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TLS Teams up with hobbyDB!
Posted by The Loyal Subjects · October 05, 2020
The Loyal Subjects, and hobbyDB team up! Offering customers access to the TLS archives in the form of a unique database/marketplace that allows collectors and fans the ability to archive items, show off collections, buy, sell, and trade in a trusted space.
Visit https://www.hobbydb.com/marketplaces/theloyalsubjects/catalog_items - once arrived, a header with several options will direct the fan and collector to their needs: Database, Marketplace, Help, Sell - click a menu item from the top bar, and immerse into 10 years of TLS heaven.
The Loyal Subjects was conceived in West Hollywood, in a living room of a run down 1929 Hollywood Bungalow (the kind the Doors canonized in the song LA Woman), in one of the original Chaplin developments just west of La Brea Blvd. The first product was a creative collaboration with Upper Playground, the famed San Francisco street wear Co who was celebrating their 10th Year in business, and to celebrate they tapped TLS to license, manufacture and collaborate with a stable of artists associated with the UP Brand. The intent, to create unique products with emblematic calls to UP's famed Walrus Icon, as an acknowledgment to the Brand's 10 years existence. The first TLS collectible was called the "Walrus Rider", designed by Bay Area artist Alex Pardee. TLS was born (with the first of many releases), and our fist order of business was to meet the good folks at Upper Playground at their HQ in the Upper Height neighborhood of San Francisco, and have a release party and signing with Alex Pardee. So we did. Rapper Aesop Rock showed, and bought a Walrus Rider. The first of many, what a journey it's been since.
Eventually the Brand moved from the tiny living room in West Hollywood to an office space on Melrose, once occupied by Agenda, the street wear and action sports tradeshow organization. From there, TLS added to what would become a fairly expansive product list; Manufacturing quality collectibles based on 2D designs from artists Sam Flores, Gary Baseman, Buff Monster, Joe Ledbetter, Friends With You – each release met with love and acceptance, the Brand, still in it's infancy, was starting to get noticed.
Eventually, the Brand outgrew the space on Melrose, and moved to Atwater Village, occupying an office, whose former occupants, the Beastie Boys' operated Grand Royal Records, and recorded every album from Paul's Boutique on in recording studios adjacent to the office. The Producer/DJ Diplo (Major Lazer) had taken over the studio portion, TLS had occupied Mike D's old office space, and Han Cholo was on the bottom floor, adjacent to the TLS warehouse, a 400 sq ft room, no windows but it suited us fine for shipping orders, and storing inventory. From this space Action Vinyls was born, our proprietary form; a unique mixture of aesthetic and function. Our first licensed products were G.I. Joe. Then came Transformers. Then came updates to the form; elongating limbs, adding multiple articulations, and work shopping the form into a better collectible. The Product list continued to grow with multiple series featuring Transformers, and additions to the Action Vinyls cannon with the inclusion of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.
At a certain point we outgrew Atwater, and we moved our offices to Downtown Los Angeles. A true LA story, along the way we seem to have occupied spaces inhabited by some fairly significant businesses, and famous talent. Hopefully, some of that magic mojo would rub off on TLS. This time we took over what was Justin Beiber's recording studio, and dance rehearsal space. We knocked out the control booth, took down the noise filters hanging from the ceiling, knocked out a wall, and set up shop. This is the space we're in now, however, we've expanded the space by knocking out another adjoining wall and taking over the space that was next door. Since we've been here the Company has grown exponentially, selling millions of products, with shelf space at the world's largest retailers. TLS has released over 40 lines, with up to 4 variations in each Wave, has followed up with multiple waves, and has released hundreds of SDCC exclusives…all totaling up to nearly 2,000 unique skus. It's been quite a trip from the Walrus Rider to NOW. 10 years later, we're in a full stride, pounding the TLS message one Action Vinyl at a time.
When contacted by hobbyDB with the quest to build an archive, compiling every product TLS has released in the last 10 years, I literally froze, "It'll take me a full year to accurately build and compile this list", especially with the current workload on our plate. Fear not, the TLS faithful have dutifully been archiving the history of TLS, perhaps more acutely, and responsively than the mother ship. We have archives for everything TLS related but putting time aside to go one by one was indeed a daunting proposition. It became clear that the TLS Army had already chronicled the TLS product lineage, in detail. We decided to move forward with hobbyDB. A bunch of Brands are jumping on the hobbyDB train, which is a great thing, a great opportunity for fans, onlookers, casual buyers, and completionists to search and satisfy their curiosity, and quests.
We're at a new point along the timeline. Let's see what the next 10 years brings, and how many more skus end up in the archives! With 51 licenses, and large character offerings ranging from music, anime, super hero, nostalgia, video game, and horror…skies the limit!
Don't forget to visit www.theloyalsubjects.com for exclusive product offerings, and www.theloyalsubjects.com/blog for news and updates relating to all things TLS!
PS. Last Easter egg; the house, which spawned TLS, was also the bass player's house for a band Brian Bell, guitar player of Weezer, had a side band with. The bass player was his former ex girlfriend, and at the time my roommate. Brian frequently showed up, often times storing his gear in the hallway. Hollywood is a trip.