X-Force: Wolverine - The first tentative steps

While I wait for my Alumilite to arrive--not a bad thing as it gives me more time to acquire some intimacy with the subject, the model. . . AND the conversion!--I decided to start playing with some putty. To this end, I have roughed-in a very tentative right wing of the mask; filled-in the claw locator slots on the gauntlets; and worked on the top of the right boot. I've also begun to detail the mouth, beginning with grinding off the front teeth.

I have also paused to reconsider the reanimation of the legs. I did not like the pose as provided--it just didn't work for me. I then saw a build-up of the kit by the gentlemen who designed it! Same figure, same pose. . . but relocated on the base and at a different angle.

WOW! I'm not saying I am not going to proceed with my original "design"; however, once the figure is filled and pegged, I am going to have to play around with the pose to see if I can capture some of the same dynamics as the Shiflett Bros.

More to follow. . .

UPDATE - 08.06.11. . . The Alumilite arrived today--excellent service straight from the source!--and the torso, arms, and pelvic girdle are now filled. . .

FOLLOW-UP - 09.06.11. . . The figure is now completely filled. Let the fun begin!!!

UPDATE - 11.06.11. . . This really should be a new post, but there are still some loose ends to address before breaking out the camera. The figure is now reanimated, based on what the Shiflett Bros. did with theirs. It will require a bit more work before everything is in sync, but I am very pleased with what is now before me.

X-Force: Wolverine - Planning the conversion

I thought I would get a head-start on planning the major issues to be addressed in converting Toy Biz's 1/12th scale X-Men Wolverine to his X-Force persona. To date. . .

1. Repositioning of the left leg, and to a lesser extent the right leg and arms. This will include the resculpting of the left half of the pelvic girdle [see update here].
   
2. Elimination of shoulder wings; reworking of musculature of the arms.
   
3. Conversion of boots (nb: bilateral "wings" already removed).
4. Conversion of gauntlets, including reworking of "claws".
5. Head (including resculpture of dentition).
   

Search widget not working

Just a head's up that the usually reliable and thorough Blog Search widget is not working at this time. Apparently this is something that happens about once a year, when apps and the like are updated, etc.

In the meantime, if you need to find something but cannot remember the thread or the subject of the posting, you might want to try: http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch/advanced_blog_search. Paste the blog url (http://augiemefecit.blogspot.com/) in the "In blogs. . . at this url" field, and type in your search terms. This will provide you the results you are looking for.

FOLLOW-UP - 07.06.11. . . The search widget is kaput. I am going to delete the option from the sidebar: it is, after all, useless. While the above workaround is still very effective, there is an even easier one: use the search function on the navbar at the top of your page (far left, next to the Blogger icon). I've tried it several times, and it is just as thorough--and fast!--as the widget.

UPDATE - 19.06.11. . . You might have noticed that I have replaced the search widget, thanks to a fellow blogger who devised a very useful and seamless work-around. It is working perfectly--for now. Keeping my fingers crossed!

X-Force: Wolverine

I can not say I am a huge X-Men fan. And my favourites have always been what I would call "sup- porting cast": Angel/Archangel, Gambit, Nightcrawler, etc. Having said that, Hugh Jackman's por- trayal of James Howlett/"Logan", bka Wolverine, amongst others, on the Silver Screen has been a refreshing and pleasant refamiliarization with old acquaintances.

X-Force is the X-Men's "black ops" strike team, and has been led by Wolverine since its reincar- nation in 2008. X-Force is gritty and "dark", and Wolverine is in his element: it's an intriguing sub- ject.

The main hurdle is the base figure: where would one start? There are three potential candidates, all OOP. Two are 1/6th scale vinyl kits from Horizon. While well done and eminently workable, the scale is way too large for my tastes and display capacity. That leaves the 1/12th scale, polysty- rene offering by Toy Biz, sculpted by the Shiflett Bros., which is fortunately relatively easy to ac- quire--and affordable!--on eBay.


Spectacular build-up by CH colleague Ben Edwards. More views here.
The kit is comprised of 27 pieces: 24 pieces for the subject; 3 pieces for the scenic base. Wol- verine is generally considered one of the poorer TB efforts, and while there are fit problems, it is nowhere near as bad as proclaimed. There are only a few spots that require gap-filling; and this is easily accomplished with liquid cement and the fluffy shavings generated by a Dremel burr. As with the Rhino, the plastic takes to file and burr as well--or better!--than most.

All subassemblies have been completed, awaiting to be filled with PUR. Once it is filled, the reanimation of the figure and the conversion to the X-Force uniform will begin in earnest. . .

To be continued. . .

Notable Acquisitions Apr-May 2011

A new feature that I hope will be of interest to the readership. It will cover every aspect of what we do. . .

KITS
Resin Pimps bust of Doctor Fate (DC) (???, 1/8th scale)
Forbidden Zone bust of Dracula (Mike Hill, 1/4 scale)

Red Skull (Bust)--Prepwork: Phase (4)--UPDATE (II)

With month-end fast approaching and some IT issues to deal with at home, time at the bench has been somewhat limited. Nonetheless, the left collar tab is now all-but-done, and hopefully will be finished by the end of the extended weekend. I will follow the canon I set for the full figure and have Herr Schmidt as an Oberst-Gruppenführer; however, I might change the backing--or piping--colour to a yellow-biased Giftgrün ("toxic green"). Giftgrün was the Waffenfarbe of the SD.

Updated images to follow upon completion. . .

FOLLOW-UP - 30.05.11. . . The left collar tab has been completed, and the head is now all-but-done. Final finishing on the torso has begun and is well under way. All that really remains to be finished is the RK, and the right hand--but first, the cigarette holder!

Red Skull (Bust)--Prepwork: Phase (4)--UPDATE

As refinement of the skull (head and neck) continues, I took a brief break to finish and attach the Totenkopf on the right collar tab, which replaces the stock Sigrunen.

I also finalized the position of the fingers . All that remains is the final tweaking and "locking" once the cigarette holder is completed.

2011 Status Report

Rather than let the early projections stand throughout the year, I thought a mid-year (or pre-Summer) update might be a welcome addition. I will probably follow-up with a Fall update in Sept/Oct.

The post-Show revised slate can be found here. This is the pre-Summer lineup. . .

1) Gambit (Knight Models 75mm) -- already transferred to the bench!
2) Red Skull (bust, Jaguar Models' 1/12th scale conversion)
3) Divio "Mad Dog" Juckal [SP vârcolac] (Smart Max 'Smog 1888')
4) Dracula (1931) (bust, Mike Hill 1/4th scale)
5) Red Skull #2 (ff) (Smart Max 150mm conversion)
6) Domino (X-Force) (Moebius 1/8th scale "BW" conversion): if released in Sept. as announced, this may be my major Fall project.

As always, subject--though less likely--to change.

And as always, I hope you will find something of interest in the above--I look forward to your comments and observations.

Back to the bench!!

A~

WonderFest 2011 Most Amazing Figure

The 2011 edition of WonderFest appears to have been one of the best ever. Over 600 (!) entries, and a vendor area that would make one think one had died and gone to heaven.

This year's "BoS" (Most Amazing Figure Award, which includes a US$300 cash prize) went to a superb creation, "The Reverend and Mrs. Fairfax--Vampire Hunters".






Regrettably, I don't know who the artist is. BRAVISSIMO, whomever you might be.

For more images of this piece and many more, I would direct you the two sets of images by fellow CH member, Steve Copeland:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62898839@N05/sets/

WonderFest Scoop!

Moebius, through no fault of their own I hasten to add, has not exactly delivered when it comes to the Universal Monsters. But I can't help but jump for joy with this announcement. . .

http://culttvman.com/main/?p=17465

The announced release date is December, 2011.

The Return of the Cigarette-holder

In my last update I indicated that I had decided to nix the holder due to the fact that I would have had to reposition the hand.

This evening I revisited the quandary, and found a solution! EUREKA!! Rather than reposition the hand, I will reposition the entire forearm! Yes, it will involve some remodeling of the greatcoat sleeve, but that is eminently more doable than the involved surgery to remove the cuffed hand--and the resulting pose is much more natural.

The alterations are still in the preliminary stages, but, as soon as I have the arm remodeled and fitted, I will post images.

Nice to be back on track!

"Captured?"--Musings on a future project

As I mentioned in an earlier posting, the 'Classic Monster Bug' has latched-on in a serious way, and I am getting overrun with ideas, re-evaluations, etc.

The bust genre is well represented with Mike Hill's masterful rendition of Bela Lugosi in his iconic rôle. And Lord knows I have plenty of ip full-figures in all sorts of scales--from 54mm to 250mm!--but I'm not quite "feeling" dusting-off--literally!--a project. Rather, I feel like starting something new, a project that in all likelihood will join its other ip brethren on a crowded workbench. . . . . . but maybe not!

In 1994, Randy Bowen and Dark Horse teamed-up to release what to this day is a very unique rendition of Dr. Frankenstein's Monster. Though simply titled, "Frankenstein", it depicts the Monster chained and shackled as he appeared briefly in one of my all-time faves, "The Bride of Frankenstein".


My favourite rendition of this kit masterfully done alla Basil Gogos by fellow New Yorker and Tampa Bay dj/voiceover artist, Don Capone

I remember when this kit was released, but even then, it left me less than moved. As to why, hopefully a couple of images will be worth a couple of hundred words. . .

A hi-res still from the film

Mike Hill's magnificent 1:1 reconstruction of the classic scene

Bowen's Universal Monsters have always left something to be desired. To me, translating [a] 2-d'al still/s into a 3-d'al sculpture leaves very little wiggle room for personal expression. If one is to create a "bridge scene" between two frames, then the progression must be linear and the setting constant. In Dark Horse's Frankenstein, we see everything from a wooden seat and a trapezoidal pedestal on the chair, to an expression and range of movement not afforded the Monster in the film.

So it has occurred to me to put my money where my mouth is, and recreate this iconic scene in miniature. This project will have a little bit of everything: conversion, sculpture, scratch-building, kit-bash- ing. . . all in glorious multi-media!

We'll see how far I get with it. . .

Red Skull (Bust)--Prepwork: Phase (2-3)--UPDATE

I wasn't joking when I quipped that the paucity of visual references of the new Silver Screen Red Skull at the moment would afford me more time to work on the bust. . . that is precisely what I have done!

In some respects the bust is just about done; in others, I can't begin to visualize the end. Mind you, this is not a 'bad thing'. . . quite the contrary. In no particular order:

• The head/skull is now about 80% done. Both eyes are in place; though as I suspected, the dentition is in the process of being reworked.
  
• The right forearm has been positively fitted. The major components can now be assembled securely without a drop of glue.
  
• The right hand has been sectioned and wired; repositioning of the fingers to accommodate the cigarette has begun. Yes, the cigarette--no holder. I would have had to reposition the hand within the cuff to accommodate the the holder, and the gain was not commensurate with the effort required. Aside from the head, the hand is the most labour-intensive element of this project.
  
• The Oak Leaves of the RK have been roughed-in. The Swords await. . . !
  

Once the hand is "locked", I will post a graphic update.