Blackbrazen: Resurrected Collection

My second attempt at photographing my favourite uniform. I just propped him in front of the computer screen to get the reflection and the right lighting, but I had to replace the image of the window on the left side of the photo afterwards as you could see the pixels on the screen! I'm pretty happy with it overall...this is what I always imagined as a child: Action Man in orbit looking down on the Earth from his capsule.

Fantastic stuff Scott!

I have finally had time to photograph some new additions to BBHQ. These were in rough condition when I got them, but some cleaning and reassembly following the videos on ToyPolloi's YouTube channel sorted them out fine. I also got two heads reflocked by Danny at The Forgotten Toybox and three more done by Mick Coxey. They both did a tremendous job. Here's the first of my few additions: Sir Archibald Roylance (yes, I'm a John Buchan fan!)

Wow! he looks awesome! I can see him becoming a firm fave of BB HQ

The Action Man in orbit looking down on the Earth from his capsule looks so realistic, it’s out of this world. I’m just loving Sir Archibald Roylance look, he’s graytastic.

ACKIE88 wrote:

The Action Man in orbit looking down on the Earth from his capsule looks so realistic, it’s out of this world. I’m just loving Sir Archibald Roylance look, he’s graytastic.

Thanks! Yes, I really like his gray hair. Coxey did a fantastic job!

blackbrazen wrote:

Thanks for the kind words everyone! It's such a laugh making these comics, so I'm glad others appreciate them too!
I have recently managed to get hold of a blue pants eagle eye VAM. I had a nice one back in the day, but sadly he went the same way as all my other Action Man stuff. The one I acquired was in excellent condition – all the plastic was clean and in perfect condition, and the joints were stiff. Sadly however, he had that affliction that seems to have affected quite a few of the blue pants boys – for want of a better word, he was rather ugly! He had the high gloss complexion, the manic shell shocked eyes, the eyebrows halfway up his forehead, and the bright pink lip gloss that seems to have been so common among those chaps. I'm afraid he also had the worst mullet I've seen since the early 1980s. This was how he looked when I received him:



As I said, he was in excellent condition, so I decided to give him a little bit of a makeover. I started with a very fine sandpaper to take the sheen off his skin. I removed his eyebrows, and also the paint from his lips and scar. Then I gave him a bit of a haircut, changing his hairline on his left temple and trimming his mullet so his hair ended just above his collar. I also pared back the plastic on his right upper eyelid, which was drooping a bit. That done, I painted back on some eyeliner on his upper lids and new eyebrows in the correct location, using a dark brown matt Tamiya enamel, which seemed more appropriate for a blond bloke than the jet black gloss that he'd had before. I also gave  a very light pink tinge to his lips and scar using thinned red clear enamel. The result:



Much better! He looks much more normal and ready to be welcomed into the BBHQ Team.
...Now I just have to work out a way to introduce him in a story!

I've got a VAM40 BPEE coming in the mail from Reddragon, wonder if the head can be salvaged in this way...

in some cases with the later ee's, they started to paint a dark eyeliner type thing across the top eye lid, maybe that might help

There's a lot of hard work and creativity going on this thread... well done... keep up the good work!

Been very busy with work this year and sadly not had so much time for the better (action man related) things in life! Still, managed to get a few shots in now and again, so here are a few updates.

My reflocked BPEE chap, Sandy Arbuthnot out on an adventure:



...and posing by his old Cherilea bike:



...and here's another of my new lads, Edward Leithen (yes, I'm a John Buchan fan!)

OMG WOW all these three pictures you’ve taken are just outstanding blackbrazen.

More amazing shots Scott! Your lads look terrific!

These photos are amazing. GI Joe (okay, Action Man) comes to life!

WOWSER blackbrazen! Those are fantastic! Great job!

Lovin' your work BB

I thnk your attention to detail is excellent -and the set up/shots are really cool - More please

Excellent figures and nice unique flock work!!!

Will you be doing Richard Hannay?

Thanks guys!

gibri wrote:

Excellent figures and nice unique flock work!!!

Will you be doing Richard Hannay?

Yes, I have...something about him just made be feel like he should be Richard Hannay...



He was in a state when I got him:



But a nice flock by Mick Coxey and he came back to life. Older, and more distinguished, but back for more adventures! I do like his scars – they really give him character!

He looks amazing Scott, a true hardened adventurer looking for his next adventure. A true asset to BB HQ!

Wow great job!
He's looking good now blackbrazen!

Excellent!!!

i'm only familiar with him from the Hitchcock film, but you've peaked my interest in the books.

love the scars too! I know some guys think these knocked about heads are not worth saving, but I really like them.

I'm not familiar with Mick Coxey. He does nice work!

gibri wrote:

Excellent!!!

i'm only familiar with him from the Hitchcock film, but you've peaked my interest in the books.

love the scars too! I know some guys think these knocked about heads are not worth saving, but I really like them.

I'm not familiar with Mick Coxey. He does nice work!

Yes, he does some of the best flocks I've ever seen – very creative! He's on eBay as "stoke37"

Glad I interested you in the books – the best British adventure books ever written!

One more new shot, this time a shot of Bodie in action. I'm experimenting with fast shutter speeds and throwing bits of earth to get explosion effects...pretty happy with the results so far!

Wow that’s one impressive explosion effects picture you’ve taken there blackbrazen.

AWESOME!

Wow, excellent shot, fantastic effects!!!