"Flame On!"

"Not after my next fireball melts you down to size!"

This 28mm pre-painted plastic model of the Human Torch is by “Wizkids” and can be bought as number 049 from their “Heroclix” Marvel Clobberin’ Time range. Johnny Storm gained his super-powers on board a “spacecraft bombarded by cosmic rays” and as a result can “engulf his entire body in flames, fly, absorb fire harmlessly into his own body”, as well as “control any nearby fire by sheer force of will. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the human mutate first appeared in the November 1961 issue of “The Fantastic Four”.

As I wanted the majority of the miniature’s torso to be red in colour, similar to how he was drawn by Jack “King” Kirby, I initially undercoated it with “Vallejo” Heavy Red. The figure was then given a heavy wash of “Citadel” Carroburg Crimson before it was dry-brushed with more “Vallejo” Heavy Red. I picked out each of the Human Torch’s spurts of flame with a combination of Heavy Orange, “Citadel” Bloodletter, more “Vallejo” Heavy Orange and a final highlight of Heavy Ochre.

Spider-Man WIPs - Web-head just needs his eye lenses to be 'picked out' before being finished

 With the second of my “Dice Masters” inspired super-heroes completed, I have subsequently turned my attention to the third character referred to in the dice collecting game’s Avengers Verses X-Men rulebook tutorial, Spider-Man. As the Wall-crawler actually partners Johnny Storm in the pamphlet’s ‘opening battle’ I found myself rather enthused to get him finished, and as a result have quickly painted my “Heroclix” model of him in the Web-spinner’s famous red and blue costume.

"Heroclix" WIPs - Human Torch, Ace of Spades, Captain America and Iron Man

In addition to Peter Parker’s alter-ego I have also managed to make a little progress on my “Marvel Worldwide” mini-project by working on two more of the Avengers found within the “Dice Masters” Starter Set, Captain America and Iron Man. Both of these super-heroes still have some way to go before being finished. But once Steve Rogers is painted, I will at least be able to start re-enacting the rule-set’s opening confrontation on the tabletop… as the Sentinel of Liberty joins the Beast against Spidey and the Human Torch.

Lastly, having spotted a second Johnny Storm model in my “Wizkids” pre-painted collection, I have decided to try and paint an all-flame version of the Fantastic Four founding member, along with the rather formidably-sized Batman foe, Ace of Spades.