madballs central

Madballs T-Shirts at Hot Topic!!

2008-12-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

Our friend here was one of the lucky few to obtain one of the first Madball T-shirts offered up by the company(MIGHTY FINE) at select (HOT TOPIC) stores. But fear not, the limited release of the Madballs shirts was so successful that a new, larger shipment of shirts will be arriving at stores in the coming weeks!
Run out and get yours, we promise that you will look better than this guy does when you wear yours...
(The image here is the creature from: "I was a Teenage Frankenstein". It is a bust sculpted by Steve West for Earthbound Studios.)

Madballs Sticker Sheets

2008-12-05T10:34:00.000-08:00

Here are two of the great MADBALL STICKER SHEETS being offered right now at select retailers!!
As you can see, many never before seen Madball characters make an appearance here for the very first time! Sticker Sheet 1 has all the first wave Madballs in relief a and dimensional! There is also a special SLIME FILLED version sticker sheet wof Madballs out there as well. Add them to your collection of Madball Greeting cards , and soon to be released Madballs Calender!!
(Details of which will be posted soon!!)
And our friend over at the website (SCARY CRAYON) has a full review of the sticker sheets and alot to say about the all-new Madballs Characterss.

Madballs Series 3 Schematics

2008-12-03T13:13:00.001-08:00

Here are 3 of the style control drawing/schematics drawn by designer James Groman to guide the toy sculptor as the patterns are created for the Madballs Series 3 toys.
The Madball sculptures are created by some talented folks at American Greetings Product's toy partner (Basic Fun). Specifically, Wave 2 and 3 have been sculpted by the legendary Jack Dennett. Jack has made a name for himself by sculpting many, many toys, model kits and collectors statues for some of the biggest names in the licensing business over the years. I am very glad to have him working with us on the new Madballs product.

(MADBALLS.COM)Playbrains Announces Madballs™ in Babo:Invasion Game for Xbox LIVE® Arcade and PCs

2008-12-03T13:12:00.001-08:00

Playbrains, an independent game studio, announced their new game, Madballs in Babo:Invasion, at the Montreal International Game Summit. Featuring the hit ever-"gross" Madballs toy characters from the 1980s, the fast-paced multiplayer 3-D shooter game will be available through Xbox LIVE® Arcade and as a downloadable game in 2009.

Playbrains partnered with American Greetings Properties, who recently re-launched the 80s classic Madballs toy and entertainment brand, to develop the game featuring the hilariously grotesque Madballs characters. In the game, two Madballs characters crash land on a planet in the middle of a civil war between the peaceful Babos and chaotic Scorched forces and join the fray. The game features a dozen characters, each with special abilities, fighting with many different weapons across multiple landscapes. There is a deep single-player campaign and many different co-op and multiplayer modes of gameplay.

Read all about it at: (Playbrains)

Madballs Series 3!!

2008-12-03T12:53:00.000-08:00

Here are the new Series 3 Madballs, due to start shipping in fall of 2009! The characters are as follows:
SNAKE BAIT (based on a 1990's, series 2 Madball), FIST FACE (based on another 1990's, series 2 Madball), LOCK LIPS(based on yet another 1990's, series 2 Madball), PUCK TEETH (an all-new design!), NAIL BITER (also a new design) and MOSH PITTS (an all new character as well)

Nickelodeon Madballs Commercials!!

2008-12-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

Here is one of 2, ALL NEW Madball TV commercials running exclusively on Nickelodeon. I like these alot because they have a bit of the flavor of the original, 1980's commercials.

MADBALL WEBSITE BOUNCES ONTO THE SCENE!

2008-10-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

MADBALLS CENTRAL IS UP AND RUNNIN'! In all it's slime-slingin', gut-wrenching glory! It's got Wave 1-2 Madball character profiles, product ordering information and our first of many on-line games: SLINGIN' SLIME BALL!
In the next two weeks more games and activities will launch, and all of us at AG Properties have been knockin' ourselves out on the way-cool illustrations and graphics and animation that will make these games like nothin' else you've ever seen on-line!!
Go to (MADBALLS.COM)now and have yourself some gurgley-gross-out fun....

Madball Paintings!!

2008-10-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have been missing in action for the last few weeks.
I am overloaded with freelance and some other personal projects that need my undivided attention, so the blog has been neglected once again.
But, I did realise that I hadn't posted my two new Madball paintings that I had done a few months back. These were created for our American Greetings Madball Gallery Show. I challenged myself to get these two painted as fast as I could, and ended up spending 2 hours a piece on them...
Don't be too impressed, they are only 6 inches square in size.
So, here they are, for your viewing pleasure, (or horror...)
DUSTBRAIN and SWINESUCKER!!

MADBALLS.COM IS BACK IN BUSINESS!!

2008-08-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

IT'S HERE!
Madballs.com is up and running, at least the first initial holding page is. The entire site will launch with games and activities on September 30th, 2008. I can tell you first hand that the array of games, activities and Madball Gross-out fun that AGProperties has lined up for you guys is incredalicious!
Me and the team here at American Greetings Properties have been totally wrapped up in some special, overwelming Madball product development for the last two months that I dare not speak of. So that is why updates to Madball Central have been few and far between.
But mark that date. SEPTEMBER 28, 2008. And tune in at (MADBALLS.COM)

Limited edition, signed Madball Art Prints at San Diego Comicon!

2008-07-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

Howdy!
James Groman here...
I'm off to San Diego Comicon today, and will be stopping by the Basic fun/Underground Toys booth at the show to check on Madballs and see how things are going with the 1000 signed and numbered limited edition Madballs art prints that they have at the show.
Thats right! The first 1000 people to stop by their booth at the show will recieve one, 20" by 20" , limited edition art print of our Blech Beard the Pirate signed by the artist (me!) with the purchase of any Wave 1 or Wave 2 Madball!
These are beautiful, full-color prints on high quality, heavy stock ,acid free paper. They will be given out contained in a huge protective envelope with an official Madball sticker of authenticity. Come to the show, and get one while they last.
Wow, it is Thursday, and the show started yesterday...they may be gone already!

American Greetings Madball Invasion Gallery Show!!

2008-06-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

Recently all us crazy designers at American Greetings Properties pooled our talents to organize a gallery show inspired by the re-launch of the Madballs Toy line.
I felt the need to document this incredible event with a slide-show. Enjoy the grossness!
Participents in the show are as follows:
James Groman, Keith Allen,Seth Larson, Kevin Evans, Keith Corcoran, Gil Reis, Carlos Villagra, David Fedan, Jeff Harter, Beth Dinvald, Renee Froerer, Aaron Wildasin, Anthony Davila, James Elliott
Thanks Guys and Gals!!

Presenting: BLECH BEARD!!!

2008-05-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally finished painting number 3 in my acrylic/Madball series. This one was primarily done as a submission to a Madballs Calendar. It will also be hanging in the American Greetings art gallery in a week or so as part of a Madball art show we will be having. I will try to post photos of this show when it is up for all you Madballs fans.
I am also hoping to get one more Madball painting done before then....
SKULL FACE!

MADBALL CARS GREETING CARDS!

2008-03-05T09:33:00.001-08:00

New, this week at all Target Stores. MADBALL CAR GREETING CARDS!
Collect them all! Trade with your friends! These are EXCLUSIVE Madball greeting cards that can only be found at Target Retailers and nowhere else. So run out and grab some before they...
PEEL OUT!

MADBALL GRILZ!

2008-03-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

The Madballs brand is ever-broadening, and even the world of automobiles is not safe! Introducing Madball Cars! These pieces of digital art were created by James Groman at American Greetings for a line of greeting cards to be sold as an exclusive at Target stores. Each vehicle is a cross between a car and a specific Madball character. Here we have Skull Face, Shark Attackle, Bash Brain and Slobulus.

More Madball Photos sighted!!

2008-02-29T09:43:00.000-08:00

I found another fun website with reviews of the new Madball product, well, Wave 1 at least. They can be found at:
(Weirdo Toys)
This site has some great turn-a-round photos of Wave 1 product. I now post a ganged version of those for your viewing pleasure...(or displeasure...)

Madballs Fan Site: Scary Crayon!!!

2008-02-28T14:35:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this website that has some pretty extensive reviews of the new Basic Fun Madball product. It also has some real nice photos of Wave 2 product (which is not even on shelf yet...) It can be found at: (Scary Crayon)
The reviews are not always kind, but its awesome that this guy 'Wes' obviously loves the brand enough to post his lengthy critiques of the toy.
Go get 'em, Wes!!

Madball Launcher!!

2008-02-28T13:42:00.000-08:00

Here is the Madball Launcher, a jumbo sized bazooka that fires ping-pong, style, mini-Madball eyeballs. The bazooka will come with a Repvile Madball included in the package. 'You may fire when ready, Grossie!'

MADBALLS:Series 2

2008-02-28T13:17:00.000-08:00

They are here!
Madballs series 2 is shipping to retailers right now so keep an eye out for them! Swine Sucker, Dust Brain, Freaky Fullback, Blech Beard, Oculus Orbus and Wolf Breath are all in series 2. The Madballs Sick Series 2 is also shipping, with versions of Dust Brain, Freaky Fullback and Blech Beard.

Anyone remember....BLURP BALLS?

2008-02-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

Shortly after the success of Madballs at American Greetings Toy division: Amtoy, the folks at Those Characters from Cleveland were at it again wih a new spheracle miracle.
It was called BLURP BALLS.
The product was licensed by TCFC to Ertl Toys and Collectables, and consisted of 8 all-new, extremely disgusting designs. All of which had the patented ability to spit out or 'blurp-out' a smaller, even more obnoxious mini-ball. The entire line was designed by Madball contributor: James Groman. These were quite successful as well, and were even named one of the coolest toys of the year in 1991 by Entertainment Weekly.
Here are all 8 designs in package for your viewing pleasure. I will post design art in the next week or so.

Madball Interview at Saxton Moore's blog...

2007-11-13T17:35:00.000-08:00

My friend and co-worker Saxton Moore recently interviewed me about the re-release of Madballs for his blog. You can bounce on over and read it at: Sax10 or at that great artist website: DRAWN! This interview was a load of fun, and even features a photo of one of the original conceptual artists of Madballs from the 1980's: Mark Spangler!! Bravo Mark!
So head on over and get a course in Madball-ology. You will not be sorry!

Madballs: The Movie!

2007-11-13T17:33:00.000-08:00

Hey! It could Happen!

Madballs: Series 2!!!

2007-11-13T17:11:00.000-08:00

Howdy!
Well, Madballs Series 1 and Madballs Sick Series 1 are on the shelves of Toys-R-Us right now!!
Go get you some! I just stopped off at my local store and they were already pretty well picked through, and there was no sign of Repvile or Screamin Meamie at all!
To get us all set for Series 2 I thought that I would post the full color design artwork for the next wave of balls. As before, we are releasing 5 redux characters based on Madballs from the 1980's toys, with one, all new Madball: Blechbeard!* The redoes are as follows: Dustbrain, Swinesucker, Wolfbreath, Freaky Fullback and Oculus Orbus. I am also posting the schematic art for three of these new balls.
Eat them up...yum!

Schematics for Skullface and Slobulus

2007-10-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

Madball Schematics

2007-10-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

So,
How do you make a MADBALL?
First you create a drawing of one... Actually create a whole LOT of drawings of many, many Madballs. These are called concept drawings, and we do mountains of them.
Once you create a character, and add details, you choose the ones you like and assemble your "Line" or "Wave" of product. In our product release with our master licensee "Basic Fun" we chose to release 6 Madballs in our main "Line", or first "Wave" of product. Before the balls can be produced, molds must be made to manufacture them. Molds cannot be made until you have a 3-dimensional sculpt of the ball to work from. An in order to do a sculpt of the Madball, the sculptor has to know what you want him to do. And that involves character turn drawings that show your character from the front, back and both sides. These drawings are often referred to in the toy industry as Schematics, or Style Control Drawings.
Here are two Schematics that I drew up for our characters: Hornhead and Bashbrain. Both of these guys are based on original Madball characters from the 1980's, with an added facelift for a new millenium.

MADBALLS T-shirts at Coastal Concepts!!

2007-09-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

YIKES!
You can now get Officially Licensed Madball T-Shirts at (Coastal Concepts). Thats right, kids. Wear them to school and get sent home for the day! Wear them to work to scare off your boss! (Just don't wear them to bed or you'll be sleepin' on the couch!)
AAAARRRRGH!

Madball Central is Online!!

2007-09-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Madball Central, a blog created for fans of the Madball product line, by the artists that actually design the product!
In the coming weeks we will be posting concept art, schematic drawings and product photos for your gruesome enjoyment.
We will also be posting original art based on your favorite Madballs done by many of the artists that work on the
actual Madballs product line!
Here is an acrylic painting done by designer/illustrator James Groman to start the show. If this one dosen't make you toss your cookies, fear not, there is more to come!!!