2006-Winter Edition- Mr. Freeze Comments

[martingb]

I love what I see so far. I guess the best thing is to wait for everyone to post and then we comment 'on block'?? I can't wait to let you guys know what I think. Will has amassed a wealth of talent here that is beyond words and all good guys too. Top stuff. Get posting those pics guys. I'm desperate to see 'em.

[casimir]

I'll take at stab at what's showing so far:

FB: I saw your Freeze and thought "Well, Glorbes is up early." Then I saw it was yours! I love it! The Ross-style Deadman is one of my favorite pieces. It's so "alive." Modifying it to become Freeze is so outlandish, it's brilliant. I'd never have thought it works, but it does. It just looks so clever and keen. Well done.

Kevin: Yes! The Atomic Age lives! I dig all your extras like the surrounding art and the inclusion of the mini-playset. You took this and ran with it. And it fits your theme so well. I'm really impressed with your manipulation of the bulb packaging to make the helmet. (I also can't believe you tried to CUT light bulbs. Are you insane? )

Martin: Looks like a top notch TV version to me. I know you've only made a few customs as of yet, but one would never know by looking. Totally professional looking.

Casimir: Meh! What a hack!

Scott: Another wacky yet perfect blending of eras. I love this kind of creative thinking, and I'd love to have this figure on my shelf. The additional sculpting and the boots blend really well into base figue. Well done!

C.

[Figuremaster Les]

I will be back here to post all my comments in one post after all the entries are in...
But, so far...WOW! I am loving this!

To be continued....

Now, hurry guys and post so I can comment on your amazing works!!!!!! ;D

[casimir]

Holy mother of.... Oh my.... Les?! You maniac! That is gorgeous!

That's it. We can all go home now. Les has shown us what greatness is.

What's really impressive is it sounds like most everything came from Les' parts box. Just junk lyin' around...

This is my favorite bit: "I decided not to paint [the dome], so I just chilled it for real for a few pictures." That's dedication.

C.

[martingb]

OK here goes on what is up so far. I can't wait to jump back in when more go up.

FB:

Totally original. A brilliant way to kick things off. Your 'take' on the concept of a man who can live forever with an ice heart while his body decays is just top notch. The costume and equipment is almost beyond comment. Just looks 100% real deal collectors figure to me although you listed all the bits and where they came from. Love the little stand as well. Exactly as I would expect to see it in a store as a figurine or whatever. Also a skull in space helmet is a great concept. Just like the old Hammer movie MOON ZERO TWO!! Fantastic imagery.

Kevin:

"Yes folks that's another one out of the ballpark"
Blimey you do it everytime with these crazy goofball 50s/60s interpretations of these often grim looking characters but you cross every 'T' and dot every 'I'. This looks like a toy that every early 1960s Batman fan could have bought in a store. The face is brilliant as well and looks just like the artwork in 3D form. Gorgeous looking outfit too. Fantastic presentation as ever from Anthony. The truck and little guys is a fantastic touch.

Casimir:

As always smooth lines, quality work with little or nothing for the uninitated to tell apart from a store bought figure. I like the height of the guy too in comparison to the others as he offers a real imposing presence. Nice looking face too.

Scott:

A cool mix of animated and 1966 TV style. Not a problem for me. I love it. I would like to see more of this type of thing. Again great finish and pretty much what I would look at and expect to see in a store.

Les:

Like Cas said, we may as well all pack up and go home!! This is, not just Bat related but EVER,.. one of the finest custom action figures I have ever seen. If they have Freeze in a new Batman movie THIS is how he needs to look. The face is great and the goggles too. Almost a touch of DR WHO Cyberman in there too. The dark colours working at odds, and with, the silvers works totally. I am knocked out too with the technical stuff. The whole deal is just incredible. A beutiful piece of imaginative work.

OK GUYS BRING ON THE REST!!!!!!

[casimir]

Batlaw: AWESOME! I so dig your entry! This is really shedding light on some of the little-known corners of the DCAU. (That's DC Animated Universe, for the uninitiated.) I remember watching Gotham Girls and hoping for some custom inspiration. Miss Smithy was one of the best. And yet... I totally forgot her until just now. Good choice, and good work!

I am so loving this Freeze thing. The creativity is just flowing!

C.

[batlaw]

I think Im going to hold off on more indepth comments till later when moat / all entries are in and I have fair time (when I get home lol)
But for now I'll just say everything shown here is just further evidence of how freaking incredibly talented everybody here really is, as well as how vastly inferior I feel in comparison! You all are true artists and experts producing nothing short of masterpieces on a regular basis! I'm truly humbled and proud to be included and welcomed among your ranks.

[martingb]

What I am liking so far is the fact that despite everything looking vastly different from each other all the guys seem at the top of their game for the specific style of customising they go for. It's like saying what is the best sports spectacle. A high dive, a home run or a great touch down in Rugby or goal in soccer. All are beautiful to look at and each deserve merit when done right and with style. This applies to everything I have seen so far. Come on guys I want three or four more so I can comment on the next batch (Which will include Batlaw's cool piece too)

[Figuremaster Les]

OK, OK, [glow=red,2,300]I can’t stand it! [/glow]

I have to post SOMETHING RIGHT NOW! I’ll catch the latter ones as they come in…


MR. Freeze Figure Reviews and reactions by FML

As they appear…

Faithful Butler Andy-
My first thought was WOW! What a truly different idea!
You took it as far into the extreme as it can go.
I love any excuse to use skeletons and this works excellently, and in a way I just would not have thought of at all. It also put a great big smile on my face when I saw it. You always astound with your work and with this very original piece, you take us where no character should ever go…beyond death, yet alive…suffering indeed!
As for the use of materials, Bravo! I love your base and the gun and the dome! Terrific all around. The backtanks rule too! All of it does. I really like any use of a hose with this character so I like that too. Great display and presentation. Has a strangely Nemo-esque meets Mary Shelley quality too. All that is good.
BRAVO MATE! ;D


Abu/Kevin-
What a wonderful set! My first thought was an uncontrolled laugh of utterly overwhelmed coolness! Not a putdown laugh, but the kind you have when you can’t believe what you are seeing ‘cause it’s just too darn cool!
I just can’t get enough if it! And then, you give more!
The figure himself is superb. You perfectly capture in Mego form the look, style and tone of Mr. Zero. Straight out of the comic! I like the face a lot and LOVE the dome! Have to love the dome. (We all should appreciate the effort on any of the domes here…)
The playset…What can I say?! You have made such an effort to make this so fun that I can’t say enough. The little assistants and the teeny lil Mr. Zero crack me up! That Ice Cream Truck! WONDERFUL! That box! Anthony has done your set proud! That had to be a hard layout! SUPER display for a fantasticly imaginative set, all brought to life.
All in all, to my fellow Freeze nut/enthusiast, BRAVO TO YOU! You did it! It’s wonderful. Your love of this character totally comes through!
(And that little yellow gun is just the cutest thing ever! ;D )


Martin-
EXCELLENT my friend!
[glow=red,2,300]YOU CAPTURED HIM EXACTLY![/glow]
What a figure!
I am so pleased to see old Otto rockin’ in here! And that display! It really adds to the presentation and is a very nice job overall. I love the efforts made in these presentations! (I am so busted!) This one really enhances your figure too!
His gun is TOPS! I love it! His tanks, the suit….all of it! And the silver parts really shine mate! You did a super job! Just super. This one really takes me back. What a great job Martin. I bet it feels great to have him in your West TV show collection too!
All this, and he’s a keeper!


Cason-
Now this is an interesting take!
I see you decided on a complete change of colors and it works! Super Powers a tad, yes maybe, but as always, effective and original. An anti-version of that Animated spider version that is really neat! I haven’t seen the comics versions you speak of, so this came over as really original to me. I like the simpler palette animation figures, as it is very hard to do that and make it work for me. Your typically polished finish is present and your combo shot with Robin and Nightwing makes one realize his size well. Love it Mr. Pro man you! A master indeed!
Knowing your skills, you probably just whipped this one out between breakfast and lunch in one day…between your many interviews! ;D



Scott Rogers-
AWESOME! I love seeing an animated variant of the Otto Preminger TV show version! What an interesting course and an effective version! Love the colors and the head and details. Super silver tones and I love the flat finish on the suit. Really effective job! Broadens our submissions very impressively! ;D


FMLes-
Who let that goofy swamp goober in a class joint like this?!!!
“Pack it up and go home” he says…yeah…Whatever! You guys are so ON today!
I am outta breath here! …ok…on to the next one….FAST!


Batlaw-
WOWSA!
I had never even heard of this character before! I have missed some serious shows man!
This is amazing! The colors, spot on! The overall effect, WOW! This figure compels me to say, “I gotta see that show NOW!” You have done a great job here! Blows me away! Beautiful blues too! Just wonderful! Nice to see this thing “fleshed” out a bit with a female character. You did yourself proud here.
Great job.


NEXT!?!?!?
Hurry guys! I can't stand the suspense!

[casimir]

Yes, we need more. MORE, I say!

Oh, and a big shout of Thanks to Scooter for thinking up the original idea in the first place. Mercy buckets!

C.

[Figuremaster Les]

Yes! Thanks for saying that Cason!

And there aren't enough Karma points available for all this!
WHen I get the means to sit and distribute them...you all get one!
Scot too! he's first...from me to you bro ;D

[aburabusimbutu]

First of all, I want to say up-front that this little event has turned out to be every bit as much fun as I had imagined. It is just incredible to see the variety, wit, skill, and passion that flows through the work presented here. A really exhilarating experience! I have been rather naughty and spent time at work today writing my responses to what has been posted. I have these so far- so much to see and say! I will have more when I get home this evening for the rest of the work that’s been posted or will be…This is so much fun!
Now about each figure-

Andy – The Undead Mr. Freeze is a massively chilling piece of work. The concepts it displays- eternal devotion, immortal curse, obsession, loss of humanity… imagine tucking themes like THAT into an action figure! It has poetry and pathos. The execution shows you at your top form. The clinging, faded, aged remains of his costume are so well realized. I love that you chose a bubble-shaped helmet (with big bolts). It has a throw-back retro feel that suggests that Freeze began his icy career many years before he began his ageless decay. It suggests he has been an icy specter for a long time! Besides that, it looks cool as hell! Your colors on this work are really unique to the usual approach of Mr. Freeze and the metal seems tarnished and battered. I love the way the helmet, outfit, boots etc. seem to all be balanced on the seemingly fragile yet tenacious framework of what is left of his body. Great ornamentation on the boots and the gun- love the hoses! And I love, love, love, LOVE the clear tanks in back!! Top marks for the whole concept and the execution. Also beautiful work on the Wintry backdrop. Combined with the very painterly feeling of the figure the whole composition looks like a Frazetta or Boris painting of Undead Mr. Freeze! This also conjures happy thoughts of what a Batman movie might look like if produced in the hands of Ray Harryhausen (ala Jason and the Argonauts).
PS- I would like to see a better shot of the base with Nora’s shattered casket to get a sense of the shape and a better look at the details.

Anthony’s Mr. Zero Box- I know Anthony didn’t have a chance to pull a Freeze figure together with his busy workload- and part of it I guess was making this box for me! So I’d like to really give a big thanks to the guy for such an outstanding job!. The coloration on this is really nice, the research into the character details and the picture selection is all top-notch. Anthony has really achieved my unstated goal which is that the package combined with the contents becomes almost a complete “story in a box”. This box provides all of the visual information, back-story, and flavor of the original comic that makes the ice cream truck and the henchmen relevant to the figure and the overall presentation. Anthony’s sense of professional packaging really shines here on every panel- and also his sense of humor that he always squeezes in somewhere. In this case, note the “Keep Refrigerated” comment on the front. I love the portrait of the henchmen in their gangster duds, the wrap-around ice cream truck, the icicles in the figure’s window, and the overall layout. This box helps pull everything I did together and is a masterful piece of pop art in its own right. Thanks a heap Mr. Durso!

Martin- Otto Preminger Mr. Freeze is indeed Wiiild!! One of the things that I love most about this figure is that it was assembled from so many parts that are FROM the general era of the appearance of the character on the Batman TV show. Let’s face it, all of the Mego Batman characters are loosely based on their appearances on that show. Your application of Big Jim, Action Jackson, and general Mego pieces all make this look and feel very “authentic” to a toy produced from my childhood. I imagine sitting in front of the TV, with this figure in one hand, and a glass of chocolate milk in the other, and making freeze-gun zapping sounds as I trundle the little fellow along the edges of the couch while Batman Whaps! And Zowies! his way across the screen in the background. Your attention to all of the right details is in place. The tanks on the back are magnificent as is the collar, the suit, the boots, and the gloves! The gun looks so much like a real Mego accessory I’d swear it came that way! And of course we get to enjoy the flawless head painting that is your calling card- the eyebrows and face are clean and professional looking like a mass produced item, your finishes are all so smooth and slick! You have made yet another perfect addition to the imaginary world of the Mego Batman TV collection- a line which is punctuated by the idea that Mego would have ramped up their production values and attention to detail without straying from their basic World’s Greatest Superhero formula. Lastly, I love the backdrop you made – it’s really fun and clever that evokes the show, and looks like the way I’d imagine this figure displayed in a Mego catalog would- makes a great presentation for a great figure!

Cason- Wow! A Batman Adventures edition of Mr. Freeze! As a guy who really loves to see the odd and obscure brought to life you have really tickled me with this one! The civilian freeze would certainly have been cool to see, but this idea is so terrific! Who would have guessed there was a new notch in the Batman Mr. Freeze look- I haven’t read the comics so I had no idea about this design! You mention there are other variant costumes in the comic as well? Any plans to do them as well? That would be really neat! Any way, the execution on this is at the same mind-numbingly clean and perfect levels that I am used to seeing from your hands. Your “cheat” on the leg stripes isn’t one at all since they look absolutely perfect to me. You have taken documenting this character in toy-form to an all new level but besides that I love the costume itself- that big red circle in front is really dynamic! Bravo!

Scott- Hey it’s “Batman 1966- The Animated Series”! I LOVE IT!! I would never have thought to combine these two versions but doesn’t it just look the coolest! Very clever and very well executed- you had to make all kinds of decisions about what to borrow from each source to strike a good blend of the two and all of your choices make perfect sense. We have the Otto eyebrows on an animated head, perfect Otto collar with a gray jumpsuit- all the crossovers were well considered. I would love to see you continue this train of thought into the other characters as well. You even have the Mad Hatter and Clock King as potentials! Great work, super fun, and totally unexpected!

Les- I would have to call this The Ultimate Mr. Freeze! Of course, you and I had discussed Mr. Freeze at length before this project was proposed by Scot. So I know of your passion and understanding of this character, and was eagerly waiting to see what developed when you put your mind to the task of designing the character yourself. I have to say without much surprise that your results are absolutely stunning and reflect your deep connection to the character. There are so many levels to this piece. There is the overall esthetic, the character, the details, the realism, and the engineering for function. Your design is an amalgam of not only all the elements that make Mr. Freeze a dynamic and memorable character, but also a careful tribute to the genres that he represents. From an art standpoint there is art deco, a little Bauhaus, a little surrealism, even a little expressionism. The figure channels untold sources of inspiration that are suggested throughout- from the animated Batman series to The Shape of Things to Come. Wait a minute...is that Robby the Robot's "mouth" I see???!!! He is part man, part machine, part monster, part architecture! Your use of space and form are well executed- the repeated domed shape on the gun and helmet, the silver circles in the gun, the goggles, the chest piece. The black suit provides a unified frame for all of the intricate details and makes good use of “anti-space”. From a purely Mr. Freeze standpoint I can see traces of the animated freeze in the goggles, the head and helmet- the kneepads and elbows suggest the recent “Snow” edition of Freeze in the comics, to some extent the gun as well. His cold and absent emotions are reflected in the simplicity of your color choices- all stark and dead- silver, black and blue.
Looking closely at the details, the head is a gruesome study- the skin seems transparent as the icy blue veins invade his face and the white blank staring eyes- appropriately chilling! This man really does have ice water running in his veins! The realism you’ve created on such an unreal character is just astounding and a tribute to your immense talent. The gun itself is really a work of art and I am just shocked at the amount of thought put into its function to the point where you have diagrammed how each part works with exacting detail. The amount of textures and surfaces on this figure make it a real tactile delight to look at- the silver hoses LOOK cold, that dome is REAL GLASS!!, the slippery slickness of the black suit, the treads on the boots, I can hear the liquid contents of the freeze-gun tubes bubbling to life. Then there’s the “hammered metal” look of the chest plate- that is REAL metal!!! It’s gotta be! Same with that tank- dang if it doesn’t look heavy and purposeful too! That final shot of the gun being fired is brilliant and powerful which also points to one other prominent feature of this character I haven’t touched on- he is a total BAD-ASS!! I guess I could go on and on about this but obviously I feel this is an outstanding achievement!

MORE TO COME!!!

[casimir]

Glorbes! Ah, yes, just what I wanted to see from you: a Frankensteined piece of superb skill. (And with the requisite leather, of course.) I like the squared-of helmet. In fact, the thing I like best is the fact the helmet rests on his torso at an angle, instead of perpendicular to the ground. Adds a nice touch. Plus, the clunky boots just look keen. You know, we lose a lot of heat out of our feet. Maybe the big boots are needed to house heat sinks or vents. ;D

Awesome piece!

C.

[radioscooter]

Jeez.

Guys - this stuff looks amazing. All of it. I had a version of this all planned and the base figure bought and all - but as you know - some life got in my way.

But you guys got SERIOUS about this effort and I applaud everyone's work.

Les - that gun...I really just can't even form words. The blueprint alone would have impressed me enough for this project. The photoshopped image with the gun going - everything - just amazing.

Really everyone's work so far is just great. Will there be more? Will?

[radioscooter]

casimir said:

Oh, and a big shout of Thanks to Scooter for thinking up the original idea in the first place. Mercy buckets!

C.

Yeah, just wish I could have taken part. Maybe next time.
-S