The perfect 10?

My tenth blog update! Hurrah! It's been a bumpy ride, but I think I've done ok.

Not much to celebrate though, as we haven’t had any new sculpt stages in this week! Sorry about that, Hopefully I’ll have something for ya next week.

All we got was the final coloured Hydro-Man cover....



Very nice indeed.


The guys on the forum kindly ran a poll for Vance Astro and I think the results speak for themselves...

Vance Astro/Major Victory: With or Without the shield ?
Without the shield 22% [ 25 ]
With the shield 78% [ 90 ]

So as we near the last 2 weeks of extension confirmations (4 left from EM and me, Plus the 4 from you guys!) I can confirm the horror character is...






WEREWOLF BY NIGHT
A well deserving character IMO, he’s in over 200 comics and has mixed it up with the super-types on many occasions.

I would prefer to present him in his original ‘small head’ version than some of the modern takes, I feel they just make him look like any other generic lycanthrope...








And now for the final female in the extension....




GAMORA
Another cosmic I know, but she’s pretty hot and really needs to be made! I’m on the fence with the costume on this one! I like the original look, but can see the love for the newer look – there’s only one way to find out FIGHT!.....












Will definitely have the competiton ironed out for next week – and the polls can start running aswell.

See you in the Funny papers* (*comments section) – Dan

Blog 9 from Outer Space

Controversy Explained (well, an attempt at it)...
Last week I mentioned I was hopeful of putting through a rather controversial character, that character as many of you guessed was indeed Howard the Duck.
The reason I called him controversial (as well as the “Marmite” effect) was that we had a sticky situation with the Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite figurine over on the DC collection: Sven the editor chose to commission the sculpt, but it was decided at a senior level that the characters’ style didn’t fit with the rest of the collection. So to cut a long story short we eventually got the go ahead to make them a special. (I actually think it does make a rather nice special in the end - see pic.)



That leads us rather clumsily to the Duck! After Mr. Mixedpickles and Mar-Mite set a precedent at EM on these type of ‘cartoony’ characters, we felt we should check with our superiors before announcing/commissioning the Duck – we were correct in our assumptions, and we were indeed told that the duck would not ‘fit in’ with the collection.



As much as I disagree with the decision, we all have to accept the fact that Howard won’t be appearing in the regular running order any time soon, but we can make him a special! If this can be done remains to be seen, but at least there is a slight chance we can get him in the collection (although at the loss of another special) – but for now he’s going back in the drawer filed under ‘Cancelled Canard’.

The good news is that opens up another place for someone else! So get canvassing now.

Not much alse to show this week accept an almost final Swordsman (Didn’t notice his moustache was incorrect, so we’ll be changing it to a more french-style thin one).




So on that bombshell the next 2 confirmed players will be:


The cosmic Guardian of the Galaxy: Vance Astro



(I await your opinions on what costume he should wear and if he should have the shield or not?)


And the futuristic Spider-Man 2099



(I suppose with the loss of Howard we can assume this fella is the curveball of the extension - as he will be that rarity in our collection of an alternative reality character (although he is supposed to be of Earth 616 albeit in the future.), obviously he also fits into the Spidey category aswell.

PS, I have been summoned by the guys who did the Spirit of Hope book (The Comic Book Alliance) to a signing tomorrow at Forbidden Planet Shaftesbury Ave. at 1pm (I had a small part to play in the design and some colouring), so feel free to stop by and say hello (or buy a book - we'll even reduce its value and sign it!)


Th-th-th-th-that's all folks!

Marvel SUPER-VILLAIN Two-In-One!

Firstly, have only quickly browsed through the comments section from last week, so sorry if there aren't any questions answered this week! Thanks for all the input and I will hopefully get a chance to sift through with a fine-tooth comb.

The guys on the Forum have kindly run a costume poll for Moonstone and Moonstar and and here are the results...

Which costume do you want Moonstone made in?
Masters of Evil look
36% [ 53 ]
Original Thunderbolts look 4% [ 6 ]
00's Thunderbolt costume
4% [ 6 ]
Modern Thunderbolts look 56% [ 84 ]

"One of the interesting suggestions about this poll was doing Moonstone in her current costume but holding the helment of her original costume as this is a character that seems to be caught inbetween herself."

(I like the idea that she could be standing on her old helmet (battle-damaged/cracked) in a similar way to the DC Lobo figure - Dan).

Which Mirage/Moonstar costume choice would you like Dani to sport in the CMFC?
Her Original New Mutants Costume 11% [ 16 ]
Her graduation uniform 0% [ 0 ]
Her New Mutants early X-Force look 1% [ 1 ]
Her XLE look 13% [ 18 ]
Her X-Force rejoined costume 6% [ 8 ]
Her Academy X - New X-Men look 1% [ 2 ]
Her Young X-Men uniform 21% [ 30 ]
Her Dark Reign kick-ass Valkyrie look 6% [ 9 ]
Her modern X-Men "New Mutants" uniform 41% [ 59 ]

"With Danielle - having the bow and arrow seemed to be an overall consensus for the character."

(Yes I would love her to have the Bow, and I am happy to bow to the greater good of her new New Mutants look - Dan).

I'm actually very happy about the results, but I'll discuss with the EM team nearer the commissioning date on what actual costumes and poses the figurines will take.

Next up we have for your delictation a rather spiffing Swordsman (early rough stage sculpt).



As always there are changes afoot already with this chap - chiefly his sword and scabbard look a tad too long. I did want him running, but there are difficulties in going down that road so I think the stoic standing pose really works in this case.

Here are the latest stages in the covers production line...

First the Wizard stages from John McCrea:







I think the final colours look really groovy!

Final colours for Blackheart and Beetle:





Winners I'm sure you'll all agree!


Andy Tong's Karnak sketches in today...





We went for the super dynamic second one (showing what Karnak does best - hitting things very hard!)


For Puppet Master's cover I went with this Kirby classic re-coloured by the legendary Alan Craddock (see last pic):




And now because you demanded it - 2 of the greatest villains yet to be included in the CMFC....





















Hammerhead:

















The Owl:


Have a great weekend.
Dan

The Early Bird Special

Earlier post this week as we're having a lovely (rainy?) EM summer party starting at 2pm-ish.


Some requested shots of previously unseen fully painted figurines












A more finished Sebastian Shaw (although we are having his shoes changed from 1980s gym shoes to 18th century buckled ones!)




It's official - the next Special will be MODOK - in your shops November! price TBC.
Hopefully we're still on for a Northstar & Aurora double-pack in January (production issues aside!).



Here's John McCrea's 'splash page' cover sketches for Hydro-Man - (quite liked the drowning Spidey one - but pipped for the stand alone full figure we usually go for)...






aaaaaaaaaaaand finally, the two females who made it in this extension are...

Danielle Moonstar (aka Mirage)








I think we should keep her consistant with Magik and go for the original NM costume, I do like the idea of a bow and arrow though, will have to see if this would be too expensive.

the other loverlee laydee is....

Moonstone...






A lass with lots of looks over the years! Although her first costume is very unique and original - I think her recent costume is more sexy and would make a better figurine - although I haven't made my mind up and I'm interested in your views on this!

I-- CAN-- HEAR--- THE-- BEER--- CALL-- ING-- ME......