Pythona Custom G.I. JOE Action Figure from G.I. JOE The Movie (1987)

I have a few recurring clients with whom I've built relationships that have allowed me to make some really great figures that I normally would not have chosen to make on my own. One such figure is Pythona from the G.I. JOE animated movie from 1987.

I say that I wouldn't have made her on my own because as a kid I despised the movie for two reasons: it rewrote the origin of Cobra into some sort of science fiction story and they turned Cobra Commander into a snake. So I discarded the whole thing as not being a part of my "Joeverse."

But as an adult, there are many things I can appreciate about it such as the premise of an organic technology based culture versus a modern mechanical military and a character who is a sexy humanoid/reptile hybrid female assassin; Pythona.

I did a lot of research to get the face deco just right and used a gloss on certain areas to give her a more organic look. I hadn't planned on giving her earrings but after watching the movie again, I felt like they were part of her iconic character and so I made them from very tiny pieces of styrene that I cut to shape. The costume details were an insane time consumer and also required a lot of freeze framing to see how it appeared from all sides and I have to say, it wasn't consistent and required me to fill in quite a few gaps.

She was an incredible challenge in so many respects, I told my client that I would not repeat this character, but I'm really happy with the outcome and so was he. Hope you guys dig her too.

The Countess Cobra Test Pilot & Sidewinder Cobra Experimental Vehicle

I always felt that Cobra needed more female characters. So when Daremo's "The Mission" contest on Hisstank.com called for a vehicle, I decided to take that opportunity to not only create a new Cobra jet but a new Cobra female character who would serve as a driver for that vehicle. Enter "The Cobra Sidewinder" and her pilot, "The Countess."

COBRA SIDEWINDER

The SIDEWINDER is an experimental ultra-compact VTOL aircraft that can move incredibly fast at altitudes as low as 20 feet above the surface. In order to stay airborne at such low altitudes, it utilizes extensive computer systems to assist pilot control. However, all the bugs have not been worked out so the vehicle currently tends to slide from side to side in the air especially when hovering. This "side winding" appearance is what gave the vehicle its name.

Techno-Viper 1053's log:
Currently, the SIDEWINDER is still in the testing phases at a secure hidden location. Test pilot THE COUNTESS was assigned by THE BARONESS herself. The aircraft's speed and maneuverability will revolutionize the ground war with the Joes, that is, if we can get all the systems working together at the same time. Note to self: Keep an eye on THE BARONESS as she has been poking around even more than usual. Seems suspicious.

TEST PILOT
Code Name: THE COUNTESS
Primary Military Specialty: Pilot
Secondary Military Specialty: Aircraft Mechanic
Birthplace: Classified

Contessa is the daughter of a deposed Count of a small Eastern European country. During her youth, while her father was still in power, she and Anastasia "The Baroness" became childhood friends. However, after the murder of Anastasia's brother, the two lost contact. Many years later while on a mission for Cobra in Turkey, The Baroness found Contessa working as a pilot for a local crime lord. Despite the years, they immediately recognized each other and after the Baroness killed her boss (inadvertently costing Contessa her livelihood), Contessa asked to join Cobra. The Baroness welcomed her old friend with open arms.

Between her excellent flying skills and likable personality, Contessa quickly rose through the ranks to become Cobra's top pilot below Wild Weasel. However, her beauty did not go unnoticed by Destro and created a rift between her and The Baroness. In fact, it was Destro who gave her the code name "THE COUNTESS" despite protests from The Baroness. (Note: In aristocratic hierarchy, the rank of Countess is above Baroness.)

Qualified Expert in all Cobra aircraft as well as F-5E, F-15, F-16, F-18, XP-14/F and most Russian aircraft including the Su-30MKI.

Cobra Commander Says: "The Baroness must be a student of Sun-tzu because she not only appointed The Countess to be our experimental aircraft test pilot but also her "personal" pilot. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer indeed. I can only assume from her growing jealousy that one day The Baroness will find it necessary to ensure that one of our experimental aircraft meets a tragically lethal end."

And here's "The Mission" story I created using The Sidewinder, The Countess, and the G.I. JOE character I created, Top Shelf.

Intel:
Code name SPECTRE has identified a new Cobra aircraft that is being tested at an underground facility in the Southwestern United States.

****

Orders:
Code name TOP SHELF will be dropped 10 miles from suspected site of Cobra experimental vehicle testing facility. (See code name DUSTY for insights and preparations.) TOP SHELF will proceed to site and conduct surveillance as long as deemed necessary to estimate capabilities and threat level. Upon completion, TOP SHELF will proceed to extraction point and call for pick up. NOTE: TOP SHELF must NOT ENGAGE enemy unless threat is immediate and eminent.

****

Top Shelf's log:
Entry 0 - Day 1 - 21:30
I'm making the drop under what little cover the desert night sky can provide. Dusty's flying the Dragonfly low and he won't tell me where we're headed. I can't tell if he's following orders or just grumpy but I'm guessing by our travel time and the terrain that we're in southern Nevada or New Mexico. I always wanted to get abducted by aliens. That would totally rock! Come to think of it, that's probably why Cobra's using this area to test their experimental aircraft. Any "sightings" by the locals would be lumped in with all the others as the latest UFO.

Entry 1 - Day 1 - 24:05
Dusty isn't much company. He won't quit griping about how I got picked over him for this mission. "Desert is MY specialty, blah, blah, blah!" Anyway, Dusty's getting fidgety so I must be dropping soon.

Entry 2 - Day 2 - 02:17
Whoever said a ten mile run through the desert in full gear at night was a piece of cake was out of their mind. It was probably Dusty. I gotta remember to slug him when I get back to HQ. Arrived at observation point and set up blind just inside a rocky crater surrounding suspected site.

Entry 3 - Day 2 - 4:06
Satellite photo of underground hangar confirmed. 50 yard "hole" opens in the center of the rocky crater. VTOL aircraft whose profile resembles a miniature Cobra Rattler rises from hole. Aircraft hovers three minutes above the hole before it begins to shake from side to side so much that the pilot loses control and almost crashes into the crater wall. Pilot regains control and it descends back into the hole.

Entry 4 - Day 2 - 6:01
I can't say that I've seen anything, but I get the distinct impression I'm not the only one watching this site. Will not move for the next 24 hours to attempt to verify.

Entry 5 - Day 3 4:15
Hangar doors open again. Same aircraft rises from within. This time it rises smoothly but when it pauses to hover, it still slightly sways from side to side. Aircraft takes off, skimming the crater no more than 10 feet from the surface.

Entry 5 - Day 3 4:45
Aircraft returns to hangar but just hovers over the closed door. The nose mounted machine-gun opens fire...

Entry 5.5 - Day 3 4:54
I evaded the machine gun fire but it tore up half my remaining water supply. I thought they might have made me but they must have just been testing the gun. Wait, something is definitely going on. Inside the cockpit, the pilot is looking very agitated. The aircraft sways even more before it lands right on top of the hanger doors. The pilot throws open the canopy and tosses some kind of robotic scorpion out of the cockpit. Its smoking and the legs are twitching. The pilot hops out and is female. She plugs a few rounds into the thing, and stomps it into the ground. The pilot then removes her helmet, throws it onto the sand covered ground and yells something at the top of her lungs that sounds like "Stacy." She gathers her composure and gets the plane moving again. This time the hanger doors open and the aircraft descends. WTF just happened here?

Entry 6 - Day 3 5:22
I see movement on the other side of the crater. Some kind of desert ninja looking guy with a whole lot of electronics gear. He opens some a hidden access hatch nearby and disappears.

Entry 7 - Day 4 4:09
Hangar doors open and same aircraft rises from within. When it reaches 30 feet above the opening, right side engine explodes and the plane crashes into the side of the crater. I can't tell if the pilot survived the crash. Ground crew emerges from below and douses the flames. The Baroness herself is among them. Damn it, Hawk if you didn't give me orders not to engage I could put two bullets right through those geeky glasses. Wait, the pilot is coming down the side of the crater, she must have ejected before the explosion and it sent her outside the crater. She's a hot mess and her flight suit must have been on fire because she's smoking and walking like a drunk. But she still has enough left to throw a sucker punch right across the Baroness' face. Don't know why the Baroness didn't duck, but she orders some of the ground crew to take her away. The pilot is spitting and cursing at the Baroness as they drag her down the hole.

Entry 8 - Day 5 2:15
Made it away from the site undetected and awaiting pick up. I'm not entirely sure what I saw happen down there but it appears that the aircraft is out of commission for now. Was it mechanical failure or the result of sabotage, it's hard to say. Y'know if the Cobras could just stop fighting amongst themselves for a minute, they might actually stand a chance against us. Dumbasses!

The Sidewinder is a completely repainted mini A10 Tank Killer from another figure line with custom decals designed by me. The Countess was a lot of work just trying to get the pieces to fit together as most Joe female parts are not compatible with each other. I also modified the torso to streamline her body armor and make her a little more well endowed. She also features custom made decals on her helmet and body armor.

I almost had as much fun creating the characters and story as I did making the customs. Thanks again to Daremo for hosting the contest that inspired me to create these.

I hope you dig them. If you do, they're on ebay right now. They're also ONE OF A KIND so get them before they're gone.

James Bond 007 (Daniel Craig) Custom Action Figure

I love James Bond movies and especially the original novels by Ian Flemming. In fact, I've read every one of them. Yeah, they're candy for guys but Mr. Flemming takes us places and shows us cultures that very few in the U.S. have seen first hand. And Bond always lets us see them in style.

So when the new Bond movies starring Daniel Craig seemed to take Bond back to his novel roots, I was elated. Yeah, he's not as suave as Pierce but he gets the job done. The suit he wore on the posters and in the film "A Quantum of Solace" inspired this custom action figure.

He's ready for action in his classic black suit, shiny blue silk tie, highlighted hair, and pocket square. As usual, I painted the whole figure in matte colors but to bring out the details like the belt, belt buckle, and tie, I used a varnish to make them shiny.

I couldn't resist pairing him with the Joyride Studios Aston Martin for a few shots. It's the perfect scale for 3.75 inch figures.

I hope you dig him. If you do, leave a comment or contact me for a commission of your own. Until next time, I remain "The Insidious One."

Dr. Venom & Brain Wave Scanner Custom Action Figure and Playset

Over the past 27 years, we've seen just about every major character from the Marvel G.I. JOE comics turned into an action figure in one form or another. One glaring omission is Dr. Venom. So who is Dr. Venom, you ask? He was Cobra's original head-scientist and  responsible for creating deadly biological weapons as well as the infamous Brain Wave Scanner. Yeah, Dr. Mindbender gets all the glow but Venom is the one who built it.

His character left a big impression on me as a kid because he was written so well by Larry Hama. He reminds me of villains from old black and white films. He was a nasty man who would smile while lying to your face and then stab you in the back as soon as he got the chance. He was also brutally violent. He didn't care about anyone but himself and he loved to gloat when he won.

I completely understand why Hasbro wouldn't release this figure. After all, what kid wants to open a middle aged man in a lab coat on Christmas morning? Below is my custom 25th Anniversary style version of Dr. Venom including his trademark 50's style bouffant hairdo.

But what Dr. Venom would be complete without his most famous device...The Brain Wave Scanner! As we read the early G.I. JOE comics, the Brain Wave Scanner was made even more interesting because it gave us our first glimpses into Snake-Eyes' mysterious past.

Ultimately, it served as the centerpiece for one of the most exciting G.I. JOE tales ever written, the word-balloonless and captionless story "Hush Job" in Yearbook 3.

My Brain Wave Scanner is a combination of odds and ends from various toy lines. But I originally I got the idea when I saw the part that would become the head restraint. It just looked like a Dr. Venom torture piece right out of the box. After that, the rest kind of fell into place. Since it never appeared exactly the same way twice in the comics, I took some liberties with the design. Then I completely repainted and detailed the heck out of the thing to make it look even more diabolical.

Hope you dig these two pieces of action figure art. If you do, (or you don't) leave a comment below. Until next time, I remain The Insidious One.

Nick Fury Custom Action Figure Marvel Universe

I've loved the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury since I was a little boy. He's America's James Bond with cool gadgets, guns, cars, and beautiful women but with a distinctly American story. He was a WWII war hero, an ordinary man thrown into extraordinary situations, and a thinker who always manages to one-up even the most powerful super-villains and heroes when necessary. My Nick Fury is drawn by Jim Steranko with all the wonderful 60's kitsch that made every page of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. interesting to look at even if you ignored the word balloons.

So when Hasbro and Marvel Comics decided that they were going to make a Nick Fury figure for the Marvel Universe line, I was ecstatic! In order to get it, you had to sign up for Marvel's digital comics which wasn't cheap. But I was willing...that is, until I saw the final product.

He didn't look like any version of Nick Fury ever and the head was far too young to be the grizzled but hip hero from WWII. Yes, I know he keeps himself frozen at about age 40 with the Infinity Formula but wtf? After doing a little research at MarvelousNews.com, I found the answer. The likeness was based on one of the higher ups in Hasbro. Ugh! Jim Steranko should punch this guy in the nose!

Needless to say, I've once again remedied the situation. A fellow customizer on Hisstank.com posted his version of Fury a few months ago using a really fantastic head sculpt that looked almost like Steranko had drawn it! And after a lot of digging, I found out it was an old Jurrassic Park head. Luckily, I was able to find one in a bin at a toy show. It started out really rough, but with a lot of work including some dremeling to make him look a little older around the eyes, it was perfect for my Fury.

The head also features a sculpted eye patch and cigar which was by far the most difficult part of this custom because of it's tiny size. The head is completely repainted as well as the body and gear to give it that bold 60's look. I added the signature holster to his chest which was also missing from the Hasbro figure. And as a child of the 80's I also couldn't resist giving him an M16 with grenade launcher.

Hope you dig him. If you do, he's available on ebay right now! He's a one of a kind so get him while you can.

Ultimate Destro (2) G.I. JOE Custom Action Figure

I really enjoy the character of Destro in the world of G.I. JOE for many reasons. You can discover those reasons HERE in the post for my first Ultimate Destro. So I decided I wanted to make another Ultimate Destro, this time with a chrome head and applying even more of the custom techniques I've acquired over the past year.

Again, he's the figure Hasbro never gave us: all black like his vintage figure but this time I used more washes and dry-brushing to bring out the detail in the metal gloves, missiles, and grenades. I also detailed the gem around his neck and gave him pupils in his eyes.

The final touch was using a gloss varnish on the belts and boots. I got this idea from a technique I used to use when I was designing cars and Star Trek ships for Johnny Lightning where I would use a matte and glossy version of the same color to give a subtle coolness to the casting and allow the original sculpting detail to really come through. Hope you dig Destro. If you do, he can be yours because he's on ebay right now.

Night Force Outback Custom G.I. JOE Action Figure

When Outback was released in 1987, I didn't think much of his bright orange "Grizzly Adams" beard and bright white "Survival" T-shirt. How could he be useful for anything except being a walking/talking signal for pick-up?

And what was with all the "trainers" on the Joe team all of a sudden? (Sgt. Slaughter anyone?) But when the Night Force version was released in 1988 in more subdued colors and with a new mission of night recon and infiltration, I found the character much more palatable.

Flash forward to 2009: Hasbro gave us two updated 25th Anniversary versions of Outback but neither one was the original or even the Night Force version and the hair and beard were even more unnaturally bright orange. I've remedied the situation by repainting his face-fur in a more natural color, repainting his eyes, giving him some new gear, painting the gear black, and adding tons of painted details. Check the pics below. Hope you dig him.