INTERVIEW WITH HYPERCHILD

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > Hey Casey, can you give 1-5 sentence biography about you or your company?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] > I'm the head of HyperChild, a thinktank development company that creates and develops new entertainment properties from toys to animation to character goods.

Hyperchild was founded and is based in Hong Kong, and are made up of a collective of writers, artists and designers. We are launching two new properties this year with The Deviants and Garbage Robots. Both which you purchase at Action-HQ.com. That one's for you John Wong.

As for me, my experience is in licensing, design, Internet development and the comic book industries.

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > You created The Deviants. How did you come up with the idea for them?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] >The Deviants were created based on my love for games like Metal Gear Solid, cartoons like G.I. Joe and some of the over-the-top action stories from comics books.

First and foremost they were designed to be my answer to the current trend in Hong Kong Vinyl figures. It is more character-based with an intricate story line along based on insects and a pseudo military theme. I call this "Action-Vinyl" line the ultimate no-holds-barred "Assault-and-Negation Tactical Squad".

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > What do you feel is special about your figures?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] > One of their guns is called a "Vomitom". When you get shot, you don't die; you just throw-up constantly for 30-minutes. If you ask me if bugs really vomit, then I will have to use this gun on you, haaa.

They are a kick-ass team of commando bugs with guns! 'Nuffsaid!

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > Having spoken with you before about this, I would like to go on tangent and talk about the designer toy market in general. What types of products do you see coming out in the future or what do you want to see? Are you finding everyone is doing the same old thing?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] > I see the market moving away from "Urban" characters and going into more wild design and becoming very designer centric - in Hong Kong at least. I also hope to see more character toys like The Deviants and Garbage Robots, that have a storyline built in that can be expanded on.

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > Do you think the designer toy market is saturated?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] > Not yet! I think designer toys need more new faces. I believe that Sony in Japan has signed on some interesting designers like Peter Fowler and even Peter Bagge to design figures. As long as they are unique looking enough and have some storyline behind them, there is room for more designers to get involved. I see the next group of designers coming from Europe and the U.S. to really mix up the design style.

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > What are your thoughts about the audience for these collectibles and target price?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] > I think Hong Kong is definitely a market by itself. No where else in Asia except Japan can you really get away with selling US$50 toys. I think the main thing to remember is that the target audience are collectors and art lovers. I think what people are making these days are works of art and that as long as people respond to them, it will become more and more accepted as an art form. And most importantly, that toys aren't just for little kids!!!

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > How can our readers break into the toy designer market?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] > It's tough if you don't live in Hong Kong or know a factory. It's the same process as becoming an actor or wanting to be a comic artist - if you don't have the funds to do it yourself - then approach one of the companies who makes stuff you like and see if they are interested.

John Wong [Action-HQ.com] > Thanks for your insights Casey. Final plug, what new items do you have coming up in the next few months?

Casey Lau [HyperChild] > Well we have the first 2 Deviants hitting in June - BodyCount and Slaughterhouse will be available soon with a very limited run and then for most of the Conventions this summer there will be a 250 piece only variants of those 2 characters. We will have allocated quantities available at the 3 main conventions we will be at - San Diego Comic-Con in July, WizardWorld Chicago in early August and ToyCon Plug-In Toys in late-August in Hong Kong.

After that we plan to release the next two Deviants ChopShop and HardTarget around Christmas with some other Deviants products in the middle and the final 3 Deviants will be available by Spring 2004.

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