This year I gave more figures away than last year, and I hope to continue the trend in 2014. To see the expression of surprise and shock makes it more and more worthwhile...
ULTRAVIOLET
Ultraviolet was a gift for Nya, my Goddaughter. Like myself and her dad Brian (best attorney in the world, PS), Nya loves GI Joes, so Brian asked me if I would create an original character based on her. Inspired by Nya's multi-colored hair and her punk rock mom Sarah, Ultraviolet is Nya grown up. While she's truly a member of the GI Joe team (trained by Snake Eyes, what!), she's also a triple agent: A Dreadnok who works for Cobra spying on GI Joe (she's really giving them misinformation created by the Joes).
In addition to being a bad-ass spy, Ultraviolet-- like the real Nya-- loves and cares for animals, and works as a vet for all the animal companions on the GI Joe team.
Ultraviolet was a combination of a lot of different parts-- Mutt Williams from Indiana Jones, Scarlet, and some random female Jedi Star Wars figure. I believe the head is from Angel Forge
( http://shop.theangelforge.com ), a bonus piece added to an order by surprise... one of the many reasons why they're amazing.
SCORPION
About a year and a half back, my good buddy Moe asked me if I'd ever consider working on one of his favorite video game characters, Mortal Kombat's Scorpion. While I've never been much of a gamer, I'd always liked his design (along with Sub-Zero, Reptile, and Smoke), and had even made a REALLY CRAPPY one out of old skool GI Joes when I was a little kid. If memory serves, I was so nervous about painting the eyes that I cut some out from the Mortal Kombat magazine ad and glued them on his face. It looked as horrible as it sounds.
Moe's favorite costume for Scorpion was a little daunting, and, before I knew it, a long time had past since his request. But it proved fortuitous; Moe's birthday was coming up and I knew exactly what to give him...
Scorpion is a repainted ninja from the GI Joe Retaliation line. As soon as I saw it, I knew the yellow would work beautifully with that sculpt. Add in the sick articulation and you've got a birthday present to die for... "GET OVER HERE!"
NEXT TIME: Being good, Breaking Bad...
