Red Skull--The Project (2): The Head

The time has come to start working on the pivotal element of this project: the red skull itself!

My first step was to "bone-out" the calvarium with MS, focusing on overall shape and proportions. I have not completely decided whether to do the canonical mask or a "living skull": my all-but-made decision to take the "living skull" approach was taken down a few notches when I started examining some close-ups of "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" (1971). Vincent Price (or his stand-in) obviously wore a rubber mask, but it was extremely effective in spite of its relative crudeness. Hmmm. . .

I will try to post a graphic update of all the work done to-date over the forthcoming Holiday weekend.

FOLLOW-UP--Just completed roughing-in the left half of the cranium. Coming together nicely!

I also took the opportunity to drill out the gloved left hand and fit the shaft of the swordstick (1/16" brass rod).

UPDATE 01.09.10--The head. . . uh. . . skull is now roughed-in, minus teeth and eyes. Loads of contouring and the like remain, but the essence of what I am striving for is there. It does give the figure an entirely different "feel". . .

UPDATE 04.09.10--The "skull" is now completely roughed-in--about 80% complete. The only major work remaining is the detailing of the teeth.

THE RHINO -- UPDATE (2)

While the Rhino has not been in the spotlight of late, that does not mean that he has been demoted to a "dust gatherer": one can usually get an idea of how long a figure has been [untouched] on the bench by the amount of putty dust and shavings it has accumulated. . .

Since my last posting, all but one of the seams have been filled (filled, not finished); the hooves have been reworked; and the reanimated right leg is about 60% complete. I just finished roughing-in the patella as a preamble to fleshing-out the leg.

The next major step will be the repositioning of the right arm, and the reworking/resculpting? of the shoulder, pecs, and traps.

Red Skull--The Project

This is a relatively simple conversion, one that frankly I am amazed no one has undertaken to date.

The entire project essentially revolves around the resculpting--or replacement--of the kit's head with that of a--THE--Red Skull. While I am leaning towards sculpting the replacement head from scratch, I might consider using the kit-provided head as a core IF I decide to do away with the cap altogether. In the meantime, I have already bored out the neck to afford me some latitude in the posing of the head.

The gloved left hand (holding the leash) will be reworked to have it hold the RS's skull-handled swordstick.

The bare right hand is already holding a cigarette. This will be replaced with a cigarette in a cigarette holder: a delivery mechanism for the "Dust of Death".

Beyond that, most of the work will be cosmetic in nature, requiring little if any actual conversion work. Marvel--understandably--glosses over most of the details that we as miniaturists depend--and thrive--on. We do know, however, that Johann Schmidt "was appointed head of Nazi terrorist activities with an additional large role in external espionage and sabotage." That suggests Abwehr or SS/SD to me. In any case, a bit of historical research is in order to "flesh out" the alter-ego, if nothing else, of Herr Schmidt.

With regard to matters of the bench, as I mentioned above, I have already drilled out the neck to accommodate the head. And I have assembled and fitted the trench coat, minus the left arm. A bit more tweaking re: the fit, and I will be able to proceed with general clean-up, which is commendably minimal.

By way of UPDATE. . . The trench coat seams are now filled--relatively little work, all things considered; and the body has been pegged and mounted on its work base. Next: reworking the soles of the boots.

UPDATE (2)--Save for the unforeseeable minor tweaks and touch-ups that inevitably come to light in the course of prepping and painting, the putty work on the trench coat is now behind me, and fitting has been completed. It is a testament to the design and engineering of this piece that despite worn-out molds and distorted castings, the trench coat fell together with very little effort!

UPDATE (3) 28.08.10--While I might end-up sculpting a new head from scratch before it's all over, for now I have decided to use the kit head as a core. The head has been drilled, pegged, and repositioned (rotated to the right ~90°); and the neck stump added with MS. Time permitting, I will do away with the cap on the morrow. . . FOLLOW-UP--The cap has been ground-off, and save for "squaring-up" the shape of the calvarium, the head is ready for putty. . .

Red Skull--Introduction & Kit Review

While I am not a huge fan of Captain America, I will confess that I am very much looking forward to next Summer's cinematic debut of Marvel's third superhero--and the "First Avenger". One of the reasons for my anticipation is Hugo Weaving's casting as Captain America's arch-nemesis, Johann Schmidt, better known as "The Red Skull".

The fan-sites are abuzz with the usual speculation, geek-asms, nay-saying, etc., etc., etc. And the topic of how the Red Skull will be portrayed invariably crops up: will they stay true to canon and have him in the mask given to him by der Führer himself? Or will they tweak the storyline to have him as a "living skull": a consequence of some mishap in his abused early life; or, an accident with his "Dust of Death" significantly predating the canonical exposure?

The possibility of the latter (and I, for one, hope the studio opts for this take) made me think of the possibilities to be had with currently available miniatures, 90mm and greater. Andrea's 90mm Heydrich, 1937 was duly considered; but, since I had envisioned the subject wearing a leather trench coat, the base figure would have to be Pegaso's 90mm SS-Sturmbannführer of Artillery, 2nd SS Panzer Division ''Das Reich'', France 1944 (90-041).

This figure was released November 2006. Expertly designed and sculpted by Andrea Jula, this figure had all the earmarks of an instant classic. While I am not particularly averse to German WWII subjects, particularly if they are as well and imaginatively sculpted as this one, the price tag minus a specific project precluded my acquisition at that time.

Fast forward to the present. . . I received my factory-sealed kit from Chuck and The Red Lancers. Given the age of the kit, I was a bit hesitant in ordering sight unseen; and, unfortunately, my concerns were borne-out by the contents of the box. The casting quality ran the gamut, in some instances within a single piece. For example, much to my overwhelming relief, the one-piece body was, at first glance, pristine! But upon careful examination, this same body was "short filled", and the detail on the lower boots is virtually non- existent! Fortunately, this will not be too difficult to correct, and it is an area I am given to tweaking regardless of what I am provided with. The trench-coat, cast in 4 pieces (right section w/ arm; left section; left arm; and collar) suffered from obviously worn mold edges and distortion. There is some demanding, if not serious, work involved in maximizing the fit, while ensuring that the garment can be painted as a stand-alone item off the figure! All the accessory and detail pieces were thankfully perfect.

By way of wrapping up this introductory installment, I would rate this casting as G/G+.

NEXT. . . THE PROJECT!

Iron Patriot (2)

The decision has been made: the leg harnesses will be redone.

While I am still faced with the frustration of an indeterminate armour type, and the variability in the published artwork, the panels/plates as sculpted would not accommodate the colour scheme of the IP.

I have just finished roughing-in the plates on the left leg. As soon as I get these to a near-"final finishing" stage, I will post images so that you can see a graphic comparison--stock vs. modified--of the legs.

Iron Patriot (1)

The body, as I said, is essentially done. I spent a couple of hours this evening working it over with 4/0 steel wool and re-scribing some of the "panel lines". All good. The only areas that still requires some work are the boots, and these have been puttied and are now curing in the oven. . .

. . . along with the reworked chest plate. This is still very much a work-in-progress, but the basic shape and lower transitional plate have been roughed in.

FOLLOW-UP--20.08.10
After reworking the fit of the figure to the supplied groundwork/ base--it was very poor, I continued refining the chest plate, and touching up areas that were less the satisfactory.

So far, I am very pleased with what is developing; however, some major decisions re: the leg harnesses will have to be made in the next few days. In short, given the lack of a definitive armour type associated with the IP, and the variability in the artwork, do I settle for an approximation that captures the spirit of the character; OR, do I try to reproduce a given armour from a given arc?

Upon further consideration. . .

While I am unequivocally resentful of having to do KM's work for them--especially after having paid for the privilege, I am perversely appreciative of this opportunity to re-immerse myself in the basics of this hobby of ours. There is something very gratifying to see a crude, rough casting transform before your very eyes into a finished, brushed-metal sculpture that can be displayed "as is" if one so chose.

I now have about 3 hrs. invested in the "clean-up" of this figure. By "clean-up" I mean going plate-by-plate with file and sandpaper, X-acto and scriber, epoxy putty and steel wool, and refinishing the figure to my standards--I am about 40% done.

It is definitely slow-going. . . and the softer metal requires a light touch and sharp instruments; but this is the very foundation upon which our hobby is built. Sadly, this essential skillset is not only largely lost upon relative newcomers to the hobby, but is rapidly being forgotten by "veterans" who should know better.

I figure I might have about another 12 hrs. or so of work ahead of me before I can begin the conversion to the Iron Patriot in earnest. Whatever it takes. . .

UPDATE
A mindless marathon session later, and I would say the main body and arms are about 75% done, with the head about 50% completed. The casting has been given its first buffing, and it is looking quite good. There are still what I am presuming are a few stray seam lines to address, and sharpening soft detail and creating some overlooked undercuts. If work isn't too draining this week, I might be able to begin the converting this weekend. . .

FOLLOW-UP
Unless you are one of the fortunate ones to have/receive a pristine--or nearly so--casting of this kit, plan on devoting 6 hrs., give or take, to getting the body up to speed. I figure I might have an additional hour or so to "tighten" things up and give the boots a final once over, but essentially the body is done. Now for the arms and head. . .

While I have you here, I dusted-off an old technique that I used to use all the time to deal with isolated and/or limited pitting, and vestigial seam lines: burnishing. Rather than take file to a limited-access area, or expand the pitting to have it accept putty more readily--and securely, burnish out the offending imperfection with a dental tool or a custom-made tool from brass tubing or rod. Obviously, this will only work on softer metal figures--like this one!

Knight Models' Iron Man (KMV002)

Knight Models’ second release was that of everybody’s favorite eccentric military industrialist/playboy-cum-superhero, Iron Man, sculpted by José Miguel Caballero Delso. Rather than wade through the seemingly endless variants of published armor, KM took advantage of their license and the timing of the release, and based their rendition on the armor featured in the 2008 movie. Thus, purists might cry foul—especially if they were anticipating a series of “Shellhead”’s designer collection. . . which it looks like they might get anyway, as long as they don’t object to a cinematic provenance: the cinematic Mk. 1 was recently released by KM (KMV011) as a mixed media kit.

The height of the white metal kit (excluding the groundwork) is 70mm to the eye slits on the helmet. Were the figure standing straight, it would be closer to 75mm. As with all the 70mm figures to date, it is a limited edition of 500 issues: I received #391/500.

The figure is cast in 4 pieces, plus the groundwork. Comparing the casting quality to what is available in the marketplace, I would grade it as a C/C+ --which given the cost and the hype, I consider unacceptable. The metal is somewhat softer than the high-tin content mediums we have been exposed to of late, and there is an inordinate amount of pitting and rough texture throughout the casting. Seam lines are minimal, yes; but clean-up is awkward. Fit overall is G+. What could have been on the painting bench in less than a week’s time will now be a long-haul project that will take me back to days I would just as soon forget. . .

I am hoping that the at-best average quality of this kit is indicative of molds that should have been retired 50 or so castings prior, and/or a “youthful indiscretion” on the part of the venture. I am a Marvel fan, and I will certainly consider any “must have” offering in the future (e.g., the “Goblins” from Spiderman, Hawkeye, or Scarlet Witch), but I will be much more discriminating when it comes to reaching for the wallet.

Before closing. . . one of the reasons I am not more disappointed with this kit is that I never intended to do it as Iron Man. The whole reason behind this acquisition was to convert him into the Iron Patriot, one of Norman Osborn’s (aka the Green Goblin) alter-egos. As such, there will be some—minor—conversion work involved, which will allow me to address the casting quality issues.

More to follow. . .

Knight Models

In 2008, the miniatures’ world was rocked by the emergence of a new company based in Madrid, España formed by ex-Andrea associates : Knight Models.

Their stated objective is “to reproduce in miniature the classic characters from our favourite comics and movies, to share with you, as you are painting them, the good times we’ve all had reading, watching, living through their intrepid adventures in the eternal struggle between good and evil.”

To date, they have secured licenses from Marvel Entertainment, LLC and STAR WARS/Lucasfilm Ltd. The licenses in both cases are for two years, and renewable. And have they run with them!

KM's subjects are done in 1/27th scale: 65-70mm from heel-to-eyes. The miniatures are cast in white metal, resin, or mixed-media, depending on the subject. The figures come in an elegant metal box which is protected by a double-window, hanging (for retail display) cardboard boxed sleeve. According to KM, “This confers [upon] our products an aura of exclusiveness [sic] to which MARVEL and STAR WARS’s true fans will inevitably yield to.” Hard to argue save from the perspective of how much does the deluxe packaging add to the srp of the figure? Have we really distanced ourselves from the sound caveat regarding the judging of a book by its cover?

While on the subject of cost, the price point of these figures has been the target of the most oft-heard criticism. I am not necessarily in disagreement with this lament, but are they truly overpriced given the marketplace? I think not. They come in at just under US$1/mm; they are fully licensed (I assure you, not cheap!); they are a numbered limited edition; and then there is “the packaging”. In fact, their srp compares very favorably with Pegaso & Romeo 75mm foots which average US$70, give or take.

The 70mm figures of both series are limited editions (LE) of 500 issues ea. Four of the Marvel offerings—Iron-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, and Thor [UPDATE: add the Hulk to the list]—are sold out/closed at the source. I don’t for a moment believe that it is any coincidence that these are also the protagonists of cinematic releases past and to come. Curiously, ALL of the STAR WARS 70mm LEs are still available.

Inside the metal box, you will find the miniature sandwiched securely between two pieces of grey high-density foam, along with a brief biographical card (Spanish only) of the character which doubles as the edition certificate; and a small, black plastic pedestal, printed with the MARVEL or STAR WARS’s logos.

Hopefully this brief intro has piqued your interest sufficiently to warrant a visit to their site. . . and a return visit here for the hand’s-on review of Iron Man. . .

THE RHINO -- UPDATE

Well, an enjoyable couple of hours have resulted in the reanimation of THE RHINO! The pose is now "locked", though the 'open' joints have yet to be filled.

This was a fairly effortless process. I first pegged the hooves to the legs with tin solder. I then mounted the figure on a work platform to establish the pose and determine the extent of the modifications needed. This essentially boiled down to straightening out the fully bent right leg by <90°.

I separated the leg from the thigh, pegged the two pieces together, and remounted the figure on the platform. After some minor adjustments, I locked all the joints with superglue, and allowed it to cure.

The lower half of the body is now ready for finishing: restoration, filling, and finishing. I now have to reposition the right arm and resculpt the left hand into a fist. Movin' right along. . .

THE RHINO

To be perfectly frank, I was one of the many fans that loudly cheered the news of the product, but was ultimately disappointed in what we received. I initially acquired Storm, the meteorological enchantress from the X-Men, and Ghost Rider. Storm was adequate, but provided little "hmmmph" to get her on the workbench immediately; the Ghost Rider. . . I suppose with A LOT of work it could transcend the toy-like look. . . or not.

The most common complaints revolve around production standards: the medium used and "soft" molding. Let's keep in mind that these kits were produced in China. While China is now THE production center of the world for polystyrene kits, I'm not certain of their experience level in the mid '90s.

The medium. Much has been made of the "soft", literally and figuratively, plastic used to produce these kits. While it certainly isn't the harder, "sharp" polystyrene usually found in A-level kits--then or now, I did not find it overly soft. And it responds quite well to file, blade and burr, and takes to virtually all liquid cements quite readily.

Molding and fit. In my experience, few polystyrene figure kits fall together out of the box. And if they did, we'd probably be paying through the nose for them! Most of the buildups (with accompanying criticisms) I have seen usually reflect mediocre modelling skills. While the initial dry-fitting might leave something to be desired, the amount of prepwork required to achieve very good joins and minimal filling is certainly not extraordinary. If one starts a kit in the late morning, and plans to be slapping paint by the early afternoon, it is going to show. Having said that, I had all the major subassemblies of the Rhino assembled and curing in less than 90 mins!

Which brings us to the review of the subject of this posting. . .

I have always been a huge fan of The Rhino. Save for the various Goblins, the zoomorphic Spidey villains have always been my favourite baddies. This particular trip down memory lane began with looking for potential workbench sidetrips involving the Vulture and the Scorpion (more on these in another posting), and then I stumbled upon the Toy Biz Rhino at a most attractive price. . .

As with all of the Toy Biz offerings, this kit is a vignette/diorama. The scene depicts J. Jonah Jameson, owner of the Daily Bugle and Spider-Man's #1 detractor, as he is about to be unceremoniously yanked from his steel safe-hole in the basement of the Bugle by the Rhino.

The 1/12th scale kit is comprised of 37 pieces: 17 pieces for the Rhino; 20 pieces for the scenic base and accessories (including 10 for Jameson). I am not particularly interested in Jameson or the diorama setting: my plans for this kit revolve around the minor reanimation of the Rhino to depict him in an iconic charge.

As I mentioned above, all subassemblies have been completed. The torso, legs, and the right arm have been filled with PUR; the left leg has been permanently attached; and the right leg has been pegged. The next step is to execute the repositioning of the right leg and arm. Once that has been accomplished, the finishing work can begin in earnest.

More to follow. . .

Toy Biz

Every so often, I regress to those halcyon days when a comic book could be had for the deposit refund of 4-6 bottles, and proceed to re-immerse myself in Marveldom. Now I don't want to get into a Marvel vs. DC faceoff, but save for Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and some of the Batman villains, I was--am!--a Marvel freak all the way.

This latest regression has hit me pretty hard, and I have gone to some lengths to play catch-up since my last "escape". I will address each of my acquisitions in their own posting as the situation warrants.

From 1996-99, Toy Biz (now known as Marvel Toys, the toy division of Marvel Entertainment, LLC) released over a dozen plastic kits of Marvel Marvel characters in three series. These, at first glance, were what all of us frustrated "Marvel kids" had been pining over for more than three decades: Aurora had first tested the waters with Spidey, Cap'n America, and the Hulk in the mid-late '60s! Since then, only the now-defunct Horizon had made any effort to address this significant void. BUT, as most of us know, the Horizon kits, no matter how good or impressive, were vinyl--and they were 1/6th(!) scale.

The Toy Biz kits were classified according to level of difficulty: Level 1 (Beginner) were snap-together/no glue required; Level 2 (Intermediate) required glue to assemble; and Level 3 (Advanced; there was only one Level 3 release: Ghost Rider). Personally, I believe that a Level 3 label was marketing schtick to justify a higher srp by the inclusion of a vehicle.

These were received with great fanfare by an all-but-starved community, but the initial enthusiasm quickly faded as word of the contents of the uniquely-shaped, sturdy, flattened hexagonal boxes got out. I will address the actual shortcomings, as well as some of the perceived ones, in my review of THE RHINO.