1/6 Kaustic Plastik and Infinite Statue - John Wayne as Hondo

Remembermyname said:

Worldbox are good solid bodies, the PRO is a no neck version but there is other options.

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Yeah, I have a few of the muscular WB bodies for Wolverine and SSR Dark Knight Returns, but not the neck less 20 Pro. Gonna have to pick one up and check it out

DEATHASYLUM said:

Ordered exclusive no hesitation. Need everything and will give the shirt to one of my kids cause I wear XXL Will definitely order a second one from Sideshow with rewards, or Kit with points as for a backup. Anything that bothers me once in hand will easily be modded to my liking just like every other figure I buy. This will be a nice addition and glad to have a company making so many icons in 1/6, especially John Wayne. Keep ‘em coming KP!!!

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Where can I see some of the mods you've done?

BBTS has the Deluxe Edition only up for pre-order for $344.99.

MonkeyShoulder said:

Where can I see some of the mods you've done?

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Check the Dark Toys Mad Max thread for the last thing I worked on. I post fixes and changes on the actual figure threads, so it’s hard to remember older stuff. I believe I had several posts on VTS Revenger (The Punisher), and a ton on the Hot Toys Barney Ross 1 and 2 threads. You can check my Flickr too for more over the years
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91290958@N06/

Looking at the prices between regular and deluxe....it's about 70 extra dollars.

I just don't think the dog is worth that. I will probably get the regular over dlx.

Waiting on the prices but anyone thinks the dog is worth the 70 extra? I think that's the only difference.

MarkKing said:

Looking at the prices between regular and deluxe....it's about 70 extra dollars.

I just don't think the dog is worth that. I will probably get the regular over dlx.

Waiting on the prices but anyone thinks the dog is worth the 70 extra? I think that's the only difference.

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I don't think any of it is worth the price.

The cheapest I've seen for the regular is $282 + $35 shipping at KG Hobby.

$317 is more than the price of a Hot Toys, for a barebones figure of an undersized John Wayne that comes with a useless base and poor weapons. (I don't trust KGH anyway).

The second response on the BBICN thread commented that it looked "OK", but the body had no ass!

The third response was simply, "This time it's substandard."


I don't know about "substandard", but regardless I haven't got any motivation to order.

Right after posting I checked CDUK.

Regular: £225 ($282) including delivery. (KGH = $318 using the current conversion)

Deluxe: £265 ($333) including delivery. (KGH = $386 using the current conversion)


That helps with the motivation a little.

I had some reward points left over from years ago at CDUK so it brought it down a little more.

They also have an unusual way of applying rewards. They deduct them from the net price, then add the VAT on afterwards.

£2.50 in rewards was actually worth £3 (£2.50 + 20% VAT).

Price: £225.00

Sub-Total: £187.50
Reward Points(150): £-2.50
UK mainland:£0.00
VAT:£37.00
Total:£222.00

After pre-ordering, and since Hondo will be joining my US Army figures, I had another look through Osprey's US Army Frontier Scouts 1840-1921.

I scrolled down to the colour illustration section. Al Sieber is shown with the big turn ups like Hondo...



Incidentally, Mickey Free has the rank of a First Sergeant in the infantry. I don't automatically associate scouts with infantry, or 'Walk-a-Heaps' as Crazy Horse called them, but they played a big part in the Indian Wars.

Hondo had to walk-a-heaps too after his lost his horse.

I'm going back-and-forth on this one. I think the sculpt is closer to Wayne than their Rooster: there are a couple of angles from promo pics that look pretty close. I still think it's a bit weak, but so is Sideshow's Blondie and I'm really glad to have him (as well as Preacher, Josie and Munny) . Hondo isn't my favorite of his films, but it's still good and I enjoy it. I guess what it comes down to is gambling whether any other company will ever produce another Wayne character. Still mulling.....

Definitely pick one up if Hondo is your favorite. I don’t see any other company making this version of the Duke anytime soon. I do understand the high price tag an issue, but I think at the end of the day most will be satisfied with this one. I also hate the magnetic feet/stands and have my Rooster on a crotch grabber. They need to ditch that gimmick, or include an option for extra support. I think a two sculpt option would have been nice, since they do that for other figures.

The BBICN thread has nothing positive to say about the figure.

Level ten years ago

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The head sculpture is not very good, the similarity is still there. The paint is not good, the mouth is seriously not good. There was an old Wayne version of True Grit in the early days. I forgot which company published it, but the official picture is great.

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At least that last one praised KP/IS without realising it.


The waxy finish on the sculpt doesn't do it any favours. I suspect it's a satin coat similar to that used by DID which looks fine in hand, but is a nightmare for photography.

As with Rooster this is essentially another unlicensed figure in terms of the movie. They only have the rights to John Wayne's likeness, so it's John Wayne "based on 1953 likeness".

Whatever loophole they use to push out more Duke collectibles stick with it. As a longtime fan of the Duke and his movies this figure will find its way onto the shelves of his fans. I think KP does some things really well and could definitely improve on others. I guess we will wait to see if they listen and make the necessary adjustments for release.

While I was Googling around the subject of Hondo yesterday I stumbled upon the original Louis L'Amour short story it was based on:

The Gift of Cochise (1952).

You can read it online here:

https://readerslibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Gift-of-Cochise.pdf


Hondo Lane was originally named Ches Lane. The names Angie Lowe and Ed Lowe were retained for the film.


L'Amour novelized the screenplay as Hondo, which was released the same day the film opened.

It is difficult to please all of the people all of the time especially with 1.6. It comes down to take it or leave it, I reckon many shall take it.

I was looking up again the reason why The Duke often had one long round in his gun belt, and it sent me down a rabbit hole.

It's a .45-70 Springfield Trapdoor cartridge.



There are three possible answers.

1) It was used historically as an indication that half your ammunition had been used. This one doesn't make much sense to me as you'd know that because you'd feel the empty loops.

2) The .45-70 Springfield Trapdoor cartridge was carried in tribute to the soldiers of the Indian wars.

3) It separates the .45 rounds from the .44-40 rounds. This one does make sense since the Winchester 1892 used .44-40 and the Colt SAA could've been a .45.

Between 1873 and 1940 Colt SAA production amounted to 357,859 units, comprising at least thirty different calibres ranging from .22 rimfire to .476 Eley. 158,884 of them, including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations, were chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent was .44-40 Winchester Centre Fire.



Then the came the rabbit hole.

In Hondo Wayne has multiple .45-70 rounds and their positions shift through the film, even though he doesn't use a weapon they would fit.






The specs for the figure state this:

John Wayne’s Trademark Colt Single Action Army Revolver Chambered for .44-40

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It's pretty specific and I don't know whether they intended that description to accompany the Winchester 1892 instead, because I found mixed references for his Colt in Hondo as being either .45 or .44-40.


Between 1933 and 1936 Wayne used a 5 1/2" (Artillery Model) .38-40 Colt.

Wayne's personal Colt, which became his signature in numerous westerns, was a .45 with a 5 1/2" barrel. (Serial no. 309795, which shipped from the factory on August 7, 1909).

It's been incorrectly listed as a Colt SA Bisley Model since it was subsequently altered for him with a 4 3/4" Bisley "quickdraw" barrel and a cylinder in .44-40. The modified gun was first used in The Searchers (1956).

https://www.rockislandauction.com/riac-blog/john-wayne-true-grit-revolver


The IMFDB page for Hondo shows Wayne's gun as 7 1/2" Cavalry Model. However, it's a 5 1/2" Artillery which KP/IS got correct:






Incidentally, Hondo was the first film in which Wayne began wearing his trademark holster rig.

And that's where I decided to climb back out of the rabbit hole.

The reason Wayne's personal Colt was converted to .44-40 was so that it could take the blank ammunition used during filming. I'm guessing they preferred that calibre since it was shared with the Winchesters, and would therefore be easier to manage on set, and would prevent stoppages due to the accidental loading of a .45 into a rifle, which would get jammed when cycled.

Beware those rabbit holes..... Good on you Asta! There is one point in the climactic running fight where Hondo picks up a Trapdoor Carbine and takes down one Apache and then uses it to club another off his horse, so perhaps a few rounds in his belt are "just in case". Since he's scouting for the army the prop dept or armorer may have just included them for that reason. Who knows!
I have noticed over the years that he often had a couple/few rifle cartridges in his belt in the rear.

I'm still thinking on this one.

Garret said:

Beware those rabbit holes..... Good on you Asta! There is one point in the climactic running fight where Hondo picks up a Trapdoor Carbine and takes down one Apache and then uses it to club another off his horse, so perhaps a few rounds in his belt are "just in case". Since he's scouting for the army the prop dept or armorer may have just included them for that reason. Who knows!
I have noticed over the years that he often had a couple/few rifle cartridges in his belt in the rear.

I'm still thinking on this one.

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I don't remember that bit.

I scanned though the film looking for his Colt, and that was a rare occurrence as he favoured the Winchester.