“9 to 5 what a way to make a livin!”
Everyone has heard that phrase before.
It immediately makes me think of many different jobs I’ve had. Hard physical jobs, tedious jobs, mentally exhausting jobs, and yes even fun jobs. One thing that tends to happen no matter what the job, our minds start to wonder from time to time.
Such is also true for our friend and creator of “9 to 5 Warriors” Brandon Braswell. Like most 80’s and 90’s kids Brandon was often left to his own devices to entertain himself. Sometimes that entertainment would happen at school, the singularly most creatively destructive time in a child’s life…. That may be a slight exaggeration but not so much to a 10-year-old!
Brandon would often find himself daydreaming and creating stories. These stories developed characters, intricate characters with back stories, side missions and most importantly PERSONALITIES! So, what is a young man to do, with so much creativity and so little time to play during the school day? Obviously to Brandon the only answer was to create actual real playable action figures! Brandon takes playing make believe to a whole new level!
Using only the materials Brandon had at his disposal he created his first character “Major Eraser.” The unwavering leader of the Water Cooler Commandos! The “Water Cooler Commandos” are warriors that were born from stationary items you would find in an office or even a classroom. The Nostalgic possibilities are endless and limitless! The origin of “Major Eraser” is exactly what you would imagine. Yes, he is a purple eraser, but oh so much more. This rugged commander is battle hardened. With a steadfast glare that comes from his good eye looking through a cloud of smoke from his trademark smoldering cigar. I don’t know about you, but I would feel very confident going into battle against their sworn enemies the “Breakroom Bandits!”
Get to know Brandon Braswell, the mind behind
9 to 5 Warriors!
Brandon recently talked with Nick Bartley of Hunting Nostalgia and Dave Conca from the Toy Store Guide.
WATCH BELOW
Using only the materials Brandon had at his disposal he created his first character “Major Eraser.” The unwavering leader of the Water Cooler Commandos! The “Water Cooler Commandos” are warriors that were born from stationary items you would find in an office or even a classroom. The Nostalgic possibilities are endless and limitless!
The origin of “Major Eraser” is exactly what you would imagine. Yes, he is a purple eraser, but oh so much more. This rugged commander is battle hardened. With a steadfast glare that comes from his good eye looking through a cloud of smoke from his trademark smoldering cigar. I don’t know about you, but I would feel very confident going into battle against their sworn enemies the “Breakroom Bandits!”
Always in close step behind “Major Eraser” is his personal Scottish (Swiss Army Knife of sorts) “Tech Sergeant Scotchy”. When something needs to be tethered, repaired, or solved the “Water Cooler Commandos” need look no further. Equipped with his Goggles, Kilt and Helmet there is no task too large for this crafty commando!
All good strong heroes must have an equally menacing adversary. The “9 to 5 Warriors” defiantly fit that bill with the ever intimidating, ever maniacal, “Breakroom Bandits!” This trouble making bunch is led by that “Sugary Sultan”, that “Candy Coated Coot”, YES that “Cavity Creator” himself “Colonel Custard!” “Colonel Custard” is the leader of those trash bound breakroom leftover terrors! A sugar rush is the least of your worries with this guy, he packs a powerful punch that he would love to see land on the war tattered face of his arch nemesis “Major Eraser.”
When the inevitable battle breaks out with the “9 to 5 Warriors” those evil “Breakroom Bandits” have a triple threat answer for all the tricks up “Tech Sergeant Scotchy” sleeve! That salty stackable answer is “Commodore Crisps”. This is my favorite figure of the line because of his ingenious design! He very much reminds me of that treat that “once you pop you can’t stop”. Don’t let their delicious design fool you, this triple terror is ready and willing to do whatever command “Colonel Custard” barks from his sprinkle coated lips!
This toy line goes directly into your nostalgia vein. Does this toy line give you that warm fuzzy nostalgic feeling? It certainly does for me! One of the main reasons why this toy line is so comforting and so nostalgic is because Brandon the brainchild of “9 to 5 Warriors” a 90’s child himself teamed with legendary toy creator and designer Scott Hensley. YES! That Scott Hensley of TMNT sculpting fame! But Scott’s work doesn’t even come close to stopping there! Visionaries, Sectaurs, Crystar and one of my all-time favorites Skeleton Warriors were all created by Scott’s hand. I would go as far as to say that Scott helped mold some of the most nostalgic toy items of our childhoods! Brandon’s vision was brought to life with sheer perfection with the “9 to 5 Warriors!”
I am personally NOT normally a modern toy buyer. The most modern toy line I own is the WWF Jakks Bonecrunchers from 1996. I never sought out to purchase modern toys. However, Brandon Braswell has figured out a way to make this line so Nostalgic. It totally couples with our current 80’s and 90’s toys and is such a natural fit. This is a line that I must own and cannot wait to see what amazing new characters are coming out of the incredible brainchild of Braswell and Hensley!
Good News, “9 to 5 Warriors” is making their way onto pegs at local toy stores around the world. You can currently find them in these amazing stores found on Toy Store Guide:
Toy Federation in Greer, SC
The Toy Department in Fairfield, OH
Brothers Toys & Collectibles in Mission, KS
Decades of Cool Toys in Chesterfield, MO
Retro & Rad in New Cumberland, PA
Time Blaster Toys in Westland, MI
Bella Books Comics & Toys in Virginia Beach, VA
It’s great that these local shops can take a chance on a new toy property. We are looking forward to seeing “9 to 5 Warriors” figures in more stores but if there are no stores with them in your area you can order them right from their website 9to5warriors.com
Keep up with all things 9 to 5 with them on Instagram
Written By: Nick Bartley (HuntingNostalgia on Instagram)
