G.I. Joe customs : Spring Break!

It's been about three months since my last incomprehensible ramblings, and about a week since I've had to provide tech support (Whoo! Spring Break! Everybody pull down your pants and riot!)



Between talk of doubling our iPad deployment, adding a new lab, seizing control of the school newspaper offices and a ground war in Asia our ARD install, I've barely been able to wrap my head around my last After Effects project, much less get much done on the Joe front.

Add in Wave 4 finally hitting in decent numbers (ask me about army-building Airtights...) and for that matter having to go 30 miles afield to get a Zombie-Viper and I was chomping at the bit to get some WIP fleshed out, and maybe even begin painting again.

Destro : I'm a big fan of Destro. Not only is he an suave motherfucker with a personal army, he's the guy who brought wrist-rockets to a gun fight. Cobra has a wide assortment of weaselly schemers and brutes, but Destro is the guy who can build a Weather Dominator and stomp you into a crack.

I wanted to use a Night Adder to make Destro v10/ Crime Boss Destro, but thought it just looked too plain. So I took a spare Destro, hollowed out his gauntlets, drilled a small hole to mount his collar and added a res Destro head. I'm going to switch the holster to the left, because why use your wrist-rocket hand to draw a pistol?

Law & Order : I may still paint those sleeves red, but what bugged me was the leg holster. You can see the holstered revolver on the jacket, but right below that was a leg holster. Maybe somebody can give me an OPERATORS OPERATORS OPERATORS explanation for carrying both your main and your backup an inch from each other, but it bugged me.

I just switched with SB Delta legs.

Skullbuster : I like guys who are the toughest "*", due to my love of hyperbole. The Range-Vipers are kind of like weaponized hobos (says the guy who always polices the bodies/ scavenges the ammo), but Skullbuster is the most famous reindeer of all. Or something. Imagine Cobra recruited Bear Grylls.

I actually plan on casting the skull-head, since I think it would make a good replacement for the skull-brain helmets.

Recipe: Firefly arms and torso, Dusty legs, Stalker and Tunnel Rat gear, Cobra Commander head.

Topside : Since the Club FSS seems to be dosed with Compound Z at the moment, I thought I'd try and whip up a Topside.

Ren. Cobra trooper with Shock Trooper legs, greenshirt head. May loose the floatation vest and paint the armor texture orange.

Wild Weasel : I just added Shock trooper goggles in place of the visor. No big whoop.

Outback : Man, those oddly proportioned legs on the 25th bugged me. I picked up a spare Tunnel Rat since I thought his colors matched Crankcase. When I looked at his shirt, I thought "Survival"

Tunnel Rat with Stalker lower legs and gear. Need to dig up my dry transfer sheets.

Static Line : Part of the fun of new versions of old guys means getting to make the repaints.  Thanks to Strato-Viper, Nitro/Motor-Viper, Slipstream, Skydive and Lift-Ticket, most of Sky Patrol is a new head and a paintjob away.

Whither Static-Line? There's no modern-era Backstop, except for LeeMarvin80's custom (where I took the charbroil armor from).

Used a res. Cobra Trooper, with ren. Ripcord's legs and head. A little off-white on the waist and forearms and I'm golden.

Toxo-Viper v2/ Toxo-Zombie : I know, my reputation as the Byronic Man is in jeopardy if I enjoy something popular (and despite my dismissal of Zombie movies as a socially acceptable vent for the desire to kill everyone around you. I actually like Return of the Living Dead though, since I think it's one the most realistic depictions of Something Really Bad No-one is Prepared For. C.A.T. loved to talk about it when we had duty together.)

Anyway, I tried to figure out a base that would do double duty. Dusty/Ren. Trooper torso, Air-Viper Commando/Swamp Viper limbs, switched for Zombie-Viper parts as necessary. I think for the Toxo-Zombies I'll keep the light purple since their outfits are sorta bleached out from the Plasmatox. If you could see the back, it would have Airtight's blue tank on it.

G.I. Joe customs : EoS core dump

Now the semester is over, I can finally relax and muck around again. (No twelve hour days! No console.logs! No Flex licensing SystemFlippers and SIGSEGV errors!) Wave 3 just hit, and Wave 4 is on it's heels.

(Insert Daffy Duck's "Mine, all mine" speech here)

Not pictured, another trooper and techno-viper. Fortunately for my Army-building self, the only other collector in the area seems to be a One-of-Each guy.

Hey, how about that trailer?

PRESIDENT ZARTAN.

Chock full of ninjas and Vipers. Cobra White House.
So eager to get a Jinx, and I'm hoping the Amazon Roadblock is a '86 tribute.

Everybody is a WIP. I hardly have the presence of mind / temperature to prime right now.

 Cobra de Aco / Steel Cobra : I made a Steel Cobra before, with a Flash body and Snake-Eyes head, all classic stylee. Then I went looking through GeneralJoes Mission Brazil review, and saw the picture of him with some B.A.T.s, and thought back to KrushViper's Cobra de Aco, as well as my plan to use the RoC Flash as a base, and had a spare Cobra Commander torso, and he came together.

The hardest part will be color-matching that yellow on the torso.

Recipe : Cobra Commander torso, Cobra Commander head, Flash arms, BAT legs.

 Frag Viper : Once I saw the Firefly torso (and the bit about his Predator helmet being a 360 degree sensing device), I thought about the Frag-Vipers. I just needed some arms with a good range, and some fairly baggy pants (the Jungle Duke legs seemed too thin with the torso.)

Recipe : Firefly head and torso, Firefly arms, Shock trooper legs, Duke/Stalker webgear.

 Guillotine : I originally went with a Lamprey, but it didn't seem as buff as he's depicted (Why, he's almost as big as MAJOR BARRAGE). I can't do the spine-sword with a straight face, but I need something for the belt.

Honestly, I'm down with Cobra-La, but that mall Goth pig-sticker leaves me cold.

Recipe : Copperhead torso and upper arms, Nemesis Immortal lower arms, Terra-Viper hands, Heavy Duty legs.

 HEAT Viper : I've seen two HEAT Viper concepts I've liked, Sgt. Humpty's and Ratfink's. A local preponderance of Charbroils pointed me towards the former.

I've still got to work out a helmet, and I think the Ripcord gear works as battle rattle (I'd rather keep my ammo on my hips instead of my boots...)

Recipe : Charbroil, Cobra Commander head, Ripcord gear.

Heli-Viper : I've been planning for this guy ever since I picked up the Snow Serpent Officer from the Ice Cutter.

Recipe :  Techno-Viper arms and torso, Snow Serpent Officer head, Copperhead legs, Jungle-Viper gear

 Ice Viper : The WOLF was a favorite vehicle of mine as a kid, and I got a spare Arctic HISS Driver in a trade, so it seemed an easy custom. But, I didn't like the usual Duke bandolier, and saw another customizer use Firefly's demo vest. (Which I intend to use for my eventual Avalanche as well.)

Recipe : Arctic Hiss Driver , Frostbite hands, Firefly vest, Cobra Trooper head

 Night-Vipers : A while ago, I traded for some Shock Troopers to make blueshirts from. Now that they've been in a few replenishment waves, blueshirts are dead common (and I never got enough Wv3 Snake-eyes to finish the project...), I've retasked these guys as Night-Vipers.

I still have to modify the pegs on the Jungle-Viper scopes to get them to fit the Wild Weasel helmet,  and I've got to get a couple more RoC Snake-eyes belts (the dagger across the chest.)

Recipe : Shock Trooper torso and arms, Jungle Viper gear and upper legs, Snake-Eyes lower legs, Wild Weasel/Cyber-Viper heads.

 Night Vulture : The Glider pilots were some real weirdos, so I doubt even the club will touch them. Still need something for that upper torso.

Recipe : Para-Viper, Alley-Viper lower arms and legs, Snake-Eyes head 

 Pathfinder : I picked up a spare Doom Rider on clearance, once I realized he had glasses and a black shirt, and might work for Pathfinder. Later I decided the Jungle Duke camo would look decent, and thought the Wild Bill hat would make him a little more Col. Kilgore.

Probably swap out the lower arms, since those black swivels never look right. 

 Python Trooper : I've been kitting out Python Patrol / Mission Brazil themed figures, since the 2011 Convention set is a distant fantasy (and I disagree with the recipes, as you'll see once I put up my Leatherneck.) PLus it gives me an excuse to make "PoC" versions. I'll have to use the older web-gear if I make more than two of these guys.

Recipe : Steel Brigade Delta torso and arms, Snake-Eyes legs

 SAW Vipers : So Zartan v3 was made out of SAW Viper parts, and one of the first SAW Viper customs I saw repainted a Zartan v13. So when I saw the Cyber Viper, I thought back to the Python Saw Viper. A couple spare Duke heads, and the newer Beachhead vest (from Double Clutch in this case.)

Recipe : Cyber-Viper, Wild Bill helmet, Beachhead vest

 Shipwreck : Revisiting my old LBC with a Steel Brigade torso and some Renegades Duke legs. I'm a big fan of that Spy Troops/VvV/Devils Due look, and I thought it would work in his old colors. Also, Recondo holster. 

 Sneak Peek : Swapped out that chunky Pit Commando vest for one from Renegades Ripcord.

 Spirit : Once I saw the Steel Brigade running change, I thought of my old Spirit project. Still not 100% on the Billy Sole head, and I may trim some of the gear for shinier, PoC/30th versions. Still have to put a knife in for the holster slot.

Changes : Steel Brigade torso and upper arms, Steel Brigade legs and knee-caps

 Steeler : Stalker, Snake-Eyes, and Hawk got some new version love, and I wasn't a fan of 25th's James Garner looking version. I had a version with Wild Bill's torso, but modern tankers wear more of a jumpsuit. Not a 100% on a head.

Recipe : Steel Brigade Delta torso, Skydive legs, Steel Brigade vest

 Stretcher : For an Olympic weight-lifter, Stretcher looked kind of scrawny. And I had a different idea for Hardball than the usual RoC Repeater swap.

Recipe : Recondo torso and upper arms, Repeater head and lower arms, Tomahawk legs, Alley-Viper helmet.

 Vector : I mostly remember Laser-Vipers from the GI Joe arcade game, but one popped up in Cobra's Emo Spec-Ops unit. I guess he spins all the Joy Division tracks.

That backpack is pieced together from Duke's backpack and two barrels from Jungle-Viper anti-material rifles.

Recipe : Star-Viper, Lamprey upper legs, Barbeque lower legs

Wide Scope : I picked up an Air Raid with those legs in mind for a Wide Scope, and once I get a spare Law&Order, he'll have a Lamont. I'll probably whip up a 30th looking Shockwave to go with him.

Recipe : Shock Trooper torso, arms and head, Air Raid legs, Beachhead vest.

G.I. Joe customs: Space is the place (to punch Destro in the face)

Finally pulling myself into corporeal form after weeks of twelve hour days and most of my department flitting off to conferences this last week. The hardest part was one of the kids deciding to set the audio to Dubstep one day (the latest incarnation of the shitty music kids listen to because the adults hate it). Not to say I'm an adult, but frankly, I lurve Tokyo-style Speedcore, but I wouldn't expect other people to, or put it on at work.

Speaking of hating music, Rory doesn't read this, so I can put on some Sun-Ra:



(I know, but I like the chorus on Nuclear War more. )

Astro-Viper (wip) :  The Cobranaut holds a special place for me. On Spring Break that year, I saw one on the peg at Eckerd Drugs. I had stopped collecting GI Joes after the movie, but the thought of a Cobra Astronaut hit my sweet spot. I didn't buy another Joe until the 1997 Cobra Command Team.

 The leg armor is vaguely remembered from an Ares article on combat astronauts for Top Secret.

Recipe : Charbroil torso, MARS Trooper legs, Astro-Viper helmet, Skydive and Dusty webgear. BACC backpack as placeholder.

Black Dragon Ninja : I picked up the Ninja Battles pack on sale years ago, and liked the techno-ninja look of the Black Dragon Ninja (which comes from painting a dragon on an Iron Grenadier's chest...)

Like I said, the Temple Snakes eyes is a great bundle of parts.

Recipe : Iron Grenadier torso, Temple Snake Eyes limbs, Alley-Viper head, CS Snake-Eyes belt, Destro scarf.

Countdown (wip) : Whereas Payload is a more realistic looking astronaut (at least, he looks like he'd fit in Alien), Countdown looks more Flash Gordon. And that's alright by me.

I'd like to turn up an original Countdown helmet, which is a sweet piece of work.

Recipe : Duke torso, RA Duke limbs, Ace helmet, Durge backpack.

Dice : I've been looking a Dice customs trying to decide on a decent secondary, and these two persuaded me the Storm Shadow/Red Ninja harness was the way to go.

edit : I'm not the only one thinking that harness.

Iron Grenadier Trainer Roddy Piper (wip) :  I watched a lot of Wrasslin as a kid, (also Rock n' Wrestling) and I earnestly want to thank whoever decided the Rowdy One was Sgt. Slaughter's opposite number and working for Destro.

I've got to finish dremelling out the space for the neckball,  so his head should set a little further down. I went the opposite of Sgt. Humpty, and used the IG legs.

Recipe : Temple Snake-eyes torso, Snake-eyes arms, IG legs, Cobra Commander jacket, Build n' Brawl Roddy Piper head.

Iron Grenadier (wip) : When the 25th IGs came out, I couldn't get behind the Battle Armor CC body. I cannot for the life of me find out who did it, but someone made a custom using the Reactive Armor body, and that's what got me.

I'm using the Tavor TAR-21, which the IGs used in the Spy Troops/Valor vs. Venom era. I may paint some more red patches on it.

Recipe : Reactive Armor torso and arms, Iron Grenadier legs, gear and head.

Overkill : Cyborg who wants to destroy organic life? How could I not like this guy? Watched the VvV movie, where GI Joe fight werewolves (again), and came away digging Overkill more than in Sigma 6.

I have to credit General Hawk for the head (I've got to dryrush it a little, since he's looking a little Mr. Beef.) I took a little nail polish remover to the black part of the RoC CC torso. Badab Black and Chestnut wash, cleaned up with Isoprophyl alcohol.

Recipe : RoC Cobra Commander torso and head, Wraith legs and upper arms, BAT lower arms, Resolute CC helmet.

Payload (wip) : Never having the Defiant as a kid, I only remember him from the Marvel appearances (so I was surprised to find out he was white as a toy.)

I've seen JpnX's Astronaut, and I liked the Snow Serpent legs. Mostly, it's a matter of finding a use for the Skydive gear. I've got to work up the snuff to cut off that re-breather.

Recipe : Arctic Snake-Eyes arms and torso, Snow Serpent legs, Skydive secondary, Ace helmet.

Skymate (wip) : The glider pilots are obscure dudes, and therefore at the top of my to do list.

I'm not sure what to do about the hat/headgear, except not make it hot pink.

Recipe : Mutt arms and torso, Thunderblast legs, Breaker head, Cobra officer webgear.

Harvest Moon

G.I. Joe customs : Slice, Dice, Baby

 Dice : I saw a Dice custom a while back that used Para-Viper parts for the torso and upper legs to cut paint rub. I had to make a few changes from the Temple Snake-Eyes parts out of sheer cussedness. And with a ninja, I didn't have to figure out what those arm blades were for.

Still not a hundred percent on web-gear. The Firefly harness just seems too cramped.

Recipe : Para-Viper torso, upper legs, lower arms and head, Storm Shadow upper arms, Jungle Viper lower legs.

 Slice : The other half of Cobra's ninja bros. I made a one with a Marvel Universe figure, but it doesn't look right. He came about from some parts juggling from an Air-Viper and the Wild Weasel below.

Recipe : Red Ninja torso, Air Viper upper arms and legs, Resolute Trooper knees, Jungle Viper lower legs, mask from Temple Guardian Snake-Eyes, CS Snake-Eyes hands,.

Wild Weasel : After seeing Stronox's lower arm swap, I figured I had to do something about those goofy Snow Job arms. I was thinking of making a more Marvel comics flavored WW, and had been playing with an Air-Viper to do it. I noticed the lower arms were the same color plastic, and easy-peasy. Swapped the hands onto the new arms and away.

Recipe : Air-Viper lower arms, Cyber Viper helmet.

Zarana : I said I'd find that MU Storm jacket. For those Spy Troops fans out there.

G.I. Joe customs : Got to get tough

Metalhead :  I mostly remember him from the time he played mid-boss at the battle of Benzeen, but he seems most notable for being a spaz in the DiC cartoon.

I prefer the v2/v3 body, but I wanted a v1 styled head. I had started shaving down a Ripper head, but I had a James McCullen IX sitting around, so I shaved part of the mustache, and added some greenstuff.

I may repaint the gauntlet gold so it blends in better. I didn't dig the grey on the v3, so I made the leg armor gold.

Recipe: Pilot Destro arms and lower torso, Arctic Destro upper, James McCullen IX head, Firefly legs, Copperhead belt, Low-Light goggles

Tracker (unproduced Night Force version) : Actually painted, trimmed down the cheeks from the Cyclops head. May paint the visor yellow like the DiC version, since the red sort of drops out against the black.

 Mirage : GI Joe's Bio-Artillery/Rocket-Fire/Weapons Expert. I saw someone use the Recondo lower legs making him, and I had a Jungle Duke with a bandana, and everything went together. I plan to make my Repeater more Colonial Marine, so I figured I had to make a Mega Marine to hang with him.

Recipe : Beachhead torso and arms, Recondo upper legs, Destro lower legs, Duke head, Shocktrooper webbing

Night Creeper :  Like the Range Vipers, the Night Creepers are great army builders that aren't easy to army-build. I've got a few CS Snake-Eyes whose legs I've swiped for Sand Vipers, and I dig the wv3 Storm Shadow (except for that spring-loaded torso).

Recipe : CS Snake-Eyes torso and arms, Storm Shadow legs, Shocktrooper head, Night Creeper head-wrap, Cyber-Viper armor 

Storm Shadow vs. Gaddafi

NATO recently deployed Storm Shadow against a C3I bunker at Sirte

"Storm Shadow is optimized for pre-planned attacks on static targets, whose positions are accurately known before the mission. (bridges, airbases, radar installations, communications hubs, port facilities, bunkers etc.) With long-range and efficient stealth design, Storm Shadow can eliminate strategic components of enemy defensive systems, without risking manned aircraft."

(Edited from the SCALP EG page at Defense Update)