Since I started working on my Cobra Commander custom, I got inspired to give Destro a try. Based on a Movie Master Batman Begins Batman figure. Removed the cape and bits from the gauntlets. Front of Batman belt removed and flipped to better match Destro's belt. Sculpted the mask onto the original Batman head using epoxy sculpt. Arm rockets from airplane model kit. Arm grenades from Combat Heroes Destro. Dremel tool was used to sand the bat logo off the chest and to add grooves to allow for Destro's pimp collar to be attached using plastic weld. Collar is made from plasticard. Gun holster on his leg is from a Marvel Baron Zemo figure. Straps are plasticard with epoxy sculpt buckles. Still have some refining to do to the collar and chest. Also need to add the base to his neck and his medallion as well as a few final touchups to the head sculpt and he should be good to go for painting. Thanks for taking a look! UPdate 07-02-09: Painted head pics.
Not hard if I was going for the cartoon look. It would require starting over completely. I do understand what you mean and may actually make another one of these in the future. I was going more for an updated version of the Destro mask from the original toy and artwork. Like this. The triangular eye sockets define the cheeks. A lot more flat planes.
oh ok but that one has the cheekbones blocked in by the bottom of the eyesocket and a "cheekbone" line coming from the bottom of the earlobe
A few more pics. Still need to add his chain and medallion, but pretty much ready to paint. I was messing with the idea of not including the chain. Instead I thought placing the medallion at the base of the pimp collar might look nice. Still haven't made a final decision. Belt is already painted. May add a little more red, but not sure yet. His gauntlets and hands will be painted in a similar fashion as will his neck. I don't want to paint him bare chested. Will probably paint that part the same color gray I use for his boots. Doesn't make much sense for him to have a fancy suit if his heart is totally exposed.
Cool... I like the deep-set eyes peering out, and the girth of the helmet, that actually suggests a person's real head might be inside. Good job on using the Batman figure. It works. zmog
Thanks, PK! Your kind words are always welcome. Thanks AX23! I was really shooting for the look of a static mask without a moving mouth that would fit on a person's head, much like the original toy. I didn't want the head to look like a bald man's head painted silver which is what the cartoon Destro looked like. I like the look of both and understand making the animated Destro more... animated. I just wanted go for something that looks slightly more realistic. I have a few more custom Joe characters in the works using the Movie Master Batman figures as a base. Major Bludd & Zartan seem to work for me in terms of using the Batman Begins or Dark Knight figures as a base. Without the bat callouts, the suits are generic enough to translate into Joe & Cobra characters without too big a stretch. Thanks for your kind words, smog!
WIP Update: All base painting complete. Still have another layer of paint and detailing to go. Also still need to add Destro's medallion and chain. Thanks for taking a look!