Plastic Man: Jason LenziOne look at their catalog and you've got to agree Bif Bang Pow! is a pretty cool company. And for an operation with so many high-profile licenses in its stable, it was built on and maintains an admirably DIY philosophy.
Honcho Jason Lenzi is a friend, so we've been following BBP!'s growth from the beginning. And it's been rewarding and inspirational watching someone fulfill his lifelong dream with nothing in his corner at the start but desire and drive.
Lately Lenzi's been filing a regular column - Plastic Soul - over at Action Figure Insider, where he's been peeling back the curtain on the toy business, explaining just how a thing goes from famous/beloved entertainment property to merchandise, and revealing a few trade secrets in the process.
Whatever your feelings about toys and toy collecting, if you're interested at all in popular culture you'll find Lenzi good company. He's a spirited writer with strong opinions on subjects that extend well beyond things plastic and poseable, and his entertaining columns are worth your time.
Particularly his latest, "Tribulations of the Trade," in which he shares some of his memorable experiences in the frequently frustrating world of licensing and approvals. That's the part of the process where studios and stars get to have their say, and anyone who knows even a little about the entertainment industry knows that that's the time when things tend to become...interesting. Things certainly do for Lenzi, and he's naming names.
Click here to read "Tribulations of the Trade" before the injunctions are handed down.
photo by Wyatt Doyle
