Warhammer Spoof Box Set Contains Toxic Lead
▼ Summary
– The “No Girls Allowed” Relic Box for *Space King* contains collectibles including a metal cup, which fans discovered had dangerously high lead levels.
– The show’s creators issued a warning, stating they were frustrated and that the cup’s production did not match the factory’s earlier safety reports.
– They confirmed an investigation is underway and assured that the other items in the box are not poisonous.
– The incident highlights safety challenges, as imported goods require costly testing to meet U.S. consumer safety standards.
– *Space King* is a popular parody of Warhammer 40k, and its fandom, like Warhammer’s, experiences tensions between old and new fans.
A recent controversy surrounding a popular web cartoon’s merchandise has highlighted the serious risks of unregulated product manufacturing. The “No Girls Allowed” Relic Box, a limited-edition collectible set for the YouTube series Space King, has been found to contain a dangerous item. Fans discovered that the included golden metal drinking cups tested positive for alarmingly high levels of toxic lead. This revelation sparked widespread discussion on the show’s subreddit, where community members shared photos from home testing kits.
The creators of Space King, Tom Hinchliffe and Don Greger, quickly addressed the issue with a public statement. They expressed deep frustration and warned customers to immediately dispose of the cups. “We recently learned that the collectible copper cups included in the Relic Box contain elevated levels of lead and should be disposed of,” they stated. “We take our merch incredibly seriously and would never intentionally sell something we didn’t believe was 100% legit.”
According to their explanation, pre-shipment testing was conducted, but the final production run did not match the safety reports initially provided by the factory. They assured fans that an investigation is ongoing and confirmed that the other items in the box, a figurine, a Zippo lighter case, and a novelty pack of condoms labeled “Chastity Seals”, are not affected. Lead is sometimes added to copper alloys to improve malleability, a common practice in cheaper metal goods that necessitates careful safety checks, especially for items intended to hold beverages.
Importing commercial goods into the United States, even through direct business-to-consumer sales, requires compliance with Consumer Product Safety Commission standards. These mandatory tests can be prohibitively expensive for small-batch, limited-run products, potentially creating gaps in quality control. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for independent creators and niche fandoms where specialized merchandise is highly coveted.
Space King itself is a two-year-old parody of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, amassing tens of millions of views for its over-the-top depiction of ultraviolent space marines in a grimdark cosmos. The show’s humor, much like its source material, often leans heavily into themes of battlefield machismo and a fascistic aesthetic, with its “No Girls Allowed” branding playing into that exaggerated ethos. The situation mirrors broader tensions within the Warhammer fandom, which is navigating its own evolution as Games Workshop attracts new audiences and updates long-established lore, sometimes unsettling veteran hobbyists. While the lead-contaminated cups prompted more ironic enthusiasm than horror in some corners of the fanbase, the creators’ response underscores the serious health implications and the critical importance of rigorous supply chain oversight.
(Source: Kotaku)
