Minimate Customs: Making Mine Marvel

As I continue to clear out my Minimate custom archives with "theme" posts, let's turn away from the DCU for the moment and take a look at the Distinguished Competition.  As I've previously stated, I don't make many Marvel customs.  But I've been making more recently, probably because I've got a lot more opportunity, since I'm printing decals, and I've come to the Hypno- Hustler, so I'd better take matters into my own hands (note: I'm not actually making the Hypno-Hustler... but I bet this guy will).  So what follows is a quick tour of the fringes of the Marvel Universe, where I've always preferred to hang.

The Black Knight

Admittedly, the Black Knight isn't quite finished, as I have a decal waiting to be printed to top him off (long story).  But I couldn't resist showing him off, because I'm rather proud of him.  His parts are basically a combination of Yellowjacket and Modern Thor, with Movie Thor's cape (painted blue) thrown in. I've held off on making him for a long time, because he seems like a natural to get his own release, but once I'd cracked the formula, there was no stopping me.

His sword, the fabled Ebony Blade, comes from another Movie Thor release, the Asgardian guard, and is just perfect... except that it doesn't fit in his gloved hand.  I've even tried widening it with pliers; no luck.  Eventually, I'll probably switch these gloves out for the snazzy new ones found on the newer Captain Americas.  And, eventually, he'll be completed with this:

Once he's fully done, I'll update him here.
EDIT: And here he is!

Shang-Chi

 This one actually goes back a ways, though it wasn't until Agent Zero's head came out that I was able to complete him.  His hair, chest, and skirt come from Street Fighter Ryu, with some serious red and yellow sharpie action.  I also sharpied his hair, though I'd recommend to anyone wishing to duplicate this formula to try and acquire an Evil Ryu.  I took a few liberties with his outfit, not adding yellow at his sleeves, and putting him in little black slippers, but... whatever.  The nunchaka come from a Marvel Universe Ronin figure, by the way.

Captain Marvel

Did you know that every few years Marvel has to release a Captain Marvel title to maintain their trademark, lest DC swoop in and steal the name back for the original Captain Marvel, a.k.a Shazam?  That's why they keep putting out a new title with the guy every few years, even though he's never been all that popular.  Well, I always liked him.  This guy is the son of Marvel's first Captain Marvel, and is just about the easiest custom you can make.  His arms, chest, crotch, and feet all come from his dad, with the matching blue legs coming, in this case, from... hmmm... you know, I'm not quite sure.  How embarrassing.  But his head's from Dr Fate, and his head's from Colossus, with a blue sharpie giving him a funky outer space look.

Cyclops

 Not so much a custom per se as a modification.  I was never very happy with the official Cyclops, what with his painted boots and gloves.  So I stuck his mask, arms, legs, and crotch on the hideous AoA Cyclop's torso (you know... that's probably where Captain Marvel's legs come from), grabbed some yellow boots and gloves, and voila, a Cyclops I can live with.

Night Nurse

 If you're talking about obscure comic book characters, it's pretty hard to top Night Nurse. As part of a greater push to create more titles for women, Night Nurse was the star of her own short-lived (and, inexplicable valuable) series in the '70s.  Her body's entirely from Kobol Six, and her hair's from Silken Floss.  And that's it.  That's the formula.  Night Nurse!

Ka-Zar

 Another early, easy custom.  I know there's no shortage of Ka-Zar quick customs out there, but I quite like mine.  He's got an Eddie Brock head with a Six hairpiece (I've probably used Six 'mates for customs more then anyone else), with Gollum's loin cloth and Nick Fury's knife.  Here he is with his award-winning wife, Shanna the She-Devil:

If anyone has any suggestions for Zabu in this scale, I'd appreciate it.

Dominic Fortune

  Saving the best (and newest) for last.  Dominic Fortune is a character created by the great Howard Chaykin, and is the Marvel Universe's version of Chaykin's typical rouge anti-hero.  He recently appeared in Marvel's Hawkeye and Mockingbird book, and though I like Dominic Fortune and liked Hawkeye and Mockingbird, I didn't like Dominic Fortune in Hawkeye and Mockingbird.  Go figure.

His distinctive tunic comes from the new Movie Cap Bucky figure (which served as the starting point for this custom), as does his head.  Hair comes from one of the many Iron Man/Tony Stark figures out there.  Rest of the parts are just from my parts box, with the boots and gloves painted brown.  This is probably my best paint job... so far.