ROBOSKULL™ MKII collector vehicle, RED SHADOWS™ Marauder action figures, and more!
For lovers of 80s toys, robots, spaceships, and skulls!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Fresh Plastic, Fresh Paint
9 months ago
– Wed, Jul 26, 2023 at 06:20:33 AM
Hello Roboskullers,
It's time for another fresh ROBOSKULL MKII Kickstarter update!
Fresh Plastic
With the 4" trooper ABS tooling completed, we now have our first complete look at our first shot 4" Marauder Wolf Trooper! We couldn't be happier with this first shot! There are just a few adjustments to be made, and this is going to be one gorgeous figure. Check out these killer poses by our toy-making sensei, Dave Proctor:
We've also received another round of updated test shots for the Retro O-ring Skeletron/Wolf Trooper figure- check out our SKELETRON SECRET LAB Group on Facebook for a SURPRISE feature on the Retro figure that we posted on the 24th. Not on Facebook? Alright, we'll also post it to our SKELETRON Instagram Story soon. Not on either? OK, we get it- but you're missing out on some fun!
Fresh Paint
If you're following us on social media, you're already aware of our amazing new packaging artist. We couldn't be more thrilled for this exciting collaboration with world-renowned artist Alex Horley, who is creating captivating packaging art for this ROBOSKULL™ MKII Kickstarter campaign!
This endeavor holds a special significance as Alex Horley continues the artistic legacy left by the late Ken Kelly, who sadly passed away last year. Inspired by Ken Kelly's iconic Micronauts packaging, Alex Horley embarked on a journey that eventually led him to meet and forge a close friendship with his childhood idol two decades later. We invite you to read the full, remarkable story in the latest issue of ToyCollectr magazine. This deep-diving action figure magazine is available in print for purchase online and can also be found in select Barnes & Noble bookstores.
Get ready for more stunning, immersive artwork in the months ahead, beautifully brought to life by the artistic prowess of Alex Horley!
Further Fresh
Steady progress continues on all products, with Roboskull™ MKII tooling moving ahead, additional progress on the 6" figures, and the robotic Skeletron himself!
While SKELETRON™ will NOT have a booth at Power-Con in Columbus, Ohio next month, many other awesome indie toy companies will be there, and we continue to hear great things about "America's Mightiest Toy Convention!" If you are in attendance and happen to see SKELETRON's Ben Conway and/or Mark O'Byrne wandering the halls (or the bars), please stop us, say "Hello" and whisper "Red Shadows" to receive a small, fun Red Shadows™ promo item as a free gift!
The People, the Paintmasters, the Progress
10 months ago
– Fri, Jun 23, 2023 at 06:57:44 PM
THE PEOPLE
It was truly wonderful to see our friends at Joefest two weeks ago! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat with us and to see our progress. We also spoke with so many collectors who were new to the project that we made the impromptu decision to re-open our Pre-order Store (which is still open now). And just in case you missed it, Cory Cantelupe (who waspreviously working on Hasbro's GI Joe Classified) was in attendance with Mark O'Byrne. We are beyond thrilled to have Cory working with us on this project, and his expertise and enthusiasm have already been invaluable as we work towards fulfilling this project (more on that below). Cory would also like to extend his thanks and appreciation for the overwhelmingly warm welcome he received from everyone at JoeFest this year!
As part of our JoeFest display, we showcased some fresh updates, which included ROBOSKULL MKII box packaging (thanks to Brian Sauer), two new 4" paintmasters (thanks to Alex Wu), and our 6" Wolf Trooper paintmaster (thanks to Fredrick Faith):
Marauder 4" JUNGLE WOLF TROOPER Paintmaster (painted by Alex Wu)
Marauder 4" GYRE WOLF Paintmaster (painted by Alex Wu)
Marauder 6" WOLF TROOPER Paintmaster (painted by Fredrick Faith)
THE PROGRESS
We continue to see progress on this project from the factory. The second round of test shots has been received on our Retro O-ring figure, and we are proceeding with a third, revised test shot to get everything just right.
We've also now received PVC first shots for the 4" Wolf Trooper & Company. The ABS molds are still in process, so Dave Proctor went ahead and "kitbashed" our PVC first shots together with existing Marauder Task Force figures. Check it out!
Marauder 4" WOLF TROOPER
Marauder 4" BLOOD WOLF (with Brechin head!)
Marauder 4" GYRE WOLF (aka Gary Goggles Head)
Marauder 4" RED WEASEL
It's great to see the progress on the PVC parts, though we obviously need the ABS tooling to complete the figures and proceed further with the 4" figure production. Tooling has also started with the ROBOSKULL MKII, but the pace of progress over the last month has not matched what we planned for. Given our current state of completion, we feel we must revise our anticipated delivery dates, which are now as follows:
PHASE A | COMPLETE (early shipment)
ASSASSIN SKELEDRONE 3-pack
PHASE B | FALL
Retro O-Ring SKELETRON/WOLF TROOPER figure
4" Marauder WOLF TROOPER figure
4" Marauder GYRE WOLF figure
ROBOSKULL Vinyl Record
PHASE C | WINTER
ROBOSKULL MKII vehicle with 4" Marauder BLOOD WOLF pilot
ROBOSKULL MKII SE vehicle with 4" Marauder RED WEASEL pilot
ROBOSKULL MKII Elite FLIGHT STAND Accessory
ROBOKNIGHT HEAVY METAL ARMOR Accessory
4" Marauder JUNGLE WOLF TROOPER figure
PHASE D | SPRING
4" Marauder SKELETRON figure
6" Marauder SKELETRON figure
6" Marauder WOLF TROOPER figure
6" Marauder GYRE WOLF figure
6" Marauder JUNGLE WOLF TROOPER figure
6" Marauder PILOT CHARACTER KIT
TOTAL ROBOSKULL Deluxe Hardcover Book
We are very sorry to report that our schedule has slipped further, and given the delay in fulfillment that is being experienced, we plan to ship the project in multiple phases to accommodate backers as best we can. This schedule may yet change again, and we will communicate the best, most accurate information we have to you. We take the timing of delivery seriously, and we've added resources (like the expertise of Cory Cantelupe, for example) to make every effort to deliver quality products as quickly as possible. We fully recognize that delays are disappointing, and we appreciate your patience and positivity on this project so, so much. In addition to absorbing the added shipping costs to phase fulfillment, we will also be offering some product upgrades as a "thank you" for your continued patience and support. We'll be sharing those upgrades with you in the months ahead, which will add value and not negatively impact delivery dates. We also feel great about offering something a little extra to further demonstrate our deep appreciation for all of you.
Thank you!
-SKELETRON
RED SHADOWS UPGRADE & UPDATE
11 months ago
– Sun, May 21, 2023 at 07:37:38 AM
RED SHADOWS UPGRADE & UPDATE
Hello, Roboskullers!
Toiling in our underground lair, with most of our 4" Marauder action figures now in tooling, it is time for us to reveal one of our secrets: Our 4" Wolf Trooper, Blood Wolf, Red Weasel, Jungle Wolf Trooper, and Gyre Wolf figures will all feature enhanced articulation! We've added thigh cuts, boot cuts, and rocker ankles to improve the poseability of these 4" figures:
This articulation has also been added with consideration to the aesthetic impact, and the figures remain as visually stunning as we've always intended. We are working to deliver the best toys possible, and are excited for you to enjoy this enhancement when you create epic Red Shadows battles!
The response to our carded Assassin Skeledrones has been phenomenal, and just in case you missed them, they are back in-stock at our newly-updated website: www.SKELETRON.com
We appreciate all the kind words we continue to receive regarding the quality of the Assassin Skeledrones product and packaging. With Ken Kelly's passing last year, we've also been asked who will continue on and complete the packaging art for the remaining figures. We couldn't be happier with the artist who is building upon what Ken started with us, and this story (along with the Wolf Trooper packaging art) will be revealed in the next issue of TOYCOLLECTR magazine!
We've enjoyed the depth and quality of content that TOYCOLLECTR has been putting into their print magazine for its first five issues, and we're honored that SKELETRON will have this new story featured in the next issue- we hope you'll check it out!
We'll be seeing TOYCOLLECTR, along with so many of our friends in less than three weeks at JoeFest in Augusta, Georgia! We'll be in the same spot as last year, lined up next to some of our favorite people from Marauder "Gun-Runners", Grindstone Toys, and Raginspoon!
We are also making progress on the Roboskull MKII, Retro O-ring figure, and 6" figures, so stay tuned for more updates! Hope to see you at the show!
-SKELETRON
P.S. Please take a look at "My Palitoy Story", an illustrated history of a famous British toy company, by fellow collaborator and legend, Bob Brechin! LIVE ON KICKSTARTER!
Progress is also being made on all other fronts, and tooling has commenced for our Marauder 4" Wolf Trooper/Blood Wolf/Red Weasel/Gyre Wolf figures!
The Roboskull™ MKII, Roboknight Heavy Metal Armor, and Elite Flight Stand currently reside with our experienced action figure vehicle partner in Hong Kong. We expect there will be just one additional review in the next few weeks before tooling commences for the Roboskull and accessories. Here's a peek at a couple of sculpting detail upgrades being incorporated into the production of the Roboskull MKII:
Our highly-detailed 6" Red Shadows™ figures continue to progress, and the technical articulation/engineering is being worked on for our completed 6" figure sculpts.
4" & 6" Skeletron™ figures are currently further behind the rest of the figures, though they may yet catch up with the Wolf Pack. The first draft of the TOTAL ROBOSKULL hardcover is complete, and will no doubt be ready for print as soon as we complete the final product photo shoot. Finally, for those of you who pre-ordered the Roboskull Vinyl album, it is in production and we expect it will be ready to ship with the next wave of toys. The final double-sided album cover is below- Happy Record Store Day!
So, where does all this put us on our delivery schedule? Even with continued progress on all products, we feel that the overall pace of progress is putting our late summer target at risk. We are continuing to push for late summer, and believe it is likely that we will split shipping into a wave of toys as we await the completion of the balance of products. We sincerely apologize for the additional time that is needed for us to complete this Kickstarter, and we GREATLY appreciate your patience and continued support! We will continue to keep you updated, and we are committed to delivering everything as quickly as possible, without compromising the quality we all expect.
THANK YOU!
-SKELETRON
Marching Ahead
about 1 year ago
– Sun, Mar 19, 2023 at 07:37:27 PM
Hello Roboskullers!
Progress continues from the Red Shadows Secret Lair! We have resources working on 3-3/4" Retro figure, 4" figures, the Roboskull MKII, the accessories, and the 6" figures- Everything! And though we still have a long way to go, we feel very good about the work that's been completed over the last month. Here are a couple of update pics straight from the factory- CHECK OUT THAT LASER SWORD IN STEEL!
Retro steel tooling & first shot sprues
SKELETRON will again be in attendance at JoeFest this year, June 9th-11th! Mark O'Byrne will be leading the charge to Augusta and SKELETRON will be in the same location as last year, flanked by our good friends and partners, MARAUDER "GUN-RUNNERS" and GRINDSTONE TOYS.
