[Steel Brigade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AxonRey

Great group. That Exo Suit "Commander" is pretty righteous, and the kit-out on the Night Viper is boss.
Not as familiar with the other characters, but the representations are spot on. Where are those heads coming from?

Thanks buddy! The Cobra Commander & Night Viper helmet are from a seller on Ebay called cobra1678 so far I have been very happy with all of the heads/etc. I have received from him! The all red Night Viper head underneath the helmet was a freebie from MGR. And the 2 Japanese female character heads are hand painted from Spartan 1:18!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWOL

It's the fact that is stars my all-time favorite 'actress': Yuma Asami

Got it! I have also seen her in Joo Virgin, Siren X, & Princess Sakura!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreadnok4life

Awesome batch!!! So much goodness!!

Wow! Thanks for stopping by man! I appreciate it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hebime

Fantastic job on these SB, Cobra Commander and Night Viper look great, and I especially like the heads you picked for the ladies.

I was waiting for you to chime in good buddy! LOL! Thank you so much for sticking with this thread since the very beginning! We'll be hitting 300 figure mark VERY soon!!!

*Happy new year to all the friends of this thread!... Much more to come in 2022!!

[ohtani]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel Brigade

I have been having a lot of fun creating with the Marauder Task Force line recently and have started making my own universe based on builds from obscure ARAH Joes, knock-off style figures, MTF customs shown, and my own ideas. I like using all MTF parts to push me creatively so there is no mix & match (and no added paint). Special thanks to Marauder Inc for this amazing action figure line!

#1. CODE NAME: ONE (based on the 80's toy line Military One "Beret" figure)
Marauder Task Force
Origin: United Kingdom

The first homage I made is based on a figure I still have from my childhood... say what you will about the M1 figures but they are sturdy. This character (CODE NAME: ONE) is the leader of my Marauder Task Force.

ONE and his NEW team of recommissioned soldiers from military around the world are tasked with taking out the growing illegal arms trafficking of contraband materials by the enemy known as the "Gunrunners." Across the world, ONE & his Marauder Task Force act in secret from the public & strike when casualties will be minimal. Calm and collected, ONE is the best man for the job!

Does the beret fall off what looks like the "Trooper" head when turned upside down?

[Hit & Run]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel Brigade

It's funny you say that about the exo-parts, sometimes I wonder if I have bought more of certain things than anyone else on the MGR site (like the bandanas... as I use them on the legs all the time, as you know)... now I'm starting to wonder that about the exo-suits... lol! Oh & I have more exo-suit builds on the way, so yeah... ;-)
.

Haha, I think you may have just bought more Marauder parts than the rest of us, in general! Every time I look up there?s another batch of awesome customs dropping!

?????

Nice to get back after a nice holiday season with a new batch of Steel Brigade recruits!

Okay, that Commander is badass! Immediately thought about the 91 version when I saw the red face mask (like you mentioned), but then there was that 2000?s baby blue & white too so you have a homage to Battle Armor like you planned, but then those other two Commanders as well. Haha and as we said, no one uses exo parts like you so those look great, but then love that belt with strap combo to give him a little extra color as well.

After being a little disappointed in the official Night Viper release, always think about doing a regular one and the red with Marauder parts.......yup, it?s a great idea because your?s is badass! That larger light gray WW2 pouch looks really cool on him angled, another new look provided by you. I need to mess around with the WW2 parts on modern guys more because yours always come out so cool.

That?s a killer Firefly! Love him with all of the phones and then the larger screen device, always want to use that more! With the green accents and the goggles, reminds me of the one (I think) TRU version. Had one with red goggles, one with green. Adding the silencer to that gun is too cool! Now I?m gonna be plugging extra silencers in this to see how they look! Haha,

Vampire Girl is another badass design! That head is amazing, but then all geared up with the blade weapons, then the BF skull & the modern tool used as a stake.....haha, I?m sold! Great write up too, I really need to check some of these movies out! I assume we are getting her rival?! I?m a sucker for horror themed customs!

The ponytail & bandanna look is great on Saya, then that lead pipe! Haha, she?s ready to cause some trouble!

Another awesome batch! Glad to see you knock out some customs over the holiday season, hope you and your family had a good one! Looking forward to seeing what we get in 2022 from you!

[paokole]

I've been off the Tank for a while and it looks like I've missed out big time. Bro your last drop is unreal, the latest additions to the Japanese Anti/Heroines series roster Monami and Saya truly rock!! Ingenious use of the Boss Fight parts to complement a true vampire girl look. Spartan118 head and wired cape are the cherries on top! Truck gal look was achieved flawlessly with a clever use of both MGR and BF parts. Little here goes a long way.

Spectral Trooper is one my favorite trooper builds, as I find that orange on black pretty awesome and you finished off the look with a great ME Night Viper helmet you got off eBay. Awesome figure!

Then Cobra Commander and Firefly are both badass builds. I look forward to the next drop!

[Steel Brigade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit & Run

Haha, I think you may have just bought more Marauder parts than the rest of us, in general! Every time I look up there?s another batch of awesome customs dropping!
Nice to get back after a nice holiday season with a new batch of Steel Brigade recruits!
Okay, that Commander is badass! Immediately thought about the 91 version when I saw the red face mask (like you mentioned), but then there was that 2000?s baby blue & white too so you have a homage to Battle Armor like you planned, but then those other two Commanders as well. Haha and as we said, no one uses exo parts like you so those look great, but then love that belt with strap combo to give him a little extra color as well.
After being a little disappointed in the official Night Viper release, always think about doing a regular one and the red with Marauder parts.......yup, it?s a great idea because your?s is badass! That larger light gray WW2 pouch looks really cool on him angled, another new look provided by you. I need to mess around with the WW2 parts on modern guys more because yours always come out so cool.
That?s a killer Firefly! Love him with all of the phones and then the larger screen device, always want to use that more! With the green accents and the goggles, reminds me of the one (I think) TRU version. Had one with red goggles, one with green. Adding the silencer to that gun is too cool! Now I?m gonna be plugging extra silencers in this to see how they look! Haha,
Vampire Girl is another badass design! That head is amazing, but then all geared up with the blade weapons, then the BF skull & the modern tool used as a stake.....haha, I?m sold! Great write up too, I really need to check some of these movies out! I assume we are getting her rival?! I?m a sucker for horror themed customs!
The ponytail & bandanna look is great on Saya, then that lead pipe! Haha, she?s ready to cause some trouble!
Another awesome batch! Glad to see you knock out some customs over the holiday season, hope you and your family had a good one! Looking forward to seeing what we get in 2022 from you!

LOL you might be right, I do buy a lot. As always thank you for the kind words, your posts here are always enthusiastic & very much appreciated! You always notice the little things & read the bios too lol! As for the WW2 parts, I keep trying to find ways to use what I have in my bins, so it's even a surprise to me when I find the right fit! I don't have plans for "Frankenstein Girl" at the moment, as she would be very challenging even with the expanded catalog, but never say never! ;-) I do have plenty of more plans for more Japanese anti-heroines from my twisted movies though (& more), & some of them are in fact "horror" themed!!! XD

I hope you & yours had a nice holiday as well buddy, thanks again for your continued support of this thread!

Quote:

Originally Posted by paokole

I've been off the Tank for a while and it looks like I've missed out big time. Bro your last drop is unreal, the latest additions to the Japanese Anti/Heroines series roster Monami and Saya truly rock!! Ingenious use of the Boss Fight parts to complement a true vampire girl look. Spartan118 head and wired cape are the cherries on top! Truck gal look was achieved flawlessly with a clever use of both MGR and BF parts. Little here goes a long way.
Spectral Trooper is one my favorite trooper builds, as I find that orange on black pretty awesome and you finished off the look with a great ME Night Viper helmet you got off eBay. Awesome figure!
Then Cobra Commander and Firefly are both badass builds. I look forward to the next drop!

Thanks brother! I also really appreciate your continued kindness & hype for this thread! You always make a point to check in & give your thoughts & it means a lot! It's a great feeling after you pour some time into thinking you are making something cool hoping that others will agree! I really appreciate you always enjoying the lesser known characters along with the more "famous" ones lol! =)

Good news for friends of this thread, there will be more "New Recruits" this weekend!!!!!


.

[Steel Brigade]

NEW YEAR! NEW RECRUITS!!!!!

#291/X85. LT. SLATE (BIONIC VERSION) (based on JoeCon 2010 JoeCustoms.com Exclusive LT. Stone)
Marauder Task Force
Bionic Version/Version 2
Origin: England
Season 9

After revealing Mastermind (Cobra Commander) was our ruthless leader of Wrath in the "Future War" alternate timeline, we needed to reveal who's now in charge of the MTF... none other than LT. Slate (aka LT. Stone!)... In 2010, Joecustoms released a Lt. Stone (that was Sigma 6 inspired but O-Ring made) at Joecon. I managed to snag #13 of the 25 they had made. He has stayed in his resealable packaging even though I thought he was a neat tribute, (it's rare for me to keep things in their plastic prison lol.) I always thought it would be fun to recreate him with MGR. Plans started coming together finally in 2020 when a new robotic style arm was teased on the MGR docket as well as possibly using one of their upcoming 2020 heads (+accessories.) A lot of time has passed on MGR's best laid plans, & (like some other figures I planned back in 2020), some were left to be finished with those very same plans still in tact (& sit in my "warming drawer" as they are already 95% completed), while others moved fwd with other options available (& or have since been retired.) This is how LT. Stone comes to you today, with other opportunities from other lines available to recreate what I was looking for with this remake. He's a great example of what you'll be seeing in the "My MTF Universe" waves that I'll be doing in 2022, where more Boss Fight & custom heads/parts are creeping in to add some more fun to my builds! The arms/hands, right gauntlet are all Boss Fight, the head is Spartan 1:18... while the body is MGR (dress shirt & trooper combo.) I even got the same MGR crate the original came with for him lol. I like to start off each year in this thread with hopefully some fun surprises! The original figure/convention event also marks the first time I ever bought anything MGR, as I bought some items from them (weapons etc.) at their table during the 2010 con. Funny story, is I only had a my card with me the final day & they were doing cash only, I asked if they would take the card, they said "no, but you can have the stuff you want & just Paypal us later." I ended up just borrowing some cash from my brother instead but... wow, that is some serious MGR trust! ;-)

No matter what timeline, ex-MI6 agent & former master of disguise LT. SLATE experiences the same fate, years ago in a vengeful final fight between him & (this time) SAPPER, SAPPER takes SLATE'S left eye & arm in combat while leaving him for dead. But in the Future War, SLATE is able to salvage his body with bionic technology, restoring it to full operational capabilities & added strength. His eye patch actually conceals a special eyepiece he had installed of unknown capabilities to all but the most elite of the remaining United Nations personnel. Although his reputation of honor is outstanding & spoken for by those who proceeded him, many in the MTF ranks still do not trust him & question the origins of his bionics. Standing stalwart over the current world crisis of terror & the entire world slowly flooding, SLATE has taken over command from an ageing COLONEL GRIT, & is now leading the MTF into the next chapter against the evil forces of MASTERMIND & Wrath!

[Steel Brigade]

#292/X86. YUKI-ONNA (SNOW WOMAN) (spirit or yōkai in Japanese folklore that is often depicted in Japanese films/books/anime.)
Independent/yōkai (supernatural entity)
Origin: Japan
Season 9
*Japanese Anti/Heroines series
**Plays with your Marauder Task Force Figures!!!

Snow Woman originates from olden times folklore in Japan, but is still a modern urban legend due to her inclusion in movies/manga/anime etc. I have seen this character in some of my movie collection, & after recently watching the Darkside Releasing company's (Canadian DVD distributor) of the strange Japanese pinky film "Snow Woman" ...inspiration started to form. She is actually one of the first 3 of the Japanese Anti-Heroine series I completed... but I saved her reveal for an appropriately snowy month (January 2022 lol.) At first I was going to make her on a white Boss Fight body, but after creating Rin (& deciding to also create the 2 other Mutant Girl Squad members, all of which required using white bodies), I went with GITD for that ghostly feel. I was amped to try (actually my first) wired cape with her from ebay, & topped her off with some minimal Boss Fight garb, (as she is supposed to be a sexy character)... then another Harry Potter Cho Chang head (+Zap's connector), with an MGR katana & stand. The scary hands help illustrate that she is a devil in disguise!

YUKI-ONNA appears on snowy nights as a slender, gorgeous woman with long black hair & an alluring presence. Her inhumanly pale glowy skin makes her blend into the shimmering snowy landscape. Often nude with just a tattered cape & unusual crown on, she leaves no footprints in the snow, trying to lure weary male travelers looking for shelter that enter the high-grounds of Mt. Fuji back to her home... She is in fact a vengeful ghost, looking to right the wrongs bestowed upon her on any man who can be captivated by her. As YUREI KAGE & YAKU climb through the snowy forest area near the top of Mt. Fuji, they encounter a woman named YUKI, who wished to aid them in their journey through the mountain with a warm resting place. Upon arrival, YUKI quickly dispatches of an un-trusting YAKU, while trying to seduce YUREI KAGE with her feminine wiles & beautiful body!

*Japanese Anti/Heroines series roster
1. GALLY (BATTLE ANGEL)
2. RIKA (ZOMBIE HUNTER RIKA)
3. RIN (MUTANT GIRL SQUAD)
4. REI (MUTANT GIRL SQUAD)
5. YOSHIE (MUTANT GIRL SQUAD)
6. MONAMI (VAMPIRE GIRL VS. FRANKENSTEIN GIRL)
7. SAYA (DEKOTORA TRUCK GAL)
8. YUKI-ONNA (SNOW WOMAN)
9. SAKI (coming soon!)
10. AMI (coming soon!)

[Steel Brigade]

#293/X87. INSURGENT TROOPER(S) (based on GI Joe Retaliation Alley Viper - aka version 14)
Wrath
Origin: Various
Season 9
*MGR Geared-Up Figure "MARAUDER INSURGENT"

When I saw this Geared-Up build on the 2021 Con Circuit, I was excited for it to drop at the MGR online store, & thankfully a small number actually did (which resulted in a quick-sell out), but I was lucky enough to get one. I thought I would end up using a spare Exo-Suit gauntlet for the shield as I wasn't sure if I would like what MGR rigged for this, but it works well enough, (& that was good for me as I ended up using that very same gauntlet on another upcoming figure! ;-) ) I liked the build as is (which surprisingly came with 2 helmets... 1 in gunmetal & 1 in gray), & I only ended up added some small armor panels to the sides/back of the belt!

The INSURGENT TROOPERS get their name from the fact that they were once a squad of former highly trained ALLEY CATS that revolted against WRATH during the Armageddon War to strike out their own. They eventually joined up with SAPPER, (who is still an affiliate of WRATH), & worked for him as a support unit to his high-paying odd jobs. Currently stationed in the "RED ZONE," the INSURGENT TROOPERS are again working with SAPPER as a support crew, as he uncovers what secrets (for M.A.R.S. & WRATH) can be gained from the hidden base's world sinking efforts. Loaded with fire arms, melee weapons, & quick retractable shields, they guard the inner sanctum of the RED ZONE, & will offer opposition to anyone trying to prevent SAPPER from his findings!

[Steel Brigade]

#294/X88. MEDUSA (based on Zarana from the Joecon Dreadnok Rampage Box Set - 2004 version)
NeoNoks
Origin: Great Britain
Season 9

Zarana has been on my shortlist for a long time, & the 2004 Joecon version was my first choice to recreate the character due to her being more obscure. I've had several Dreadnoks in the works since 2020, long before working on this Zarana, but most of them have been put on hold due to waiting for the appropriate chosen heads to arrive. My brother's & I had the cuter Zarana (1st version 2nd release), & I remember specifically buying her at a local short-lived toy store called "Tons Of Toys" that was overpriced compared to most. Still, they had a great selection of back catalog & I remember getting her shortly after the '87 GI Joe Movie aired when I was getting lots & lots of Joes. I loved her appearance in the Movie, & if that topless scene would have stuck, that would have been something as a kid lol. Since then she has been a favorite among the 3 brothers, one of my brothers even recollected a set of minty o-ring Z-siblings. This build is a mix of MGR & Boss Fight parts topped off with a beautiful (& popular) hand-painted Spartan 1:18 head (colored to my specs), that I thought would look great for a modern Zarana!

MEDUSA was 2nd in the chain of command behind her elder brother who lead the DREADNOKS. Confident & strong-willed, many of her cohorts were surprised when she was finally seduced by the newcomer POSEIDON. During the Armageddon Wars the DREADNOK hierarchy fell apart, with MEDUSA'S leader-brother gone missing, & MEDUSA herself taken as a prisoner of war. But those who captured her did not use her completely as a prisoner, instead, they ran experiments of advanced cybernetics on her, & had her fight in MMA & Gladiatorial style fights in a ring that was later found to be based in Canada & operated by French upstarts. Her right eye & arms have all been modified & amped up for intense combat. When the raid happened on the Canadian holding site hosted by the military police, MEDUSA & her new partner BONECRUSHER managed to escape the officials & headed back to the USA to find her missing elder brother. After a long search & still coming up empty handed, MEDUSA decided that she was going to reclaim her right as the (now) NEO-NOKS leader & will challenge her ex-lover POSEIDON in combat to take over his role. She also feels that he left her to be captured in the past & seeks to find the truth of what really happened that day!

[Steel Brigade]

#295/X89. BONECRUSHER (based on Dreadnok Crusher from the Joecon Dreadnok Rampage Box Set - 2004 version)
NeoNoks
Origin: USA
Season 9

I really do love it when I can make a new figure just by jazzing-up a parts-bin build! When building Zarana I decided I wanted her to have a Dreadnok partner (story-wise) for her big great escape... & when going thru YoJoe for Dreadnoks, I discovered I could make an homage to Crusher with mostly just parts leftover from my bins! He finally came together with a few Boss Fight items added, & one of nicest painted Spartan 1:18th heads I have ordered yet!

BONECRUSHER is a former professional wrestler who ended up murdering another wrestler after he threw a match & then the deal went sour ...ruining his career. He lied low... waiting years for his trial, mostly working as a big-game hunter & melee weapons trainer... his preferred form of armed combat. Finally the authorities caught up, convicted him & put him in jail... He was later sold to a French crime syndicate during the "strange times" of the Armageddon War. The French were looking for formidable fighters to host experiments on... He avoided the experiments & instead became one of the challengers that the experiments would combat against to test their "improvements." One such fight lead him to engaging MEDUSA in battle. The two later formed a strong bond that some say is romantic. When the two were cut loose in the chaos that ensued from the military police raiding their French capture facility, BONECRUSHER swore loyalty to MEDUSA & has been her "muscle" ever since. Now the two seek to reclaim her right as head of the NEO-NOKS & BONECRUSHER will take on any opposition!

THE NEO-NOKS (formerly the DREADNOKS)
1. POSEIDON
2. ROAD KILL
3. SUKEBAN
4. BITTERSWEET (coming soon!)
5. THRASH METAL (coming soon!)
6. SCORCH (coming soon!)
*NEW RECRUITS!!*
7. MEDUSA
8. BONECRUSHER