Unique Figures: McFarlane & Muggs Customizer Interviewed – Part 1 of 2

 Unique Figures: McFarlane & Muggs Customizer Interviewed   Part 1 of 2

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Alexander Ovechkin(top) custom figure.  Original Ovechkin figure by McFarlane on the bottom.

I’m a technical person, so my creativity isn’t much.  Creativity is a talent that some people have and I definitely appreciate it.  I can analyze what looks good/bad but tell me to create a logo and I wouldn’t know where to start.  So why am I talking about creativity?  Because I’ve always appreciated what customizers do.  Customizers are fans who create/alter action figures based on what they want.  Mostly, they create figures that have not been released by toy companies.  These artists paint the figures, make head sculpts and find ways to make the figure as close to its counterpart (comic book and movie characters, athletes.)

 Unique Figures: McFarlane & Muggs Customizer Interviewed   Part 1 of 2

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Roberto Luongo (top) created from Heinrik Lundqvist figure(bottom). 

Creating custom figures takes patience, skills and more importantly, creativity. In this 2-part article, I interviewed the co-founder of hockeycustoms.com, Chris (aka Nucksfan from Spawn.com). In this first half of the article, he discusses his love for action figures and how he got started customizing.

 Unique Figures: McFarlane & Muggs Customizer Interviewed   Part 1 of 2

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Customized Pavel Bure(top) figure made from NY Rangers version officially released by McFarlane(bottom).

NS: How long have you been collection action figures?
C: I have been collecting figures for about 15 years. I started small with Playmates TMNT line back in the early 90’s, then grew into the DC Total Justice line and then into the McFarlane NHL Sportspicks, which I had from series 1 through 8 before stopping. I also have a decent collection of DC Direct figures and most recently the Takara G1 Transformers reissues. Right now, I am focused on the G1 reissues and anything Flash, DC Direct, Mattel’s DCUC and the Classics line. I would like to pick up the Neca TMNT line as well, but there is only so much room my wife will give me in the basement for toys that don’t belong to my 2 boys.

NS: How did you get started with your collection?
C: What got me started was having figures that represented what I was into at the time. I was always I big Transformers fan, the original cartoon came out in 84 when I was 6, so it was right in my wheelhouse, then it was Turtles and then onto Comic heroes. Also my collecting days really took off after I graduated high school and got a job at a comic store. I worked there for 4 years and my collecting has never stopped. When the NHL Sportspicks came out, I was in heaven. I’m a huge hockey fan, always have been so to have accurate, well sculpted figures of NHL players really got me hooked.

 Unique Figures: McFarlane & Muggs Customizer Interviewed   Part 1 of 2

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Martin Brodeur(top) custom made from David Aebischer figure(bottom).

NS:  When did you start customizing?
C: I started customizing McFarlane NHL sportspicks in 2001, a couple of months before my first son was born. I’m a real homebody so I like to stay in all the time and aside from watching hockey, I’m not a big TV watcher so I needed something to do while my wife was watching TV. So for the last 7 years, I’ve been exclusive to customizing NHL sportspicks.

 Unique Figures: McFarlane & Muggs Customizer Interviewed   Part 1 of 2

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Custom Ryan Getzlaf(top) made from Trevor Linden figure(bottom).  Notice how the base has also been changed to match the player.

NS: What was your first custom figure?
C: My first custom figure was back in 2001 and was a Mcfarlane NHLPA series 1 Paul Kariya and I customized it into a Vancouver Canuck player with my name on the back. When I started this I had no idea there was already a community of people doing this and sharing tips online. I didn’t have a computer at the time, so I was on my own. I never even heard of different sealers or paints to use or decals or how to make decals.

NS: And how did you learn how to customize?
C: Well, because I wasn’t online at the time, I really learned how NOT to customize myself. Once I discovered the internet and it’s many uses I got a lot of help from Jomo of www.customsbyjomo.com. He’s the granddaddy of all the Sportspicks customizers. He’s the one who really started this hobby and was really helpful to me along the way giving me many tips early on. Then I met Zac, who goes by Eddie20 on the Spawn boards, and he really helped me by showing me how to make decals and use graphics programs like photoshop and illustrator. Along the way there have been alot of guys that have helped me out, EJ (Voodoo Chylde) is another one who gave me lots of tips and encouragement. From there I’ve done a lot of research online into customizing other types of figures and there are so many good sites out there with people what have alot of talent.

About how long did that take from start to finish?
C: I don’t remeber a specific time, but I would say at least 2 or 3 months.

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Mighty Muggs Flash created by Chris!

Well that’s it for the first part of the interview.  Stay tuned for next week for part 2 as Chris tells us the process of creating an awesome custom Mighty Muggs Flash figure.

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