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Is there a mod for Blackbolt's wings yet? Because they feel extremely fragile and I really hate them.
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Jul 31, 2009 01:44
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Djarum posted:240 MILLION dollars for a single peg in the toy isle. That isn't just depressing that is pathetic. I agree with most of that. It DOES seem like Hasbro went in with absolutely no idea what they were doing and decided raising costs and making a lovely product where the way to go. However I think the mindset stems from the execs not understanding the toy market. It sounds silly I know, but I feel like they're still stuck in the early 90's late 80's mindset of toys.. whereas most other toy companies and moved past that and beyond. I think if all the Hasbro execs went to Japan and saw the amount of possibilities and craftsmanship that goes into the Japanese Toy Market they may realize they should change courses rather continuing to create products that look like chinese knock offs.
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Jul 31, 2009 02:41
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Jet Ready Go posted:I agree with most of that. It DOES seem like Hasbro went in with absolutely no idea what they were doing and decided raising costs and making a lovely product where the way to go. Hasbro's opinion on a collector's market (and the opinion of many US toy companies for that matter) is that it's already built in and therefore redundant. Collectors will buy anything they put out either simply to collect or for a nostalgic value. Therefore they see devoting an entire line to collectors as largely being a waste of resources. Why focus on people who are already buying your product and have been for decades when you can hook new people while they're young who will be buying for decades more?
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Jul 31, 2009 02:59
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Cocks Cable posted:Is there a mod for Blackbolt's wings yet? Because they feel extremely fragile and I really hate them. I have seen them done with both vinyl (the kind you can get at Wal-Mart in the craft section) and with plastic. Personally the vinyl wings I have seen looked a bit better due to being able to draw/paint the design on to them. When/if I ever get a Black Bolt I got a idea for how I am going to do the wings but that is a hill I will climb when I come to it. Jet Ready Go posted:I agree with most of that. It DOES seem like Hasbro went in with absolutely no idea what they were doing and decided raising costs and making a lovely product where the way to go. I agree with Hasbro being stuck in the early 90s mindset. I don't think they are going to change their ways unless they are forced to, which I am not seeing. They have to be making close to 200% profit on every Marvel figure sold. I have done some basic math in my head on what the figures cost materials/shippingwise and then the wholesale price they are selling to retailers (for those who are interested the price on a MU figure is between $3.50 and $5 USD. On a ML figure it is $4.25 to $7 USD. The price depends on amount bought, etc. Someone like Wal-Mart gets closer to the low end while someone like Jack's Grocery would be the higher.) The average figure for MU costs about .75 to 1.50 to make, paint, package and ship. ML is between 1.85 and 3.00. The price difference for better paint would probably be something at max a quarter a figure. I think if someone came into the US with a Japanese ideal of toy making they would be a huge hit. But, I don't ever seeing it happening since they toy market in the US is drying up since the only major toy store left is Toys R Us and they are perpetually on their last legs. The only other option is Wal-Mart and Target which are both looking to shrink their toy selection since they are mostly a loss leader and I am sure would rather use that retail space for a higher selling item. Also the rise of the video game and internet for children's chief source of entertainment has cut heavily into the sales for toys across the board. My prediction is that Action Figures are going to become a collectors only market in the next 5 years and virtually gone from store shelves. LightsGameraAction posted:Hasbro's opinion on a collector's market (and the opinion of many US toy companies for that matter) is that it's already built in and therefore redundant. Collectors will buy anything they put out either simply to collect or for a nostalgic value. Therefore they see devoting an entire line to collectors as largely being a waste of resources. See but people aren't buying the product anymore. Collectors have shunned most of Hasbro's Marvel product due to it being shoddy product and young people aren't buying it because it looks bad and is more expensive that other products. I know as a kid my toy buying rules were this A: What looked cool and B: What is the cheapest of what looks cool. With most Marvel stuff you can almost buy 2 figures of other stuff (GI Joe, Star Wars perfect examples) for 1 Marvel. I would rather have a bad rear end Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander with tons of accessories than Downs Syndrome Hulk. Djarum fucked around with this message at 03:27 on Jul 31, 2009 |
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Jul 31, 2009 03:16
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Djarum posted:See but people aren't buying the product anymore. Collectors have shunned most of Hasbro's Marvel product due to it being shoddy product and young people aren't buying it because it looks bad and is more expensive that other products. I know as a kid my toy buying rules were this A: What looked cool and B: What is the cheapest of what looks cool. With most Marvel stuff you can almost buy 2 figures of other stuff (GI Joe, Star Wars perfect examples) for 1 Marvel. I would rather have a bad rear end Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander with tons of accessories than Downs Syndrome Hulk. A big deal breaker for me as a kid was what accessories it came with and how many "ways" I could play with it. I'm not going to say I was a snobby collector kid, I had maybe 10 Joes and 4 or 5 Transformers when i was growing up.. but the toys I chose were just my "favorites." A few of my criteria were: Small Size (Example: Joes) I wanted toys I could carry with me either in my pocket or in a bag that didn't take up too much space. I could throw two Joes in my pocket and have a thrilling time shopping with mom because those clothing racks became bases! Helmets (Example: Joes / MASK) I loved toys with helmets because I enjoyed the "Two Face" structure and mindset of the toy. In other words he's a super hero during the day and takes his mask off a night so he can like.. I dunno.. drink soda and watch TV. Gadgets (Joes) Same as above.. having more equipment means he get get things done. Using a rifle for wars and a handgun for covert missions or something. Backpacks were awesome for traveling! Playability (Transformers) loving ROBOT IN ONE MODE AND PLANE IN ANOTHER. nuff said. Clear plastic (Ice man) loved any toys that used clear plastics! Toys I hated: Toys with built in gimmicks (Example: Punching Fist Hulk) I always knew gimmicks limited the way I could play with my toys so i actively stayed away from them. "Sets" (Transformers) As a kid I couldn't afford gestalts... so I hated any toy that required me to get a whole lot of other toys in order to "enjoy" it more.
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Jul 31, 2009 04:27
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I don't know of a single person child or adult that like gimmicks or "action features" in their figures (main expections to the list being the Battle Damage He-Man and Kung Du Grip/Facial Hair 12 inch GI Joes). Whomever thought that kids liked those over the years must be brain damaged in some way. Probably the person who is the model for "Down's Syndrome Hulk". The other thing that always made me mad as a kid is weird versions of characters. The Batman lines used to be the worst about that. Why on earth would any kid want a Pink and White "Flaming Batman" instead of a toy that looks like the Batman on TV? A interesting version like the Spider-Hulk was a nifty one. Scuba Spidey not worth a poo poo. I really just need to get some money together and start a toy company. If anyone is willing to give me some money we can make this happen. Or at the very least someone should hire me somewhere. I would be able to whip things into shape with the quickness.
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Jul 31, 2009 04:57
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Djarum posted:I really just need to get some money together and start a toy company. A goon run toy company would be awesome. And yeah, I don't know a single person who ever liked "action features" like where you would wind up a character's waste and they'd throw a punch. If I'm a kid and I want Hulk to throw a punch, I'll just move the stupid figure's arm. Action features and needless variants of the main characters are the worse toy crimes. Anyone remember the Batman Beyond line? Remember how there wasn't a single figure of Batman in the normal suit that he wore in every episode? You could get ice suit batman, electric flying batman, underwater camo batman, radioactive suit batman, and even some of the villains, but I'll be damned there was never a regular Batman figure.
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Jul 31, 2009 05:53
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I always hated the wind-up punch poo poo and missile launchers, but I love love LOVE the Bruce-to-Batman toys and stuff like that. Those things are awesome.
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Jul 31, 2009 06:05
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Fish Of Doom posted:Anyone remember the Batman Beyond line? Remember how there wasn't a single figure of Batman in the normal suit that he wore in every episode? You could get ice suit batman, electric flying batman, underwater camo batman, radioactive suit batman, and even some of the villains, but I'll be damned there was never a regular Batman figure. Actually there was one, it was the special "1000th Batman" or something to that effect. I loved that they rewarded us with a normal figure after giving god knows how many lovely ones. Only problem with it I believe is it had a action feature to make his arms go up like the old Silverhawks figures. I am really glad we got a normal Batman Beyond figure in DCUC. LightsGameraAction posted:I always hated the wind-up punch poo poo and missile launchers, but I love love LOVE the Bruce-to-Batman toys and stuff like that. Those things are awesome. That kind of stuff I am ok with. Like the Snap-On Armor Movie Iron Man. Heck Iron Man has had so many armors that if they just stuck to the ones used in the comics they could have wave after wave of figures. It is when the make up their own stuff most of the time is when it gets stupid. Hell Spider-Man has had enough different looks and artists over the years that you can make a figure look different enough but still not insult the buyer at the same time. It is the same with most comic characters. I'd love to meet the guy whom though that Scuba Spidey was such a great idea to make a figure and to include him with so many waves. Meet him and kick him in the balls, repeatedly.
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Jul 31, 2009 06:21
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Djarum posted:
At least we don't this in every wave. 
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Jul 31, 2009 06:34
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Fish Of Doom posted:At least we don't this in every wave. The gently caress did you find that? I actually almost want it, it is so haggard.
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Jul 31, 2009 06:48
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Djarum posted:The gently caress did you find that? I actually almost want it, it is so haggard. Look at his calves, you don't get those without playing beach volleyball EVERYDAY.
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Jul 31, 2009 07:06
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Fish Of Doom posted:Look at his calves, you don't get those without playing beach volleyball EVERYDAY. Nope, you get them by being bitten by a radioactive volleyball! Duh.
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Jul 31, 2009 07:07
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I always hated action features too, even as a little kid. One exception though was Super Powers, ever toy had a power punch or karate chop or something like that. Still, I loved Super Powers. Which is probably why I love DCUC so much now. now if only wave 8 would come out near me
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Jul 31, 2009 07:55
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Travis343 posted:I always hated action features too, even as a little kid. One exception though was Super Powers, ever toy had a power punch or karate chop or something like that. Still, I loved Super Powers. Which is probably why I love DCUC so much now. Wave 8  Repainted it again with the makeup strategy in mind. Added a widow's peak, too. Look any better?  
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Jul 31, 2009 08:02
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Fish Of Doom posted:Wave 8 Yea leagues better except for the eyes. They seem a little "big" is the best way to explain it. I think it might be that the pupils are too large so it looks like he is either stoned out of his mind or secretly a Grey. The Widow's peaks makes that look so much better.
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Jul 31, 2009 08:08
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Djarum posted:Battle Damage He-Man It is so loving late that I misread that as "Brain Damaged He-Man" Is it wrong that I laughed for like a minute at that?
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Jul 31, 2009 10:23
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Fish Of Doom posted:Wave 8 That first picture he looks like Al Bundy.
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Jul 31, 2009 10:28
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Fish Of Doom posted:A goon run toy company would be awesome. That's never the answer for anything. I was digging through my old stuff to figure out what I had extra and I found a ton of dolls with exploded crotches. 
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Jul 31, 2009 13:18
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I've got some spare time coming up so I'm making a custom figure. Got a few questions for you guys; - I'm using ProCreate Professional Sculpting Putty. Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm considering sculpting onto small blocks of wood, any idea if I'd have any issues with it not sticking etc? - I'm intending on painting the figure with acrylic paint, but it's to go with another figure of mine and I want to make sure the finish matches. What sort of options do I have here with a spray that would prevent paint from chipping off and how do I find one that matches the other figure? - Lastly, any tips on sculpting? It's been a long time since I've done anything like this; I'm sorta creative so I'm not overly worried but trial and error is never faster than heeding advice from people who know what the hell they're talking about.
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Jul 31, 2009 14:21
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The best way to be be more efficient with the putty is to start with a thick aluminum posing wire (or copper, but that's a waste since it's so expensive). If it's REALLY big, then rough out the form in wire mesh. Paint won't chip if you let it dry thoroughly and leave good clearance at joints. Nope, but work on a couple things at once in a cascade (start another model about 10 minutes in) so you can put down initial shape for the item, then let it harden up and smooth the details and not be twiddling your thumbs. Then when it's almost hardened completely, you add the sharp details. TL;DR- soft=shape, medium=features, hard=details. Work in small steps if you can. It's much easier to make small changes gradually than try to form the final shape in one go.
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Jul 31, 2009 15:55
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Cool, thanks. The figure I'm making is pretty huge - I'd say about 15 inches or so - I'm intending on having him sitting on another figure hence the worry about paint rubbing off/chipping. I'll post pics once I'm done in three years or so.
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Jul 31, 2009 16:03
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mods rename me posted:I was digging through my old stuff to figure out what I had extra and I found a ton of dolls with exploded crotches. How the hell do YOU play with your toys?
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Jul 31, 2009 18:59
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drat, my TRU is having a sale on Movie Masters, buy 1 get 2 free, and they must have five or six unmasked Batmen on the pegs. Did those get a full-case release or something, or is this just one of those freak occurences?
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Jul 31, 2009 19:18
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Travis343 posted:drat, my TRU is having a sale on Movie Masters, buy 1 get 2 free, and they must have five or six unmasked Batmen on the pegs. Dude.. I want one. But I'm about to go to TRU myself. poo poo.. what do I do?! What if I asked you for one, but my TRU has it? Argh! :/
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Jul 31, 2009 19:23
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Hell if someone gets a spare free MM Batman and wants to hook me up I'd love you. I have... Wooden Nickles!
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Jul 31, 2009 19:44
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LtCrowley posted:Cool, thanks. The figure I'm making is pretty huge - I'd say about 15 inches or so - I'm intending on having him sitting on another figure hence the worry about paint rubbing off/chipping. Use a varnish over the top of the whole thing once you're done painting it. This will help seal the paint and prevent it from rubbing off onto other stuff. It also help sticking in areas with articulation.
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Jul 31, 2009 20:06
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Haha I was a TRU and saw that deal and they had three Batmans. I didn't think anyone would actually want them. My TJ Maxx Has a MM Thug on a slightly banged up card for $3.00...I can get 20% off too since I work there.
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Aug 1, 2009 03:39
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Donde Esta posted:Haha I was a TRU and saw that deal and they had three Batmans. I didn't think anyone would actually want them. My TJ Maxx Has a MM Thug on a slightly banged up card for $3.00...I can get 20% off too since I work there. I never got a MM Batman since I figured I'd be able to get one on clearance one day. Amazingly every single MM figure sold out crazy quick around here. It took me forever to score a Joker and Thug.
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Aug 1, 2009 03:43
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LtCrowley posted:I've got some spare time coming up so I'm making a custom figure. Got a few questions for you guys; If you have AC Moore in your area, go to their website: http://www.acmoore.com/e-acm.StoreLocator.aspx Search your zipcode and click coupons. You can probably get a 40% off coupon for any one item in store. In store for $5.99 they sell a 12 oz spray can of Patricia Nimocks Decorative Crafts, Clear Acrylic Sealer (Matte). Spray is MUCH better than brush on varnish or sealer. If you don't have an AC Moore, I don't know if they sell that cheaper brand at Michaels, but Michaels sends out 40% off coupons in their e-mail newsletter thing very frequently and you get a 40% coupon for the following week after every purchase. They sell a 3 oz can of Testors brand Dullcote sealer over by the model car rack for $3.99 which is the same thing, just more expensive per oz. No difference in quality to be honest. Also, some people do prefer glosscote, Patricia Nimocks makes that too. I just recomend them because it's basically 50 cents more for 4 times the ammount of Testor's and ALWAYS use the coupons at Michaels/AC Moore if you can. Saves a ton of money as a customizer for brushes and sealers.
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Aug 1, 2009 03:48
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Donde Esta posted:AC Moore Yeah, I'm in NZ so the best we've got over here is a Warhammer store, I'll check that out and see if there's anything I can use there.
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Aug 1, 2009 05:24
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Fish Of Doom posted:At least we don't this in every wave. An ex of mine got that for me as a gag gift, and it made me mad every time I saw it.
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Aug 1, 2009 08:13
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I've decided I want my customs to have pretty skin and I'm going to invest in the extra skin tones tomorrow; got any tutorials on painting eyes Djarum? That skin guide was aces. EDIT: Durr, site I always go to: http://www.figurerealm.com/customtutorial.php?ID=40 Donde Esta fucked around with this message at 09:22 on Aug 1, 2009 |
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Aug 1, 2009 09:18
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Donde Esta posted:I've decided I want my customs to have pretty skin and I'm going to invest in the extra skin tones tomorrow; got any tutorials on painting eyes Djarum? That skin guide was aces. Yea, use ray's guide. It is similar but MUCH easier, quicker and in my opinion looks better. Also as a plus if you screw up it is easier to fix than that other guide. http://www.thefwoosh.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=93&t=56856&start=30#p1503480 Actually just read his entire WIP thread there. It is full of little tips and tricks that come in handy. Stuff like his way to minimize paint rub around joints are just genius, although I haven't tried it.
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Aug 1, 2009 09:41
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Djarum posted:Yea, use ray's guide... Not sure I'm following his styrene trick, but I'll be damned if I didn't turn X-23 into Jackie from That 70's Show with the eye one. I've been doing something similar with Silver Surfer and other guys that have all white eyes and need outlining, but never made the connection to do it for others. Drastic improvement on female figures.
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Aug 1, 2009 10:03
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Hey cool I won a Gleek on Fwoosh just in time for me to not order The Wonder Twins
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Aug 2, 2009 01:12
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Got a Batman/Clayface 2 pack today at TRU. Clayface is awesome, he could have easily been a BAF as big and detailed as he is. The bendy arms are a really creepy addition to him, too, though I do kind of wonder how they'll hold up over time. Batman is just Batman though I did repaint him without the mud spatters. They also had laser-eye Superman/old-school Braniac, which I passed up. I've got a great Superman and I'm holding out hope for a 80s-style robo-Braniac. Toy News International has some great shots of DCUC 11, much nicer than the shots from comic-con. Kilowog looks bad-rear end. e: and if anybody but me still buys JLU, we're getting 2 kick rear end 6 packs, a 'good guy' and a 'bad guy' one. Good guy pack has a Mr. Terrific, Elongated Man, Obsidian, Hourman and a non-horrible Supergirl as well as (of course) Superman. Bad guy is all new characters except for Lex Luthor, with Tala, Psycho Pirate, Devil Ray, Dr. Polaris, and Gentleman Ghost, who is no longer holding up playing cards for no reason. Looks great, I just hope some of them actually show up near me. purple death ray fucked around with this message at 01:51 on Aug 2, 2009 |
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Aug 2, 2009 01:36
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I have been super lazy about doing any sculpting / customizing lately but today I was looking at my movie masters Joker again and getting angry at the bad paint job again, and it has inspired me to do a full-on custom job. It will be a nice way to ease back into it. I'm just starting work on it, but step one is giving him a new neck, because his head was off-center and barely able to move, then I'm going to repaint this sucker head to toe! At first I was thinking I didn't want to redo stuff like the pinstripes on his legs and the texture on his shirt/tie, but then I decided it would ultimately be worth it, so I'm going all out. My goal is to have him look as good as Hot Toys Joker. Only by attempting the impossible will I achieve the unlikely, right? Expect photos in like... a year... or whenever I get my lazy rear end in gear. (hopefully very soon, I'm trying to get back on the drat wagon here) Side note: I've been halfway following all the discussion of Hasbro vs. Toy Biz and their philosophies when it comes to Marvel, and I suddenly flashed back to the early 90's when Toy Biz was just starting out, and their DC toys were like awful Chinese knockoffs... easily the worst figures on the market, and then our heroes at Kenner (now Hasbro) scored the Batman license and knocked it out of the park. And now, almost 20 years later, just when Toy Biz had finally realized that making high-quality figures was a better business move than churning out stuff like beach Spider-Man, Hasbro loses the plot and starts making awful poo poo. Total role reversal. Ironic. I will never understand the schism that exists in the minds of toy company CEO's when it comes to kids vs. collectors. I remember being a kid, and my list of criteria for judging a cool-rear end toy has changed very, very little. Nobody ever had to put Darth Vader in a neon pink suit to get my attention, so why the gently caress does anybody think Batman needs one? Have these assholes ever physically walked into a toy store and looked at the shelves? The well-crafted figures that stay true to whatever source material are the first to sell out, 100 loving percent of the time. I'm almost 30 years old and have been dealing with the same poo poo this entire time. When will they LEARN?
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Aug 2, 2009 02:58
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Nerd Of Prey posted:I have been super lazy about doing any sculpting / customizing lately but today I was looking at my movie masters Joker again and getting angry at the bad paint job again, and it has inspired me to do a full-on custom job. It will be a nice way to ease back into it. Personally I am just waiting to get a Jail Cell Joker and putting it's head on my Joker. I've come to realize it isn't the paint job that is bad on it, it is the sculpt. It just doesn't look at all like Heath Ledger. The Jail Cell figure looks to be a more accurate sculpt and a better paint job. Instead of repainting the already pretty decent paint job on body, just give it a dark wash to bring out the details. It makes it look a bit better and more realistic. You will go mad trying to repaint the little details on it only for them to not end up as good as they were originally. I do agree with the neck part but there isn't a easy way to fix that unless you cut most of the back of the hair off. *EDIT* I need to proof read my posts before I post them at night. I never did notice there were missing buttons. Here is something to help you out, the photos that the figure was based on.  
Djarum fucked around with this message at 07:15 on Aug 2, 2009 |
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Aug 2, 2009 03:36
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Too late! I don't do poo poo halfway... Here is a real quick in-progress snapshot, I used games workshop "green stuff" putty to add detail to the vest (pockets, better lapels, a more realistic "missing button" effect) as well as to add buttons/holes to the left sleeve* and redo the neck joint completely. I also filled in all the big fat holes from the elbow/knee/ankle joints and carved away some of the uglier mold lines. I was tempted to do a ton of resculpting on his hair, but I decided I'd just let the paint job carry that part.  *I'm not sure why the buttons were left off his left sleeve, but my assumption is that the sculptor just didn't quite finish the job. There was probably a looming deadline at play. Other parts of the figure look rushed, too.
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Aug 2, 2009 06:30
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