Making custom toys in Afghanistan

Look at this robot:

Pretty cool, isn't it? Obviously it's made from Bionicle pieces, a can of shave gel and some bottle caps. Anybody could make this, right? Well, look past the toy, and check out what's in the background. You've got a big brown tent, some sandbags, and a high, thick wall; that's obviously not just a picture taken on somebody's back porch. No, this robot is the work of Rupert Valero, a toy fan on deployment in Khandahar. We're all playing with toys in the comfort of our own homes, but he's carried his hobby to the front lines.

There's a great interview with Valero on Infinite Hollywood, where he talks about his inspirations and what it's like to be a collector in such an unlikely corner of the world. Go read it, then visit his Etsy store, where you can buy a "Valerobot" of your own.