It's a world debut! I stopped by the Onell Design booth (#578) at New York Comic Con to say hey to Matt Doughty, as is the way of my people. There were a ton of new items from his own wares, TheGodBeast (Marty Hansen), and their pals but the real amazing gem is something I've heard whispers of for some time. It's a new line, scaled with Pheyden and other 3-inch figures, but is a collaboration between Onell, TGB, and the sculptor is the great Jason Frailey.
There are numerous working names for this toy which I am not posting here by request, but it's basically an armored wolf warrior figure. A beast who battles, if you will. It has construction similar to a Sarvos or Pheyden, which basically means it's better than vintage Battle Beasts but not a Hasbro figure. It's in a sweet spot that makes it feel like a lost concept from Takara around 1991, with lots of crazy armor angles and detail far beyond what you usually see on a mass-produced Glyos figure.
So what's the catch? Well, here's the problem: they're debating when, if, or how to make this item. I was pretty floored by it because it feels like a toy rather than a PVC or a collectible, and it feels like a lot of fun. The articulation works well and I would love to snag something exactly like this-- it's a brilliant idea. So there's no release date, and one of the reasons you are lucky enough to see this prototype is because I want you to leave comments or let Onell Design know how much you like it. I know it's selfish, but it's not like this site pays my bills-- I want to use it for evil, and for my evil plan, I want you to see and like this idea.
No additional figures are shown at this time, but obviously the body alone allows fans to be open to any of dozens of customs or limited runs. All you need to do is cast new heads and repaint the body, and you could probably make your very own line of the things. If you have the skills, and I don't.
So here are two quick shots I took on a bench in their booth, plus a slice of concept art with weapons Matt was kind enough to share. For more on Onell Design, go here.
--Adam Pawlus
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