Toys Battalion "Mars Guardian" (ZSJL Martian Manhunter)

[Alatar]

I received mine in the mail today but the 366/376 battery doesn’t work for it. They might have sent me a new head sculpt for nothing if I’m just using the wrong battery (and I told them which battery I tried when I emailed Giantoy). Will post about it at various other places to see which battery works.

 

[Alatar]

Ah, thanks to a kind soul Ivan Ocasio on FB‘s One Sixth Republic we have an answer: double up two 377 batteries. The flat side (negative pole) towards the spring. Tomorrow I’ll pick up another 377/376 battery and try it out.

 

[Alatar]

Okay, I’m happy to report that doubling up two 377 batteries does the trick. The lighted eyes feature works! For both head sculpts, actually. I really wonder if most of the original head sculpts that were shipped all worked. There were no instructions and no batteries shipped with the figure. And it seems that instead of the manufacturer simply providing instructions they sent out a second head sculpt to everyone that wrote them saying theirs didn’t work!

 

[Turtle882]

I got the batteries, but this stupid screw won't come out! WTF! It's set too deep to use anything to grip it or pry it up.

 

[Turtle882]

I ended up backing the screw out while simultaneously gently pulling op on the ball-socket to open the connection. Finally got everything Ina nd lighter up. He definitely looks better with glowing eyes. Unfortunately the screw had messed up the palstic so badly that removing the head from the body leaves the plate with ball joint on the neck, so I have to reattach that plate eveytime I turn it off or on. Not very well constructed.

 

[T8OO]

Updated my Martian Manhunter
IMG_20220221_145217881 by A.F.M. Productions, on Flickr

IMG_20220221_145224858 by A.F.M. Productions, on Flickr

IMG_20220221_150821034 by A.F.M. Productions, on Flickr

IMG_20220221_150828646 by A.F.M. Productions, on Flickr

Nice to see some size to him. Which body did you use for this?

 

[T8OO]

I just got this guy new from eBay at a low price. Very underwhelmed by the body. Strange they would go to this much effort and then undersize him. It's modding time!

 

[Alatar]

I just got this guy new from eBay at a low price. Very underwhelmed by the body. Strange they would go to this much effort and then undersize him. It's modding time!

The head sculpt is pretty good actually! The costume is decent enough.

The elbow joints are so conspicuous. There’s a few poses that hide the joints decently. But it’s almost like having him in a statue pose then.

He needs a custom wired black cape. Maybe there’s a Batman cape out there that will work.

Options I’ve considered for the body:

1) Phicen M33. Find some sculpting substance that adheres well to silicon and remains pliable with which to add the ridges on the arms that won’t crack during posing. And then painting the arms and neck the same green as the head sculpt. Worst case scenario when using a Phicen, I guess I could use Apoxie on the Phicen arms and leave him in a museum pose, hoping it still doesn’t eventually crack over time where it joins the silicon.

2) Phicen M33. Don’t worry about the ridges on the arms. Live without them. And just paint the arms and the neck green.

3) Worldbox body with the hard plastic arms. Maybe AT027. Use Apoxie on the arms to make the ridges. Still has exposed elbow joints but they’re better, and the body is properly muscular.

Option 3 is probably what I’d do. Although I’d prefer not to have exposed elbow joints. So if I could find a sculpting substance to adhere with silicon that remain pliable and doesn’t crack where it joins the silicon that would be ideal.

Anyway I haven’t yet summoned enough motivation to do any that!

 

[Alatar]

Actually now that I think of it, I replaced my Riddick (Art Figures Dark Furyan) figure‘s body with a Phicen M34… which looks awesome, btw…

But that stock body for Riddick has hard plastic arms and a body size suitable for Martian Manhunter. The elbow joints for it are very inconspicuous. I guess I could sacrifice it to try sculpting the ridges on the arms onto it using Apoxie, and painting it green. I have no plans to ever sell the Riddick figure, so…

 

[T8OO]

The head sculpt is pretty good actually! The costume is decent enough.

The elbow joints are so conspicuous. There’s a few poses that hide the joints decently. But it’s almost like having him in a statue pose then.

He needs a custom wired black cape. Maybe there’s a Batman cape out there that will work.

Options I’ve considered for the body:

1) Phicen M33. Find some sculpting substance that adheres well to silicon and remains pliable with which to add the ridges on the arms that won’t crack during posing. And then painting the arms and neck the same green as the head sculpt. Worst case scenario when using a Phicen, I guess I could use Apoxie on the Phicen arms and leave him in a museum pose, hoping it still doesn’t eventually crack over time where it joins the silicon.

2) Phicen M33. Don’t worry about the ridges on the arms. Live without them. And just paint the arms and the neck green.

3) Worldbox body with the hard plastic arms. Maybe AT027. Use Apoxie on the arms to make the ridges. Still has exposed elbow joints but they’re better, and the body is properly muscular.

Option 3 is probably what I’d do. Although I’d prefer not to have exposed elbow joints. So if I could find a sculpting substance to adhere with silicon that remain pliable and doesn’t crack where it joins the silicon that would be ideal.

Anyway I haven’t yet summoned enough motivation to do any that!

I am pretty happy with the head and the suit. A would prefer no joints but the biggest issue is the size. He's too small.

I am looking at a seamless body. I have found a way of painting silicone. I'm thinking for the ridges, apply silicone or caulk via a needle syringe. At worst with that M34 body is paint some of the veins on the arms.

I think the issue with a wired cape would be fixing it to the body. Capes that don't have a rigid fixed point on the shoulder tend to droop and fall flat. I think a black suit Superman cape with holes in the collarbone like Superman would work.

 

[Omega9300]

Actually now that I think of it, I replaced my Riddick (Art Figures Dark Furyan) figure‘s body with a Phicen M34… which looks awesome, btw…

View attachment 627803
View attachment 627804

But that stock body for Riddick has hard plastic arms and a body size suitable for Martian Manhunter. The elbow joints for it are very inconspicuous. I guess I could sacrifice it to try sculpting the ridges on the arms onto it using Apoxie, and painting it green. I have no plans to ever sell the Riddick figure, so…

He looks awesome with that new body …such a huge difference

 

[T8OO]

The M34 body is arriving today so started stripping this down. The feet were so tight I started to think they weren't meant to come off.
I twisted and pulled at the same time. Both of them snapped. I soaked the feet in hot water for a few minutes and the pegs came out with pliers. For anyone else attempting this I suggest warming up the ankle joint prior to removing his feet by standing him in hot water for a few minutes.

 

[T8OO]

The suit wouldn't go anywhere near the M34 body. Going to send it back and try an M33.

 

[LIBBY1957DOG]

I am pretty happy with the head and the suit. A would prefer no joints but the biggest issue is the size. He's too small.

I am looking at a seamless body. I have found a way of painting silicone. I'm thinking for the ridges, apply silicone or caulk via a needle syringe. At worst with that M34 body is paint some of the veins on the arms.

I think the issue with a wired cape would be fixing it to the body. Capes that don't have a rigid fixed point on the shoulder tend to droop and fall flat. I think a black suit Superman cape with holes in the collarbone like Superman would work.

love to hear your method for painting the silicone bodies ,as i knocked together this tv flash years ago ,i used a black powder paint brushed on dry to blacken the body and then just dry brushed him with red poster paint ,he looked ok at the time but is showing his age a little now lol
and could definitely

do with a refresh

 

[T8OO]

love to hear your method for painting the silicone bodies ,as i knocked together this tv flash years ago ,i used a black powder paint brushed on dry to blacken the body and then just dry brushed him with red poster paint ,he looked ok at the time but is showing his age a little now lol
and could definitelyView attachment 628555 do with a refresh



View attachment 628552View attachment 628553View attachment 628554

Such a cool idea to use the skin as the tight suit!

I haven't painted silicone yet myself. After a bit of reading, I found people saying that oil pastels work. Specifically 'STAEDTLER 243 NC12 Noris Jumbo Oil Pastels'. Apparently once on it never comes off.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Staedtler-243-NC12-Noris-Pastel/dp/B00393MXDC
https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t260-painting-seamless-bodies-****#4740

 

[Alatar]

Such a cool idea to use the skin as the tight suit!

I haven't painted silicone yet myself. After a bit of reading, I found people saying that oil pastels work. Specifically 'STAEDTLER 243 NC12 Noris Jumbo Oil Pastels'. Apparently once on it never comes off.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Staedtler-243-NC12-Noris-Pastel/dp/B00393MXDC
https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t260-painting-seamless-bodies-****#4740

Kind of makes intuitive sense that oil paint will penetrate into the silicon to stain it, essentially. I’d still probably leave him in a museum pose after adding ridges on the arms and painting the figure, though.

 

[T8OO]

Kind of makes intuitive sense that oil paint will penetrate into the silicon to stain it, essentially. I’d still probably leave him in a museum pose after adding ridges on the arms and painting the figure, though.

Probably for the best. I'm not much of a re-poser anyway.

 

[Alatar]

The suit wouldn't go anywhere near the M34 body. Going to send it back and try an M33.

That’s good to know thanks! Even M33 might be pushing it. The stock body and suit are so skinny!

 

[Omega9300]

That’s good to know thanks! Even M33 might be pushing it. The stock body and suit are so skinny!

I hope the M33 works for you. But yeah you have to give it a try bc that stock body is obviously too skinny …it jumps right at you

 

[T8OO]

That’s good to know thanks! Even M33 might be pushing it. The stock body and suit are so skinny!

It was like a worm trying to eat a cow. M33 coming in a few days I will try that.