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This is a terrific updating of the classic
Aurora "bursting-through-the-brick-wall" Superman (like
this one), done in the Alex Ross style.
The manufacturer is Castle Creations, a company I know little about. It's a big
model, standing about 9" tall; the base is 9" wide by 12" deep.
The sculpt on this model is fantastic, very dynamic. The casting, however, sucked; lots and lots and
lots of tiny pinholes, really tough to fill them all in.
As to the fit, no major problems, except
that the positioning of the body was unclear. My initial tries resulted in Supes'
toppling over, despite multiple foot pinning and gobs of Zap-a-Gap; he's
extremely right-heavy, thanks to the position of the cape. I ended up
positioning things so that Superman's cape rested on the brick wall, which added
much-needed stability. Of course, it's possible that's how it was intended to
be, but without any instructions, it was hard to tell. (Also difficult to tell
from the photo on the model box.)
This was one fun model to paint, especially the base. Between the wood floor and the bricks,
there was lots of
opportunity for dry brushing. I also got to use a mix of metallics for the girders
and the grate. Supes' costume was easy to do, I picked relatively bright shades
of the traditional primary colors.
My only variation from the traditional
costume colors was the "S" shield on his cape, which in the comics is all
yellow. I just don't like yellow-on-yellow, so I went with the George Reeves
Adventures of Superman style, where the cape shield is the same
red-on-yellow as the chest emblem. It just looks better to me this way.
I think I'm getting better painting eyes
and flesh tones, and this model shows it. I recently bought a lighted magnifier
headgear gadget, which really helps me to see the fine detail. (Being able to
see what you're painting is a good thing!)
By the way, some initial comments from fellow modelers
wondered if Superman's cape was perhaps a tad short. I don't think this is the case;
it's probably just the angle of the box photo. I think the model is extremely
realistic, with a very dynamic pose.
All in all, a really nice kit that
definitely stands out on the shelf.
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MODEL FACTS
Name: Superman
Sculptor: Unknown
Manufacturer: Castle Creations
Scale: 1/6
Year Manufactured: 2003
Year Built: 2003
PAINTS
Superman
Americana: Base Flesh, Shading Flesh
Apple Barrel: Black, Liberty Blue (eyes), White (eyes)
Delta Ceramcoat: Ocean Reef, Bright Red, Yellow
Deco Art: Glorious Gold Metallic
Base
Americana: Heritage Brick
Delta Ceramcoat: Brown Velvet, Mudstone, Hippo Grey, Bridgeport Grey
Apple Barrel: Black
Ral Partha: Aged Metal, Bronze Metallic, Copper Metallic
SUPPLIES
Primer: Model Master Gray
Putty: Squadron Green
Glue: Zap-a-Gap |
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