"THE LAST JEDI" REY (JEDI TRAINING) 3.75" ACTION FIGURE with SUPER-ARTICULATION created by Elias

This figure is currently not out in The Black Series vintage action figure line.  However it is sold with 5 points of articulation in the Elite Praetorian Guard two pack.  The two pack can be found in stores everywhere.  We found it on Force Friday at Toys-R-us.  We also found the BB-8 playset, featuring another Praetorian Guard and Snoke. How I could just go on and on about the playset, I just love that the set folds up into a life size BB-8.  Why articulate the figure you may ask?  Originally, I had The Black Series 3.75" Rey (Jakku) posed on the new playset where I was displaying my figures. Because of the articulation, I took advantage and positioned her so it appeared she was whacking a First Order Stormtrooper with her staff, and when I returned to my room I found that my Dad switched the figure I had there for the new Last Jedi Rey (Jedi Training) blandly holding up her staff in a stiff stance.  I thought to myself "No.  I'm not letting a figure look like that in my house."

I have to say the sculpts on this Last Jedi action figure line are exceptional, and would make great casting pieces.  But let's get back to Rey.  It's a shame that they havent announced her in The Black Series line, but could very well find this find figure in the Vintage line next year.  Lets keep our hopes up.

To make this figure, we used the torso, boots, hands, and head of the Rey (Jedi Training). The arms, and legs are from The Black Series Rey (Jakku), enabling splits and waist articulation.  While altering the torso to fit the arms, we unfortunately destroyed the Force Link audio chip.  Which leads us to the next thing, The Force Link. The Force Link has great play-ability!  If you purchase the Force Link Bracelet, you can use it to connect to the chip, and upon connection, it plays the audio programmed into the chip. Personally I think that this feature is a better alternative to the Build-A-Weapon pack-in. There is nothing more fun than having your action figure quote lines from the movie and feature some pretty impressive battle sounds as well.

"THE LAST JEDI" 

3.75" REY (JEDI TRAINING with SUPER-ARTICULATION) 

created by Elias

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

"K-2SO with Improved Articulation" created by Darth Daddy

This was a quick Rogue One project we did to add some articulation to Hasbro's K-2SO action figure. The 6" version of the figure had the super-articulation that we all wanted in the 3.75" scale.  Too add the articulation we used the knee and elbow joints from a Terminator action figure we purchased on eBay. We added two metal rods to the knee joints for stability by creating a post that we inserted into a hole we drilled up into the upper leg of the original figure. We did some sanding to the joints of the Terminator figure to keep the rounded edges that the original K-2SO action figure had.  By the time the project was finished we had the version we wanted adding both knee and elbow articulation to increase the figure's range of motion. We skipped adding articulation at the ankles and wrists due to the thin plastic. It was really nice to be able to increase the pose-ability of this 5 poa figure! 

"K-2SO with Improved Articulation"

created by Darth Daddy

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

Hasbro Petition: Make Super-Articulated 3.75" Star Wars Figures Mainstream Again

Super-articulated action figures are what makes blogs like ours exist.  If you want to support the artists who fabricate dioramas, create photonovels or make super-articulated action figures then please sign this petition.  With the re-introduction of action figures with only five points of articulation, these artforms are quickly losing steam.  Established artists are running out of materials to make new pieces and newer artists that want to join the community are discouraged by the high prices of the older super-articulated figures that they need to get started.  We have seen so many amazing projects come from the action figure artist community to let it just disappear into obscurity. Please take a few moments and show your support by signing this petition.  It only takes a few seconds! 

click the image to sign!

In 1977, Star Wars took the world by storm. Renowned toy company Kenner gained the rights to produce toys based on the film, and the Star Wars 3.75" action figure and toy craze began. In 1995, Kenner brought back Star Wars action figures under their parent company Hasbro. For the next 17 years, Star Wars action figures evolved and improved, receiving high levels of detail and articulation. In 2013, Hasbro devolved their Star Wars figures into very simplistic designs with a basic 5 points of articulation (5POA). In 2015, their 3.75" super-articulated figures (SA) were given as an exclusive to Walmart, where releases are infrequent and comprised primarily of older, repackaged figures. Distribution and availability under Walmart has been abysmal, and the morale and dedication of lifelong collectors and supporters of Star Wars 3.75" super-articulated figures is dwindling. 

Hasbro- Please bring back super-articulated figures as a mainstream product line with respectable availability at all major retailers. With better product being available to worldwide customers and patrons of Hasbro, you will sell more products and regain your reputation as the world's leading maker of mass-produced toys. As a lifelong customer of Kenner and Hasbro, I have become disheartened and disengaged by the lack of quality Star Wars action figures in the 3.75" scale. Not all figures require super-articulation, but every mainstream figure available should not be 5POA. Your fans, collectors, and customers want to give you our money. Please deliver figures in the 3.75" range that are deserving of it.

This petition will be delivered to:

Star Wars Team

Hasbro

SUPER-ARTICULATED "CLONE WARS DARTH SIDIOUS" created by DARTH DADDY

After I finished making my two custom "Clone Wars Chancellor Palpatine" figures, I found that I now had two "Clone Wars Darth Sidious" action figures in the house and I only needed one.  I had a collectible that was displayed on a shelf in Elias' room, and I also had one that I bought to create head casts of so I could create new figures. I recently bought the second one, so I didn't have to rip the hood off of the head of my collectible.  He's a super rare action figure and I didn't want to damage my only one, just so I could create a mold of what was underneath. Once I made a mold of the head underneath the hood, I was able to cast new heads for my customs and I was really thrilled with the results.  

It all worked out great, but unfortunately, now the resale value of the figure I used to make my customs wasn't as good as my collectible because I hacked the neck off of the figure right at the shoulders so I could mold it at the same time as the head to speed along my customizing process.  After the mold was made, I re-glued the neck back onto the figure, and reattached the hood and the head. Luckily, the cut in the neck wasn't visible, because the hood and soft goods hid all the damage I did to the figure.  

So now what to do with it?   

I knew I couldn't get the money I invested on the second one back now that I cut the neck off, and then glued it back on.  No one would pay a premium price for that. While the figure later did pay itself off through other means, I still had an extra figure I didn't need, and I had to decide what to do with it.  

I figured why not make a super-articulated version of Darth Sidious, giving the action figure both ball-jointed hips and knees.  Originally, Hasbro's version had only a swivel waist and his legs were just one solid piece of plastic with no articulation anywhere at all.  I decided to give the second figure more range of motion.  First, I cut the knees out of the legs and replaced them with two Revoltech joints we had in fodder. I then cut the legs off where they attached at the groin.  Afterwards, I created two ball sockets inside the groin with my Dremel and then made another recessed set of sockets at the top of the thigh to accommodate the the ball joints I stole from the elbows of the first Clone Wars Cad Bane action figure which proved Sidious the joints needed for his ball-jointed hips.  

I stole the hands of the second figure earlier to make one of my customs so I replaced them with two Palpatine hands that I found in the leftover parts I used to make my Clone Wars Palpatine figures.  

I finished the figure off by adding a floor length soft goods skirt from a Vintage Barriss Offee action figure to give him a more screen accurate look.  I will most likely give the figure new feet with ball-jointed ankles once I find something appropriate to use.

SUPER-ARTICULATED 

"CLONE WARS DARTH SIDIOUS"

created by Darth Daddy

Hidden under the skirt is all the articulation you would desire.

SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

CLICK THE PHOTOS BELOW TO SEE "THE CLONE WARS - CHANCELLOR PALPATINE" CUSTOM ACTION FIGURES IN GREATER DETAIL:

My super-articulated custom Darth Sidious action figure was featured on the front page of Imperial Shipyards.

CUSTOMIZER SPOTLIGHT #1: JACKOFTRADZE

Today's post we are showcasing the work of a fellow Star Wars customizer. The Customizer Spotlight will be a recurring post to spotlight great Star Wars customizing artists, the work they have produced that I have in my collection, and ways to see or acquire future work they produce. For our first Customizer Spotlight, I bring you JACKOFTRADZE.

About JACKOFTRADZE

JACKOFTRADZE is a professional Toy Designer who has been working in the industry for over 10 years designing real toy products! He has been a very committed 1/18th scale Star Wars collector since 1991! He collected when no one cared about Star Wars and has been with the line ever since. He recently created a blog and as you read his blog you get the unique perspective of a Toy Designer and a Collector. He has been an active eBay member for over 10 years and for over 4 of those years he has been creating custom figures to enhance his collection. He has a lot of cool customs and insights to share that I think you will enjoy.

We only started buying customs about a month ago and the first three we ever bought were from this great artist. Here are his custom action figures that we own below:

WOOKIEE JEDI

JACKOFTRADZE has awesome paint jobs and great concepts for his super-articulated action figures like this Wookiee Jedi.

CHAGRIAN JEDI

Here JACKOFTRADZE demonstrated how by switching and using parts of figures you have laying around the house, you can create a brand new figure that looks better than most figures you can find at your local store.



QUINLAN VOS


We really love JACKOFTRADZE Quinlan Vos custom action figure because of the removable soft goods. By creating the action figure in this way, it feels like we have several different figures in one. From what we've seen JACKOFTRADZE makes a lot of his figures with soft goods which is great for using his customs in vehicles.

With excellent concepts, paint application with attention to detail, super articulation, and soft goods for use in vehicles, JACKOFTRADZE customs are second to none and we highly recommend picking them up at his ebay auctions. He posts new customs every Sunday night so keep your eyes open.

We hope you enjoyed our Showcase Spotlight of this great Star Wars customizer and we hope you start to add some of his customs to your collection too. Dad said if it wasn't for JACKOFTRADZE he doesn't think he would have started customizing himself. So I owe a lot to JACKOFTRADZE and that's why he is the first artist we're showcasing in our blog. Hope you enjoyed the post.