David Horvath’s Bossy Bear
with Jager

David Horvath's newest toy is very bossy. Bossy Bear knows what he wants and he's not afraid to tell everyone the best way for them to give it to him. Now there is a fine line between being assertive and bossy, and this bear is way over the line. In fact, I don’t think he can even see the line anymore. But that's okay, because he's cute and when it comes to toys designed by David Horvath, cute goes a long way. Based on the title character of a picture book (written and illustrated by Horvath), Bossy Bear is a really nicely made/designed toy that you’ll love in your collection. Even if he does tell your MAD*L’s to bake him a cake.

Best known for his Uglydolls, Horvath has practically become a household name in toy circles. The minimalist design, big round eyes, and simple line for a mouth tell us instantly that Bossy Bear is one of his creations, but it isn't just a rehash of his Uglydoll style. And the toy is an excellent depiction of his drawings of the bear. The toy is high quality, which is to be expected from toy2r. The paint applications aren't intricate, but they are very clean. The blue accents on the ears and mouth don't smudge and the most intricate lines on the eyes' edges are very crisp. There is only one point of articulation – the neck. It's cool that he's in his signature stance, but I wish his arms would raise so he could point to what he's bossing you to get. Also, when his head is turned to the side hes a little top heavy and wants to fall over. But I thought it was very clever how they combated that. He stands on two very thin legs and has a huge head, as you can see. To help with the balance, he is supported in the back by his cape. It was a clever way to help him stand while not taking away from the design of the toy. I love his little crown and that his expression is so open for interpretation. He looks either worried, confused, perturbed, or maybe a little scared depending on how I look at him. Also, there are four versions to be found: eyes up, eyes right, eyes left, or eyes straight (shown) not only can you have the pictured 4.5 inch guy, you can really treat yourself at this year’s SDCC and pick up the 14 incher!

As stated, the toy is based on the title character of a picture book also by Horvath. This is a great story about the bear and how he has trouble finding friends to play with because he bosses them around too much. At the end though something happens that changes his world. It’s a great story for kids and adults alike. Kids will get a nice moral out of it, while adults will enjoy the humor of the story (or maybe some adults need this moral too). And everyone will like the art! Speaking of the art, there are some hidden toys in the book for eagle-eyed readers. I won't point them all out and spoil the fun, but check out his piles of toys to see some old friends. I guess Bossy Bear collects designer toys just like us.

Bossy Bear is a great new character from Horvath. I like the book a lot (I love children's books), but the toy is just great. toy2r is known for making high quality toys and this is no exception. Even though the design is simple, the product is top notch. This guy will make an excellent addition to your collection whether youre into Uglydolls or not.

Bossy Bear has his own web site. He wanted me to tell you to click on this link...NOW!

You can pick up your own Bossy Bear from our friends at freebento.com. Click to buy the book from Amazon.com

You should check out David's blog. It's pretty neat!

And be sure to check out our Designer Toy Coverage with links to all our articles on the subject. Go ahead, it's fun.

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