Who are you? Please tell us a little about yourself...
My name Brian Fulton, but many fans in the Star Wars community know me as Darth Daddy, the Star Wars custom action figure artist. I’m most popularly known for being the co-founder of the Star Wars: Customs for the Kid blog that I have been doing with my son for the last 7 years where I am the resident artist/ photographer, administrator, and social media manager. I am also the author of the Darth Daddy's Customizing Corner column at The Star Wars Underworld. I am known throughout the Star Wars custom action figure community for being an ambassador for the artform. My action figure artist directory for commission work is considered to be a priceless asset among both collectors and enthusiasts alike. My artwork was featured at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2015 in the Action Figure Customizing Panel’s "Customizer Showcase". My custom action figure art appears regularly on the front pages of numerous Star Wars fan sites. I have made multiple guest appearances on several Star Wars podcasts including: The Star Wars Underworld, RebelForce Radio, The Wolfpack Podcast, Toy Run: The Star Wars Action Figure Cast, Voice of the Republic, SWAG77, The Expanded Fandomverse, and Custom Action Figure News. My latest endeavor is a podcast that I do with Peak-OB1 Custom Creations called "Customizing The Clone Wars" where we pay tribute to the television series with custom action figure art. We go episode by episode showcasing custom action figures from the hit TV series while at the same time providing our audience with tips and techniques on how to make your own versions of The Clone Wars custom action figures we feature.
1. How did you find your way into "The Clone Wars Community UK"?
I found The Clone Wars Community UK page when I was doing one of many searches for Clone Wars pages that I do on Facebook to let fans of the show and action figure line know about the "Customizing The Clone Wars" videocast that I do every week. The Clone Wars Community UK was one of the few groups that had an active community still showing their love for the show.
2. What are your hobbies and interests other than Star Wars?
It used to be collecting music and film. I have an enormous collection, but with everything going digital and available for streaming, I slowed down my collecting. Also making Star Wars custom action figures with my son Elias takes up a good portion of my time because it is such a lengthy process. Usually when I’m not working, I am either making more custom action figure art or promoting the work of one of my fellow artists.
3. You know we all love The Clone Wars, but what, in your opinion makes it the show we all know and love?
For me I think it was getting to have a weekly Star Wars experience. Having Star Wars on a weekly basis for me created a set time where my son and I could bond over something that we both enjoyed and I think that is an experience that many families shared. It appealed to fans of the OT and PT as well as an entire new generation of fans that became The Clone Wars generation that my son was a part of. George Lucas put a lot of love into the show and invested a lot of his own money to make the show as special as it was. The character arcs that developed over many seasons made the show such an immersive experience. The characters were all so complex and so well fleshed out. The lush sets and abundance of background characters certainly didn’t hurt either. Having it on Netflix for the last several years helped us reminisce, and reconnect with the episodes we loved over and over again and helped bring in new fans, who maybe missed the series when it originally aired. The Clone Wars made episodes for people of all ages, and that was probably its biggest selling point for me.
4. If you woke up one morning and by some voodoo magic, you awoke in The Clone Wars galaxy... which character would you be and why?
This was a hard question to answer because I can’t say I can relate to any character in particular.
5. Do you collect any Clone Wars toys or memorabilia? if so, what is your favourite piece in your collection?
I have the entire Clone Wars 3.75” line here at home. My favorite part of the collection would be the Clone Wars customs that we have. We easily have over one hundred. Because no figures were made after Season 3 of the series, it is nice to have the characters from the later seasons that no one else has sitting on my shelf next to our Hasbro releases.
5. Many collectors have a "Grail" item... something they want above all else, but may prove difficult to obtain... do you have one?
Because I have a complete collection, it would probably be something that was never produced. I’d love to get a Twilight vehicle/playset one day. It was a shame that a toy of that ship was never produced. It would have to seat at least four, have the medical bay, and a good sized cargo area in the back.
6. Your application for finance to the banking clan has been approved... what vehicle or ship do you buy?
Probably Sugi’s SS-54 “The Halo”. I always like the look of the ship. Wouldn’t it have been cool if we got an action figure of Sugi with her assault ship?
7. Hasbro made an excess of 70+ figures for The Clone Wars, but there are so many characters that never got the figure they deserved... which character should have had their own figure?
I have always longed to have an action figure of Huyang. It would be awesome to see him on my shelf one day.
8. Which two characters in the show would you have like to seen go toe to toe on screen?
A Mother Talzin – Count Dooku fight would have been cool to see due to the history between them. Not sure if we would have had an official winner, but it would have been cool to see.
9. Finally, what is your favourite episode and why?
I have a real affection for “Bound For Rescue” from Season 5, I’m a big fan of Hondo Ohnaka and Ahsoka. The circus scene was so much fun. I wish I had action figures of the younglings in their Jedi and circus outfits. I’d love to make the whole circus in action figure form complete with a Fambaa one day. I really want one of those pirate tanks too.
