[A.V.A.C.]

Hey SB, I love that Cobra Commander! I wondered what you were going to use that for, the blue color looks great!

[LEEE777]

Steel bro, you’ve been busy! :P

First off, thanks for the YouTube fan movie link! ;) Your War Machine figures are friggin’ awesome, Supreme Commander looks such a hard azz and Ranger, Saboteur, top-notch, all of ‘em are! Love the back drops you use too if I didn’t say that before?

Ha, when I think War MachineI think of War Machine at Marvel Comics, yeah its the Marvel in-breaded in me lol... and I bet everyone thought I was just a DC fan lol? Coz of the Lobo pic

Btw, that ASP Trooper, gotta be my fav this time round, he looks badass ;) looking forward to what u pop up next dude!

[Steel Brigade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.V.A.C.

Hey SB, I love that Cobra Commander! I wondered what you were going to use that for, the blue color looks great!

Thanks partner! It really compliments the overall look of the figure! I can't tell you how happy I am about how that all came together... you have my highest praise as always for the final touch!

Quote:

Originally Posted by LEEE777

Steel bro, you’ve been busy! :P
First off, thanks for the YouTube fan movie link! ;) Your War Machine figures are friggin’ awesome, Supreme Commander looks such a hard azz and Ranger, Saboteur, top-notch, all of ‘em are! Love the back drops you use too if I didn’t say that before?
Ha, when I think War MachineI think of War Machine at Marvel Comics, yeah its the Marvel in-breaded in me lol... and I bet everyone thought I was just a DC fan lol? Coz of the Lobo pic
Btw, that ASP Trooper, gotta be my fav this time round, he looks badass ;) looking forward to what u pop up next dude!

Thanks & you're welcome bro! No I don't think you have mentioned liking the backgrounds before, I really dig them myself, & plan on collecting more of them in the future lol. Glad you like the "War Machine" figures, there are more to come!!!

Might even be ready for a new batch this weekend????? 乁( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡ °)ㄏ

[LEEE777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steel Brigade

Thanks partner! It really compliments the overall look of the figure! I can't tell you how happy I am about how that all came together... you have my highest praise as always for the final touch!





Thanks & you're welcome bro! No I don't think you have mentioned liking the backgrounds before, I really dig them myself, & plan on collecting more of them in the future lol. Glad you like the "War Machine" figures, there are more to come!!!

Might even be ready for a new batch this weekend????? 乁( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡ °)ㄏ

Steel, sweet m’man! ;) yeah that War Machine trailer, never seen that before, probably gonna check out the actual movie they did sometime this weekend, looks kinda fun.

[Steel Brigade]

NEW RECRUITS!!!!!
*Featuring both SPARTAN 1:18 custom heads & AVAC'S LAB custom accessories!

#246/X51. FLY WHEELS (based on GI Joe Crankcase)
Marauder Task Force
Origin: USA
Season 8

Ah Crankcase... had him from the 6 driver mail-away offer back when we were kids, so always had a liking for this guy & his amazing A.W.E. Striker vehicle that we obtained later in time. Other than showing up recently in GI Joe Retro right out the gate, he usually gets shortchanged in media. I had him on my "Parts Bin Build" list as I knew I had some of the key ingredients to make him, but stalled on a final build due to finding a concoction I liked. Then one day I get motivated to see how the bigger WWII web gear fit over the Trooper gear and finally devised a good build for him! In this case taking visual ques from both the ARAH, & 25th versions to create a type of "Ultimate Version." As much as I like to fill every port on all of my MTF builds with stuff, the harness/vest combo I did to achieve the ~Crankcase look~ does not allow to favorably put things in the ports... so for this one we have a more streamlined look...

FLY WHEELS grew up as an expert street racer & as an expert for getting into trouble... before someone made him find his way to the military to put his "mad skillz" to work & keep him from ending up behind bars. He always volunteered to drive what ever was fast & what ever was rugged. After the Armageddon Wars he found assignment with the MTF & became one of their "Outriders." Guys who ride the wastelands looking to make sure the enemy isn't coming their way for the more civilized areas. The world is thriving with evil & unbalance, and FLY WHEELS acts as a all-terrain speedster on the open dusty roads looking to get the word back to the good guys when darkness rises!

[Steel Brigade]

#247/X52. NORTH AGENT X (based on Black Major Customs North Agent X/Canadian Joe Con exclusive Shiver)
Independent
Origin: Canada
Season 8

I've known about "Black Major" custom ARAH style-Joes for years but have never bought any. Then one day when perusing them on ebay I saw a few that I thought would be cool to translate into MTF figure form, and the first of them has arrived! Based on their "Cobra North Agent X" build, I recreated what I think is a faithful representation, right down to having the very same machete lol. Fun easy to do build & another deep dive!

The NORTH AGENT X is based somewhere in Canada & is known as a mystery man specializing in exotic animals. In a recent dark web broadcast he caught the attention of POSEIDON, (the NEO-NOKS leader after his rise to power & his growing collection of "strange things") when he advertised selling a live saber tooth cat! Thought of as extinct for millions of years, the new world after the Armageddon War has changed mother nature itself, and this may be the discovery of a new species or a radioactive one-off. Whatever the situation, POSEIDON wants the beast for his collection. NORTH AGENT X will be bringing the mystery creature for an in-person high-money purchase with POSEIDON & his small team of "hired guns" to meet at a Canadian rendezvous point for pick up...

OPERATION: WHITE FANG
1. NORTH AGENT X
2. POSEIDON (Operation: White Fang version)
3. SAPPER (Operation: White Fang version) (coming soon!)
4. WRATH ICE TROOPER (coming 2021!)

[Steel Brigade]

#248/X53. POSEIDON (OPERATION: WHITE FANG VERSION) (based on DTC Monkey Wrench '06)
Dreadnoks/Neo-Noks
Operation: White Fang version/Version 2
Origin: North Wales
Season 8

When I was planning on recreating Monkey Wrench version 1, I also planned on doing Monkey Wrench version 2, and they were co-created around the same time using the MTF "Theo" head-pack over a couple orders. Having the 1st Monkey Wrench debut I held this one back for a few waves & developed a new story-line based on a more cold weather-look. I had a different jacket for him initially (that didn't work out) & then changed it to this soft goods trench coat from the "Kyle Reese" Terminator Reaction figure from Super7. Another way to try to increase my tool kit for building figures is to test some nice fitting soft goods. I liked this jacket so much I bought some more for other future planned MTF figures lol! The sticker on the chest is from Toyhax and the rest is classic MGR!

Now in charge of the newly formed NEO-NOKS, POSEIDON has been indulging in ways never seen before by his comrades. The newly crowned "King of the Neo-Noks" has been using his new found power to accumulate a collection of wealth & rarities... money, weapons, electronics, art, artifacts, & anything deemed worthy of the "New King." But upon hearing about a live Saber Tooth cat being sold on the dark web, POSEIDON saw this as an ultimate showcase of power, to have this rumored extinct creature in his possession. On his 'Noks team, he only truly trusts his lover BITTERSWEET, as he thinks the other 'Noks will try to foil him at some point, just as they tried with their prior (now missing) leader. So he hired the well known WRATH employed saboteur SAPPER & a few WRATH ICE TROOPERS stationed up north to join him on his quest in meeting the NORTH AGENT X to obtain the big cat. ATHENA and her OPERATION: ICE AGE Team have their own plans when the rendezvous occurs, thus deepening POSEIDON'S hatred for her even more for trying to interfere with his black market high-end purchase!

OPERATION: WHITE FANG
1. NORTH AGENT X
2. POSEIDON (Operation: White Fang version)
3. SAPPER (Operation: White Fang version) (coming soon!)
4. WRATH ICE TROOPER (coming 2021!)

[Steel Brigade]

#249. SPIRAL (ARMED TARGET VERSION) (based on Helix, in the EA G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra video game - version 1 colors)
Marauder Task Force
Armed Target Version/Version 2
Origin: USA
Season 6

Long time Tank members might remember that Agent Helix is my all-time favorite ROC-era Joe. And I especially loved it when the concept art was shown for her that had her in a red & tan coloration for the EA ROC game (that she was initially created for.) I was hopeful that the Joe Club would do this color variant back when they were kicking (as an exclusive of some sort), & even mentioned it to insiders... but it apparently wasn't on their radar. When I started doing MTF figures, I knew Helix was going to be a part of it & did a IDW camo-costume homage as my first version, but still longed to do that red version that never made it out there. When MGR announced that new female heads were coming, I was inspired again & came up with my "red" build for her over summer 2020, & had her "waiting in the wings" thinking that one of the new MGR heads would be suitable to complete her. As time rolled on & the new heads kept being delayed, I found my enthusiasm for using one of those MGR upcoming heads for Helix had diminished, & I needed to start thinking outside the box. When searching for new ways to "Level Up" my MTF Figures after the 200 mark, one of my discoveries was the incredible SPARTAN 1:18! Artist Ervey does amazing detailed work & I was impressed with what I saw online... so I put in orders for a few heads (hoping for the best) with specific directions for what I was looking for. And what I got WAS-the-BEST. The heads all turned out beautiful & really gave this figure (& some more) a totally fresh artistic feel. Finally the Helix I have always wanted to create was here, complimented perfectly by a Helix appropriate custom hand-painted head! ...Love this one! And HUGE thanks to SPARTAN 1:18!

SPIRAL is part of SGT. SLATE'S "Elite 5" that also includes MGR members KANAGAWA & PIPELINE. The Elite 5 are his "go to" squad that he takes on every special mission to make sure he has a 100% success rate and SPIRAL is his star player. Lovingly referred to as his "Test Tube Baby," SPIRAL is considered a genius, she is a master marksmen, acrobat, & martial artist, who has studied various fighting styles throughout the world since her youth, & is able to mimic any fighting technique during combat at an expert level just by engaging the opposition. On this mission, she is to leave the Mobile Transport and draw the enemy GUNRUNNERS firepower away from the transport while taking out as many of the adversaries as possible. She likes to keep a record of her kills, by sticking band-aids in the form of X's on her quarters (already) latex covered walls...





Artwork by me (2010):

[Steel Brigade]

#250/X54. SUKEBAN
Dreadnoks/Neo-Noks
Origin: Japan
Season 8
*250 Figures Milestone!*

Those who are in my inner circle know that I collect large amounts of movies from Japan. I love collecting "Pinky Violence" movies from the 70's to today, & among my favorite sub-genres is the "Sukeban" (or Girl Boss/Delinquent Girl) genre. Sukeban are violent schoolgirls with strict gang codes, beautiful brawlers in cute outfits, teens with concealed weapons - and perfect fodder for C-grade lurid films. I have easily one of the largest collections of these films from Japan in my possession in North America... in fact, I would love to see collections anywhere that could rival mine lol. When conjuring the idea of adding the Dreadnoks/Neo Noks to the Maraudergeddon story line, I knew I wanted to make at least one original character, & with all the sukeban/yanki movies I watch, this Japanese type of gang girl, seemed like the perfect match! But in order to achieve the right look, I would need to upgrade my MGR body base with a few key add-ons. AVAC'S LAB once again MASTERFULLY provided what I was looking for with the torn stylized ROC Baroness skirt (that emulates the often long skirts worn by Sukeban), & the sailor fuku scarf, both cast in the colors I wanted for another perfect fit! As I wanted this one to be extra special, I complimented this build with another STUNNING hand painted head cast from SPARTAN 1:18! I feel like this one is a true unannounced "Artisan" collaboration between myself, Coby, & Ervey... to create a figure representation that is really near and dear to me! Thanks guys!

After the Armageddon War, Japan was announced to be sinking from the repercussions of battle. Leaving it's citizens the choice of leaving their proud nation or succumbing to the lawless times that lie ahead. Much of their youth experienced low morale, and ditched schooling to join Yakuza, Ninja upstarts, and rising gangs. Females, were often refused for actual work within these organizations, & were usually used for only entertainment purposes. The solution to their dilemma was that some women decided to create their own all-female gangs. They engaged in petty crimes & brawled with each other, but adhered to a strict code of justice & viewed themselves as anti-heroes. The gangs were hierarchical, with leaders called "Sukeban" (or Girl Boss), and had a system of punishments for breaking the rules. This system, called “lynching,” involved several levels of punishment from cigarette burns to being brutally beaten with bats, lead pipes or whips. One of the prominent girl gang leaders known as "SAKURA THE SHARK" lost her gang to a battle with the BLOOD NINJA over turf, spared but humiliated, she found her way to the United States and asked to join the infamous NEO NOKS in hopes to go back to Japan & gain revenge. The NOKS accepted her and renamed her "SUKEBAN" after her former gang leader role & she is now the angry lip-service of the group that no one will listen to despite all of her contributions to their cause. ROAD KILL often likes to head-butt her into unconsciousness when she gets riled up, while BITTERSWEET sees SUKEBAN as her little "Japanese Yankee-flavored lieutenant... " with her schoolgirl-style & 2010 cell phone." POSEIDON has promised her retributions in Japan (if they ever get there), but is hoping it will all just sink & she will eventually just STFU.

THE DREADNOKS (NEO-NOKS)
1. POSEIDON
2. ROAD KILL
3. SUKEBAN
4. BITTERSWEET (coming soon!)
5. THRASH METAL (coming soon!)
6. SCORCH (coming soon!)




Some of my Sukeban DVD collection...lol

[Mr Hebime]

SB! Me and Itch were just talking about you. And BOOM, you drop another round of great customs. My favorites from this batch are Spiral and Sukeban, who definitely reminds me of Saya from Blood: The Last Vampire and Blood+.