Founded in 1998, the company was run by Geoff Beckett Jr., Lance Buttiglieri, and Bill Roshia and was based in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
During this early period, the company's primary focus was on card games featuring characters developed by Beckett.
[11] During the Shocker Toys panel at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, court papers were served to Geoff Beckett by Jim MacQuarrie on behalf of Robles.
[18] During the first half of 2012, Geoff Beckett rebranded the company as GBJRToys, through which he now holds the licenses to make Indie Spotlight and Mallow figures.
Geoff Beckett has stated that while there are many similar toy lines – including Kubricks, Pocket Heroes, and Minimates – Shockinis, and their predecessor, Stikfas, are the only two designed specifically for customization.
In 2006, Shocker Toys started work on Indie Spotlight, a line of six-inch action figures based on characters from various independent comic book series.
[28] Following numerous announced (and subsequently missed) release dates, the first series of Indie Spotlight action figures was available for purchase online as of April 2009.
Shocker Toys also released a pair of statues and a box set of five vinyl figures based on the fictional band Dethklok from the Adult Swim series Metalocalypse as San Diego Comic-Con exclusives.
At the 2009 New York Comic Con, Shocker Toys had planned to sell two translucent versions of their then-forthcoming Scud and Maxx figures from the Indie Spotlight line.
[31] A similar variant was offered at the Wizard World convention in Philadelphia that year, with a transparent Maxx incorporating painted highlights.
Similar to Hasbro's Mighty Muggs and Kidrobot's Munny and Dunny figures, Mallows features multiple points of articulation, interchangeable parts, and are available in blank, black or white, do-it-yourself versions.
In 2002 Shocker Toys displayed prototypes of their Shoulder Action Figures, or SAFs, at the "Christmas in July" event in New York run by public relations firm Steven Style Group.
[36] Shockinis based on characters from Bucky O'Hare, Gwar, 2000AD (including Judge Dredd), Metalocalypse, the Indie Spotlight line, and Who Wants to be a Superhero?
In 2007, Shocker Toys acquired a license to the characters in the fictional band Dethklok from the Adult Swim series Metalocalypse.
[40] Shocker Toys also licensed the characters from the reality television series Who Wants to Be a Superhero?, including Feedback, the winner of the first season in 2006, with the well-publicized, though unrealized, aim of producing action figures based on the property.
A second series of Indie Spotlight figures was announced at Toy Fair in February 2009 and then displayed at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2009.
[43] The line was announced to be available in August 2009, with a lineup of King Zombie, Dick Tracy, Ignacia, Jack Staff and The Tick.
[55] Licensed Mallow offerings announced, though never released, include Madballs, My Pet Monster, and Sushi Pack figures.