Onell Designs’ The Rig on sale now (update: SOLD OUT)

September 16, 2010 | Poe

The Rig, which Matt Doughty was working on when I interviewed him and I’ve been waiting for ever since, is finally on sale at Onell’s store for $25 each. If you loved all those fun vinyl anime toys in the 1980s (like this set, which I once owned), I think you should go buy one.

But don’t take my word for it–not yet, anyway. Here’s Battlegrip’s review of the Rig. Between Gygor and this, September 15 was a big day for toys I’ve been waiting for.

Outer Space Men Invade SDCC, Enact Strict Hygiene Laws

July 10, 2010 | Poe

(OK, I added that last part.)

From the Horsemen Four:

OUTER SPACE MEN INVADE SAN DIEGO!!

The Four Horsemen are excited to announce their Outer Space Men Comic Con 2010 exclusives!

Dubbed the “Alpha Phase Waves”, each exclusive OSM character will be done in a color that represents them as they utilize their “phase” mode to secretly invade Comic Con. These color versions are completely different from their upcoming regular edition versions!

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Interview > Matt Doughty, Part II (The Outer Space Men)

June 18, 2010 | Poe

You can read Part I of this interview, about the history of Onell Design, here.

PG: So tell me how Outer Space Men came about.

MD: I love toys that go all the way back into the 1920s. Anything that was a toy, I was fascinated. The Outer Space Men came out after Major Matt Mason…

And they were supposed to be kind of like those old Remco He-Man knock-offs–“plays with” Major Matt Mason.

Exactly. But what happens when someone “knocks off” someone else but they are superior to it? That’s sort of unprecedented now. Outer Space Men was so damned cool, it would replace playing with Major Matt Mason. (more…)

Interview > Matt Doughty of Onell Design (Part I: Onell)

June 17, 2010 | Poe

Real Name: Matt Doughty
Specialty: Toymaker
Base of Operations: Onell Design
History: Onell Design is a small, family run toy company that strives to create an environment filled with creative potential. Building out just a little bit every year, each person involved in the day to day operations does their work with a passion matched by a desire to connect with those that enjoy what Onell has to offer, however tiny it may be! Matt Doughty, Michelle Doughty and Marc Beaudette love running Onell, and it continues to grow only because of the incredible people out there who support all the crazy projects they get into! So get ready for more interchangeable figures, 8-bit games, special collaborations and sporadic blog posts as 2010 rolls on…and remember to stay creative!

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Odds ‘n Ends > News Roundup

May 5, 2010 | Poe

  • So as everyone probably knows by now, the Four Horsemen have teamed up with toy legend Mel Birnkrant and Matt Doughty of Onell Design (makers of the Glyos figures) to bring back the 1960s sci-fi toy line The Outer Space Men. I was going to do a write-up about it, but NoisyDvL5 already wrote the definitive post about the whole thing. Damn whippersnappers totally stealing my thunder and taking advantage of my laziness. Anyway: my opinion. Like many, I have no nostalgic attachment to the property, but retro-looking 1960s aliens are something most self-respecting geeks should appreciate. 3 3/4″ isn’t my favorite scale but was probably inevitable given current production costs. The decision to work with Onell Design was a savvy move on everyone’s part. So will I be buying these? Definitely–they look great and represent a great step for everyone involved. Also, if it’s successful, perhaps the Four Horsemen will be able to license Power Lords from Revell…
  • Speaking of the Outer Space Men, look for some cool features about it here on the site soon.
  • He-Man.org has a revealing interview with Mattel brand manager (and recent new dad) Scott Neitlich, a.k.a. Toyguru. I didn’t realize Adora’s laser pistol was based on Teela’s gun from the 1987 movie.
  • Super He-Fan James Eatock, a.k.a. Busta Toons, is publishing an unofficial guide to the Filmation He-Man cartoon. Eatock’s blog is necessary reading for any He-Fan, and the book will no doubt be great, too.
  • I added a new plugin called WPTouch that optimizes PGPoA for Iphones/Ipod Touches. I think it’s pretty cool, but it does prevent you from seeing the site as it looks on the Web. Has anyone else tried it out yet? Thoughts?
  • Pre-review roundup: Fwoosh has Optikk, Walter Peck and Tytus; AFI has Tytus; CoolToyReview has Optikk; Pixel Dan has Optikk and Tytus. Disappointing discovery: Tytus has swivels at the shoulders and neck, not ball joints.