Retro 3-3/4" O-Ring Action Figures embattled in the 80s Cold War!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - GHOST ARRIVES!
21 days ago
– Thu, Oct 31, 2024 at 07:40:47 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
Happy Halloween! It's time for the October 2024 LONGBOW® update.
ADVANCED DEPLOYMENT Update
All CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® ADVANCED DEPLOYMENT orders were shipped out by October 20th! Shipments were processed in first-in-first-out sequencing so that Kickstarter pledges were shipped first, followed by BackerKit pre-orders. As a reminder, this ADVANCED DEPLOYMENT shipment included:
"GHOST" Deluxe O-ring Action Figure
LONGBOW® "INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® #1 Issue Comic with Exclusive Cover
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® #1 Issue Comic with Standard Cover
LONGBOW® & MTF: RETRO-OPS Patch 2-Pack
STEEL WEB®, ADAPT, and КОМАНДА ОХОТА Patch 3-pack
Many backers have already received their shipments, and we appreciate all the amazing comments that have been posted and shared online! We're grateful that our vision of delivering all-new, retro-style figures of the highest possible quality has commenced! We are extremely proud of the quality that has just delivered, but if you have had any issues with any of the products received, please contact us directly at [email protected].
ADVANCED DEPLOYMENT in-stock at SKELETRON.com
Missed out on GHOST or something else from this deployment? Or just want MORE? We have Great News!
Beginning Saturday, November 2nd at 10:00 PM (EDT), GHOST and the other Advanced Deployment products will be available* and in-stock at SKELETRON.com. (*Kickstarter Exclusive Comic not available)
To commemorate this exciting occasion, there will be a limited "GO-RING STARTER SET" bundle that includes GHOST, BATTLE STANDS, and Retro WOLF TROOPER/SKELETRON in both the original Wolf Trooper cardback and variant Skeletron cardback! These retro figures sold-out earlier this year, and Skeletron will be offering a very limited quantity taken from their nearly depleted convention stash. (Limit 1 GO-RING STARTER SET per order)
We'd like to thank our friends at Skeletron for hosting Ghost and our other Callsign: Longbow products at SKELETRON.COM! We're thrilled to be able to offer Flat Rate $4 shipping in the United States with most orders shipping within 1 business day of order placement! International orders also INCLUDE VAT collection at check-out so that orders ship Duties Prepaid straight to their destination!
Production Update
So with our first Longbow figure GHOST now produced and delivered, where are we at with the remaining figures?
LANCER early first shot
Our production team has shared this early first shot of LANCER with us! This figure came from the steel tooling and looks great! As is nearly always the case, there are some adjustments that need to be made, and revisions are currently underway. The factory is taking lessons learned from GHOST and Skeletron's Retro WOLF TROOPER with intent to streamline the process to allow future figures to be finalized and produced as quickly as possible.
We've also seen some new test shot weapon accessories! Though this particular test shot color doesn't photograph well, the details on these accessories are very crisp and clean. These parts come directly from the completed tooling, and are ready for production!
Weapon accessories for LANCER, VOLK, UPTOWN, and GRU SPETSNAZ TROOPER
We also received an updated production schedule from our factory partners. Though we had hoped to have more items completed and ready to ship before the end of the year, our overseas team has informed us that they will not be complete in time. Based on the latest information provided, we are now expecting additional figures to deliver sometime in Spring 2025.
This scheduled production is expected to include 6 additional figures. Specifically, they plan to produce LANCER, VOLK, UPTOWN, GRU SPETSNAZ TROOPER, OUTLAW, and KRASNY-NINJA in this group. We have seen tooling for these figures and will continue to share more details as we have them.
Once this wave of 6 figures has been fulfilled, the additional items will come afterwards are HENCHMEN (TRACKSUIT), MTF: RETRO-OPS, STEEL WEB® SHOCK-TROOPER, ADAPT TROOPER (RESEARCH FACILITY), and RESUPPLY PACK #1. We will continue to share more about these items as soon as we have the details.
Though we continue to see forward progress, we know it is disappointing that these next figures are are now pushed out beyond year-end. Please be assured we are doing everything in our power to push the project forward to completion as quickly as we can. As always, we will share with you any information we have each month in these updates.
ASSEMBLY REQUIRED IS NEARLY HERE!
Next week the LONGBOW® team will be in attendance at the 13th annual ASSEMBLY REQUIRED presented by Code Name: Iowa! This year join us on November 8th and 9th in Des Moines at the HyVee Hall.
We will have "GHOST" Deluxe figures, "INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS, LONGBOW® #1 Issue Comics, Individual Patches, and Doug Hart Character Art Prints for sale at the show!
Thank you again to all our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - September 2024
about 2 months ago
– Mon, Sep 30, 2024 at 08:46:01 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
We're back with the September 2024 LONGBOW® Update.
GHOST UPDATE
A GHOST is lurking nearby!
Ghost figures have arrived at a US port! The container is currently on a customs hold. Once it is released, our fulfillment partner is ready to start shipping ADVANCE DEPLOYMENT packages out to Backers ASAP.
Because this figure has hit the US, we have removed it from the Backerkit pre-order store. We have also removed other ADVANCED DEPLOYMENT items (Comics, Patches, Battle Stands). We'll share more information about how these items will be available in the future.
If you have not already, please make sure your address is correct in BackerKit.
LANCER UPDATE
Last month we showed you some newly tooled ABS test shot parts from LANCER. Not long after that update, we received some images of those parts assembled. At this point, the PVC parts were not available so this body is shown with with Ghost's head and hands.
You can see how the proportions on the figures match up and how they will be uniform across the line.
New Lancer body (shown with Ghost head & hands, not the final build)
Tooling Update
Our factory partners have shared these images of "Raw Molds" being adjusted for parting lines. This is important to set up how deep each part should be set in the mold.
In this picture, you will see some PVC accessory parts here for Uptown, Spetsnaz, and Volk.
"Raw" tooling for Uptown, Spetsnaz, and Volk
Come see us in Iowa!
Once again this year, the LONGBOW® team will be in attendance at the 13th annual ASSEMBLY REQUIRED presented by Code Name: Iowa! This year join us on November 8th and 9th in Des Moines at the HyVee Hall.
Thank you again to all our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - August 2024
3 months ago
– Sat, Aug 31, 2024 at 08:11:56 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
It's time again for your monthly LONGBOW® check-in.
GHOST UPDATE
Last month we shared with you that "GHOST" had finished production and was getting ready to travel from the factory. We are happy to report that these figures are now "on the water" and in transit to our fulfillment partner in the US.
Anchors Aweigh!
We still expect (barring any unforeseen delays) that this figures will ship around the end of September to Backers. We'll share more information as delivery gets closer.
Tooling Update
In our last update, we had some images of the CNC software layout for some of the tooling on "LANCER". That tooling has been cut, and our production team has shared an image of the first shots from the tool.
LANCER first shots from the new tool.
The next step in the process will be to inspect these new parts and make revisions to the tooling. This is where we will make sure all the parts fit together correctly and all the sculpted details are right, before beginning production.
Comic Update
Work continues on CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Issue #2 with our partners from Broken Icon Comics. We've received first passes on the first 5 or so pages of the issue. Here is a sneak peek of what is to come:
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® issue #2 comic sneak preview
We're also excited to announce that we'll have exclusive covers for this issue. One from a returning Rod Whigham (who did our crowdfunding exclusive cover for issue #1). As well as an exclusive cover by our good friend Adam Riches! We'll have more information about how these covers will be available when we get closer to release.
Come see us in Iowa!
Once again this year, the LONGBOW® team will be in attendance at the 13th annual ASSEMBLY REQUIRED presented by Code Name: Iowa! This year join us on November 8th and 9th in Des Moines at the HyVee Hall.
Thank you again to all our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW BONUS Update - GHOST INBOUND
4 months ago
– Wed, Jul 31, 2024 at 07:44:34 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
We've got some exciting milestone updates for you all this month!
GHOST Gets Ready to Travel
"GHOST" figures have been completed and have been packaged! Containers have been hard to come by lately, but we have one secured and it's scheduled for pickup in the coming days.
The trip across the sea is a long one, and we expect the figures to arrive at the fulfillment center and ship at the end of September for the Advanced Deployment.
We will share more information as we get closer. This means that time is running out to add Ghost to an existing order or create a new order in BackerKit.
Tooling Update
We also have news this month about the other figures. We've been working with our partners to make sure all the parts are ready. finally, tooling prints have begun, as part of the process. We were also shown a screenshot from the CNC machine controller, that shows the "Lancer" body tool being prepared to be cut into steel!
Lancer body tool in CNC software. Courtesy of Dave Proctor
Come see us in Iowa!
Once again this year, the LONGBOW® team will be in attendance at the 13th annual ASSEMBLY REQUIRED presented by Code Name: Iowa! This year join us on November 8th and 9th in Des Moines at the HyVee Hall.
