Whiz Kid's Customs! Update 11/29- Hail Hydra!

[Whiz Kid]

Please, hold the applause. You're too kind!

Okay, enough of my self-aggrandizement. I just finished my first custom figure in... well, I really don't remember when, but lord, did I miss this hobby, so I'm really jazzed right now. Even better, it's an Attacktix custom, so you all get to gaze at it.

Okay, begin your gazing... now!

(sorry for the faux egotism, I was just having so much fun with it!)

UPDATE 9/20: The pics of Havok were not nearly as crisp as I would have liked. They have now been replaced. My apologies for any eyestrain I may have caused.



HAVOK! (right side)



HAVOK! (left side)



HAVOK! (front)

Havok, of the X-Men, generally referred to as "the other Summers brother," was entirely an Electro (as if it's not obvious). The mask and belt pouches were removed, and I sculpted on the kneepads and headgear. Electro's missile was replaced with blue one for variety and because it seemed fitting. A little paint and a custom label (courtesy of Tix Tool), and he is ready to ROCK!

All stats are the same as Electro, save the faction change to X-Men, and the corresponding team change in his Rally special ability.

The costume was based on this picture. I went for this look because the chest circles and head "rings" are his most distinctive costume elements, but the chest simply isn't a part of this figure, and I wanted most people to be able to recognize him on sight, or at least go "hey, that looks like... oh, it IS Havok!" Also, the bulky gloves and boots were something Electro already had, so this costume felt perfect in several ways.

[attacktixman]

Fantastic, love it! Its perfect! Look forward to seeing more!

Attm

[Pac-Man]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!,nice work man although I like the original Havok costume,this is a really good custom.as attacktixman said looking forward to seeing more. +14u [karma]

[Whiz Kid]

Okay, it's been a pretty lean week. I was laid up due to a back injury and didn't get out of the house much, but hey, it gave me time to customize!

First up is the merc-with-a-mouth, Deadpool!


Deadpool is a Punisher body and missile, with a Spider-Man head and a Han Solo gun and base. The sword is from an old Shatterstar figure. Kinda sad that a 5" figure's sword is perfectly scaled to a figure half the size, isn't it?

The special (Recover) is the same as Han's, save for the name change from "Han Solo" to "Deadpool." I figured allowing him to stand when another Warrior is around was pretty fitting to 'pool, and the 54% rate was REALLY fitting.



Why Marvel Knights? Simply put, it was the best fit. Deadpool is an anti-hero, but he's even more mercurial than guys like Punisher. He is, after all, a mercenary, and counts guys like Bullseye as close personal friends! I really couldn't decide if he should be Brotherhood or X-Men, so I did neither, and stuck him in MK, which I see as being the "catch-all" Marvel heroes class.

Don't worry though, Havok's not getting lonely! I was left with a Punisher head and a Spider-Man body, among other things. What to do?



ICEMAN, of course! While Bobby often strikes from range, he has been in plenty of hand to hand combat. I figured that hitting people with an ice ball was well within his normal battle tactics. The 12 speed also fits a guy who slides around on ice all the time.

His special is a little different. I used Thor's "Thunderclap," but renamed it "Slippery." I figured that with a mere 15% rate, it wasn't going to be terribly overpowering.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Flames?

*kudos to Joe Manzo for showing me how cool a Deadpool 'tix could look. I know he recently did an Iceman too... I swear that's unintentional! Then again, if you're going to copy, copy from the best, right?*

[Leumas]

Wow. That Deadpool, is top-notch! The Iceman is cool, too.

More excellent customs by, *theme music comes on*, Whiz Kiiiiiiid!!!

[Pac-Man]

nice deadpool custom,iceman is okay but it could have been better.

[attacktixman]

More home runs man! Love it! How'd you get that icy cool blue finish for Ice Man? Way to go!

Attm

[Gideon]

Wow! That's some good stuff. I like Havok and Deadpool the best.

Gideon

[YodaBreaker]

Umm...wow. That's pretty much all I've got for right now. Yeah. Wow.

OK, now I'm back.

I'm not quite sure what Pac-Man's criticism of Iceman is. Without having access to factory sculpting and injection molded clear blue plastic (a la SW S5 Yoda), I don't see how Iceman could have been any better, save perhaps for the seam at his waist. Then again, without knowing how to take a striker apart and put it back together again, there'd be no great way to apply paint smoothly there and maintain the striking action. The color is spot on for a frozen man, and the "ice blast" is an inspired repurposing of Spidey's web blast.

I really appreciate the detailing on Deadpool, and the grenade on the side is a nice stylistic and color touch. About the only thing I'd even want to change on him would be making his sword arm an uppercutter - and again, that's a change that's quite demanding. I just see the character of Deadpool being such a machine that having the uppercut would make him even more valuable and in character.

I can't comment much on Havoc, as I don't know much about him, but it looks quite nifty. Your customization efforts are much appreciated and admired!

[Whiz Kid]

pacman said:

nice deadpool custom,iceman is okay but it could have been better.

What would you suggest? I'm not coming down on you, I'm honestly asking what you would change. I want more information! Do you feel the base figure was off? Do you not like the paint job? Do you think his "stats" are lacking? Fill me in- I want to know if it's just not what you would do, or something in my skills that needs improving.

attacktixman said:

How'd you get that icy cool blue finish for Ice Man?

The figure is painted flat white. I then did a metallic blue wash over him. Unlike normal washing, in which the paint is allowed to settle into the cracks and bring out the detail, I kept adding more water and spreading the paint out even thinner to get a fairly overall bluish sheen.

beevomit said:

I don't see how Iceman could have been any better, save perhaps for the seam at his waist. Then again, without knowing how to take a striker apart and put it back together again, there'd be no great way to apply paint smoothly there and maintain the striking action.

Yeah, that does kinda stand out; it's pretty much impossible when doing a wash on an assembled figure to NOT have paint soak into the joints. Well... probably not impossible, but not really worth the effort to me. This game works only on the basis that you can suspend your criticism to some degree. I mean, if Gambit can have a right arm 4x human size, then Iceman can have a visible seam, right?

About the only thing I'd even want to change on him would be making his sword arm an uppercutter - and again, that's a change that's quite demanding. I just see the character of Deadpool being such a machine that having the uppercut would make him even more valuable and in character.

I totally agree. Having him be a Cap-style dual attacker would be sweet. Joe's Deadpool has twin launchers, which is about as close as a lot of these are likely to get, sadly. Not only is there limitations on bases, but the ridiculous amount of work necessary would likely render him unplayable. So far, all of my customs are pretty solid and able to be fielded. Although they are sealed, they probably will eventually get scuffed and need repainting. I also fear that Iceman's fingers will snap off at some point, but I'll burn that bridge when I come to it.

[webhead817]

I really like that Havok...very crisp details.

[Jw18]

That Iceman is Amazing!

[attacktixaddict]

Mesa likes all!

[superflytnt]

LOVE Havok, one of my favorite Xmen of all time, but deadpool is great except for the face - he looks like the ever-present UFO conspiracy composite of "Mr. Grey" the alien! ;D

[greyelephant]

Wow, those look really good. I am happy to see Ice Man. I really wish Hasbro would make us one of him. With that said, I wish Hasbor would come out with anything right now!