Another Creative Outlet - Painting Vintage Kenner Star Wars Figures

I have always been able to draw and paint, but never put much effort into it. Parents always wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer. If I knew then what I know now, I could have been a "Mad Men" ad executive.

Oh well. Since my daughter has been going to art class, I figured I'd schedule an activity on the weekends for the two of to paint, draw, etc.

So I took some Gentle Giant retro jumbo Kenner Star Wars figures and starting making paintings out of them. Here are the first few.

League Assignment - James, Jimmy, Jimbo…

The League of Extraordinary Bloggers

This week's assignment is James, Jimmy, Jimbo....

...but I think I am going to rebel and say Jacqueline, Jane, Jill.

There are plenty of action figures out there whose names start with James or Jim, but I thought of taking the J in a different direction.

GI Jane - Helicopter Pilot

Jill Masterson from Goldfinger

Jacqueline - Villain - Terrorist - from 21st Century Toys

Jane Austen action figure

Jane West

Jean Grey - I could probably list 100 Jean Grey figures but will keep it to one.

Jill from Charlie's Angels

Jill Valentine - Resident Evil

Painkiller Jane

I hesitated putting Mary Jane Watson in the list. Did I miss anyone? Jane Foster?

Other Leaguers have their say:

Super Powered Fiction says Bond, James Bond

Very late League Assignment - Yo Joe!

The League of Extraordinary Bloggers

This week….no…last week’s assignment…I am so late on this…was Yo Joe to mainly celebrate the GI Joe Real American Hero line.

I used to have the vintage Joes and have collected a few since then – thank you Ebay.

Instead of toys, I think I will take a look at a few reference books to honor Joe and the gang.

I've picked up a few books over the years. This Ultimate Guide by Mark Bellomo is fantastic. I have the second edition as well. Wish a third edition would come out to capture everything since 1994.

This reference guide focuses on the 12 inch Joes from the 60s-70s primarily.

A great reference guide from a UK collector of Action Man.

Cool manual I stumbled across a few months ago. Great sketches of all the cartoon characters.

A book about the history of the whole Joe project at Hasbro.

A books put together by a fellow collector using www.blurb.com. 12 inch "Joes" got ultra-realistic in the late 90s, 2000s.

More custom reference guide of 12 inch "Joes."

30th Anniversary salute.

A very special book. Gianni Lopergolo was a photographer for Hasbro. He created many dioramas and photographed them which were used in Hasbro advertisements. His photography included Joes, Star Wars and Marvel superheroes. He was a master of his craft. Unfortunately, he passed on too early due to ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease. This book is a collection of his photos for Hasbro and was used to raise money for the ALS foundation.

Other Leaguers:

Branded in the 80s shows off French Canadian Joes

Las Vegas Yankee has some interesting cross over dioramas.

 Goodwill Hunting and the Tower of Power

Retromash shows off Action Force

Cool and Collected says this is THE toy

Battlegrip politics for a GI Joe Day

Fortune and Glory takes a different perspective on Joe

Retrorobot Review reviews the Ninjas      

LEGO Ewok Village

My daughter asked for this for Christmas. How could I...I mean Santa...resist a request like that.

So I order it online from Lego...something goes wrong with the order, so they call me back, and tell me, the shipping address is now fixed, but they are out of stock.

I drive to the nearest Lego store (since they don't sell this in Target or Toys R Us. They are sold out. Backordered until late January on Lego.com, I bite the bullet...Ebay for $75 over the already high price.

It was worth it. We finally put this bad boy together. It is HUGE!

Mega Bloks Call of Duty Zombies

I finally built the zombie farmhouse from the Mega Bloks Call of Duty Zombie line. Added a few packs of the Zombie Horde and have a ready made zombie apocalypse coming at you.

League Assignment: You Don't Know Jack But the Check is in the Mail

With the return of the TV Series "24" and protagonist Jack Bauer, the League of Extraordinary Bloggers states: You Don't Know Jack.

Well, I'll tell you,...I do know Jack.

And he's coming at you on a dark and stormy night on the Porkchop Express, and when he asks you have you paid your dues,...the check is in the mail, and it's all in the reflexes...

Yeah - you know what I'm talking about. Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) in the cult classic Big Trouble in Little China.

N2 Toys released 6 action figures from this all time great!

Jack Burton
Egg Shen
Lightning
Wild Man
Weng Chi
Lo Pan

Some more memorable quotes...

"Like I told my last wife, I sez Honey, I never drive faster than I can see, and besides that, it's all in the reflexes."

"When some wild eyed eight foot tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks ya crooked in the eye and he asks you if you've paid your dues...Well you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye and you remember what old Jack Burton always says at a time like that. Have you paid your dues, Jack? Yes, Sir, the check is in the mail."

Jack: "What does that mean? Huh? China is here? I don't even know what the hell that means. All I know is, this Lo Pan character comes outta thin air in the middle of a goddam alley, while his buddies are flyin' around on wires cuttin' everybody to shreds, and he just stands there, waitin' for me to drive my truck straight through him, with light comin' out of his mouth?"

Jack: "How do you do, Ma'am. Henry Swanson's my name, and excitement's my game."

More quotes:
http://tnmc.homestead.com/Q20BTLC.html

And more Leaguers respond to the statement, You Don't Know Jack

Monster Cafe Meets the Ultimate Jack

UnderScoopFire Wonders How You Insure Mr Bauer