Thursday 15 June 2017

"He's Not Your Typical Werewolf."

"A werewolf? How effective is that? Full Moon's what, twice a month?"
This 28mm scale plastic model of the “Marvel Worldwide” character Warwolf was kit-bashed together using the top half of a "Mage Knight" Feral Werewolf, a "Games Workshop" powerfist and the legs of a "Heroclix" S.H.I.E.L.D. Trooper. The conversion piece initially looked rather top-heavy, so after pinning the lycanthrope’s torso to his legs, I used some grey-stuff to make the waist fill out a little more smoothly. In addition, I 'bulked up' the area by cutting off the figure's original waist pouch and replaced it with a number of larger bags and grenades, courtesy of a "Warhammer 40K" Cadian Trooper sprue.

I actually began building this ‘Forgotten Hero’ for last year’s challenge, as I wanted to ‘convert’ a number of "Wizkids" figures into some of the lesser known members of the "Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D."; a sadly short-lived comic book series which depicted the escapades of a top secret division of operatives who "defend the world against super human threats too dangerous for normal men." Created by Richard Buckler in 2005, Martin Reyna is the leader of Area Thirteen's S.T.A.K.E. team, and received the codename Warwolf due to the Gene Package embedded on his right mechanical arm which can be used to transform him into a werewolf.
Deck Hatch WIPs - This doorway will eventually lead to the 300 year-old starship Warden
The miniature was initially primed “Vallejo” White, with its furry torso and head receiving a coat of Heavy Sienna. I then began tidying up and highlighting all the figure’s pouches, as well as his boots and belt with Pale Grey. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent’s distinctive blue uniform was painted using a combination of Heavy Blue and “Citadel” Drakenhof Nightshade (with some Asurmen Blue too).

I tackled Reyna’s fur by washing it with “The Army Painter” Heavy Strong Tone Quickshade and dry-brushing it with more “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna. Ordinarily, I’m perfectly satisfied with this finish, but on this occasion thought a light highlight of Heavy Brown over the werewolf’s head and claws would help bring out the figure’s finer detail in these areas.
Killer Frost WIPs - A nice straightforward case of white undercoat, blue wash and white dry-brush
Disconcertingly, I then faced a similar dilemma with Warwolf’s jagged teeth and mouth. The anti-hero’s open jaws are full of teeth, tongue and slobbering lips, as well as a roof which has lots of delicate tissue ridges sculpted upon it. However, I felt that if I painted the inside of the palate red, then that would clash with Martin’s lolling tongue and simply make the entire snout look far too busy. As a result I simply ‘brushed’ all the fangs with “Vallejo” White and a dab of “The Army Painter” Heavy Strong Tone Quickshade, whilst ‘picking out’ his tongue with “Vallejo” Heavy Red and “Citadel” Carroburg Crimson.

With this week’s submission to “Forgotten Heroes” completed I have managed to spend a little time working on a simple objective marker I plan to use for my opening game of James M. Ward’s “Metamorphosis Alpha”. This rusty resin (spacecraft) deck hatch is by “Second City Games”, and once finished will be flocked with snow ready for my unsuspecting winter-clothed "Dungeons And Dragons" party to negotiate and unlock…
The Zygons attempt to stop the Daleks from activating a stellar converter and destroying the Earth
Finally, as something of a straightforward distraction, I have primed, washed and dry-brushed a rather simplistic-looking sculpt of the "DC Comics" super-villain, Killer Frost. Destined to be given a snow-flocked base, this pre-coloured plastic "Wizkids" miniature of Doctor Crystal Frost will ultimately be used as the perfect "foil for Firestorm", once I've actually gotten round to painting up a "Heroclix" miniature of the Nuclear Man himself. 

48 comments:

  1. Meant as a compliment..... That hatch cover looks really grotty! (Well done)

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    1. And taken as a compliment, Clint. Thanks very much :-)

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  2. The Warwolf looks ace - well done. :)

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    1. Cheers Leon. I think he was worth the effort. Looking forward to seeing how your "Forgotten hero", White Tiger, is coming along :-)

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  3. The warwolf looks great Simon, the entrance looks suitably old and rusted and will add to the atmosphere. killer Frost looks good but could do with some details in the face maybe an ice blue colour around the lips and eyes, or maybe a darker blue to stand out

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    1. Thanks Dave. Are you sure you haven't got a camera in my painting room, as some extra washes etc were indeed the next steps in Killer Frost's 'evolution'!?! :-)

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    2. Sorry mate will turn the psychic link off ! LOL

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    3. Don't you dare!! I've put plenty of your top paintbrush tips to use. You need to keep them coming :-)

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    4. will do mate, hope you still get to do your tour of the country, and we can spend a day chilling and painting

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    5. Next time we meet I certainly plan to spend plenty of time watching you with a paintbrush, Dave. Having seen your stuff in the flesh at "Salute" your site photos really don't do them any justice at all. Your skill will feathers and scales seems particularly impressive :-)

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    6. Cheers mate, always trying new things. It does mean when I've got my style sorted I have to change it up again, but does mean it's always a fresh challenge and keeps it exciting

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    7. "Always trying new things" - and tempting me away from my current projects and on to others as a result!! You still looking to come down to Bovington? It'd be nice to say "Hello" again and pick up some Fur tents and sci-fi scenery for my "Metamorphosis Alpha" project.

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    8. Will definitely be at Bovington, send me an email of what you want and I'll make sure it's kept to one side for you. Will be great to catch up and wont be as rushed as Salute

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    9. Will do. You certainly were a busy man at Salute :-)

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    10. That I was, was very tired by the time I got home

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  4. Love Warwolf. And the work on Killer Frost is good, too.

    Here's hoping you get the correct outcome in the upcoming Dr Who game!

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    1. Cheers Roy. I can certainly assure you that the Cybermen won't be winning my next "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" BatRep ;-)

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    2. Bovington. That your neck of the woods, then? I was at the first ever show they had but never been back since. Far easier for me to come along to the Tank Museum than London. I might meet you in the flesh one day :)

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    3. Sounds very good to me, Roy. I could even sign that copy of "The Misadventures Of Gnatman & Dobbin" for you, that you own ;-)

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  5. its interesting to have seen Warwolf evolved from WIP to completion. "Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D." are great, I especially like the way they were show on the Agent Carter series. Nice conversion Simon. Killer Frost is a project I need to do myself some time: though yours is coming along nicely I see.

    Prize of the day must go to the hatchway to starship Warden. Its just amazingly well made.

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    1. Thanks Hils. Warwolf has turned out far better than I expected. The hatchway is a lovely little piece of resin, imho, and I hope the orange rust will really 'mark it out' on the tabletop when its flocked with snow - it'll then be able to double as the entranceway to the submarine "Tigerfish" for some "Ice Station Zebra" games I have planned ;-)

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    2. Ice Staton Zebra, mmmmm now THAT`S a nice idea.

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    3. Yeah, I wrote a "Savage Worlds" campaign for "Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy", entitled "Snow Station Stripey Horse", which sadly never saw print as they thought my models were too sci-fi for it and never commissioned someone to paint the ones they liked. It'd be nice to dig that out and give it an audience...

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    4. Ooo, that sounds interesting.

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    5. I thought so, but as I say it joined "Where Zombies Dare" as unpublished articles, so I didn't bother with any more submission. You only get paid for the printed ones...

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  6. Good progress all round Sir. Now where's Manphibian?

    Re-posted to FH site

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Cheers Roger, it's good to see Warwolf finally finished and on the official "Forgotten Heroes" website :-)

      Man-who!?! ;-)

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  7. Warwolf is cool, Simon. Well worth the time you spent working on him. The hatch is nicely painted too. Not too sure about Killer Frost at present, as currently she looks like a ghost. Once your trademark gloss varnish is on her, I'm sure she'll look more 'icy'.

    And do my eyes deceive me or have you created some Zygon scenery items? And I've decided that I shall be rooting for the Zygons in your next batrep. Go Team Jellybaby!

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    1. Thanks very much Jez, and for inviting me back for a second year of "Forgotten Heroes"; much appreciated!! Killer Frost has a bit of work yet to do, but with my "trademark gloss varnish" and some snow flock I hope to have her tabletop worthy.

      Those pieces of "Mantic Games" scenery are part of a collection I'm still working on for a project you might not have heard of, its called "Doctor Who And The Seeds Of Doom" ;-)

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  8. I`ve decided I think I like Zygons, and yet I STILL havent met them yet in DW. Cant wait to see them, or Weeping Angels. Oh I feel such a newbie, seeing and learning all this stuff for the first time. Maybe They will be in series 3 and 4, which we are going to be watching next, its all very exciting for us really. And maybe its a blessing that this is all new to us. Everything seems big and scary and wonderful, all at the same time. Just lost Rose so Ooo who will be the next assistant I wonder.

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    1. I'm a big fan of the Zygons, Hils. I really do envy you not knowing about "Doctor Who" as I still remember my own excitement at discovering his previous adventures, and all the books, shows etc I needed to catch up on. Great days :-)

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    2. I tell ya, it feels amazing. Sure, I watched the show avidly as a kid but that`s all really, and I have watched some (not many) of the new Who... the odd disjointed episode here and there, but other than that, I`m in the same boat as Hils. Which is the ideal way for couples to get into a new project - i.e. both at the same time, and at the same level of innocence.

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    3. If you ever manage to bag a copy of "The Doctor Who Monster Book", published in 1975 by "Target Books", then that, alongside the novel of "Doctor Who And The Giant Robot", was where my real love of the Timelord started, Steve. The Monster Book is absolutely superb and is in effect an enormous tease as to the Doctor's past. I must dig mine out at some point...

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    4. I will hunt those titles down for sure, now you have put me onto it. Hils went and got me Doctor Who the Secret Lives of Monsters last week at the Outlook Centre (discount bookshop) by Justin Richards, which is really helping me learn all about things. Right now though I am amazed just how many free full audio novels there are available for free on You Tube. I have over a hundred hours of books downloaded already: and some are simply superbly read by multiple actors... sometimes even the actual actors from the show (I use YTD to download and save all my you tube stuff).

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    5. Yep. I'm a huge "Doctor Who" audio fan, Steve, especially "Big Finish"; who just so happen to also do "Blake's Seven" audio plays/books too :-)

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  9. very tasty Simon, looking good, l-o-o-k-i-n-g gooooooood.

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    1. Cheers Steve, got a lot to show at present, so I'm trying to give a flavour of all my projects every post :-)

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  10. Really nice offerings from Fantorical this week Simon. You have excellent yourself.

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    1. excelled}}

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    2. You're very kind, Tarot. Many thanks indeed :-)

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  11. Warwolf is superb Simon and I think the right call not to paint the inside of the mouth red, it would have been a shame to have detracted from that fabulous tongue!

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    1. Cheers Michael. I certainly think an all-red mouth would have been too busy imho. Glad to have got Warwolf finished after so long ;-)

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  12. Nice conversion he has turned out marvellous. Well done dude.

    Liking the hatch's the rust is looking very good. Whats you next step with it?

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    1. Thanks Simon. The hatch has been dry-brushed with some more "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey to blend in the rust, and then had some more watery rust applied. I've just got to flock it with some snow and it'll be done. Should be posted up next Wednesday, as I've already got my 'ducks in a row' for Monday's article :-)

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  13. Really looking forward to hearing and seeing more of your MA campaign!

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    1. Cheers Gordon. It won't be long now. I initially wanted to paint-up some barbarians for the game (and that still is my long-term plan). But in the meantime I'll be using a "Frostgrave" warband to face the perils of starship Warden :-)

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  14. Warwolf rocks! Great conversion. I love the top heavy torso.

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    1. Thanks very much Mark. I'm glad you like him, as I think he's turned out rather well; especially considering what he first looked like before the conversions etc.

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