JDWiker

And here, at last, is the finished version. JD

Thanks. It looks a lot better with a little distance, I think.

I've started painting my first Bones mini--Mister Bones, naturally--just to test the theory that they don't need a coat of primer. My plan was to paint one without primer, see how it did, then paint another one with primer. But this went so well that I don't see the need, but I am kicking myself now for not spending more time prepping the mini in other ways (removing flash and such). Fortunately, I have a second Mister Bones ...

I tried out the buffing block last night, and had moderate success: The block is an inch wide, so it's hard to get it into small spaces. The block's texture is very fine, meaning it takes a lot of buffing to get rid of large amounts of flash (even after using an X-Acto to trim the flash down a bit). Something between a buffing block and a sanding sponge seems to be the ticket. On large, relatively flat areas, however, the buffing block worked fine. I used it on Mister Bones' cloak, and it not only removed the remaining traces of flash, but smoothed out the area overall. So, for trimming/sanding largish areas, I'd recommend X-Acto, then file, then sanding sponge, then *maybe* buffing block. But, for $2.50, it's not a *bad* tool to have in your Bones toolkit. It's just not as versatile as other tools.

I started painting my first Bones mini last night (Mister Bones, appropriately enough), and I was able to use an X-Acto knife, needle files, and my trusty sanding sponge to fairly good effect, but because the sanding sponge is made for wood or metal, it was a bit crude for the task. Then I remembered these things: http://www.amazon.com/COSM-TRIM-Trim-Buffing-Block/dp/B001TSNGF8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377113332&sr=8-1&keywords=trim+buffing+block I went out at lunchtime just now and picked one up at my neighborhood Target for about $2.50, and I'm going to try it out tonight. Has anyone used one of these on plastic minis before? Any suggestions for technique, or warnings about what to expect? Cheers. JD

Even though I'm likely to jump into Bones #2 with both feet, I have a few suggestions/requests for the fine folks at Reaper: Plastic is best utilized for figures that are too expensive for metal equivalents. (Corollary: Plastic works well when combined with metal, because it's less likely to bend under its own weight—plastic wings on a metal dragon, for example, or a flowing cloak on a vampire.) Plastic is also more cost-effective than metal when it comes to rank-and-file minis. That is, if I need a dozen orcs, I'd rather pay Bones prices for them than Dark Heaven or Warlord prices—and it doesn't much matter if they don't have the full level of detail that a metal miniature does. If I need a "hero" figure—a "named" hero or villain, for example, or a figure that's going to need more detail—I prefer metal, and I don't mind paying metal prices. Smaller minis—the rank-and-file types, or what have you—have to be solid sculpts, by which I mean sculpts without narrow-gauge bits like spears and staves and so forth. That being said: I'm fine with small minis with spears and staves and so forth, IF the mini just has a socket where the item is meant to go, and comes with the spear/staff/sword or whatever as a separate metal piece that can be glued in by the end user.

In this particular case, I just primed and painted over the original paint. But my *preference* is to strip the mini (using acetone), then reprime it.

I finally got my camera's macro settings to pay off, and took a few photos of more recent projects. Have a look: Ninja of the Ghost Dragon Clan, doubling as Shinobi (from Strike Force) in my Champions campaign. Not strictly a Reaper figure, but one of my my more recent projects, so I thought it was worth a mention. This is Chronin, from Pulp City--painted as my wife's character from my Champions campaign. (She projects a force field that looks like a glowing suit of samurai armor.) And, again, another not-Reaper mini: a conversion from a HeroClix figure (Saturn Girl), serving as a super-powered paramedic in my Champions campaign. I added cargo pockets and a medical satchel (you can see the strap in this photo).

Sweet! I'm not normally a fan of this sort of thing, but you've done a great job.

Various Reaper minis I've painted over the years--with correspondingly varying quality of the photos: My most recent, painted for a Pathfinder adventure: An ettin I painted long, long ago: A cavern worm I painted long ago--which was stolen from my storage locker, along with a bunch of others: Crypt Bats, serving as Desmodu for a D&D game: Gargoyle Lord: A Hydra, also stolen: Oh, and lastly a Dwarf, while it was still a WIP. JD

I'm running a Champions campaign (mainly for my wife) and have been scouring the web for miniatures that can serve as superheroes and supervillains. Reaper/Chronoscope was one of my first stops, and here's who they all are in my campaign (not all strictly Chronoscope, but still): Ninja of the Ghost Dragon Clan: Shinobi (from Strike Force)--modern ninja Kelly, Corporate Assassin: Hair-Trigger, leader of the teenage criminals "The Dream Girls" (based loosely on the Enforcers, from Spider-Man) Candy, Anime Heroine: Cheerleader, member of the Dream Girls (Fancy Dan) Whitney, Anime Heroine: Ronina, member of the Dream Girls (Montana) Peaches, Biker Girl: Trona, member of the Dream Girls (Ox) Ebony Foxx, Modern Heroine: Sugar, member of the Dream Girls Ape-X: Apex, cyborg ape villain Dryad: Autumn Bloom (based on a COV character) Slade, Cyborg Hero: Auxiliary Jack, cyborg hero Clay Golem: Behemoth (essentially my Hulk) Onyx Overlord: the Black Knight (villain based in UK) Lab Mutant: Mondo and Rondo, the Bully Boys (I have two of them, so they're loosely based on the Mauler Twins from Invincible) Torrent: Calypso (a female Sub-Mariner) ALF-24: Clockwork Kid (based on a COH character) Black Mist: Death Penalty (vigilante; cross between the Shadow and the Punisher) Warlord Kang: Doctor Sin (cross between Doctor Doom and the Mandarin--with his "Seven Deadly Rings" that incite sin) Bonzo the Killer Clown: Funnybones (my version of the Joker) Twister: Gale Force (essentially Vortex from The Elementals) Incredible Woman: Gammazon (She-Hulk/Wonder Woman cross, based on a COH character) Stone Golem: the Golem (hired muscle for criminal leader) Angel of Radiance: Godsend (essentially the Specter, but divinely motivated) Hangin' Judge: Hanging Judge (vigilante with magical weapons) Harpy: Harpy (an ancient curse forces her to punish evil men) Alien Overlord Boss: Headstrong (psychic villain) Devil Girl: Hellion ("the Devil's daughter") Turk, Space Salvager: Hi-Fi (sonic weapons--I'm planning to sculpt a small dish on the end of his gun) Marie, She-Bot: Iron Maiden (armored teen heroine) Nightslip: Killer Queen (vigilante with high-tech gear) Frank Russo: Killshot (assassin who specializes in supers) Jack the Ripper: KIllstreak (theme serial killer who always ups his body count by one with each killing spree) Crystal Golem: King Coal (NYC gang boss with a rocky body and a heat blast) Jungle Lord: Lord of the Urban Jungle (essentially a homeless version of Tarzan) Wereshark: Mako (convicted criminal transformed by experiment) Jeeves: Majordomo (personal bodyguard of major villain) Tool Bot: Assembler, Mk. III (grunts of that same major villain) Brigitte, Naughty Maid: Metal Maid (robot housekeeper-turned-superhero) Ishio, Anime Heroine: Milk Maid (sidekick to gimmick hero Milkman) Yvette, Magician's Assistant: Mysteria (villain with magical cards) Phat Clark, Gang Boss: Mister Big (gang boss from the future) Raptor: Mockingbird (inexperienced superhero) Doctor Voodoo: Papa Sang, Voodoo Lord of New Orleans Cleo, Weretigress: Pantera (from Classic Enemies) Shadow Talon: Predator (the Boba Fett of supervillains) Professor Kraken: Professor Kraken (villain, symbiotically linked with alien squid creature) Inferno: Pyrotica (fire-using villain with "femme fatale" vibe) Sandwoman: Quicksand (villain) Bettie, Space Heroine: Red Hot & Her Cinnamon Gun (minor villain with pepper-spray gun) Mega-Mutant: Ripper (straight out of Classic Enemies--once I get rid of the crossbow) Silver Marksman: Robin Hoodie (anti-corporation vigilante) Harvey, Psycho Killer: Sawbones (torturer for hire for gang bosses) Professor L.T. Froschmeier, Scientist: Senor Science (villain with an "Impedigun") Aysa, Necropolis Solo: Spectre (insubstantial minor villain) Familiar (from Jungle Lord): Spider Monkey (intelligent chimp with "spider powers") Captain Griffon: Mister Magnificent (hero with Superman-like powers) Zenith: RetroRocket (speedster hero, based on COH character) Aina, Valkyrie: Valkyrie (Nordic demi-goddess hero) Sasquatch: Wendigo (superhero from Canada) Cyborg Assassin: SWATbot (essentially RoboCop, based on COH character) Smedley Cloverdash: Time Crunch (time-travelling supervillain, a la Kang the Conqueror) El Diablo, Pro Wrestler: Turnbuckle (minor supervillain) IMEF Marines: USMC "Godbuster Squad" (US Marines trained and equipped to deal with supers) NOVA Corps: VIPER Strike Team (pretty much straight from Champions) Kirby McDowell, Space Privateer: Vita-Man (essentially classic Hourman) Dee Dee, Astro Girl: Vitamin Dee (Vita-Man's spunky teen sidekick) Barak, Rhino Man: White Rhino (villain, South African cursed by a shaman) Krissy, Modern Witch: White Witch (teenaged witch hero) Crosswire: Powerhouse (villainous strongman) Jackhammer: PIledriver (villainous strongman) Xiang Lung: Xiang Shiwan (Tibetan villain--cross between Fu Manchu and Ra's al Ghul) Blood Widow: Zombinatrix (based on a COV character; controls a small army of zombies)

Noblemen and noblewomen, from the royal family down to lords, ladies, and their retainers. Essentially, "Townsfolk" from better social circles--but the key is to make them largely unarmed (or with sheathed weapons), so they can serve as "courtly bystanders."

First post, and yes, I'm testing my badge. [EDIT] It works! Soon, I will be invincible!