Plastic toys were once considered cheap, disposable and replaceable -- bright and cheerful mass-manufactured dolls, model cars and trinkets that needed little care and attention. No one could have imagined that somewhere along the line they would become something of value, or that anyone would happily bid hundreds of dollars on eBay for a slightly deformed, 15-cm-high action figure with a skull head and Lego-like legs.
Woodrow Phoenix, a comic-book artist and illustrator, shows an adult sensitivity to childhood entertainment that reminds readers that such toys are not simply playthings. He wastes no time in telling us that "The power of toys is not about regression or infantilism. It is the recognition of possibility." And that possibility, "our secret, wishing selves," is something that has driven designers and artists to create not only toys but films, cartoons, books and so much entertainment that is equally enjoyed by adults and children.
In "Plastic Culture" Phoenix traces the history of our relationship with one type of toy -- plastic models -- their progression from cheap playthings of post-World War II to the unique pieces of art of Takashi Murakami. He follows their cultural journey across the Pacific and details the influence of Japanese manufacturing and design on today's popular "urban vinyl": sought-after limited edition collector's models from designers such as Bathing Ape and Silas.