Toy Photography with 66 Batman Figures.

[Therin of Andor]

Nah, while "Captain Action" was an interesting concept, he was never part of my childhood.

However, my newly arrived Japanese "Mediacom Toy Corporation" Kato & the Green Hornet finally get to meet the "Figures Toy Company" Batman & Robin, and my custom Colonel Gumm and little Apricot. Kato's head was swapped out onto an 8" Mego-style body this afternoon, and his jacket sleeves slightly raised, to make Kato be more in scale with Robin and Green Hornet.


Kato and Green Hornet by Ian McLean, on Flickr

[Therin of Andor]

I was just asked about my custom Colonel Gumm. He is a leg-shortened Oliver Hardy, with the bowler hat surgically removed (and given to the Mad Hatter for his collection). This figure was way taller than FTC and Mego figures - 10", I think - but with his legs shortened he is now in scale with the 9" Green Hornet and my newly-altered 8" Kato.

I couldn't find a pink jumpsuit big enough for his ample tummy, so the denim overalls that came with Hardy were then spray-painted bright pink. Although it's a bib-n-braces style outfit rather than the jumpsuit, it works rather well with the pink shirt. I already had a pink shirt on hand (from an 8" "Anchorman" figure), and a spare white tie with red stripes quickly turned blue with a permanent blue Sharpie.


In progress customs by Ian McLean, on Flickr

[Batman65]

Your customized figures are incredible.

[Larry A.]

Hey, Ian, is Your Mary Marvel one of FTC's premade figures or did You make it Yourself?

Thanks,

[Therin of Andor]

Hey, Ian, is Your Mary Marvel one of FTC's premade figures or did You make it Yourself?

Olga, Queen of the Bessarovian Cossacks by Ian McLean, on Flickr

Mary Marvel is a commercial figure.

I am not handy with a sewing machine, so the Olga outfit I made uses a red Mary Marvel mini-dress, worn over a powder blue, long-sleeved, frilly-collared Lois Lane blouse (coloured red with permanent ink Sharpie). The metallic trim is glued onto all the hems. The distinctive piping across the chest is a piece of corrugated ribbon from a Lindt chocolate Easter Bunny, with added gold glitter Kindy Glitz. I shortened the legs because Anne Baxter was quite petite, and that furry hat was already going to add some height!

The hat is made from the hood off my customized Sandman's coat (which I'd previously only tried to tuck in; I wasn't game to cut it... till I needed more fur!) It's Bob the Mexican's amazing fur coat from the "The Hateful Eight" action figure.

[Larry A.]

It looks very nice Ian! One nice thing, IMHO, about FTC, is that they allow for folks to change or correct the outfits to what the buyers like. A Prime example is Mary Marvel: After I get a copy, the first thing I will do is modify the boots so they will have the turn down of the later boots. Or reversely, I can order a set of Supergirl flats so the figure will match Mary's early appearances.

Cheers,

[Therin of Andor]

I can order a set of Supergirl flats so the figure will match Mary's early appearances.

Mary Marvel comes with yellow slippers identical in style to Supergirl's red slippers.

[Larry A.]

Thanks, Ian.
BTW, FYI, Folks, Ian is one TERRIFIC photographer FWIW!!!!!!!! Check out His Facebook!

[Therin of Andor]

BTW, FYI, Folks, Ian is one TERRIFIC photographer FWIW!!!!!!!! Check out His Facebook!

Aw, shucks, thanks!
https://www.facebook.com/imclean/

Here are some recent pics. Pussycat finally has her pink tights from eBay:


Robin, Pussycat and a Henchman by Ian McLean, on Flickr

And here's another recent project:


Barbara, Charlie and Commissioner Gordon by Ian McLean, on Flickr

Notice the newspaper lining the cage tray?:


Notice the newspaper lining the cage tray? by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Charlie by Ian McLean, on Flickr

[Larry A.]

Ah, "California Nights", one of several of my favourite hits by the late GREAT Leslie Gore!!!!! It hurt to lose Her!

Very nice job, Ian!!!!!

Cheers,

[Therin of Andor]

I've been reorganising my "Batman '66" cabinet:


Group 1 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 2 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 3 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 4 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 5 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 6 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 7 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 8 by Ian McLean, on Flickr


Group 9 by Ian McLean, on Flickr

[Larry A.]

Fascinating Ian. Just one question for You. I see that You have the FTC "1st Appearance Yellow cape Robin". I have been thinking about picking up one to go with my "!st Appearance Batman" 'kit bash' ( In order to get it up to the 1940 appearance) and I am wondering: Do the "tights" for Robin come that loose?

As always, Ian, GREAT JOB! Thanks in advance, and, of course, Cheers,

[Therin of Andor]

I see that You have the FTC "1st Appearance Yellow cape Robin". I have been thinking about picking up one to go with my "!st Appearance Batman" 'kit bash' ( In order to get it up to the 1940 appearance) and I am wondering: Do the "tights" for Robin come that loose?

He is wearing Supergirl's tights. That "First Appearance" Robin came bare-legged, and with a red collar - and no yellow laces! - on the tunic. Also green "oven mitt" gloves, which I replaced from an online spare parts order. The yellow on the collar is "Painter's Gold" masking tape, a vibrant-yellow, self-adhesive tape from a hardware store that I also used to make the laces on his vest (and the yellow "wings" on my "Batgirl" TV presentation reel Killer Moth!)

When my younger brother was collecting Mego superheroes in the 70s, we had no idea the "Teen Titans" figures were available (we certainly never saw them at retail Down Under), but as a big "New Titans" fan in the 80s myself, I was put off searching for these rarities when I realised they were so much smaller than his old original 8" Mego Robin. I eventually bought a retro Kid Flash in New York in 2014 - a souvenir, but I passed on the other three Titans at the time because the face detailing seemed shoddy - and the others (bagged, not carded) from Figures Toy Company's website. (And luckily, I scored nicely decorated figures.)

This Robin by Figures Toy Co. is essentially the same size as the four retro Titans (his head is slightly too large), but it was a wonderful sense of closure to add him to the group at last. (He also comes in a green cape version.)

[Larry A.]

Yep, Ian, You are dead right. What I am looking for is to get a 1st appearance Robin and modify it to a cross between the 1943 Serial and the "1st appearance" to match the 1940 Bat Man I am working on in 1/9th scale.

Great Job as always, Ian,

Cheers,

[Therin of Andor]

Happy Halloween!


Halloween by Ian McLean, on Flickr