Making Toys Like A Boss
Well, friends, we asked and you delivered! Boy, did you deliver!
Our Richard Action Figure Kickstarter All-in-1 campaign has come to a close and you guys have funded it to the tune of over 200%! On behalf of sohmer, Lar, Costello and all of us who had a hand in the action figure, please let me express our deepest thanks!
So what’s next? Making the darn thing of course! And Costello is hard at work at it! Keep an eye out for updates and a general Release because while Kickstarter backers will get it first, we want everyone to be able to play with their own Dick as soon as possible!
In the meantime, Costello had a chance to talk to Catrina Cerise-Araña of Boss Fight Studios about what it was like creating the design for the special little warlock you’ll all soon have in your hot little hands!
Ryan Costello (RC): Hi Catrina!
Catrina Cerise-Araña (CCA): Hello, Ryan! Thanks so much for inviting me back into the LFG world!
RC: What do action figures mean to you?
CCA: Action figures have been a part of my life since I first discovered Snow Job’s tiny skis. I grew up playing with them with my older brother and didn’t really ever stop. These days, I have a much more complicated relationship with action figures. They fill every corner of our house and my office – literally. They are a hobby, a collection, inspiration, a paycheck, and a zillion tiny things that have to be dusted and re-posed on a regular basis.
RC: How familiar were you with Looking For Group and Richard before taking on this project?
CCA: Honestly, I only had a passing knowledge of LFG before I was contacted about this project. I had to do some quick studying before starting the control art so that I knew I was getting the right feel for Richard’s personality and Lar’s style. I have since invested in the hardcover volumes so that I can catch up completely. I seriously can’t believe I hadn’t been reading it all this time! I think while working on this project, the rest of the Boss Fight team got tired of me running into their offices to tell them about Richard’s shenanigans.
RC: You did the control drawings for Richard. What is a control drawing and do you really think anyone can control Richard?
CCA: A control drawing is basically a turn-around (front, side, and back) of the character and/or accessories exactly as we would like it to look in three dimensions. This is reference for the sculptor and/or engineer to use to create the prototype. It shows all of the working parts and details that need to be included on the action figure when it is completed. As far as Richard is concerned, I’ll admit that I haven’t yet read the entirety of Looking For Group, I’m getting close, but if anyone can control Richard, I’ve yet to come across him or her. If there comes a time when someone CAN control Richard – that’s an action figure I’d like to design!
RC: Your control drawing really captures Lar deSouza’s art. What were some of the challenges turning something from the two-dimensional world of LFG into a three-dimensional action figure? If you could control time, how would you make Richard four-dimensional?
CCA: One of the most difficult things, when it comes to translating comic art, specifically into a 3-D action figure is trying to make a character look like itself from all angles. Generally, the reference you’re working from isn’t the character standing in the main three views needed with the entire figure in clear sight. Another challenge is trying to maintain all of the energy and personality that a character like Richard posesses in a static and solid figure.
RC: What was your favourite part about this project? It’s OK if you can’t narrow it down to one favourite thing…
CCA: This may have been my favorite outside project (not Boss Fight) that I’ve worked on in a really long time. From being introduced to the web comic to the incredible amount of freedom that I had when it came to accessory design and engineering. There wasn’t a part of it that wasn’t fun from beginning to end. It was also great to see how excited the Blind Ferret team was about it. It always makes the job more enjoyable when everyone is legitimately into what they are doing.
RC: On Facebook you told people to “Make [the Richard figure] a thing because I would love to work on more LFG figures!!” If we gave you the keys to the LFG kingdom, what characters would you most like to translate into action figures?
CCA: First, giving me the keys to any kingdom without limits is a terrible idea. Aside from the obvious choices of the main characters, Dnah is a must, with several interchangeable hand heads, because who doesn’t need a figure with a hand for a head? Richard’s sister with the creepy doll, Assaracus, packs of Chachas to army build, an extensive series of Tiny Dick PVCs in as many situations as possible. I would also want to make the most bizarre and obscure characters – the ones that pop in for a single panel joke, then you never see them again, like the Dolphin of Disguise. Also, it would be absolutely necessary to make a large, ride-able Bunny. I’m sure there could be some sort of Schleic-style line of all of the animal hybrids, like whalephants, duckbeavers, and owltupuses… owltupi? owltupodi?
RC: Only about a third of the accessories you designed fit on the production mould. We haven’t revealed any of the unused accessory designs. If we were to reveal one accessory that you designed but that didn’t make it into production, which would you want to show? It’s not OK if you can’t narrow it down to one favourite thing…
CCA: I’ve already seen a few people asking why there wasn’t a Bunny accessory, so I think they’d be pretty pleased to know that there was indeed a Bunny with saddle – the tiny version.
RC: What do you have to say to people still on the fence about backing the Richard action figure Kickstarter?*
CCA: You are running out of time! There are only hours left! Why are you still reading this interview, there is backing to be done! Don’t be the only kid on your block without bear arms and a bucket of blood!
RC: Where can people find out more about Boss Fight Studio?
CCA: You can check us out on our website, bossfightstudio.com, twitter, and Instagram, or if you want to be really involved in our day-to-day news, updates, and incoherent rambling after our margarita lunches, we are REALLY active on Facebook.
*Our conversation took place prior to the campaign ending!