We take a break from our regularly scheduled CLUB ZETON push to show...MANGLORS.

A taste of things to come?

Glyos drop tonight!

NEW GLYOS RELEASE TONIGHT!
You will want some of these guys - they are in "Maxx Grey" colors!
Great for a team-up shelf between your Maxxes and the Glyos universe.

Imperious Maxx...is not alone.

This just in - Onell Design will be contributing a Glyos item to the Club Zeton package!

With a retail value of $12, this new addition to the package will remain a mystery for now, but joins Imperious Maxx, the lenticular stickers, the test shot, the Mystery Modules, and everything else to make Club Zeton an unbelievable value for your money!
And that's saying something in 2015- Toyfinity and Onell Design care about the fans, and want to give you something fantastic!

What will it be? What effect will it have on the world of the Robo Force - and beyond?
Stay tuned!

(this doesn't have anything to do with the above, but my all-time favorite Onell teaser was on this page)

Club MORDLE packet update!

You should begin to see shipping confirmations for the Club Mordle packet this week!
I have to figure out a way to make shipments that go beyond the 45 day limit on PayPal easier - been taking all of the info from my e-mail into PayPal and it is slooooooow going.

Let me know what you think when you get them!
And enjoy the "sneak peek" of the next Mordle edition - they'll be on sale next month.

Prototypes - what are they and why are they important?

In my brainstorming for Club Zeton - and my desire to make it something actually CLUB-LIKE and not just "give me money so you can maybe sorta buy everything unless it sells out!" like some other clubs - I thought about things that would actually give you a good experience for your bucks. Of course, it had to be something I could ACTUALLY provide to you. It sounds fun to own a chunk of a steel tool, until you realize they are hundreds of pounds and it would be impossible to get a good, recognizable part.
"Chuck, why do you have a shard of metal in your display case?"
But that was a good line of thinking - what can I get people from the production process that would normally cost them big bucks, without going through a secret underground network of dealers and friends? Not that I know anything about all that... #shiftyeyes
After checking in with HQ, one thing became apparant that we could get to you - a "test shot."

In the picture above, you see seven different things. From left to right:

- a "pre-paint" sample of the Geihoza Mordle. This is from the actual production run, just without any paint applied.

- orange Maxx bits. These are scraps from what is called a "first shot." the tooling is created, and then a small sample run (less than five) created to make sure everything works properly. You'll note this orange was from something else being made at the time - a stronger Glyos historian than I could tell you specifically what it was from. Now, first shots are important because they aren't always reflective of the final product. At times, a product makes it all the way through the process of being sculpted and parts make it into the intial tooling, but some issue is found with the parts and they are removed from the final product. Or it may be that the details change a bit - there is actually a small series of differences on the first shot Maxx in the tread area where some of the sculpt detail was changed.
Additionally, in some circumstances, products are canceled at the first shot stage, so these are the only way to ever get these figures. One example that comes to mind is the Napoleon from Kenner's Bill and Ted line which was floating around on eBay for years at a ridiculous, near $1000 price.

- Gi Joe Extreme test shots. As I don't own Kenner, I can't say 100% what stage these figures are from. I know they are very similar to the final production figures, just without paint and in strange colors. One thing to note: the tooling may have had multiple limb sets in one block, as the arms on Stone and Metalhead as shown are the exact same color. This can be done efficiently if the limbs are all needed in the same color; otherwise you'd be throwing away parts.

- green and red test shot Mordles. The green Mordle is a pre-paint sample from the normal run, where the red Mordle is a first-shot. Fun fact - we tightened up some detail on the Mordles from first-shot to the finals, so the red Mordle is a little softer in detail.

- pink Manglor egg. The Manglor eggs are actually created from the original 1980s tooling!
They may have been used as easter eggs for children south of the border, but I have not been able to confirm this for sure yet. So, the pink egg - I asked the factory for a sample run, and they ASSUMED I wanted them for easter eggs. I have a bunch of never-to-be-made eggs in blue, yellow, pink...a full pic is on the Toyfinity Instagram for those interested.

The process is an interesting one. This was one potential Maxx Zero from the drawing phase...

...before we arrived at the Maxx you all know and love.

There are hidden modes in Maxx that we considered building more pieces to accentuate...

...but were perhaps too "out there" for Robo Force.

Concept work is done just to see if things will work in a variety of directions...

....that never come to fruition in those forms.


With all of this in mind, what Toyfinity will provide as part of the Club Zeton membership fee is a "first shot" to every club member for the figure we intend to create this year. Potentially the figure will never be released beyond the first shot - if I get hit by a cement mixer, for example. There's a chance that parts seen in the test shot won't make it to the final figure without changes, if not outright deleted.
 As it is still in development (and based on the information I've shared above), there isn't something concrete to show you right now...but I can tell you that it is from the Zeton franchise that includes Robo Force, Zeroids, and S.T.A.R. Team and is not a "head pack" for the existing Robo Force figure.

Thank you for your indulgence. I'm really hoping the Club goes forward so I can provide you with the experience of the first shot. I've been lucky - my figures so far have come out very close to what was sent to China. But you never know what you might get back...imagine you went through the whole process and THIS is what you received back:

More on the Mystery Modules this week.

IMPERIOUS MAXX Mock up! And a club member number update!

Enjoy this mock-up of IMPERIOUS MAXX kindly provided by the Toyfinity graphics department i.e. my buddy Joe.
Not shown in the tampo which will be on the chest of IMPERIOUS MAXX.
Keep in mind, this is only a photographic mock-up of the figure. Color of actual figure may vary a bit.

To update everyone, we are at sixty-one members! 39 more to go and we are a club!
Thanks to everyone who has signed up so far.
Check back later today for info on the test shot process and why test shots are important.

Ah, one last thing - there is a broken link to the store from the main Toyfinity page - use THIS link for the current Toyfinity store. Thanks to everyone who pointed this out!

The details about IMPERIOUS MAXX

So, earlier today I revealed the Club Zeton exclusive figure - IMPERIOUS MAXX.
It's tough to know when to reveal all the dirt on something - people talk about spoilers all over the place for movies and comics and everything. With toys, its a little different. The timeframes to line up a comic and a toy launch can be nearly impossible. But you need to know why Imperious Maxx is more than just another variant....

"After a devastating loss to the Robo Force team, Maxx Zero abandons Zeton to grieve over his lost friend. Months later, ZEM has a vision of Maxx terrorizing a planet of bat creatures. Sentinel, ZEM, and Wrecker take the Star Falke to planet Diavolus to investigate.
There, they find that Maxx has modified himself into a golden metallic warlord with little regard for biological life. There is also a new non-Zetonian robot with Maxx, the slithery FANGAR.

The Robo Force is faced with a horrible decision - do they join their commander in his new mission and forget liberating Zeton from NAZGAR, or uphold his previous ideals and destroy him to save the native populace?
Also, what is the secret of the Forbidden Swamp? What is the strange glow that fills the water nightly? What could have pushed Maxx to enslave an entire planet?"

I'll be updating with the tampo once I've approved the final design.
Needless to say, this Maxx edition will have ongoing ramifications to the Robo Force storyline for months to come. 

IMPERIOUS MAXX!

Meet IMPERIOUS MAXX.
This is the main figure you get with Club Zeton membership.
I'm putting this pic of Ultra Gold Argen here so that you have a visual reference for the base color of the figure.
The highlights will be metallic bronze, metallic green, and metallic silver.
There will also be a new tampo on the chest of the figure.
More on this mysterious new Maxx later today!

Clue of Imperiousness

Lenticular Maxx sticker details!

(above is the raw graphic before the finishing applied by the sticker manufacturing. There won't be white outlines around the word and colors on the final product.)

So, the lenticular sticker...when I look at the original Maxx Steele from the 80s Robo Force line, I love the detail on his chest. It would be hard to replicate exactly with paint - too many small areas for them to paint, and the shapes and sizes of the circles and squares, as well as the shift in colors of the Maxx name. After I watched the cartoon again, I had inspiration - what the animators had done was had the lights on the chests of the Robo Force characters flicker on and off as the characters spoke and moved. How could we make that happen on the current toys? With lenticular stickers.

Many people are familiar with the lenticular shields that were included with the original Mattel Secret Wars figures. You can see a gif of the original shields and how they worked on this Secret Wars archive page over at the RavingToyManic site.
I just recently learned how lenticular stickers worked via a few YouTube videos! Basically, using the principles of 3D, two or more images are printed in a special process and a lens material allows us to see both images as the lens is moved. This will allow us to replicate the action from the cartoon as the lights on Maxx's chest will shift from black to "on" as you move at the image. The same will occur with his name plate.

While it is theoretically possible to print lenticulars "in your garage", Toyfinity will have them professionally printed by a renowned sticker manufacturer. A quote has already been obtained. The price for the above design in the size fitted to Maxx's chest is pretty expensive; I would have to retail them at $10 each, which I consider a high price. This may also be why we don't see many independent toy projects using lenticulars!
However, if you sign up for Club Zeton, you will get TWO of the above lenticular stickers for use with your Maxx figures as part of the club membership price of $75.

Check back later today for a preview of the Maxx Zero - Imperious Edition!

Godbeast Kabuto Mushi figures on sale TONIGHT!

Tonight, Friday the 6th, at 9 pm EST, The Godbeast unleashes the Mushi's shown above!
You are gonna need at least one of them, if not all of them!
Check out his store here.

Toy Break exclusive Flesh Mordles on sale now!

Get em now! Remember, these are exclusive to October Toys and once they are gone, they're gone!

Club Updates! Mordle Singles? Crossover with October Toys! Godbeast sale this Sunday!

Club Mordle members should check their e-mails - Club packets are ready to ship!
If you changed your address since last year, let me know ASAP!

Also, Mordle singles were removed in the store update.
I ran into an inventory issue with the singles, which is why they aren't available to purchase directly from the store.
If you want singles, e-mail me a list of the species you want and the colors and I'll fill each order that way (when possible).

 

 Club Zeton update - thanks to everyone who has already bought a membership!
We're over a quarter of the way to the goal already, and you haven't even seen the Imperious Edition yet! A taste is coming soon....

EDIT: also, wanted to clarify something about the $75.
It isn't $75 to get the chance for the club benefits.
The $75 membership fee GETS you the following items with NO additional purchases:
- Ultimate Maxx Zero - Imperious Edition!
 - A club membership packet including a membership card and certificate.

- Mystery Maxx Modules!

- Lenticular stickers - two sets of them - to replicate the original "Maxx Steele" chest lights and "Maxx" logo for your modern Robo Force figures!
(someone asked about the pricing on these if I were selling them in the public store - they would be $10 each. Lenticular stickers are crazy expensive!)
- and a TEST SHOT of an upcoming figure from the Zetonian properties (Zeroids, S.T.A.R. Team, and Robo Force)!
If you never purchased anything but the Club membership, you'd get all of the above with no extra purchase - it's over $100 of value right there!

Plus the following benefits:
 - Unpainted Editions offered at a discounted price!

- Ability to order any Ultimate Edition with or without the detail lines!
- Guaranteed Access to all Robo Force products offered by Toyfinity.com, as well as any convention exclusives offered at shows by Toyfinity directly.

- voting on the order in which you want to see the classic characters produced as Ultimate Editions!
After Hun-Dred, I know you guys want him as the next Ultimate Edition.

First-ever Mordle crossover product!
October Toys will be selling the two Mordle Editions above - the Flesh Mordles - as part of their 24 Hour Toy Break which starts tomorrow. Toyfinity will not have any stock of these editions for sale!
Get them and use them to fight your OMFG and M.U.S.C.L.E figures!

 

 Last but not least, the Godbeast has a sale this weekend. including some of his finest Kabuto Mushis yet. I saw a sneak peek of the new ones during a recent visit to Onell HQ and they are something else. Witness an Ultraman-inspired edition above! Jump over to his store for more details as they are made available!

Club Zeton is up and ready to purchase!

Jump over to the NEW TOYFINITY STORE now and get your Club membership!
Please note: the associated shipping charge covers the shipment of the club exclusive items throughout the year.
Thanks to everyone for their support, and spread the word!