RED SHADOWS® Marauder-compatible action figures and more!
For lovers of 80s toys, robots, spaceships, and skulls!
PLEASE NOTE: Ship dates are Estimated and subject to change.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
OCTOBER OPERATIONS
about 1 year ago
– Sat, Oct 07, 2023 at 10:09:39 PM
Hello Roboskullers!
We're absolutely PUMPED to update you on the latest developments from our Red Shadows Lair and share some amazing test shots we've received for the patent-pending Roboskull MKII. We'll cover two really cool and fun first shots in this update:
We received the (swappable) 6" seat and it looks killer! The ball-socketed control sticks are working great on this first round, and they provide a satisfying amount of movement while you place your figure into the seat and pose him. Some other adjustments will need to be made, as always, but overall this first shot looks fantastic.
6" RED WEASEL PROTOTYPE & ROBOSKULL MKII FIRST SHOTS
We also received some first shot wing samples! The wings are one of the things we've been most excited to see because our prototype model was not quite able to achieve the true aesthetic we've been planning to execute for the wings. You'll notice in the images below that the wings have a really beautiful translucency to them, which shifts as the thickness of the part itself varies. We'll be dialing in the exact amount of tint we want to use to achieve this, but even this first shot really demonstrates what the effect will be like for the final product.
WING FIRST SHOTS | ROBOSKULL MKII
Our 6" figures are also charging ahead! Here's a 6" print of our Gary head and the helm for GYRE WOLF that is being used to create the tooling for the figures. With this larger 1:12 format, we've been able to add some really nice details to these 6" sculpts that will shine through on the final figures:
GYRE WOLF HELM & GARY HEAD
Though we've kept much of his development behind closed doors, progress continues to be made on our 4" and 6" Skeletron, and he is looking more tremendous by the day. Our Red Shadows Commander will be awesome, and Alex Horley has completed the packaging art to match- we're excited to show him to you soon!
We're also extremely excited to announce that 4" WOLF TROOPER & 4" GYRE WOLF are beginning production this month! Our factory plans to ship these by early November in order for us to deliver these figures, along with our Grindstone Retro Wolf Trooper figure, in December. While further delays are still a possibility, we've worked through every detail and made every minor, but important tooling adjustment with the factory to ensure these figures are fully ready and are the best they can be. We'd like to thank Dave Proctor in Hong Kong for his meticulous attention to detail and passion for quality toymaking. Thank you, Dave! Getting it just right has taken time, and we are so happy these next figures will soon be on their way to you! Here's a quick pic of our new 4" Marauder Wolf Trooper factory sample, just hanging around on the desk with some of our current favorite toys:
4" Marauder Wolf Trooper in the SKELETRON Office
This updated schedule is below, which reflects December as our next estimated delivery:
4" Marauder WOLF TROOPER figure – EstimatedDelivery DECEMBER
4" Marauder GYRE WOLF figure – EstimatedDelivery DECEMBER
PHASE C | LATE WINTER/EARLYSPRING
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 appreciate your continued patience, and we hope you're enjoying this journey with us. And in case you haven't yet joined our SKELETRON SECRET LAB OF SECRETS on Facebook, here's a shot of our 6" prototypes (note, not final) that Mark O'Byrne shared a few weeks back:
Interested in SKELETRON secrets? We will again be in Des Moines, Iowa for ASSEMBLY REQUIRED on November 3rd & 4th.WE LOVE THIS SHOW! If you've never been and you like GI Joe a little bit, and there's a slight possibility you could attend- you really need to check it out! We'll have the latest updates from the factory at our booth and, like at JoeFest, we'll have a free, small gift for our RED SHADOWS faithful (Just whisper "Red Shadows" to someone on the team.) SKELETRON's Ben Conway & Mark O'Byrne will be there, joined by Mark's youngest daughter (Assembly Required is VERY kid-friendly), our great friend and supporter Sean Harker, and the talented Cory Cantelupe! Of course we'll also be joined by other talented creators, fun & friendly toy sellers, and so, so, so many cool collectors- you really should meet them!
Lastly, there's a super rad, very special Kickstarter campaign happening right now that we think you'll want to know about. What could possibly be more metal, more badass, than a Flying Armored Red Skull with Laser Beams?! It just might be Armored Dinosaur Riders with Laser Beams!!!! And THE ARMOR TRANSFORMS INTO ROBOTS. No, seriously, we're not even making that part up! CYBERZOIC is an amazing new world created by Creative Beast Studio founder David Silva, and we think this new action figure line might be the ONLY thing that could stand to survive against our ROBOSKULL MKII & RED SHADOWS Army! Oh, and did we mention they fight dragons!?!? THE DINOSAUR RIDERS WITH TRANSFORMING ARMOR AND LASER BEAMS FIGHT AGAINST ALIEN DRAGONS! Check it out- Live on Kickstarter Now!
That's all for now, and as always THANK YOU! Thank you for backing this project, and thank you for being an amazing part of our action figure community! We hope to see you in Iowa!
-SKELETRON
September Status
about 1 year ago
– Sun, Sep 17, 2023 at 10:48:08 AM
Hello Roboskullers! Here's the latest on our journey through space and time to create the most amazing Red Shadows™ action figures and vehicles possible!
PRODUCTION
We have received word from our factory that production has commenced on our Retro O-Ring Skeletron/Wolf Trooper! Maximum effort has been put forth to make these new O-ring figures fresh and awesome and emulate the vintage look and feel of our favorite retro figures of the past. We can't wait to put these figures into your hands!
Our 4" Marauder Wolf Troopers have also progressed, and the latest factory test shots look excellent. We have some further small adjustments to make before GYRE WOLF and these modern Marauder WOLF TROOPERS follow our Retro figure into production. We expect the completion dates for these figures to be coming up soon, and you'll be the first to know once we have confirmed dates!
TOOLING
6" figures are advancing, and we should be seeing tooling for these relatively soon. PLEASE JOIN US IN SKELETRON SECRET LAB for an upcoming Secret Lab of Secrets 6" photo reveal! Tooling progress continues on the Roboskull MKII, and we have our very first MKII first shot sample in hand:
Due to the complexity of the interaction between components of the MKII, we'll need to see most of the tooling and first shots completed before the fine-tuning of the molds will commence.
ASSEMBLY REQUIRED
SKELETRON is thrilled to again be in attendance for ASSEMBLY REQUIRED in Des Moines, Iowa on November 3rd & 4th! This is a "Can't Miss" show for Ben Conway & Mark O'Byrne, who will be joined this year by Cory Cantelupe!
Assembly Required 2023 will be a ripping good time as we raise a grape soda to carouse, converse and celebrate everyone’s favorite mayhem-making mercenaries and maniacs from the marsh — The Dreadnoks!
This 12th annual G.I. Joe fan convention will give collectors, creators, and new recruits even more Joe content over the course of two days — including customs classes, panel discussions, vendors, contests, prize giveaways and more.
Don’t let anything throw a monkeywrench into your plans. Mark the dates, tear the tarp off your swamp skier and prepare to set course for Des Moines, IA.
As always, thank you for your continued support! 🏴☠️
-SKELETRON
Steel Skulls & Pressed Vinyl
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 09:14:30 PM
Hello Roboskullers!
We're back from an incredible weekend at Power-Con in Columbus, Ohio, and it was absolutely awesome! The show exceeded all expectations, and we thank everyone who took the time to chat with us as we wandered the spectacular halls of Power-Con for three days. For those who were able to attend, you witnessed the magic firsthand. If you couldn't attend this year, mark your calendars for next year, as we're already looking forward to returning to this phenomenal event!
The work at our factory continues, and we have a striking photo to share: the fearsome visage of the Roboskull MKII has been imprinted onto a massive block of steel. We think you'll agree – it's as metal as it gets!
STEEL MOLD | PVC Roboskull MKII
The test shot revisions for the Retro Skeletron/Wolf Trooper have now successfully concluded. Our factory team is now putting the finishing touches on the paint applications and skull & crossbones logo before we initiate full production. Here's another glimpse of the in-process O-ring figure, nearly to its final form:
Retro O-Ring Skeletron/Wolf Trooper (not final)
Another announcement – the BackerKit 7" Vinyl album is ready to rock and roll! We're bursting with excitement over this killer addition to the Roboskull MKII adventure that features an electrifying rendition of "Wolf Like Me" by Cosmic Orphan and an original track titled "I Get to Drive It", where Blood Wolf opines and rhymes on the menacing Roboskull. Written and performed by Wordburglar, and produced by Christopher McLeod, aka Diagnostik80, this is a can't miss for Roboskull fans!
The vinyl record also features a beautiful, two-sided "double cover" design. One side showcases artwork by the legendary Ken Kelly, and the other boasts an illustration by Brian Sauer, who is also the mastermind of the album layout. Inside, you'll find the lyrics to "I Get to Drive It," as well as a 2-panel "mini-poster" showcasing patent drawings of the ROBOSKULL MKII.
This BackerKit Roboskull Vinyl Record was not part of the original Kickstarter campaign and is available for pre-order through our Pre-Order Store. Shipments are planned to commence processing on Monday, August 21st. If you've pre-ordered the record and your address has changed, please ensure you update it by Saturday, August 19th. If you lost your BackerKit Survey, you can have it resent to you via email by visiting this web page: https://roboskull.backerkit.com/ If you need assistance with this address update, please reach out to us via Kickstarter messages or email us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to update your address in our system for you. All pre-orders made by Saturday also include a complimentary digital download for both tracks!
This August shipment of our vinyl record is the only change to our most recent projected schedule:
PHASE A | COMPLETE (early shipment)
ASSASSIN SKELEDRONE 3-pack
PHASE B | FALL
ROBOSKULL Vinyl Record (update: Vinyl to ship in AUGUST)
Retro O-Ring SKELETRON/WOLF TROOPER figure
4" Marauder WOLF TROOPER figure
4" Marauder GYRE WOLF figure
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
Thank you you for your unwavering support on this journey!
-SKELETRON
Fresh Plastic, Fresh Paint
over 1 year 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
over 1 year 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.
