ML Joe Fixit Hulk

Well, here's my finally finished (Joe) Fixit. I started this guy around the time I first embarked on the Bane fix, got all the sculpting and painting done, and the 'Hand Cannon' as I refer to the serious piece in his hand - was kinda my last stumbling block.

I wanted him to have a cool gun like the HC one, and I decided to craft one rather than give up the one I have from the HC one. I managed to find some plastic things laying around the house that would work for the ammo drum, but they required some covering up of the centers. I mixed up some kneadatite and pressed the cap of the tube (coated lightly in oil for release ease,) into a small amount and whallah! - just what I needed. A piece from a old Spawn fig, a piece from an old Rambo weapon, and Bishops gun later the 'Hand Cannon' was finished.

Head: FFF Grey Hulk Upper Torso: LCBH Marv Lower Half: LCBH Bodybag

Rest - sculpted.

I almost forgot to show the convienent short cut that came with the choice of fodder:



The belt from the Marv coat became the faux belt onto the divoted 'front end' from Bodybag.



I think if I was to sell him, I may include the MS Punisher base....... I was thinking about wiring together a custom bar name for the replace neon thats missing from the MS punisher one - any suggestions? The head doesnt fit/stay on either - I got lazy near the end of fixing the slightly too big neck hole for the Marv peg. I just wanted to get this guy finished, so I said screw giving him a hat. His recent appearance in Hulk#7 he was hatless, soooooo......

DCSH Bane leg fix

Now, here is something I finally got around to doing last night in the midst of another project, and with little time overall, (I've been focusing more on my health these days, losing weight, and that tends to take away from the time I could be hobbying or writing............but if I feel better overall, and iron out knots and pain, I know I'll be better for it for yars down the road.)

Got Bane a yr or so ago via a trade, and quickly saw why people were ripping him in half, and replacing his bow-legs with better ones............TNA Nash, Desperso, YA Hulkling - I'm sure the list goes on.

My LCBH Marv had a crotch explosion, (No, not from the scene with Goldie,) and I soon had inspiration to do something with the pieces of Marv. Upper half - is a part of another custom you'll see shortly, but the lower half looked a perfect fit for Bane.

The waist peg from Bane was waaay smaller than Marv, but I had a simple fix.

I cut 3 layers of plastic card from old TB clamshells, trimmed them down some, and they fit perfectly in the crotch. Drilled a hole for the waist peg to fit into, centered. Cut an opening to the drill hole, worked the upper torso onto it, glued crotch together and whallah!

Upon close inspection, upper half does not fit perfectly to the hips, but with the tank top, it's all good to me!

Sorry if the pics kinda suck - most of the pic taking seems to happen as I run out the door to work...........

Chance - Fwoosh Secret Santa

I give you: Chance ! (?)

Who?

Where to start? Now, I'm no long_road, but I like to tell a story once and a while, and there's a bit of one for this creation.

Now, this was my 1st time being a part of CSS. When I received my list of characters for who I was to 'elf' for, I was told he was a HUGE Spiderman fan. The list was pretty open-ended, the only characters that were specifically mentioned were one the person did NOT want - Puma, Chamelon, and one or 2 others.

I was thankful for the open ended list. Since I was, (and in my eyes still am,) reletively green to customizing, a lot of characters to choose from to create was cool. I wanted to choose someone important to Spiderman history that chances are, would never get the ML treatment. One of my 1st thoughts was: Calypso - since I was a huge fan of McF's work on the Torment arc, but I wanted to stick to what I beleived to be my known strengths and not do too much experimenting with this creation. I had a feeling if I choose to do her, she would not of turned out all that great.

Sure, there are many, MANY Spiderman villans to choose from, some very welll known, to those practically forgotten or unknown. As cool as it would of been to do a main-vien villan in my own artistic interpretation, I felt something true to Spidey lore was warranted. I had eyed doing 1, possibly 2 Spider slayers, (similar to what had recently happened for TMNT - the Mousers,) but they would of been small in stature, and most likely comically inaccurate.

As I continued to peruse Spidey history, I noticed that Amazing Spider-man issues #298 & 299 had been done by McF, and were the 2 issues before the 1st appearance of Venom. In fact here is a little factiod I gleamed just now from the interweb:

A new recompilation of the Venom saga is going to be released April, 04, 2007 to go along with the movie. It's called Spider-Man birth of Venom and right now Amazon's price is only $19.79. It Collects Secret Wars #8; Amazing Spider-Man #252-259, #298-300 & #315-317; Fantastic Four #274 and Web of Spider-Man #1

From what I had read, ASM #300 was the 1st, full appearance of Venom.

Now, I think the thing that sealed the deal on my choice was the fact that my introduction to Marvel and it's universe wasn't through reading comics, or enjoying the cartoons, but it was the summer of '93 when I was volunterring for a summer day camp for a Boys & Girls Club that I frequented, (I practically lived there,) when I was growing up. Another volunteer who I met for the 1st time that summer got me and a few of my pals HOOKED on TSR's Marvel Super Heroes role-playing game. I've amassed a pretty decent collection of the games material over the years, and one of those first books I had was a character update that amongst all the colourful characters, (Bird Boy, Bushwacher, Nanny & Orphan Maker, Forbush Man! to name a few,) Chance was also in the book. (I still to this day do not know all of the characters from this roster update book, since I was given it by a friend who had it in his hands before he knoew me from the library, and it was missing a bunch of pages!)

As I read up on Chance, I thought he would be a good choice since he was both a villain and an ally to Spiderman.

Now, onto the behind-the-scenes sh!t:

I looked at what I had for fodder, (which is a good deal since I've been stock-piling it before I started to customize, so I would have a decent breadth of it when I decided to get my hands hacked up in the pursuit of the art,) and when it all shook down, HML1 Banshee was ideal for the treatment. As you will see in later photos, his colour scheme was basically an inverted Chance.

Filled up all his holes, (was my 1st time filling joint holes,) and almost immediately knew I'd have to do something about Banshees horrendous neck:

(Thought I had WIP pis of the neck fix, and the difference it made - can't find them just now. I'm sure we all know - Banshee has a giraffe neck!)

So, did some cutting & some dremelling, sank the neck down, sculpted and blended it all together.

Cyclops from TB Series 10 donated the melon.

Now it may not look it, but getting that head right was a real b!tch. The reference pics I utilized had the goggles/visoer looking really bulbous. It took me a few times over to get the shape just right. I initially planned on incorporating the Cerebro from Prof. X to give Chance a more helmeted look, but it came out looking too odd.



I instead hacked up Cerebro an used a portion of it for the middle raised part of the helmet. I did my best to make the rest of the helmet uniform in shape.



Sculpted on the mini 'stache, also sculpted the collar and the wrist and ankle bracelets.

All was prgressing well - quite well.



I had the tubes for the power pack mapped out from a McF fig - one of the nitro riders I believe. I had a feeling the back-pack from XMC Gambit was going to be an easy use for the power pack - I was wrong.

I hacked that thing to pieces when I realised a small portion of it was still useful, and began to cut up saved backings from the old TB ML's clamshells, ( I had quite a few of them up until I had to move. That stock pile of custom fodder is now gone, ) and began to glue together a power pack of pproper size and porportion. From my main ref pic, it seemed to sit just above his shoulders, but no lower than his mid back.

After much glueing and even more Kneadatite applied to try and have it form a square pack, I settled for what I could accomplish, (I was becoming frustrated with trying to perfect it.) I wanted to add some detail to the pack, similar to what is barely seen in the ref pic, and managed to give it some. (Looked, can't find any WIP pics of the pack - will have to critique it based on finished photos.)

I created the belt out of Mr. Sinister cape, and lost 1 part of it right near finish. (My only thing I'm mad at myself for: not having a chance to paint the bits of red on the belt raisings.)

I was orignally clueless as to what to do for his wrist blasters. As I sifted through fodder, and bits of fodder, (I rarely throw anything tidbits away,) I came across the fittings for Banshee's cape. a drilling here, and a snip there - whallah: Wrist Blasters! The barrel for each of them was sculpted with Kneadatite by moi.

Onto the 7th inning stretch.........


Painting.

I wanted to capture the off-lime grren colour of the lighter green, and mixed up some Tamiya Park Green and Yellow. I kept a measure of this mix aside for touch ups, and boy am I glad I did, (I needed to draw fro that well a few times over the course of finishing.)

The darker green was Tamiya Flat Green.

I originally used a black pen for the costume separating details, but found it run once clear-coated for sealing. Went back at it with a Tamiya Flat black and my finest brush, (wasn't easy!)

I really wanted the gold to pop, as well as the sheen of the goggles/visor. A lot of people has been using Alu-Cad (sp ?) for customs like Cpt. Atom and Silver Silver. You think I could find some in Canada? Was told by my hobby shop - no longer allowed for import to Canada - doesn't meet safety standards. Was reccomended a paint-pen that appeared to bewhat I wanted. It turned out decent enough, but if I had to do it again, I think the later foil suggetion I was given may be more chromatic for my purposes of effect.

So, down went the metallic silver to the goggles/visor, and well as the eventual gold parts, (collar, helmet, tubes, powerpack, wrist & ankle bracelets & blasters.)

Gold stuff was golded up with Tamiya Clear Yellow.

Repainted the face area with 2 different flesh tones.

And, as I rounded 3rd base headed for home on this production, I also fell flat on my face iches short of home plate: As i was permanently affixing the powerpack to Chances back, and the glue began to set, it almost glued his ab crunch permanently in place. I was lucky enough to avert disaster and all was well.

The tubes to helmet was achieved by driling holes in head, and the tubes had nifty little tube extensions to plug in there and glue. The other ends: I set screws into the top of the pack, and had to drill out a measure of tube. I almost botched this too, but again, luckily averted disaster.

When all was said and done, here's how he looked:

...and lastly, a comparision of the 'stock' from which he sprang:

ML Face-Off Hulk Fix - Now with Fists!

Decided to try and fix the one and only problem with the best Hulk ever - and I think I may have solved it:



I swapped arms with a HoM Hulk @ the shoulder. There's a minor gap, but it doesn't bother me!

I had started off with a realllly dark green basecoat to ensure all the tattoos were nicely covered. I liked the really dark green, but it hid a lot of detail that was begging to be shown off with a brighter green. I really like the dirty, grimey look Hulk now has. Gives him more of a monster feel IMO. Think I may do some more detailed work on his veins. After all the paint, I think the HoM arms mate up well with the rest of FO Hulk. I was worried the sculpts may differ too much to match, but I'm happy.

Think I may give him a coat of non-shiney clear coat to seal him..... still contemplating if I'm going to paint his pants

ML Baron Von Strucker

Baron Von Strucker

Had a FO one whose arm broke at the shoulder. Used parts from it and an Air Strike Wolvy to make him, (still thinking I may add a Hydra symbol somewhere.....no decal maker though.)

Recipe:

Gun on his leg is from a KC Magog fig

Pouches from Kia Batman statue thing

Head, arms & legs from knee-down: TBML FO Baron Von Strucker

Main body and upper thighs: XMC Air Strike Wolverine

ML Red Skull (Nazi)

Up next is my 1st crack at a character that just about everyone has done: Red Skull.

Recipe, (Who 1st cooked up this recipe, I couldn't tell ya. But I can tell you numerous customizers here are responsible for inspiring my version of him.):

Ghostrider Movie Blackheart

Ghostrider Movie Ghostrider (Forget which version)

Tamiya paints

Kneaditite Green Stuff

Those darn twist ties that restrain TB ML's in their Plastic Prisons

So, not too much to this guy. Painted on the additional details on the coat, sculpted the lapels. I used the display stand and hat from Major Maxim for the picture taking, but they will not be part of the overall package, (just fig and cigarette holder.)

Cigarette holder was made from a twist tie and Kneaditite, smoke was the twist tie wire with plastic removed, and cotton skillfully glued on.

As much as I love this guy, (and in my own eyes, my 1st big success at customizing,) I think he'll be heading over to the 'Bay to test the market waters. (Eh, I have a tonne of fodder which I've amassed over time to do SOMETHING with it all.)

And for comparison:

ML 5 Juggernaut Custom Helmet

So, I received a Juggernaut in a trade from fellow Fwoosher ReggieKat a little while ago, and although I was stoked to get the figure, part of the deal was that he was helmetless. I can live with that, (until I can make one myself.)

So, for a while, I was asking myself, ....... I need something to help with the helmet retaining shape, while the Kneadatite dries.

For the longest time, I was considering a broken ball from floor hockey, (ya know, those orange balls?) Every so often, they break from too many devastating slapshots being had with them.

Then one day, it jumped out at me - thats perfect for the portions I wanted! I didn't want a bullet-shaped helmet, like the one Toybiz gave him, (I shudder when I thiink of what Hasbro might of done.)

My starting piece - the hatch from Hulk-Buster Ironman!

I took the hatch off, and placed it on top of Juggy's mug - my vision of what was to come looked perfect!

So, I covered the hatch in saran wrap, and oiled it up so it wouldn't adhere to the Kneadatite. Mixed up some of that green-stuff, and began sculpting. I had to add to the edges of the helmet later.

As you can see here, the indent from the Hulkbuter hatch is still visible on the inside.

Now the rim of the helmet didn't look perfect, (and I am a perfectionist 99% of the time,) but I could live with what it looked like. It took me some time to sand it down, smooth it out. There are a few 'pock-marks', amd minor bumps, but I'm happy with it - for now. I didn't feel like sanding it down more, or filling minor holes - it can look a little battle damaged for now......

Now, I was scared sh!tless when it can time to cut the eye and mouth holes. I knew I only had 1 shot at it, so I carefully eyed things up, and referenced a few Juggy's here on Fwoosh, as well as pictures on Google and from material I had in the apartment. I think I chose the right shapes I wanted to give him a 'mean' feel to his helmet.

I used a brown paint on it, (forget which kind,) and it was a pretty close match. I drybrushed it over parts of Juggy to help with the match.