Jailbreak Toys, makers of the Barack Obama Action Figure, will present ART + ACTION = Obama 08 at Toy Tokyo’s gallery: The Showroom NYC on October 17th. Contemporary artists, toy designers and graf writers like Mars-1, Peat Wollaeger, kaNO, Brin Berliner, Brent Nolasco and Voltaire are just a handful of the customizers who will go to town on unpainted DIY Obama figures. Billboard bandit and pop surrealist Ron English will also be signing Abraham Obama posters at the show. ToyCyte is the media sponsor of ART + ACTION = Obama 08 and will be posting exclusive news and previews of the customs counting down to the event.

William Morrison and Justin Bennett give us a glimpse into the future’s impression of the past by combing through the Library of Congress’ American Memory Archives. The post-apocalyptic artists bringing us this message have no context within which to decipher the meaning of the information, and so they put forth an engagingly dark mess of audio, video and live instrumentation. The result is the most compelling audio sci-fi drama since Deltron 3030.

AMP will begin touring North America next month. Check out dates at americanmemory.net

My closet is already overflowing, and the new designs at Go Ape aren’t making it any less cluttered. JS.com’s old friend Josh Perkins, owner of Go Ape Shirts, has just released a couple of new ones since our last meeting. Just to remind you: the Arizona-based shop releases funny and artsy tees that attract some serious attention. Every design features vibrant colors and is screen-printed on American Apparel shirts. Check them out.

It may surprise you but there is more to Playboy than just the articles — there are also cartoons. Over the past 50 years the slightly risqué, yet always humorous, toons have become one of its most well-known features. Now you have the opportunity to snag one of theses original works of art for your personal collection at Playboy: The Art of Beauty. These 17 pieces, picked by Playboy’s art curator Aaron Baker, represent some of the most extraordinary artists that have been showcased over the past half-century. The auction is being held on October 15 at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas.

Two of my favorite groups have gotten together for a seriously awesome collaboration that takes words off the page and puts them into pockets. For the When Wallets Eat Words workshop, McSweeney’s 826LA arm got its young, aspiring writers to imagine short tales for the inside of Poketo’s wallets in their own scrawl. Those stories provided the inspiration for seven lucky big-name artists you already know and adore (like Tim Biskup, Christine Castro and John Pham). Poketo’s website features interviews with each artist about their collaboration, and the even sweeter photos of the proud authors posing with their wallet. I can’t see a better way to spend my $20. All proceeds go to fund 826LA’s writing programs.

What’s the first order of business the next president will take care of come January? Hammering out a lasting solution to the world economic crisis? Crafting a reasonable timetable to withdraw troops from Iraq? Liaising with an increasingly dangerous Pakistan? Are you serious? It’s his presidential portrait.

Later today the trash-as-treasure guys from NYC Garbage will post their version of “President Barack Obama,” a 12″ x 16″ limited edition print that will support the Obama campaign by donating the $100 price tag to the Senator from Illinois. ($50 for their registered Republican friends)