THE CLUBHOUSE

Tom mentioned to me some time back that he was having Jim Maddox
sculpt a replacement head for the recently re-issued Aurora Incredible
Hulk kit... Being the big Superhero kit geek that I am, I went nuts over
the idea, since the kit head is pretty damn ugly and I just didn't want to
build one with that head it comes with...

I ordered two of these so I could build up one for My son who's serving in
Iraq right now, to have when he comes home... He's a big Hulk fan
and also have one to build for myself....

Gotta tell ya, when I saw these today I was completely blown away by
the killer likeness to Kirby's early Hulk artwork... It's probably the best
comic book Hulk likeness, (at least Kirby) that I have seen yet! Yes, It's
that damn good!

The casting was excellent as well... Tom's castings are always top drawer
work. I've never once recieved a bad or questionable cast from him and
I've bought a lot of his part sets...

Now if I could only convince him to do a replacement head for the
Captain America kit in the "Kirby" style...

Thanks for taking on this project and seeing it throught to the end Tom...
You've made me a very happy modeler! Well Done...

Yes, it's an excellent head sculpt. I spent some hours yesterday hacking up the kit and installing the head. Gonna be a real nice looking model....from the chest up...
CoP castings are as to be expected by now. Top notch work.

Thanks Mark. I was REALLY happy with Jim's sculpt. Not so sure about a Cap replacement though, the kits are hard to come by, and Jim is REALLY busy. Chop, could you post some pics of your Hulk build so far? When I cut the parts to send to Jim to work with, I found the easiest thing to do was just grind through the styrene with a cone shaped grinder (the styrene is REALLY thin on this kit as opposed to most PL kits). Anyway, I'm thinking,best way to install would be 1. Glue torso/head halves together
2. Starting with the back of the neck, grind through the plastic, eventually cutting off the head, then cutting a "V" into the chest. Test fit the resin part and keep grinding as necessary.

Can't wait to see some paint on these, and Harry, I LOVE your dio idea
Tom

It's 5:40 now. I'll try to have a pic or two up by 9.
I scribed a line around the kit head base on the back part. Over and over until it was snap off-able. Then I cleaned it up. All #11.
On the frontside, I scribed a line around the head, with a very conservative V down the chest. After checking the pic 2 or three times in the other thread.
I cut through alot with the thin wheel, then finished the parts toward the top with #11.
Then it was a matter of a zillion little #11 whittles until the piece dropped in. 3 drops CA to hold it. Then a bead of twopart 5 minute epoxy around the joint from the inside.
Easy peasy. It's all primered now and I'm deciding if I should attach the arms now or later. Since gray and green are two easy colors for me to blend/match.
By the way, did Kirby ever draw Gray Hulk? I seem to remember GH looking like this.

Here's some quickies. Bear in mind it's been less than 24 hours since box opening. And I'm concurrently working on final detailing a 1/25 BMB, puttying two more after assembly, Odd Job final painting, and a long ongoing Munster LR build, also in final stages of paint. Ths Hulk was just something that flipped a switch. Hadda see it. Like the good old days!
I'm not slacking. I'm just not uploading alot of pics lately.
Been a while since I tried to be a machine.
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/379 ... C_001S.JPG
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/379 ... C_002S.JPG
http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/379 ... C_003S.JPG

Looking good Chop, thanks for posting those.
Tom

That head looks a million times better and, yes, I agree that a replacement Cap head is definitely needed. It would make me buy the kit, as this Hulk head makes me wanna do!

Chop, that is some damn nice seam work bud!

Thanks, Mark. Just go real slow fitting as you go and it will fall right in. Keep going until the collar sculpt fills the hole flush. It's not perfect, but it's damn close.
I did some touch up around the left collarbone since the pic. And I attached the arms and puttied them. They are drying now.
Feet are ready for paint. Base is primered. Nameplate, smoke puffs and shock bolt (?) basecoated. The pants part is assembled with putty drying. No primer on the pants yet.
Probably about 4 hours all together. Alot of fun.
Tomorrow I'll finish the arm seams and I really want to finish painting Odd Job. He's very close to done.

So are the Hulk heads ready too? How much money do I need to add to the check for my Robin base (that I still have to send ya), Tom?

Michael

Got my Hulk head in the mail today and this is a very cool piece! Excellent sculpting and casting!

Need an answer, gentlemen. Did Kirby draw Gray Hulk? A) I have to know if I'm (still) tripping, and 2) I'm ready to start painting.....
Kirby-Gray Hulk. Yes? No?

Yes Jack "The King" Kirby drew a grey Hulk. Kirby drew the first issue of The IncredibleHulk and Lee's original concept of the creature was for him to be grey. However the printers couldn't produce a consistent grey and the color was changed to green with the next issue.

Thanks, Night-Owl!

You're welcome Chop!

Got mine! Nice looking piece!

Tom, are there pics showing how to mate this to the PL kit?

Charlie

Charlie; glad you got your box ok. I don't have any step by step pics, but
if you glue the upper body halves together then remove the head, starting at the base of the back of the neck then slowly working your way to the front and down the chest. I used a dremel with a cone shaped grinder, Chop used multiple passes with an xacto.
Tom