Charlee Flatt Customs: Were they on a new body?

[Tothiro]

I think I was even told once, and I still can't remember the answer.

Niiice I'm the same way with car keys.

Charlee was the first to sell volume. There were a lot of peeps making lots of figures they never sold, and other people making a few that they offered before quitting, but Charlee did numbers. I mean, my first full-on comic mego custom was an Etrigan I did 22 years ago now with brush on latex molds, but I didn't know anything or anyone, and I sure didn't take commissions.
Of course he didn't start producing out of a vacuum, so obviously he'd been toiling away on the hobby at a workbench somewhere before that.
I think the concept of casting modified body parts for new bucks was kind of a hobby revolution - a lot of people hadn't considered that, and I think it set him apart from the "I'm making a suit and head" guys. ...A Zephyr Team Boy of early customs if you will.
I find it interesting that he basically had the same end-product in mind as Tonner dolls is doing now. It was never my thing, but it was definitely art doll.

I never talked to Charlee, but the editors at the time at ToyFare told me that he could be tough to get a hold of, allegedly not buying into the whole e-mail phenomena. They did most of their contract stuff by snail mail. He was probably happy not to have to worry about it being flipped, even if the rate of pay was lower.

[michael crawford]

That would be my guess too... I know I'd asked about the Flattline/Flattworld sculpts at the time they were shown with the same feeling, and learned Dracula and such were farmed out to other sculptors - Charlee was more of a creative director on those.
But then again I never saw a lot of his last stuff, so I don't know what level he was at before he retired. I guess the CAT guys could answer that?

I don't know who told you that, but Charlee and FWF did not farm out that sculpting - he did all the work.

FWF failed for one very good reason - a lousy underhanded manufacturing rep that took advantage of the company and drove them out of business with increasing demands for money and never producing product on schedule. Crappy manufacturing reps are the bane of small action figure companies to this day.

[Tothiro]

I don't know who told you that, but Charlee and FWF did not farm out that sculpting - he did all the work.

Hmm. That would have been one Calvin Weaver back in the day.

[JuliusMarxAFI]

Wow. Cal Weaver... there's a name I haven't heard or thought of in a LONG time. Michael Crawford was also involved in the launch of Flattworld back in the day. He never liked to talk about it after it crumbled whenever I used to ask him about it.

I actually won a Flattworld contest back in the day where I was to have won a free Flattworld figure of my choice. I'm a big fan of Astro City, so I was really looking forward to those figures. I chose the newly announced Jack-In-The-Box figure they were going to do as my prize... and then they folded before they ever got around to.

Shoulda just picked Dracula.

[michael crawford]

Hmm. That would have been one Calvin Weaver back in the day.

I suspect you mis-heard or had some form of miscommunication - I wish we had been farming out the sculpting, and we certainly discussed doing it because we weren't getting anything from Charlee on time. But I don't recall any of the prototypes ever getting sculpted by someone else, unless someone stepped in and lent a hand on Zorro. I certainly don't recall it happening though, and you'd think I would :D

[gaga4toyz]

Castaway bought one of the Phantom prototypes from Charlie years ago. The 45's, belt buckle, and hands used on the Castaway figure was from the Flattworld Phantom prototype. We then sent Charlie a head Corey Wood sculpted and he totally reworked it. We were very happy with the end results. He also helped us with some of our other parts (hands and boots) We've had good dealings with Charlie over the years. Just talked to him on the phone recently and he's still interested in toys.

[boss]

now I remember what I was told. ;-)

[CrimsonGhost]

Castaway bought one of the Phantom prototypes from Charlie years ago. The 45's, belt buckle, and hands used on the Castaway figure was from the Flattworld Phantom prototype. We then sent Charlie a head Corey Wood sculpted and he totally reworked it. We were very happy with the end results. He also helped us with some of our other parts (hands and boots) We've had good dealings with Charlie over the years. Just talked to him on the phone recently and he's still interested in toys.

Wow, that's really interesting. The Phantom head is great. Still surprising tho, as I don't see any of Charlies "style" in it. Is he still sculpting? Perhaps his abilities have improved from 10 years ago.

[Donkey Hoatie]

"I know Ron kept pushing him and pushing him to do more. I think it just stopped being fun. He once told me he didn't care if someone made money on one of his figures but he didn't want to sell to someone he knew just wanted to flip it. The crazy money the figures were changing hands for caused him to raise his prices, who could blame him for that. I think Ron had alot to do with that"

Wait, was that Ron Murgo? Whatever happened to that guy? I played in a Fantasy Baseball League with him for a few years, but then he stopped doing it a couple years ago.

[boss]

uh... he was avoidably detained.

[Donkey Hoatie]

uh... he was avoidably detained.

Sorry, not quite sure what this means. My apologies if his history is common knowledge.

[boss]

google his name.

[Donkey Hoatie]

Got it. Thanks.

Wow.

[The Toyroom]

Ah yes the magic of "Google"

[TrueDave]

"All customizers should try to learn before they die What they are customizing for and who and why."

All production business being equal. Maybe Dracula was a bad pick because Dracula had been done before. A lot.