The Joy Riders project from Chris Lee x Matt Kaufenberg’s LK Toys officially begins its first interplanetary expedition with the Nebula One Deluxe Set. Inspired by and infused with a vintage toy vibe, Joy Riders is the story of Cadet Brett Bradfield, a risk-taking mechanic with a knack for trouble, and Professor Xero Xanthum, a noted scientist and security expert. Stationed at at a remote research station on the planet of Delphynia, the two carry out their scientific search in their trusty Nebula One planetary rover.
The pair of intrepid explorers feature fun sculpts combining a common body with expressive head sculpts, especially Xero with his speckled red complexion and twin eye-stalks. What’s a fun toy set without accessories? Fear not, Bradfield comes with a fancy Relay Transmitter for all the team’s comms needs while Xanthan has a translucent green Security Baton to fend off less-than-friendly sorts. Each figure features articulated heads, wrists and arms as well as magnetic boots.
The Nebula One features a sturdy, boxy, vintage design with six rolling wheels supported by three metal axles. Each of the two crew compartments features magnetic connectors to secure each rider firmly within the vehicle.
One of the hallmarks of LK Toys’ design approach is to focus not only on sharp visuals but also to ensure the toys are fun. Rather than lock buyers into a particular set of graphics, the Nebula One Deluxe set comes with two sticker sheets with plenty of possibilities for the rover itself, the screens on each of the riders and more. The customizability goes a long way in increasing the playability of the set.
While packaging is often a last-minute ‘to do’, that is certainly not the case here. The debut Joy Riders set features an elaborate vintage-style window box packed with character descriptions, feature explanations and plenty more to enjoy. With production guidance from Bigshot Toyworks, LK Toys has realized their goal of a well-designed, fun, vintage-style space toy set.
The Nebula One Deluxe Set, including the rover and both riders, will be available on Friday (6.11) at 10 AM PDT from Chris Lee’s The Beast Is Back shop for $95. The first 150 orders will include a limited edition Mission Pack with additional stickers including two designs from Carlo Bernaek, pins, an embroidered patch and screen-printed wood block made by the block toy experts at Uncle Goose.
