Peach Clipper

Spotted this little one while walking this morning.

After it buzzed by my head a few times it eventually landed on a leaf right in front of me, just in time for a close up.

Shipping Update

We have processed and shipped almost every order placed since last Sunday night's release.

Huge thanks as always to Megan and Pj, the dynamic packing duo that keep Michelle, Marcus and I from losing our minds while trapped inside the Cardboard Labyrinth that is the barn.

We had some help from a few chickens, who were a lot quicker than the turtles (Marcus has supplied the above proof).

Thank you again for a great June release!

Thank You!!!

Thank you for an exciting and positive release last Sunday night!

The increase in production numbers for this assortment seemed to cut down on the frustrations that folks felt when we rolled out the Ultra Bronze wave a couple months ago. Our goal for this round was to make enough stuff that the store would remain stocked for at least a week, so anybody who wanted to check something out would have an extended amount of time to do so. The risk level definitely rises when we do this, but this time things worked out pretty well.

When Marc and I were working on the color mechanical studies for this wave we spent a lot of time combing through the archives of the internet for Manglors information and imagery. Thanks to John Kent and Jesse Moore, we were able to secure a complete set of vintage Manglors, boxes and all (my personal specimens were in pretty rough shape). By combining the color theory that Ken Kelly put together for the box art (vivid) with the actual hues of the classic figures (muted), we attempted to connect the dots and nail down a color pattern that could eventually be used for Toyfinty's intended resurrection of the characters down the road. Looking at the figures in hand, I think we hit a decent balance.

As the year progresses (half way through it already!) we will continue to work with Toyfinity on developing the Manglors relaunch (among other projects), and hopefully have some neat things to show you before the end of 2015.

Thank you once again for continuing to inspire our creativity, and for supporting not only what we do here, but for looking out for all our partner companies as well.

You guys are the very best!

The Manglor Mutation

The new store is LIVE!

Refresh: onelldesign.com/store

Please place only ONE ORDER WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR tonight. We usually see an increased volume of traffic during a new release and need everyone's cooperation to ensure things operate smoothly. After the initial dust settles, we will lift all limits. Thanks for your understanding and support. Have fun!

Manglofied

Last Hope of Betelgeuse

Cady's Manglosaurus

Even Cady has been swept up in the household Manglosanity! She created the above drawing of Manglosaurus (the dinosaur-like mortal enemy of the green skinned Manglor warriors) last night. I'm trying to get her to draw a battle next!

Great work, kiddo!

Manglors Character Studies

The original Manglors figures are quite unique, both physically and conceptually.

I was recently able to do some deep drawing studies on a full Manglor set, thanks to having access to the extraordinary toy collections of John and Jesse, combined with my own beat up specimens.

One of the things that's a bit hard to see on the original figures due to the sorbathane material is the level of actual detail packed into the sculpts. It's rumored that the great Ken Kelly himself designed the series, but I do wonder who sculpted them. The designs on the packaging are more streamlined, looking like they could double as Creepy magazine covers without missing a beat. Whoever did the sculpting had a more rugged approach, weaving some serious texture into the skin and scales that cover most of the 6 classic Manglor characters, save for the Manglord, who sports a much clearer, albeit puke green, complexion.

Drawing off of the boxes would have been the easiest way to come up with some clean representations of the characters, but I really wanted to get to the heart of actual toys, to see what was hidden behind their oddball mess of stickiness and twisted limbs.

The above line studies show where I landed after staring at the original vintage figures for extended sittings. There is definitely a very cool cohesive aesthetic running across the line, with repeated texture patterns and related proportions culminating in a unique style and delivery.

Stretchy dino monsters battling swampy cavemen on an alien planet in space.

These are a few of my favorite things.

Manglobits 2

Manglobits 1

Mission Details

The latest assortment from the factory has arrived and everything is ready to go!

When we were first putting this selection together months ago, the internal craze around here was the vintage Manglors toy line. Originally developed by Ideal back in 1984, the Manglors still stand as one of the stranger creations in the history of toys. "Made of the strangest stuff on Earth", a funky material called Sorbothane, the driving play mechanic of the line was based around actually tearing the figures apart and putting them back together again. The "memory" of the material was supposed to then "heal" the body back into its original form and position once the pieces were pushed back together. Sort of like a bio-fit function. Well, as many of us who had the toys discovered, they really didn't work like the TV ads and packaging claimed. I recall staring at my Manglord in silence after I had torn him limb from limb and attempted to reassemble his dull green body to no avail. Suffice it to say, old Manglord lived the rest of his shortened life held together by medical tape and a fair amount of childhood malice.

Due to the major flaws in its play pattern and some seriously intense competition on the toy shelves at the time, the Manglors only lasted for two waves. Manglors eventually faded into obscurity as the renamed "Vulcalors", destined to languish in the toy shops of Italy as the American market careened towards the Age of Mario.  

I've always wanted to see the Manglors resurface, so when our friend and collaborator John Kent over at Toyfinity secured the rights to regenerate the property, I went a little nuts at the thought of bringing the characters back to life -and this time with no medical tape!

As we steadily work behind the scenes between our two companies on resurrecting the Manglors, the creative influence of these bizarre beasts slowly finds its way into our regular operations. The strange muted color hues that Skeleden is now sporting are directly inspired by the original Manglors character toys as well as the stunning Ken Kelly paintings that graced the Manglor boxes.

Accompanying the vintage toy vibe this Sunday will be Argen and the Gendrone Bio Hunters (including the return of the reconfigured Robo Force kit Gendrone Force Defender), now forged in the new Gunmetal Silver PVC that we have been experimenting with recently. The factory really nailed the metallic look with this production run, with just enough of that cool but hard to capture light and dark balance that shifts so drastically in different environments. Argen and Manglor Skeleden have not left my pocket since I received them.

Good grief, that was a Manglor download. I suppose it's time for the list!

We are on track for this Sunday, June 14th at 9:30PM EDT. 


The Manglor Mutation


Dungeon Traveler Skeleden -Manglor Mutation (Green/ Purple w/ painted eyes, Green Skeleden head/ armor/ upper arms/ thighs/ axe, Purple Traveler base body/ upper arms/ thighs/ Pheyden head) $12 (Manglord Homage)
Dungeon Traveler Skeleden -Cosmodemon Mutation (Pale Orange/ Butterscotch w/ painted eyes, Pale Orange Skeleden head/ armor/ upper arms/ thighs/ axe and Butterscotch Traveler base body/ upper arms/ thighs/ Pheyden head) $12 (Manglodemon Homage)
Dungeon Traveler Skeleden - Dragotauri Mutation (Light Blue/ Blue w/ painted eyes, Light Blue Skeleden head/ armor/ upper arms/ thighs/ axe and Blue Traveler base body/ upper arms/ thighs/ Pheyden head) $12 (Manglodragon Homage)
Dungeon Traveler Skeleden -Sauruzard Mutation (Tomato Red/ Plum w/ painted eyes, Tomato Red Skeleden head/ armor/ upper arms/ thighs/ axe and Plum Traveler base body/ upper arms/ thighs/ Pheyden head) $12 (Manglizard/ Manglosaurus Homage)

Elder Exellis -Bio Hunters (Gunmetal Silver w/ painted eyes, removable belt, LSA head, Dark Traveler head/ scarf/ inner scarf) $8

Axis Buildman Argen MK XVI -Bio Hunters (Gunmetal Silver w/ Red visors and White tampos -Includes new two part head and scarf) $12
NOTE- Each Axis Buildman is made up of one Buildman and one Axis Joint Set.

Advanced Phaseon Enyriun MK V -Bio Hunters (Gunmetal Silver w/ Red visors and White tampos) $10
NOTE- Each Advanced Phaseon is made up of one Phaseon and one painted Hub Set

Gendrone Force Defender -Bio Hunters (Gunmetal Silver w/ Red/ Black accents and White tampo) $16
(Special Reconfigured Edition of Toyfinity's Robo Force Maxx Zero)

Neo Sincroid -Bio Hunters (Gunmetal Silver w/ Red visors/ White tampos and bonus Glyan head) $8

Noboto -Bio Hunters (Gunmetal Silver w/ painted eyes, White tampos and bonus Protoclone head ) $8 

Gobon -Bio Hunters (Gunmetal Silver w/ Red eyes and White tampo) $8

Armorvor  -Neo Granthan Manglor Mimic (Purple/ Green Paint with Black visors and bonus head/ backpack) $10 -Features all new Neo Granthan head

Crayboth -Manglor  $4
Crayboth -Cosmodemon  $4
Crayboth -Gunmetal  $4

Swing Joint Set -Gunmetal Silver $4

Hub Set -Gunmetal Silver w/ Red accent and White tampo $4
NOTE- Each Hub Set is sold in a specific Drone configuration.

Axis Joint Set -Gunmetal Silver $4

Phase Arm/Gobon Blaster Single Set -Gunmetal Silver w/ Red accent $2 

Super Crayboth -Dragotauri Hybrid (Light Blue Vinyl/ Blue paint/ Red accents) $25
-Features some all new paint applications


Thank you for reading this tale from under Manglor Mountain!

Special thanks to John and the Toyfinity team for letting us have some fun with their properties!

Hatching a Plan

A new Mutation is set to surface this Sunday, June 14th at 9:30PM EDT. Details and the list will pop up later tonight!

We've drawn inspiration for this wave from some of the classic 1980's Ideal properties, which are now owned by our great friends and partners in creativity over at Toyfinity. Expect some crossover action this weekend!

Bit Figs: Beginnings

Mercenary Alert

Emerging from the shadows of his ever growing T-Shirt Empire in the North, the enigmatic Mr. Moore has just released one of his most ambitious homage waves to date! Focusing on a selection of classic Kenner Star Wars Rebel Alliance colors, The Order is now reinforced and ready to track down Callgrim and his gallery of rogues!

Head over to the Callgrim Store to check out Jesse's latest and greatest!

Denizen 2