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Podcast Episode

Ep. 290 Toys on Tap w/ Whiskeyjack Toys: The Brutal Reality of Making Action Figures

Toys on Tap··1 September 2026·54 min

About this episode

WhiskeyJack Toys founder joins Toys on Tap to talk about the brutal, expensive, and incredibly rewarding reality of making 3.75-inch action figures.Darren wanted to make toys since discovering G.I. Joe as a kid, but getting there included lost molds, failed production runs, a $100,000 factory disaster, and one very expensive education.We talk about:• Falling in love with G.I. Joe • Buying his first toy company • Losing $100K in overseas production • Starting over with Whiskey Jack Toys • Building Hidden Force • Why action figure tooling gets so expensive • Relaunching a failed Kickstarter • Reusing parts without making figures feel repetitive • Factory delays, QC, and production nightmares • Designing toys kids can actually play with • Impact, Chaos, and what comes nextThis one is packed with toy-business lessons, painful mistakes, and proof that sometimes getting absolutely crushed is just part of figuring out how to do it right.On Instagram: @whiskeyjacktoysThanks to Our SupportersRate & Review the Show! Leave a rating and review wherever you listen it's the best way to help Toys on Tap grow!Subscribe and Follow AlongInstagram:@toysontapLinkedin: Abraham MustoFacebook:@toysontapYoutube:@Toysontap