Friday 2 June 2017

Putting down roots.

Forgotten Heroes, the brainchild of Messrs. Webb and Winstanley, is an opportunity to indulge in a spot of converting/scratch building to plug those unsightly gaps in your Superhero or Super Villain collection.  Now I had initially thought that I might give this themed month a miss this year.  The encyclopaedic knowledge of my fellow contributors, when it came to the comic universe, was truly staggering and I have to say that I felt a little out of my depth.  Although I enjoyed conceiving and putting together ‘Bouncing Boy’, I wasn’t sure to what purpose I would then employ his services?
 However regular readers of this humble weblog will have no doubt realised that I am fickle sort of chap when it comes to sticking by a decision and it was during a particularly distracting bout of web based research that I stumbled across a kernel of an idea that was to take root and sprout into my planned entry for this month’s event.  Yes, I was back in the running and this time with an idea that could, possibly, actually be used in a gaming scenario!  Bizarre as it may seem, I had been consumed with the notion that what I needed in my collection was a mean, green, carnivorous plant from outer space – I give you ‘Audrey II’.

A quick check of the rules was required to see if I could shoehorn my idea into the format:
1. The character you create must not yet have had an official or unofficial miniature made for it.
A cursory search didn’t unearth anything too damning; there were certainly carnivorous plants out there, but nothing obviously 'Audrey II’.
2. The figure must be in 28mm scale.
That would be fine, admittedly the plant grows throughout the story, but I should be able to stick to this one.
3. The figure must be completed during the month of June.
In the interest of total transparency I need to confess that ‘Audrey II’ was started before June, but only to see if I could actually achieve what I had envisaged.  The plan is most definitely to finish her during the month of June.
4. In your first post, you should provide a bit of detail on the character you’ve chosen and why.
Considered yourself invited to the following longwinded introduction!
 To many ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is a rather brash, musical from 1986 staring Rick Moranis as the hapless flower shop assistant Seymour Krelborn who discovers the blood drinking plant after a meteor storm.  Perhaps what is less well known is that there was another celluloid version that gave a budding young actor, by the name of Jack Nicholson, one of his earliest rolls.  It was this film, released in 1960, that would form the basis for the comic book series ‘Welcome to the Little Shop of Horrors’.  The comic book, serialised into three episodes, is beautifully explored in a wonderful article by Matthew Hurwitz for 'Cinemachine', certainly well worth a read. 
The 'detail', then, is straightforward, but the 'why?' is a little more problematical.  The idea of carnivorous plants have always fascinated young Master Awdry and more recently, I have been toying with several ideas as to how to use them in a gaming capacity, undeniably inspired by Simon Moore's 'Seeds of Doom' project.*  These have included a Wyndhamesque Triffid game using a zombie ruleset, or creating a greenhouse for Poison Ivy, filled with all sorts of mysterious plants, that could be employed in a Batman Miniatures Game.  There is also the idea of fearsome ferns in a Pulp Jungle adventure or even a bloodthirsty bloom forgotten in the depths of some haunted house - so many ideas, so little time!  So having been made into two films, a couple of comic book serialisations and a Broadway Musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ certainly seemed fair game.  Now it was my turn, could I take this vile, ‘Super Villain’, intent on taking over the planet, one drop of blood at a time, and recreate it as a unique 28mm miniature?  That, good reader, is what we are about to find out.
*Yes Simon we are still waiting for that battle report!

I'm just a mean green mother from outer space and I'm bad!

33 comments:

  1. 'Feed me!'...looking forward to this!

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  2. I have to also admit to being slightly concerned with my own paucity of exact knowledge on superheroes and the worlds they inhabit, when viewed in comparison to other contributors to the blogging event. It was actually thanks to the memory of how you found Bouncing Boy that made me decide to give this year's blog event ago. One quick Google search later, a flick through the images, and I'd found my own muse. Possibly you should be entitled to some of the credit [should I complete my heroine] therefor!

    Best of luck with the carnivorous plant. We've a greenhouse with quite the number of Pitcher Plants, so I'm looking forward to seeing your work.

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    1. I am thrilled to have been the catalyst for your entry into this year's event Roy and you have already made a great impact.

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  3. Make Gravis Mushnik proud, Michael! Looking forward to this!

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  4. I find it hard to comprehend how anyone could not be fascinated by carnivorous plants alien, talking, or otherwise! Intrigued to see what you come up with.

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  5. Awesome sounding stuff, Michael. I'm looking forward to seeing this mini-project take root ;-) I'll get my coat...

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    1. I'm also about to finally utilise my Krynoids as vegepygmies in the opening BatRep for "Expedition To The barrier Peaks" ;-)

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    2. Thank you Simon and looking forward to that BatRep. Audrey II is now well underway so hopefully an update soon.

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  6. What an unexpected treat, Michael! Given your work on the AHPC bonus rounds and last year's submission, I was expecting something inventive, but this was a surprise. A model, that when finished, will have a multitude of uses. I think this year's 'Forgotten Heroes' is going to easily top last year's.

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    1. Thank you Jez, really excited about this myself and already pleased with the progress. Looking forward to showing more updates soon.

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  7. Umm, Michael, I can only hold my breath for about 30 seconds..... Looking forward to it, now with bated breath.

    Cheers!

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    1. I'll try to get an update does, before you expire Terry! :)

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  8. The obvious solution to dealing with aggressive flora is the Gardner Gun. I know you have one! I fully expect to see a Colonial period crossover game at some point :-)

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    1. OH that's very good! The ultimate tool for those thorny problems. :D

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  9. Imagination has jumped the fence again!! Watch-out! Here it comes!

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    1. I am hoping to catch up with it in readiness for the next instalment Jay.

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  10. This sounds like fun Michael. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

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    1. Thank you Rod, hopefully not too long now for the next update.

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  11. Looking forward to this, and I think I am being tempted onto the Forgotten Heroes train....

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    1. Thank you and do join in, the more the merrier.

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  12. Interesting project, I'm almost certain you'll finish it with flying colours.

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  13. Replies
    1. Is it the FH blog site you're after H.W.?

      https://forgottenheroessite.wordpress.com

      Please ignore if I've got the wrong end of the stick :)

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  14. Green fingers are go....

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  15. Now I'm guessing Twoey's song is going to stick in your head for the duration of the project!:)

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