Juggernaut by FBS

When I first read about Juggernaut I was intrigued with this character. He is someone who can go head to head with the likes of Hulk, Thing and the X-Men and would often surprise his adversaries. Immediately thoughts came to my mind like what if he goes against my favorite Superman or how we would fare against the Blob. Years ago I remember reading in a comic book a line that says something like, what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

That was never answered as far as I can remember. It would be a good theory to test using Juggernaut as the unstoppable force and Blob as the immovable object.

Anyways, I’ve been fascinated with Juggernaut figures from the Marvel Legends line and some statues that were loaned to me for pictorial and one such statue is Juggy made by FBS, a local group here who caters to custom made statues.

FBS’ version of Juggernaut is part of a diorama where he is running towards the other guy (Colossus). If you notice the base is just a portion of the dio which when attached with the Colossus piece gives us a battle scene.

Juggernaut is quite huge (1/4^th scale, more than 15 inches tall), the sculpture and details were executed well. For those interested with this statue you can send me a PM for pricing details and I will refer you to the seller.


PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:
I used to photographed action figures a lot then started with 12inch or so statues. Now they are getting bigger and bigger. Like I mentioned above, the details were greatly done and the paint job is comic book accurate. 

The main difference between a statue and an action figure is pose ability. With a statue what you see is what you get so a couple of things should come to mind when doing a pictorial of statues.

You can bring this statue outdoor but be prepared to get stared at by bystanders (I'm used to this), some even touching it. Lighting and angle of shooting are also factors since you want to emphasized his massive body. I did several shots of Juggernaut since he is in a running pose, I wanted to get the right angle of him running towards me. Finally after several minutes (and clicks) I finally got the shot I wanted. I added a bit of radial blur to create a picture of Juggernaut running towards me.

Setup:

For the pictures above with the black background here is a picture of how it was done.

*Note: There was a slight tweaking done to make the background solid black. My current setup does not have a big black solid background so I had to make the best of what I have.

Iron Man Mark VI Maquette by Sideshow Collectibles

With so many Iron Man merchandises coming out (kudos to the success of the 2 movies), it's no wonder companies are trying to outdo each other producing quality collectibles. Sideshow Collectibles, a huge company known for its extensive line of Marvel based statues, recently released (IMHO) the best Iron Man statue to date – Iron Man: Mark VI maquette.

When I first took a photo of Jon’s Iron Man Comicquette (still on my wish list), I kept telling him how much I love the statue. The Granov signature smashing the ground pose gave it a huge impact and the exclusive version came with an interchangeable head of Tony Stark. It was a blast and up to this day (it’s been more than a year or two) I still dream of having one.

When I first saw pictures of the Mark VI maquette from Sideshow’s website, I immediately said to myself, this is the best Iron Man statue to date. The resemblance to its movie counterpart is uncanny. I have seen (and photographed) several variants of Iron Man from classic, stealth, modern, extremis, etc. and they are all good with their designs. However, I so much love how they made him in the movie and this Mark VI totally blew me away!

The statue is at approximately 17 inches tall and comes with a base that when connected to the Mark VI lights up his eyes, chest and hands (via a power switch).

Sideshow Collectibles is selling this piece for $489.99 but the item is already sold out. You will be on the wait list if you decide to purchase from their site.

http://www.sideshowtoy.com/?page_id=4489&sku=400041&ref=preview_page

PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:

My tabletop setup works best for figures that are 15 inches, or less in height so I had to improvise on the background that I used. I also used a regular table instead of my Falcon Eyes one to have a more stable support for the 1/4^th scale statue.

A lot of possibilities entered my mind when I was taking pictures of the Mark VI. There was the dry ice effect (which Bleau already did with his BD Mark III, http://www.flickr.com/photos/bleau72/5068793674/) or maybe bring him on a dark alley with a single spot light place on top and use the dry ice there. Then again I would probably need to hire bodyguards to ward off nosy bystanders. Also the fact that this statue is not mine is another thing to be concerned with.

I did the usual rim lighting that I do, which I think worked really well for Mark VI. After several ‘catalog’ shots I decided to see how it would turn out by using just one light.

You can also flip the switch at the back of the base and be stunned when his eyes, hands and chest lights up. The base can be operated by 3 AAA batteries or a power supply (included).

Lighting Setup:

For this experiment I used a Union 4 Rime light 400 watts fitted with a bowl and 2 rectangular mirrors. I took one shot with just the Rime light and a couple of shots after using 1 mirror first then finally 2 mirrors.

As you can see from the 2 succeeding photos, the first one was just the Rime light while mirrors were added on the second one. By turning on the modeling light of the strobe and placing the mirror opposite it, I can see where the highlights will hit before I press the shutter. If you examine the left leg and upper torso carefully you will notice the difference. The other mirror was pointed towards the right leg.

Iron Man Extremis Version by Bowen Designs

I’ve been busy for the past 2 weeks with several things, and then I got sick so slowly getting back on track…

If you are a comic book fan (specifically Iron Man) then you have probably heard (or followed) the Extremis series. Here Iron Man gets a different look and basically after so many things that happened to Tony Stark he is back in the ball game.

This new 12” statue by Bowen Designs is inspired by the art of Adi Granov (remember the famous Iron Man punching the ground pose?) and features Iron Man firing his repulsor ray. It also comes with a base with the logo of Stark Enterprises printed in the middle.

BD makes good with the size of the statue (1/6^th scale) to collectors who have limited display shelves. I checked online and urban collector is selling this piece for $148.99, but is currently not available. I also checked Bowen’s site and this retails for about $175.00 and is also sold out.

http://www.urban-collector.com/iron-man-extremis-statue-bowen-designs.html

http://www.bowendesigns.com/sculptures.asp?id=567&type=

PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:

I did several rim light shots to see if this would come out as good as the Mark VI one by Sideshow Collectibles but I got a different treatment (you will see when I do a blog on the Mark VI).

I love photographing BD statues because despite of their smaller size than the others, they maintain the details of each piece. Here is where Bowen statues shine. The careful attention to details makes each statue a good photoygraphy subject. Kudos to the sculptor Avinash Hedge for executing this pose well (http://aysculpture.deviantart.com/).

I would probably try and shoot this together with War Machine, maybe do an outdoor shot or table top with dry ice on each side to emulate smoke. That would probably be nice. 

Some Issues:

1.) When I think of Iron Man I think of Tony Stark inside a suit of bulky armor (think of the movie) but the Extremis version is totally different. It looks more of a suit than armor for me. I still prefer Tony looking like a robot rather than one of the guys from Tron. However, BD captured the Granov Extremis very well with this statue. 

2.) The paint job could do some improvements. Once you use a macro lens for photoygraphy you get to see things that you normally would not using a regular wide angle or short-range lens.

The Warriors 3 by Bowen Designs

When Asgard is in great danger Odin summons its mightiest warriors – Fandral the Dashing, Hogun the Grim and Volstag the Voluminous. Together these 3 individuals form the Warriors 3 and aids the Mighty Thor in battles. I first noticed them when I read X-Men: Asgardian Wars (great job by Arthur Adams) more than 10 years ago and there were some scenes where the New Mutants came face to face with them and Volstag just kept on eating.

Following the releases of Bowen Designs (BD), I’ve been wondering for some time as to when these guys would have their own statues/bust and BD came through. My friend Kenneth who is a die hard Thor fan grabbed this opportunity to buy the Warriors 3 mini busts set when it was released. Ken’s the only person I know who collects nothing except Thor related collectibles and patiently waits for each Thor statue to be available. However my heart goes out to his Beta Ray Bill bust (boxed and stored) because wifey objects to how scary it looks on his display.

I was surprised to see how small the box of the Warriors 3 mini busts but BD made good with the details and paint job of each character.

This sells online for about $165.99 (http://www.urban-collector.com/warriors-three-mini-bust-bowen-designs.html) and another one at $178.95 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003B9EIBY/ref=asc_df_B003B9EIBY1263174?smid=A2I2G3C668O1EH&tag=nextag-toys-mp01-delta-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B003B9EIBY)

PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:

When I saw these guys the thought of having a thunderous background suddenly came into my mind or maybe a fortress (Asgard maybe?) so I did some tabletop setup and came out with these pictures. These mini busts would be awesome standing next to the god of thunder had they been made full, but otherwise they are still masterpieces.

Lighting Setup:

I basically used one piece of 400w light fitted with an octabox and a white board across to lessen the shadows on Fandral. The black background is by Savage and already pre cut to fit with my Falcon Eyes table.

Iron Man Mark VI 400% Bearbrick by Medicom

The first time I saw a Bearbrick was when the local vinyl store FRESH Manila used to operate a few years ago. The owner who had several Bearbricks of different sizes on display introduced me to this.  I saw a small one, roughly about 3-4 inches and another one that is almost twice the size. What caught my eye were the bigger pieces to which they were coined 400% in size.

One of Jon’s haul during his Singapore trip was a 400% Bearbrick of Iron Man Mark VI. Even Medicom, the company who manufactures these Bearbricks capitalized on the success of the movie and made their own version of Iron Man.

I browsed online for the cost of this item and I saw someone selling it on eBay for 120 Singapore dollars http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/Hot-Bearbrick-400-Iron-Man-Mark-VI-Be-rbrick-Toys-/380257967437

Packaging:

Bearbrick collectors will definitely grab this opportunity to own a fantastic piece of Iron Man memorabilia with this purchase. The print on the figure is of high quality and captures the essence of Iron Man Mark VI. Also when you try to move the arms and legs there is a clicking sound with each rotation that informs you of the certain degrees to which you can move both the arms and legs.

PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:

The posing is limited so I was able to get only a few shots of it. I was impressed with the paint job (printing) done with this figure. After taking several shots I decided to imitate the famous Adi Granov pose with a touch of rim lighting effect.

Issue:

1.) Light up eyes and chest? Nah, too much.

* Comparison in size between the 400% Bearbrick and Hasbro Mark V

Iron Man Mark VI by Kotobukiya

My friend Jon recently went to Singapore and had several toys shipped here in the Philippines and of the toys happens to be an Iron Man Mark VI by Kotobukiya. Having seen and photoygraphed the Mark III I was expecting the Mark VI to be better.

Kotobukiya incorporated a different design scheme for the Mark VI by inserting a peg under his left foot. This peg acts as a connector that when inserted to the base activates the light up eyes, chest and hands of Iron Man.

The Mark VI is available online at http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=KOT10542&mode=retail for about $149.99.

The Mark VI (which is around 13 inches) has a limited production of 1500 and there’s a label on the box that indicates which number you get. Kotobukiya continues to use a simple and sleek box design with pictures of portions of Iron Man’s armor. I would have preferred an action instead of this museum pose but I guess Kotobukiya designed all of them that way.

PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:

A typical studio shoot type would bring this statue to life. You can also make use of the light up eyes, chest and hands to create mood shots. I was not able to fully insert the foot with the peg into the base for fear of damaging either component. Because of this the statue was not that stable and the lighting of his eyes, chest and hands were flickering.

It does not differ much from the Mark III for me except for some minor modifications to which it fell short of my expectations.

Some Issues:

1.) The paint job falls short of my expectations. It does not have that shiny armor effect that I prefer and some there are some paint consistencies.

2.) The peg on his left foot does not insert fully well to the base, which makes Iron Man a bit unstable when attaching him to the base.

War Machine by Bowen Designs

When Jon informed me that Bowen came out with a War Machine statue I immediately checked online to see what it was. Ever since I saw WM from Iron Man Movie: 2 I began to appreciate him it even more than Iron Man. The cool gray/silver combination and extra ammos on his shoulders makes him a mean fighting machine.

It took him a few days to lend me his statue because of a minor defect – the slot of the Gatling gun is filled up with plastic. He informed the seller of the problem and they were able to fix it.

My high expectations of the War Machine statue were not met because of some issues, but mostly personal ones. The craftsmanship is excellent and the paint job was well taken care of. BD limited this production to about 1,500 pieces and the best thing is that this is an action pose. The package consisted of 4 pieces, War Machine, the base, shoulder cannon and a gatling gun.

The statue is available online for about $184.99 at http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=BWD10212&mode=retail. Jon bought it for P11,000.00 at one of the local malls here in the Philippines.

PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:

Because of the color of War Machine I was able to apply my rim lighting style and it worked for me (see picture below). I am so used to seeing museum poses by BD (Bowen Designs), it was a refreshing change to do this fighting pose War Machine.

Rim lighting works pretty well for this statue because of the color combination of gray and silver. 

Some Issues:

1.) The armor looks more of a body suit than an armor. I guess this is a preference of taste and I do prefer a more armored version of War Machine. The body needs more details for me.

2.) The face is a bit long for my taste. 

War Machine 1/4th Scale Bust by Hottoys

I saw an actual display piece of this at Toy Hunter in Mongkok and my jaw dropped. It's practically a masterpiece! I was not able to buy it because it was not yet available for sale.

More than a month later Jon was able to get this at one of the local toy stores here in the metro area (R-Toys to be exact) and immediately loaned it to me for a photo shoot/blog. My initial impression was the price, because I feel it’s a bit pricey for a plastic 1/4^th scale bust. However, after I opened the box and saw the actual piece I knew that collectors would definitely skip lunch or dinner for this piece.

The packaging is simple, black box with some illustrations and wordings. War Machine comes with a Gatling gun (with ammo) and features light up eyes and chest. The red lights of his eyes are awesome! The details are stunning and the craftsmanship is very impressive. Though the Iron Man Mark IV is nice, this War Machine is even better.

Big Bad Toy Store is selling this for $74.99. Jon bought it around $88.00 (which is the normal selling price here in the Philippines) that is $13.00 more.

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10291&mode=retail

Iron Man fans will definitely want to add this to their collection.

PhoTOYgrapher's Perspective:

As with statues there are no moving parts here so basically this works best (in my humble opinion) with a tabletop treatment. I would probably get some props to go along with this bust (maybe some Iron Man cosbaby guarding it) or maybe do a composite by adding a cool background later.

You can also do a comparison photo by shooting it eye level and below eye level. I find the latter works for me because it makes him look big. The lighted eyes (red) and chest (powered by 3 AAA batteries) are good additions to this awesome bust.

Some Issues:

1.) The built is plastic.

2.) I would have preferred HT not to include portions of the arms because it looks as if they are dangling. It would be better if they leave the sculpting until the shoulders only.