Dragon 1/9 scale Guardians of the Galaxy – Star-Lord (#38339)

Peter Quill--interplanetary rapscallion and heir to [at least one] awesome mix tape from the late 60’s early 70’s! No? Well, you might know him as . . . Star-Lord!

This is the first release in Dragon’s sub-series dedicated to this Summer’s blockbuster hit, Guardians of the Galaxy. It is comprised of 21 solid polyvinyl pieces + 1 [black] polystyrene base. As with most (all?) the Dragon model kits, the items that have exposed flesh (in this in- stance, the heads—there are two heads provided: one masked (U + V), one bare (B)) are molded in a semi-translucent, flesh-colored PV; the rest of the kit—including the separate mask (A)--is molded in a neutral grey PV.

As always, unless you have extensive experience working with polyvinyl, I would keep any reduc- tive/invasive surface modifications to an absolute minimum: these kits should be approached literally straight OOB! Unfortunately, that would disqualify this kit for the overwhelming majority of miniaturists! I purchased this kit as a long-term reclamation project with the hope that I would receive a VG (or better!) casting, but expecting otherwise. Depending on your expectations and requirements, this kit will demand you exercise all of your modelling skillsets—and then some! Especially as this kit also falls way short in the [movie-]accuracy category, most notably the pants (D) and detail-rich overcoat tails (Q).

IMHO, this kit represents a significant “step-back” from their, for example, Captain America Stealth Suit offering. As such, I cannot recommend it without significant caveats. That being said, if you enjoy a challenge, can moderate your expectations, and are a fan of the character, you might very well give this one a long, hard second look. . .

PS--Hands-on report to follow upon receipt. . .

UPDATE 20.11.2014 - It has arrived. . . and while I had prepared myself for the worse, the magni- tude of the work that would be required to get this to competition standards is practically over- whelming.  Thus, it will indeed be a "a long-term reclamation project", worked in sections at a relaxed pace. Rocket and the Rocket/Groot vignette are right around the corner, so hopefully they [Dragon] will recover some of their form for these releases. . .

UPDATE 21.11.2014 - As many of you have heard me say at one time or another, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Yesterday's assessment is no less valid, but compart- mentalizing the work to be done into self-contained "mini-projects", as opposed to looking upon the totality of the work before me, has provided a much-needed revised perspective. And so, the project will be launched in the next few days, beginning with the boots. . . 

STAY TUNED!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain Rogers Stealth Suit - Prepwork (VII) - Home Stretch

The remaining putty work is now DONE! I can now resume my final once-over and begin address- ing those areas requiring a tad bit more attention. And the shield has been pegged and tentative- ly fitted. . . 

Movin' right along. . . 

FOLLOW-UP . . . All joins and MS-enhanced areas have been putty-glazed.

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain Rogers Stealth Suit - Prepwork (VI)

The anticipated deadline will unfortunately not be met.

I was well on my way to completing the final once-over, with but a few areas that would require less-than-an-hour of further attention all told, when I noticed that the lower buckles on the gaiters had been traversed by the mold seam! This is the kind of ill-conceived mold design that drives modelers and miniaturists to apoplexy!!

If this were resin, it would be classified as a minor, albeit unnecessary, annoyance. But it isn't; and, as we have seen, PV is another ballgame altogether. I intend to try to scrape off the offend- ing seamlines as best I can, but I have resigned myself to sculpting two new buckles. . .

Stay tuned. . .

FOLLOW-UP . . . The buckles have been successfully "cleaned" with grinder, blade, and Scotch-brite. That is the good news.

The bad news is that I will have to restore at least one prong and any number of holes. . .

UPDATE 11.11.2014 - Three prongs and all the holes later, I am back to where I started yester- day. Tentative priming deadline is now the Thanksgiving holiday weekend--though I will have to work on Black Friday. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Citi-Def Trooper -- UPDATE (2)

The "stumps" have been modeled and preliminarily fitted. And the left arm has been permanently attached. . . 

LET THE FINAL FINISHING BEGIN!!!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Citi-Def Trooper -- UPDATE

Not much to tell, but some notable progress nonetheless. . .

Firstly, I have pegged the head and routed-out the neck--I am really not a fan of flat-on-flat joins! Within the week, I should have the neck and wrist (l & r) stumps modeled and fitted -- final fin- ishing can then begin in earnest!

Secondly, I've decided to portray a Citi-Def Trooper from the Marie Laveau Block. This block is mentioned in "Who Do the Voodoo that You Do?" (Judge Dredd Megazine #285). Though I do not believe there to be any specific references to the appearance of the CD from this block, this provides the freedom to have some fun!

Stay tuned!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

DWC's 70mm Citi-Def Trooper TBR in late November!

Yes, you read right, Dredd-heads! Rin has kicked this project into overdrive, and this gem of a kit will be shipping by the end of November!

You may pre-order here. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain Rogers Stealth Suit - Prepwork (V)

While the rework spotlighted in the last posting is still very much underway (~80% done, give or take), there are other items on the to-do list remaining to be finished and prepped. And now there is one less: the left arm has been permanently attached to the torso! I am now definitely on the homestretch!

Stay tuned!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Captain Rogers Stealth Suit - Prepwork (IV)

Regrettably, I am now behind schedule on this piece. As I indicated in the last posting, the time had come where surface work would be the order of the day, and a necessary corrective measure has bogged me down.

There is a padded area on the back of the lower thighs, right above the bend of the knee. This area is rather involved: in my sample, the detail-in-relief was virtually non-existent, the product of a 'soft cast'. I will hasten to add that even if I had noticed this when first inspecting the kit, I pro- bably would not have returned it for a replacement as soft casts are pretty much a fact of life with PV kits. BUT, the fact remains that the area must be resculpted to restore the original pattern. Hence, the dearth of any updates.

The good news is that I should be back on track by the end of the weekend, so hopefully updates will be much more frequent going forward. . . 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Notable Acquisitions October 2014

KITS  
Aurora Man from U.N.C.L.E.: Napoleon Solo (1/12th? scale, ???)
Dark World Creations Citi-Def Trooper (70mm, Fabricio Torres)
Master Box Ltd. Zombie Hunter: "Road to Freedom" (Zombieland series; 1/35th scale, A. Gagarin)

Master Box Ltd.'s Zombie Hunter: Road to Freedom

Master Box Ltd. (hereafter MBL), a Ukrainian manufacturer of some of the more unique and inno- vative plastic scale model kits in the marketplace with, until recently, a focus on WWII subjects, has the distinct honour of being the first to offer a plastic diorama kit of a non-historical, ‘fantasy’ nature:  Zombie Hunter: Road to Freedom. This is the premier release in their proposed Zombieland series set in a post-apocalyptic world. 



The kit, executed in 1/35^th scale, is comprised of 5 figures sculpted/designed? by A. Gagarin: the Zombie Hunter (huntress, more accurately) and four of the prey (or vice versa?). MBL is very candid about the fact that, curiously, the kit does not provide a critical and integral element of the diorama, namely the motorcycle. By not including the motorcycle, MBL is allowing the modeller to choose for him/herself the motorcycle of his/her choice. A selection of suggested kits from various manufacturers (seven!—including one from MBL) is provided below the kit breakdown on the bottom of the box.

A few thoughts on this at-first-glance glaring omission, if I may. MBL currently has but one motor- cycle in their catalog: a WWII-vintage German BMW R75. This, in fact, is the m/c our belea- guered huntress is depicted riding on the boxart. BUT. . . what is a WWII-era German m/c doing in the Zombie Apocalypse? Granted, even if this were not a fantasy scenario, any number of backstories can be had with little if any effort; but the fact remains—if we allow reality to rear its head for a moment—that this would hardly be a first-choice for any number of reasons.

Another incontrovertible fact is that, afaik, there are but two modern m/c in production in 1/35^th scale: Dragon’s Kawasaki KLR250 and Tamiya’s Honda XLR250. The former can be made but passable with A LOT(!) of work, which leaves us with basically one choice if we want to avoid the obvious, albeit explainable, anachronism: Tamiya’s Honda. Having said that, if you know your way around a m/c, enjoy modelling in this scale, and despise whiny off-roaders, any of the cur- rently available H-D WLA’s (MiniArt, Tamiya, Italeri) would make a nice base for a tricked-out, post-war conversion.

Enough of what isn’t in the kit! The figures, especially that of the Huntress, are quite nice: cleanly molded with sharp detail/s. Those who are familiar with the genre will immediately identify her with Milla Jovovich’s Alice, from the Resident Evil franchise—specifically, as she appeared in the third installment, Extinction. In fact, one could build a vignette from a scene in that movie—IF there were a 1/35th scale BMW K1200R in the marketplace!

The zombies aren’t bad, but they aren’t great either—nature of the beast, actually. It will be up to the painter to sell what they are. Curiously, there is another nod to the RE franchise, this time the fourth installment, Afterlife: the split and extendable maxillae and mandibles (part #7) of the zombie repairman/mechanic. This little extra, thankfully provided as a separate piece and essen- tially optional, is not shown on the boxart (Valery Petelin, 2014): it appears to have been included as an afterthought.

Though 1/35^th is an annoyingly small scale (that’s the disgruntled lament of age, folks!), some of the best Modern resin accessories (and full kits!) on the market today are being made in this scale thanks to the efforts of Live Resin. If there is such a thing as perfection in our corner of the world, this is it! Which brings us to my supply inventory for this project to date:

MANUFACTURER	Stock #	Item Description
Master Box Ltd.	35175	Zombie Hunter: Road to Freedom (Zombieland series)
Tamiya	35245	JGSDF Motorcycle Reconnaissance Set
Lion Roar	LE35081	XLR250 PE Detail Set
Tamiya	35266	Modern US Military Equipment Set
Live Resin	LR35031	M9 Pistols
	LR35036	Empty BlackHawk CQC SERPA Pistol Holster
	LR35104	ESS Crossbow goggles/Ballistic Eyeshields
	LR35155	US Army Scepter Fuel Canisters

And that about wraps it up. If the subject matter appeals to you, then by all means get this kit: you will not be disappointed! I, for one, am very much looking forward to the next release—if only to get a better idea of where MBL is heading with their laudable initiative. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

Solo -- Pre-Prep

Squeezing-in what little time I can at the bench, Napoleon Solo is now pre-assembled; i.e., all the sub-assemblies have been completed and filled: all but the head with PUR; the head with MS. And I have modeled the core of what will be Napoleon's neck in MS, and have drilled out the neck opening in the now-filled torso. Just a few hours of relaxed modeling. . .

FOLLOW-UP . . . The left leg has been fitted--but not attached--to the torso, shimmed with MS to adjust the drapery of the jacket. UPDATE 25.10.2014 - The left leg has been now permanently attached.

UPDATE 24.10.2014 - The head is now pegged and provisionally attached to the torso, awaiting the neck build-out. I have narrowed the shoulders somewhat to create a more linear cut to the jacket. 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

GRAIL KIT!

Almost fifty years ago, around 1966, Aurora (Plastics Corp.) secured The Man from U.N.C.L.E. license from MGM. As much of a fan of the show as I was, I never built either of the two figure kits associated with the franchise--though my friend across the street had them both. I guess I must have spent my hard-earned US 98 cents (plus tax!) on the Forgotten Prisoner of Castel- Maré released that same year (nb: this was the only new horror kit released in 1966; it was the last of the long-box releases; and it was created and copyrighted by 'Famous Monsters of Film- land'!), though it was also about that time that my interests began to turn to AFVs and A/C. . . 

Nostalgia being what it is, I was bitten by the U.N.C.L.E. bug a few years back: seeing David McCallum as a regular on NCIS with allusions to his Illya days certainly didn't help matters. Thus was the game afoot once again! I'll save you the boring details of the seemingly endless quest (read: never managed to close the deal); but last week perseverance finally paid off, and I am now the delighted owner of an original 1966 kit of Napoleon Solo. Admittedly, it is a somewhat incom- plete kit as the left hand (part #22) and the single-piece plant (part #20) are missing, but it is otherwise complete--and pristine.

Thinking back on why I never built these back-in-the day, the introductory quip notwithstanding, I frankly never liked them. The composition and staging were awkward--at best! Talk about over- basing!! Illya was literally hidden [from view] behind a lamppost; and the likenesses were horrible! Now. . . how bad must they have been for an 8-year old (almost 9) to pass on models of two of the coolest characters on TV!! 

So why get them now? Nostalgia--and the fact that I intend to spend a lot of time getting this kit 'up to speed' while conserving the Aurora 'feel'. Hence, why the two missing pieces were not an issue. With episodes from The Man from U.N.C.L.E. playing in the background, there are some guaranteed good times ahead. . .    

"Open Channel D. . . "

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

DWC's 70mm Citi-Def Trooper

A week ago, I posted a teasingly cryptic announcement of an as-yet-to-be-announced kit that had found its way to my workbench thanks to the bountiful generosity of an overseas manufac- turer. And today, I received the all-clear to not only identify the mysterious figure; but more importantly, recognize the purveyor of the same.

Before me is the latest creation from Aaron Ishmael (bka as Rin) and Dark World Creations: a 70mm Citi-Def Trooper from their 2000AD series, sculpted by Fabricio Torres (Judge Anderson). The Citi-Def's were the Mega-cities' Citizen's Defense units. . . think of Civil Defense and National Guard rolled into one at the "block" level--but with a minimalist's approach when it comes to professionalism and common sense. "The typical view of the Citi-Def soldier is of a man who barely knows one end of a spit gun from the other and, pumped up on action vids on the Tri-D, attempts to live out his fantasies by joining the only military option open to citizens." This less- than-stellar characterization places them a step removed from the gangs.

I will be the first to admit that a Citi-Def figure was not very high on my want list. Though an integral part of the Mega-Cities and their component blocks, they have rarely been at the prota- gonist level of any story or arc. . . more at background filler. This leads to the second 'problem'--depending on your pov: there is no colour-scheme per se! If you want to do the Citi-Def of a particular block, you can pretty much make-up your own colour scheme!!

As I understand it, this figure will not be a 2014 release. As of this writing, there are but 5 in existence: the other four went to some very lucky patrons at Euro. I have been cleared by Rin to treat this figure as if it were TBR'd, and he in turn has been given like clearance by 2000AD. So this is all above board. And as such, here is your first preview of this gem of a kit!

Please note that I have omitted the standard logo'd (2000AD) circular plinth, and the right arm has already been permanently attached. I have also modified the knife (NOTE: NOT included in the production kit!), filling in the clip-point to a make a spear-point; and pegged the left hand.

As I said, a gem of a kit--in all respects!!!--that begs to be painted! I will be doing mine as a Citi-Def trooper; that being said, it undoubtedly lends itself to any number of near-futuristic combatants. This figure is on the board to be completed for the Atlanta Show in February.

Stay tuned!

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003