During the course of the next 50 days, we’re going to look at some of the other action figures and models that will grace the pages of HIDEOUS PLASTIC – In stores everyone can hear you scream. First up is this rather obscure item from Tsukuda Hobby, released in 1995.
This Japanese pressing is the 2nd item from Tsukuda Hobby derived their product from the original 1979 kenner action figure and it is generally considered to be inferior. While Continue reading
Welcome to the HIDEOUS PLASTIC KickStarter Campaign Update No.3
Just a small update; but an important one in the greater scheme of things regarding this campaign. I’ve added an expiry date to the Xenothusiast Reward Tier. This reward will become unavailable on April 25th, 2017.
This is the high end tier for this campaign. It includes a 1979 Kenner ALIEN action figure fully restored to display worthy condition. These items are expensive at the best of times and this tier reflects the figure’s value. You will also receive a copy of the book along with other privileges. See the tier listing for details.
Other than the date alteration, no other changes have been made to this tier.
So, if you are interested in owning one of these fully feature complete excellent presentation display worthy figures (and a copy of the book), now is the time to start thinking about it. 25 of them are available.
-Windebieste.
Ah, it arrived a little later than expected, but my 2nd box of dismembered ALIEN parts came today. It’s difficult to see the value in this apparent pile of rubble, but in truth I’ll be able to use this selection of miscellaneous black body parts as foundations to construct and restore at least 2 more Aliens. This will be a fun exercise if nothing else.
Let’s see what’s included in this pile of debris. There are 2 incomplete figures here, both missing arms. I’ll be using the arms that arrived in the earlier shipment to complete those Continue reading
Don’t forget, the HIDEOUS PLASTIC ‘Early Bird’ tier rewards Backers who support this Project now. You will receive a 30% discount on the book with your pledge! This offer is limited in quantity and time. Only 250 units are available. The offer expires on March 31.
Make a difference. Make a pledge. Do it soon.
HIDEOUS PLASTIC – In stores everyone can hear you scream a 200 page book about one of the world’s most notorious children’s toys, the 1979 Kenner ALIEN Action figure. Now on KickStarter.
-Windebieste.
Welcome to the HIDEOUS PLASTIC KickStarter Campaign Update No.2
I’ve had a couple of people mention they would like to see a complete rundown of the book’s contents. I’ve responded by updating and expanding the WHAT EXACTLY IS INSIDE THIS BOOK? section near the top of the campaign page. This will help you gain a more accurate understanding of the contents and page count for each chapter.
241 is the current page count and is likely to change during editing. I expect it will be condensed down from that number but a minimum of 200 pages is anticipated.
One of several boxes I am expecting to turn up on my doorstep has arrived. Inside the box are several incomplete Kenner ALIEN figures along with an assortment of very useful parts. Each one of these items will be put to good use in the coming months as part of the HIDEOUS PLASTIC KickStarter campaign.
The package includes 3 incomplete figures along with an assortment of very useable parts: 1x head, 1x carapace (or dome, if you like), 1x tail, 1x shoulder spike, 3x pairs of Continue reading
I’m pleased to announce the 60 day KickStarter campaign to raise funds needed to publish and distribute the book, HIDEOUS PLASTIC – In stores everyone can hear you scream, was launched today. This campaign is now live and open to Backers worldwide.
You can find additional information that will explain the Primary Goal and Stretch Goals in more detail. You have 60 days to decide to support this Project. The book is a massive 200+ page exploration into almost every facet of the original 1979 Kenner ALIEN action figure you could want to know about.
Please support this Project. This book is one of a kind and nothing like it has ever been written before. For this reason alone, if you are an ALIEN fan or a toy enthusiast, then please, give some thought to being a Backer on this unique Project.
Thank you for your attention.
-Windebieste.
Today I finalised the remaining components of HIDEOUS PLASTIC’s KickStarter campaign to get the book funded for publishing. This means I am getting ready to make the big launch! I am setting a day aside, tomorrow, to review the entire campaign and make any last minute changes.
The video and several minor costing elements that were missing until today were finally put into place. At this stage, everything is running smoothly and the campaign will be Continue reading
I like posting Progress Reports. I like letting people know how this Project is progressing. I think you like to know, too. I think they’re important.
The KickStarter campaign is rapidly nearing the point where it can be submitted to KickStarter admins for approval. It will then appear on their page soon thereafter. That submission will take place in about a week so we have roughly 7 days until the campaign is ready for approval. I anticipate having all the components in place by then and that the KS admins will be pleased to feature this campaign on their platform.
Aside from a small selection of items that require my attention, the most important component is the campaign video. It’s just folly to under-estimate how important a video is to a crowd sourcing campaign so that item is currently being assembled and looking good.
In the meantime, don’t forget we also have an instagram page. Check it out. There’s a growing selection of goodies being added by SiL just like this sweet little item:
More coming soon…
-Windebieste.
I spent a lot of time in a meeting with my Publisher today. We talked a lot about the book and importantly I had a Kenner alien with me to completely help them conceptually nail what HIDEOUS PLASTIC was about. The result was the same 2 responses people generally have when they first lay eyes on this Classic vintage toy:
1). “Oh my God… It’s huge!”
2). “This thing was marketed to children? You’re kidding me, right..?”
We had a good chat about the goals of the book, its intended market, sales expectations, Continue reading
Right now, the video for the HIDEOUS PLASTIC KickStarter campaign is currently being cut and shaped into something presentable for the campaign when it is launched in early March.
Yeah. That’s me in the photo. Phil ‘Windebieste’ Wlodarczyk, surrounded by old Kenner Aliens and, well, other stuff needed to shoot the video. I’m sitting at the kitchen table and shooting the raw footage at the ‘Parrott Cage’. This is the home of Garry Parrott, who shot Continue reading
On my constant hunt to find Kenner ALIEN figures that can be restored I found this excellent choice. He’s a little worse for wear and a little beaten up but with some love and attention I will transform this item into something jaw dropping and special. I’ve done it many times before and I’m itching to do so again soon.
This mangy looking fellow is in a common condition for these vintage figures and potentially an excellent candidate for a full restoration. The critical pieces are present Continue reading
The image gallery on the hideousplastic Instagram page is slowly growing and the level of content is expanding at a steady rate. Go check it out.
My social networking skills are as useful as a square wheel on a pushbike. So the task of running this account has become the responsibility of long time fellow ALIEN enthusiast, Joe ‘SiL’ Guilar. Joe is a fellow Australian working in the video industry. He is a long Continue reading
One important task I’ve been engaging in lately is purchasing up loose parts for some of the currently incomplete figures in my collection.
This head is a fine example of what I’ve been chasing up, lately. I’ve mostly been targeting heads, arms and tails for purchase. Other occasional small mouth parts and shoulder spikes sometimes, too. These items have been missing from some of the figures in my collection and I need to get them into a complete state. Continue reading
I know there is interest in a book about this old toy and now I need to generate further support for it prior to launching the KickStarter campaign in March. Right now, I’m not reaching a wide enough audience and this is largely because I’m not dedicating adequate effort on my part to social media.
I recognise Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are great platforms for spreading the word so it’s essential and even mandatory to have a presence on them. I’ve done my task scheduling for the next 6 weeks and dedicating the time needed to make these platforms work in favor of promoting the book is currently beyond me.
This week I will be engaged in the essential task of compiling a budget and gathering costings for getting the 200+ page book, HIDEOUS PLASTIC, into your hands. Among the costing tasks I will be investigating are:
This will determine what funding needs to be raised as part of the KickStarter campaign commencing in early March. The successful crowd sourcing of these funds will enable the printing and distribution of the book later this year; but I need to gather these figures first. For me, this week will be spent chasing up quotes to this end.
Keep an eye on this site for more News and information regarding the upcoming KickStarter campaign and its impending announcement.
-Windebieste.
Here is the first hard copy version of the book. It’s a visualisation copy for me to take to printers so I can provide them with a physical sample with which they can understand more clearly what the end goal will be and provide me with accurate quotes.
I’ve known for a long time there’s a big difference between telling a printer “I want a book made” and actually handing over a preliminary physical copy so they can gain a thorough understanding of what the end goal is intended to be. Continue reading
One question I’ve been asked several times now is how do I intend to make a trilogy out of HIDEOUS PLASTIC?
Well, firstly I need to get this volume, In stores everyone can hear you scream completed. It’s a massive Project. Right now, the book is at a point where I am about to start sourcing out quotes from printers and binders to get ready for the KickStarter campaign which is proposed to commence in March 2017. Needless to say, I still have a lot of work on my plate in this regard. Continue reading
Today is the day I pledged to release a FREE sample of HIDEOUS PLASTIC in its current work in progress state for you to explore. So here it is. Right on schedule for 30 December is the Preview Edition. This 30 page excerpt includes the entire first chapter of the manuscript in its current stage of development, in .pdf format.
Download the free PREVIEW Edition of HIDEOUS PLASTIC
[UPDATE] – This file (along with much of the information on this page) is now substantially out of date and the file has been removed. An up to date version will be re-instated closer to when the book is ready to be published.
Thank you for your interest in this item by visiting this page.
Please keep in mind this is an early draft of the manuscript and it is continuing to evolve. It represents approximately 15% of the book’s current content. As the book still requires a lot of attention, it won’t be available until late 2017. Think of this release sample as a FREE ‘early access demo’; and like such demos it is lacking in polish and presentation but most of its components are in place.
A lot of work still needs to be done on my part but any feedback is welcome.
-Windebieste.
Right now I am on schedule to release the first version of the Preview Edition of my new book, HIDEOUS PLASTIC – In stores everyone can hear you scream. For now, to help stir up some curiosity and generate more interest in the book, here’s a single page of how the content is shaping up.
When released, the Preview Edition will be a 30 page excerpt from the 200+ page book and the excerpt’s content will comprehensively document the early years of the notorious 18 inch tall Kenner Products ALIEN action figure.
This single page is a very early work in progress sample from the non-fiction volume (the complete book isn’t scheduled for release until late 2017). The release of the excerpt is intended among other things to be a promotional exercise for the full book. It is also to be considered an early and evolving manuscript subject to substantial changes depending on feedback I receive from the public during the months of early 2017.
The 30 page Preview Edition will be available for download on the 30th of December 2016 from Hideous Plastic (this site – don’t forget to bookmark it) as a FREE .pdf to anyone who wants to read it.
Don’t forget to find out more about HIDEOUS PLASTIC: In stores everyone can hear you scream by checking out these online resources:
You can read more about the book here.
You can watch the Reveal video here.
-Windebieste
