Is that a joystick in your hand, or are you just happy to see these awesome 8-bit monster-lookin' plush toys?

Artists Amy & Jude Buffum made each of the eight creatures in their Bitz Pixelated Palz Seriez [ok, I put that last "z" on there] in a limited edition of 25. They're each $25.

Besides being cool and affordable, these convenient figures provide an unusual opportunity to examine the business model of the indie plush toy artist:

Assume all the Palz sell out: that's a gross of $5,000, say $2,500 wholesale.

Say materials for each of the 400 Palz cost $2, and took 30 minutes total to make.

Before even getting to all the other time, expense, designing, etc., we're already looking at a $10/hr gig, at best.

Which means the reason things like this exist at all is because of someone's curiosity, passion, and irrational, creative vision.

So yeah, like they said, "Collect all 8 Bitz!"

Bitz Pixelated Pals, $25 at Art Star [artstarphilly.com]