Action Figure Customs Blog

With the resurgence in interest in toy lines like Transformers, Star Wars, and GI Joe, the Thundercats are bound to be next right? Well, I am not sure of the future of a Thundercats comeback but I do know if it did happen, fans would be hitting the toy stores. Until then, boskoes brings us a special treat with his set of five Custom Marvel Legends Thundercats: Lion-O, Panthro, Cheetara, Tygra, & Mumm-Ra.

boskoes has this to say about his one of a kind custom set: "Up for grab is a custom set, of custom Marvel Legends style Thundercats. That's right, you get to pick the versions of these characters that you like best, (and we've done quite a few). The pictures in this auction are from our last commission job, and if you want your cat's just like them, then that's fine too. Meticulous attention to detail, custom packaging, an instant qualification for our collectors club, make this auction a great way to finally get your hands on these figures."

In case you have not watched the Thundercats in 20 years, here is a recap of these timeless characters:

Lion-O — The leader, and the hereditary ‘Lord’ of the ThunderCats. Initially he is a mere boy only twelve years old, but in making the trip to Third Earth he ages physically until he becomes an adult of twenty-four — this due to the suspension capsule diminishing but not altogether preventing aging. On Third Earth, much like his big-cat namesake, the lion, Lion-O has great strength, endurance and agility (as well as a headfull of hair). He also has the cunning and skills of a fighter, but because of his time in the capsule, he missed the experiences needed in growing up. Through his adventures, he gains this maturity while learning what it takes to become a true leader.

Panthro — The next noble in age and experience, based on the panther, this warrior is the chief mechanic/engineer and pilot for the ThunderCats. He’s also physically the strongest and is a cunning warrior in combat. With Tygra’s help, he builds all of the vehicles the ThunderCats use on Third Earth — including the ThunderTank, the Feliner and the ThunderClaw, ThunderStrike and HoverCat. A jovial soul, he’s also quick to lose his temper and has a paralyzing fear of bats and a dislike of spiders.

Cheetara — A female warrior , based on the cheetah, who is the only adult female ThunderCat (until the later appearance of Pumyra). She is as lovely as she is brave and caring. Often a voice of reason, she is also the bearer of a budding ‘sixth-sense’, detecting when something is unsafe or if evil is near. This precognitive sense also allows her to perceive visions — whether involuntary or by forcing herself — but this drains her and she may require days or weeks to recover.
She has incredible speed — once clocked at speeds of 120mph on a morning jog. She can only maintain this top speed for short distances, but with it she can move very fast in combat. Her weapon of choice is a battlestaff that can grow or shrink to variable lengths, with which she can vault or leap over enemies. When not in use, it is attached to the armband on her left arm.

Tygra — A staunch, level-headed warrior, based on the tiger, Tygra is known as the ThunderCat architect and scientist. As the eldest (after Jaga) he is the one Lion-O often turns to as second-in-command and for counsel. He is responsible for the design of all of the ThunderCat structures on Third Earth — Cat’s Lair and the Tower of Omens.
He is also gifted with ‘mind-power’ — the ability to create life-like illusions in other people’s minds; he used this for Lion-O’s Anointment Trial, but it puts a great strain on him. He uses a bolo-whip in combat, with which he can render himself invisible to the naked eye.


Mumm-Ra - The chief villain and antagonist against the ThunderCats, Mumm-Ra is the self-proclaimed "ever-living source of evil" on Third Earth, having powers of sorcery and an apparently unlimited lifespan. He is, in fact, a bound servant to the Ancient Spirits of Evil (represented by four anthropomorphic statues within the burial chamber of his pyramid), who provide him with increased power and virtual immortality to further his pursuit of spreading their dark influence throughout Third Earth.
Residing within the Black Pyramid amid the ruins of what appears to be an ancient Egyptian civilization, Mumm-Ra exists in a decayed, weakened form that must return to a stone sarcophagus to replenish his energy. When leaving the pyramid, he can summon the power to transform himself into a more vigorous form: Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living by reciting the following incantation:

“Ancient spirits of evil, transform this decayed form to Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living!”

While in this form, Mumm-Ra possesses superhuman strength, the ability to fly, as well as fortification of his mystical might — casting spells, throwing energy bolts, etc. — to battle his foes. He can also alter his physical form into a variety of alter-egos to deceive his enemies.
Seemingly invincible in whatever form he chooses, Mumm-Ra appears to have a singular weakness: seeing his own hideous reflection neutralizes his ability to remain outside the Black Pyramid and forces him to withdraw there in his emaciated mummy form. However, as the series progressed, the Ancient Spirits of Evil eventually overcame this shortcoming to make Mumm-Ra even more formidable.

These figures are available on eBay so check out boskoes' Custom Marvel Legends Thunder Cats - Lion-O, Panthro, Cheetara, Tygra, & Mumm-Ra! If you are hungry for more Custom Marvel Legends figures, go check out them out on eBay.

Labels: Cheetara, custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Custom Marvel Legends, Lion-O, Marvel Legends, Mumm-Ra, Panthro, Thundercats, Tygra

Today we are looking at Hoist, a Generation 1 Style Custom taken from the Longarm Transformers Movie figure. What a great idea! Take a vehicle that was used in the Transformers Movie to haul Bumblebee around and turn it into a G1 Classic. Using the recently released Longarm tow truck figure, strata32000 has created another Generation 1 masterpiece.

Hoist is another great figure from strata32000 (also see his G1 Skywarp too!). He explains more how he made him:

"Hoist was created from Longarm. Much like many of you hardcore Transformer fans I was very impressed with the blockbuster Transformers Movie this summer. I enjoyed the details of the robot modes best and like many customizers out there I decided to lend my own skills to create Transformable custom figures. When I saw Longarm I knew he had to be repainted in Hoist. It was just a no brainier. I took him apart, lightly sanded down the parts that moved/connected so that the figure could still transform without chipping and then masked all parts that I didn't want painted. I then let it dry a day before I tint the windows blue. In truck mode he resembles G-1 Hoist pretty well, just a regular work tow truck. But in robot mode look out! He looks like a brawler. Hoist looks like he can do some serious damage to any Decepticon that gets in his way. His guns is very detailed and is a large part of his killer new look. I very carefully masked off the Autobot symbol on Hoist's head. His face is well painted Now that Hoist is finished he needs his own package artwork. I updated his Longarm art in Photoshop. It now has a green face. It looks like it came off the shelf at any local department store. The package is in great condition. The bubble is clear and doesn't have any scuff marks on it. I wanted to produce an action figure that hopefully Hasbro, Dreamworks, and Paramount Pictures will want to put in the next Transformers movie. This has the potential of being a concept figure. I hope that all you collectors and hardcore fans enjoy this piece."


I think many collectors will enjoy this piece and they can find this Custom G1 Hoist on eBay. If you like this piece, head over to the Custom Transformers section on my ActionFigureCustoms site and check them all out.

Labels: custom, Custom Transformers, G1, Generation 1, Hoist, Transformers

One thing that Hasbro does to death are repaints! The G1 style repaints of Jazz and Starscream are just some example of how Hasbro can extend the life of their figures and give people a reason to come back to the stores.

Hot on the heals of the G1 releases comes this Custom G1 Skywarp made from the Voyager Class Movie Starscream mold. strata32000 goes on to talk more about his one of a kind custom:

"Skywarp was created from a Target exclusive version. Much like many of you hardcore Transformer fans I was very impressed with the blockbuster Transformers Movie this summer. I enjoyed the details of the robot modes best and like many customizers out there I decided to lend my own skills to create Transformable custom figures. When I saw Starscream I knew he had to be repainted in Skywarp. It was just a no brainier. I took him apart, lightly sanded down the parts that moved/connected so that the figure could still transform without chipping and then masked all parts that I didn't want painted. In jet mode he resembles G-1 Sktwarp pretty well, a great looking fighter jet. In robot mode he looks like he belongs in the next Transformers movie. Skywarp looks like he can do some serious damage to any Autobot that gets in his way. His guns arms are very detailed and is a large part of his killer new look. His face is well painted with chrome and his eye are blood red. Skywarp comes with is original box. I wanted to produce an action figure that hopefully Hasbro, Dreamworks, and Paramount Pictures will want to put in the next Transformers movie."

It is a real treat for Transformers fans when customizers do G1 repaints. Go check out strata32000's Custom Movie Transformers Skywarp and see how great this figure is. After you have done that, head over to ActionFigureCustoms.com and check out all of the other Custom Transformers.

Labels: custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Action Figures, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, customs, skywarp, Transformers, Voyager Class

Halo 3 for the XBOX 360 has to be the most anticipated release since the PlayStation 3 game system last November. I know this is going to sound strange but my wife brought home a brand new sealed Halo 3 game and we DO NOT have an XBOX 360 (how odd is that)! She is in the video game industry and received a copy as a compliment from Microsoft but I am a PC Gamer so we are giving it to our 14 year old nephew.

Labels: custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Custom Video Game Figures, Halo 3, Helmet, Master Chief

The new Star Wars movies, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, reinvigorated fans and gave us a reason to hit the toys stores again. With Hasbro producing gaggles of clones, the hunt was on for Army Building enthusiasts. Attack of the Clones introduced us to the origins of the Stormtroopers and Regenge of the Sith opened the door wide open for customizers to create their own special forces armies.

jbronson713 brings us his Star Wars Heavy Gunner Custom Clone Trooper. This custom is unlike anything I have seen before. Here are some details about this Heavy Gunner:

Labels: Clonetrooper, custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Heavy Gunner, Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars

Labels: 12", Cobra, Cobra Commander, custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Dragon, GI Joe, Sideshow Style

Frenzy is one of the Decepticons you love to hate in the Transformers Movie. His alternate mode is a silver GPX boombox (or a cell phone later in the movie) and his weapons include a small automatic weapon on each hand and CD-like throwing stars that fire out of his chest. His character is manic, and sometimes comedic. Constantly speaking in Cybertronian gibberish is what gives Frenzy a personality you will not forget. Despite his small size, making him useless against the Autobots, Frenzy proves irreplaceable to the Decepticons, single-handedly locating Allspark and freeing Megatron.

pairadocs-design captures the essence of this mechanical maniac with this Custom Frenzy! He goes on to say, "Frenzy was fixed up a bit from his original state... I added a bunch of extra pieces of "metal" detail, using styrene plastic to make him look more like the movie version. Also, I reworked his shoulder joints, adding movable ball-joints, so now his arms move in all directions, not just swiveling around like before! His gun-arm also swaps out, and his "throwing-star" still "ejects" from his chest too. I then painted him with high-grade, model quality acrylics - using several metallics, including a chrome finish... so he looks like a real metal robot!"

The articulation added to the figure and the realistic paint make this Frenzy one sought after Decepticon. I would invite everyone to check out this Custom Frenzy on eBay and track its progress! Also, go check out ActionFigureCustoms.com for the latest Transformers Customs on eBay!

Labels: Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Action Figures, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, Frenzy, Transformers, Transformers Movie, transformers movie customs, Transformers the Movie

One of my favorite parts of the Transformers Movie was when Barricade and Bumblebee are screaming down a stretch of road in hot pursuit of each other. You really get to know Barricade and his lack Frenzy as they hunt down Sam Witwicky to find the key to the Allspark cube, and ultimate power to rule the world! Relentless is one way to describe the pair and Jin brings this dynamic duo to life!

This week, Jin is back at it again with his Custom Barricade figure from the Transformers Movie. There are a few details to call out and Jin is one of those customizers that goes the extra mile to get a movie version that spot on. As Jin states in his auction, "This auction is for 6” tall custom Barricade figure with light-up lightbar, Frenzy, and removable Bladewheel weapon. He has multiple points of articulation, far too many for me to count so I’m not even going to try. This means you can pose Barricade in all sorts of awesome Autobot-battling poses and he’ll look great in every one. He transforms just like the store-bought one and changing his form around won’t affect the paint job at all. Instructions are included because let’s face it, these suckers are like skill-puzzles! This custom has been painted with an exceptional level of detail, and with paint that’s not going to rub or flake off.



You may have noticed the store-bought Barricade, while a sweet ride, doesn’t look a whole lot like its movie counterpart. That’s where I step in! Barricade has been repainted to more accurately reflect his look onscreen with multiple shades of metallics, realistic detailing, highlights, and shadows. The proper 911 lettering is there on him as well. He has an all new set of hands and head, including a ball-jointed neck so he can look in all directions. You can also replace the hand to use his blade-wheel attachment that really spins! As mentioned you can transform Barricade the same way and will not affect the paint job.

Now Barricade comes complete with super-bright strobing red/blue LED police lights! These don't just blink on and off, they strobe brightly and look exactly like they did in the movie, alternating quickly between colors at different intervals. The LED unit doesn't get in the way of the transformation, you can replace the batteries when needed, and it even has an on/off switch underneath. Just raise the window and click it on for instant lights!"

If you want this bad boy, go check the progress of Jin's Custom Barricade Transformers Movie Deluxe Figure over at eBay! After you bid on Jin's auction explore more and check out the latest Custom Transformers!

Labels: Barricade, Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, Frenzy, Jin Saotome, Transformers, Transformers Movie, transformers movie customs

I will always have fond memories of the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). As a child, I worshiped such wrestling superstars as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior, Demolition, and countless others. As a kid, I religiously watched Wrestling on Saturday mornings and also on Fridays (when I got to stay up late). Since I was a big fan of the live action, I found myself buying the toys (and even went as far as building my own custom wrestling wring out of a large box, Lincoln logs, and rubber bands. I spent hours recreating pivotal matches and I even bought the sound tracks so my toys wrestlers could enter my makeshift arena to their own music. But one thing was missing from the toys when I played with them as a child...realistic clothing!

Thanks to karisno, an eBay seller specializing in custom hand made clothing for wrestling figures, children of today (and adults) can sport miniature replicas of t-shirts, vests, jackets, coats, and outfits for thier wrestling figures. Just to give you and taste of how amazing these pieces of clothing are, take a look at some of the pictures:



These cloths will bring to life any wrestling superstar so make sure to get to karisno's eBay Store and check of the pieces of clothing he makes for other stars like Bret Hart, Triple H (HHH), Shawn Michaels, and many more! If you want to check out other custom action figures from the WWE, check out my website at ActionFigureCustoms.com.

Labels: custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE

Arriving on Earth at the same time as Optimus Prime, Jazz and Ratchet, Ironhide's protoform lands in a swimming pool. Ironhide quickly sneaks away to the driveway, scans a family's GMC Topkick pickup truck and reconfigures his alternate mode to a new camouflaged form (though before he does, he is seen by a little girl who believes him to be, of all things, the Tooth Fairy) before meeting up with the other Autobots at Bumblebee's location.

Labels: Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, Ironhide, Transformers, Transformers Movie, transformers movie customs, Transformers the Movie, Voyager Class

Pain, death and vengeance have been constants in Aurra Sing's life. Had she benefited from a better upbringing, perhaps she may have grown to be one of the greatest of the Jedi order. Instead, she became one its deadliest scourges.

cutomikey brings to life this Expanded Universe Bounty Hunter with life-like detail! As one of his prize custom pieces, he goes on to explain in more detail about how he brought Aurra to life:

"Aurra Sing, the first bounty hunter seen in the chronological Star Wars, from Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Seen briefly during the podrace, she has since developed into one of the most interesting characters in the Star Wars universe, developing a feared reputation as a devoted Jedi Killer. One might suppose that General Grievous's propensity for collecting the lightsabers of fallen Jedi was inspired by Aurra's example.

I made her from parts using the Hasbro Masterpiece figure and also a Sideshow figure chosen for it's excellent resemblance to the actress who portrayed Aurra in the film. She is painted in acrylics, with an eye for realism and detail. Her eyes look alive! Her costume and weapons were all weathered in acrylics for realism. Her antenna and the D-rings that hold the strap to her rifle are real metal. The barrels of her pistols have been drilled and her fingers have been seperated so she can slip them into the triggers. She has no problems holding any of her weapons. Thanks to the well-designed Sideshow body,she also has no trouble holding a variety of poses."

The weapon details initially caught my attention. The rifle and guns look like they have been through hell and back and the scale compliments the figure nicely. As you look closer, the way that her eyes have been detailed really make this custom come alive. Eyes are one of those details that if you get wrong, can throw off the entire look you were going for. The eyes, in this case, draw you in, which I am sure Aurra wants you to do so she can lay a world of Bounty Hunter hurt on you.

Compared to the Aurra Sing image from the Star Wars databank (shown above), customikey has truly done justice to her representation in the Star Wars Universe. If you want to own this amazing piece, simply go check out customikey's Custom Sideshow 12" Aurra Sing for yourself and discover how she can be yours by bidding on eBay! If you are interested in looking at other Custom Star Wars action figures and vehicles, check out my website at ActionFigureCustoms.com, where you will find all of the Custom Star Wars figures on eBay!

Labels: 12", Aurra Sing, custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Sideshow Style, Star Wars

Transformers customs are definitely on fire on eBay! I would speculate more so due to the superb attention to detail by the talented customizers out there and the general lack of supply of the toys themselves in stores.

sainte_786's latest custom is a Transformers Movie Optimus Prime and there are some very special additions to this figure. First, he added a "real toy miniaturized metal bullets ammo belt" which adds an additional level of detail missing from most Custom Optimus Primes on eBay. Second, the power sword is a weapon that Prime uses to destroy Bonecrusher in an epic battle that spans a long stretch of freeway by delivering the final blow between the chest and the neck. He goes on to say, "The flames were hand painted on the inner sides of the legs...the plasma sword is actually a translucent orange and I made the fist cover to hold it in place which snaps over Prime's fist like a glove and the sword goes in the space and fits very tightly.

My favorite addition to this custom has to be the ammo belt and if you look at the picture above, there is a bullet at Prime's feet. Take a closer look at the level of detail on the ammo belt:
This Prime ranks very high on my list of must have customs. Bid on sainte_786's Custom Optimus Prime on eBay or if you would like to find other custom Transformers, please check out my ActionFigureCustoms.com website.

Labels: Custom Optimus Prime, Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, leader class, optimus prime, Transformers, Transformers Movie, Transformers the Movie

The Autobots and Decepticons, during the great Cybertronian War, crash landed on earth. Millions of years later, geological activity revives the warring factions - the Decepticons want to strip the earth of its vast energy resources, and the Autobots seek to protect the inhabitants of earth from that fate. And so an endless battle begins!

Only being 11 at the time of release of the movie back in 1986, I was eagerly awaiting the Transformers to hit the silver screen! I finally saw the movie and I left the theatre wanting to buy more toys! The movie was amazing and I still watch it to this day. The Transformers Cartoon subtly introduced new characters into the plot (for those who don't know, I am being sarcastic here as the cartoon was well known for gratuitously adding characters to support the ever growing toy line).

Welcome Shockwave
One Decepticon worked behind the scenes on Cybertron and when Megatron lead his troops in pursuit of Optimus Prime and the Ark, Shockwave was to stay behind and guard Cybertron while Megatron was out to conquer Earths natural resources. Shockwave was stationed on Cybertron for four million years. Shockwave carried out his tasks on Cybertron while the Autobots and Decepticons were entombed on Earth. With little supplies of energy the planet had to dwindle. Shockwave briefly came to Earth and joined Megatrons troops in episode but returned to Cybertron shortly thereafter.

Jin Saotome, as only he can, captures the true essence of Shockwave in his lastest custom. The attention to detail is amazing (as usual) and as he explains:

"This auction is for an 8” tall custom Transformers Movie-style Shockwave with... *deep breath* removable right hand with articulated fingers, silver laser cannon hand, clear red laser cannon hand, light-up unit, missile launching claw with 3 missiles, gatling gun arm with six missiles, twin side shields, twin shoulder-mounted plasma guns, and Space Cannon base. You also get a high gloss black base with solid metal Decepticon logo to display him on, WHEW! He has multiple points of articulation, far too many for me to count so I’m not even going to try. This means you can pose Shockwave here in all sorts of awesome Autobot-annihilating poses and he’ll look great in every one. He transforms just like the store-bought one and changing his form around won’t affect the paint job at all. He comes with instructions because these figures can be like skill-puzzles sometime!



This custom has been painted with an exceptional level of detail, and with paint that’s not going to rub or flake off. Handle it, pose it, just don’t give it to your little brother to play outside with. You’ll find that my custom figure designs are durable and look great as well. Now you can have the best of both worlds. It’s time for Shockwave to make an appearance again and this time it’s on a grand scale! This particular figure commemorates my very first Transformer custom ever, a G1ish Energon Shockblast. I have David Willis of Shortpacked to thank for making me realize Shockwave needed a better gun-arm and TFmaster (God rest his soul) for asking, nay, demanding that I host it on Transtopia, thus introducing me to a whole new world of Transformers kitbashes! I decided to go back to my roots and use that same Shockblast figure but needed to make it special this time around. And boy are you all in for a treat!

Shockwave features SEVEN interchangeable parts that attach with rare earth magnets for a perfect fit. His right hand has articulated fingers and can be replaced with any of the weapons too. First you have his classic G1 ‘clear plastic’ laser hand that lights up. Swap that out for a more modern silver laser cannon that also lights up at the tip. Need more firepower? Lock on the rotating cannon claw that fires three missiles! What, need more? Then attach the giant shielded Gatling gun hand that rotates and fires six consecutive missiles! Wait, you need even more than that? Then deck Shockwave out with twin shoulder cannons and replace both hands with his missile-launching weapons. There are tons of combinations here. Shockwave transforms into a massive Space Cannon that you can customize to look as you want it, the twin Gatling gun shields becoming the main laser array and lighting up. It spins, rotates, and looks fairly menacing there on its special tripod stand.

Shockwave has of course been painting with the same detailed applications I’m known for with various shading, highlights, metallic colors, and he’s even been sealed for extra protection. With a little ingenuity you can come up with a gun-mode for Shockwave (check my site and look at the old one) but I won’t show it here because EBay will require me to stick a gaudy orange plug on the end, heh. The light-up unit attaches to his back and can be plugged in to the different laser weapons he comes with. So, were you looking for the Shockwave to end all Shockwaves? I’m not making another like this. Know a diehard fan that would be your willing servant for life if you gave them this? Then don’t pass this auction up! Now for the pics, and there’s a lot of them!"

There is still time to bid on Jin Saotome's Custom Shockwave Transformer on eBay so get on it!

Labels: Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, G1, Generation 1, Jin Saotome, Shockblast, Shockwave, Transformers, Transformers Movie, Transformers the Movie

Back in December 2005, there was a charity auction for a one of a kind Lego custom from an actual LEGO Master Builder, Erik Varszegi. This gigantic piece, which had to be crated like a motorcycle for shipping, contained the following:

• A framed certificate of authenticity that was signed by George Lucas and the Master Builder


• Stem to stern the model is 97 inches 47 inches wide and was created using over 35,000 pieces


• The model was built around a steel armature that runs down the spine of the ship and includes a rolling display frame


• The model scale is 1:466 and took over 450 hours to build

I was in awe when I saw this back in 2005 and I have never wanted a Lego piece more than this one. So after over 60 bids and $36,000 later, this wonderful piece of Star Wars Lego history went to the high bidder and all of the proceeds went to Habitat for Humanity. This Attack Cruiser is long gone but you can find more Lego Customs on my website in the Custom Lego section of ActionFigureCustoms.com or head directly to eBay.

Labels: Attack Cruiser, custom, Custom Figure Reviews, Erik Varszegi, George Lucas, lego, legos, Mater Lego, Star Wars

The introduction of the Republic Gunships to Hasbro's lineup of vehicles was a welcome addition! The first time I saw one of these bad boys was on the silver screen and Attack of the Clones finally lived up to its name as thousands of Clones decended onto Geonosis to battle the Separatist forces and rescue the Jedi. The databank over at starwars.com succintly lays out the details of these massive ships:

"Rugged, combat-equipped repulsorcraft, Republic attack gunships rained down blistering barrages of laser and rocket retribution against the droid forces of the Separatists. Each winged gunship was covered in weapons, offering air-to-ground and air-to-air support as well as serving as an infantry transport.

The front of the gunship features hunchback-style cockpit bubbles, wherein the gunship pilot and copilot / gunner sit in single file. Chin-mounted on the craft are a pair of laser cannon turrets. On the gunship's dorsal surface are its primary armaments, two massive rocket launchers fed by a rear-mounted missile belts. The vessel's splayed wings have a pair of automated bubble-turrets, with composite-beam laser weaponry. A second pair of bubble-turret cannons extends on articulated arms from the troop cabin, and are gunner-operated by clone troopers encased within the armored spheres. Air-to-air rockets are slung on the ventral surface of each wing. Rounding out the gunship's armaments is a single tail-cannon that provides covering fire for troops and small vehicles leaving the gunship. ." - source: starwars.com

As far as the toy representation that Hasbro produced to compliment the toy line for Attack of the Clones, the gunships suffered from one serious flaw - missing bubble turrets. As described above, the cockpit turrets (as seen in the movie representation below) sported these massive turrets, very reminiscent of the B-17 bubble turrets on the under bellies of the bombers in World War 2.

The eBay seller, vader9900, created a simple fix for Hasbro's oversight and lack of attention to detail. He created custom bubble turrets for the gunships (as seen below):



A very nice addition to the Gunship and fans of these vehicles had an opportunity to bid on one of these customs in an eBay auction that ended September 9th. Vader9900's creation nabbed him $204 on eBay! Nicely done! If you are impressed with his work, you can find links to other custom star wars figures and vehicles that are being sold on eBay.

Labels: Custom Lego Star Wars, Custom Star Wars, Custom Star Wars Vehicles, Republic Gunship

Having not seen any 2009 Camero Bumblebee's in the stores, I am tempted to buy this work of art. After being criticized for the poor condition of Bumblebee's vehicle mode as a '77 Camero, he scans a passing 2009 preproduction Camero and Jin has captured Bumblebee's movie essence with this latest custom. Aside from the immaculate paint job, Jin has made some other additions that compliment the figure nicely. First, he provided a movie accurate head, which many of the current Transformers toys are lacking. Second, he added a removable arm cannon that slips off his shoulder so you can have increased poseability. It is this attention to detail that makes Jin's customs very sought after. Jon goes on to explain more about his custom:

"This custom has been painted with an exceptional level of detail, and with paint that’s not going to rub or flake off. Handle it, pose it, just don’t give it to your little brother to play outside with. You’ll find that my custom figure designs are durable and look great as well. Now you can have the best of both worlds. It’s Bumblebee! This time the bee sports a new look with a new movie-accurate head and removable arm-cannon. He’s been repainted and detailed to look like the movie character with different effects such as shading, highlights, metallic paints, and weathering to his robot parts. Slip his right arm off at the shoulder and you can replace it with the cannon-arm, also jointed at the elbow for maximum poseability. Tho I don’t have his battlemask-head ready yet, it will probably be included in the auction so look for the added pictures later. Bumblebee transforms like the store-bought toy but it’s best to remove his new head so you don’t get it banged up underneath the vehicle. Oh, and no panel lines in car mode! There, he looks nice and clean this time. So, were you looking for a super-detailed Bumblebee with a face anyone can love? Know a friend that needs a hand? A cannon-hand? Heheh.. Then don’t pass this auction up!"

The cannon hand is a very welcome and much needed addition to Bumblebee. I have provided a side by side comparison of Jin's Custom and Hasbro's version. The cannon is definitely an addition that will net this custom big bucks in the auction arena:

Jin's custom is available for bidding on eBay or you can check out more Custom Bumble Movie Transformers on my ActionFigureCustoms.com website

Labels: bumblebee, Custom Bumblebee, Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, Jin Saotome, Transformers, Transformers Movie, transformers movie customs, Transformers the Movie

In Transformers the Movie, Megatron appears as a Cybertronian jet. Like all characters in the film, Megatron was heavily redesigned for purposes of realism and focus on an alien aspect of the Transformer race. He appears very bio-mechanical and after crash landing on earth and being frozen in the Arctic Circle for a couple thousand years, aadsmith has captured the carbon-scored look that is lacking from most custom Megatron Movie figures. If you think about it, the re-entry to earth would have been murder on his metal.

What I like about this custom is that the color is not a uniform silver but a blend of five different colors to achieve the just had an Allspark Cube set off in my chest look. As aadsmith stated in his listing:

"A lot of folks are going for a unified silver paint scheme on Megatron. I, instead, opted to use a broader brush for the drybrushing and used gold, bronze, red and brown for details to break up the drybrushed silver.

The bottom coat is Krylon Fusion black gloss, the drybrushed silver is Tamaya silver, the gold is Tamaya gold, the bronze is Testors' and the brown and red are Games Workshop colors. The entire thing is covered with Krylon standard dullcoat. A VERY TINY amount of flaking occurs during transformation, but it's mostly the extra black paint in the joints falling out - none of the exterior details are damaged by transformation. He has been transformed 4 times in total to test this.

The wing-folding-during-transformation gimmick still works, although the left wing does not fold out as fully as the right wing does. HOWEVER, with a gentle push, both wings will settle in to place in vehicle mode. Other than that, he transforms just like the original toy. To be honest, I'm really proud of how this guy turned out."

He should be extremely pleased with how this Megatron turned out. This figure would make a great addition to any collection (even if you already own a Custom Megatron since the coloring is quite different. You can bid on more Custom Transformers on eBay!

Labels: Custom Megatron, Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, leader class, megatron, Transformers, Transformers Movie, transformers movie customs, Transformers the Movie

Jin is at it again with this excellently crafted and movie accurate Custom Starscream from Transformers the Movie. One thing I really like about this custom is that the gray is spot on to what the military color is and, since Starscream copied a military vehicle for his alternate state, this custom brings that mode to life. Starscream spends a lot of time in the movie in his F22 mode so it is nice to see how Jin brings this aspect of Starscream to life. Let's see how Jin describes his process for creating Starscream:

This time around I’ve given SS completely new redesigned, fully poseable arms with hands. Finally he can look as menacing as he did onscreen, ready to rip his Autobot opponents apart with deadly digits! The arms can be removed for jet-mode in order to give it a slimmed down look like the real Raptor F-22. Starscream’s head is now on a ball-joint that allows him to look around in all positions as well. The tan paintscheme has been replaced with gray, much like the real F-22’s look and fully loaded with shading, weathering, highlights, and multiple metallic tones on his robot body. Check out his face… Starscream looks downright evil now just as he should! Check out the classic Air Force symbol on his wing in the correct place. So, were you looking for a darker, grittier Starscream for your collection? Know a friend in the Air Force who flies one of these F-22 Raptors? Then don’t pass this auction up!!

I would agree! Do not pass this auction up! The addition of ball joints is a very nice add to the figure as many times Transformers suffer from the lack of poseability. Putting his head on a balljoint was a great detail to add as you can bring Starscreams's persona to life. You can bid on more Custom Transformers on eBay!

Labels: custom, Custom Transformers, Custom Transformers Action Figures, Custom Transformers Movie Figures, customs, Jin Saotome, starscream, Transformers