Homies
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Homies are a series of 2-inch figurines loosely based upon Chicano (Mexican American) characters in the life of artist David Gonzales. First created in 1998, these plastic figurines were initially sold via vending machines typically positioned in supermarkets, but quickly became collectibles among young children and teenagers.
The figures caused controversy after their initial release, as members of the Los Angeles police department (LAPD), argued that the figures glorified gang life. Many stores stopped selling the toys after the LAPD complained.
Gonzales then created a story for each of the Homies' characters, each of which had a positive view of the characters. Some of them became former jailmates who went on to educate children about how to avoid jail.
Mainstream stores, such as Walmart, quickly returned the Homies to their stacks, and the toy branched out to include a line of die cast cars, among other things. By 2005, the Homies character line had women, as well as Filipino, Japanese and Puerto Rican characters. The Puerto Ricans set, which includes twelve of the Homies, are nicknamed Los Boricuas. According to Gonzales, he has received orders from countries in Europe, South America and Africa requesting characters representing people from those continents.
Homies have become a highly collectible item among fans of the line. Many imitation toys have hit the market following the success of Homies.
In 2004, the creators of Homies, created 'Mijos' intended for a younger audience. They are solely Hispanic and are portrayed as kids, babies, and teens.
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