Retro 3-3/4" O-Ring Action Figures embattled in the 80s Cold War!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - May 2024
over 2 years ago
– Fri, May 31, 2024 at 07:21:25 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
May 2024 is almost over and it's time for our regular end-of-the month check-in. We've got updates on production, art, and our summer convention attendees.
*A reminder that June's update may be a little light or may come early as we are prepping for and traveling to and from shows to meet as many of you as possible!
A Sea of Parts
Our factory partners sent us some awesome shots of "GHOST" parts. These parts have had paint applied and are awaiting final assembly.
You can also see that some of the upper arm parts have been assembled.
"GHOST" progress shots courtesy of Dave Proctor
Art Update
We're back this month with a final art update for the LONGBOW® Series 1, the ADAPT Trooper (Research Facility). Like all LONGBOW® figures the Retro-Ops figure will have character art on his file card by painter extraordinaire Douglas Hart (G.I. Joe, Mortal Kombat, Air Raiders).
ADAPT Trooper (Research Facility) character art by Doug Hart
Come see us next month!
We are happy to announce that we will pull double duty this summer to meet as many of you as possible. Grindstone Toys will attend both JOEFEST and the DFW G.I. JOE SHOW in June 2024.
We are excited to share that the legendary Douglas Hart will be at JoeFest and presenting a panel with all our friends! If you are at the show, don't miss it!
Powerhouse painter Doug Hart is joined by Troy of Grindstone Toys, Carson of Locomotion Media Group, and Ben of Skeletron to discuss 15 years of Hasbro package painting, and his current contributions to the o-ring resurgence!
Come see Doug and Troy at Joefest!
Doug Hart Prints Available at JOEFEST
Since Doug will be at the show, we've ordered a limited amount of prints of his LONGBOW® character paintings, that you can get autographed!
These prints (11" x 17") will be available for $10 each at our Booth. Choose from any of the 11 LONGBOW® characters in series 1; Lancer, Volk, Uptown, Spetsnaz Trooper, Outlaw, Ghost, MTF: Retro-Ops, Henchmen (Tracksuit), STEEL WEB® Shock-Trooper ADAPT Trooper, and Krasny-Ninja.
Doug Hart prints available at Joefest!
DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show
John will be at the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show, June 21-23 2024 in Grapevine, TX. We are also proud to announce that we are co-sponsoring a special show guest Kirk Bozigian (Product Manager on G.I. Joe).
Thank you again to all our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - April 2024
over 2 years ago
– Tue, Apr 30, 2024 at 08:00:09 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
April is here and at Grindstone we are gearing up for con season.
GHOST Update
Our factory partners shared a new proof on GHOST's cardback. Now that this cardback is approved it is current in PRODUCTION!
"GHOST" Cardback
Also on the packaging side for GHOST, the factory has also shown us the bubble for this figure. This has also been approved and is possibly in production as you are reading this.
"GHOST" Bubble Sample
We also got some news on GHOST's accessories. These parts have already been produced! Somewhere on the other side of the planet, there are bins filled with thousands of these parts. soon to be united with their figures.
"GHOST" Accessories
All these parts have their own separate development processes, and each one completed brings us closer to delivering you the best end product we can!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Issue #2 Comic
We get asked a lot about the future beyond our initial crowdfunding offerings, today we have great news to share on the comics front. Work has begun on Issue #2 of the LONGBOW® comic with our partners at Broken Icon Comics. The script is going through revisions and Angelito Bernuy has started working on some individual sketches to get the right feel for the characters and their personalities. We'd like to share a teaser here is his sketch for the highly anticipated Krasny-Ninjas.
Krasny-Ninja Sketch by Angelito Bernuy
Come see us this Summer!
The weekend of Jun 21st-23rd, 2024 GRINDSTONE TOYS will be at both JoeFest Toy and Comic Convention in Augusta, GA, and the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show in Grapevine, TX. If you are in the area for either of these shows, please swing by the booth and say hello!
John will be at the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show, June 21-23 2024 in Grapevine, TX. We are also proud to announce that we are co-sponsoring a special show guest Kirk Bozigian (Product Manager on G.I. Joe).
Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - March 2024
over 2 years ago
– Sun, Mar 31, 2024 at 07:01:43 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
March 2024 is drawing to a close so we're back with our monthly check-in. We'd like to wish you all a happy and joyful Easter Sunday!
Ghost Revision
The factory sent us some images of tool revisions that we requested. We asked the factory to modify the tooling to make the base plastic a little glossier more like on a vintage figure. They did a great job and we think this will give the figure an even more accurate retro feel!
New updated, glossier (right side) "Ghost" mold comparison.
Come see us this Summer!
The weekend of Jun 21st-23rd, 2024 GRINDSTONE TOYS will be at both JoeFest Toy and Comic Convention in Augusta, GA, and the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show in Grapevine, TX. If you are in the area for either of these shows, please swing by the booth and say hello!
John will be at the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show, June 21-23 2024 in Grapevine, TX. We are also proud to announce that we are co-sponsoring a special show guest Kirk Bozigian (Product Manager on G.I. Joe).
Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - February 2024
over 2 years ago
– Thu, Feb 29, 2024 at 07:18:50 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
Happy LEAP DAY!
It's time for our end-of-the-month update for February of 2024. This month marked the Chinese New Year celebration overseas. As a result, our production facility has been shut down during the holiday season.
But that celebration has drawn to a close and now the factory is geared back up. We are working with our production manager to keep pushing forward on your CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® figures!
Art Update
Last month we shared the sculpt renders for the MTF: Retro-Ops. This month we are back with the character art for that figure. Like all LONGBOW® figures the Retro-Ops figure will have character art on his file card by painter extraordinaire Douglas Hart (G.I. Joe, Visionaries, Conan).
Marauder Task Force: Retro-Ops character art by Douglas Hart
ROBOSKULL MKII Retro O-ring Wolf Trooper - SOLD OUT
Our friends at SKELETRON® offered our Retro O-ring Wolf Trooper for sale last month. And low and behold it sold out!
They shared an update a few days ago about future availability:
"Fueled solely by your support and shares, we very unexpectedly ran out of stock on the Retro Trooper in mere days, and our Wolf Trooper & Gyre Wolf stock is barely holding. But have no fear! We have a second (albeit much smaller) inventory of Retro Troopers on the way, that will arrive in early March"
If you are interested in picking up this figure, keep an eye on SKELETRON's website at: https://skeletron.com/
Come see us this Summer!
The weekend of Jun 21st-23rd, 2024 GRINDSTONE TOYS will be at both JoeFest Toy and Comic Convention in Augusta, GA, and the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show in Grapevine, TX. If you are in the area for either of these shows, please swing by the booth and say hello!
John will be at the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show, June 21-23 2024 in Grapevine, TX. We are also proud to announce that we are co-sponsoring a special show guest Kirk Bozigian (Product Manager on G.I. Joe).
Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - MTF: RETRO-OPS
over 2 years ago
– Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 08:15:27 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
Ghost Sample Notes and Paint Masters
This month we returned our first round of notes on the Ghost sample we first saw at the end of November bringing us closer to production. We also sent the paint masters for the other figures to our partners at Spartan Toys. these will be used to create samples for the rest of the line.
MTF: RETRO-OPS
Our last two figures, the MTF: RETRO-OP and ADAPT TROOPER are working their way through the final sculpting phase. For these two figures, we opted to work with the same team that does all the sculpting on MARAUDER TASKFOCE figures. It was important for us that this Marauder O-ring be a true "Gun Runner" figure through and through. We'll continue to share more about these two figures in the months ahead. Please enjoy these in-progress sculpt images of the MTF: RETRO-OPS figure.
MTF: RETRO-OPS WIP Sculpt
ROBOSKULL MKII Retro O-ring Wolf Trooper Shipping
Our friends at SKELETRON have begun shipping their PHASE B action figures. This phase includes 4" Marauder WOLF TROOPER, 4" Marauder GYRE WOLF, and 3.75" Grindstone Retro O-ring SKELETRON/WOLF TROOPER. Although the 3.75" Retro figure is not a CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® figure, it does share tooling with our Deluxe GHOST figure and is a great example of the quality of what we are pursuing with LONGBOW® production.
These figures are temporarily unavailable while initial crowdfunding orders are filled. If you missed out on these great figures, keep your eyes peeled on https://skeletron.com/ for more info on when these figures will be available again.
We are happy to announce that we will pull double duty this summer to meet as many of you as possible. Grindstone Toys will attend both JOEFEST and the DFW G.I. JOE SHOW in June 2024.
John will be at the DFW GI Joe and Action Figure Show, June 21-23 2024 in Grapevine, TX. We are also proud to announce that we are co-sponsoring a special show guest Kirk Bozigian (Product Manager on G.I. Joe).
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