Wednesday 10 June 2015

Penguin Crew


As easily distracted as I am, by popular culture crossovers or miniatures that rekindle memories from my childhood, it was perhaps inevitable that as soon as I saw the series of posts by the ‘Dark Templar’ and ‘Bullcher Feb’ charting their assembling of crews for the Batman Miniatures game that any sense of willpower or restraint evaporated. Always keen to muscle in on their gaming aspirations* I decided that I would quietly go about building my own crew, but with the Batman and the Joker already bagged who to choose?
*Both gentlemen have been incredibly accommodating in the past


As a child I remember avidly watching re-runs of the television programme staring Adam West in the title role.  Saturday mornings were spent transfixed by the comic book violence, gaudy costumes and of course that theme tune.  But it was Burgess Meredith’s portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot, a gentlemen villain of impeccable taste that young Awdry hoped to see do battle with the Caped Crusader; the Penguin it was then!


If truth be told I had had an eye on these models for a while now, but with no obvious justification nothing had happened, of course when the boys started playing that was all the excuse I needed!  There is no getting away from it, they are not cheap to buy; the price you pay for holding an official licence I presume?  Not only expensive, many of the models I have had to deal with seem unnecessarily complicated to put together.  I had been forewarned about this by reading the ‘Dark Templar’ and ‘Bullcher Feb’ posts and my experiences were certainly no different.


Given their weighty price tag, I was keen to show the models off to the best of my ability and to me this meant investing in some resin scenic bases.  Of course with this decision comes the need for further assembling and pinning.  I am always worried about this process and on more than one occasion have watched in horror as the tip of my pin vice has emerged through the ankle of the miniature of choice.  This isn’t the end of the world with a £1.50 rank and file troop but close to a major incident if it happens to a Knight Model at £7 a pop!  Of course it is not just the basing, oh no there are the arms and wrists to do, lots more potential for disaster, but when attaching the limbs there is not only is the pinning to contend with there is the alignment too!  I’m sure with practice that this gets easier but I’m struggling with it.  Again on a cheaper model I’ve been known to plug all manner of deformity with the ubiquitous green stuff, but what you don’t want is a significant monetary investment taking to the field of play to the chants of, “here comes Quasimodo” – people can be so cruel.


Anyway, I digress, as with patience and considerable good fortune the first three members of the Penguin’s crew were assembled.  Yes I know that there should have been a fourth but the less said about the Penguin Emperor’s snapped electric baton and his subsequent near launch into orbit the better.  Ultimately I was left with something that looked pretty damned special, even if I do say so myself, but that’s where it stalled suddenly as I was struck down with a paralysis of doubt and worry about what colour to paint them.


In the end I pretty much followed the packaging as a guide with the thugs wearing grey/white/silver puffer jackets and orange for the tops.  The combat trousers would also remain but for some reason I tried to replicate DPM – I still don’t know where this idea came from.  Then there was the main man; well purple just came flooding back perhaps due to the original television programme but I was also conscious that purple was very much the Joker’s colour so perhaps not too much.  In the end I went for the waistcoat and hat band and of course as soon as I had done these I saw Simon Quinton’s (Brummie’s Wargaming Blog) Penguin crew that he had linked together with the colour blue and made a mental note to myself to be less dictated to by reference and allow my own creativity to flourish.


As a final detail, I've added a smattering of snow to the bases, which covers a multitude of sins and will prove particularly useful when it comes to disguising the joins on the rocket penguins! 

58 comments:

  1. Despite the worry these look fantastic.

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    1. Thank you so much Robert, I think the pressure to do a good job was ranked up given their cost.

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  2. Superb results all round.

    Glad I'm not the only one who frets over the small details before committing the paintbrush.

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    1. Thank you Matt, I can worry about most things, one of my greatest skills! ;)

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  3. Cracking job Michael! That camo job on their pants looks very nice.

    And the penguin is a great choice of character to paint up. Too bad he's a bit overshadowed by some other characters in the universe.

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    1. Thank you and you are of course absolutely right in that the Penguin get s a rough deal, certainly lacks the physical prowess of some of the other villains.

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  4. You should be very happy Michael as these look wonderful!

    Christopher

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    1. Thank you Christopher and I am very happy with them, but of course now need to get some more done in order to field a crew on the table.

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  5. Wonderful work on these figures Michael!

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  6. Very nice indeed! The camp pattern on the pants looks fantastic.

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    1. Thank you Jonas, I was really pleased with that, but now need to do more on the other models!

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  7. Lovely figures, full of character. Cheers!

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  8. Give the man a fish!

    Superb work Michael :)

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    1. Thank you Tamsin, I think I might be 'hooked'. ;)

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  9. Wonderful stuff Michael, absolutely cracking paint-jobs. I have those minis myself and know how difficult they are to put together - just try the Frank Miller Batman :-o But you've well and truly excelled yourself with these and I'll certainly be looking closely at your camo when the time comes to paint my Penguin Crew.

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    1. Thank you so much Simon, I think because I knew that there won't be that many of them (famous last words) I was happy to lavish a bit of extra tome on the painting, I was thrilled with how they turned out though.

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    1. Thank you Phil, he certainly is a character.

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  11. Fantastic work sir – we'd better get them out on the gaming table!

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  12. Excellent work Michael. The main man is stunning, but I must admit the minions steal the show for me.

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    1. Thank you Mark and I was just thinking the same thing myself.

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  13. Just brilliant Michael! The cammo on those pants is so well done and The Penguin himself is a stunner!

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    1. Thank you Anne, really enjoyed these, so hopefully they will be around for a little while.

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  14. Awesome! Burgess Meredith was my favorite Penguin.

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    1. Thank you Dean, always a good show when he was in it.

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  15. Excellent work. :) Kudos. Looking forward to seeing the crew grow. :)

    Totally agreed that the number of parts to some of the models are unnecessary in quite a few instances.

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    1. Thank you so much, got some more on the table at the moment, but still in the prepping stage. Still don't understand how some companies can produce highly intricate models with little or no assembly and yet with these and arm can be formed of three pieces - all very strange.

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  16. They look fantastic Michael! I've also found myself drawn to these Knight models, though I've abstained for now, but it gets harder each time I see them.

    As for miniatures with unnecessary bits I fully agree, I am suffering through putting together my first Guildball Team. Harmony's head is in its 3rd attempt at gluing onto an unbelievably small neck...gad! All I can say is....WHY?

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    1. Thank you Terry, I must admit I do rather like these, assembling aside. We seem to be entering a period of crossover between models designed for collectors and those for gamers. I just shudder at the thought of a knock in the wrong place leaving my crew limbless - disaster!

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  17. flipping (see what I did there?) gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you and very good, made me smile anyway.

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  18. Very nicely done Michael. I can only echo your comments having come across similar with my own sets.

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    1. Thank you Simon, once done they are ok, but my word they are a pig to assemble.

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  19. Outstanding, Michael. Great weathering on the one minion's improvised riot-shield.

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    1. Thank you Mr. Finch, that was my favourite bit too.

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  20. They look great! I'm sure you'll have fun terrorizing Gotham with this bunch.

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  21. It has just got to be said, FANTASTIC.

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  22. Wonderful work, Michael! The Penguin and his possy look really amazing and your work is seducing me to enter this hobby train as well. Honestly only the expensive models combined with the lack in fellow players is retaining me...

    Cheers
    Stefan

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    1. Give in Stefan, you know you want to! Once assembled they are great fun to have as a break from other projects.

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  23. Outstanding brush work Michael! Batman nver really was one of my favourites but the Penguin certainly is one of my favourite villains.

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    1. Thank you Nick, really enjoyed these and now need to do more!

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  24. I love the faces on these guys, you've done tremendous work there.

    FMB

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  25. Nice touch with the orange shirt on a predominantly grey colour scheme. It took the minis to a whole new level.

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    1. Thank you, I was desperate to have something that linked them together as well.

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  26. Love them mate - really fab stuff!!

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    1. The crew is amazing, they'll soon be looking to oust the Joker for the Kingpin of Gotham!

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