THE DEMON'S HEAD-
As with many of The Batman's adversaries, I first really got to know Ra's Al Ghul via Batman: The Animated Series. Though seemingly plain-clothed and not over-the-top like the rest of Batman's foes, it was really Ra's Al Ghul's respectful, gentlemanly approach that drew me in. I loved that he called Batman "Detective," and that Ra's was really just trying to get Bruce Wayne to join the family business. He just had a criminally insane way of doing it.
Ra's Al Ghul is an example of a piece where the parts pretty much dictated what was going to happen. It all started with that head, taken from a Star Wars figure based on Terrence Stamp. I always thought Stamp would make an amazing Ra's Al Ghul, so I worked on the head first. I just slightly modified it with Green Stuff and repainted it.
Working on Ra's, I brainstormed about bodies... I didn't necessarily want to go with his notorious green business suit, but did want to pay homage to it. The head looked best on a Cobra Commander body, which gave it the formal appearance I needed, while also having a sort of late 19th century-early 20th century gentleman. This was inspired by an episode of Batman: The Animated Series set in the Old West, starring Jonah Hex.
While working on Gotham's Most Wanted 2, I wanted to play with the idea of a variant/"chase" figure. Ra's Al Ghul was the natural fit, because he wears a number of different costumes, each with a different purpose. For Ra's in his League of Shadows uniform, I popped the finished head on the...
LEAGUE OF SHADOWS NINJA-
Ninjas have been a usual thorn in The Batman's side for decades, so when I saw the new ninjas released for the GI Joe 2 movie, I knew I had to make some. By far the most deadly of all The Batman's enemies are Ra's Al Ghul's personal army: The League of Shadows. Known by many names, counting an untold number of operatives, and led by one of the most brilliant men on Earth, they had to be the first "henchmen" made for Gotham's Most Wanted.
Ever since I saw them in Nolan's Batman Begins, I knew I would have to make a figure inspired by Ra's Al Ghul's ninja guard... to do that, the figure is almost entirely a GI Joe 2 ninja with 25th Anniversary Storm Shadow armor and Batman forearm "spikes" grafted on, then hit with a coat of black paint and accessorized with a giant katana from my accessories Graveyard.
NEXT TIME: OSWALD COBBLEPOT- THE COLD, CUNNING PENGUIN
