custom sites

[salb71]

sadly we lose another cutomizer site, reproheads.com, not long ago we also lost a favorite of mine, customslab.com

What sites are left which still provide custom heads, clothing etc?

[Brown Bear]

Doc Mego is still the best one. Also CTVT is still around.

I'm sad to see reproheads go away, but not so much for customslab. Customslab had cool heads, but I never had positive dealings with them. Austin always had quality stuff and helped make my dream of having a Mego Joe Frazier to beat up my Ali a reality.

Best of luck Austin.

[JediJaida]

Did he say why he was closing?

Just curious.

[Meule]

Leitner has a couple of sculpts and can also help you with clothes

[Merlyn1976]

Don/CTC has some nice head sculpts and weapons...no website pm him...

DaveMc sold and painted heads...Haven't seen him for awhile...

[chalwa]

Dagnabit!

Is it down already? I can still log in.
I had just put together an order. Any time left to slide it in?
Dang.
Chris


sadly we lose another cutomizer site, reproheads.com, not long ago we also lost a favorite of mine, customslab.com

What sites are left which still provide custom heads, clothing etc?

[Chris]

Leitner has a couple of sculpts and can also help you with clothes

XXXXXXX is a great way to go. He's very professional, affordable and his outfits are extremely detailed.

[Trappy Trek Freak]

How do we get ahold of Leitner?

[samurainoir]

This is purely speculation on my part, but perhaps for the benefit of our custom shop friends here, we should be a bit more "Fight Club" about it from now on.

[apes3978]

Why? Let's say someone is new here and their only intention is to make custom figures... He/she becomes a member here and starts looking for heads, etc. why should they get shut out because they're new and or "not in the know"... Or even for people who've been around a long time, I don't think they should have to go thru a background check, blood test, and metal detector to see what someone is offering for sale... If one or two custom sites choose to do that, that's one thing, but if ALL of them would decide to do it, it'd hurt customizing a lot more than it'd help a few dealers who want to stay off the radar...

If you're looking at it from the POV that it'd keep some of them from getting "Cease and Desist" letters from the subjects owner, when you really look at it, almost everyone who customizes has made a figure who is "copyrighted" at one time or another... They could go after anyone if they really wanted to, there are enough custom BATMAN, SUPERMAN, STAR TREK, etc. figures on here that they could have a field day suing for copyright infringement...

This is purely speculation on my part, but perhaps for the benefit of our custom shop friends here, we should be a bit more "Fight Club" about it from now on.

[Random Axe]

Let's be very clear on customizing, shops and customizers.

The custom providers who make clothes, heads and boxes of liscenced characters and properties are doing something illegal. There's no way around it. Sure, in the grand scheme of things this is a tiny, tiny hobby that we get a lot of enjoyment out of, but the artists, craftsmen and guys who make/mold/shrink/enlarge heads, custom suits and full figures are infringing on copyrighted material and would be subject to legal ramifications if the property owners felt like pursuing it.

Those individuals are selling items that do not technically belong to them. They are taking risks making these things for our benefit and for love of the hobby. We tend to partake of these without thinking about the potential pitfalls involved for those who provide us with these tools of a hobby we love. It's really easy to complain at the steps taken to protect themselves both financially and legally when you do not have any risk at all. They are the ones who step out on the ledge for us. They are the ones who are passionate enough about this little hobby of ours to offer up their work. Trust me, noboby is getting rich off this stuff, and some barely even make their investment back. They do it for enjoyment.

Individuals who make custom figures are not in any legal danger whatsoever. As far as the figures I make, it's no more or less a copyright violation that me drawing a cool Wolverine picture and posting it on the Deviant Art site. I'm not selling anything, just making my own form of art. No institution or company can stop us from that. I don't want to read somewhere that we are all breaking laws making these figures and customs because that's simply not factual.

Bottom line is lets show some respect for the artisans who make these things for us. They are sticking their respective necks out for us to enjoy making Mego characters of our own. If they choose to be selective in their customer base, understand there is a good reason for it. The only custom parts I purchase are heads and I will never reveal my sources. That's a personal choice that honors the hard work that goes into the product I receive and the dedicated individuals who spend time and money to make custom items that might not ever sell. What's being done now is a slight inconvenience, but is also for the preservation of our hobby.

Scott

[Boris71]

Surely though if you are creating a character that you have no permission to create and don't own then you are infringing on the copyright of the characters owner, I don't remember anything in the law about profit? I remember in college we couldn't use anythin that was copy righted without permission annd that wasn't going beyond the college walls.

I know that making customs is a fun hobby and gives us a lot of enjoyment not to mention the frustration and I agree about the great people that mke stuff to give us an easier time to create our own figures and it seem so unfar to attacj them with legal ramifications when you get so many knock offs being sold in shops to me, I think that it would be better if some of these companies used a little bit of sense and not go after a guy bearly coveing the cost of making the head or suit and focusing on stopping companies charing exorbitant prices for licensed stuff.

[David Lee]

I started Notdolls.com (remember that one?) in 2003, and ran it for 3 years before selling all my molds to Austin, this was the beginning of Repro heads as he took over. At the apex I had over 150 resin head molds, some original sculpts from Cory Wood, some shrinks, some repros. It was an absolute labor of love. People would ask for favors and then stiff me, demand stuff in ridiculous turnarounds, and, save for a few, ever give credit where it was due. Now don't get me wrong, it was fun and fairly lucrative, but it was WORK! Allot of WORK! it's messy, time consuming WORK! Anybody who works in resin, knows it's not an exact science, materials go bad, weather plays havoc and it can be frustrating as heck. When you add this having a real job it's Ni impossible. I am amazed Mr. Hough has been able to keep it going as long as he has, and my hats off to him. He's given the community a great service for along time and while it's sad that he is closing up, I seriously don't blame him ( I wore those same shoes, and I know what it's like).

If someone feels strongly enough about this service to the community, maybe you could put your money where your mouth is, learn to mold and cast. It's not Rocket Science, I dare say anyone on this board could do it. It's real easy to say someone should keep it up without doing the work and taking the risk.

I just want to say thanks to Austin for doing this for so long, thank you sir...

-Dave

[apes3978]

Random Axe, I see what you're getting at, but what I was getting at is that if "everybody" who makes custom parts goes underground, the customizing hobby will suffer... If you don't know where to get the parts, can't sculpt the heads you'd want, can't sew, or whatever you're SOL without the people making the stuff... There are more people that need custom pieces than there are people making them... I can see why some on the creative side choose to go off the radar, and I can see why people stay mum about where they get some of their pieces, but if all the creative people go undercover, then a LOT of figure makers would be up the creek without a paddle... That's why I said it'd hurt customizers more than it would help those who choose to stay "undercover"...

As far as what I meant by saying if the copyright holders wanted, they could have a field day on here, I think Boris71 said it better than I did when he stated: "Surely though if you are creating a character that you have no permission to create and don't own then you are infringing on the copyright of the characters owner, I don't remember anything in the law about profit? I remember in college we couldn't use anything that was copyrighted without permission and that wasn't going beyond the college walls." I was under the impression that even if "not for profit", people have to be careful with what they make... I've seen plenty of fan sites that have a disclaimer saying they "claim no ownership", "not affiliated with the corporation", "not for profit", etc. and figured that technically any fan made figures (though not made for profit) would "maybe" have to use the same type of disclaimers... I don't think they should have to, especially since most aren't available to be seen by the masses like a fan magazine or website would be, but I would guess "technically" they'd "maybe" have to say something to that effect. (And if there are any copyright experts out there, chime in and clarify...)


For the most part, I'm with you (and David Lee) in what you're saying... I just think my wording of some things might have been confusing... I wasn't out to stir anything up, so hopefully what I said here clears things up... Even though my earlier post might have seemed like I wasn't, I am on your side...

[AAAAA]

this should be pined somewhere for all to read.

Let's be very clear on customizing, shops and customizers.

The custom providers who make clothes, heads and boxes of liscenced characters and properties are doing something illegal. There's no way around it. Sure, in the grand scheme of things this is a tiny, tiny hobby that we get a lot of enjoyment out of, but the artists, craftsmen and guys who make/mold/shrink/enlarge heads, custom suits and full figures are infringing on copyrighted material and would be subject to legal ramifications if the property owners felt like pursuing it.

Those individuals are selling items that do not technically belong to them. They are taking risks making these things for our benefit and for love of the hobby. We tend to partake of these without thinking about the potential pitfalls involved for those who provide us with these tools of a hobby we love. It's really easy to complain at the steps taken to protect themselves both financially and legally when you do not have any risk at all. They are the ones who step out on the ledge for us. They are the ones who are passionate enough about this little hobby of ours to offer up their work. Trust me, noboby is getting rich off this stuff, and some barely even make their investment back. They do it for enjoyment.

Individuals who make custom figures are not in any legal danger whatsoever. As far as the figures I make, it's no more or less a copyright violation that me drawing a cool Wolverine picture and posting it on the Deviant Art site. I'm not selling anything, just making my own form of art. No institution or company can stop us from that. I don't want to read somewhere that we are all breaking laws making these figures and customs because that's simply not factual.

Bottom line is lets show some respect for the artisans who make these things for us. They are sticking their respective necks out for us to enjoy making Mego characters of our own. If they choose to be selective in their customer base, understand there is a good reason for it. The only custom parts I purchase are heads and I will never reveal my sources. That's a personal choice that honors the hard work that goes into the product I receive and the dedicated individuals who spend time and money to make custom items that might not ever sell. What's being done now is a slight inconvenience, but is also for the preservation of our hobby.

Scott