Dark Knight Movie Masters | Custom Fabic Cape Tutorial

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Fabric Cape Tutorial | Dark Knight Movie Masters

I have been asked several times over the years to provide a tutorial on how I do my "Pull Through" fabric capes for DCU and Dark Knight figures… I don't think the description of the process has ever really made it absolutely clear so I think this in depth visual guide should do nicely. I may be blowing my cover a little bit in doing this but last night I sat down to make one and I had my phone handy so I figured "What the hell... Let's do this."

For an added feature with a wired fabric cape, click the video above!!

Fabric:

First I start with prepping my fabric. You can use about any kind of fabric to do these but I find the thinner weightier polyesters work best. The thicker the fabric the more likely it will have a bulky appearance. This is a nice stretchy material and when handled with care it can look quite nice.

For symmetry I take the selected cloth and fold it in half for sizing and cutting.

For dramatic presence I make the cape 1.5 body lengths wide and just over an inch taller than the figure. It will draw up a little after final placement so you'll want that extra length. I use a Fiskars rotary cutter to make swooping circular cuts for the scallops then I terminate the top in an arch just so there are no straight lines. within 30 seconds you have your cape produced.

Figure Prep:
To make way for the fabric cape to attach I take a dremmel with the small threaded cylinder to grind out my entry points into the points where the original cape ends. Right there at the clavicle/collar bone. I aim my bit at the center of the shoulder blades right in the mid back. This dodges any articulation points on the inside. You can broaden this hole in the back for more working space if you like. Once you've completed this step you should be able to see clean through from the collar bone to the back.

I also notch out the back of the neck for better posability of the head (i.e. Batpod Posing/Gliding/General Action Posing) This time I also did the front of the neck after I had taken these pictures. this is done using the same dremmel bit.

Cape Prep:
You will be pulling a lot of fabric through some tiny holes so it is important to reinforce the fabric with some sort of "gasket" if you will to prevent the fabric from ripping. I use a hi bond double sided tape. You could probably find something like it at a fabric store as a hemming tape. You don't need much as you see which is nice.

I make 2 squares and place them symmetrically at a width of the shoulders. That gives you slack to go around the neck (removing the head really makes this easier). I fold the fabric over onto the tape and voila!! your cape has every hem it will ever need. This is a reinforcement as you will use a thin wire to guide the fabric into the body. I use a dental pick to punch a hole through the fabric and tape and loop my wire through the tiny hole.

I take 2 lengths of wire (one for each entry point) and needle it through the hole and then bend it perfectly in half. I then twist the wire as tightly as possible to make for a clean feed through the hole.Once both wires have been fed through I then twist THOSE together making ONE braid of wires.

 I then clip the collected wires and take my needle nose pliers and begin to crimp them into as small a bunch as possible. Being careful not to push any fabric back through the figure's front I bundle the wore and fabric into the exit point in the back. I use a hot glue gun to finalize the bundle by filling only the exposed area with hot glue. this will keep everything in place.

 

You do have the option in this step to use the still hot glue to "pin" the cape to the figure's back. This can help keep the cape from lurching up on the figure and looking weightless. It can also help you define the direction and tightness of the cape over the shoulders. A little Matte Finish in a can and this Dark Knight is a lot less conspicuous and a lot more awesome!!! (Matte Finish used in Picture #1)

So there we have it. A nice FULL low profile cape for our Movie Masters Dark Knight Batman. This trick can be used on any character needing a replacement for those awkward vinyl capes. I think it adds a lot of posability and balance to these figures that just deserve SO much better when it comes to their presentation.  Be sure and check back in the future as I plan to take these capes a few steps further in the future... I'm thinking "Memory Cloth"...

Class II Slave I | Boba Fett Style

So I was strolling through Target this week and just happened to get there on stock day. I look down and there's Jango Fett's Slave I sitting right on the front of the shelf. Just $19.99 but wow the box was tiny!! I knew I had to be dealing with an abbreviated version but wow this box was tiny and light too. I expected at least for this to be the size of the Target Exclusive a few years back but still I didn't know HOW it would fit in this box. Anyway enough about the box… it's small.

Before Blackwash

After BlackWash

So since I'm not a prequel guy I decided to give this hunk'a'plastic a makeover, or a work over since we are aging it about 30 years. The bottom "bell" of the Slave I is one piece along with the shoulders that host the rutters so I took just the bell and sprayed it with a Rustoleum Brown Boots satin finish. It proved a little glossy so I went back over with a matte finish. For the shoulders, bumper and loading dock I mixed up a green and then dirtied it with black and mixed it again. So now I have made this Slave I "NEW" with this alternate paint scheme, it's time to knock a few years into it.

I mixed up a darker gray to match the bit on the tailfin and went to replace a few panels along the top of the body and front. I used my Target Exclusive as a general reference but the panels were split up a little different so there was some liberties taken. For the more weathered panels I took my flat brush in between coats on the solid panels and I just ran it from the seams inward with lifting strokes as drybrush. That left just that slight bit of color creating a weathered metal.

Finishing off I mixed a little light gray to match the original body color and went back to work on the bell again. I used my broad strokes to wear down the very edges of the bell and then drybrushed in my weathering using the same method as I did on the upper body. Start in the seams and brush inward with lifting strokes.

There we are. The Mandalorian Manhunter is ready for duty. That's it really. I just wanted to post this up.

UPDATE: After about a week of admiring this piece I did come back with a blackwash (mostly water) and it really brought some scale to the ship. Gave it a nicely weathered look that it was still surprisingly missing.

• Before Blackwash •

• With Blackwash •

Mattel Dc Unlimited | FIRST LOOK @ Joker Injustice as Superman & Batman hit eBay

More leaks of Mattel goods ala eBay out of china. These shots show a much truer look into what we can expect in the coming months. The head has that production shine, Honestly I think I'm more impressed that this game line actually calls for all this unique tooling where as some of our greatest properties have been issued on the same buck bodies for the last 5 years.

Go Figure... HA!... punny.

Man of Steel | Movie Masters from Mattel

Its finally happened. we've gotten our first looks at the Man of Steel Movie Masters from Mattel. Its been a personally long awaited sight to see how Mattel was going to handle this line. Initially I am pleased. Though I do hope our Superman features some sort of ab crunch mechanism. Until we know for sure... enjoy these images!!!

Visitors to NYCC 2013 can be sure to check these guys out in person as part of the festivities surrounding the release of the movie as well as their anticipated mountains and mountains of merch.

 Like last summer's Batman film The Dark Knight Rises featured everyone from the Dark Knight to Catwoman to the villainous Bane, Mattel is releasing a Movie Masters line ($14.99, arriving in June) featuring Zod, Supes, JorEl and detailed versions of the movie's main characters that look just like Shannon, Cavill and the rest. Plus, Mattel's also putting out Man of Steel QuickShots, a new wave of figures harnessing two of Superman's best traits: flight and strength.

Superman doesn't drive an iconic car or sport a belt laden with gadgets, so when it comes to designing merchandise, toymakers haven't had much to play with.

That hasn't dissuaded companies from partnering with Warner Bros. for "Man of Steel," however.
In fact, as it readies to relaunch Superman in theaters this summer, the studio has secured a longer list of licensees around the tentpole than it had for 2006's "Superman Returns." And early demand from retailers for products tied to the June 14 release is on par with that for "The Dark Knight Rises," surprising even executives at the studio, sources close to the deals say.
That demand is a positive sign for WB and DC Entertainment, which have put considerable coin behind "Man of Steel" and hope the pic can launch a new Superman franchise and generate interest in "Justice League," which would feature the character alongside Batman, Wonder Woman and the Flash. "Justice League" is being developed for 2015.
Superman has long been a popular character for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. But because his powers -- the ability to fly, his heat vision and super strength -- are hard to translate in action figure form, sales were mostly driven by apparel featuring the character's signature "S" shield.
"Man of Steel" won't dramatically change that, but through its long-standing relationship with Mattel, Warner Bros. believes it's been able to expand on the kinds of products it can offer this time around. For example, Mattel will introduce "Man of Steel QuickShots," which will build elements of flight and strength into its toy line that will include action and collectible figures, vehicles and playsets.
Mattel's planned lineup of products, which WB will promote at the various toy fair conventions kicking off today in Nuremberg, Germany, and bring to the New York Toy Fair next month, is said to have sparked interest from buyers for stores akin to that of Batman fare, execs at retailers confirm to Variety. But so has the more action-oriented approach helmer Zack Snyder and producer Chris Nolan have taken in the rebooting the film franchise for DC and WB.
"Superman will always be a pop culture icon, and the upcoming summer action adventure will continue to fuel excitement for this fan-favorite superhero across the globe," said Brad Globe, president of Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
Mattel's toys are one of more than 300 product licenses WBCP has brokered for "Man of Steel," covering toys, apparel, accessories and back-to-school categories.
Other partners include Lego, whose construction sets are inspired by scenes from the film; Rubie's Costume Co.; Thinkway Toys; RC vehicles; collectible figures from Sideshow Collectibles, Kotobukiya, SquareEnix, Neca and Jakks Pacific; props from Noble Collection; and puzzles from Cardinal Industries, along with Funko, which will produce vinyl figures through its Pop! line.
At the toy fairs, WBCP will also promote products for other DC properties such as the classic Batman TV series from the 1960s; the "Batman: Arkham Asylum," "Arkham City" and "Injustice: Gods Among Us" videogames; "The Hobbit" trilogy; and TV shows "The Big Bang Theory," "The Vampire Diaries," "Scooby-Doo" and "Looney Tunes."

Credit: USA Today & LA Times & Variety

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Star Wars | BLACK SERIES

Star Wars action figures are growing up with their audience.After 35 years of fantastic plastic standing tall in pop culture at 3¾ inches, Hasbro is releasing the "Star Wars" Black Series this year, beginning a new set of 6-inch figures that will feature more articulation and an increased attention to detail.

Priced at $19.99 each, eight figures are planned for 2013 — Hasbro will primarily draw characters from the original "Star Wars" trilogy of films while also bringing in key players from the prequels.
The first wave of four, due out in early to mid-August, includes Luke Skywalker in his X-Wing Fighter flight suit, fan-favorite droid R2-D2, bad guy Darth Maul and an Imperial Sandtrooper.
"We consider them the best figures that Hasbro's ever produced for 'Star Wars' that meets the sensibilities of romancing the character as well as the playability and poseability that fans really appreciate," says Derryl DePriest, Hasbro vice president of boys marketing.

Hasbro has had success with the scale before with the 6-inch Marvel Legends figures based on Marvel Comics heroes and villains. In terms of "Star Wars," though, the Black Series will act as a transitional point between the 3¾-inch toys — "which is rooted in the childhood memories of generations of now-grown kids," DePriest says — and the 12-inch Sideshow Collectibles figures for adult collectors.

The current "vintage"-style line of 3¾ figures will also continue under the Black Series banner.
In creating something new and different with "Star Wars," the color black became an inspiration for toy designers, DePriest says. "It's one of the main colors of 'Star Wars' all the way back to the beginning, and it's the approach that Lucasfilm has taken with their collector-oriented product line. We're bringing that simplicity and essence and focus on the character now to the toy aisle."
The Black Series appeals to those newbies who want to start a series from the start as well as those hardcore collectors who gobble up anything having to do with the words "Jedi" or "Empire" and "are looking for something new and their interest isn't as piqued by the 15th cantina alien we have yet to do," DePriest says. "We realize folks want their iconic characters delivered up in a new way."
With "Star Wars: Episode VII" coming from new "Star Wars" director J.J. Abrams in a couple of years, as well as comics, novels and other media adding to the universe George Lucas started in 1977, it's a good time to figure out different scales and toys for the next generation of Star Wars fan, according to DePriest.

Before then, however, the Black Series also gives a chance for parents to connect with their own little "Star Wars" fans.

"Our focus here is the adult collector, the dad," DePriest says. "We know they have their own generation of youngsters they like to share the adventure with. It can be something for dad, and the 3¾ world can be something for the kids to share."

Source: Detroit Free Press