No. There Will Be No Black Tower Toy Figures!

Right. In November of last year I was contacted by a man who makes 54mm military figures for gamers.  He had quite a nice web site.

He told me that he realised even in poorer countries where there are comics you can find toys or action figures based on comic characters  I was told he had looked at UK comics -he had gone to comic shops (Forbidden Planet, Travelling Man and a couple others) but was shocked to find that unlike when he was younger there were no British comics and the staff basically told him "Dandy" and that was it.  So, he decided to go to local newsagents -they "always" had comics.  He found the Panini DC/Marvel reprints and "just loads of magazines with awful made in China cheap toys".

Then he went to Thought Bubble, the comic event.  "Three different people told me I ought to contact you" ad he checked out the online store and blogs and got in touch.

He is quite right, toy and figure wise (particularly 54mm/1/32nd) UK comics have produced nothing.  Odd really but it probably comes from (1) no one contacting a company and (2) few people -even at the companies- have a knowledge of their own action heroes

Luckily, I had some rough rear, side and front design illoes I had put together for a toy company in the 1990s (nothing happened) and I sent these to him,  A couple of the BTCG books and that was it.  I saw the basic designed figures that are made before molding.  Heard from him in December and he was going to produce an initial ten figure set of BTCGs main characters. End of January I sent him a letter.  Then an email.  Now I hear back.

His bank "business advisor" who had been all for the project decided, just before he made the expensive molds, that he could no longer support the idea of funding the project.  The man apologised and said he would have sent the master figures to me but was so angry everything was dumped.  It seems he is also now moving to New Zealand to set up a business unrelated to gaming/toy figures.

I was disappointed but as we say in comics "It is not done and dusted until the cheque is cashed!" so was not heart-broken.  I thought it was interesting that the man reported: "The banks want to take your money from the business but will NOT back it!"   I've heard that so many times.

What I was **** off about was that my illoes were also thrown out.

So, any figure manufacturers out there get in touch.  I have the characters, blogs and outlets to publicise.  But not for free!