Tweet
As hinted at in my last thread, I've been working on another DC Super-Team for the past several weeks. Originally created in the Golden Age and published individually in various magazines by Quality Comics, in 1973 DC Comics banded them together as the Freedom Fighters and featured them in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #107 & 108 before giving them their own short-lived 15 issue series from 1976-1978. I finished the final member today (though I may tweak a few things here and there), so here they are:
BLACK CONDOR
He was the first figure I completed (though not the first I started), and was fairly simple. The base figure and boots are from a DCD Nightwing, the rest of the costume is handmade (the cape is lined with a thin wire to make is posable). My biggest decision was whether to do the costume in blue (as it's usually depicted in comics, since an all-black costume blends in with the ink lines) or black. I figured since his name was the Black Condor, I'd go with black :
PHANTOM LADY
She was the second figure completed. I used a Black Canary base figure and belt and painted the hair black, modified a pair of Zatanna boots, the rest of the costume including the blackout bracelet was handmade:
THE RAY
I used a base Flash figure with a handmade costume (while it isn't easy to tell from the pic I used a slightly lighter shade of yellow fabric for the mask and overlay than I did for the rest of the costume); the fin was modified from an Aquaman leg fin:
DOLL MAN
I knew I wanted to use a Marvel Universe figure as the base in order to make it somewhat in scale, but I couldn't decide which one. Then one morning I spotted a Commander Steve Rogers MU figure at Walmart and inspiration hit. I repainted the hair and body, switched out the boots with an MU Secret Wars Captain America, swapped hands with an MU Captain Marvel, used a rubber strap from a DCD Comedian for the belt, and sewed a costume and cape (sewing a costume for that size figure was a real challenge!):
UNCLE SAM
Uncle Sam was actually the first figure I began, but I kept hitting the wall with him, so I'd set it aside and work on something else until I'd figured out how to approach certain costuming aspects. I had originally purchased a cheap 12" Uncle Sam figure with a cloth costume that I intended to tweak, but when I received it I realized there wasn't much from that figure that was usable. I ended up using only the red bow tie and the hat (which I had to cut off the head and completely repaint). I used the head from a DCD Green Arrow with the mustache carved off and the goatee reworked. I used a DCD Sinestro body since I wanted Sam to be a bit leaner and taller than the others. The shirt, belt and shoes are from a DCD Dr Manhattan, the rest of the costume - pants, vest, jacket - are handmade (I did transfer the "buttons" from the el-cheapo US figure's jacket over to my handmade one):
THE HUMAN BOMB
Just finished him today; some challenges with the helmet. I used a DCD Shazam as the base, used the hands and gloves from a Nightwing (repainted), the boots are modified DCD Comedian boots, and the rest, including the helmet, was handmade. For the helmet I used a section of wrapping paper tube, I cut it to fit the slope of the figure's shoulders, cut out the viewport, cut the dome off of one of those vending machine prize bubbles for the top, and cut a piece of vinyl for the shoulder overlay. I applied a thin layer of Super Sculpy to the entire assemblage and added some detailing around the edges , baked it, then painted it. I added a piece of clear plastic on the interior for the viewport. While it is removable, I probably won't mess with it much for fear of it cracking.
I took some liberties with my costume interpretation, but overall I'm satisfied. Here's a group shot:
As always, thanks for looking and offering your critiques. Here are links to my previous custom work:
Wonder Girl and Aqualad DC Direct 13 Customs - Mego Talk
Kid Flash, Speedy, and Star-Spangled Kid DC Direct 1/6 Customs - Mego Talk
My DC Direct 13 JUSTICE SOCIETY Customs - Mego Talk
1/6 Mary Marvel Captain Marvel Jr Customs - Mego Talk
13 Custom INVADERS and LIBERTY LEGION - Mego Talk
My Huntress Customs - Mego Talk
BLACK CONDOR
He was the first figure I completed (though not the first I started), and was fairly simple. The base figure and boots are from a DCD Nightwing, the rest of the costume is handmade (the cape is lined with a thin wire to make is posable). My biggest decision was whether to do the costume in blue (as it's usually depicted in comics, since an all-black costume blends in with the ink lines) or black. I figured since his name was the Black Condor, I'd go with black :
PHANTOM LADY
She was the second figure completed. I used a Black Canary base figure and belt and painted the hair black, modified a pair of Zatanna boots, the rest of the costume including the blackout bracelet was handmade:
THE RAY
I used a base Flash figure with a handmade costume (while it isn't easy to tell from the pic I used a slightly lighter shade of yellow fabric for the mask and overlay than I did for the rest of the costume); the fin was modified from an Aquaman leg fin:
DOLL MAN
I knew I wanted to use a Marvel Universe figure as the base in order to make it somewhat in scale, but I couldn't decide which one. Then one morning I spotted a Commander Steve Rogers MU figure at Walmart and inspiration hit. I repainted the hair and body, switched out the boots with an MU Secret Wars Captain America, swapped hands with an MU Captain Marvel, used a rubber strap from a DCD Comedian for the belt, and sewed a costume and cape (sewing a costume for that size figure was a real challenge!):
UNCLE SAM
Uncle Sam was actually the first figure I began, but I kept hitting the wall with him, so I'd set it aside and work on something else until I'd figured out how to approach certain costuming aspects. I had originally purchased a cheap 12" Uncle Sam figure with a cloth costume that I intended to tweak, but when I received it I realized there wasn't much from that figure that was usable. I ended up using only the red bow tie and the hat (which I had to cut off the head and completely repaint). I used the head from a DCD Green Arrow with the mustache carved off and the goatee reworked. I used a DCD Sinestro body since I wanted Sam to be a bit leaner and taller than the others. The shirt, belt and shoes are from a DCD Dr Manhattan, the rest of the costume - pants, vest, jacket - are handmade (I did transfer the "buttons" from the el-cheapo US figure's jacket over to my handmade one):
THE HUMAN BOMB
Just finished him today; some challenges with the helmet. I used a DCD Shazam as the base, used the hands and gloves from a Nightwing (repainted), the boots are modified DCD Comedian boots, and the rest, including the helmet, was handmade. For the helmet I used a section of wrapping paper tube, I cut it to fit the slope of the figure's shoulders, cut out the viewport, cut the dome off of one of those vending machine prize bubbles for the top, and cut a piece of vinyl for the shoulder overlay. I applied a thin layer of Super Sculpy to the entire assemblage and added some detailing around the edges , baked it, then painted it. I added a piece of clear plastic on the interior for the viewport. While it is removable, I probably won't mess with it much for fear of it cracking.
I took some liberties with my costume interpretation, but overall I'm satisfied. Here's a group shot:
As always, thanks for looking and offering your critiques. Here are links to my previous custom work:
Wonder Girl and Aqualad DC Direct 13 Customs - Mego Talk
Kid Flash, Speedy, and Star-Spangled Kid DC Direct 1/6 Customs - Mego Talk
My DC Direct 13 JUSTICE SOCIETY Customs - Mego Talk
1/6 Mary Marvel Captain Marvel Jr Customs - Mego Talk
13 Custom INVADERS and LIBERTY LEGION - Mego Talk
My Huntress Customs - Mego Talk
It's nice to see customs in a grander scale
Comment