I ask fwooshmembers questions.
They answer them.
Rob W. "You have no idea how excited I am about that… "
Where do you live?
I live in a small town in Essex, about 45 minutes outside London (where I work). It’s quite near the seaside, which is handy (or would be, if the weather wasn’t so lousy this year!)
Where do you work?
For the past few years, I’ve worked as a designer for a DVD publishing label in West London. I worked up to that through a load of media jobs – dabbled in journalism, sub-editing and production – before this came along. Basically, it involves spending my days tinkering with Photoshop designing DVD covers- it’s my dream job!
How did you find the fwoosh?
It was not long after I started collecting Legends. I was looking for info on when they were due out in the UK and posted a question to the effect over on the RTM boards. Pabs replied with some useful info (details of a shop they’d just been spotted in) and I noticed the URL at the bottom of his message. Never looked back…
What is the first comic you remember?
My first comic was probably the Beano (one for the UK readers there), but I don’t still own it. I’m almost embarrassed to admit, I was never much of a comic collector. It’s almost perverse given that I love the Marvel universe, collect the toys and lap up the films. I certainly had a load of annuals and tie in stuff – I was fond of Spidey back in the 80s, but then who wasn’t? And I had a few Transformers comics back then too. But about 98% of my collection has come free with the ML figures! (Hangs head in shame).
Could you explain Beano?
Sure – it’s a British comic book first published in the early 50s. Collection of funny strips, featuring characters like Dennis the Menace (I think there’s a character of that name in US comics too right? Our one is better…) and the Bash Street Kids. It was a cheap, cheerful read, with pretty cheesy gags. Just the thing for a young lad in the 1970s/1980s, and us old Limey farts can get quite nostalgic about it. It’s gone way downhill these days, sadly.
How many customs do you make usually? 
I’ve always got one on the go, and about three more planned. Depending on how much spare time I have, they can be done in a week or take months. About 1 or 2 a month is a safe average though.
How do you choose which custom to make?
Stick a pin in the Marvel Encyclopedia! It tends to be a character that’s caught my eye in discussions on Fwoosh or elsewhere on the Web. Sadly, I seem to be inexorably drawn to the weird and wacky characters. Give me a guy with an animal head and oddball corresponding powers, and I’m in hog’s heaven! (Literally with Razorback). Plus there’s less risk of an official version coming along and supplanting mine.
Do you have formal training in art?
Not really. I did a few computer design courses when I decided to work in this field, but only to get a grip of the basics. The rest has been teaching myself, tinkering at home in my spare time. I used to knock up fake covers for things that mates had burned for me on DVD, so I had a fairly decent amateur portfolio to show off when this job came around.
What is in your collection?
A whole load of Legends, obviously. They were what got me back into buying toys as a grown man (I’m not sure whether I should be grateful or not). I started out thinking I’d just buy 10 or so core characters – Spidey, Iron Man, the F4, etc. But I kept buying gradually more obscure characters and now I’m beyond the point of reason. If they made him, I’d buy a figure of Mr. Fish, for chrissakes… Besides ML, I have a fair few of the SOTA SF figures and Palisades Muppets. I’m going to buy a few of the LCBH when they hit over here, but hopefully be a bit more selective. And as a huge fan of Doctor Who, I’m buying a load of the figures for that range – the announcement that they were moving into classic series figures is just the best news in ages.
Do you own any other’s customs?
Not yet. I really, really admire the work of a load of guys on the Fwoosh, but customs tend to be a bit pricey – I find it hard enough to justify to myself the cost of normal toys! I’d prefer to make a custom for myself if it were a character I was desperate for.
Do you know anyone in real life that has similar fwooshlike interests?
Toys, not really, although I have met a few UK Fwooshers for trades and the like. I have some geeky friends though so I can go down the pub and talk sci-fi when I need to. My wife is resolutely non geeky, so I need to escape every now and again!
So Customizing is a private hobby for you.
Very much a private hobby – my friends and family think it’s weird enough that I collect in the first place. God knows how they’d take the notion of me patiently making my own toys. I must come out the closet some time!
Why so much love for Fin Fang Foom?
He just sums up everything that’s joyous and silly and fun about comics to me. The idea that the Marvel universe is big enough for a giant Chinese dragon who is actually a scientifically advanced alien and who wears purple undies? Sheer lunacy and I love him for that. He’s got years of history and a lovely Kirby design, poses a very credible threat, but can still be used for fantastic comic relief (read Fin Fang Four – it’s brill!) I can just about understand people loving po-faced dull characters like Cable or Cyclops, but for me, it has to be daft. And, if they get him right, Foom will be the best Legend *evah*. You know this to be true….
When are you going to make a Foom?
The $64,000 question… Hopefully never! I did make a 6 inch one back in the day when I had a spare Ultimate Lizard lying around and I’d just read the ‘Fin Fang Four’ one shot. But I’ve been putting off the full size one for ages, because I’ve been convinced he’d get a proper version eventually. And, fingers crossed, that’s going to happen. You have no idea how excited I am about that…
How tall is Stiltman?
About 14 inches, from floor to tip of antennae.
How big is Dragon man? Does He stand up?
‘Bout 9 inches, and yes, he stands just fine, though he’s taken the odd tumble. Having big feet and a tail for balance really helps,
Is it important to you to retain articulation?
As I rule I try to keep much articulation as possible. I’ll sculpt around joints like the ab hinge rather than just filling them in, which can make for loads of work. But very rarely do I tackle new articulation – I suck at the business of adding joints and other such manual labour. And I’m not a total articulation freak – I may be one of the few people not tearing their hair out about the new Elbros (Hasbro paint apps, on the other hand..)
Do you mostly do only C-listers?
Pretty much. For one thing, if I did an A lister, who’s to say they wouldn’t announce an official version of it tomorrow? I rarely prefer my versions to the kosher ones, so it always feels like a bit of a wasted effort. Choosing from the random end of the spectrum means there’s less odds of that happening. But more than that, I just like the C listers more. They’re always a challenge to create (a lot of the heroes are just generic muscle fodder with a paintjob). And they’re *fun*.
Maybe it comes from not being a comic reader in my tortured moody adolescence, but I’m of the school of thought that comics should be an enjoyable experience. Vast epic sagas of pain and dimension shattering conflict is all well and good, but I’d rather be watching a man in a frog suit and springs on his heels failing to rob a bank….
Do you ebay your customs?
Not yet. I do it for the love. I don’t get a lot of spare time for customizing, so if I wasn’t having fun, I just wouldn’t bother. Don’t get me wrong – I occasionally cast an envious eye at the sums that people bring in, but I’m not that desperate for the cash. Plus, I suspect my character selection would leave me struggling in the Ebay market…
Do you travel?
As much as I can. I’ve done the bulk of Europe in various holidays, the US a couple of times, and a few other bits and pieces. I did a trek through the Sahara just before the millennium, which was awesome, and we splurged on our honeymoon last year in Barbados and the surrounding area. Sadly that left us a little skint for this year’s hols, which have been a bit lower key.
Do you have something physically wrong with you?
You’re kidding, right? I’m perfect! Touch wood, I’ve not found anything serious yet, bar a missing tooth and the odd ache and pain. I could stand to be fitter, but who couldn’t? And I’m on a brief detox-ing plan at the moment, and hating every minute…
What did you do in the downtime during the hack?
It sucked, didn’t it? I drank a load of coffee, ate biscuits (cookies, not those breakfast scones you chaps in the States call biscuits…) and surfed the other toy sites. Grouchy bunch, aren’t they?
You seem like a nice guy. Are you?
It’s a carefully cultivated act to mask my true misanthropy… I try to be nice, though I get as grouchy as the next man at times.
I certainly try never to get in fights online. There’s nothing more pointless or irritating than an online argument.
Thanks Rob!
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