You gotta admit that - for an 83 year-old mouse -- Mickey looks good.
So what's Mickey's secret? Botox? Collagen? The fact that he's a cartoon character that doesn't actually age? I prefer to think it's the company that Mickey keeps.
Take - for example - Tom Whalen. Who just created this killer Steamboat Willie print for Mondo. Which is the collectible art boutique at the Alamo Drafthouse.
Now the good news is that this Steamboat Willie print (which is 18" by 24" and produced with metallic inks) is relatively affordable. Just $40 apiece. But the bad news is ... Mr. Whalen only made 200 of these beauties. And when they're gone, they're gone.
Mind you, Sideshow Collectibles will produce a variant of this Steamboat Willie poster at some point on the future. But if you wanna grab one of the originals, you need to contact Mondo TODAY. Because that's when this Steamboat Willie poster goes on sale.
Of course, if you like your Mickeys less stylized ... Then you may want to consider swinging by the Art of Disney gallery at WDW's Downtown Disney Marketplace this weekend. Because that's where - this Friday & Saturday - Disney Design Group artist Darren Wilson rolls out his latest work of art, Butterfly Mickey Mouse.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
This piece will actually be available in three different formats:
Of course, if you're not a Mickey Mouse fan ... Not to worry. Darren's also debuting two other pieces at the Art of Disney Gallery this weekend. The Scrooge Treasure ...
... and Timeless Princesses ...
... which will also be available as one-of-a-kind original pieces of art, limited edition reproduction giclees and open edition petit prints.
And then when you factor in that Wilson himself will actually be on hand at WDW's Downtown Disney Marketplace today (from 5 to 8 p.m.) and tomorrow (also from 5 to 8 p.m.) ... Well, how many times do you get to personally meet the Disney Design Group artist behind beautiful pieces like these? And then maybe have him personalized the piece that you're purchasing?
And speaking of making purchases ... If you were planning on picking up that Vinylamation TaleSpin two-figure set that was supposed to go on sale today at the Disney Parks On-Line Store ... Well, I'm afraid that I have some bad news.
Baloo & Kit Cloudkicker have unfortunately been delayed. Vinylmation's first-ever Disney Afternoon two-figure set now won't go on sale to March 5th. But the upside of this situation is ... Given that only 1000 of these sets have been created ... Well, that then gives you another week to get together the $24.95 necessary to purchase this two-figure set.
Which bring me to today's JHM reader question: Given that you'll now all had the chance to view a number of these Vinylmation figures, what are you seeing first these days when you look at these collectibles? The Mickey Mouse-shaped piece of vinyl or the character that's been painted on top of this piece of vinyl?
Your thoughts?
Can you imagine Darren's art is some of the most brilliant and intensely colorful of all the Disney art I have seen... I bought Mickey the Sorcerer on the Disney Magic on May 14, 2011. I bought the signed and numbered # 2/95. I was angwred and disappointed when the art salesperson on the Magic kept my purchased print and only after some prompting sent me the # 30;/5 instead.. ha taken possession of the piece that I bought in the frame But he insisted on shipping it to methe next day... Does this sort of deception ocur frequently or am I just unluck. I have had extensive inquiries with Disney officials to no avail....Must I simply GIVE UP?