September Pick of the Month

Okay, so it's that time again, for the first time: Vote for pick of the month! It's simple, a box will appear somewhere on the right of the screen, and you just pick what figure you want to win; voting closes on the eighth.

Options are:

Sideshow Firefly, by GI Guppy the third

Cobra Viper by Wry1

Snake Eyes by Hrothmeir

Kamakura by Mythic

So vote fast, please vote just once, and have a good week.

Hez out...

Pick of the Week-- Sept 4/4

Okay, final figure of September... This week was another tough choice; I had it down to four really good competitors. But in the end, I chose Kamakura by Mythic http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-joe-customs-finished-projects/87598-custom-poc-kamakura.html I've looked at some pictures of the real Kammy figures, and I have to say that Mythic's iteration very nicely takes the best elements of the real figures and merges them easily with the RoC styling, making this figure perfect in design. It is also perfect in execution, sporting an excellent paint job, good parts mix, and excellent accessories. Kudos, Mythic, Kudos...


Sometime next week I will be putting up a poll so you, yes you, can pick the Pick of the Month for September. Stay tuned!

Pick of the Week-- Sept 3/4

Okay, time yet again for a Pick of the Week...

This one was a hard one. I really liked this figure. I thought the paint was good, the parts were good, it was a good rendition of the character... heck, it even had sculpted thighs to differentiate its parts from other figures with the same parts...

But then there was another figure. As a figure, it was... okay. It sufficed. It was not spectacular, nor was it particularly bad. But it didn't stand out. EXCEPT... oh, except: it had THE most amazing accessories. I'll go ahead and give credit where credit is do on it, check it out here: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-joe-customs-finished-projects/27692-4-sideshow-snake-eyes-finished.html But I could not in good conscience Pick it for the week. According to my personal standards of custom excellence... It was just sorta lacking. Except the accessories.

So instead the award goes to the figure featured in the photo above: Snake Eyes V2, by Hrothmeir... Wait, Hrothmeir... where have I heard that name before?

Oh...

Yeah. You see my problem. I really can't select this figure, because, well... Nepotism of the first degree. On the other hand, this award is meant to honor what I see as great customs, based on the merits of the actual work, not on any personal connection to the creator. So... If I picked someone's custom based on the person of the artist, that would be wrong. If I didn't pick a custom based on the person of the artist, that would also be wrong. So in the end, I let objectivism (as well as advice from family and eventually the randomness of a coin toss [best three out of five, coin pre-tossed each time to determine final starting side]) decide, and based my pick solely on the qualities of the figure. Well, and a little on the accessories. Sometimes you can't separates a figure from its accessories (coats, helmets), but when all that a figure has going for it is the accessories, well...

So, that's it. My controversial little Pick of the Week. May God bless us all....





And I really expect some discussion on this one...

Pick of the Week-- Sept 2/4

Okay, Pick of the Week # 2. This week the award goes to Viper, by Wry1. The Viper is an important part of the G.I. Joe universe, and past versions have been... iffy, at best. The original (and re-releases, updates) was one of the best real-world style troop-builders, but recent versions *Cough* Rise of Cobra! *Cough* have been lacking.

Wry1's version, however, is a nice compromise. With the helmet, goggles, color scheme, and armored pads, it is reminiscent of the original figure, but it manages to update the design, and bring the figure straight into urban warfare. in addition to that, the paint is clean and detailed, the use of parts is good, and it just has an all around good presentation. The only nit-pick is that, from certain angles, the chest pouches look rather... moob-ish...

To view the figure, visit http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-joe-customs-finished-projects/86446-wry1-viper.html

And remember, please leave comment! Hez Out.

Rosh Hashanah

It's that time of year again! Getyur Rosh on!

Okay, so happy 5771!


And that's about it...

Oh, no wait, I have something else to tell you about: My new Brush! So, I was working on a custom, and I just couldn't get they eyes right, so today I went to a local model/hobby shop (http://www.thehussar.com/) and purchased a Brush; a magical $15 brush. I've named her Gwendolyn. Yes, I named it. For that price, I had to.

Yeah, that's really all; if you have something to say, please post. That is all :)

SWM Seeking Flip Cam...

Hey, little update, telling a personal anecdote and then BAM! leveraging that pathos for personal gain!

Okay, so I was all driving around on Sunday, going out to help set up our church picnic way out in the middle of nowhere (read: Bixby, Oklahoma). So anyway, I'm driving along and I see this thing flying out of the grass in a ditch off to the right. At first I thought it was a duck with a leash (yes, it look weird); but as it passed in front of the van, I saw that it was a hawk, carrying a snake. It was going slow, and I very easily could have hit it, but it dropped the snake and flew higher, just missing the car. Trippiest thing I ever did see. My mom, my brother, and I all believe that it had some DEEP PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE. What that was, well.... We're praying about that.

Well, now that I have you held firmly by your emotions, allow me to say this: I'm looking to expand my video-making capabilities, and I need some things to really get me started. Namely: a Flip Cam, and some sort audio recording device. Estimated budget for this is about.... Oh, $300 dollars. Now, I'm not asking for donations. Donations would be nice, but I'll take anything: Actual goods, money, job offers, people purchasing art prints. Heck, I'll even do Action-Figure commissions. I just need the camera and audio recorder. If you can help, please just leave a comment!

And as for other updates: No Pockett tomorrow. I know, I know, you're all anticipating it... Well, I haven't had time to scan in and process a comic as of late (yet I can write this... Weird), so it'll have to wait until next week.

So yeah, that's it for today. Remember to come back on Friday to see the new PotW! TTFN

Hez Out.

Pick of the Week-- Sept 1/4

Nnnnnnneeeeewwwwwwwww feature time! That's right folks, time for a new, weekly feature! The Realms of Neldak Pick of the Week! Every Friday, I will go out to my favorite custom site, hisstank.com, and pick a custom action-figure/diorama/vehicle to be that weeks pick! The month's picks will then fight against each other for who is the monthly pick, and then the yearly pick!
The rules for being selected are simple: any finished customs within the first two pages on the forums, and that are not already winners, are eligible. Judging will be based on creativity, professionalism, sculpt work, paint, etc, etc, etc... The winner will receive the Official PotW Seal in their comment forum, and be featured here on the realms. And without further ado, let me present this week's winner...

Sideshow Firefly, by GI Guppy the third. The figure is done in the G.I. Joe 25th anniversary/ modern style, and is based on the upcoming 6th scale Firefly figure from Sideshow Collectibles. The figure was chosen because it has clean paints, excellent sculpt (the head is all new!), and very closely matches the source material. It is a superb figure, and worthy of the PotW Seal.

To view the figure, please visit
http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-joe-customs-finished-projects/85446-sideshow-firefly.html You may need an account too see it, however.

The image of the figure is presumed copyright 2010 GI Guppy the third, used without permission, although permission was sought, but has not been granted yet, but hey, I have a deadline, so...

If you feel this figure is not worthy, or if you have another pick you think is better, please feel free to comment. Thanks, and congratulations to GI Gup!