TALKBACK: Marvel Legends style Martian Manhunter

[measle]

The first Action Feature featured custom is a Marvel Legends style Martian Manhunter as done by Mister Sinister.  Sin as he is affectionately called by his buddies can be found hanging out a number of places, chiefly the Dooshboardbagofdumbness, Fwooshnet, the DCDirect Messageboards and here.  Usually you will find him giving advice, help and hints to his fellow customizers, because he rolls that way.  He's a talented guy, that we here are proud to call a friend....

Thanks for the invite, cause I'm always happy to help out my buds at Critical Mess.

If you guys haven't checked this amazing custom out, do so now.

[John Moores]

Yeah, it's excellent work, Sin. I look forward to seeing more!

[Doghouse Reilly]

Fantastic work, Sin.  As a dabbler in customizing, I'd love to pick you brain, if I may.

How long does a project like that take from beginning to end? 

Also, how much of the articulation is still useable? 

One of my least favorite parts of customizing is trying to paint the joints in such a way that the paint doesn't rub off.  How do you deal with that?

[Mister Sinister]

Thanks guys!

TGJB, it's kinda hard to say how long it took me to complete him.  I finished him in three weeks but my ADD always gets the better of me and I never work on one custom at a time.  I always have a few going at once.

All of the articulation on J'onn still moves.  I count 37 points of articulation total.  Dealing with paint rub is a major pain in the butt, especially with heavily articulated figures.  Joints usually require a substantial amount of sanding.  Paint rub occurs where two pieces make contact and if you can sand them down to where they don't touch then it's not an issue.  Another trick that I sometimes use is applying a thin glaze of Krazyglue.  I apply it smearing it on using a pin to be very precise.  When you spray the figure with a finishing coat it unites all of the lusters so the glaze isn't noticable.

[measle]

I know I've already told you this like a hundred times, but that figure is pretty much flawless.  I don't see one coming off a production line looking any better.  It also shows us what could happen with Mattel if they could open their line up a bit more (and shitcan the 4Hmen).  Yeah, I'm not much of a fan.

[Doghouse Reilly]

Thanks guys!

TGJB, it's kinda hard to say how long it took me to complete him. I finished him in three weeks but my ADD always gets the better of me and I never work on one custom at a time. I always have a few going at once.

Interesting.  I usually get tunnel vision when I'm working on one (which is admittedly rare) and won't work on any others until I'm finished.

All of the articulation on J'onn still moves. I count 37 points of articulation total. Dealing with paint rub is a major pain in the butt, especially with heavily articulated figures. Joints usually require a substantial amount of sanding. Paint rub occurs where two pieces make contact and if you can sand them down to where they don't touch then it's not an issue. Another trick that I sometimes use is applying a thin glaze of Krazyglue. I apply it smearing it on using a pin to be very precise. When you spray the figure with a finishing coat it unites all of the lusters so the glaze isn't noticable.

ALL the articulation is intact?  Wow.  Seriously: wow.

Paint rubs always annoy me to the point where I'll choose base figures based upon how low the articulation is.  How do you sand something like a hinge-joint without it becoming a floppy mess?  Also, how do you connect/reconnect joints that you've disassembled?

I'll never do a Marvel Legends-style custom, and I have nothing but respect those who do.  The only things I'm working on these days are JLU-type figures where the detailing is smooth and there are fewer joints to deal with.  I stand in awe of you sir, that is truly a kick-ass figure.

[Mister Sinister]

Thanks Measle!

TGJB, thanks again for the very nice compliments.   When possible I always try to choose a base figure that has a similar color, most of the time it's just not feasible though.  Sanding a joint down is a little tricky.  I tend to disassemble as much as possible (using hot water to pop pieces apart) and then I just sand as much as I feel is needed.  Remember, you could always come back and sand more, if you remove too much at once things get a little trickier.

Something else that I'm currently experimenting with is using Krylon Fusion.  It's a spray paint that bonds nicely with plastic.  I actually used it for the first time on my recent Batman custom.  It seems to be good stuff but it does have it's own little intricacies.

[Doghouse Reilly]

So you can boil and pop hinge-joints the same way you can cut joints?  I did not know that.

So what are the advantages of Aves Apoxie Sculpt over something like, say, Sculpy?

[measle]

Don't you have to bake sculpey?  That's why I've used milliput epoxy in the past.

[Doghouse Reilly]

It depends on how much you use, I think.  I've used it and cured it with a quick dip in a cup of boiled water.  I've also used a hairdryer on it before.  Ovens and plastic do not mix.

[measle]

That's why I've always been  hesitant to use it.  Guys will tell you that you can safely cure the sculpy at tempratures that won't melt the plastic....but I just have nightmares of opening the oven up and removing my action figure that looks like colorful mozzerella.  The nightmare ends with my wife realizing that I have fucked up the oven and our food will taste like plastic for the forseeable future.  Then I wake up in a cold sweat.

[Doghouse Reilly]

More importantly than that, the melted PVC can release some pretty toxic fumes.  Imagine how embarrassing that death would be.

[measle]

Most likely the toxins that these (action figures) things release over time are going to give us all tumors anyway.

[Mister Sinister]

Aves Apoxie Sculpt cures on it's own.  Aves is durable and a lot stronger than Sculpey (which is pretty brittle.)  Furthermore, I've noticed that Sculpey used on plastic tends to breakdown and powder over time.  

[Doghouse Reilly]

Aves Apoxie Sculpt cures on it's own. Aves is durable and a lot stronger than Sculpey (which is pretty brittle.) Furthermore, I've noticed that Sculpey used on plastic tends to breakdown and powder over time.

Oh swell, there goes the goggles on my Blue Beetle.   

If the Apoxie cures on its own, how long do you have to work with it?  Does it quick-dry, or do you have to let it cure for a while?

Do you do castings, or are all your parts original.  I know guys like IronCow and Casimir use a lot of casted copies for their customs, and it always seemed like a good way to get extra parts.

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