Nazis and monsters are the peanut butter and chocolate of the comic universe, and Marvel Comics proved they were no stranger to this four-color confection with the creation of John Falsworth, aka Baron Blood.
Aristocrat John Falsworth traveled to Transylvania in search of the truth about vampires, and he got it straight from the Count’s mouth. Bitten by no less than Dracula himself, Falsworth returned to his ancestral home in England tasked with being an agent of chaos for the Lord of the Undead. At the dawn of the first World War, Falsworth fought for the German cause under his newly adopted guise of Baron Blood. He soon clashed with the original Union Jack, later revealed to be his older brother James. And while it seemed that a silver dagger in the heart killed Baron Blood, World War II saw him rise to plague the Falsworth family. The timely intrusion of the Invaders routed the vampire again, but he would soon return.
The Baron appeared sporadically throughout the Invader’s run. He first appeared in the modern age in the seminal Captain America #253-254, to haunt a new generation of Falsworths. After wreaking terror across the English countryside, the Baron is brutally decapitated by Cap himself. It was a stunning scene at the time and retains its punch today. And while others have assumed the guise of Baron Blood over the years, none have managed to capture the original’s gleeful corpulence.
I was lucky enough to read the Baron’s first appearance when it first hit the stands. My grandmother was ill and my family was visiting her in the hospital. My parents made it a point to stop at the gift shop for a snack and a comic to keep me quiet. For some odd reason I bought a roll of Peppermint Life Savers and Invaders #8.
I clearly remember being put off by artist Frank Robbin’s odd scratchy depictions of Captain America and Namor, but mesmerized by Baron Blood. There was something of the old 1950s Marvel to him, saw-toothed and raw, more shading than line. With my head increasingly mentholated by the mints, I sat by the room’s single window and read the smudgy comic by the light of an afternoon rainstorm. Soon I was flipping the pages faster and faster to see just what would happen. “To Be Continued!” was what happened, and I spent the next decade wondering how it all turned out. I found out later, but the conclusion lacked the weird and visceral power of that rainy-day introduction to the Baron.
Which brings us to Rabid_Ewok’s Baron Blood custom. From the tips of his ears to the soles of his two-tone booties, this is a killer representation of the character. Everything about this guy is top-notch, but don’t take my word for it, the pics are below!
Rabid_Ewok skewed a bit more modern in this incarnation, allowing Baron Blood to fit with either your classic Invaders lineup or the Marvels of 2015. The use of the Constrictor’s head is an inspired choice. Its smaller size and shape helps balance his big ol’ ears, and the mouth full of wicked-looking teeth doesn’t hurt any, either. Honestly, I like it better here than on Constrictor!
Rabid_Ewok went with vinyl for the collar and wings, which has a more light weight and natural appearance than rubber would. It is attached with bands at the wrist like the Storm figures tend to have. It’s a nice solution, allowing the arms a bit of play without the expected wrinkling.
The Baron makes better use of the Toys R Us Exclusive Iceman than that set ever did. The smaller frame is perfect for the hollow-boned Nazi, and a set of Spider-Man 2099 hands adds just the right touch of the feral to the custom. The paint job on this guy is dynamite as well — the muted tones are smooth, with the lines of the suit crisply rendered. I’d have to say may favorite detail is the color of the lips; they seem to match the dark purple of the bodysuit, giving the figure a factory-produced feel. The overall figure is so smooth it could easily be mistaken for a test shot or paint master of an upcoming figure.
With Morbius scheduled for 2016, it’s clear the supernatural side of Marvel is on Hasbro’s radar. Fans have already received Satana, Ghost Rider, and the Book of Vishanti 5-pack, so it’s probably just a matter of time before Hasbro bites on the Baron. I know I’ve been waiting for him a long time. Heck, I even took a crack at him myself many years ago. If Hasbro can hit this level of quality and accuracy, then we’ll truly have a Mort worth waiting for!
Thanks to Rabid_Ewok for allowing us to feature his work. You can purchase this one-of-a-kind custom here. To see all of Rabid_Ewok’s work, check out his customs thread!
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