We’re kicking off Review-A-Palooza with a review I’ve wanted to get to for awhile, the DRT Warp Bikes from Rawshark Studios. These figure and bike sets were released in late 2011 and defined a new “high end” for Glyos-based product. I ordered one and quickly discovered I had to have both.

The first thing that stands out about the DRT (Deluxe Real Type) Warp Bikes is the package.

Generally, Glyos items come bagged, but these special releases didn’t just get a cardboard carton, but a screen-printed box with original art on the front, some basic info printed on the back (similar to 80s packaging), and a sidepanel that creates a mural when the boxes are placed together. It’s a simple, but cool touch and helped the $50 price tag these Warp Bike sets carried that much more palatable.

Inside the box, you get a 3.75” DRT figure, the vinyl Warp Bike, an art card, and a “Blueprint” that highlights the basic features of the “real” version of the vehicle (catching on to that 80s toy packaging homage yet?).

With these coming out during the holidays, I was hesitant to spend $100 on both and originally opted to just grab the Callgrim set. Callgrim is the patriarch figure over at Callgrim.Com (stands to reason, right?) and, since I got into Glyos late, I saw this release as an opportunity to pick him in his basic colors, the black suit & gear and the white head.

I’ve reviewed Callgrim before, so I’ll leave the nitty-gritty about the parts breakdown and articulation to that review. If you’ve never purchased a Callgrim, the quick write-up is that he stands about 3.75” inches tall and is comprised of 27 parts, that includes his handy Warp Gear backpack which features a couple extra heads and some pieces that can quickly configure into rifles, pistols, or whatever your imagination can come up with.

What really sets this particular Callgrim apart is the DRT paint job. Over the years, Glyos has featured special drops called Custom Corps, hand-painted special editions of Glyos characters. There have been some amazing pieces spiraling out of Custom Corps (check out the Grimwave at Battlegrip and the Delphi at PlasticGraveyard). The DRT releases are essentially taking the high level of detail found in the Custom Corps and replicating it for mass production. For Callgrim, that meant a decent amount of weathering on the painted areas and a hand-tied scarf which helps with that “rugged, I just chased a guy across three worlds” look.

Once, I’d inspected my Callgrim, I turned my attention to his ride, the Grim Reaper. It’s a vinyl piece that breaks down into three pieces (the fork, the frame, and the swingarm). For the Reaper, the fork of the bike features a Callgrim-inspired deco while the majority of the bike is cast in black with the same silver weathering as the figure. It gives the bike a great worn look as the silver highlights blend in to look like exposed metal. All three pieces are compatible with previously released Glyos items like the Armodoc & the Rig. I took some shots mixing in Rig parts, but my Armodoc is no longer in the parts rotation after being filled with air pellets. I’m going to need some new Armodocs the next time they’re released.

Within a few hours of receiving the Grim Reaper, I felt like I had little choice but to complete the set and placed an order for Riac and his bike, the Growler. While I appreciated the Callgrim set, the weathering and special paint apps seemed like they did even more for Riac (who was originally only available as a limited Custom Corps figure).

As I expected, the DRT paint work on Riac is even more exceptional than Callgrim. Riac sports one less piece than the Callgrim figure (Callgrim includes a Riac-like head in black, but Riac doesn’t have the Callgrim noggin’), but I really came to like the pale yellow and seafoam green color scheme let alone the weathering on top of them. The intricate pate work on the faceplate is also another highlight for the figure. I know that Callgrim included the exact same piece in his extras kit, but I want Callgrim to stay Callgrim, y’know? I think the dark mask works better on Riac anyway because I like the colors. In fact, even though I’m slobbering over the DRT work here, I’m kinda hopeful for a “young Riac” from when he was still with the Order, in the yellow/green colors, but clean.

Riac’s color scheme extends to the Growler which features the same pieces as the Reaper, but configured a little differently. The frame of the bike is flipped over 180 degrees and the two bookend pieces are turned upside down to give the bike a unique look. I prefer the Reaper configuration, so the Growler has been rebuilt to match, but I’ve fiddled around with it here and there, so it doesn’t stay any one way for too long.

While, I initially was going to stick with just one Warp Bike due to the price, I’m very glad I didn’t. The amazing paintwork despite the small run and the tender love & care the Rawshark folks put into the package and supplemental materials has left my price concerns a distant memory. And really, the toys make a great pair. Not only did I get the boxes and art cards matching up to make the murals, but just having them interact with one another is great. They’ve been on my desk for weeks replicating one great movie chase scene after another.

I know these were 2011 product, but they have me really excited for what 2012 holds for Glyos and its ever-growing reach. With Onell making a bigger push into vinyl, Rawshark pushing the envelope of what can be done with more complex paint apps, the introduction of Spy Monkey Creations into the mix, and the Outer Space Men trucking along, I can only imagine how much of my budget the 7th Market is going to swipe from my mainstream toy purchases. Mattel was well advised to lock me into subscriptions because the future of toys is calling and it’s giving me a lot more bang for my buck. Continue to the Page 2 Gallery…