The Birth of Steven

No this pic isn’t upside down

And my start as an official art toy designer.

Let’s call this 2003, and please if I have this wrong, or if you have any questions or other input, please feel free to comment.

I am writing Micronaut/Microman nerd articles for Super 7 magazine. And they show me this awesome artist series of Gashapon eggs they are doing, and have also done a few toys. I tell Brian Flynn that I REALLY want to make a toy. He raps with Mark Nagata, and they say draw us some different characters. We will help you get it made, or maybe even more. I draw up maybe 15 characters from Forest island. a Few existing, and a bunch of new ones. They talk about the designs, and say we really like the bat, and we will go ahead and just make him.

This is when Super 7 production is still all in china. It’s really at the birth of Super 7 as a toy maker.

I draw up some detailed Steven drawings, and together with Brian we come up with an awesome box design.

after a year of some decent progress things really stall. I guess the relationship with the broker break down a bit, and Steven is just sitting in china half done. But I know who the broker is, Kim, at Three Zero (at this time, Kim helped most US makers get their toys made). 

I basically write Kim a love letter, I used to sell his Hot Toys 12” military figures at the toy shop in Portland I worked at before going full time artist. Kim responds well to my love letter, and Steven is back on track. It took two full years to produce, and in 2005 or 2006 we have our first Stevens at SDCC. No box yet. I think a run of 50 glow which I would hand draw on for people there. Not too long after the first official colorways arrive, all boxed and pretty with their drumsticks. My first toy!