I have a few collecting regrets that follow me around occasionally – those precious items that would enrich my existence in multiple ways that transcend the stale ideas of ‘possession’. One of the bigger regrets is that I did not more actively pursue the 85 or so Medicom Kubrick figures dedicated to the Pantone system of colors when they were a bit more common.
It sounds incredibly boring to have little block men who are featureless except for a stamp indicating their precise color as determined by an internationally recognized, proprietary color matching system that graphic designers need to understand before they’re worth their salt. However, as a graphic artist, I find that having little toys based on a technical color system is an incredibly geeky, very neat thing. You can try to find these Kubricks on eBay, but they’re very expensive. I plan on buying the hell out of them when I’m a rich and famous designer someday. You’ll see.
So, I was excited when I stumbled across this amalgamation of some of my very favorite things : colors, ghosts, creepy eyes, and a passing hint of cephalopod. Kidrobot released these stackable miniTotem Doppelgangers recently, and I instantly appreciated their nearly featureless faces and attention to color. While I love stock mini-forms adorned with the art of many designers, simplicity seems to be the theme of my life in general, lately.
I knew that I had to own them all. There are fourteen different colors to collect, and many of them are slightly discomforting off-hues, which I also love. There are eleven common colors, with slightly rarer figures appearing in black and white, and one much rarer clear figure. As is usually the case, I purchased a full case of 25, knowing that I could complete my own set (minus the clear guy), and use the rest to make Christmas presents for people. I have a strategic way of collecting in such a manner that I can get exactly what I want and benefit others at the same time by sharing in the wealth.
The way that cases are packed from Kidrobot is always something that collectors should be aware of. While some cases are randomly distributed, others are strangely regimented, and a clever consumer can pick from certain places in the box to have slightly higher odds at obtaining the pieces that they want. I’ve included a photo of how these were distributed, which is an unusual pattern, but a pattern nonetheless. Matching colors are always next to each other on the sides of the case, with the rare pieces down the center column. There you go – I’ve cracked the code. Enjoy.
For $5 each, and standing at 1.5 inches tall, that’s a lot of price for a tiny, rubber thing – but that comes with the territory when collecting designer toys. I, for one, am a little bit in love.
