"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"

MODOK paint change - as well as some of you guys on the blog, both Marvel and ourselves agreed a more metallic paint job would be an improvement. Hmmm shiny....


Nico Minoru - Improved rough stage (Setting aside the controversy over this young lady ;) - I think the sculpt is actually one of the best we've done in a while). Rich, myself and comp winner (sorry mate forgot your name!) did a lot of work to get this right – I think we achieved it! (we were going to do her in her schoolgirl/punk look, but the comp winner chose her first costume, which is fair enough - check out the pretty awful mock-up drawing I did!)





Sebastian Shaw - Wow! I was stunned by the dynamism when the shots of this fella came in on wednesday. Well done Rich for injecting some fresh ideas into the poses even after 180 issues!



Mockingbird Paint - really nice clean paint job - I was really happy with the way the blue came out. BTW the hair in ponytail works for me, I also think the pose looks amazing from all angles - not something easily achieved, especially with the female sculpts.



COVER roughs – This is where John Tomlinson earns his stripes as he was Editor of 2000AD and has a good rapport with the industries finest – dealing with the commissioning of covers takes some time and effort and I’m more than happy for John to continue this – with the odd comment from me here and there of course. We wanted to get The great Gene Colan to do our Dracula cover but alas he’s gone to the great art gallery in the sky. Rest in peace Gene Colan.

Blackheart - (great looking baddie but he's only in about 32 comics so bit worried about doing his mag!) Great cover from Gary Erskine though... We’re gonna try a very atmospheric uplighting effect with the colouring on this one.



Beetle cover sketches - Wow we got up and coming star Andy Tong from Panini's Eagle award wining Spider-Man comic to draw this one! I reckon he'll be doing American books before too long - he did a few roughs first, we chose pose 3, then we got him to adjust the head so it looks out at the reader. The colouring should really bring this one alive.









Wizard cover sketch – Nice powerful image from John Mcrea.



NEWS ON SPECIALS!!!???? Rich can we confirm the next special already?!!!

As marketing want us to the finalise the next 20 asap for various reasons, I've decided to announce 2 at a time from now on (this may increase if necessary) I will also discuss with Rich what we can do for a comp this time, and get the ball rolling on that - also the polls can't be done until all 16 EM choices are final. so we need to make haste!

So the next one confirmed is....

Longshot (I believe he has hollow bones - so considering doing him in the lightest material possible! :) Rice paper?



Swordsman (not someone I was originally planning to put through, but he seems to be much wanted by the fans - he was only around for a brief time (in Marvel time at least!) - so maybe we can do something in the magazine with the other Guys who took up the mantle after Jacques DuQuesne (Javert & Von Strucker). He made a comeback in the Recent (ish) Captain Marvel revival, so we should have a enough the build a magazine around.



Next week 2 females will be announced! Let the guessing games begin...


------ End of Forwarded Message --------

I can't believe it's not better!

So sorry, things have got busy this week and what with a lack of things to show you guys, this will be a short ‘n’ sweet one... (there goes the bettering of last week’s update!)

Here’s the painted fully MODOK... (photos not great as these shots are done by the sculptors to give us a quick look at how it's progressing).



A first look at Nico Minoru (there are quite a few changes being implemented so please view this as a early sneak-peek...)



PS. I think the news has leaked already, but big congrats to the DC Figurine Collection for getting the 20 extension! Thanks to all those involved with making this happen, big thanks goes out from the team (Sven and Colin) to those who have actively supported the collection thus far. Pics of the guys...






Rich had a great idea how to do the pose for Sebastian Shaw, basically we were going to do the hands behind the back pose (see below)...



but we thought why not show off his physical nature with a more action pose... (using an old Uncle Sam pic for reference)...



We’ll still do him in the costume from the Cassaday pic of course. I think this could be a really different pose, hopefully it will be dynamic and powerful just like the man!

Oh yeah the next confirmed character will hopefully please all the modernists out there.

Wiccan.

‘Nuff said. Excelsior!

‘This is another fine blog you got me into...’

Just a quick one this week folks...

Next special is MODOK!



Looking good eh?, I think this fits the weird and wonderful side of Marvel don'cha thunk?!


Here's a preview of N&A, would love to tell you guys some solid news about whether they will be a special or not, but it's not 100% decided yet, so I'll say no more ;}


Here’s Dene Mason’s final pose/costume design for Domino, we went for pose 4 (remember the original sketches?), we thought it played on the deadly/vulnerable juxtaposition quite well. We also decided on the latest X-Force Black Ops costume as it’s one of her most consistant looks. The other 90s costumes look a bit dated and her 00s Deadpool look wasn’t quite good enough either.



Not sure if you’ve seen the fully painted final version of Odin yet? (the photo does not do this sculpt justice - it's a real wowza in the flesh (or should that be lead?)! and the size issue is definately blown away when you see his true awsomeness!




One last nugget for ya, the next confirmed character is Hela.

I think she’ll make an amazing figurine and an /Asgardian/female/villain to-boot!
Rich has some reservations about her size and complexity being an issue (so we may not be able to go totally wild with her), plus he reckons no one wants her! stuff that nonsense she's in...











Caio for now.

"Parrrker! where's my cigarrr?!"

Hi guys,

Before I preview JJJ digital image and announce the next figurine, I just wanted to recommend a forthcoming book that Alan Cowsill has been working on (even features my own handiwork colouring a strip called Tempation by Glenn Dakin). It's all going to charity so please pre-order and help out those folks in Japan who are still reeling from the disaster.



'The Spirit of Hope is a unique anthology of short stories from the world’s greatest creators dealing with the impact of disasters on people’s everyday lives. Creators include Liam Sharp, Henry Flint, Nick Abadzis, Glenn Dakin, Mark Buckingham, Al Davison and Peter Hogan with stories covering all aspects of human life in the face of catastrophe. The collection comes in two editions – one with a beautiful Jimmy Broxton cover and a second with a cool Michael Allred cover. All profit from the title will go to help disaster victims via Second Harvest and the New Zealand Red Cross.'

There's also a digital edition available with alternate Mike Allred cover



Release date: 18th June 2011, Price £14.99 + £3.00 postage (UK), £5.00 postage (Rest of World). Books will be dispatched after the release date.

Ordering:
UK: Spirit of Hope – £14.99 + £3.00 postage

http://www.comicbook.org.uk/spirit-of-hope/

Here are just a few of the beautiful illustrations that grabbed my attention...





Anyway, onto the reason you all came here: The Jameson preview!










We're over the moon with it here at EM, it's by Toby at Imagika (who did most of the original 10 figurines - although his style has changed somewhat, especially with his mastery of the 3D digital illustration software he now uses. I think it really sums up JJJ's personality and you don't even notice the cigar (yes it would never have got approved with it!). Hope you guys like it as much as us.

Oh, one last thing the next character to be confirmed is...




























































for all you Cosmic fans out there...












































A Herald of Galactus...

























































FIRELORD!

Weekly fix...

Nothing particulary mind-blowing to say this week. Very interesting reading your comments. I'll try to answer randomly some of your questions...

Brood drone? Hydra Goon? - I love the idea of generic characters in the Classic(?) Marvel Figurine Collection, but I think there are other individuals that we need to get in first. Such as Sebastian Shaw who I can confirm* will be in the next X-tension! (*EM reserve the right to withdraw this statement). Hope you guys are happy with his inclusion, and not just because he's a major character in the new X-film!

Remakes? Not at this stage, I agree a spin-off subset of characters would be cool - if only we could convince the boss!

Rocket Raccoon/Groot. Richard has advised me that Groot has recently become small, so in reality we could do both of them on a single base as a regular. Probably the only way we'll get Groot in. or RR on his own?

Sorry Robert I can't Have your babies I've been neutered.

Ted Sallis - it'll take a lot more than a crisp Scottish pound to get Ulysses Bloodstone in the collection ;}

If we were considering White Tiger - male or female version?

KirlianEyes - Love the virtual CMFC gallery - I don't want to know how long that must have taken! Very impressive. Want a job?

Rulk or Ross? As Rulk would be a special I'd go for Ross.

'Classic' in the title. It's just a word our managing director wanted to use, we weren't ever entirely convinced with it but, ours is not to reason why.

Here's the latest stage in Mockingbird's development:



Still some detailing to be improved upon.

Here's the the cover for Spiral by Jack Lawrence, he does a lot of our girlie covers when we are caught short for good hi-res images. (not fully approved by Marvel yet, but I doubt there will be any major problems with it).



here's the rough aswell. We have recently been ordered not to cover the Marvel logo on the cover, so we have been trying to be good! It's difficult though as I love covering up the logo with nice big artwork.



That's all for now, If any new figurine pics come in I will upload them asap.