Evil Ape Fink’s Big Adventure Vinyl Figure by MCA x UVD Toys

This Tuesday, UVD Toys will be releasing the newest colorway of MCA’s new Evil Ape Fink vinyl figure! Check out Evil Ape Fink’s Big Adventure, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the t-shirt release that started it all for MCA. In 1991, a store called TAANG Records in Harvard Square took a chance on a new shirt by young artist MCA. The graphic was inspired by a recent event with Paul Rubenfeld (aka Pee-wee Herman) and commented on how he was being portrayed in the media at the time. MCA branded it Evil Design and the rest is history! 

Inspired by Pee-wee Herman and his classic 1985 film, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, the Evil Ape Big Adventure Edition vinyl figure stands 4” tall, features 4 points of articulation, and is limited to 50 pieces.  It will go on sale at 12pm ET on Tuesday, January 26th, at UVDtoys.com for $60.

Threadless - "It Would Have Been Cooler As A Van" Pop Culture Themed T-Shirt

While I don’t usually blog during the day, when I went to check out Threadless’ Hallow-Tees $10 sale I knew I’d have to write about this shirt. To be honest, I totally skipped over the “It Would Have Been Cooler as a Van” t-shirt at first glance. Thankfully, I went back to take a second look and was totally floored by what I saw. Basically, “It Would Have Been Cooler as a Van” re-imagines some of pop culture’s most well known vehicles as vans! This has got to be one of the coolest Threadless tees ever!

It Would Have Been Cooler as a Van by Brandon Ortwein

Like most pop art, the design isn’t overly complex. It’s just a fun idea that anyone could have come up with but didn’t! I’ve gotta give some serious props to artist Brandon Ortwein for following through on this one. The shirt features 21 pop icons from television and movies; some are animated while others have been in comic books and on the silver screen. Can you identify them all!?!

I’ve been able to identify a good chunk of these, but even The Blot can’t get them all. The top two rows are pretty obvious; you’ve got Back to the Future’s time traveling DeLorean, The Ghostbusters’ Ecto-1, the Dukes of Hazzard’s General Lee, Optimus Prime from Transformers, The Griswolds’ family station wagon from Vacation, and Speed Racer’s Mach 5. There are also shout-outs to Thomas the Tank Engine, The Blues Brothers, Grease, Maximum Overdrive and Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure included on this shirt. If you there are any you aren’t sure of, head here to see the shirt’s key.

The “It Would Have Been Cooler as a Van” t-shirt is currently on sale for $10 (regular price $18) on Threadless.com and comes in both guys and girls style tees.

Johnny Cupcakes x Pee-wee’s Big Adventure T-Shirt

I know The Blot Says… has been very t-shirt centric the past two days, but I couldn’t ignore the newest Johnny Cupcakes movie themed tee released just yesterday. Last Saturday, August 22nd, JC hosted another one of his extremely popular midnight movie screenings at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, MA, this time showing the 1985 classic Pee-wee’s Big Adventure starring Paul Reubens and directed by Tim Burton. Did you know Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure was the first full length movie Burton ever directed?


According to the Johnny Cupcakes blog, Pee-Wee Herman was one of JC’s biggest role models growing up and helped turn him into the weird, jokester he is today. Johnny even credits Mr. Reubens for much of his success. I have to say, this Pee-wee’s Big Adventure tribute shirt is killer. I love the t-shirt’s huge font and futuristic retro look. Plus, who wouldn’t want to sport a shirt featuring Pee-wee Herman’s famed stolen red bike. When I was a kid I wanted the red bicycle from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure so badly! I didn’t even care that it had the red streamers coming off its handles. I think this is one JC t-shirt I might have to order.


The Johnny Cupcakes Big Adventure t-shirt sells for $35.00 and comes in both guys and girls styled tees. You can purchas this Pee-wee’s Big Adventure tribute t-shirt directly from the Johnny Cupcakes online store here.