Deady Yoka

In 2004 Hong Kong's premiere vinyl toy company, Toy2R, introduced Voltaire to the world of "designer vinyl" by manufacturing a toy of his comic book character, Deady. It was an instant hit and lead to a string of other Voltaire toys including a line of "Pocket Goth" plush toys for Toy Network that were made for the games and amusement market. Those toys were available as prizes at all of the major amusement parks as well as in crane machines at Walmart, Toys R Us, etc. Voltaire continues to make toys, mostly of his character, Deady. Recent Deady toys include a figure made by Disney and Minstyle (of Deady as Stitch from their film "Lilo and Stitch"), an 8-inch Deady figure by Toy2R that was co-branded with the popular on-line role-playing game AdventureQuest Worlds, a Deady Hot Wheels car by Mattel for the Japanese market as well as collaborations with the ubiquitous "Skelanimals" characters (also by Toy2R). AdFunture provided their 3” blank Yoka panda bear vinyl figures and DKE Toys co-founders Dov Kelemer and Sarah Jo Marks found over 200 artists to participate in the Custom Yoka Show. Featuring work from 20 countries the show turns the quirky little panda into everything from a dirty thug to a sweet snail in this tremendous exhibition. Pieces range from $25 to $800 and will be available for purchase through Black Maria Gallery. The Custom Yoka Show is meant to coincide with the release of Yoka Series One, a blind boxed collectible figurine that is now available. http://www.adfuntureworkshop.com/feature_show.php?ft_id=42 Yoka is a series of vinyl art toys created and produced by Adfunture, first released in June 2008. The collection includes figures in two primary sizes: a larger 10-inch figure and smaller 2.5-inch figures, each individually blister-packed. The Yoka series has featured numerous editions and collaborations with various artists and brands. These collaborations have made Yoka figures a canvas for artistic expression, appealing to both collectors and artists within the designer toy community. The series’ limited editions and unique designs contribute to its enduring popularity among enthusiasts.