As it always does, New York Comic Con 2012 provided an overwhelming amount of stimulus for the 100,000 or so fans who made it inside the Javits Center this weekend. Amid the hustle and bustle of all those Cosplayers, gamers, and comic collectors ARTINFO gravitated to the area known as “The Block,” which housed the booths dedicated to designer toys. These collectibles are produced in limited editions, and often hand made in vinyl, wood, resin, latex, or plush fabrics by artists and designers — comprising a large and profitible portion of the collectibles industry, and a growing artform all of its own. Our intrepid team combed the tables for the most interesting ones — here, below, is our list of the 20 coolest toys we discovered. (To see this list in illustrated slideshow format, click here.)

1) Booth: Toy Tokyo
Artist: Heroes in Action
“Presidential Monsters: Wolf Bill” and “Presidential Monsters: Zom-Bush”

These tongue-in-cheek ex-president action figures play on key attributes of their likenesses, including impeccable detail — right down to a mad Bill Clinton’s howling saxophone.

2) Booth: Rawrs
Artist: Dai Tran
“Pandit” and “Bitsumo”

Dai Tran’s big-bellied custom action figures “Pandit” and “Bitsumo” — one a sumo wrestler and the other a panda — have a mythic rivalry that plays out on the graphic t-shirts he’s created for complimentary apparel line, as well as in his line of figurines.

3) Booth: Lulubell/Velocitron
Artist: Siccaluna
“Zagoran”

These Kaiju toys (that's Japanese for "monster") made by artist Siccaluna feature hand-painted glossy colors that are both seductive and repulsive at the same time, emphasizing each figure’s out-of-this-world appendages. Thankfully they’re just toys — but we’re sure to see more kaiju invading these shores in days to come as the Japanese monsters are fast becoming all the rage in collectibles.

4) Booth: Clutter Magazine
Artist: Ron English
“Fat Tony: Original Edition” and “Fat Tony: Pink Edition”

Prolific street artist Ron English was featured all over Comic Con’s block, making political and social commentary with his signature hybrid pop-mutant toys and sculptures. One of the newest in his line of creatures is “Fat Tony,” who could stand to take a break from munching on his Frosted Flakes.

5) Booth: Tenacious Toys
Artist: VISEOne
“Classic Dunny Mustard”

German artist VISEOne’s “Classic Dunny Mustard” is a small free-standing sculpture in the form of a mustard bottle squirting out a little mustard monster (he's made a similarly themed line of monsters emerging from paint tubes). For mustard fans.

6) Booth: Toy Tokyo
Artist: Pete Fowler/Molvox
“Tribes of Monsterism Island Vol. One”

The natural earth tones used by artist Pete Fowler for his "Molvox" series of devilish tribesman are perfect; details like the felt applique on a textured helmet and the toothy face painted on another figurine’s jacket make his little guys unique finds when bought together as a whole set.

7) Booth: Sidekick Labs
Artist: The Sucklord
“Gay Empire”

The Sucklord made a return appearance (we spotted him last year, wearing the exact same suit, in fact) hawking his “bootleg” wears at New York Comic Con 2012. This year he brought a magenta-and-silver Storm Trooper action figure that was out, proud, and ready for war, as well as a line of action art cards produced with Sidekick Labs. 

8) Booth: Mr. Munk Customs
Artist: Mr. Munk
“Buddha B Pissed”

According to its creator, this trio of Buddhas action figures — complete with big block heads and crazy eyes — was sent out into the world to rid it of its evils, absorbing bad energy and repurposing it.

9) Booth: Dudebox
Artist: Ron English
“King Monster”

More English! This time, Ron teamed up with British toy company Dudebox to create a custom dinosaur-themed doll with talons painted on his ears, as well as raging T-Rex sporting a Ronald McDonald Mohawk on its stomach. The hand-painted original was also on sale at the Con.

10) Booth: Dudebox
Artist: Pete Fowler and Fiends
“Dai Ocean”

So-called “Monsterist” Peter Fowler had another standout with “Dai Ocean,” a pretty chill alien-looking dude who likes to hang seaside, judging by the anchor on his chest and palm trees in his shades.

11) Booth: Dudebox
Artist: Loren Kang (Parsons The New School for Design)
“Bob”

Dudebox teamed up with Parsons The New School for Design and hosted a competition where students painted blank toys with their original designs. The winner, Loren Kang's black, red, and white figure, was mass produced by the company.

12) Booth: Ziobrowski’s
Artist: Ian Ziobrowski
“Nugg Life Series”

It's appropriation art meet "High Times": Ian Ziobrowski took other companies' large animal-themed vinyl toys, hollowed them out, and turned them into a series of LED-lit grow houses.

13) Booth: Madknits
Artist: Kaitlin Juarez and Maxwell Yax
“Madknits”

A certain ARTINFO editor (who will remain unnamed) couldn’t resist buying one of these heartbreakingly cuddly monsters herself. Each one is handmade, and comes with a backstory about their assimilation to planet Earth, based on the Madknits comic series.

14) Booth: My Plastic Heart
Artist: Smoko
“Toast USB”

We wish we had the whole set of genius 4 GB toast-shaped USBs for our office. “Butta,” “Ry Ry,” “Crisp,” and “Tato” fit into a toaster hub, which also includes an SD card reader and works with any flash drive.

15) Booth: A.G.E. Studios/Alpha Godz Entertainment
Artist: Xian/Titanium
“Zemis” Collectibles

These carved Batman and Captain America totems are one of a kind, and the lucky owners will likely be able to ward off the bad juju of villains — if they are lucky enough to snag them. They were both already sold when we arrived.

16) Booth: Three A
Artist: Ashley Wood
“PopBot” Series

Renowned artist Ashley Wood (known for “Tank Girl: The Gifting”) created a ghostly action figures with Three A for his “PopBot” series, including customizable wardrobes, accessory packs, and detailed faces bearing his signature style.

17) Booth: Three A
Artist: Ashley Wood
“World War Robot Series”

The rugged “World War Robot Series” for Three A are outfitted for battle with heavy artillery.

18) Booth: Phil Barbato
Artist: Phil Barbato
“Toda: Giant Flying Squid”

Made of felt, this lovable giant squid stood sentinel over Phil Barbato’s booth of art plush toys and sea-creature custom scarves. He has been with the artist for several years but hasn’t found a forever-home yet.

19) Booth: My Plastic Heart
Artist: Brian Flynn
“Little Prick: Glowing Sundown”

He’s scary, he’s a ghost-cactus, he wears only underwear, and he glows in the dark! This vinyl creation by Brian Flynn is not to be messed with.

20) Booth: Lomography
Artist: Lomography
“La Sardina & Flash DIY Edition”

Though not quite designer toys, Lomography’s customizable 35mm cameras — you can paint them, stick stuff on them, or otherwise make them your own — topped our list as the most useful DIY buy at New York Comic Con 2012.