JLW515 Custom VC 186 TESB Boba Fett

[jlw515]

WOW! I think it's been at least ten years since I have customized a Star Wars figure. For those that remember me, I used to customize all the time. I even developed the Cantina Customs web page (I lost access to updating it many years ago) and way back in the day was into photo novels (Vader's Quest). Back around 2012, I made the jump from SW customizing to G.I. Joe customizing. Plus, college life (much later in life) has been demanding over the past decade, but I am almost PhinisheD with post-grad school and this summer I will officially be "Dr. J"!!

When the new Target exclusive Boba Fetts were released, I just had to grab some. I prefer TESB Boba Fett's color scheme over ROTJ, plus I love how the flamethrower/laser details are exposed on the left gauntlet. So, I knew I would try my hand at updating a custom TESB Boba Fett!

So, the base figure is the VC186 ROTJ Boba Fett. I removed the belt and green cape. I also trimmed off the flamethrower/laser cover off the left gauntlet.

I created the new belt from piecing together the belt from Evolutions Boba Fett, the holster from the Solo-Han Solo 2pk Fett, and pieces from the new G.I. Joe Grunt web gear.

I trimmed down a cape from Evolutions Fett and attached it under the shoulder armor. I also sliced off the flamethrower/laser details from the Solo-Han Solo 2pk Fett and glued it to the left gauntlet. I like how this sculpt has the mounting plate sculpted. The left gauntlet was really important to me for this custom. I did not just want to paint the gauntlet and keep the rectangular flamethrower/laser cover. Once the flamethrower/laser detailing was attached, I painted both gauntlets and the jetpack adding weathering to both. Another important detail to this custom for me is to have a moveable range finder. So, I trimmed the sculpted range finder off, Dremelled a hole and attached the range finder from a scrap 300th Boba Fett using hot glue to fill in the socket. I also painted in the two slivers on the left chest piece. Finally, I gave the body a wash in dark grey to dirty the figure up a bit.

The rifle is a kit bash from the VC186 Fett and Evolution Fett rifles.

Here are comparison pictures of my older custom Evolutions TESB Boba Fett and new VC186 TESB Boba Fett. The older Evolutions custom has a 300th Fett head (Dremelled to fit), left gauntlet, and customized jet pack.

Finally, here is a collage of my Boba Fett shelf in my home office. Carded figures in the back, 6" figures, Funkos, and Legos in the middle, and loose figures in the front. I also have this super-cool cloth flag/wall hanger that my daughter got me in Okinawa (not pictured).

In the past ten years, I have also worked on G.I. Joe customs. You can check out my blog: https://gijoerevisited2.blogspot.com/

Thanks for taking a look. Comments, questions, and critiques are always welcomed!

Jason

 

[yodashizzle]

This brings back memories of one of my favorite threads of all time, the "Building A Better Boba" thread from fourteen years ago where Darklord1967 did some fantastic work on Fett. Great work on Empire Boba, love that lineup of all those Fetts! Love your Cantina Customs page looked at that for many years

 

[Montross]

This brings back memories of one of my favorite threads of all time, the "Building A Better Boba" thread from fourteen years ago where Darklord1967 did some fantastic work on Fett. Great work on Empire Boba, love that lineup of all those Fetts! Love your Cantina Customs page looked at that for many years

I was reminded of the exact same thing! Good stuff then... good stuff now!

 

[jlw515]

This brings back memories of one of my favorite threads of all time, the "Building A Better Boba" thread from fourteen years ago where Darklord1967 did some fantastic work on Fett. Great work on Empire Boba, love that lineup of all those Fetts! Love your Cantina Customs page looked at that for many years

Funny you would mention Darklord1967. Roberto and I are Facebook friends, and I contacted him prior to starting this custom. His real passion is Mego Batman customs!! Oh my goodness, that bro has made some Mego dioramas that look like set pieces to a movie! If I remember correctly, his work has even been displayed in a local art museum in his area.

Thanks for the comments! It's funny when I've mentioned that I created Cantina Customs many years ago, I've received various responses from "No, you didn't!" to "your THAT jlw515?!" Yup, it's me - I'm just another Star Wars nerd! ;-)

Jason

 

[Darkart99]

Darklord1967 is the guy that used a razor blade to remove and isolate Boba’s armor right? The pics used to give me anxiety as it looked dangerous but his results were beautiful.

 

[yodashizzle]

Darklord1967 is the guy that used a razor blade to remove and isolate Boba’s armor right? The pics used to give me anxiety as it looked dangerous but his results were beautiful.

Yep, that's him. Pretty cool to see that technique used here with what Jason did with the gauntlet and his Boba.

 

[jlw515]

Darklord1967 is the guy that used a razor blade to remove and isolate Boba’s armor right? The pics used to give me anxiety as it looked dangerous but his results were beautiful.

Yeah, Darklord1967 used either an AT-ST Driver or Imperial Scan crew figure as the base for his custom. He made a soft-goods vest, and then sliced off pieces from different Boba Fett figures, even a vintage figure! One thing that always stood out to me is that he widened Boba Fett's helmet with this wedge piece, which at the time, to me, made the helmet look too wide; but after comparing his custom with actual set photos, I realized - he was spot on. This is one of the biggest improvements of the new VC186 Boba Fett vs. all subsequent Fett helmets. You can really tell the difference in my side-by-side photo of the VC186 Fett next to my original custom TESB Fett with uses a 300th Fett head on an Evolutions body.

I will say this, though, with the exception of (1) the missile and (2) the sculpted pins, I still prefer the 300th Fett backpack. It is made of a hard plastic which has sharper edges and the jet nozzles swivel. If I had another 300th Fett backpack as fodder, I might try customizing it using the VC186 jetpack missile and the two silver pins. I still have a Kamino Escape Jango Fett jetpack (it has the same color scheme as ROTJ Fett) which used the 300th Fett mold. I'm thinking about making a prototype "ketchup & mustard" Boba Fett and somehow incorporating the missile and silver pins from my extra VC186 Fett to customize a jetpack that is still as movie accurate as the VC186, but also has the rocket firing gimmick.

Jason

 

[yodashizzle]

I'm thinking about making a prototype "ketchup & mustard" Boba Fett and somehow incorporating the missile and silver pins from my extra VC186 Fett to customize a jetpack that is still as movie accurate as the VC186, but also has the rocket firing gimmick.

Jason

That idea sounds delicious.
How did you attach the cape? Did you drill a small hole and sort of tuck a bit into it or just glue it down?

 

[jlw515]

That idea sounds delicious.
How did you attach the cape? Did you drill a small hole and sort of tuck a bit into it or just glue it down?

I heated up the armor on the collar enough to pry it up a bit to remove the green cape and glued the tan cape back under the armor. I also glued the folds of the tan cap to make it lay down better, and I trimmed the cape just a bit so that it no longer hangs past his knees.

When I was gluing the collar armor piece back down, somehow I scratched the left chest armor. So, I painted that scratch with some dark green and dirtied it up a bit to look like some battle damage.

Jason

 

[Tulgah]

Cool Fett update!