It’s almost time, you guys! The Plunderlings is probably my favorite Kickstarter project ever, and those little dudes have gone on to become some of the best figures in my collection. So, to say I am excited about the next generation of this line and universe would be a massive understatement, but the good news is – we don’t have to wait long!
The Plunderlings crew is getting everything together for this new venture, and knowing them, it will all be rolled out in style. I am serious when I say that they are my favorite original IP in a long time, so adding new dimensions to the mythos is going to be a lot of fun. While I am still here for any further riffs on the original Plunderlings they want to offer us, taking some new steps certainly broadens the story, and I am just as excited to hear how these new entries will fit into the world they have meticulously crafted thus far.
What we know is that on March 15th (that is next Tuesday) and will debut with the Plunderlongs and the Plunderstrongs. Now, if you have been following along, you are probably well-versed in what that means, but if you have not been tracking, these are new forms for the Plunders, and as you can imagine, the Longs are tall, and the Strongs are, well, STRONG! So, these little Plunderlings we have come to know either don’t stay little for long, or there are other species built into the universe. These new guys are both obviously larger than the Plunderlings themselves, so expect your collection to become diversified with the quickness once these new forms join the line.
From the limited marketing materials that have been released thus far, it is fair to say that we can expect different color combinations, expressions, outfits, and accessories for the Longs and Strongs, just like the initial Kickstarter. I love that these variations are meaningful and create other subtypes and characters in doing so, all within the range of what these creatures are meant to be. I would say that I am already eyeballing some favorites, but who am I kidding? I will be in for all, I am sure.
Robo and I have been fortunate enough to be able to take a quick look at an early stage production sample of the Plunderstrong. I am obviously not going to review it here because, as a piece from upstream in the process, this doesn’t completely reflect what we will ultimately be getting. That said, there are a few things to gather from this, and man, it is exciting.
First and foremost, pre-production has already begun. That means that a commitment to some of the most complicated parts of action figure production have started. It also means that, since the process has started, the window from funding (it HAS to fund, guys, I NEED it) to delivery is DRAMATICALLY shorter than the traditional Kickstarter route. Most KS work for something like this fundraises to start the long process of production, often times with creators not having a strong idea of what they are getting into. I think the Plunderlings team learned a LOT from that first campaign, and having these new figures already in the state they are in speaks volumes. So, by backing, you know your money is going to pay for production, but the initial commitment has already been made by the creator, that is a BIG deal. So this is a huge plus.
At a more nuts and bolts level though, getting to actual see and handle this sample, it is already VERY reassuring in terms of quality and engineering. This Plunderstong has a great articulation scheme already mapped, with highlights like the butterfly joint shoulders and a torso joint with some much range of movement you have to experience it to believe it. All I can say is that is really awesome and I can see a lot of figure producers taking note from it.
The engineering is already at a great state, too with all of the jointing being strong, but also smooth where they need to be. The Plunderstrong is a big boy, but he has no trouble supporting himself, even at this early state, but can also be extremely dynamic, despite his large and chunky build. I am sure there are still some things to be worked out as the process continues, but as of right now, this dude is already top-notch. The proportions are also logical in a grow-up from the smaller Plunderlings, so while this guy is certainly his own thing, you can instantly see the relational build to be continuation of what we have already seen. Again, everything is just really well thought out and considered.
Okay, I have gone on for too long now, but I cannot help it – this is really exciting! Like I said, be ready on March 15th, 2022 for the Kickstarter campaign to commence, and keep tabs on all the news here, and the Plunderlings social media accounts linked below. The Plunderlongs and Plunderstrongs are coming – and they are going to BIG fun.
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Source: Fwoosh
