NEW KICKSTARTER IS LIVE!
8 months ago
– Thu, Jul 03, 2025 at 08:25:19 AM
Just a quick update — I’m still working through mispacks and broken item replacements. Progress has been a bit slower than usual due to the restaurant, 4th of July holiday, and prepping for the new Kickstarter, but I am getting through everything, one order at a time. Thanks for your patience!
The new Kickstarter went live this week. There are some crossover miniatures from this project, but also a lot of new pieces that will be unlocked once we start knocking out some stretch goals!
This project will only be in plastic, but here is the link if you are interested in backing it.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/497254986/kobold-press-bestiary-miniatures-iv?ref=3rn4qw
Canadian Shipping and UPS. :-(
8 months ago
– Wed, Jun 25, 2025 at 06:03:13 PM
Hey everyone,
I wanted to take a moment to address an issue that has come up regarding shipments to Canada. I was previously unaware that UPS charges separate taxes and fees on foreign-shipped packages entering Canada. So far, only three Canadian backers have reported being affected by this, but I suspect more since the bulk of the Canadian shipping was done in the last two weeks of shipping.
Unfortunately, I can’t retroactively do anything about the fees already charged. However, one of the Canadian backers kindly suggested a possible workaround: trying to self-clear the package through the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). I don’t have the full details on how this works, but it may help you avoid some of the additional charges from UPS.
I sincerely apologize for not being informed about this aspect of UPS’s customs and duties process. I’ll absolutely take this into account for any future campaigns to try to minimize or better communicate these kinds of issues.
I am still working through the mis-packed order corrections there were a lot more than I had hoped there were, so please feel free to post your missing parts and or minis on this update even if you have posted them on the previous and I have not gotten to you yet!
Thank you again for your patience and understanding.
—John
Finally completed!!!
9 months ago
– Tue, Jun 17, 2025 at 03:46:33 PM
FINAL UPDATE – THANK YOU!
To all of you incredible backers,
This will be the final update for this campaign. I want to extend my deepest thanks to each and every one of you for your support, patience, and understanding throughout this project. Your encouragement has meant the world, and I truly couldn’t have done this without you.
The project is now officially complete!
Every pledge has been fulfilled except for a small number of backers who are still waiting on corrections due to shipping errors or missing items.
If you are still waiting on a correction or haven’t received a replacement, please comment on this update. I’ll be monitoring the comments and will respond to each one personally to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. You can also email me at [email protected]
What’s Next?
I’m excited to share that I’m once again under contract with Kobold Press, and my next Kickstarter campaign is launching July 1!
Stay tuned—it’s a fun one, a mix of some models from this campaign as well as a bunch of new creatures and critters to throw at your victims....I mean players.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/497254986/kobold-press-bestiary-miniatures-iv
In addition, I’m currently building a brand-new website. Once it’s up and running, models from this line will be available again for purchase. I’ll share more details as soon as it’s live.
Thanks again for riding this wave with me. Your support makes all of this possible, and I’m incredibly grateful.
Until next time,
John
5-5-25
10 months ago
– Mon, May 05, 2025 at 05:37:23 PM
First off—sorry for the delay in updates! I’ve been deep in the fulfillment trenches, doing everything I can to get orders out the door as fast as possible.
A FEW THINGS TO COVER FIRST:
1. Issues with your order?
If you received the wrong miniatures, are missing pieces, or got something damaged, I will take care of you. I'm aiming to handle all of that this week. That said, if you could comment again on this post with what you need, to help me cross-reference your info, it’ll make it a lot easier for me to track and fix everything faster. Thanks in advance!
2. A heads-up on two models:
This only affects a small number of people, but somewhere along the way, Ed and I decided that anything larger than a medium miniature would be plastic-only due to the cost. Unfortunately, two sculpts—the Eye Golem and the Fey Revenant—were mistakenly categorized as medium when they’re actually large. I didn’t catch that until I was well into casting and shipping metal orders.
If your order includes either of those in metal, you’ll be receiving them in plastic instead. To make up for it, I can either offer you a refund for the difference or swap in an extra medium-sized metal mini of your choice. Just message me and let me know how you'd like to handle it.
FULFILLMENT STATUS:
Last time I gave a percentage, I didn’t fully understand how BackerKit tracks things—it was showing 68%, but that only counted U.S. backers with all-plastic orders.
The reality is:
There are only 84 total orders left. That includes a few more US and international, mixed material, and all-metal packages.
Once I realized I had misread the progress, I paused all work on the next Kickstarter (TOB III and Wastes of Chaos Miniatures) to make sure I was not splitting my attention too much.
DAD:
I have to make a huge shoutout to my 79-year-old dad—he’s been my only real help for the past 5 months and he’s been a total rock-star. Thanks to his help this past week, I can now say that every plastic miniature for this project has been cast and is going through final QC, cleanup, and packaging. If there are mistakes on your order, it is his fault....LOL :-)
STILL LEFT TO DO:
- Remaining all-plastic packages for US, Canada, Australia, and the EU
- Orders with mixed plastic/metal
- A few full metal orders
We’re almost there.
LESSONS LEARNED:
Normally I’d save this kind of thing for a post-mortem, but it’s been on my mind.
Would I do anything differently?
Yes, a few things—though I’d love to hear your thoughts too.
The biggest question I’ve wrestled with is: Did “WE” over-promise?
Honestly, I don’t think “WE” did. The delays happened because this project was supposed to be handled by two people and a part-time third, one person quit and the other had to step away for medical reasons. “WE” bit off more than I could chew. That’s patially on me—and I will own the fact that the stress and sheer workload sometimes made it hard to focus on the project.
From a workflow standpoint, my biggest regret is not molding and casting everythingbefore starting to ship. That’s how I have handled things in the past. But this time, because I was so far behind, I felt like I hadto get stuff into people’s hands to show progress. In hindsight, that created more chaos—starting, stopping, shifting between jobs. When you’re mostly working alone, it really kills momentum.
I’d love to know if you think that was the right call or not. I don’t know that I’d do it differently given the situation, but it definitely made things harder.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
As always, I owe you all a huge thank-you. The patience and understanding you’ve shown have meant the world. No one’s gotten angry or unreasonable—even with the delays—and that’s made these last few years a whole lot more manageable for me.
The next update should be the one I’ve been waiting to write:
“Fulfillment Complete.”
I’m hoping to post that by the end of the month.
—John
**PS -For those of you interested in the other things I have had going on for the last three months, I give you......
GARY CON GAMING CONVENTION:
Every year, I have an ongoing commitment to Gary Con Gaming Convention—Luke Gygax, the son of the creator of Dungeons and Dragons, commissions me to sculpt and produce a diorama based on the convention’s yearly theme. In the past, I also have attended as a vendor, selling miniatures, and over the years I’ve created a few commemorative rings that I used to give away to friends and longtime supporters.
Last year, I started offering those rings for sale—and it was a big success.
Heading into Gary Con this year, my mood was not great. Lukes's brother Ernie, who was a good friend of mine passed away and to be completely honest—my mental state was not great and my finances were getting really tight. Getting this current project over the finish line has required a lot of out-of-pocket funding. Thankfully, the income from Gary Con is helping keep things on track. I could move forward with fulfillment without having to shut down operations or sell off more of my equipment after this project is done.
So with that said, here’s a photo of this year’s diorama!
And here's this year’s commemorative ring—plus a special second ring that I was commissioned to make exclusively for 40 players in the Founders and Legends tournament.
Update: Shipping Resumes Soon + Upcoming Kickstarter
about 1 year ago
– Sat, Jan 25, 2025 at 10:21:11 AM
Update: Shipping Resumes Soon + Upcoming Kickstarter
Hi everyone,
I’m happy to report that the "box fiasco" has been resolved, and I’m ready to get more of the larger orders out the door. For those who don’t know, here’s a quick recap: I initially spent $300 on boxes through Amazon, but they turned out to be too thin and could potentially crush the miniatures during shipping. I had to reorder from my usual supplier, who originally quoted me an outrageous $210 shipping fee. After some back and forth, we negotiated a much more reasonable rate, and the boxes finally arrived yesterday.
This weekend, I’ll be focusing on casting parts to replenish stock for items I’m low on. Shipping will resume on Monday.
If you have an address change, please send me a message through Kickstarter. I am personally cross-checking each order against messages to ensure everything is accurate, and the only reliable way I’ll catch your change is if you notify me through Kickstarter.
Lastly, I want to thank you for your ongoing support and interest in what I’m doing. I’m excited to announce that my next Kickstarter, Kobold Press Bestiary Miniatures IV, is almost ready to launch. I’m aiming to go live this week or early next week. Even if you’re not planning to back right away, I’d love for you to follow the project and check it out here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/497254986/kobold-press-bestiary-miniatures-iv
Some of the content will be familiar, but there are new things you haven’t seen yet! The Add-On section is still in development, as is the Stretch Goal section. If you have ideas or suggestions for Stretch Goals, I’d love to hear them. Please comment on this update and let me know what you’d like to see!
Thanks again for being part of this journey—I can’t wait to share what’s next with you all.
Cheers,
