With the launch of the Kickstarter campaign for The Art of the Toys That Made Us Deluxe Art Book Set from The Nacelle Company & Oni Press, we are delighted to be joined by The Nacelle Company’s Director of Marketing, Bryan Adams.
Hi Bryan, it’s so great to have you here with us.
Could you please tell us about the history of The Art of the Toys That Made Us?
The Toys That Made Us is a hit documentary series that dives deep into the high-stakes, often chaotic histories of the world’s most iconic toy franchises. The show was born from the personal passion of Brian Volk-Weiss, an avid toy collector, Director and CEO of The Nacelle Company. Back in 2011, the idea struck Volk-Weiss while he was in a bookstore. He realized that there’s tons of books on niche historical topics, but not many about the origins of cultural icons like Barbie, Transformers, Ninja Turtles or G.I. Joe. As the creators of these multi-billion-dollar empires were aging and their stories remained largely untold, Brian decided to take it upon himself to document them. Fun fact: The Toys That Made Us is the very first (or possibly second) unscripted Netflix original series ever green lit.
How did the idea for the books of The Art of the Toys That Made Us come about?
There was a ton of great imagery and stories left on the cutting room floor from the first three seasons. This book gives us the ability to showcase that material (and more) to help tell a more complete story of these franchises beyond what we show in the episodes that aired.
What can you tell us about Nacelleverse: Year Zero?
The NacelleVerse: Year Zero hardcover collection includes all of the Year Zero storylines, including Biker Mice from Mars, Sectaurs, C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, Power Lords and more. This Kickstarter exclusive edition is a deluxe hardcover with a special slipcase. The book itself is over 400 pages of gorgeous artwork and incredible writing.
Is there a particular aspect of these books that you are most proud of?
We’re proud and honored to have not only the trust of the fans, but also these two incredible brands, Hasbro and Mattel, who’ve entrusted us to document their rich history.
What can fans expect from the Kickstarter?
They can expect books that are being created with lots of passion, quality and excitement, as well as a lot of fun rewards and tiers to unlock along the way.
What can you tell us about The Art of the Toys That Made Us books?
The books are packed with artwork, stories, scoop, and behind-the-scenes details assembled from THE TOYS MADE US archives. It’s a two-volume set that clocks in at roughly 250 pages each. The Art of the Toys That Made Us books are masterfully designed, deeply researched art books that showcase designs, artwork, advertising, concept art, and more from The Toys That Made Us docuseries.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
Projects like this aren’t possible without the support of the fans, so we thank and appreciate each and every one of you for all the support with our docs, toys, comics and everything else we do here at Nacelle.
We would like to say a big thank you to Bryan for chatting with us and wish him the best of luck with The Art of the Toys That Made Us Kickstarter.
Feel free to check out The Art of the Toys That Made Us on Kickstarter.
