Skull Face Madballs - BE@RBRICK
Madballs is a brand of gross-out collectible foam ball toys that were first introduced in 1985 and would later go on to branch out into other types of media as well. After the toys were revived for the second time in 2017, Medicom Toy began collaborating with the toy brand to create several additions to the BE@BRICK line of figures. One such figure is the “BE@RBRICK Madballs Skull Face 100% & 400% Set”.
Madballs x BE@RBRICK Collaboration Background
The collaboration between Madballs and Medicom Toy’s BE@RBRICK line began in March 2020 with the release of two figure designs: Horn Head and Oculus Orbus. In total, there are four unique figures that are based on various characters from the Madballs lineup.
Collaboration Planning and Launch History
The first two figures released through this collaboration, Horn Head and Oculus Orbus, were both released as a 100% and 400% set. In November 2020, however, two other figures were released as a part of this collaboration. One figure was the Madballs x Mishka BE@RBRICK while the other figure was inspired by the Madballs character Skull Face. These two figures were also released as a 100% and 400% set, though the Madballs x Mishka figure was also made in BE@RBRICK’s 1000% size as well.
BE@RBRICK Madballs Skull Face 100% and 400% Set
This figure set features a design that is inspired by the classic Madballs character, Skull Face. The two figures are mainly colored yellow but are detailed with black, orange, and red as well. The design of the body has ghastly red bones painted onto it, giving it a strange skeleton-like appearance. The rest of the figure’s design is decorated with unsettling cracks that reveal piercing red eyes all over its body. Its head also prominently displays a set of dull, discolored teeth as well, completing the gross-out aesthetic of the original Madballs toys.
This figure set also has many classic characteristics of the BE@RBRICK line as well. This includes articulated limbs, a big, round belly, and a pair of bear-like ears. Although the design is the same, this set includes the 100% and 400% versions of the figure, making it great for those that want a complete collection of Madballs BE@RBRICK figures.
- Product Name: BE@RBRICK Madballs Skull Face 100% & 400% Set
- Manufacturer: Medicom Toy
- Specifications: Set of 2 painted, articulated, non-scale figures with water transfer printing
- Height (Approx.): 100%: 70 mm; 400%: 280 mm
Madballs Background
Madballs began as a series of collectible gross-out balls with various character designs that eventually went on to get its own line of comics, cartoons, and games. Although the franchise was first founded by AmToy in the 1980s, the series would be revived several times throughout the decades.
Madballs Background: History
After Madballs made their debut in the toy market with their first series of collectible characters, subsequent series were later developed, further expanding the collection of toys to collect. Although they are considered to be a fad that has already faded in popularity by the 1990s, the toys performed quite well at the time, eventually resulting in several comics, cartoons, and even a video game to be released. That said, several attempts to bring Madballs back have been made by various companies. The first attempt occurred from 2006 to 2007, with Art Asylum partnering with the original right holders to recreate classic characters while also designing new characters as well. Madballs would be revived once again by Just Play in 2017, which resulted in the production of new toys and a series of short cartoons based on characters from the toy line.
Madballs Background: Reception
When Madballs first released in 1985, the toys performed rather well, even though the original release is considered a passing fad these days. Their success is likely due in part to the success of other similar gross-out collectible toys that launched at the time like the Garbage Pail Kids. That said, their re-releases are generally praised for their attention to detail, especially when compared to the original 1985 Madballs.
Other Notable Madballs Collaborations
Throughout the original run of Madballs, AmToy ended up collaborating with several other companies to produce games, cartoons, and other forms of media. One of the first examples of this is the direct-to-home cartoons, which included two episodes that were released in 1986 and 1987 respectively. These cartoons were made by Nelvana, which also helped create or distribute childrens’ cartoons for other popular franchises like The Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Comics of the franchise were also created by Star Comics, a former children’s comics subsidiary owned by Marvel Comics. This series lasted from September 1986 to June 1998 and collected a total of ten issues. Finally, a video game simply titled by Madballs was created by Ocean Software in 1988 for various 8-bit computers at the time.
Related Figures
Those interested in collecting figures similar to the Madballs BE@RBRICKs mentioned above may want to look at some of the figures created through collaborations with other popular cartoon properties. Some of these figures include The Care Bears, Batman the Animated Series, Mickey Mouse, and The Peanuts.
Links
BE@RBRICK Madballs Skull Face 100% & 400% Set
BE@RBRICK Series
Funshine Bear Care Bears - BE@RBRICK
The Joker Batman the Animated - BE@RBRICK
Mickey Mouse - BE@RBRICK
Belle Peanuts - BE@RBRICK
BE@BRICK Label