A Perfect Circle, Alice in Chains, Tori Amos, Bjork, Black Sabbath, Coheed & Cambria, The Cure, Dio, Disturbed, The Doors, Elf, Family Force 5, Flyleaf, Garbage, Goo Goo Dolls, Gorillaz, H.I.M., Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Lacuna Coil, Lamb, Le Tigre, Love Among Freaks, The Mars Volta, Maynard James Keenan, Mindless Self Indulgence, Morningwood, Muddy Waters, My Chemical Romance, N.E.R.D., Portishead, Rage Against the Machine, Rainbow, Rasputina, Shabutie, Snake River Conspiracy, Sublime, System of a Down, Tenacious D, Tool, Veruca Salt, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Frank Zappa
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The origins of Four Horsemen Toy Design Studios can be traced back to the four partner's days of working together in the trenches of McFarlane Toys. Eric Treadaway, Jim Preziosi, H. Eric 'Cornboy' Mayse, and Chris Dahlberg discovered early on that their various abilities worked well together, and they tried to make sure that each new project that came their way became a collaborative effort between them. They went on to create such McFarlane classics as Cy-Gor, Cy-Gor 2, The Crow, Mandarin Spawn, Chucky, Manga Spawn, Leatherface, Manga Freak, The Flukeman, The Monsters Playsets, and three different lines of Kiss action figures just to name a few.
After working together at McFarlane Toys for a few years, they realized that the toys that they were having to design and create were moving in a somewhat different direction than they had anticipated. While they understood that there was definitely a market for more posed, statuesque figures, the four wanted to continue to create toys that displayed the detail and dynamic sculpting that they had become known for, while still containing a certain level of 'playability'. They saw no reason why the action features and articulation of a figure had to be sacrificed in order for it to still remain a cool collectable item. It was during this time that one of them jokingly said that they'd 'eventually ride off like four horsemen into the sunset' to start their own toy design company.
Even though they were joking around at the time, the joke soon became reality when an opportunity arose in the form of a friend with major connections within the toy industry. Through various discussions, the four learned that the largest toy company in the world, Mattel, had been considering the possibility of bringing in an outside design group to help in the re-design and re-vamping of some of their core and new brands. The quartet eventually set up a meeting with Mattel and boarded a jet for L.A. Upon arrival at the Mattel design offices, the four were a little surprised at the loose, easygoing nature of the group that they met with at Mattel. While they'd expected to meet with a bunch of stuffy 'suit and tie' types, that couldn't have been further from the truth. While the Mattel guys were definitely professional and knowledgeable about their craft, they were much more 'down-to-earth' and approachable than the four had anticipated.
Throughout the discussion, Mattel and the quartet seemed to be on the same page with everything that was discussed - even when the idea of re-launching He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was thrown out. Everything just seemed to fall into place. The very day after leaving McFarlane Toys, the newly dubbed 'Four Horsemen Toy Design' had signed an exclusive agreement with Mattel and began work on the He-Man and Skeletor action figure prototypes.
Since then, the Four Horsemen Toy Design Studio has not only helped in Mattel's successful re-design and re-launch of their He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toy line, but they've also done various deluxe figures for Mattel's Harry Potter action figure line, a line of high-end cold-cast collectable Harry Potter statues, a villain for the Max Steel action figure line - the Bio-Constrictor, and a couple of Micro-Hot Wheels playsets that are currently in limbo as to whether they're actually going to be produced or not.
Most recently, Mattel has opened up the opportunity for the Four Horsemen to work hand-in-hand with DC Comics in creating figural representations of some of the most iconic comic book characters of all time. Namely characters within the Superman and Batman families!
Through a licensing deal with Mattel, the Four Horsemen have teamed with NECA to create a highly detailed line of Masters of the Universe busts and statues, including MotU 6” scaled Mini-Statues affectionately referred to as “Staction Figures” (Static Action Figures).
The Four Horsemen are also currently handling all of the work being done on NECA’s Nightmare Before Christmas action figures line.
Recently branching out into their own territories, the Four Horsemen have created their own properties such as MagmaC.O.R.P.S. and the 7th Kingdom, and have started up the innovative, fan-inclusive project – FANtastic Exclusive! Currently, these and many of their other personal properties are in development to become bigger and better!
My Bishop chokin' Fitzroy's toys prototype is gonna be done very soon for yall and the sculpting spirit of SFSU!!!!!!! I met a Product Designer that's part of my club and works in the snack shop (he's tall and Asian with lots of hair and glasses and says Physics 101 is easy - right and we real on it in our own personal showers like wacked Einstien chalkboard went wild at home too to keep in the og zone (I'm 30 now) student turned Chemistry teacherness, Lol!!!!!!!!!!!)
Toys for life!!!!! Screw comics!!!!!!! Children's books!!!!!!!
Myself and other Scottish fans are carzy about y'all's work! A little psych you guys might go for - if you have the time - is to make up some figures for a little known 1980s Scottish movie called 'Comfort and Joy', a comedy set in Glasgow about a DJ who helps out in an ice cream makers' feud. The 'WTF?' reactions to this random plan, from your American fans, would be worthy of April Fools' Day. Just an idea. Keep up the good work!
Dam. Got bounced from Sculpture 2 and can't hang in Product Designs trip, but I did all the weldings and brazings with no injuries and are awarded special projects for Independent Sculpture Study as I got the Disabled pass like way back in Freshman Year (1993) of High School. I'll do some toys for yall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just saw the announcement about the Ghostbusters figures...it's one of Mark's favorite movies! Congrats and hope you have a great Toy Fair! Chad, Ellen, Mark, and Donna
