Retro 3-3/4" O-Ring Action Figures embattled in the 80s Cold War!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - Updated Delivery Timeframe and GHOST Sample
almost 3 years ago
– Thu, Nov 30, 2023 at 09:14:08 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
Thank you to everyone who came and hung out at ASSEMBLY REQUIRED, and thanks to everyone from Codename: Iowa who made the event possible. It was a great show with great people, and if you couldn't make it to this show, we hope to see you at another show!
Update on Estimated Fulfillment
After the team returned from Iowa, we reviewed our current status with our production partners from the factory. After evaluating the entirety of our progress, we believe that our early 2024 target is no longer realistic. Our current projection places us into a mid-to-late year 2024 delivery for the LONGBOW® Kickstarter items.
This delay is not based on the performance of our factory, but rather the front-end sculpting and engineering phase of this project. The overall sculpt phase of the project has taken longer than we had planned, especially after we some adjustments to the underlying engineering buck. We'd like to extend our sincere apologies for the delay. We are absolutely committed to producing the best product possible, and we appreciate your patience as we work to perfect the nostalgic look, feel, and quality of our O-ring action figures.
We will continue to keep you updated on our progress and estimated delivery at every step of this project.
Update on Development
With that said, where are we at on things?
One figure is completely tooled and the factory has sent painted samples for approval (GHOST).
All sculpting is complete except for some shared parts on the final two figures.
The Factory has begun prepping the other figures and accessories for the tooling process!
All packaging art is complete.
You are also probably aware that Grindstone's very first O-ring figure to enter production was part of the ROBOSKULL MKII Kickstarter. We partnered with our good friends at SKELETRON to release a figure ahead of our own Callsign: Longbow Kickstarter Campaign. This Retro SKELETRON/WOLF TROOPER combination figure (Yes, Wolf Trooper transforms into Skeletron!) is leading the way for our GO-RING System and is in production with an anticipated delivery of January, 2024. TODAY, November 30th, also happens to be the last day to pre-order this figure for $25 plus shipping! You can pre-order now by clicking HERE!
This week our production partners at Spartan Toys sent us images of painted samples of GHOST for us to provide notes on. This figure looks great and is currently in transit for us to inspect. This is a major milestone for the project overall, and it looks so freaking awesome!
Note: This figure will have a few minor changes once we go through the approval process, but it is very close to what the final product will be.
Photos courtesy of Dave Proctor @ Spartan Toys
We hope you love this first look at our GHOST painted samples as much as we do! We'll be back next month with another update. Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - October 2023
almost 3 years ago
– Tue, Oct 31, 2023 at 01:02:23 PM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers! And Happy Halloween!
Pressing "Publish" on this update is the last thing we're doing before we hit the road for ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa (more info below). We've spent the last couple of weeks preparing everything for the show. If you are in the area we hope to see you this weekend. If not, we hope to see you someday soon at another show!
Packaging Layouts
Keith "OUTLAW" Overby Packaging Layout WIP
Something we've been working on lately is packing layouts. As you've seen with the "INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS, we are going for a very vintage look. Our LONGBOW® cardbacks will feature traditional character bios (Service Records & Threat Assessments) and figure checklists on the back. The front will feature beautiful character paintings by Douglas Hart (G.I. Joe, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter) with blast effects by Brian Sauer (more on him below).
Alexy "VOLK" Reznikov and STEEL WEB Shock-Trooper Packaging Layout WIP
The CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® team will once again be in attendance at ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023 presented by Code Name: Iowa. November 3rd & 4th in Des Moines, Iowa. This is a fun and intimate show that grows stronger every year. If you're planning to come to the show, please drop by the LONGBOW™ booth and say hello!
Our friends at ASSEMBLYREQUIRED will have an exclusive cover for LONGBOW™ #1. This cover is limited to 150 copies and features a cover by Brian Sauer (Codename: Iowa, Assembly Required). These covers will be available first at ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023, and we understand that any remaining stock will be offered online after the show.
Our friend Ken of Toy Kennections put together this great video covering all of the upcoming O-ring figure lines, and which figures from each line he is looking most forward to. It's a great time to be an O-ring collector, with so many offerings there is something for everyone!
Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - September 2023
almost 3 years ago
– Sat, Sep 30, 2023 at 07:44:19 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
It's time for our end-of-the-month update for September of 2023. Work is continuing on all things LONBGOW® as we move toward production.
Shipping Continues for Select Items
"INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS and the CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Issue #1 Comic (by Broken Icon Comics) are still shipping! Once again, if you place an order that only contains Battle Stands or the Issue #1 comic, it will ship ASAP. Orders can be placed at: https://longbow.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
Sculpting Update
Our biggest sculpting update is that all of the parts for this first series of Longbow figures have either been completed or are now currently being worked on. To go along with that, this week we sent the finished files for about 2/3rds of the figures to the factory so they can begin the preparations for tooling. We expect the other figures to follow in the next month or so.
This month we've got the STEEL WEB SHOCK-TROOPER to show off with most of his accessories. Mark O'Byrne (ROBOSKULL MKII) did a fantastic job on this sculpt and really captured what we were going for with the overall "Combat Samurai" look of the armor.
Note: This figure render is missing additional parts that will slide over the forearms to make the sleeves look longer.
"STEEL WEB SHOCK-TROOPER" Action Figure sculpt with some accessories.
We also have a final revision on LANCER by the ever-talented Cory Cantelupe (G.I. Joe Classified, ROBOSKULL MKII, & many more). This figure needed some joint engineering and proportion corrections, while still preserving the surface sculpt details. This figure has been given to the factory for tooling.
"LANCER" revised Action Figure sculpt.
Art Update
This month we are going back to the beginning of the project to share with you the packaging art for SCOTT “LANCER” MCMASTERS.
Now you might be saying, "You already showed us that art", and that's true, except we decided we wanted a more dynamic pose for Lancer. So we worked with legendary Douglas Hart (G.I. Joe, Mortal Kombat, Air Raiders) to come up with a more action-oriented pose that better fits the character and still features his signature machete accessory.
The CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® team will once again be in attendance at ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023 presented by Code Name: Iowa. November 3rd & 4th in Des Moines, Iowa. This is a fun and intimate show that grows stronger every year. If you're planning to come to the show, please drop by the LONGBOW™ booth and say hello!
Our friends at ASSEMBLYREQUIRED will have an exclusive cover for LONGBOW™ #1. This cover is limited 150 copies and features a cover by Brian Sauer (Codename: Iowa, Assembly Required). These covers will be available first at ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023, and we understand that any remaining stock will be offered online after the show.
Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW Update - GHOST & KRASNY-NINJA
about 3 years ago
– Thu, Aug 31, 2023 at 07:03:27 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Backers!
It's time for our end-of-the-month update and August felt like it went by really fast! But we've got some great updates for you on the development process.
Shipping has Commenced for Selected Items
"INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS and the CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® Issue #1 Comic (by Broken Icon Comics) have begun shipping! Once again, if you place an order that only contains Battle Stands or the Issue #1 comic, it will ship ASAP. Orders can be placed at: https://longbow.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
Revised GHOST Test Shots
Our production partners at Spartan Toys have sent us a newly revised test shot of "GHOST". This figure has all of the changes we asked for in the last round of revisions and is almost ready for production. All the accessories fit how they are supposed to, the figure moves correctly, and most of all feels right in your hand.
These shots also give you a feel for how "GHOST's" Stealth Shield" helps him blend into any environment.
Photos courtesy of Dave Proctor
Sculpting Update
We are very excited to be working with the extremely talented Cory Cantelupe (G.I. Joe Classified, ROBOSKULL MKII, & many more) on revisions for "LANCER". Corey will be helping us correct some final engineering issues and fine-tune some of the sculpted details on the figure to get everything just right.
While we're talking about sculpting, let's take a look at what Mark O'Byrne (ROBOSKULL MKII) has been working on. The ushanka-wearing martial arts troopers of the USSR, the infamous KRASNY-NINJA!
"KRASNY-NINJA" Action Figure sculpt with accessories.
Art Update
While we're on the subject of the KRASNEY-NINJA, let's also take a look at the packaging art for this figure by legendary illustrator & painter Douglas Hart (G.I. Joe, Stargate, Visionaries). You've never seen a ninja this red before.
The CALLSIGN: LONGBOW® team will once again be in attendance at ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023 presented by Code Name: Iowa. November 3rd & 4th in Des Moines, Iowa. This is a fun and intimate show that grows stronger every year. If you're planning to come to the show, please drop by the LONGBOW™ booth and say hello!
Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
-GRINDSTONE TOYS!
"INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS & COMICS now available on BackerKit!
about 3 years ago
– Wed, Jul 26, 2023 at 07:21:49 AM
Hello CALLSIGN: LONGBOW™ Backers!
STANDS & COMICS AVAILABLE!
"INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS now available!
"INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS have arrived stateside at Grindstone HQ and are now available on BackerKit!
We are also excited to tell you that printed copies of the CALLSIGN: LONGBOW™ Issue #1 comic have arrived and are ready to ship as well!
Starting mid-August, we will begin shipping orders that include ONLY"INVISIBLE" BATTLE STANDS and/or Comics. If you add these items to an existing order or place an order with figures, they will not ship until all of the items in the order are available.
Please let us know if you need help unlocking or modifying an existing BackerKit order.
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW™ COMICS
CALLSIGN: LONGBOW™ issue #1 comics (Kickstarter, Standard, & AR Covers)
As we said, we have received the printed copies of the Issue #1 comic, published by our partners at BROKEN ICON COMICS! We are processing these comics and will have them ready to ship shortly (again for orders that contain only available items).
Our friends at ASSEMBLYREQUIRED will have an exclusive cover for LONGBOW™ #1. This cover is very limited and features a cover by Brian Sauer (Codename: Iowa, Assembly Required). These covers will be available first at ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023, and we understand that any reaming stock will be offered online after the show.
(DIS)Assembly Required
Assembly Required by Code Name: Iowa
While we're on the subject of ASSEMBLY REQUIRED 2023, come see the LONGBOW™ team November 3rd & 4th in Des Moines, Iowa. This is a fun and intimate show that grows stronger every year!
More figure progress will be included in our August update, so keep your eyes peeled at the end of next month!
Thank you again to all of our backers for making this project a reality!
