1888 - The Vicky Horror Figure Show (update 8/10: Willy Wonka)

[white knight]

New project and new blog: https://victorianhorrorfigures.blogspot.be/

This project is an offshoot of my other venture in the 65mm scale, called Swashbuckling Sessions - Toy Soldier Style. Like that other project, the core is a selection of prepainted "toy soldiers" produced by King & Country, in particular the "World of Dickens" range. These will be complemented by homepainted figures from many different sources, as well as extensive conversions based on Dickensian Lemax christmas figures.



The year is 1888. Queen Victoria rules the largest Empire know to "civilised" man from the British throne. But all is not well in London. With the advent of modern science, the impossible seems possible and while the future seemed bright at first, it seems ancient evils that had lurked in the dark for centuries have taken their cue to reclaim their corner of the world. Nosferatu and werewolves roam the nights and a killer known only as Jack The Ripper stalks Whitechapel. The citizens of London have learned to lock up their homes and not to venture in the night unless absolutely neccessary, but in truth, the light of day brings no safety. Criminal gangs gain in power, with the Napoleon of crime pulling many strings, except perhaps in the Eastern quarter, where there are whispers of an underground society lead by another murderous mastermind. The Hellfire Club deal in black magic in their attempts to haness ancient powers. And some people swear they have seen the dead walk the streets...

There are some who try to maintain a semblance of peace and order. The Diogenes Club for one, Scotland Yard for another. And there is talk that Her Majesty recalled several of her finest agents and soldiers from across the world. But will it be enough to stop the tide?



The first figures for this project are Holmes & Watson, though I will be uploading more over the next days when I can take some pictures.

Not technically a part of Scotland Yard, the longstanding collaboration of the famous department with the renowned consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, and his associate and friend, Doctor John Watson has been widely publicised (not in the least by Dr. Watson himself, who styles himself as the official chronicler of the great detective's accomplishments, much to the chagrin of the latter).

Holmes and Watson are stock figures from the King and Country "World of Dickens" range, with this small change that I painted a cobblestone texture on the bases to match the rest of my collection (the plain grey being a bit dull otherwise).



First off, Sherlock Holmes. I'm guessing inspiration was taken from the Peter Cushing interpretation for this figure. Just something about that gaze... Magnifying glass, pipe and deerstalker are all present to complete the Holmes panoply. A very striking figure.



Secondly, Doctor Watson. A slightly portly fellow, there is something about the way he holds that thick cane that suggests he's a man of action and won't hesitate to use it. No obvious inspiration here that I can see (though I may just be missing the reference), but a solid figure nonetheless.

[War In 15MM]

Look great.

[Malamute]

Very good. Looking forward to seeing this come together.. ;it’s one of my favourite settings.

Ps I think he’s more Rathbone than Cushing.

[white knight]

He does look like Rathbone too, but from the front, he reminds me of Cushing...

[Malamute]

He does look like Rathbone too, but from the front, he reminds me of Cushing...

 

Can’t wait to see who is next

[horridperson]

This looks really cool.  Will it include Lemax buildings as well? 

[white knight]

Aside from some smaller structures, no. The Lemax buildings are closer to 28mm size and too cartoony for this project anyway.

[horridperson]

You can always make your own.  I am in remiss not to have mentioned the background you posted for your setting.  That red skyline commanded my attention on opening the thread.  I'm interested to see what you create.

[wolfkarl]

Another great looking thread White Knight.

[wolfkarl]

Jeremy Brett? Maybe not.

[white knight]

The first two members of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen are done.

Captain Nemo is a mysterious figure. While his adopted name literally means "Nobody", it has been suggested his true identity is that of Prince Dakkar, the son of an Indian Raja. Whoever he is, this enigmatic adventurer and sometimes pirate, is without doubt a scientific genius, who roams the depths of the sea in his submarine, the Nautilus. While his demeanor usually suggests a stern, controlled confidence, he is driven by a thirst for vengeance and a hatred of imperialism focused on the British Empire. Therefore, it comes as a great surprise that he heeded the Empire's call in it's time of need, and agreed to join a team of individuals with unique skills, called The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. In a team that is composed of both heroes and monsters, it remains to be seen to which category Captain Nemo will ultimately belong.

Captain Nemo is based on a stock King and Country figure, namely a sold out "Club Figure"' representing a 9th Bengal Lancer in dress uniform. Both the attire and colouring are very close to the representation of Captain Nemo as he appears in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The only modification I made was to repaint the base, to match my other figures. Sure, the pose is a bit static, but then they can't all be kicking and leaping around (and it helps with the "controlled confidence" stick).



---

Mr. Hyde came into existence when the seemingly mildmannered Dr. Henry Jekyll, who occasionally feels he is battling between the good and evil within himself and has spent a great part of his life trying to repress evil urges that were not fitting for a man of his stature, creates a serum, or potion, in an attempt to rid himself of this hidden evil within his personality. The serum worked, but not as the good doctor intended and instead of repressing his baser instincts, the serum released them. Jekyll transformed into Edward Hyde, a hideous, evil creature without compassion or remorse. Initially, Hyde was a small man, but as time went by and he revelled in his evil deeds, Hyde grew in power and size. He no longer relies upon the serum to unleash his inner demon and Mr. Hyde, now a giant of a man, is able to manifest whenever Jekyll shows signs of physical or moral weakness.

This figure is a conversion, based on a Knight Models (OOP) Hulk figure. Modifications involve filing off some detail from his ripped pants, adding sideburns and a top hat taken from a Lemax Scrooge figure. The look I went for is inspired by the portrayals of Hyde in the LXG and Van Helsing movies, though not an exact copy. The figure was then based and painted to match the other figures.


No problems as can't be solved with a piece of brick wall.


Hyde Smash!

While originally intended for the 35mm scale, the figure has a good size for a 65mm scale Hyde. His head is the same size as the K&C models, height is slightly higher, but he's much broader. But I'll let the picture speak for itself:


Sir, must I point out that we're on the same side?

And a comparison with the original Hulk figure:

[Malamute]

The top hat sits perfectly and easily identifies him as Hyde and not the Hulk. Eager to see the figures you repurpose as Quatermain and Mina Harker...

[horridperson]

Wow!  That Hyde is impressive.  Great conversion.  A stark contrast to the dignified Nemo.

[white knight]

Thanks, gents. I'm well pleased with him.

Eager to see the figures you repurpose as Quatermain and Mina Harker...

Mina will be tomorrow's update. As for Mister Quatermain, he's currently undergoing heavy conversion work after having been brutally dismembered and roughly put back together. He'll need several more putty sessions before the brushes can touch him. If all goes to plan, he should be worth it though.

[Orctrader]

This is marvellous.