Sithbanization
Customizing toys
I used to build models, but I found over the years that models are so fragile, they don't hold up well to moving. Or house-cleaning. I've had so many models destroyed that I've pretty much given up on them as futile. Toys, on the other hand, are much more durable, since they're made to play with. I've gradually combined my old interest in model-building with toy collecting, and thus I customize lots of toys. It is the age of Sithbanization.
Screaming Eagle of the future
This is Capt. Swanson, a customed G.I. Joe "Duke" figure. His armor comes from a Cobra bad guy named "Black Out." I found a trove of "Black Out" figures on clearance prices at Dollar General, and bought a bunch of them for customizing.
He's named for a friend of mine who passed away in 2004, Wallace Swanson, who was Capt. Wallace Swanson in World War II, commander of Company A of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles. He commanded this unit from D-Day through Operation Market Garden and Bastogne. (See a glass I engraved with Mr. Swanson's picture here.)
This toy was inspired partly as a salute to Mr. Swanson, and partly by the Master Chief in Halo. How might a Screaming Eagle be equipped in the future? I hand-painted his armor with Mr. Swanson's insignia from World War II, including captain's bars, airborne wings, the Screaming Eagle patch and the 502nd PIR death's head insignia.
Here is Swanson
with his helmet. The heads-up display is just a peel-off sticker that protected a
walkie-talkie's display panel.
Here's the
side-view of the helmet with the "Five-Oh Deuce" insignia. The heart on the
helmet was how the 101st designated members of the 502nd at D-Day. The card suits
designated different regiments. You can see members of the 506th with a spade on their
helmets in "Band of Brothers." The bar at the 3 o'clock position from the heart
indicated that the wearer is the company commander.
Adding a
rocket launcher to a shotgun would make an awesome weapon in Halo, wouldn't it?
Here's a updated
version of Capt. Swanson, with a flight suit and fighting knife added.
Here's
Swanson with some female commandos (they're both BBI Cy Girls, wearing black Ninja suits
borrowed from G.I. Joe Snake Eyes figures.)
Here's Snake Eyes and a commando girl. Snake Eyes' armor comes from a Max Steel figure.
Here's
a Joe outfitted as a Mandalorian warrior. The HUD on his visor is the sticker from the
face-plate of my cell phone. All the insignia is hand-painted, using Boba Fett's armor
insignia as reference.
A
Mandalorian sergeant, with armor hand-painted in the colors of Boba Fett's armor.
A Mandalorian scout-sniper.
This is a G.I. Joe that I painted as a blue Darth
Maul, like on the cover of the Episode I double soundtrack. He is a human until I convert
him into a horned Zabrak, which is Darth Maul's species. He'll become a full-fledge Zabrak
when I clip the cat's or the dog's toenails and glue some to his head.
© All content, photographs and artwork on this site are copyrighted by D. Bryan Crowson unless otherwise credited.
Send me e-mail at sithbane@charter.net