[Yeet]

Bring it!

[nighthawk]

I think you can bring on the 1984 ones now.

[Goin' Commando]

Yes, bring on 84 so you can get to 85!

[jlw515]

Like that great chocalateer, Willy Wonka once said, "The anticipation is killing me!" LOL!

Jason

[shakka85]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goin' Commando

Yes, bring on 84 so you can get to 85!

Now wait a minute... Let's enjoy '84 before we start getting ahead of ourselves here! ;) I am really looking forward to this group, as '84 brought about some of my all-time favorite characters/figures! That being said, '85 was a very good year for Joe, too, so I'll enjoy them when he gets to them...

-Todd
Shakka85

[nighthawk]

84 has two of my favourites which are Ripcord and Blowtorch and HHFF is holding out...arghh...the wait is killing me.

[HissHissFangFan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nighthawk

84 has two of my favourites which are Ripcord and Blowtorch and HHFF is holding out...arghh...the wait is killing me.

Sorry guys, can't believe it's already Thursday. I realized early this week that I didn't have enough photos taken for a solid post. I'm shooting for late Friday night.

Nighthawk I will be very interested in your thoughts. In my research here for Blowtorch, I found a lot of your work very helpful, and know how special Blowtorch is to you. Feel free to be extra critical, as I have another pass of tweaks to him already in mind for the near future.

[nighthawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HissHissFangFan

Sorry guys, can't believe it's already Thursday. I realized early this week that I didn't have enough photos taken for a solid post. I'm shooting for late Friday night.

Nighthawk I will be very interested in your thoughts. In my research here for Blowtorch, I found a lot of your work very helpful, and know how special Blowtorch is to you. Feel free to be extra critical, as I have another pass of tweaks to him already in mind for the near future.

Thanks. That's high praise coming from you.

[biggs]

Bring 'em on! Your work is always top notch, and i always look forward to your updates.

[HissHissFangFan]

BLOWTORCH [1ST PASS]

2020-09-12_02-29-15 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

All (UNO): 2014 50th Blowtorch (Red & Yellow V4)
Lower Arms (and hands?) : 2014 50th Low-Light
Goggles: 2015 50th Hit & Run
Paints: Tamiya X-12 Gold Leaf, Testors British Crimson, Tamiya Chrome Silver

Never thought I be kicking off my 1984 restart with this one, mostly because the plan was to do only 3 others and leave the 50th tan+green version as my collection display figure, left untouched. Like many others, I thought the tan and green concept art-based version was preferred, though unveiled long after his glory days. Red+yellow had his time on my shelf prior to 2015, but the red+yellow combo was just to garish and made him stand out among the 80+ figures (and not in the good way). But since I was messing with some of the 1984 class this month, I decided to test out a little idea I had to bring him back closer to his original color scheme while toning him down more than the POC version was able to.


2020-09-12_02-29-54 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

The simple idea was to switch out the yellow for a yellowish gold. It worked for Iron Man (comics, movie, figures), why not here? It’s also an idea I look to implement on Marvel Legends X-Men figures having just recently completed 90s Blue and Gold teams (though I could definitely use a new Banshee). I did some early test painting and photos while my other 84 guys were still being flesh painted, and thought it looked good enough to go full steam ahead with a full update to tweak some other things.


2020-09-12_02-29-34 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

[I didn’t get a vintage Blowtorch until 2012 or so, when a bought a loose incomplete version solely to swipe is head for Steeler when I was working on my tweaked vintage OG13 collection. His neck piece was modified for the OG13 vintage body—that’s why it looks really wonky in the photo above. I also have another POC Blowtorch, with the toned done red+yellow on the way from ebay. I’ll add the 5-version photo when that comes in].

Comparing the 3 figures above, the original 25th Blowtorch is definitely more accurate to the colors scheme and hues of the vintage figure. And though I usually strive for more accuracy in customs/tweaks, this is a case where I needed to find a good compromise between accuracy and acceptability for my updated version. One thing I did try to do was get a better red to gold/yellow balance to the update, as I though the 25th Blowtorch’s didn’t have enough red parts and the yellow side dominates too much on the original 25th. I sanded down the torso’s chest pockets and shoulders to lower the chest armor--to try and hide the yellow belly--, and then ended up painting the belt red.


2020-09-12_02-30-28 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

The big lower arm pads in red helped the color balance as well—but the main reason for the switch in arms was to fix those awful pre-posed hands. I had forgotten how bad they were, as I never really played with the figure—just threw him in the shelf collection and snapped his flamethrower onto his backpack to avoid further frustration. These switched arms have good bulk to match the rest of the original figure while still allowing him to do two-handed grips (helped out by the ball-hinged hands). The pad texture doesn’t really match the rest of the body, but is not too distracting. I do have ideas on tweaking these for a better match in a future pass on this guy


2020-09-12_02-31-05 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

For a two-handed grip with the flamethrower and buttstock tucked under the arm (to match the original cardback art), I thought I’d have to use the more flexible vintage flamethrower. But after futzing with it more, I am able to that grip to work with my figure using the modern flamethrower (was not realizing expecting that to work!). Upper arms have been modified with cuts to the arms molds at the lower front joint for a bend angle larger than shown.


2020-09-12_02-31-42 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

Another tweak to the figure to help posing was to swap the lower legs, since one leg was much longer than the other, making him hard to stand straight. Shout out to nighthawk for that gem, a simple fix compared to a few nights of boiling and dremeling and cutting and hot gluing! Swapping the feet was difficult, as the legs are difficult to heat up for enough softness and the inserting foot pegs are larger than most. My unmodified 25th in pics above also have the lower legs swapped, but feet weren’t swapped—it doesn’t look like there is much difference. I may change the feet in the future on my update or at least repaint, but for now I don’t want to touch those things given the pain it was to swap them (plus I may have permanently ruined the tightness of the hinge joint in the process).


2020-09-12_02-31-15 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

The last big tweak, which I wouldn’t consider a “fix” just yet, is the additional of the googles. As I was looking for something to do with the helmet and mask, I saw this idea on a custom at JoeCustoms.com. I was more interested in ideas for the little side lights on his helmet (maybe on my second pass), but I liked how the goggles made the whole mask/helmet more bulky and busier than the 25th. It was also a good sure way to hide that tab at the goggles that is supposed to slip under the helmet. I think there a better fitting and sculpted ones out there, which I plan to try for my second pass. Scroll back above on the composite pic (left) to see him without the goggles. I wouldn’t mind some additional feedback on the goggle look.


2020-09-12_02-31-52 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr

I was pleasantly surprised with this updated Blowtorch. Colorwise he blends in with the rest of the collection better, while staying reasonably close to the vintage look. And he can hold his weapon as well as any figure. Plus, he can stand straight! He also looks with my earlier 84 updated figures, and with my upcoming 84 updated figures based on additional early test shots. Hard to say which is my own 84 update favorite, but out of all them, I’d say Blowtorch is the most improved.


2020-09-12_02-30-49 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr


2020-09-12_02-32-01 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr


PhotoGrid_1599374066028~3 by HissHissFangFang, on Flickr