tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89727510618895504712024-02-19T02:21:02.361-06:00Insidious Customs: The Ultimate Action Figure ArtThe Ultimate Action Figure Art by Eric LeFeber (Aka: SnakeEyes0217, Snake-Eyes0217)Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-35530096782087503122018-11-14T16:13:00.000-06:002018-11-14T16:13:00.107-06:00Red Sonja Custom Action Figure Art - Mythic Legions 6" Kitbash / Custom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><b><span style="font-size: large;">"K</span></b>now,
O Prince, that Red Sonja and her two companions traveled across the Vilayet
Sea to the west in search of treasure...and adventure!"</span></span></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-xuUmfcGliZZ65vN2bCQXlGZoqli1sA8YRGLSJVOpmAOlgyqTvICGZ1k3UVlhxkSM43NvAXyUpdosPKXlVUYJxcoSe_YyTl4nhbhi8ov63EH4Xc9pNTu9aZAZyDfiEHsGJ2BtgBEWBKV/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-xuUmfcGliZZ65vN2bCQXlGZoqli1sA8YRGLSJVOpmAOlgyqTvICGZ1k3UVlhxkSM43NvAXyUpdosPKXlVUYJxcoSe_YyTl4nhbhi8ov63EH4Xc9pNTu9aZAZyDfiEHsGJ2BtgBEWBKV/s400/04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> </span></span><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">If you're familiar with the blog, you know I'm a fan of all things Hyborian from the Conan stories and movies to the Red Sonja comic books. So when the <a href="http://www.sourcehorsemen.com/" target="_blank">Four Horsemen</a> announced their awesome female figures in the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fourhorsemen/mythic-legions-2-action-figures-by-four-horsemen-s" target="_blank">Advent of Decay Kickstarter</a>, my brain immediately saw the potential in the parts they were creating. I could finally make a 6" figure worthy of the moniker, Red Sonja.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Sonja is a kitbash of (4) different figures with a custom paint job. While she's not a 100% accurate, she's still instantly recognizable. To that end, I tried to maintain a balance between savagery and sexiness by giving her armor a uniform chrome, applying multiple layers of red to her hair, and upon the advice of a creative friend, detailing the eyes to emphasize her fierceness without drawing attention away from the rest of her.</span></span></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf4J27OLfRhyrS_PWKaiG8MojcTBjvaLRCtNYofgDhD9SJSMtTVxYbEcYGeE0J4EdyySPVPmN8MK1ktTXBp_Axcd5uRG0vqJyBQRg7G2P7FMq5A9XCnNq-k8iBAogY5NEgA1PTv8r42X_/s1600/RS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="1600" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf4J27OLfRhyrS_PWKaiG8MojcTBjvaLRCtNYofgDhD9SJSMtTVxYbEcYGeE0J4EdyySPVPmN8MK1ktTXBp_Axcd5uRG0vqJyBQRg7G2P7FMq5A9XCnNq-k8iBAogY5NEgA1PTv8r42X_/s400/RS.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Above is the chart I created during the Kickstarter to ensure I had all the parts I needed to make her. However, I didn't expect to love the figures made from the "leftovers" as much as I do now. After also mixing some of their parts around, I think they make very worthy companions of our hero. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can't stress enough how much I love these Mythic Legions figures. They're beautifully sculpted, excellently engineered, and the decos are amazing. But what puts them over the top is their interchangeability of parts. They're far from cheap, but every square inch of them is worth every penny. Pick some up and see for yourself at <a href="https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Search?HideInStock=false&HidePreorder=false&HideSoldOut=false&InventoryStatus=i%2Cp%2Cso&PageSize=20&SortOrder=New&SearchText=mythic%20legions" target="_blank">Big Bad Toy Store</a> or from <a href="http://storehorsemen-com.3dcartstores.com/" target="_blank">The Four Horsemen</a> on <b>November 26th</b>. Until next time, remain The Insidious One.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-38058379019879065772018-11-02T11:22:00.001-05:002018-11-02T15:09:49.037-05:00Mara Jade Custom Action Figure Art - Star Wars The Black Series 6"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>W</b></span>ith the introduction of the 6" Black Series for Star Wars, the potential to get even more detailed representations of classic and beloved Star Wars characters was finally realized. Unfortunately, with the purchase of the franchise by the Disney company, much of the focus of the line has shifted to characters from the new films. With a few exceptions like Darth Revan, Jaina Solo, and the SDCC Exclusive Grand Admiral Thrawn, the fantastic characters from EU (Expanded Universe) have been sidelined. One glaring omission is Mara Jade, one-time assassin and later wife of our hero, Luke Skywalker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She is hand-painted to match and slightly surpass the quality and level of detail of other figures in the line. Her cape is hand-sewn form a very light and stretchy fabric which hangs more realistically than heavier fabrics at the scale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She is one of my favorite characters but since I'm trying really hard not to collect 6" Star Wars figures, she is available on eBay right now. See the link below. Until next time, I remain The Insidious One.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/292800244283" target="_blank">See Mara Jade on eBay here!</a></span></div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-17640535584006632382016-01-04T13:32:00.000-06:002016-01-14T10:40:03.753-06:00Gray Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe Classics V2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>M</b></span>asters of the Universe Classics is by far one of my favorite action figure lines. From the integrity of the sculpting to the articulation and the accessories, each figure is a magnificent piece of art. (Yes, even stinker characters like Plundor are still excellently executed toys.) Making the line even more impressive is the massive breadth of characters. Over the last seven years, we not only got every vintage figure but new variations, unproduced figures, and even awesome new characters like Castle Grayskullman and Draego Man. Sure, we'll get a few figures next year in the "Collectors Choice" line but unlike Classics, there's no room in that line for characters who aren't at the top of the polls. One such character is Gray; alter ego of He-Ro; the most powerful wizard in the universe and defender of the people of <a href="http://he-man.wikia.com/wiki/Preternia" target="_blank">Preternia</a>.</span><img alt=" photo zeldor--back_full_zpsuju5a971.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/zeldor--back_full_zpsuju5a971.jpg" height="219" width="400" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was really hoping they'd get to him at some point, especially after they produced Eldor but with the bios embracing the King Grayskull mythos, I can only imagine that they didn't want to muddy the waters with another character named Gray. Yes, He-Ro does appear to have a more typical magic-user-style robes when he trains He-Man's son in <a href="http://www.he-man.org/publishing/item.php?id=5299" target="_blank">the mini comic that came with Laser Power He-Man and Laser Light Skeletor</a> but I think they still call him He-Ro despite the different clothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><img alt=" photo 02_zpsa0qioyp9.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/02_zpsa0qioyp9.jpg" height="300" width="400" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, since I don't think we'll ever be getting him, I took matters into my own hands.</span><img alt=" photo 04_zps1dzhubce.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/04_zps1dzhubce.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you read my blog, you may remember that I made Gray once before. (Check him out <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/04/gray-custom-action-figure-art-masters.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) That first version was very faithful to the card back but I toned down the colors making them more brown and giving him the Power Sword. This time, I wanted to bring in more of the vibrant colors of the card back while also adding details reflecting the magi-user-style garb from the comic.</span><br />
<img alt=" photo 09_zpscjyraman.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/09_zpscjyraman.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, inspired by the transforming Power Sword in the MYP animated series and 200X toys, I wanted to give him his magical staff in it's "pre-transformation state."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><img alt=" photo 08_zpstks2hzhj.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/08_zpstks2hzhj.jpg" height="300" width="400" /><img alt=" photo 10_zpsi8ladln1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/10_zpsi8ladln1.jpg" height="640" width="480" /><img alt=" photo 06_zpsaunnk33a.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/06_zpsaunnk33a.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My time for customs is extremely limited these days as I am developing brand new toys and products for my company <a href="http://www.warpo.com/" target="_blank">Warpo</a> but after reading the latest MOTUC mini-comics, I couldn't resist.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><img alt=" photo insidious_customs_gray_hero_zps4dr5swk0.gif" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/gray2/insidious_customs_gray_hero_zps4dr5swk0.gif" /><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thanks for checking Gray out. You can see more of my MOTUC customs at the link at top of the page. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One.</a></span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-73825413806557602882015-09-08T13:21:00.005-05:002015-09-09T10:47:22.942-05:00The Little Differences: MOTUC Hordak Vintage Toy Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there, it's a little different.</i></span></span></div>
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*****</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>E</b><span style="font-size: small;">veryone has been so down on Masters of the Universe Classics Buzz Saw Hordak for a number of reasons, one of which is that he looks too similar to the original release. However, this being "The Little Differences," I beg to differ. As you can see in the photo below, there are many differences between the two. Buzz Saw features a lighter color head, standard MOTU trunks (instead of the extra long 200X style seen on the original release), glossy black details instead of silver, bolder gray arms and legs, and a brighter red paint everywhere on the figure.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://thefwoosh.com/2015/08/first-look-masters-of-the-universe-classics-buzz-saw-hordak" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo hordak_compare_zps8m5xq0k3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_vintagestyle/hordak_compare_zps8m5xq0k3.jpg" height="386" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;">And this is why I dig Buzz Saw Hordak; by combining his parts with the first release Hordak, I can kitbash an almost perfect vintage toy-style MOTUC figure. (See photo below.)</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo Hordak01_zpsz1p57jiw.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_vintagestyle/Hordak01_zpsz1p57jiw.jpg" /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used the arms legs and torso, chest armor, and gargoyle pet from the first release and the trunks, boots, head, and cowl/cape from Buzz Saw. The bright white crossbow that matches the vintage toy color is from the <a href="http://www.pixel-dan.com/masters-of-the-universe-classics-spirit-of-hordak-figure-video-review/" target="_blank">Spirit of Hordak</a> (aka: Jello Hordak) chase figure from 2013. In comparison, the kitbashed figure looks much sharper with greater contrast than the original more subdued release...especially with the bright reds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you dig Hordak, you may want to check out my Alcala-style Man-At-Arms kitbash that I just updated here. <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-little-differences-man-at-arms.html">http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-little-differences-man-at-arms.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Until next time, I remain the <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-70288924448630398872015-07-26T18:17:00.001-05:002015-07-26T18:33:19.735-05:00Conan the Barbarian Masters of the Universe Classics Style<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A</b></span>s I said in my post for my custom 3.75" Conan the Barbarian action figure (See it <a href="http://www.insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2010/10/conan-barbarian-custom-action-figure.html" target="_blank">here</a>.), I appreciate all versions of Robert E. Howard's character...well, almost...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo conan_poster_zpsib88nx5r.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/conan_poster_zpsib88nx5r.jpg" height="200" width="135" /> <img alt=" photo conantv_zpss9xr3jlb.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/conantv_zpss9xr3jlb.jpg" height="200" width="136" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But even in these two examples, there are aspects that kick-ass because the source material is so good. (You gotta admit, kid Conan from the Jason Momoa movie was great.) From the written stories themselves, to <a href="http://frankfrazetta.org/conan0001.php" target="_blank">Frazetta's paintings</a>, to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_%28Marvel_Comics%29" target="_blank">Marvel comics</a>, to Schwarzenegger's movies (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082198/" target="_blank">Barbarian</a>, and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087078/" target="_blank">Destroyer</a>), to the <a href="https://www.darkhorse.com/Conan/Books" target="_blank">Dark Horse comics,</a> even to the animated series <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_the_Adventurer_%28animated_series%29" target="_blank">"Conan The Adventurer"</a>, they all veer off into their own interpretations of Howard's character and each bring something special to the mix. So I tried to infuse elements of all of these interpretations into one custom Conan figure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To that end, I gave him sullen icey blue eyes and thick black hair to be true to Howard's descriptions and Frazetta's paintings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 15_zps0uq5e0ug.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/15_zps0uq5e0ug.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, I sculpted the hair to be more "Schwarzeneggeresk," and the details of the sword to be reminiscent of the Atlantean sword from the movies. I also chose a more "movie-star handsome" portrait for his face. The trademark gold band on his arm is, of course, inspired by the Marvel comics depiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 11_zpskcei288f.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/11_zpskcei288f.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I gave him tattered armor, bracers, and a battle worn axe inspired by Cary Nord's work on the Dark Horse comics. Notice also the "Wheel of Pain" emblem pendant (and tiny leather necklace straps) around his neck inspired by the first Conan movie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 18_zps25dptggn.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/18_zps25dptggn.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, because my son loves it, I gave him a shield inspired by the Conan the Adventurer cartoon complete with Needle the Phoenix on the face.(It really is an underrated kid's version of Conan. So if you dismissed it when it first aired in the 90's and now you have kids, I recommend it as a great first introduction to the character.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 20_zpsz8arob7i.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/20_zpsz8arob7i.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo conancartoon_zpsqca30buq.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/conancartoon_zpsqca30buq.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here are a few more pics. Can you guess the inspiration for each pose?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 08_zpsx2b9vdhj.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/08_zpsx2b9vdhj.jpg" height="300" width="400" /> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 06_zpsiga4uw5b.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/06_zpsiga4uw5b.jpg" height="300" width="400" /> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 13_zpsx2hhd09s.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/13_zpsx2hhd09s.jpg" /> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 02_zpsfawicdls.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/02_zpsfawicdls.jpg" height="300" width="400" /> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 19_zpsh2sixthq.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Conan_MOTUC/19_zpsh2sixthq.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He was a long time coming and a labor of love. I hope you dig him. If you do, he's available on ebay right now. Click this link to check out the auction. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/291524347567">http://www.ebay.com/itm/291524347567</a> Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-19734158578971749772015-02-10T17:10:00.002-06:002015-02-11T17:08:24.685-06:00He-Man MYP / 200X Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe Classics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>W</b></span>hat makes a Masters of the Universe Classics figure? It's an aesthetic created by <a href="http://www.sourcehorsemen.com/" target="_blank">The Four Horsemen</a> that takes all of the elements of the original MOTU figure and magnifies and realizes details that were only hinted at in the original sculpt while at the same time taking cues from other classic elements such as card art, mini-comics, and the MOTU animated series. When it comes together, it's magnificent, especially with the exceptional articulation and accessories which allow for hundreds of poses for each figure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you've read my other MOTU entries (See MYP / 200X Skeletor <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/11/skeletor-myp200x-custom-action-figure.html" target="_blank">here</a>.), you know that I'm not a big fan of MYP / 200X influences in MOTUC. However, I know there are many who relish each piece we get from Snake Man-At-Arms to Lord Dactus.</span><br />
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So when Snake Armor He-Man was revealed for the 2015 line-up, I knew many were thrilled that they would soon be able to make a MYP / 200X He-Man by putting his head on a King Grayskull body and giving him the extra sword that came with the original Man-At-Arms. (You can check out this combination on the <a href="http://i1.wp.com/thefwoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Masters-of-the-Universe-Classics-MOTUC-Snake-Armor-He-Man-Review-200x-compare.jpg" target="_blank">theFwoosh.com</a>.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But after seeing what it looked like, I was very disappointed with the results. First, the overly "cartoony" sculpt of the hair (chunky and simplified) and face (my High School PE teacher would have called it a "booty face") wasn't a nod to either the animated look or the toy. Second, Grayskull's harness, trunks, and bracers were all missing essential details that are hallmarks of the MYP / 200X look.Therefore in this custom piece, I tried to combine elements from both of these sources while applying them in a very MOTUC style.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I prefer the MYP hairstyle over the 200X toy so I tried to emulate the shape of that style but adding more realistic detail and of course, ears.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 00_zpsnmjgliw4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/00_zpsnmjgliw4.jpg" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I always loved the damaged cross design of the 200X toy's harness so I wanted to emulate that here as well. I also added the shoulder details that are missing from the MOTUC King Grayskull harness. Other key details are the belt and bag. These are essential to the look and had to be included but instead of completely replacing them, I blended them into the MOTUC elements.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 11_zpseos9xxx3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/11_zpseos9xxx3.jpg" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bracers were the final touch that bring home the slightly more ornate and stylized aesthetic of the MYP / 200X design. I personally prefer matching bracers on He-Man and took the liberty of doing that here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 03_zpszzno5sjz.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/03_zpszzno5sjz.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo 01_zpsxfbctlio.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/01_zpsxfbctlio.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo 05_zpskoac1uit.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/05_zpskoac1uit.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He looks pretty great next to MAA.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 08_zpsxhyyihjl.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/08_zpsxhyyihjl.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He looks especially great astride Battle Cat with Battle Lion's armor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 07_zpsryhigdju.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/07_zpsryhigdju.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo insidious_customs_animation_zpsx2zgvykq.gif" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_MYP_200X/insidious_customs_animation_zpsx2zgvykq.gif" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope he lives up to your 200X / MYP expectations. He's a one-of-a-kind so if you want a true representation of a 200X / MYP He-Man for your display, you can bid on him now on ebay. Click here to see even more photos. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Masters-of-the-Universe-Classics-He-Man-MYP-200X-Style-Custom-Action-Figure-MOTU/291378938056" target="_blank">http://www.ebay.com/itm/Masters-of-the-Universe-Classics-He-Man-MYP-200X-Style-Custom-Action-Figure-MOTU/291378938056</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-68831997189581810722014-10-28T16:14:00.002-05:002016-02-09T17:18:07.393-06:00The Little Differences: MOTUC Eldor Fixes and Improvements<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/little_differences/pulp_fiction.jpg" /></span></span> </h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there, it's a little different.</i></span></span></div>
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">*****</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span>t's been a long time, gang! I've been consumed with working on Warpo's <a href="http://www.warpo.com/loc_kickstarter/" target="_blank">Legends of Cthulhu</a> line of vintage-style action figures for the last year so I haven't had much time for custom work. (Be sure to enter our <a href="http://www.warpo.com/cthulhu_mask/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cthulhu Halloween Mask Contest</a> if you haven't already!) However, I've been waiting for October's Masters of the Universe Classics figure for several years so when he arrived with less than perfect deco and features, I was inspired to once again make some subtle tweaks to him. The figure is, of course, Eldor; Heroic guardian of the Book of Living Spells.</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you've been following my blog, you probably saw <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2011/07/eldor-masters-of-universe-classics.html" target="_blank">my original custom Eldor</a> I did way back in 2011.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2011/07/eldor-masters-of-universe-classics.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" Insidious Customs Eldor MOTUC" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor/15.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Considering the parts and photo reference I had available at the time, he still looks pretty good and fairly faithful to the original sculpt by Eddie Mosqueda. Since then, I've had the pleasure of working with Eddie and he allowed me to take some high-res photos of his prototype to see even more the details including the "snake-mouth-like" belt buckle. I started a new custom but shortly thereafter, Mattel announced their official version. And while I think the official is a great looking figure, I would have preferred one that was more faithful to the details that Eddie put into the original sculpt. I'll get back to mine sometime, but in the meantime, I made some subtle and not-so-subtle changes to the official figure that improve him greatly.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo eldor_little_differences_03_zps0bf768fe.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/eldor_little_differences_03_zps0bf768fe.jpg" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">First, I replaced his hands with Bow's hands. Bow's wrist articulation and hand shapes make it much easier for Eldor to hold the Book of Living Spells in both the closed and open positions. The Bow wrist pegs are a little too small for the holes in the forearms so you'll need to use some sticky-tack or green-stuff to thicken them a bit. If you don't mind loose wrists, you can just swap them.<br />
</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo eldor_little_differences_01_zps64b07d1b.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/eldor_little_differences_01_zps64b07d1b.jpg" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also painted his trunks a dark brown to match his boots. I intended to paint them the same dark reddish brown of his shirt like the vintage prototype but then I thought the darker brown might help pull the figure together. (No old man should be walking around Preternia in a pair of gray tights with his junk hanging out!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo eldor_little_differences_00_zps17233da8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/eldor_little_differences_00_zps17233da8.jpg" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As you can see in the photo above, the Bow hands also work great for creating spell casting gestures. You may have noticed that my Book of Living Spells also has been modified. I created some custom water-slide decals so that his book is not blank. (These are the kind of decals that come in model kits.)</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you dig him and and see once again that the little differences can make your good figures great! If you'd like to purchase a set of decals for your own Book of Living Spells, send me an email <a href="mailto:Eric@Insidious1.com" target="_blank">Eric@Insidious1.com</a>.</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">***</span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Because of the overwhelming response to the Book of Living Spells decals, I've posted a tutorial below on how to apply them. Here's what you'll need to get started...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial02_zps17f2064b.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial02_zps17f2064b.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1) Bottle of <a href="http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MI-2&Category_Code=FINPROD&Product_Count=0" target="_blank">Micro Sol decal solvent</a>. You can get it at a hobby store or order from the link.This stuff will help the decal adhere to irregular surfaces like the wrinkles on the pages. It actually "melts" the plastic of the decal so you have to be very careful with it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2) Tweezers (I always use two.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3) New Clean Paper Towel</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4) Distilled Water</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">5) Shallow Lid - filled with distilled water.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">6) Clean Exacto Blade, Ruler, and Cutting Mat (Or new <u>sharp</u> scissors)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">7) Two Clean Small Brushes<b> </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 1:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cut out your <span class="il">decals</span> close to the edge of the design but with enough room so you can still hold them with the tweezers <u>without touching the printing on the decal</u>. I printed some very thin gray guides where you need to cut. If you are using scissors, make sure they are very sharp and new. (Don't use the old dull pair that's been sitting in the junk drawer for the last five years!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial01_zps9bbd7a70.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial01_zps9bbd7a70.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I prefer to use a new Exacto blade, ruler, and cutting mat for precision.</span><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial03_zps03eb63e8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial03_zps03eb63e8.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 2:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Test fit the decals on the book to make sure they will fit properly. Trim as necessary.<b> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial05_zps182285d1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial05_zps182285d1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /><img alt=" photo tutorial04_zps5bbb3cf5.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial04_zps5bbb3cf5.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Take particular notice of the page on the right side as you'll want the text and symbols to line up on either side of the bookmark.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial09_zpsa5800666.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial09_zpsa5800666.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 3:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pick up the decal with the tweezers being careful not to touch the printing. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Using the tweezers, hold the decal face up on the surface of the water for <b>5 seconds</b>. (<u>DO NOT SUBMERGE THE DECAL</u> as it can cause the colors to bleed!)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial06_zpsd6db600d.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial06_zpsd6db600d.jpg" height="300" width="400" /><img alt=" photo tutorial07_zps0cc57168.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial07_zps0cc57168.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 4:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Place the decal face up on a paper towel and let it sit for 30 seconds. This allows the backing paper to loosen from the decal. (The larger page <span class="il">decals</span> will need a little more time.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial08_zps76770cc8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial08_zps76770cc8.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 5:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Using the tweezers, place the decal on a flat, CLEAN, surface then gently nudge the edge of the paper from the decal. For the decals on the right side of the book, nudge the paper away from the center, or bookmark edge. (See photo below for reference.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial10_zps811743a1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial10_zps811743a1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 6:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Using both tweezers (or a tweezers and the Exacto) fit the decal into place. (In the case of the right side of the book, place the inside edge up to the bookmark and hold it in place.) Then, using the tweezers, slide the paper out from underneath the decal.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial11_zps9759adb7.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial11_zps9759adb7.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 7:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Use a dry brush to adjust position and flatten any airy bubbles. If the decal is not adhering, put a tiny dab of water on the brush and tack down any areas without printing on them. <u>DO NOT</u> put water on any printed areas.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial12_zps48bd8b4b.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial12_zps48bd8b4b.jpg" height="300" width="400" /> <b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 8:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To help the decal adhere to the contours of the pages, dip only the tip of the brush into the decal solvent, and gently brush a little solvent onto the recesses. <u>DO NOT</u> brush it onto the printing or it may remove or smudge it. Decal solvent is not always necessary.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(NOTE: Be <u>EXTREMELY</u> careful when using decal solvent as you only have one shot at getting it right. After you use it on a part of the decal it cannot be moved without destroying or cracking the decal.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial15_zps822b8077.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial15_zps822b8077.jpg" height="400" width="300" /><img alt=" photo tutorial16_zps5d675db6.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial16_zps5d675db6.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 9:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let it dry over night.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial17_zpsc8f909b4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial17_zpsc8f909b4.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 10:</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the morning, you'll notice it looks very glossy. Spray the pages with a clear-coat sealant. Many different companies make different kinds of sealant from matte, to gloss, to others in-between. I prefer a matte sealant so that he pages more closely match the paint of the book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial19_zps90f0e4ee.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial19_zps90f0e4ee.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whatever you choose, use a spray and apply it very lightly. I use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Games-Workshop-Spray-Varnish-Matte/dp/B001N1HC0Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414525856&sr=8-1&keywords=games+workshop+purity+seal" target="_blank">Games Workshop Matte Purity Seal</a>. It's more expensive than most, but the quality is the best I've found and the large can lasts a long time. Let it dry overnight. If it still looks glossy the next day, spray it again and let it dry again overnight.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial18_zps70f796ae.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial18_zps70f796ae.jpg" height="400" width="300" /><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Step 11:</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Place book in Eldor's hands, place Eldor prominently in your Preternia display, and</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> enjoy! (Note: Once you've applied the decals, I do not recommend fully closing the book. While it should be fine the first few times, it will eventually start to wear. Or, if you live in a very humid or warm area, it could stick together.)</span></span><br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo group01_zpsef62c725.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/group01_zpsef62c725.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ONE MORE THING...Take your time, measure twice, cut once, and all that. These are very fragile but the finished look is worth the effort. Also, don't get discouraged if you mess one up. I always include a backup with each set because even <b>I</b> mess up from time to time. (See photo below.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo tutorial99_zps4901e208.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Eldor2/tutorial99_zps4901e208.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></span></div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-41278969862223275292014-06-26T16:27:00.001-05:002014-06-26T16:29:35.293-05:00Legends of Cthulhu: The Best 80's Toys that Never Existed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">W</span></b>here have I been? It's a long story, but early last year, two toy buddies of mine, Bryan and Tommy approached me with an idea for a company that would make brand new toys in a style that was completely authentic to another era. These would not be re-makes, re-issues, or re-hashes of things that came before but brand new characters and licenses that could and SHOULD have existed at the time but for some reason, didn't. I loved the idea but since I was already knee deep in the development of another project, I said I would be willing to consult for them if and when they needed me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That night, I couldn't stop thinking about the concept and all the potentials that could be explored using that methodology. The next morning, I called Bryan and told him that I wanted to be as involved as he wanted me to be. He told me that he and Tommy had already discussed it even before we met-up the night before and wanted me to be part of the company. That made it official, I put my own project on hold and we became <a href="http://www.warpo.com/" target="_blank">WARPO</a>. What followed was a whirlwind of research, discussions, design, and development that manifest itself as our first toy line; <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/warpo/legends-of-cthulhu-retro-action-figure-toy-line" target="_blank">Legends of Cthulhu</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.warpo.com/wp-content/gallery/legends-of-cthulhu-press-image-gallery/loc_projectimage_51414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.warpo.com/wp-content/gallery/legends-of-cthulhu-press-image-gallery/loc_projectimage_51414.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our Kickstarter launched at the beginning of this month to rousing cries of R'lyeh from Lovecraft fans and vintage toy collectors from around the globe so much so that we were fully funded in 3 days! While our pace of growth has slowed since then, it has been a steady climb up the mountain of stretch goals including the translucent "Conjured Cthulhu" and "The High Priest."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/002/134/946/b6d21ee4900af4849bac04644dc1bc6a_large.jpg?1402541138" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/002/134/946/b6d21ee4900af4849bac04644dc1bc6a_large.jpg?1402541138" width="298" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/002/145/095/304f5ca84956566b57a73edfac299553_large.jpg?1402760532" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/assets/002/145/095/304f5ca84956566b57a73edfac299553_large.jpg?1402760532" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I love these two figure designs as the Conjured translucent body harkens back to the <a href="http://mechageezer.blogspot.com/2013/06/toy-review-fisher-price-adventure.html" target="_blank">"space" themed Adventure People</a> and the High Priest comes straight out of <a href="http://www.toymania.com/334archives/dragonriders/" target="_blank">Dragon Riders of the Styx</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We are now poised before two of my favorite stretch goals. The first is a figure that pays homage to the man whose stories made this line possible; H.P. Lovecraft called "The Author." He features Lovecraft's likeness and comes with a translucent green Necronomicon accessory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/879635/posts/889033/image-346346-full.jpg?1403654426" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/879635/posts/889033/image-346346-full.jpg?1403654426" width="267" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The second is The Great Old One: Cthulhu himself. This 12" figure was part of our line from the beginning, but we knew we would not be able to afford to produce it without the overwhelming support of toy and Lovecraft fans. He is inspired by such awesome 80's monster figures as <a href="http://2warpstoneptune.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/mattels-clash-of-the-titans-toys-kraken-sea-monster-1980/" target="_blank">Clash of the Titans' Kraken</a>, <a href="http://www.plaidstallions.com/mattel79/godzilla.html" target="_blank">Godzilla from the Shogun Warriors line</a>, and <a href="http://theswca.com/images-toys/figuretoys/rancor.html" target="_blank">Kenner's Rancor</a>. At $200,000 we will unlock him and anyone who pledges (or has already pledged) at "THE CULTIST LEVEL" or higher will be eligible to purchase him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/879635/posts/889033/image-346348-full.jpg?1403654437" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/879635/posts/889033/image-346348-full.jpg?1403654437" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most of my custom figure pieces have been modern style so I understand if this is not your cup of tea, however, if you remember where all this 3 3/4" "action figure madness" began, or if you just appreciate the art of the late 70's and early 80's give our Kickstarter a look and pledge. You'll get some kick-ass toys and help us make some of the (in the words of my partner Bryan) bitchingest toys that never were, today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's the link to our Legends of Cthulhu Kickstarter: <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/warpo/legends-of-cthulhu-retro-action-figure-toy-line" target="_blank">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/warpo/legends-of-cthulhu-retro-action-figure-toy-line</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And here's a link to our company Warpo's website: <a href="http://www.warpo.com/" target="_blank">http://www.warpo.com/</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">"The Insidious One."</a></span></div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-9795830553687207762013-11-18T15:36:00.000-06:002013-11-18T15:36:21.821-06:00The Little Differences: Vintage Figure Style MOTUC Skeletor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/little_differences/pulp_fiction.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there it's a little different.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*****</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">T</span></b>oday's installment of the Little Differences is a quick, down and dirty, Masters of the Universe Classics kit-bash! I was very excited to get the more "vintage action figure style" body construction with <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/pd/ThemeID.1298800/productID.255916300#.Uop4gyfZUgw" target="_blank">Dragon Blaster Skeletor</a>. However, after I had him in hand, I knew achieving the vintage figure look would not be as simple as swapping his chest armor and giving him some weapons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First, unlike any other Skeletor figure to come before him, Dragon Blaster Skeletor's body is actually black plastic painted blue. This practice fans on <a href="http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/" target="_blank">He-Man.org</a> have dubbed "blastic" was used on several figures last year. The problem with this technique is that the paint on these figures rubs off over time revealing the black plastic underneath. (This is totally unacceptable for someone who enjoys posing and displaying their figures out of the package. Thankfully Mattel has stopped doing this on subsequent figures.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The second problem with Dragon Blastor Skeletor is that his right hand is not a Skeletor "creature" hand with long pointed fingernails. Instead, for some odd reason, they gave him a standard "human" right hand. The last nail in the coffin preventing this from being an easy swap was that the armor tassels "hanging" from his belt were painted black instead of purple.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo vintage_skeletor_zps25592ea2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MOTUC_Vintage/vintage_skeletor_zps25592ea2.jpg" /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So instead of simply swapping the Dragon Blaster armor with regular Skeletor armor, I needed to put the DB forearms, boots, and feet onto a standard Skeletor! Using the tried and true hot-water technique, I swapped the arms at the biceps, hands, and boots. I was especially careful removing and re-attaching the DB parts as the paint on the "blastic" comes off even more easily when heated. Here's my recipe...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Head = Demo Man (alternate head)<br />
Body = Skeletor (from Mo-Larr pack)<br />
Arms = Dragon Blaster Skeletor<br />Hands = </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeletor (from Mo-Larr pack)</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Boots/Feet = </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dragon Blaster Skeletor</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Armor = </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeletor (from Mo-Larr pack)</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Trunks = </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeletor (from Mo-Larr pack)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Weapons = </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Skeletor (from Mo-Larr pack) + Fang Man</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Note; the blue on the body parts are not a 100% match but they are close enough. In fact, I've seen much greater differences on factory painted vs molded color production pieces. So my decision to swap the entire arm instead of just the forearm is for two reasons; removing the complex elbow joints and re-attaching them could damage the paint on the DB pieces and I felt the biceps would be a better place to hide the color difference with the shadows created by the armor and the deltoids.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo IMG_6682_zps668ab2ad.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MOTUC_Vintage/IMG_6682_zps668ab2ad.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, he isn't totally toy accurate with the Alcala head but it's such a wonderfully expressive sculpt that I couldn't resist using it. I also gave him Fang Man's sword as a stand-in for his "energy-blade." The skull motif on the handle suits him especially well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So if you like your Masters of the Universe Classics with a little more vintage-toy flavor, this is an easy one to do. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-10024975018439509952013-08-19T12:54:00.004-05:002013-08-20T10:16:28.791-05:00The Little Differences: Three Kings of Masters of the Universe Classics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo pulp_fiction.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/little_differences/pulp_fiction.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there, it's a little different.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">*****</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span>'m a huge fan of the MOTUC toy line for many reasons; the theme of sword and sorcery mixed with technology, nostalgia for the characters, the excellent articulation, the amazing sculpts by <a href="http://www.sourcehorsemen.com/" target="_blank">The Four Horsemen</a>, and the diversity of characters to name a few. But one of my top reasons is the modularity of the figures. What do I mean? Their parts are intentionally designed to be swappable from one figure to another (or kit-bashable). You can easily swap heads, armor, and weapons by simply pulling them off. But with a little warm water and some elbow-grease, you can go even farther and change out limbs, trunks, and other pieces.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This modularity is the subject of today's "The Little Differences" and its no coincidence that today is also the final day to subscribe to Club Eternia on <a href="http://mattycollector.com/">MattyCollector.com</a>. I hear a lot of people are not subscribing this year because they don't want to get "stuck" with figures they don't want and won't be able to sell on the aftermarket. I'm here to say, <u>don't sell them</u> because while you may not like the character, their parts are probably pretty great. With a little kitbashing, you can easily turn a character you don't like into one that you do.<br /><br />For example; many complained that they didn't want the <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/ThemeID.1298800/productID.280533400#.UhJXs3-3w4k" target="_blank">Fighting Foe Men</a> last year and sold them, often at a loss. However, if they had just opened them, they might have seen the awesome potential of their parts. The FFM are loaded with great stuff to make dozens of cool figures. Below is one example for the 200x and recent mini-comic fans.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo alt_keldor_01_zps800b0527.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Kings_Princes/alt_keldor_01_zps800b0527.jpg" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prince Keldor or Alternate Universe King Keldor, as I like to call him is from an alternate universe where Keldor becomes King, stays good, and raises Adam after Randor's death at the hands of Hordak. He is made using the body of Ditstroyer, the amor from a Palace Guard, the sword of King Randor, and the head of Keldor.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A figure whose design <u><b>I</b></u> absolutely hated from day one was the subscriber exclusive King He-Man. Some of the parts were cool, but together they just looked silly to me. The head looked too small and the gold and silver everywhere was too much. And the trunks with their blue, gold, silver, and red coloring and his bare legs were just a little too reminiscent of a creepy old man lounging around the house in his boxers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo kingheman_bad_zpsd1363793.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Kings_Princes/kingheman_bad_zpsd1363793.jpg" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the end, I was able to get two figures out of his pieces (with a third still in the works) by combining them in a more visually appealing way.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo king_heman2_01_zps03a52cf6.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Kings_Princes/king_heman2_01_zps03a52cf6.jpg" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first figure is a replacement for King He-Man. This is the look I imagine he would have shortly after becoming King but before he would go on his adventures in space. He's in his mid-thirties and still very much the warrior-king. He has the body of Battle Armor He-Man, the armor and cape, boots, and sword, from King He-Man. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo future_king_01_zps88f5910f.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Kings_Princes/future_king_01_zps88f5910f.jpg" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is my take on "old" King He-Man, or as I like to call him, Alternate Universe Old King He-Man. This is a decidedly older and war weary He-Man who has been space and back and, having passed the Power Sword to the next generation, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">sits on the throne of Eternia</span></span>. He has the upper body, head, and staff from King He-Man, legs and boots from Bow, and He-Ro's armor. The armor's shape helps the small head look more proportioned. The dominent colors are now gold and blue with accents of red. The blue pants are a nod to having returned from space and help him look less like a creepy old man in his boxers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo alt_group_01_zps7f837f20.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Kings_Princes/alt_group_01_zps7f837f20.jpg" width="400" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've even concocted my own story for them I call, <b>"Three Kings."</b><br /> </span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In an alternate future, King Hisss returns, deposes "Old King He-Man" and captures his son Dare and the Power Sword. In a desperate last ditch attempt, Old King He-Man reaches out across time and dimensions for aid. But the one who answers his call is someone he never would have expected; King Keldor! In that dimension, Keldor never went bad and when Randor was killed in battle, he became King. He is also raising his brother's young son, Adam. King Keldor knows Adam's destiny but also knows he is too young to be of any assistance, so he in-turn travels to another time and dimension and enlists the help of another King He-Man. Together they travel to the alternate future, defeat King Hisss, retake the Power Sword, rescue Old King He-Man's son, and restore order to his Eternia.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you see from these examples that with a little bit of creativity and elbow-grease, you too can turn your most unwanted figures into fun new characters, or variations of characters that you will like. To paraphrase the words of the poet Ezra Pound, "If you don't like it, make it new." And if you haven't subscribed for MOTUC 2014, take these words to heart as you review this card-back showing a sampling of vintage characters that may appear in MOTUC in 2014.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img alt=" photo sub_up_zpsc1d0d997.jpg" border="0" height="640" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Kings_Princes/sub_up_zpsc1d0d997.jpg" width="461" /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes, there may be some characters pictured that you have little or no interest in owning, but think about the possibilities of their parts. And if we don't get enough subscriptions, you won't even have the opportunity to cherry pick those that you do want. So if you are able, please subscribe today so we can all continue to get these awesome action figures. If I've swayed you with my speech, click the gold sun-burst below to subscribe.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.clubs.mattycollector.com/store/mattycol/en_US/DisplayShopperDefinedBundlePage/OfferID.40890484909" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo clubeternia_zps97987529.gif" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Kings_Princes/clubeternia_zps97987529.gif" /></a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One.</a></span></span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-44035323870570252632013-07-08T09:32:00.002-05:002013-08-13T08:58:57.248-05:00James Bond 007 (Daniel Craig) Skyfall Custom Action Figure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>T</b></span>his is my 101st post to this blog. Being a bit of milestone, I felt it should feature one of my most-requested and, according to <a href="http://www.google.com/analytics/" target="_blank">Google Analytics</a>, one my most searched-for and viewed pieces.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The answer? Yours and my favorite M16 Agent; 007, James Bond as portrayed by Daniel Craig. I've done several versions of Craig's Bond. You can see two of them <a href="http://www.insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2010/03/james-bond-007-daniel-craig-custom.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2010/11/never-say-never-again-james-bond-007.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo skyfall_zpsb55c25a7.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/jamesbond_skyfall/skyfall_zpsb55c25a7.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This time, I decided to go with the gray-suited look that we saw in the latest Bond film; <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1074638/" target="_blank">Skyfall</a>. I really enjoyed this film and it is my favorite of the Craig Bond movies. In addition in the change of suit color, I aged his face by a few years to convey the weariness of his soul but still tough as nails as I really enjoyed this theme in the film.</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo bond00_zps38f3b422.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/jamesbond_skyfall/bond00_zps38f3b422.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The light-blue shirt was also a nice compliment to the gray and suits the mood of this era in Bond's career.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo bond02_zps71f45061.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/jamesbond_skyfall/bond02_zps71f45061.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was pleasantly surprised by the vintage Aston Martin DB5's appearance in the film. It's a beautiful car and symbolizes Bond's return to his roots. The RC2 replica looks great with the figure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo bond03_zps2c5fa1a6.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/jamesbond_skyfall/bond03_zps2c5fa1a6.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While I'll admit that I was skeptical of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0110483/bio" target="_blank">Babara Broccoli's</a> choice of Craig as Bond, I feel that she has truly done-right by the character and Craig has contributed to it. He's more like the Bond from the novels than ever; he's highly skilled, cool, and deadly, but he's fallible. He's a scrapper again and he fights and struggles to get the job done. After seeing Skyfall, I have every confidence in Barbra's ability to shepherd the franchise in the years to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo bond05_zps38b6c078.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/jamesbond_skyfall/bond05_zps38b6c078.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Suit? Check.<br />Car? Check.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Babe? Double check.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo bond01_zps89501569.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/jamesbond_skyfall/bond01_zps89501569.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope you dig him. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.<i><br />
</i></span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-60278879254372519102013-05-31T14:40:00.000-05:002013-05-31T16:08:48.891-05:00The Little Differences: Flash Gordon Masters of the Universe Classics Action Figure MOTUC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span> love Sci-Fi. I love how it can cloak social commentary so that it presents a familiar and often sensitive subject in a different light. I love how it speculates on new technology and explores the technology's impact on the human condition. But most of all, I love how it takes you to different worlds, completely unhindered by current norms, so we can experience new and exciting adventures.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Modern Sci-Fi like Star Trek, Farscape, Doctor Who, Blade Runner, Prometheus, and Star Wars are fantastic. But several years ago, I decided to explore the roots of Science Fiction and luckily, I had a great resource nearby. <a href="http://www.acomics.com/" target="_blank">Atlas Comics</a> just outside Chicago had a wealth of material such as old comic strips from the 1930's and comic books from the 1950's. There, I was able to research and actually see things like <a href="http://weirdscifi.ratiosemper.com/flash/strip.html" target="_blank">Flash Gordon comic strips</a> and comics books like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weird_Fantasy" target="_blank">Weird Fantasy</a> first-hand as well as add them to my collection. Additionally, the store's proprietor John Stangeland was a wealth of information on vintage films which helped me track down information on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Rogers_%28serial%29" target="_blank">Buck Rogers</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_Gordon_%28serial%29" target="_blank">Flash Gordon movie serials</a>. (John is a comic book artist, writer, and author of the fantastic book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Warren-William-Magnificent-Scoundrel-Hollywood/dp/0786448784?ie=UTF8&tag=theaafobl-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Warren William: Magnificent Scoundrel of Pre-Code Hollywood</a>. You can learn more about him and his book <a href="http://www.outofthepastblog.com/2011/01/interview-with-john-stangeland-warren.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) Many of these early creators were making Sci-Fi before the term was even coined, breaking new ground and telling stories that rival those of today.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Years later, my friend <a href="http://douglasklauba.com/" target="_blank">Doug Klauba</a> created a piece starring Flash Gordon called <a href="http://douglasklauba.blogspot.com/2008/07/to-be-continued.html" target="_blank">"To Be Continued..."</a>. My plan was to put in in my son's room to inspire him but it was such a large piece that it didn't fit his wall, so it currently resides above my work table and inspires me daily.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://douglasklauba.com/commercial_gallery.php" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo gal21-lg_zpscbe06214.jpg" border="0" height="179" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/gal21-lg_zpscbe06214.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So when I recently picked up an extra loose <a href="http://www.he-man.org/collecting/toy.php?id=3008" target="_blank">Masters of the Universe Classics King Randor</a> and took the armor off, his bright red shirt was a natural inspiration to make my own MOTUC Flash Gordon type of character.</span><br />
<img alt=" photo 05_zps5112e2a8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/05_zps5112e2a8.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bright blue pants and head were donated by an extra <a href="http://www.he-man.org/collecting/toy.php?id=3880" target="_blank">Bow</a> figure; and the black boots are from <a href="http://www.he-man.org/collecting/toy.php?id=3600" target="_blank">Mo-Larr</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I used the "hot water" method to swap the parts; submersing them in the water for a minute or so to soften the plastic and then gently working the parts off. I used the same process to put them together.</span><br />
<img alt=" photo 10_zpsebf1a1e3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/10_zpsebf1a1e3.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I added a Jet Pack from <a href="http://www.he-man.org/collecting/toy.php?id=4074" target="_blank">Snout Spout</a> as an homage to the Filmation Flash Gordon cartoon as I remember seeing him wear one in an episode. (Considering Filmation's contribution to Masters of the Universe, I thought it was more than fitting.)</span><br />
<img alt=" photo filmationflash_zps5319bbc3.jpg" border="0" height="400" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/filmationflash_zps5319bbc3.jpg" width="296" /><br />
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<img alt=" photo 01_zps563dd92d.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/01_zps563dd92d.jpg" width="400" /><br />
As you can see, he fits in well with the more "Spacey" characters in Classics.<br />
<img alt=" photo 02_zps7cfcbf37.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/02_zps7cfcbf37.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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<img alt=" photo 06_zps64a0ac2b.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/06_zps64a0ac2b.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt=" photo 04_zpsa57e9207.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/04_zpsa57e9207.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes, Bow's tiara is a little weird, but Flash did sport some strange outfits back in the day and I remember seeing a painting of early Sci-Fi hero <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carter_of_Mars" target="_blank">John Carter</a> in a tiara of sorts so it isn't completely out of place.</span><br />
<img alt=" photo 03_zps8dcb2a69.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/03_zps8dcb2a69.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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<img alt=" photo 07_zps21d086d4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Flash_Gordon01/07_zps21d086d4.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As always with these "Little Differences" posts, I hope you are inspired to bash your own classic/retro Sci-Fi hero and you see that the little differences can make a big impact on your action figure collection. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One.</a></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On a more somber note, I'd like to add that the fantastic comic book store that I mention above, <a href="http://www.acomics.com/" target="_blank">Atlas Comics</a>, will be closing it's doors after 25 years in business.</span><br />
<a href="http://acomics.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo atlastfront_zpsb91eb38c.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/atlastfront_zpsb91eb38c.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://acomics.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo atlastfront02_zpsfa8a49d9.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/atlastfront02_zpsfa8a49d9.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://acomics.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo atlas03_zpsbcce0fdf.jpg" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/atlas03_zpsbcce0fdf.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">John Stangeland, the owner of Atlas is both a mentor and a good friend and I am sad to see the shop close. However, this is an opportunity for <b>YOU</b> to get your hands on some incredible books, toys, statues, and collectibles at insanely low prices.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The liquidation sale begins Saturday, 06/01/13 and culminates with the store closing on Saturday, 06/29/13. Atlas is in Norridge, IL a few blocks from 90, on the corner of Cumberland and Lawrence (next to The Phoenix Restaurant). See map below for directions and click this link for more info on the sale <a href="http://www.acomics.com/">http://www.acomics.com/</a>.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=atlas+comics+norridge&fb=1&gl=us&hq=atlas+comics&hnear=0x880fc99f848bc14f:0x6e8ed9113d79f8f7,Norridge,+IL&cid=0,0,6783189705171217491&t=m&iwloc=A&ll=41.965423,-87.83638&spn=0.006295,0.006295&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&q=atlas+comics+norridge&fb=1&gl=us&hq=atlas+comics&hnear=0x880fc99f848bc14f:0x6e8ed9113d79f8f7,Norridge,+IL&cid=0,0,6783189705171217491&t=m&iwloc=A&ll=41.965423,-87.83638&spn=0.006295,0.006295&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small></span><br />
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-83007724112644431112013-04-16T22:35:00.002-05:002014-02-26T12:00:17.573-06:00Trap Jaw Mini-Comic Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe Classics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>F</b></span>or those of us who were fans of Masters of the Universe before the Filmation cartoon began airing in 1983, our first experience of many of the characters came from the mini-comics packed with each action figure. In these comics, the character's appearance often differed greatly from the very action figure it was packaged with. <b>Trap Jaw</b> is one perfect example as both his design details and his coloring were dramatically different.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo comic_cover_zps8dabd392.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/comic_cover_zps8dabd392.jpg" height="320" width="240" /> <img alt=" photo trapjaw_vintage_zpsdc641608.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/trapjaw_vintage_zpsdc641608.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The obvious differences include the action figure's green face and blue skinned body compared to the comic version which had a yellowish-green skin color. The toy was also more heavily armored on the legs while the comic version featured the standard Masters of the Universe muscle legs and furry boots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So when "Comic Trap Jaw" finished in 3rd place, in the <a href="http://he-man.org/news_article.php?id=2739" target="_blank">2013 MOTUC Fan's Choice Poll</a>, I decided to give him a second look. On closer examination, I discovered other small details that make the comic version of Trap Jaw even more unique. First, the Frankenstein-esque "bolts" on the sides of his helmet seem to suit the character's cyborg look while the metallic jaw makes his bite (and the "red meat" inside his mouth) appear even more menacing. The striped trunks even add to his "criminal" background in a subtle prison-uniform kind of way. But one detail almost missed my attention, the ram's head relief on his belt which replaces the pirate-vibe created by the original skull and crossbones. (...and begs the question of a possible connection to the ram skull-head of Skeletor's Havok Staff.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo pieces_zpsd4706d30.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/pieces_zpsd4706d30.jpg" height="400" width="392" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Before he was part of the Fan's Choice Poll, Mini-Comic Trap Jaw was slotted to be part of the <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=masters%20of%20the%20universe&origkw=masters+of+the+universe&f=Taxonomy/TRUS/2254197&sr=1" target="_blank">Toys R Us MOTUC/DC two-packs</a>. But with that line's cancellation and since he didn't win the poll, I knew he wasn't going to be released officially. I really loved this figure as a kid and loved his story from the mini-comic even more so I HAD to make him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 10_zps93eacdc8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/10_zps93eacdc8.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo mini01_zpsbe0710f2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/mini01_zpsbe0710f2.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 01_zps22dc393a.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/01_zps22dc393a.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo mini03_zps320f23ae.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/mini03_zps320f23ae.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 04c_zps3069243e.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/04c_zps3069243e.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the comic, the wraps on his boots were white. I made them a dingy gray to better match the battered metallic look of his metal components.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo mini02_zps54a6aef8.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/mini02_zps54a6aef8.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 00_zps1b679baa.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/00_zps1b679baa.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I removed the skull and crossbones on the belt by carefully sanding it off. I sculpted the ram's head in it's place. The most difficult part of this piece was matching the yellow-green skin tone on the forearm and the lower legs. (I'm a stickler for color matching.) Other than that, he was a labor of love and he's loaded with subtle details like washes, highlights, and spot varnishes to really bring out his sculpted details.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 02_zps8324f48d.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/02_zps8324f48d.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instead of just painting stripes on the trunks, I followed the contours of the fur to make it look more natural. (As natural as striped purple fur can look.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 03_zps66910be4.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/TrapJaw_Mini_Comic/03_zps66910be4.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope you dig him. If you do, leave a comment, follow my blog, or follow me on Twitter at the links at the right side of the page. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-12324569247218912862013-04-09T13:48:00.003-05:002013-08-22T09:18:55.608-05:00Hordak (Blue) Filmation / MOTUC Mashup Custom Action Figure Art<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span> like the design of the gray-skinned vintage Masters of the Universe Hordak figure. And while I more often than not find Filmation's changes in both the design and coloring of my beloved Masters to be uninspired, their color changes on Hordak work for me on many of levels.<a href="http://www.he-man.org/collecting/packing.php?id=3116" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo hordak_vintage_zps9f243384.jpg" border="0" height="320" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/hordak_vintage_zps9f243384.jpg" width="240" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Despite their simplifying the face details, making it less organic and more mechanical looking, the starkness of the white color makes him even more demonic and maniacal. (I can't help but hear the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-gCUkxisxU" target="_blank">They Might Be Giants song "Turn Around"</a> in my head whenever I see it.) Their skin color change from gray to blue also livens up what was originally a very muted color palette.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo hordak_film_zps390f7127.jpg" border="0" height="200" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/hordak_film_zps390f7127.jpg" width="200" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I've seen some fantastic Filmation Hordak customs on <a href="http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/forumdisplay.php?16-Custom-Figure-and-Sculpture-Forum" target="_blank">He-Man.org</a> and elsewhere including an incredible sculpt of the Filmation style head by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kevin.kosse?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">Kevin Kosse</a>. But I wanted to do Hordak a little differently: First, I didn't want to paint his entire body blue. No matter how much you prep, sand, prime, and seal it, you can't avoid some level of paint chipping, especially on joints. To minimize this, I chose Webstor as a base body. Second, I love the Four Horsemen's MOTUC sculpt but I was curious to see what the head would look like in stark white with dry brushing to really bring out the sculpted details. Finally, the forearm canon of Hurricane Hordak gave me the final component to truly make this piece a tribute to both Filmation and MOTUC.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 01_zpsc37bd71a.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/01_zpsc37bd71a.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While the structural cues are mostly Masters Classics, I gave him the double arm bands and sculpted a simple bracer for his left wrist to give him some key Filmation details. The "bleached bone" white face was painted in several stages starting with a medium gray and working up to the bright white details on the uppermost surfaces. I also gave his red costume elements the proper treatment with a very bright red base and a wash so they would really pop-off the black just as they did in the cartoon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 02_zps275b9f9b.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/02_zps275b9f9b.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Inspired by <a href="http://www.actionfigurepics.com/2012/08/how-to-use-laser-pointers-for-dynamic-action-figure-lighting" target="_blank">ActionFigurePics.com's tutorial</a> on using laser pointers in photography, I experimented a bit achieving some pretty cool blaster effects. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 06_zps60875cb3.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/06_zps60875cb3.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I modified a red tinted plastic rod for this shot. It looks good on it's own but the laser really brings it to life...or should I say death! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 00_zpse6617ec2.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/00_zpse6617ec2.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"...and his face which was a paper-white mask of evil sang us this song..." - They Might Be Giants</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt=" photo 04_zps84dba425.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/04_zps84dba425.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Grayskull, you will be mine!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <img alt=" photo 03_zpsd0303c72.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Hordak_MOTUC_Filmation/03_zpsd0303c72.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope you dig him. If you do, I've made him available in my Etsy store. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/154918102/hordak-filmation-masters-of-the-universe" target="_blank">Click here</a> to purchase him. Also, leave a comment and be sure to <a href="http://www.google.com/friendconnect/signin/home?st=e%3DAOG8GaC8rBIIlx0mwWtskuSql8gIkoC0ws3DuV5qhm5L6u0rvBo9F5KEjptGmJnJWs3u6kWf9l6MKT8Qpw%252ByEELZP9qTRrLtq3GSCVv3dbPOVjSMZrCSmFruUChv4koyE3LZJqWf63GdeGa1PAyreJOYIThI2Ln82g%252FlhPtWyIVlQo5V0VTIqZCHNJmnt0wx6WzWvVo1a7r%252F%252B53MYfLwDXSAdIZuDnAPk6RUcMfas1psZNpwv4PMfP4%253D%26c%3Dpeoplesense&psinvite=&subscribeOnSignin=1" target="_blank">follow Insidious Customs</a> at the links at the right. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span><br />
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-70878859425398185492012-11-12T22:30:00.000-06:002012-12-20T12:25:04.306-06:00Skeletor MYP/200X Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the UniverseClassics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A</b></span>s I write my final post of <b>Castle Grayskull Week</b>, we are approaching the final hours before the <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">MOTUC Castle Grayskull Pre-Order deadline</a>. Since we began the week with He-Man, I only thought it fitting that we end the week with his arch-nemesis, Skeletor!</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you've read some of my previous posts, you know I'm a fan of the Mike Young Productions / 200X version of Masters of the Universe but prefer to keep those elements out of Masters of the Universe Classics. However, I know there are a lot of fans of that era including some really good buddies of mine who were introduced to the MOTU mythos through the MYP cartoon. So when I see parts that scream MYP/200X, I can't help but get ideas to make 200X style figures for Classics. (See Prince Adam <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/06/prince-adam-200x-custom-action-figure.html" target="_blank">V1</a> and <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/11/prince-adam-200x-v2-custom-action.html" target="_blank">V2</a> customs.)</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This one started when I saw Preternia He-Man's hood. With the exception of the missing "point" in the front, it was the perfect MYP/200X Skeletor hood. A little bit of sculpting, casting, modding and a whole lot of painting later, we have a Classics/MYP/200X mash-up of Skeletor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/21.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The differences between the Classics Skeletor and MYP/200X Skeletor may seem subtle to the casual fan, but the hardcore fan will notice them right away; the hood, more angular skull with vampire teeth, the bracers, shin guards, belt, shoulder spikes, coloring, and last but not least, the fact that he has more than three toes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/11.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I gave him a pair of Classics style Power Swords but painted them to match the MYP/200X colors. I think they turned out pretty cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/19.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But he was MADE for the <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/pd/ThemeID.1298800/productID.257962800" target="_blank">Great Unrest Weapon's Pack Keldor Swords</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/09.jpg" /></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/08.jpg" /></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/07.jpg" /></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/12.jpg" /></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/18.jpg" /></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/02.jpg" /></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/05.jpg" /></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Skeletor_MYP2X/00.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope you dig him. If you do, leave a comment. But before you do, please consider pre-ordering a <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">MOTUC Castle Grayskull</a> before November 12, 2012 11:59 p.m. PT to go with him.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/grayskull_illo.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After all, what's Skeletor without a Castle Grayskull to covet? (Answer: An angry bone-faced guy with no focus in life.) Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-3812425082690005112012-11-09T00:12:00.001-06:002012-11-09T00:12:29.373-06:00The Little Differences: Vykron or Space Ace He-Man - Masters of the Universe Classics Action Figure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="173" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/little_differences/pulp_fiction.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there, it's a little different.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>*****</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>C</b></span>astle Grayskull Week continues with a MOTUC version of "The Little Differences." If you're new to the blog, every once in a while I show you a simple way to improve one or more of the figures in your collection. In this case, I'll show you how to turn that <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/ThemeID.1298800/productID.253882300" target="_blank">Vykron "Space Ace"</a> gear you have sitting in your parts bin into a cool new character.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First of all, even if you use the Space Ace gear on the Vykron body as intended, it looks pretty terrible. The bright orange 1970's Marvel style vest with the deep v-neck on a bare chest is too much for even the most daring of Eternia's fashionistas. Luckily, with all the figures we have so far, we can find some parts that both match the orange, help tone down the flamboyance, and bring the whole outfit together. (Thanks for the terminology Tim Gunn.)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=01.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/01.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He's made using Snout Spout's body with Thunderpunch He-Man's arms, Mo-Larr's boots, and a Preternia He-Man head. To swap the parts, I heated water in a large coffee cup in the microwave for 3 minutes, submerged the part for about 40 seconds, and then gently pulled them off. I repeated the process to put the parts back on. The head required some trimming away of the plastic to better fit inside
the helmet. I used an x-acto knife to do this leaving a "U" shape on top. I also trimmed part of the back of the head so the face would sit further back inside the helmet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=00.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/00.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I really like how the black mask ties-in with the black belt under the Space Ace gear and the black boots. It also gives him a little of the Boba-Fett look without obscuring the entire face.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=05.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/05.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I also like how
the lines of the vest and the orange shoulders with bare arms give him
that 80's-90's Wolverine feel when he had the <a href="http://image.retrojunk.com/6a1_0cfca7506e.jpg" target="_blank">brown costume with pointed short sleeves</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=04.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/04.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now you've got a brand new character...or Space Ace Vykron...or He-Man in Space Adventure Gear!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=08.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/08.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=06.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/06.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=07.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/07.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/?action=view&current=03.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/vykron_space_ace_heman/03.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope you dig him and see how a little experimentation with your extra parts can give you some great results...especially when those parts are just sitting in a bin collecting dust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now you're probably tired of hearing it but it wouldn't be Castle Grayskull Week if I didn't remind you to pre-order the Masters of the Universe Castle Grayskull for yourself. If you already did, thank you from the bottom of my Eternian heart. If not, <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">here's the link</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span><br />
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-78358363945576446092012-11-07T23:13:00.001-06:002012-11-07T23:17:41.088-06:00Prince Adam 200X V2 Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe Classics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>W</b></span>elcome back to Castle Grayskull Week at Insidious Customs! Did you forget to pre-order your Masters of the Universe Classics Castle Grayskull? If so, here's <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">the link</a> to the page where you can do it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today's custom is a variation of a MOTUC custom that I made earlier this year; <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/06/prince-adam-200x-custom-action-figure.html" target="_blank">Prince Adam 200X style</a>. A client of mine was so fascinated by the design, he commissioned one for himself. However, his one stipulation was that I make the head more closely resemble the 200X cartoon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/hair.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I liked the idea and thought I would use this opportunity to improve on my initial piece and try my hand at interpreting a very stylized, almost-anime hair style, as a realistic look. Another thing I wanted to do was give him sculpted gloves so that he would have better wrist articulation. So I took the commission. Little did I anticipate that simply changing the a hairstyle would impact the figure, and my time creating it, so greatly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The first thing I did was remove the head from the base figure's body. I removed the hair and added ears because there were none on the original sculpt. I then began sculpting the hair. I did it in several layers to give it the forward swoop seen the in the cartoon. I spent a lot of time working and reworking it. Cartoon hair is a tricky thing to bring to life as cartoon angles do not equate to real world angles. I sculpted the gloves, shoulder-belt, and boots and then painted everything up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, when I finally put the head back on the body, the extra hair I had added to the back of the head caused the head to look downward because of the collar on the vest. I tacked down the back of the collar but the head still pointed down and the right-left articulation was still hindered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had a completely finished custom figure fully painted and ready to go but I could not bring myself to give it to my client this way. So I made a judgement call to replace the ball joint in the figure's body with a slightly longer one that would raise the head just enough to clear the collar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/neckpost.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I carefully cut off the back of the neck and replaced the joint with a longer, more sturdy, ball joint. I re-sculpted the back of the neck, painted it, and attached the head. Thankfully, it worked out perfectly and it's actually a sturdier joint than the original. Many thanks to my client who patiently waited for this figure during this much longer than expected process. I will never make this figure in this way again so he truly has a one-of-a-kind in his collection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/07.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/03.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/02.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/01.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/06.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam_200Xv2/09.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm very happy with the finished piece. I hope you dig him too. If you do, why not <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">pre-order Castle Grayskull from Mattycollector.com</a> by November 12th so my client, myself, and all the Masters fans can have one to display with our figures. Mattel has even sweetened the deal by including an exclusive Masters of the Universe Classics 30" x 20" cross-sell poster showing all the figures they've produced to date! Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-80097624849631777262012-11-06T15:07:00.002-06:002013-08-22T09:21:59.627-05:00King of Castle Grayskull He-Man Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe Classics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">W</span></b>elcome to the second installment of <b>CASTLE GRAYSKULL WEEK</b> at Insidious Customs! Have you per-ordered your MOTUC Castle Grayskull yet? If not, <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">click here</a> and do it, then come back and check out this cool custom action figure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The MOTUC figure <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.249635900" target="_blank">Mighty Spector</a> has been a source of controversy since his introduction. But when his bio revealed that he "served King He-Man," it added yet another layer to his controversy. Fans who knew only the Filmation mythos were concerned; "Shouldn't it be King Adam? Did Randor die?" they asked on <a href="http://www.he-man.org/">He-Man.org</a> and other message boards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then, at San Diego Comic Con 2012, King He-Man was revealed. Somehow Adam was now He-Man full time and he was the ruler of Eternia. I wasn't wowed by the design or the colors.He looked a little too "fancy" with his neatly trimmed beard, silver and gold armor, blue cape, dutch-boy haircut, and silly crown. And the red cross was positioned over his belly instead of his chest. You can see it <a href="http://waycoolnews.net/2012/08/02/mattycollector-motuc-the-secret-origin-of-skeletor-mini-comic-2013-sneak-peak/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My vision for
King He-Man was always more along the lines of King Conan; he's a older but he's still a fighter
first, far more comfortable swinging an axe at his
enemies than making nice while he holds court</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a fan of the original mini-comics, the <b>idea</b> of He-Man as a King is perfectly acceptable to me. You see, it was mentioned way back in 1981 in the fourth mini-comic <a href="http://www.he-man.org/publishing/item.php?id=298" target="_blank">"King of Castle Grayskull."</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/king_00.jpg" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In this comic, the future King of Castle Grayskull is shown to Teela in a vision. He is a green figure with a red cape. He is cloaked in shadow and sitting on a golden throne.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/king_01.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On the last page of the comic, it is revealed that the figure in the vision was actually He-Man and that it is his destiny to one day become the King of Castle Grayskull. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/king_02.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The image of that shadowy figure (illustrated by the awesome <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alfredo-Alcala-Art/159139094164768" target="_blank">Alfredo Alcala)</a> has stayed with me since I was a child. Now, thirty years later, I've realized him as an action figure. (Fun Fact: Mattel incorrectly used this image to depict King Grayskull in his <a href="http://www.he-man.org/collecting/packing.php?id=3795&image=18579" target="_blank">MOTUC bio pic</a>.)<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/king_heman.jpg" /></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08167.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As you can see, I took some liberties with his armor. I filled in details obscured by shadow in the illustration while staying true to both the illustration's silhouette and the styling and colors of the original action figure. As I alluded to above, my vision of King He-Man was always more of a "Battle Ready" King so I didn't want to give him a traditional pointed crown that could be knocked-off in a fight and decorative silver and gold armor made more for show than actual combat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Instead, he would wear an armored head-band and war-worn armor in the color of his original harness, scarred from repeated use on the battlefield. He is older and wiser, even a little gray, but still at the height of physical powers. So after taking some inspiration from an image of King Conan, I experimented with different interpretations of the crown/head-band and armor details. (See image and sketches below.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/conancrown.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08163.jpg" width="300" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interestingly enough, my King He-Man was parted-out long before the San Diego Comic Con 2012 reveal and the only parts they have in common (other than the basic body) are the shins. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08180.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Both halves of the combined power sword are weathered to the point where you can barely see their original gray and purple coloring.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08181.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I see the green body suit as representing Castle Grayskull so it was only fitting that I combine it with the red, gray, and gold of his original costume. He may be the King, but there is no doubt that he is still He-Man.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08189.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I added some very subtle gray/white highlights to his hair and some wrinkles and shading to his face to make him look a little older...but still able to chop you in half with his axe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08187.jpg" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08176.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I planeed to use the "eagle claw" hand from day-one so he could grasp his sword handle while sitting on his throne but it also works well for posing him in sword fighting stances.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/DSC08173.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope you dig him. If you do (or if you don't) leave a comment. If you really dig him, you can add this piece to your collection via my Etsy store. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/119991658/king-he-man-of-castle-grayskull-masters" target="_blank">Click here</a> to purchase him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, I'd like to take a moment to remind you that we only have until next Monday, November 12th to <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">pre-order the Masters of the Universe Classics Castle Grayskull</a>. It's going to be huge and awesome and you know you'll regret it if you don't get it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/King_HeMan/grayskull_illo.jpg" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If we do not meet the minimum required pre-orders by the 12th, Mattel will not produce the castle! </span></span>I know it's expensive but you have a whole year to save-up because they won't charge you until it ships next year. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So d</span>o it for your self. Do it for your fellow fans. But most of all, <i><b>do it for He-Man; the future King of Castle Grayskull.</b></i> Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div>
Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-15898540478820401912012-11-05T11:42:00.004-06:002012-11-05T14:17:22.784-06:00He-Man LEGO Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A</b></span>s we countdown to the <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank">MOTUC Castle Grayskull pre-order</a> deadline of Saturday, November 12th, I am having <b>Castle Grayskull Week</b> here at <b>Insidious Customs</b> to build awareness as well as showcase my latest Masters of the Universe custom action figures. Our first installment is a bit unique as it's my first LEGO custom. I hope you enjoy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's hard to believe that less than 10 years ago, <a href="http://www.lego.com/" target="_blank">LEGO</a> was getting their butt handed to them by <a href="http://www.megabloks.com/" target="_blank">Mega Bloks</a>. The reason for that was twofold; LEGO's unwillingness to embrace licenses and their lack of focus on the miniature figures. In fact, even though they had the Star Wars license, the first year of Star Wars LEGO mini-figs featured <a href="http://ultimate-collector.blogspot.com/2009/10/lego-4475-jabbas-message-lego-4476.html" target="_blank">yellow heads and very little deco</a>. Their focus was still on building play. Whereas, Meg Bloks focused on creating highly detailed figures and telling a story with simply constructed but highly detailed environments and vehicles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">LEGO must have learned the error of their ways as today they embrace all the top licenses from <a href="http://marvelsuperheroes.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx" target="_blank">Marvel</a> and <a href="http://dcuniversesuperheroes.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx" target="_blank">DC</a> to <a href="http://spongebob.lego.com/" target="_blank">Sponge Bob</a>, <a href="http://www.lego.com/toystory/en-us/default.aspx" target="_blank">Toy Story,</a> <a href="http://starwars.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Star Wars</a>, and <a href="http://thelordoftherings.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx" target="_blank">Lord of the Rings</a>. They've also shifted their focus from including a few simple mini-figures to driving the purchase of LEGO sets by including many highly detailed exclusive mini-figures. The characters are still filtered through the LEGO lens, but the sculpts are more intricate and the deco is plentiful. Yes, it's fun to build the <a href="http://shop.lego.com/en-US/The-Mines-of-Moria-9473" target="_blank">Mines of Moria</a> but getting a uniquely sculpted <a href="http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Cave_Troll" target="_blank">Cave Troll mini-figure</a> makes playing with it afterward even more fun. In addition, they've created their own story-driven properties such as the highly successful <a href="http://ninjago.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Ninjago</a> and my personal favorite <a href="http://monsterfighters.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx" target="_blank">Monster Fighters</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One license that I imagine they will never get is Masters of the Universe; partly because it's owned by Mattel, one of the largest toy companies in the U.S., and partly because they have their own Sword and Sorcery properties in the form of <a href="http://kingdoms.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx?domainredir=castle.lego.com" target="_blank">Kingdoms</a> and <a href="http://heroica.lego.com/en-us/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Heroica</a>. But that doesn't stop me and and many other LEGO / Masters fans from dreaming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_lego/DSC08149.jpg" width="300" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When my son asked for a Castle Grayskull cake for his birthday, we felt that we wanted some small characters in front of it. I made the He-Man mini-figure below from parts I was able to pick up at the <a href="http://www.toycontoyshow.com/" target="_blank">Bridgeview Toy Con</a> toy show. The hair and legs are painted and the red cross on his chest and other details are sculpted. The sword came from<a href="http://www.shapeways.com/model/382956/power-sword-scaled-for-lego.html?li=productBox-search" target="_blank"> Shapeways</a>. We painted half of the sword purple and half silver to resemble the combined vintage power sword. The shield features a design I created based on the vintage shield. I printed it on a piece of glossy paper, cut-out, and glued it onto the blank shield.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_lego/09.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's Castle Grayskull cake #1 created by the super talented bakery artists at <a href="http://www.tutucupcakes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tutu Cupcakes</a>. My son gave He-Man a Ninjago villain to fight since he resembled a Snake Man. I printed the castle's flag and glued it to a toothpick.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_lego/02.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And here's Castle Grayskull cake #2. (Also created by <a href="http://www.tutucupcakes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tutu Cupcakes</a>.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/He_Man_lego/DSC08150.jpg" width="300" /><br />I hope you dig my LEGO He-Man. I wish someone would make a more accurate harness on Shapeways but until then, this one will do. Check back for more <b>Castle Grayskull Week</b> at Insidious Customs. Follow at the links above or on the right so you don't miss out. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">P.S. - Don't forget to<a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.258165100" target="_blank"> pre-order your MOTUC Castle Grayskull</a> by November 10th (<b>This Monday</b>)! We only have 7 days left and we still have about halfway to go to reach the minimum order quantity. If we don't reach the minimum by Saturday, they won't produce it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally, here's a sneak peek of my next LEGO MOTU custom still in progress. You'll never guess who it is. ;-)</span><br />
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-14491165143068387742012-07-30T12:08:00.030-05:002015-09-08T13:19:39.694-05:00The Little Differences: Man-At-Arms & Teela (mini-comic) Masters of the Universe Classics Action Figures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there, it's a little different.</i></div>
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*****<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>T</b></span>his is the Pre-Filmation Masters of the Universe Classics shelf in my house. The styling of these characters is based on their appearances in the four original Masters of the Universe mini-comics. Every figure on the shelf is a custom bash in one way or another (except for blue Mer-Man).<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/02.jpg" height="280" width="400" /> <br />
I've covered <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2011/11/little-differences-pre-filmation-alcala.html" target="_blank">He-Man</a> and <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/05/little-differences-beastos-custom.html" target="_blank">Beastos</a> in previous blog posts (I have since switched He-Man's boots to the Thunderpunch He-Man's boots) but today I'll tell you how I made mini-comic Man-At-Arms and Teela.<br />
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<b>Mini-Comic Man-At-Arms </b><br />
When Snake Man-At-Arms was announced (see photo below), I was stoked that we would finally be getting a Man-At-Arms with brown trunks and lighter yellow armor which he had in the original mini-comics. (The original release had dark green boots and trunks to match his appearance on the vintage package art.) I would simply swap the head with a standard non-moustached MAA head and I would have my mini-comic MAA. I bought an extra MAA head from a fellow He-Man.org member and waited for his release.<br />
<a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/?action=view&current=images.jpg" target="_blank"></a> <br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/images.jpg" /> <br />
<a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/?action=view&current=images.jpg" target="_blank"> </a> <br />
(Below is how Man-At-Arms appeared in the original mini-comics.) <br />
<a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/?action=view&current=images.jpg" target="_blank"> </a> <br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/m_clouds11_full.jpg" /><br />
However, due to protests from fans who felt he was too similar to the original release, and much to the excitement of 200X fans in particular, the original design was altered (see photo below) to give him more of a 200X aesthetic with technology covered limbs, longer fur on his trunks, and one booted foot. For me, the only redeeming quality of the change was an armored-glove left hand. I was not happy because now I would not have my mini-comic Man-At-Arms.<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/smaa.jpg" /><br />
However, thanks to the inspiration of <a href="http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/forumdisplay.php?16-Custom-Figure-and-Sculpture-Forum" target="_blank">fellow customizers on He-Man.org</a>, I decided to make my mini-comic MAA anyway...and I'm glad I did. I used a <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.122678000" target="_blank">standard Man-At-Arms</a> as a base, swapped the trunks, armor, and left hand with <a href="http://collecting.mattycollector.com/Pages/Assets.aspx?MuseumCategoryId=42&MuseumItemId=1498" target="_blank">Snake Man-At-Arms</a>, and used boots from He-Man. The cherry on top of this custom bash is the air hose and tank on the chest armor which is from the original Man-At-Arms. Thanks again to my fellow customizers on He-Man.org for letting me know it was a removable piece.</div>
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Here's a comparison photo of mini-comic MAA and the standard MOTUC MAA. As you can see, the differences are much more apparent when you see them side-by-side.</div>
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Yeah, the fur on the trunks is a little too long and the brown of the boots isn't a perfect match with the trunks, but it's close enough. The added metallic deco on the mace and armor makes him stand-out and I really like how he looks.</div>
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<b>UPDATE!</b><br />
With the arrival of the <a href="http://www.pixel-dan.com/masters-of-the-universe-classics-battle-ram-video-review/" target="_blank">Battle Ram</a> and the Man-At-Arms figure that comes with him, I finally have the base body to create my ultimate Alcala-style Man-At-Arms figure in Classics.<br />
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<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo maa01_zpsojvl8ut1.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Alcala_MOTUC/maa01_zpsojvl8ut1.jpg" /></a><br />
The brown fur on the trunks was lighter on this figure, so I swapped the boots for a pair of <a href="http://www.pixel-dan.com/masters-of-the-universe-classics-vikor-review/" target="_blank">Vikor</a> boots to better match. All the other components are the same as I describe above.<br />
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo maa02_zpslemuafl7.jpg" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Alcala_MOTUC/maa02_zpslemuafl7.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>Mini-comic Teela</b></div>
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Teela from the mini-comics is a far easier bash to make as she is a simple head-swap. But to make her even more evocative of her mini-comic appearances, I've outfitted her with new weapons.</div>
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The figure is a standard <a href="http://collecting.mattycollector.com/Pages/Assets.aspx?MuseumCategoryId=42&MuseumItemId=546" target="_blank">MOTUC Teela</a> with the head from <a href="http://collecting.mattycollector.com/Pages/Assets.aspx?MuseumCategoryId=42&MuseumItemId=572" target="_blank">Battleground Teela</a>. Thankfully, the skin tones of both figures are very close. In those original mini-comics, her hair was often blond and flowing and since she often used a gold or silver axe in these stories, I gave her an extra <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.223204600" target="_blank">Vikor</a> axe. Her hand fits nicely around the thinner portion of the handle. The shield is from a DC Direct Crisis on Infinite Earths <a href="http://www.cooltoyreview.com/DCD_COIE_Weaponer.asp" target="_blank">"Weaponer"</a> figure. The gold of the shield is not an exact match but once again, it's close enough and it's a perfect size for her.</div>
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All that I need now is a red Beast Man and a "toed" or "Caucasian-colored" Stratos to complete my mini-comic shelf.</div>
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If you're curious about the other figures on the shelf, Skeletor is made from a <a href="http://collecting.mattycollector.com/Pages/Assets.aspx?MuseumCategoryId=42&MuseumItemId=563" target="_blank">Mo-Larr/Skeletor two-pack</a> body and the Skeletor head that came with <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/pd/productID.243175700" target="_blank">Demo-Man</a>. He has the two gray/silver Power Sword halves from <a href="http://collecting.mattycollector.com/Pages/Assets.aspx?MuseumCategoryId=42&MuseumItemId=1545" target="_blank">King Grayskull</a>. <a href="http://collecting.mattycollector.com/Pages/Assets.aspx?MuseumCategoryId=42&MuseumItemId=548" target="_blank">The Goddess</a> features hips from <a href="http://collecting.mattycollector.com/Pages/Assets.aspx?MuseumCategoryId=42&MuseumItemId=798" target="_blank">Captain Glenn</a> that I replaced so that she is more poseable. (A manufacturing problem made many of these figures prone to "exploding" when posed.)</div>
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Once again, I hope you see that "The Little Differences" can make a big difference in your figures and your collection. Until next time I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>. </div>
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P.S. - "Drunk Orko" would like to remind you that you only have until<b> next Monday, August 6th</b> to buy a subscription to the <a href="http://www.clubs.mattycollector.com/store/mattycol/en_US/pd/productID.249805700" target="_blank">Masters of the Universe Club Eternia 2013</a>. The club makes sure that you never miss a figure by automatically shipping them to your door every month. And as a bonus, you receive an exclusive figure (this year is King He-Man) and a cool poster painted by Masters of the Universe vintage artist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rudy-Obrero-Illustrations/212544212111745" target="_blank">Rudy Obrero</a>. We are currently at about 65% of the number of subscriptions needed for Mattel to produce the line. If we don't reach the goal, the 2013 line <u>will not</u> be produced as planned.<br />
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2013 is chock full of great figures like Ram Man, Jitsu, King He-Man, and the Fighting Foe Men! You can check out photos of them <a href="http://www.he-man.org/news_article.php?id=2782" target="_blank">here at He-Man.org</a>. And if you feel like it's too late for you to start collecting, Mattel has made the "core" characters like He-Man, Skeletor, and She-Ra available every day on<a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplaySubCategoryProductListPage/categoryID.12422000" target="_blank"> Mattycollector.com</a> (some even at reduced prices.) Scott "Toy Guru" Neitlich has promised that 2013 will feature both vintage and Filmation characters so now is the time to climb aboard. <a href="http://www.clubs.mattycollector.com/store/mattycol/en_US/DisplayShopperDefinedBundlePage/OfferID.5373544308" target="_blank">Click here to purchase a Club Eternia 2013 Subscription!</a><br />
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To anyone who takes pride in being a "cherry picker" rather than a subscriber, please consider the following points...<br />
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• 2013 will have even lower production numbers than 2012 so it will be even harder to get the figures you want on "day of sale."<br />
• Further, if you purchase through a third party vendor or ebay, you can expect to pay immensely inflated prices because the most fan-demanded figures will now be highly sot-after commodities (potentially making the cost of a subscription issue a wash).<br />
• Finally, if we do not reach the goal number of subscriptions, there won't be any cherries for you to pick.</div>
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<a href="http://www.clubs.mattycollector.com/store/mattycol/en_US/pd/productID.249805700" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/motuc_littlediff/clubeterniabanner.jpg" /></a></div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-78769620590584617832012-06-28T21:58:00.001-05:002012-07-21T16:43:14.846-05:00Prince Adam 200X Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe Classics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-size: large;">W</span></b>hen it comes to the<a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplaySubCategoryProductListPage/categoryID.12422000" target="_blank"> Masters of the Universe Classics</a> toy line, I'm what some call a "purist." This means, I do not support the inclusion of 200X (Mike Young Productions) era elements in the line such as <a href="http://drh1.img.digitalriver.com/DRHM/Storefront/Company/matty/images/product/detail/R6263_fullsizeimage02.jpg" target="_blank">Whiplash's second head</a>, the character <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.214571500" target="_blank">Chief Carnivous</a>, and <a href="http://drh2.img.digitalriver.com/DRHM/Storefront/Company/matty/images/product/detail/W8902_fullsizeimage02.jpg" target="_blank">Fisto's giant sword</a> and <a href="http://drh1.img.digitalriver.com/DRHM/Storefront/Company/matty/images/product/detail/W8902_fullsizeimage03.jpg" target="_blank">extra tiara wearing head</a>. Don't get me wrong, I loved the MYP cartoon and the 200X toys but I feel that the "hyper stylized" look of that era does not mesh with Classics. However, I know there are many fans that cherish these elements in MOTUC and would like to see even more of them.<br />
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So when Vykron was revealed, many people were excited to see that his gloves/bracers were very reminiscent of Prince Adam's gloves and He-Man's bracers from the 200X line. Fans at <a href="http://he-man.org/">He-Man.org</a> and on the <a href="http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve" target="_blank">Matty Collector message boards</a> speculated that a 200X inspired Prince Adam might be in the works.</div><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=vykron_bracer.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="266" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/vykron_bracer.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br />
And while the styling of the gloves is very similar to Adam's, their size would preclude that this new Prince Adam would utilize the standard muscular MOTUC body buck and not a new slimmer one. Ultimately, it might be an interesting look, but I feel that the real magic of the 200X design is that Adam is a skinny-kid that physically transforms into the massive form of He-Man. If you take away the skinny-kid element of the design, is it even worth doing a 200X variation?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=adamheman.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/adamheman.jpg" /></a> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That got me thinking how I could make a MOTUC/200X Prince Adam <b>mash-up</b> that would not only fit the MOTUC look but also have a smaller skinny-kid body. Below is the result.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=06.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/06.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=07.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/07.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since the idea was to combine 200X elements with Classics styling, I kept his hair long to give him a little more savage and less-animated look. However, I did have to trim it a bit so it would fit better with the high-collared vest. I also chose to reinterpret the shirt details to blend them into Classics.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=08.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/08.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=09.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/09.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=10.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/10.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=11.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/11.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=12.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/12.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=13.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/13.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=14.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/14.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This figure is for all the MYP/200X Classics fans. I hope you dig him. If you do, or if you don't, leave a comment below.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/?action=view&current=15.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Prince_Adam/15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I put a lot more work into him than I anticipated but the end product was definitely worth it. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</div></div>Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-10042601982062278572012-06-28T21:57:00.000-05:002012-09-25T11:25:10.378-05:00Ninjor Custom Action Figure Art - Masters of the Universe Classics V2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2012/02/ninjor-custom-action-figure-art-masters_23.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>M</b></span>y first Masters of the Universe Classics Ninjor</a> turned out pretty good, but something was missing so I decided to make some changes. While I like the bold coloring of the sticker on his shirt, I felt that an iron-on transfer would look better because it is more flexible. And while I did like the look of the modern Tenchu-style ninja half-mask, there's something to be said for a full on ninja hood. I made the hood as a separate piece so you have both options as well as making him mask-less. </div>
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Now that's more like it! I hope you dig him. If you do, be sure to subscribe to my blog at the links on the right. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-4023337847665939682012-06-11T13:17:00.000-05:002013-10-25T16:30:41.905-05:00The Little Differences: Stinkor Arm Fix Masters of the Universe Classics Action Figure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there, it's a little different.</i></div>
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*****<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I</b></span> was really looking forward to Stinkor in Masters of the Universe Classics. He is based on a <a href="http://www.he-man.org/collecting/toy.php?id=1256" target="_blank">goofy vintage character</a> whose "power" was bad odor and whose figure was made from parts of other figures. Knowing firsthand how fast the toy industry moves, I applaud the designer's creativity. I can only imagine the boss coming to the designers saying, "We need six brand new, totally unique characters by next week and we don't have any money for tooling so use existing parts!" They turned what could have been a lemon into a stinky smelling glass of lemonade.<br />
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However, when <a href="http://thefwoosh.com/2012/04/first-look-masters-of-the-universe-classics-stinkor/stinkor-4" target="_blank">sample photos</a> and <a href="http://pixel-dan.com/masters-of-the-universe-classics-stinkor-figure-review/" target="_blank">Pixel Dan's video review</a> of the new MOTUC version surfaced, it was clear that the figure's right and left forearms had been swapped. Fans assumed this was yet another manufacturing error. However, Scott "Toy Guru" Neitlich, Brand Manager for MOTUC said it was a purposeful change to make the figure stand-out from other figures that shared similar forearms. Either way, the forearms look terrible this way and they're anatomically wrong.<br />
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What's a fan to do? Live with it? No, way! A simple part swap and a little paint will do the trick. Don't be frightened. I know you can do it. I'll even show you how, step-by-step, and tell you what supplies you'll need. As you can see below, the end result is well worth it.<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/10.jpg" /><br />
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<b>What you'll need...</b><br />
1) Hair dryer <b>AND/OR</b> large coffee cup, tap water, small spoon, and microwave<br />
2) Paint<br />
• Games Workshop Light Gray<br />
• Games Workshop White<br />
• Games Workshop Black<br />
• Testors Matte Acryl<br />
3) #001 Brush<br />
4) #4 Brush<br />
5) Plastic lid or Clear Package Blister From an Action Figure (Something small and neutral colored to mix your paint on.)<br />
6) (OPTIONAL) Non-acetone nail-polish remover and cotton swabs<br />
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<b>Step 1: Remove Those Funky Forearms</b><br />
<u>Hot Water Method:</u> Warm-up a cup of water in the microwave for 3 minutes. Submerge one arm in the water for about 30 seconds. Using your fingers, pry the sides of the elbow joint off of the little peg that holds it in place. Do them one at a time and then slide the peg out from the center of the joint.<br />
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<u>Hair Dyer Method:</u> Set the hairdryer to hot and warm-up the elbow. Keep the hairdyer moving back and forth over the elbow. Slowly warm it up or you may damage or permanently deform the plastic. Pry the sides of the elbow off the peg. Do them one at a time and then slide the peg out from the center of the joint.<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/01.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/02.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Step 2: Swap The Hands</b><br />
You could do this as part of step one but if you didn't, warm-up the wrists as described above and gently pull them out. Do not pull them straight out, work them out slowly bending the hand to ensure that the peg holding the hand in place does not break or tear.<br />
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<b>Step 3: </b><b> (OPTIONAL) </b><b>Remove The White Paint</b><br />
<i>This step is purely optional</i> but I did it because I wanted to minimize paint rub inside the joint which was painted white. To do this, take the non-acetone nail-polish remover and fill the cap halfway. Then take one of the cotton swabs and dip just the tip in the nail-polish remover. Rub the tip of the cotton swab onto the white paint. As you rub, the white paint will adhere to the swab and so you will have to change it frequently. If you don't you will simply spread the white paint back onto the piece. Be careful not to get the nail-polish remover on any other paint as it will ruin it. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the part in cold water after you have removed the paint as any residual nail-polish remover can damage the plastic. (If you're more experienced, you can use acetone based nail-polish remover. It's much stronger and removes the paint without as much elbow grease which means you have to be twice as careful with it.)<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/optional.jpg" /> <br />
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<b>Step 4: Paint It Black</b><br />
If you skipped step 3 or you weren't able to get all of the white paint off, paint the inside of the forearms black using the #4 brush. Pay particular attention to the area where the black meets the gloves. There is a natural ridge created by the gloves that will help you stay off of the red paint.<br />
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<b>Step 5: Assemble Him Like His Momma Intended</b><br />
Slide the peg back into the elbow joint, then, using the hair dryer method as described in Step 1, warm up the forearm. Pull back the sides of the joint and then pinch them around the peg. If you have trouble getting them to fit on the peg, wrap the joint in a towel, and apply pressure with a pliers. (The towel will prevent the pliers from digging into and damaging the plastic.)<br />
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<i>"Get a load of THESE pits, baby! They don't call me Stinkor for nuthin'." </i><br />
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<b>Step 6: The Empire Stripes Back!</b><br />
This is the step most people fear. But it's honestly the easiest. If you've made it this far, painting the stripe on his forearms is just icing on the cake. The fact that it's an irregular organic shape, it is very forgiving and does not need to be exact. The stripe is also not 100% pure white which is why you will need to use the #4 brush to mix <b>one-part grey</b> and<b> two-parts white</b> paint on your plastic lid or blister. If the color isn't right, add grey or white until you're close enough to the color of his stripe.<br />
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<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/05.jpg" /><br />
Then, using the #001 brush, trace an outline on the forearms following the pattern on the upper arms. If each jagged shape is a "tooth," the forearms should only fit one "tooth" on each side. See the close-up photos of my forearms below for reference.<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/07.jpg" /><br />
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<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/06.jpg" /><br />
After you've created your outline, fill it in with your brush staying in the lines you created. For that extra touch to match the original deco, be sure to paint the inside edge of the joint too. When your paint is dry, put a light coat of Testor's Matte Acryl over your paint. It will help prevent wear, fading, and chipping. But be careful not to use too much as it will pool and leave a white residue.<br />
<img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/Stinkor_Fix/09.jpg" /> <br />
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Now Stinkor is anatomically correct and ready to stink up your collection! You may have noticed my Stinkor's shield looks a little different as well. I painted the inner and outer rings as well as the shield rivets with a clear gloss varnish to make the details "pop" as some say. ;-)<br />
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I hope this tutorial helps you. If it did...or didn't, leave a comment below. Nobody should have to live with an anatomically incorrect Stinkor and I hope you see once again how the little difference can make a big difference in your collection. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>. </div>
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Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-61801921334140127382012-06-07T14:45:00.001-05:002012-06-07T15:20:42.344-05:00Cover Girl Custom Action Figure Art - G.I. JOE Pursuit of Cobra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>'ve created sundry Cover Girl customs for clients all over the world. Because I NEVER make the same figure twice, they each have their own subtle charm. And while I'll never say that one is the definitive Cover Girl, this one comes pretty close.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">She was commissioned by a client who </span><span style="font-size: small;">requested that I paint her in <a href="http://www.yojoe.com/action/83/covergirl.shtml" target="_blank">vintage colors, add boot details from the vintage figure</a>, and add a wisp of hair in front. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Other than that, my conceit was to combine my Cover Girl formula with modern-style or Pursuit of Cobra-style elements. I also wanted to make the jacket really streamlined and shorter so that it really looked like a women's-cut leather jacket.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/covergirl_poc/?action=view&current=cg03.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/covergirl_poc/cg03.jpg" width="300" /></a></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I really worked this figure, dremeling the torso details smooth so the jacket would fit more snugly. Then I cut the jacket even smaller and carefully dremeld out the interior so that it would lay closer to the body. The vintage boot details and hair wisp are sculpted. As I sculpted the wisp, it turned into a longer bang that looks as if it just fell out of place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">She is completely custom pained. This time, I decided to make her skin a little paler to give her that former supermodel milky-white skin. The hair was painted in several layers starting with a brown, then going to a darker wash, then dry brushed reddish brown, and finally a light highlight of pure red. The final detail is my custom made decal "wolverine patch" on her left sleeve.</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/covergirl_poc/?action=view&current=cg04.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/covergirl_poc/cg04.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">She took much longer than I anticipated. Thankfully, the client was very understanding and ultimately the time paid off in the finished look. The only drawback; the more modern-style legs are slightly longer than others I have used. This means she doesn't sit completely inside the vintage Wolverine vehicle. But you have to admit, she looks pretty good sitting on top of it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/covergirl_poc/?action=view&current=cg02.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/covergirl_poc/cg02.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope you dig her. If you do...or you don't, leave a comment below. Or you can type <i><b>Cover Girl</b></i> in the search box on the right to check out more of my Cover Girl customs. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.</span></div></div>Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8972751061889550471.post-54660256393849396782012-05-04T12:25:00.010-05:002012-06-06T14:38:30.625-05:00The Little Differences: "BEASTOS" Custom Masters of the Universe Classics Action Figure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/little_differences/?action=view&current=pulp_fiction.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/little_differences/pulp_fiction.jpg" /></a><br />
<div><b>Vincent:</b> <i>It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same $#!t over there that we got here, but it's just – it's just there, it's a little different.</i></div><br />
*****<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>H</b></span>aving a child is fun. Yeah, it's also a ton of work, but one of my favorite perks is reliving aspects of my youth through a fresh new set of eyes. I've been collecting Masters of the Universe Classics since about 2009, so for the past three years my young son has watched the display case in the living room slowly fill up with characters. He is captivated by their appearances and relishes the times we take them out of the case and play with them.<br />
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One day while we were playing, I told him that the old Masters of the Universe figures came with a mini-comic that told their story. He flipped-out with excitement, eager to learn the stories behind their appearances.<br />
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Luckily, all the old mini-comics are available to read for free on <a href="http://www.he-man.org/publishing/subsection.php?id=52&subid=20" target="_blank">He-Man.org</a>. Being a Pre-Filmation fan, I decided to start him with the comic that started it all for me, <a href="http://www.he-man.org/publishing/item.php?id=296" target="_blank">He-Man and the Power Sword</a>. This story told the tale of the barbarian named He-Man who left his jungle home to fight evil. As we read, he poured over the illustrations examining each detail with the scrutiny of a scholar. And when we reached <a href="http://www.he-man.org/publishing/item.php?id=296&image=1804" target="_blank">page 8</a>, he noticed something that I vaguely remembered noticing myself as a child... </div><br />
There is a third member of Skeletor's gang that appears only on this page that has the head and wings of Stratos and the toy colors of Beast Man. Having read much about the history of these original mini-comics and how early-on the affiliations of many of the characters including Stratos were not 100% determined, I explained to my son that this was a mistake. Since this was the first comic, they hadn't figured out all the characters yet.<br />
<a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/?action=view&current=inset.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/inset.jpg" /></a><br />
However, my son saw it differently. He felt this character MUST be real because he was in the original Masters of the Universe comic book. He asked me what his name was and I told him that it didn't say. So I told him that we could come up with a name for him and since the character looked like a combination of Stratos and Beast Man we could call him "Beastos." (Besides, "Stratman" just made him sound like a guitar player.)<br />
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Time passed, but when I started a Pre-Filmation shelf with <a href="http://insidiouscustoms.blogspot.com/2011/11/little-differences-pre-filmation-alcala.html" target="_blank">kit-bashed versions of MOTUC figures</a> as they appeared in the original four mini-comics, my son asked, "Where's Beastos?" The answer to his question is below...</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/?action=view&current=04.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/04.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Beastos" utilizes the body of <a href="http://www.mattycollector.com/store/matty/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.105864900" target="_blank">MOTUC Beast Man</a> and the head and arm wings from the <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11015026" target="_blank">TRU exclusive DC/Masters</a> Stratos. (We took some creative license adding the jet-pack.) I used the hot water/pop method to swap the parts. And the only paint I used was orange on the beard and eyelids.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/?action=view&current=05.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/05.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/?action=view&current=01.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/01.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With the addition of Beastos, my Pre-Filmation shelf is almost complete; He-Man (double gauntlets and white boot tops), Teela (blonde), Skeletor (Alcala style head), Green Goddess, and Mer-man (blue). The addition of <a href="http://www.shapeways.com/model/447142/half-swords-of-glory-alfredo-a.html" target="_blank">EvilMike's Alcala Style Power Sword halves</a> is a cherry on top.</div><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/?action=view&current=09.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/09.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some day, when Mattel releases an all red beast man, Stratos with toes, and Man-At-Arms with brown trunks and boots, my shelf will be complete. (I WAS going to get him until they changed <a href="http://www.he-man.org/assets/images/home_news/motu-013_1318710533_full.jpg" target="_blank">Snake Man-At-Arms</a> to make him look <a href="http://geek-news.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/img_5592.jpg" target="_blank">more 200X style</a>...curses!)</div><a href="http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/?action=view&current=02.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u11/snakeeyes0217/customs/beastos/02.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I hope you dig Beastos as much as my son does. If you like him, I encourage you to make him for yourself. And once again I hope you see that "The Little Differences" can make a big difference in your collection. Until next time, I remain <a href="mailto:eric@insidious1.com" target="_blank">The Insidious One</a>.<br />
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I neglected to include the origin my son and I came up with for him...<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><i>"An Avian male fell in love with a female of Beast man's race. When Beastos was born, neither culture accepted him and so he joined Skeletor's Evil Warriors."</i></div></div></div>Eric LeFeberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12960672368155961714noreply@blogger.com3