When I first got word of The Fartist Club, my initial vision was of a swank den of flatulence presided over by Brian Posehn. After all, his 2013 comedy album, The Fartist has been in the archives here at Rock Father™ HQ since its release. But that wasn’t the case, as The Fartist Club is a new line of collectible toys that’s putting some gaseous wind in the sails of the the “gross” toy craze that’s been been making a splash (or a plop) across the world this year. Basic Fun has Poopeez; Spin Master has Flush Force; Moose Toys is still rockin’ with The Grossery Gang; and of course, the original Kings and Queens of of the genre – The Garbage Pail Kids – are always on the verge of a mainstream comeback. So where does The Fartist Club fit in?
Upon opening a suspiciously-nice box that arrived from Hong Kong (complete with a neatly-tied bow) direct from the crew at Eolo Toys, I was greeted by the first four members of The Fartist Club: Windy Wendy, Farty Flip, Munchy Max, and my personal favorite, Ripping Randy. Missing was a previously-announced fifth member of the gang, Dirty Dan who seems to have gone AWOL. While the packaging might state that The Fartist Club is suitable for aged 5+, I see two distinct audiences for this “gassy group of farting friends” from San Fartsisco – kids in the 9-12 range and the growing legion of “kidult” collectors (particularly the latter).
The immediate reaction is that these roughly 5″ figures have some great sculpts and really clean paint apps – something collectors really value for their display pieces. Each figure features electronic farting action, with one of 10 distinct fart sounds activated by pulling their finger, paw or hand. Again, it’s Randy that taps into my “rock” sensibilities with some rippin’ riffs added to his toots for additional flourish. For the pranksters in the house (or office), there’s a button that activates a 10-second fart delay. Place the bomb, hit the button and simply wait for the “explosion.” So let’s meet the Club…
Ripping Randy is the greatest guitar player ever. At least that is what he thinks. Somehow he created his unique fuzzy fart guitar sound during a smelly talent show and won the trophy with his incredible fartissimo solo. Since that night, he was on a smelly mission and it paid off!
Farty Flip is a wicked dude with serious skateboard skills who loves to do dirty tricks with his custom made toilet seat-deck. With his ‘360 fart to grind’ trick you better make sure to run and hide, otherwise you might need to change your shirt.
Windy Wendy is the smartest of the greasy bunch by far. Besides a dubious odor interest and a degree in Smelly Science, she is obsessed with the noble art of smell experiments. Her colleagues think otherwise.
Munchy Max is a dirty dog. No doubt! Yet very loyal to his dirty friends. Always an eye for mouldy munchy madness. Funguss, maggots. flees or flies never held him back. No garbage bin is safe for Max. So pull his paw and find out for yourself!
Supported by an animated series of Fartist Club webisodes and a companion Fart DJ app (yes, you can remix the farts) kids will be attracted to this, but again I’m leaning toward the adult collector market here. The suggested $19.99 price point is on the higher-end for kids, as the straight-up non-articulated figurines offer no poseability, which could be a disappointment for little ones hoping for an action figure. As with many lines that launch with electronics (think Fingerlings or Hatchimals), it’s probably not out of the question to think that a successful run for this first wave could lead to spin-offs like micro-collectibles or articulated figures that ditch the electronics, potentially opening up The Fartist Club to members of all ages.
These are available now at Amazon and select retailers nationwide. Original photos by The Rock Father, photographed on the Readysetz Urban Playset.
