Aside from Johnny, Wulf and the Gronk (who won't be appearing in next summer's Strontium Dog game), I wanted and needed to create my own mutant bounty hunter. Again I sought some expert advice and was provided with the following brief:
- There is no set Strontium Dog uniform apart from the badge.
- Search/Destroy agents are comparatively wealthy (versus other mutants) and can have decent gear and outfits.
- The classic SD outfit is a tight bodysuit, accessorised with pads and other gear.
- Mutations are often bizarre / humourous, and often confer no or minimal benefit/abilities.
Armed with the above, I set about scouring the Citadel back catalogue in an attempt to track down a suitable base figure to turn into my SD agent. After much deliberation I settled on a rather obscure supervillain figure from Citadel's early 1980s Golden Heroes range.
The figure had a fun pose and the right sort of gear - I reckoned with a head swap and some adaptation, he would make a decent Strontium Dog.
I removed the figure from the integral base, and separated his hand from his leg to improve the balance of the pose. He got a new head (from that old faithful, the Gorkamorka Seeker) and then a selection of different pads, pouches and other new elements, including a nice new badge.
I painted up the figure to try and mimic some of the Strontium Dog artwork - bright comic-book colours and a two-tone outfit. Although it's not clear, I did paint the 'SD' symbol on his badge!
I named him Sourmouth Clancy because his shrunken, shrivelled mouth makes him look like he's been sucking on lemons - and that seemed like it would fit the 2000AD universe!
 |
| A pair of the finest Search/Destroy agents. |
I'll certainly be going back to the Golden Heroes range to see what other figures might be worth of adaptation!
 |
| Sourmouth Clancy takes down the dangerous criminal known as the Tiger of Bood. |
Nice job. Seemed bigger than I thought he was going to be in the comparison pic!
ReplyDeleteYeah, the Golden Heroes are pretty big for pre-slotta figures.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love this mini Jon!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom! Like Johnny Alpha, it's nice to do something a bit left-field from my usual stuff.
DeleteVery well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil!
DeleteLove it! I'm surprised at how well the GH range works with later stuff. I'd not seen it in a comparison shot before, so always assumed it was closer to earlier preslotta stuff. Looks like another potential range to plunder!
ReplyDeleteThanks Evo! There are some nice figures that are reasonably compatible with RT figures, assuming you can live with clunky sculpting and skinny legs!
DeleteI like where you are going with this cartoon/ comic theme. That SD table is going to be quite a sight.
ReplyDeleteIf feel like you're suggesting I make more! Thanks Sean.
DeleteThis fits right in the with Johnny Alphaverse. You're brave for painting such a vintage early figure in a bright yellow colour, where it exposes the imperfections in the sculpt and any damage to casting from the passing of decades – but you've pulled it off!
ReplyDeleteA dark colour might have been lower risk, but this was a pretty decent cast. Most of the casting issues were actually on the gloves, and I attempted to conceal them with some of the sculpted additions. Low quality is almost part of the charm of these early figures!
DeleteYou have honestly nailed the vibe so well with Sourmouth, that its the figure that I think of while pondering my own planned SD.
ReplyDeleteThe colours make it look like a character from a story from a mid-80s 2000AD annual.
That means a huge amount cheetor- tapping into your mental library of knowledge on the subject was a very important part of the process.
Delete