Garfield V

Garfield makes a record 5th appearance on BPA, giving Snoopy a run for his money for most entries (I don't think he'll be able to keep up though). Garfield appears here as a PVC figure looking a bit poochiefied with his backwards hat and flipped collar (a crime Snoopy has already committed). Garfield looks pretty relaxed here, he's either not looking where he's going or he isn't moving at all. He didn't even bother to tie his shoes. There's no date on this guy, but I think he is probably from the '90s.

Skatebot

Skatebot is a battery-operated skateboarding robot from 1987. He is marketed as having "Bump and Go Action," which means that he has a rubber nosebone that bumps and turns him enough to get around most obstacles. He is also marketed for "Wheelie'n Spin Outs." There is a small wheel on the board's tail that prevents Skatebot from tipping over and a weight that can me moved fore and aft under the front truck that controls the duration of spin out action (moving the weight farther back prolongs the wheelie). His head can spin 360º and his arms twist at the shoulder joint but are fixed at the elbow.

The Shrine

The Shrine are a contemporary hard rock band from Venice, California. This 7" EP came out in 2013 on Tym Records out of Australia. The band sound a little like Hot Lunch, and like Hot Lunch they have their own decks for sale. This cover features a skeletal rider on a deck made out of a guitar skating some volcanos on a distant planet. Check out some of their vids for some clips of them skating. One of the members used to be in Rabies, a skate punk band that was featured here last year.

Kermit

Kermit's second appearance here is as an antenna topper with some serious BPA. He's wearing a Hawaiian shirt and some Jams (or maybe just a bathing suit). He was made in 2003 and was part of a set that included Super Gonzo, Statue of Liberty Miss Piggy and Animal on drums. He's a bit heavier than I would thought for an antenna topper, but I've never used one. I don't think I've even had a normal antenna that he would fit on in over a decade. Kermit's previous appearance was a Muppet Baby happy meal toy.

Super Mack

I have had the pleasure of featuring a number of skateboarding hot dogs here on BPA, but this is the first skating hamburger I have come across. This is the Super Mack riding a YL 2010. He is made by Yung Lo Toys which is abbreviated YO LO Toys on his banner for some reason. The banner also drops the "K" at the end of his name, as does his deck. He is obviously a Big Mac ripoff, the bun in the middle is a dead giveaway. Perhaps they added the "K" to the box in an attempt to avoid a lawsuit. This guy was made in Taiwan in 1988. He takes 2 AA batteries which powers a 5th wheel on the bottom of his board. This guy's motor is currently broken (it makes noise but the wheel does not spin) so I can not give a first hand account of his skating abilities. The back of the box is below which illustrates his movements and also describes this "hard action" as "sliding, listing, whirling, jumping, etc." Looking at the 5th wheel mechanism I think he probably moves forwards and backwards, arbitrarily spins, pulls some manuals, and maybe throws in a couple powerslides for good measure.

What Happens Next? II

What Happens Next? returns to BPA with their self-titled debut 7" EP released in 1998 on 625 Thrashcore. WHN? were at the forefront of the late '90s early '00s thrash revival. They weren't the first band in this scene but they were certainly one of the biggest (and one of the best). The cover features a pretty chaotic pit with a number of '80s punk and crossover bands name-dropped as well as a couple skate companies. In the bottom left is a dude riding an early '90s deck and somehow pulling a slob air in the middle of this mayhem. WHN? were previously featured on BPA with their Ahora Mas Que Nunca EP as well as appearing on the Sk-8 or Die compilation EP.

The opening track is below, which includes the line "What happens next? Bandanas, flannels, skateboard decks!"

Friar Pin

I'm not sure where this dude came from. He looks a little familiar, like maybe he is some character in the Sunday comics but I can't quite place him. I guess he is some sort of friar or monk (he looks a little like the Padres mascot). I can't imagine it would be all that easy to skate in a monk's habit but this guy looks like he might just be cruising.

Bill Body

Bill Body is the title character of a Swiss comic that is subtitled "Der Schrecken Des Sports," which translates to "The Horror of Sports." The comic is in German although there are some cartoons on youtube in Portuguese. Both comic and cartoon seem to revolve around Bill's misadventures in various sports. I'm not quite certain if Bill is some species of anthropomorphic animal or of indiscriminate cartoon origin. This figure was originally a keychain and part of a set featuring Bill playing a variety of sports. He was made in Portugal and one online source dates him in 1986.

The Spark / Bail Out!

The Spark / Bail Out! split 7" EP came out in 2005 on Rosewater Records. Both bands are from the Baltimore / DC area. The cover features a pretty chaotic outdoor show complete with a dude pulling a frontside air on Misfits deck.