Custom Slaughter’s Marauders Spirit
I became fascinated with the DIC cartoon series for some strange reason back in the early 2000s. At the time, I was delving more deeply into the toys that I had missed between 1988 and 1991. The cartoon was a bit of a revelation in that it featured animated versions of later toys. That in itself was exciting, even if the series wasn’t exactly high quality.
Around that same time, I was collecting and customizing Marvel Toy Biz figures. My interest in comic character customizing spilled over into GI Joe here and there, and the DIC series’ Operation: Dragonfire five-parter provided the impetus to create some customs based on the animation. Specifically, I was interested in Low Light, both in terms of his portray and his redesigned Slaughter’s Marauders outfit. The other members of the subteam also showed up sporting similar duds. I set about making a Low Light, then moved on to the rest of the team.
Spirit didn’t have much to do in the mini-series, and the group as a whole, aside from Low Light, didn’t get much to say. Still, it was an interesting project getting this different set of decorated versions together, and they look nice as a group. I often wonder, since the animated designs often followed the toys closely, if these alternate versions of the Marauders’ uniforms had their origin in unused figure designs.
The figure shows it’s age now, having been painted with acrylics over ten years ago, but I’m still happy with the results. A modern camera and good lighting however are not kind to less than perfect paint detail work.
This post reminded me that I still am on season 2 of the cartoon–I think the next episode was El Dorado.
I’ve actually met Spirit’s voice actor, who also voiced Low-Light, Serpentor, Copperhead, Big Ben, Dusty, Destro, Heavy Duty, Mercer, Ozone, Psyche-Out, and Major Bludd: the always-great Maurice LaMarche.
Thats great, Rob. His caoflage is less garish and makes more sense. I myself have Slaughters maraduers Footloos, Barbique and Spirit. Ironically, Footloose is the only one of the team i have who still has his weapons but his thumbs are broken.
@Acer
The Dic cartoon doesnt get any “better” from there on, it gets incresingly worse.. To further rub salt into the wound, the last episode is a clip show, dedicated to Metel-head and his unfunny antics.
Maurice Lamarche is great though “Are you pondering what i’m pondering”
Awesome custom! Hasbro’s SM Spirit is just creepy without his eyebrows. I wonder why the figures didn’t use a smaller-scale camo like you’ve done, opting instead to deck them out like their vehicles in broad stripes.
Nice custom!