Building your MARINES - CORRECTLY

[jkidd41011]

Okay I read through a good portion of the thread last night, including the last 10 pages since that was more relevant to now then the figures post release. My biggest question would be what items that are available now could be used since original parts are rare and extremely expensive? Would you really use a modified Vietnam helmet when the new combat helmets are essentially what they were trying to create when the movie came out almost 30 years ago?

 

[bigbisont]

Okay I read through a good portion of the thread last night, including the last 10 pages since that was more relevant to now then the figures post release. My biggest question would be what items that are available now could be used since original parts are rare and extremely expensive? Would you really use a modified Vietnam helmet when the new combat helmets are essentially what they were trying to create when the movie came out almost 30 years ago?

Depends what your goal is for the figure. There are some nice custom "expanded universe" style figures where updates are made using more modern/futuristic gear. Many of the expanded universe subjects have also gone that route. Particularly video games (the 2010 Rebellion AvP game in particular did some pretty drastic updates) and even some simplified yet idealized art from the comics. It may not be 'canon' but there is certainly precedent for tweaking the gear and still having a highly recognizable "colonial marine".

Just be certain you are making the figure to make yourself happy. If approval from others is what you wanted, you may find a slightly colder reception from the die-hards. To many, nothing except 'screen accurate' matters. Personally I love EU and look forward to seeing what you come up with.

 

[olbertfrog]

I have an Apone for sale or trade if anyone interested, pm me

 

[jkidd41011]

Depends what your goal is for the figure. There are some nice custom "expanded universe" style figures where updates are made using more modern/futuristic gear. Many of the expanded universe subjects have also gone that route. Particularly video games (the 2010 Rebellion AvP game in particular did some pretty drastic updates) and even some simplified yet idealized art from the comics. It may not be 'canon' but there is certainly precedent for tweaking the gear and still having a highly recognizable "colonial marine".

Just be certain you are making the figure to make yourself happy. If approval from others is what you wanted, you may find a slightly colder reception from the die-hards. To many, nothing except 'screen accurate' matters. Personally I love EU and look forward to seeing what you come up with.

I did find the amount of attention to detail of the movie mind blowing. I like to get my figures as accurate and detailed as possible. Some of the folks on here made me feel like I'm still doing 21C stuff.

I like the idea of looking at the EU stuff. My son has the Colonial Marines video game.

 

[MADREX]

OK, I've got some sweet USCM updated today and let me share it with your. :3

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Paxton thread:
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Bishop thread:
https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5744577&postcount=228

This is a fantastic Hudson! Where did you get this head sculpt?

I saw this one on eBay. Did anyone else buy it? If so, does it look good in person?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-6-Custom-Head-of-Bill-Paxton-as-Pvt-Hudson-from-Aliens-/121766453573?hash=item1c59d8a145:g:E9MAAOSwrklVdcmJ

 

[Ironman1188]

Thats a Snyder Hudson.
Thepoppotoys on ebay also makes an excellent Hudson. And for only $25

 

[MADREX]

Thats a Snyder Hudson.
Thepoppotoys on ebay also makes an excellent Hudson. And for only $25

Poppo Toys heads look great too but are not painted sadly. I wish I was better with a paint brush. I own an unpainted Hudson head already and its been sitting in the box for years lol Next time Im gunna be sure to buy an already painted head. I own this one unpainted, but seeing it painted its not as close as this new one -->

Was V-Raptors Hudson the Snyder version? I wanna see this thing before i spend $150 on it

What one looks better in person? Hair back and clean or messy hair and dirty and sweaty?

 

[Ironman1188]

Martin Hillard(?) can usually offer Poppo heads painted for $75
Just check with Bill(poppo) when/if you order and he should be able to set it up.

 

[kam veitch]

I am bit late to the game but I just got a complete Hicks, and I am working on a custom one. I am reading this thread and all I can say is amazing job guys, for the tips and the projects. Hope I can post some pics soon.

 

[Space Jockey]

I re-uploaded some old pics from Page 78 that were missing from an old USCM armor painting tutorial I did if it'll help, I noticed they went missing. Go back to that page to see the additional pics with the tutorial.

 

[Space Jockey]

More pics from a few years ago...

 

[kam veitch]

They are old figures, but the helmet, weapons, armor and clothes are still usable and with the proper custom work they look as amazing as yours. Great work!!

 

[kam veitch]

Just got it. An all I can say is that I am blown away by the quality of the materials and specially the armour.

any tips on how to make hicks uniform more accurate. I read somethng about a tea spoon of bleach but I dont know how to proceed.

 

[Space Jockey]

Not sure on the bleach. I didn't fade the ones on mine, just dirtied them up, so cannot help here unfortunately.

The armor on the figures are superb. Just the colorwork and camo on it that needs customizing.

 

[kam veitch]

Well, got, Hicks and Hudson, and SnyderMan´s sculpts and now I am working on them.
Also bought new boots and found that with the Hot Toys Star Wars bases and Chewbacca or Han Solo´s Millenium Falcon headset (repainted), they will look cool.

Did you guys change Hudson´s helmet cover for other one?

 

[olbertfrog]

Was really happy to see that headset released with Han and Chewie.
I really hope they Will release new version of some of the marines.
I got me an apone with hopes to customize it into a hicks but too much work.

 

[bigbisont]

Well, got, Hicks and Hudson, and SnyderMan´s sculpts and now I am working on them.
Also bought new boots and found that with the Hot Toys Star Wars bases and Chewbacca or Han Solo´s Millenium Falcon headset (repainted), they will look cool.

Did you guys change Hudson´s helmet cover for other one?

Excellent pickups. I tried to scoop up the headsets as well, but they mysteriously vanished in the post. Track# said they were delivered, but I know for a fact they werent. I don't have much of a claim...

I have been eyeballing those star wars bases for a while too, but I can't bring myself to buy the 13 of them I would need!
(fun fact, exact same 'found' prop made the death star and colony floors. That is why they look so good).

What is the "other" cover you are referring to for Hudson?

 

[kam veitch]

Excellent pickups. I tried to scoop up the headsets as well, but they mysteriously vanished in the post. Track# said they were delivered, but I know for a fact they werent. I don't have much of a claim...

I have been eyeballing those star wars bases for a while too, but I can't bring myself to buy the 13 of them I would need!
(fun fact, exact same 'found' prop made the death star and colony floors. That is why they look so good).

What is the "other" cover you are referring to for Hudson?

About Hudsons helmet cover, maybe I didnt explain well, if you guys are using other fabric helmet covers from other figures in the market, or the one he comes with? I say it because hot toys fabric comes sewed in three parts and it looks ugly compared to the real one.

 

[Space Jockey]

About Hudsons helmet cover, maybe I didnt explain well, if you guys are using other fabric helmet covers from other figures in the market, or the one he comes with? I say it because hot toys fabric comes sewed in three parts and it looks ugly compared to the real one.

Personally on my Hudson I used the helmet cover it came with. I just took it off, added superglue to the helmet and put the cover back on gluing it bit by bit so it was all stuck close to the helmet. This prevented it from raising up in weird areas.

Though I think going from memory the seam lines for the screen-used helmet covers were indeed different (just one going down the middle front to back). Bigbisont would probably know more about that than I.

 

[bigbisont]

In the real ones, there is indeed a single seem down the middle (or slightly off center depending how hard they pulled)
The pattern was supposedly copied from the 'Mitchell' pattern covers used in 'nam.

For my Hudson I did use the default one.


It isn't great and keeps riding up, but its passable. One day I may glue it down.


For my Dietrich, however, I did scratch build one using nothing more than 'liquid stitch' and the scraps from cutting off sleeves from the 'knock-off' BDUs that were floating around ebay a while.

I was real happy with this and always meant to go back and make more...