Custom Mego Card Craziness! Catwoman! Rare Batgirl Figure! DC Comics!

I can't help myself. I have to create crazy custom cards for many of the action figures in my collection, be they original 70s issues, my own customs, or recent re-releases of the older gems! Click below to enlarge these indelible images of my new displays for two Mego Bat-blasts-from-the-past, Batgirl and Catwoman!

Above: That's right! It's one of the rare "screen-printed body suit" Batgirl
figures, made by Mego, briefly, in '74! The firm soon went to a different
type of outfit for the figure, making this version quite rare! I was lucky
to pick this up at a comics show, for a song!

Above: I wanted to create a custom card for the figure's display, one that reflected
the original toy graphics! So, I re-worked and re-figured the classic Carmine Infantino
art, and brought in familiar Mego card graphics and logos...

Above: Although her outfit and base figure are original issue,  I added
the custom glove fins, and a repo cape and helmet!

Above: The Batgirl custom card, featuring colossal Carmine Infantino!
The logo was whipped up by Don Heck, BG's early 70s artist!

Above: The actual 1967 DETECTIVE COMICS cover from which the
above Batgirl card image was lifted (with a ton of re-figuring)!
Art by Carmine Infantino!

Above: Here is the recent (from Figures, Inc.) re-issue of the catty Catwoman!
I wanted a card that had the feel of the  original 70s Mego offerings, so...
Once I added the other Mego logos and graphics, a terrific display was born!

Above: The custom Catwoman card, featuring re-worked Neal Adams art!

Above: Here's the actual 1969 BATMAN comic cover from
which the above capering Catwoman image was lifted!
Art by Neal Adams!

Above: Both fabulous figures, displayed!

Madcap Marvel Mego (Custom) Madness! "1967 Cartoon Spidey!" Steve Rogers! Cap!

Back again with the latest load of fabulous Mego-like custom action figures (and packaging)! Click below to see (and read about) these very latest (and very greatest) bits of superhero surprises!

Above two images: Direct from the recent Diamond Select boxed set of Mego-like figures,
here is their Captain America (with some custom touches), along with military private 
Steve Rogers! I added the original Mego "Cap" uniform beneath Steve's regulation 
gear, along with his Golden Age shield, a customized empty helmet, and...

Above three pics: Here is Diamond's recent  Mego Spidey, with a re-painted 
custom head! Great and perfect version of the Web-Slinger that we all 
wanted in '73!

BELOW: Click to enlarge this parcel of power-packed pics of a custom Spidey figure, based on the gripping graphics from the sensational '67 cartoon series!

The talented Austin Hough provided the special screen-printed bodysuit (I added
the customized painted head) seen here paired with a custom box (acquired
from the land of eBay!

Above: I had to do it! I used the great graphics (supplied by Anthony Durso) from 
the box, and made my own custom display card, using those same memorable 
images that evoke thoughts of the swingin' '67 series!

Above: The customized card and figure are enclosed in a clear clam-shell!

Above: My custom card, created for the unique action figure
seen above! Love those '67 cartoon graphics!

Above: What fan or collector wouldn't have loved this sensational Silver-Age figure back in the day?

Recalling Sub-Mariner's 1973 Costume! NEW "True Tales of a Young Comics Fan!" BACK ISSUE!

Here, fresh from its appearance in the panic-packed pages of BACK ISSUE magazine, comes my latest "True Tales of a Young Comics Fan" strip! This time, I tackle my take on the early-70s "disco duds" given to the once nearly-naked Sub-Mariner! I actually liked said sartorial swimwear, which made Subby look more like a swingin' 70s superhero, as opposed to a swimmer swaddled in solo sea-green swim trunks! Click below to enlarge and enjoy the laugh-loaded lunacy!

BONUS! Click below to peer at the cover of 2016's BACK ISSUE! #91 (order here), which contains the above sensational sea-soaked strip! Gee, it must be a coincidence that my work ran in the "all jerks" issue. Heh.

2016 Heroes Con Cosplay-Mania! Captain America! Bucky! Spidey! DC! Marvel!

Another year, another Heroes Con! Take a gander below to peer at a plethora of pandemonium-producing pics spotlighting the three-day event, including a copious collection of colossal cosplay-connected clicks! Click each image to enlarge!

Above: For this convention, I wanted to create
a sort of "riot squad" version of the Captain America
uniform, all in homage to the late-70s TV Cap, as 
portrayed by Reb Brown! Look below to see how
I did just that!

Above: This cool motorcycle helmet was a good starting point...

Above: Something is missing...To bring the helmet more in line with the
70s TV Cap, I wanted symmetrical wing designs affixed to each side, so it was
time to create a stencil, transfer the design, create masks, tape, paint,
and..TA-DAAAAA!

Above: The finished helmet, after adding a 
customized visor, is ready to go!

Above: With added mask beneath the helmet, "riot squad Cap"
is almost ready! Just one more element is needed...

Above: I approached master shield maker, Brandon Redd, to
see if he could create a clear plexiglass shield, much like
the one used in the 1979 TV movies! He could, and this
riot shield was his starting point!

Above: All done! Clear shield in place, a few "riot cop" items 
added (baton/nightstick, cuffs, knee guards), and the look 
is complete!

Above: The Watcher appears at the show to...watch. Pic by Matt Starnes!

Above: Archangel (Owen Davis) and Flash (Dean Davis) stop by! 

Above: Anyone who rocks the short-lived (and super
obscure) 1971 Hawkeye duds deserves a shout-out!

Above: It's the amiable Victor Goldberg,
as the irritable J. Jonah Jameson!

The rest of this costume is made up of my
standard "Cap" outfit, as seen here!

Above four images: Rockin' the cosplay panel (with sen-
sational Suzann Knudsen presiding as Black Orchid), and
our huge, captivated audience!

"Uhmm..I'm no doctor, but you might wanna get that looked at…"

Above: My favorite cosplayers! A wonderful family
has fun as the 60s X-Men (and foe)!

Above: Direct from Gizmonic Institute, I meet--Jolene Robinson?!

With Golden-Age CAPTAIN AMERICA comics artist Allen Bellman!

Above: Flanked by two beauties: Bettie Bombshell (check out Bettie Bombshell 
Cosplay on Facebook and Instagram), and Delilah, as "warrior Harley Quinn!"

Above: An amazing cosplay group, as the uncanny Inhumans!
See my own cosplay take on Black Bolt here!

Above: One of the funniest cosplays at the show!

Above: A terrific Colossus cosplayer!

Above: "But--I thought we were friends!"

A fun day one is over! It's a wrap!

Above: For the 2nd day of the show, I wanted to debut
my idea for a "cowboy Cap" version of the iconic image!
 Note Jack Kirby's '76 illustration, my inspiration for
this cowpoke costume!

Above: Based on Kirby's idea, here are my rough designs!

Above two images: The customized mask and hat are ready!

Above: I wanted a wooden shield, one that looked authentic to the
Old West time period, and was lucky enough to find this round table top!
After some roughing up, painting, and "distressing," I got the "rough
and ready" look I wanted!

Above: The finished western shield! I wanted it to look as if the
character created it, from scratch, in just a few minutes...

Above: The tunic is painted and prepped...

Above: With a custom top made in conjunction with a local
seamstress (painted by me), custom boots and spurs, customized
hat and mask, "cowboy Cap" is ready for action! 

Above: At an art dealer's table, I pose with the memorable cover to 1973's
CAPTAIN AMERICA #168! One of my first CAP issues!

Above: Showdown with "Pirate Batman," as portrayed by Ronald Rossmann!
"Where are my guns? I guess I'm not as quick on the draw as I thought…"

Above five images: I'm joined by western versions of Agent Peggy
Carter (Allyson Bigley), and Bucky (John Tompkins)!

Above: John/Bucky meets comics legend Jim Steranko! A tremendous meeting of titans!

Above: Vociferous Victor Goldberg returns (with
friends), this time as the jovial Joker!

Above: Great Kingpin, Matt Murdock, and She-Hulk cosplays!
Court was in recess? 

Above: John Tompkins returns as the Phantom, famed newspaper strip hero!