Review: Four Horsemen Power Lords Ggrapptikk Grunt Action Figure

Since this line more or less ended in 2014 (minus a couple of recolors), I wasn't sure if or when I'd get to the Ggrapptikk Grunt. Truth be told, I was kind of hoping the line would just die and I assume that it did. We see occasional updates from the Four Horsemen in forums or elsewhere saying that it isn't, but we haven't seen a new body type debut as a production toy since the first figures hit in 2013. This was a line with a lot of promise and fanfare, debuting near the end of the less ambitious Outer Space Men figures which, I still can't believe it, actually completed the original characters from 50 years ago. Plus the prototype second series. Plus a smattering of new characters. Power Lords updated 2 of the original figures, with numerous recolors and precolors of those molds basically grinding down any goodwill in the line's run. I'm not saying I wouldn't buy a Sydot if we ever got one, but I've got eight flavors of these 4-armed buggers and truth be told I'd have been happy with just one.
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Review: Four Horsemen Power Lords Ggrabbtargg Action Figure

In the world of collectible toys, momentum and an engaged fanbase are valuable assets. Power Lords debuted to much fanfare and tremendous goodwill, and then had neither. Ggrabbtargg was a good example of how the Horsemen put together a good idea on a good license, but through the magic of time and waiting people may have just moved on. The item sold quickly thanks to its low production run, but the low going rate on eBay says it all - people don't have a lot of hope for this line which, after nearly two years, has yielded exactly two figures (with some repaints and remolded parts). Expectations were high, as the Horsemen delivered a pretty rapid clip of Outer Space Men to the tune of four per year for the first two years. Even a high-quality trickle of repaints is still a trickle of repaints, while the loyalists wait to see what (if anything) happens with this once and possibly future Glyos-compatible line some of us just kind of shrugged and went back to our consistent favorites.
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Review: Four Horsemen Power Lords Slate Zone Power Soldier Action Figure

Cast in grey plastic, the Slate Zone Power Soldier is - as are his siblings - a wonderfully engineered figure. The Glyos system was adapted to a so-called "Glybrid" joint system in which we got the functionality of Glyos and Hasbro's ball joints in a 3 3/4-inch humanoid figure. So no matter what, this is a good figure with a great range of motion. When placed in context of its line, it becomes a bit of a bore being one of only two body types during the line's first year and a half, give or take. Endless repaints are a bitter pill to swallow, with other Glyos-compatible lines usually cranking out an all-new figure ever year or so with more customization options. It seems almost unfair to judge this figure for things outside its control, because the plastic person presently performs pretty admirably.
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New Power Lords February 20, Fan Club Updates, Kickstarter

Now here's some news! The Four Horsemen posted this to PowerLordsReturn.com:

1. The long-awaited green Power Soldier and Lord Power are due for Fan Club members on February 20 for $10 each. Non-members get a shot on February 22.

2. The existing Fan Club membership is being held over - so if you're a member, it counts for this new drop.

3. Future figures will be financed by Kickstarter.  No dates are known as of yet, but with the Mythic Legions (now non-Glyos) coming up first it might be a while.

2 New Power Lords Coming - Hope You Love Green!

While we have no pre-order dates or prices, there's a post and two store product info pages promoting a pair of new figures.

Dark Nebula Power Soldier (left) has a black Adam Power head, while the Neutron Blast Lord Power (right) has an Elite Power Soldier head.

Unknown Power Lords Pre-Order Starting Soon

You probably read this report on Source Horsemen, but if not here it is again:

"We’re gearing up for another Power Lords release on Store Horsemen right as we ring in the new year, and the pre-order for those will be going up within the next week or two. Details coming soon here on Source Horsemen."

With no specific indication as to the when, the what, or the how much, we suggest you speculate wildly in anticipation of this whatever it is.

Review: Four Horsemen Power Lords Adam Power Action Figure

I think I mentioned before when Power Lords was first told to me as under consideration for a revival, I wasn't quite sure I remembered what it was. Adam Power and his friends were not in my childhood toybox, and I checked with some old friends who had some - but had no idea who or what they were. I was a huge fan of the Outer Space Men as a concept - and the revival - plus Glyos and the Four Horsemen usually bring great things. And this is a pretty great thing - but the level of momentum and the value of the club memebership left me wanting. These are all very good figures, and I think that fans collecting them in the future (that is, picking them up on eBay or in trades) are in for a big treat. But for those of us in the present? The level of non-communication, the lack of any idea when the third new sculpted body for this line will happen, and the relatively weak roll-out over the last year makes me think that I need to rescind my all-in attitude and cut back to just the full-painted updates of vintage guys.
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Power Lords Fan Club Newsletter #1 Sent Today

If you signed up for the Trigore Level, Power Ship Level, or Volcan Rock level of the Power Lords Fan Club you should have received Power Lords Fan Club Newsletter #1 in your inbox today!  If you don't see it, check your bulk item folders for the subject line "Power Lords Fan Club Newsletter #1."

The newsletter includes edition sizes for the complete line so far, backstories for some existing elements of the characters and planets, plus updates on how many blue Ggrapptikks remain.

At Store Horsemen: New Power Lords Power Corps On Sale Now

On sale now! Slate Zone Elite (brown) and Slate Zone Soldier (grey) figures are up for ordering at Store Horsemen for Power Lords club members only.  Get yours while you can - they go on sale to the general public on December 4.

NYCC Power Lords and Outer Space Men Exclusives: Online Sale Thursday

PSA: The Outer Space Men NYCC White Star edition are up for grabs on Wednesday while the Power Lords Ggrapptikk Grunts will go on sale this Thursday, October 17, at 3:00 PM Eastern.  The Outer Space Men are open to the public, while the Ggrapptikk Grunts are going to Fan Club members only - how this will be done, I'm not sure yet.  Also, it means you may not be able to order both at the same time, allowing Store Horsemen to double their workload and restrict saving you on shipping should you wish to buy both sets.

The Power Lords figures are $13 each, $25 for the pair, and/or 25% off for Club Members.

The Outer Space Men are $70 for the lot ($35 per 3-pack), or $11/16 each.

Four Horsemen: NYCC Outer Space Men, Power Lords Exclusives

This year, the Four Horsemen have (at least) a few sets of exclusives.  Two White Star Outer Space Men sets have been revealed as this year's "Beta Phase," and you can read about those at the Outer Space Men News Blog.  6 all-white figures with blue highlights for about $70, or buy them individually.

Also for sale, and confirmed at Source Horsemen, will be an unknown Power Lords item, also for sale at the Onell Design booth #102.  I don't know what it is - I would assume it's a recolor of Ggripptogg, but this is based on nothing.  It could be more Power Soldiers, which would be nice as those are great figures.  More as we have it!

Review: Four Horsemen Power Lords Power-Con Exclusive Power Soldier Action Figure

The Power Lords was one of those old sci-fi lines with a fascinating backstory and few loyal fans - it was born out of a catch-all sci-fi line based on the works of Wayne Barlowe back in the 1980s, but mutated into a line of more or less totally original designs between Barlowe and Revell, the manufacturer. This line has been in varying stages of development for years, and the Power Soldier was a surprise debut piece - rather than a clear figure like in Outer Space Men, the Four Horsemen took this license and instead opted to generate new, original "troopers" based on the original character Adam Power. There will be more - at least a blue and a red Power Soldier have been revealed in addition to the black Power Soldier and the white Elite Power Soldier.
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Power Lords + Glyos = Compatibility

My Power-Con exclusive Power Lords Power Soldier and Elite Power Soldier showed up in the FedEx today just after lunch, meaning I finally got to find out just why nobody was posting pictures of Onell Design or Outer Space Men figure parts swapped in with these new sci-fi marvels.

The good news is that the Power Lords from the Four Horsemen use the Glyos system, but with a twist.  Many of the parts - like the shoulders and head - use the traditional full-size Glyos plug.  The elbows, wrists, and ankles use a smaller Glyos plug as seen in The Outer Space Men hands and feet for Alpha 7 and Gemini.  Due to some peg gender-bending, you can't put the OSM hands on the Power Lords wrists - plugs plus plugs and holes plus holes won't work here.  The same is true of the feet - you may only swap those between Power Soldiers.

The figures are 3 3/4-inch scale, more or less, putting them right at home with your Outer Space Men and Star Wars action figures.  On a shelf, these are probably more likely to go with non-Glyos figures due to the realism of sculpts and the fact that while some of the parts swap nicely, others don't.

 Getting the existing Glyos parts into a Power Soldier torso is tricky - the hole is recessed deeply in the shoulders, and the Power Soldier ball shoulders look positively wonky on an Outer Space Men torso.   The legs can sort of be swapped onto the Onell hips, but they don't really work on the OSM.   Heads from other figures don't fit easily in the Power Lords socket other than the Banimon offerings, but you can get some long, narrow pieces to fit in there as you see an arm and a ray gun in the above pictures.

I've only had these for a short while, and a longer review with impressions will be posted to 16bit.com on Wednesday.   In the meantime, enjoy the pictures and let me know what you're coming up with!

First-Ever Glyos Power Lords Figures On Sale Saturday

Store Horsemen and Power-Con have two exclusive Power Lords figures this weekend!  At $10 each, each Power Soldier is something of a bargain.  There was no confirmation as to online availability yet but there's a black figure with red markings - Power Soldier - and a white figure with black markings - Elite Power Soldier.

If anyone is going and buys extras, do let me know as I'd love to buy a set myself.

Click here for more details.

New Glyos Drop Coming - September!

A post this week teased the next Glyos drop - in September!  New Ivory Glyans are shown next to a red, unpainted Power Lords Power Soldier test shot.  (I rather like it in these colors.)

Check out the post Crossworlds at Onell Design for more.  It's worth seeing one of the first shots of a Four Horsemen Power Lords figure with some Glyos pieces plugged in!

Glyos at Toypocalypse 3: ExtraTOYrrestrial New York Toy Fair 2013

Visit 16bit.com's Outer Space Men Toy Fair Coverage right now!  Why?  The Outer Space Women are being shown!  Ohpromatem (left), Horrorscope, and Astrodite made their debuts, featuring pieces from earlier figures and the upcoming Terra Firma, who you'll recall was at this event last year.

Click here for the gallery.

An entirely different kind of Wayne's World!  Mr. Wayne Barlowe was on hand at Toypocalypse 3 in Toy Tokyo's basement a few hours ago, and I took a monster gallery of the 5 new action figures.  Click here to see them at 16bit.com's ongoing Toy Fair 2013 coverage.

Press Release: The Power Lords Return!

So here's what we know.
- Four Horsemen
- Glyos
- 3 3/4-inch

So it'll be like the Outer Space Men, sort of.  Our good pal Doctor Kent sent along a press release, which shall be presented forthwith!

For immediate release:

"The Mayan year 13.0.0.0.0 has begun. As foretold in 669 AD by the famous prophesy carved into Monument 6 in the Mayan site of Tortuguero, this date signals the return of the "Bolon Yokte Ku" -- The Nine Lords of Power. It is therefore, with great reverence, that the Four Horsemen of the Toypocalypse hereby proclaim the return of the Nine Power Lords and reveal the identity of a Tenth who dwells among us and has  the power to save us all."


Four Horsemen Toy Design Studios are proud to announce the return of Power Lords: The Extra-Terrestrial Warriors action figure line.

It's been 30 years since world-renowned sci-fi artist Wayne Douglas Barlowe originally designed the ground-breaking Power Lords toy line released by Revell. Four Horsemen Toy Design have just acquired the Power Lords license and signed Wayne Barlowe as a creative consultant to help bring the Power Lords back in action figure form.

Getting to work with Barlowe on the much-anticipated return of Power Lords has been the culmination of a life-long dream for Four Horsemen co-founder Eric Treadaway. Four Horsemen Studios are currently hard at work creating the new Power Lords prototypes that will be revealed during the Power Lords-themed Toypocalypse 3 Art Exhibit occurring in New York at TT Underground in February during New York Toy Fair 2013.

To get updates about upcoming figures and events as well as a complete history and our ever-growing archival galleries for Power Lords please keep checking powerlordsreturn.com.