commissions info will be under the new store tab on both this site and the Xenex the Bug Man site. Hopefully this page makes shopping a bit easier. Go and check it out! 

I just updated the Xenex the Bug Man website with rather grand news that the long awaited issue 4 is now up for order. It's a great looking comic book! Head on over to the Bug Man site and see what I'm talking about!

Now, you mighty be asking what this Marvin Dog media is. I've got answers. I had been working with a good friend of mine, Jeff McGee, before I got sick on designing logos and banners for a podcast that I am on and logos and banners of podcasts that other friends are on. I have listened to all of the shows so far and they are great! Jeff and I are on the show where we talk about toys! (Go figure, I mean Go action figure!) That show is called Talking toys with Taylor and Jeff. The other two shows are The pilot episode, where Jeff and Josh Taylor break down the Pilot Episode in TV series, and The Loosely Based Podcast where Brynna and Jeff compare the book to the movie adaptation! Again, the shows are great! If you are interested in what we got, go to Marvindogmedia.com  and give us a listen. You can subscribe to the shows on itunes and get up to date info on upcoming shows on facebook:
Talking Toys with Taylor and Jeff on facebook
The Loosely Based Podcast on facebook
The Pilot Episode on facebook

Give us a like! And, if you like what we have, be sure to tell your friends! We need your word of mouth to help us keep making shows!