The Official SSF Custom Figure Challenge III, Summer 08 thread

[DarkArtist81]

Welcome to the third semi-annual Sideshow Freaks Custom Figure Challenge, Summer 2008!

This go round, we are submitting original takes on characters from visual media, be it film, TV show.. even comics. Many are original takes on Batman characters, being that TDK is storming through theaters and inspiring us all.

Please note: This is a figure submission thread only!

No comments in this thread please!

This will keep this thread clear for figure image submissions only.
Another thread is posted allowing for nothing but comments on any of these figures desired. Rules for comments can be posted in that thread.

There will be an index that will be in this first post. It will be updated from time to time, as posters add to it.

When posting your Custom Figure or repaint in this thread, you need try to post the following:

1- Post a separate post for EACH FIGURE, so they can be commented on in th other thread for each’s merits. You can post group shots of all you are submitting in any post if you choose, but try to make clear the one you are showcasing each post.

2 - For each separately posted figure, post FIVE photos, but not exceeding SEVEN of each figure. Try to keep the number down if you can, but if each of your figures needs the extra photos to help display and explain it well enough, then please use what you need within the SEVEN.
Also, try not to post very large photos if possible, as this will slow navigation for all. Try to keep photos to at least 700 to 800 pixels widest at most.

3 - Feel free to use some kind of title or name for the figure, and your name with it if you choose.
(NOTE: You don’t have to say anything. You can just post pics, just be ready for some questions in the comments thread. )

OPTIONAL:

4 - Some information as to who the character is.

5 - A Recipe list if desired, as your figure may be questioned in comments.


So...

START POSTING PICS HERE!

PICS INDEX:

1: DarkArtist81 "Mr. Freeze"

2: DarkArtist81 "Scarecrow"

3: Galactiboy "Monkian the Mutant"

4: Les Walker "1939 style Robin"

5: Buttmunch "Two Face"

6: Les Walker "Harvey Dent/Two-Face 1939"

7: SaintSyn "Batman: Legend of the Sea Bat"

8: SaintSyn "The Harlequin"

9: SaintSyn "pirate lord, Ras Al Ghul"

10: SaintSyn "Harry Potter: Paranormal Investigator"

11: SaintSyn "Batman: Full Circle"

12: SaintSyn "Mr. Freeze"

13: Mr. Fusion "Jim Steranko's Indy concept"

14: Ian1138 "The Rogue Trooper, the last Genetic Infantrymen"

15: Ian1138 "Sons Of Batman (S.O.B.)"

16: Anzik Hayes "Sunnydale: Lost"

17: C-Phan "Joker"

18: Buttmunch "Black Mask" and "Jim Gordon"

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: The Official SSF Custom Figure Challenge, Summer 08 PICS thread

"Revenge is a dish best served.... Cold."

My first custom figure is Victor Fries, better known as Mr. Freeze. A tragic character, a man whose desire to restore the life of his Wife overcomes any and all rational thought. He will kill anyone, steal anything, DO anything... if only he can find a way to cure her deadly disease. Even after the accident that froze his heart, he thinks only of her... not himself.

I wanted to tackle him as a real world character. I developed a suit for him, using only modern tech. I wanted some of the elements to be part of the cold suit he wore in his lab prior to the accident, just modified after to sustain him outside a cold evironment. So here is what I used..

Head: SSC Giles, modified and repainted ( I basically went about this as if I had "casted" Anthony Stewart Head in the role, as I think he could bring it the depth required... and in the sculpt I could see anger and sadness...

Body: HT

Pack and gun: WWII Flame thrower with added tubes and cylinders, even a bubble level and some mesh, repainted. The gun is a MG42, WWII era, heavily modded and painted.

The vest is a BBI vest, other random parts... knee pads are from the Kyle Reese jacket..

 

[DarkArtist81]

Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

Ok, guys here will be were you respond to the figures that have been put up in the pics thread. Do be specific on your comments and ask any questions you like!

Remember, it's not a contest... just a fun thing we do twice a year around here!

ENJOY!!

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: The Official SSF Custom Figure Challenge, Summer 08 PICS thread

"Trick or Treat!"

Here is my second custom figure, also from Batman... Jonathan Crane, aka Scarecrow. A twisted man who performed experiments on his patients and subjected them to his fear toxin, Crane is someone who feeds off the fears of others. He enjoys twisting the strong into submission without lifting a finger. The Scarecrow uses his fear toxin to commit crimes around Gotham, dressing in such a way that the victim has no choice but to cower in fear at his countenance.

Just like Mr. Freeze... I wanted to tackle him real world style. It was close to the Nolan style, but very much my own. I wanted him to use creepy contacts and face paint to enhance his look and enact more fear.

Parts breakdown:

Head is Dragon, random character, burlap sack was stitched by myself and glued on permanently. The jacket is from the SSC Invisible Man, modified. Underneath he wears a black suit, vest and tie from SSC Giles. He carries an axe for intimidation and uses a pumpkin to disperse his toxin... in this case anyway. Pumpkin from the SSC Oz figure. Noose is handmade.

 

[Buttmunch]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

Dang Josh! Both Fries and Scarecrow look fantastic! Great use of the Giles head too! I love them both, especially Scarecrow. I sense I Joker influnce with the red smile and black eyes. Very cool. Where did you get the burlap material Btw? I've been thinking of doing a Scarecrow myself.

 

[Les Walker]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

VERY VERY VERY VERY COOL!!!!



Fries is AMAZING! As is Crane! Love them both! But you know me, Mr Freeze is my all-time favorite Batman villain so your figure is a favorite! Absolutely so! Love your approach! The scratched metal of the tanks, the long barreled gun, with frost! The padding and hoses! All stuff accounted for!
Crane rocks also! I would NOT want to run into him in a dark alley! No way! Nasty stuff!

But your Freeze is awesome bro. Wonderful and well thought out. I love your approach. So real and so YOU! Wonderful!

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

Thanks man! I worked HARD on those guys, really wanted to do them justice. The pics I took were really light, but Scarecrow is creepy as Hell in person.. I love it.

The material I used is actually softer than burlap, it was the inner lining of my military issued leather gloves. I cut the thumb off and pulled it over the head.

I filled the holes with cut paintbrush bristles and glued them on, as straw..

And the red smile was originally going to be black but it wasn't stark enough... so I opted for red. I never realized the Joker influence until now.

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

And Les, Mr Freeze is one of my favorites as well... I really wanted him to have that look of sadness and anger, and yours was a HUGE source of inspiration for him.

I wanted to make it my own but bring it into the real world, so I took a lot of liberties. I'm glad you like it, I was worried that omitting the glass bubble would kill it.

 

[The Craw]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

HOLY @#$%, JOSH!!!! those two kick major ass!!! you been keeping those guys secret long?

 

[galactiboy]

Re: The Official SSF Custom Figure Challenge, Summer 08 PICS thread

Monkian the Mutant!!!​

The simian subservient to Slithe, leader of the Mutants on Third Earth. He is a brutish and imbecilic enforcer. But don't let his lack of intelligence fool you, what he lacks in brains he more than makes up for with brawn and cunning. While he's good in a fight, he's even better as a spy. Although, his loyalty may be swayed when in his own best interest...

​

Since there are no 1/6 Thundercats figures out there I kept him fairly consistent with the source material. And I kinda like the scantily clad look for my 80's cartoon characters

Recipe:
Body- ACE (painted, hands a feet had sculpted details added)
Headsculpt and helmet- Original made out of super sculpey
Outfit- faux fur, put on in segments and textured with washes of paint
Loin cloth and leather bits were just cut and put together
Weapon- Super Sculpey and a segement of chain

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

HOLY @#$%, JOSH!!!! those two kick major ass!!! you been keeping those guys secret long?

I HAVE!

Scarecrow has been done and on the shelf for a month now.... Mr. Freeze was almost done... I just finished him tonight. But I had been holding that one close to the chest for a while. I was keeping it secret waaay before the challenge, just gathering parts.

I had a third character almost done, but it has to wait until later... need much more work on it.

 

[The Craw]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

i really wish they would modernize freeze like that and use him in the new batman film series. i love his story. but i dont want bat-skates or ice and snow puns.

 

[galactiboy]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

Josh, bro... great figures man!!! Love both of them. To me Crane just barely eeks out as my favorite, but they are both badass.

Mr. Freeze- great use of Giles, didn't recognize him at first, but he does capture that sadness that makes him so understandable. And the outfit, jeez! Just great detail and looks very believable. And the frost technique on the guns is sweet... you'll have to share that one!

Scarecrow- Love it... so sinister and twisted and Darkartist! I mean, it really screams of your style but still is very recognizable. If you ever make a run of him, count me in! I love your take on the character

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

i really wish they would modernize freeze like that and use him in the new batman film series. i love his story. but i dont want bat-skates or ice and snow puns.

Same here. That was the motivation behind this version of him. I wanted to rethink him just as I would were I designing it for the new films.

That is a HUGE desire of mine, second only to the Joker... to see a Nolan Bat-film with Mr. Freeze done right... I would DIE if that happened.

Should be Mr. Freeze and maybe Riddler if they want two villains. But Mr. Freeze would be perfect, they could even use it as a way to show Batman what happens when you let grief spiral you too deep into your work.

 

[Les Walker]

Re: The Official SSF Custom Figure Challenge, Summer 08 PICS thread

1939 style Robin

I said there was a third figure I made during the period in April where I made this Robin, so here is that figure, ia TV show Burt Ward Robin, in a full body shot set with the 39 style Robin.
Not counting the TV one in this challenge, but at least you can see the differences in the two for effect.
(and yes, there will be an Adam West Batman to go with that one, one day...but that is another story...)

1939 Robin is on a BBI Hitler Youth kid body, and the head is reworked by me to have his more 1940 style hair with the two curls. I made the mask with thin pleather.

The costume was crafted by a friend of a friend that does some online custom work. I am very happy with it, but can't remember the guy's name!
When I get it, I promise I will post that info. It was several month's back...but I do appreciate his making it for me. It had a nice retro color scheme to it and I liked the long sleeves and all.

The belt is the same Dragon Patton belt I used on my 1939 Batman, assuming that Robin would cobble up his costume from parts laying around the Batcave, so I wanted them similar.

The shoes are from a Dragon Kate Ericson figure recut to look more Robin like.

The cape is from the DCD Robin figure (the base for the TV version Robin), and is dyed a slight green tint to be more like the earliest images of Robin shown. Plus, I loved the longer length and the drape of it. It reminded me of the old comics covers a lot.

The flexible gauntlet gloves I made by applying pleather directly onto the hands which the right is grafted on from a CyGirl figure, and the left is the one that came with it. It allows for a lot of Robin-esque hand poses that I like.

I really wanted to make a Robin that was a cocky little guy, and not the TV show style as much. I know they are similar, but I imagine mine to be more of an athlete, and more of a tumbler and rapid fire fighter. Not what they did later on...
Anyway, that's my pre-1940 Robin.

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

Josh, bro... great figures man!!! Love both of them. To me Crane just barely eeks out as my favorite, but they are both badass.

Mr. Freeze- great use of Giles, didn't recognize him at first, but he does capture that sadness that makes him so understandable. And the outfit, jeez! Just great detail and looks very believable. And the frost technique on the guns is sweet... you'll have to share that one!

Scarecrow- Love it... so sinister and twisted and Darkartist! I mean, it really screams of your style but still is very recognizable. If you ever make a run of him, count me in! I love your take on the character

thanks Joe! I'm just so happy everyone likes them. Mr. Freeze was fun, and the frost was the best part... just experimenting with light blue and white drybrushing..

Scarecrow was the first out the park, I HAD to do that one. And he was amazingly fun and one of my most favorite characters I have ever made. To remake him wouldn't be too hard, just hard to find that awesome coat. I really lucked out, a friend gave one to me..

 

[The Craw]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

Same here. That was the motivation behind this version of him. I wanted to rethink him just as I would were I designing it for the new films.

That is a HUGE desire of mine, second only to the Joker... to see a Nolan Bat-film with Mr. Freeze done right... I would DIE if that happened.

Should be Mr. Freeze and maybe Riddler if they want two villains. But Mr. Freeze would be perfect, they could even use it as a way to show Batman what happens when you let grief spiral you too deep into your work.

if they did it exactly like that animated episode it would be perfect. it would be my favorite batman movie ever. it would be even cooler(no pun intended) if he was the only villian. im scared that the more batman films we get they will start introducing waaaay too many villians and sidekick characters.

 

[Buttmunch]

Re: The Official SSF Custom Figure Challenge III, Summer 08 PICS thread

Here is a figure that no matter how hard I will try, he just won't be finished for this challenge. So, I figure better to show him half complete than not at all. I think it is pretty obvious I just need half of a black suit to complete him, but the prices for good black suits are holding me up. I don't want to pay $20 or so for half a suit.

So I give you (the half finished) TWO-FACE! You may think I was heavily inspired by the Dark Knight, but you'd be wrong. I've had this head done for months now, way before the concept artwork for Two-Face was even leaked. But just like Nolan, I thought Two-Face should practically be a skull with a thin layer of flesh on that side. Unlike Nolan, I gave mine a blinded eye though since I doubt it would have survived acid or flame. I even went a step further and made his eye removable since it might not even have survived at all. Also note some of his fingers are melted together!

A big thanks to Josh and Les for the support and help on painting this

Head: SSC Endor Rebel, cast of SSC Freddy Skull with additional sculpting
Body: Sideshow
Clothes: jacket shoes, pants SSC Scaramanga
shirt/tie Hasbro Invisable Man (may just be temporary)

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

HOLY CRAP!! Joseph... you did an amazing job. Monkian is so badass... I had a little flashback when I saw him, you totally nailed the character. I cannot wait to see the next in the line. Brought a smile to my face INSTANTLY!

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: Official SSF Custom Challenge III Summer 08 RESPONSE thread!

LES.... You maniac... You did it. A 1939 Robin??!?! Wow... he looks spot on perfect for your set and the kinda spunk you always talk about in our conversations for how a film Robin should be.

The hair curls, the mask, clothing... everything. It's immaculate. I'm stunned. Cannot WAIT to see him in person. Just a fantastic figure.

And it's awesome to see your TV Show Ward finally finished, he looks awesome too... So badass.