Wednesday 26 March 2008

Flash Gordon - why 40mm?

I have been collecting Flash Gordon 40mm miniatures from Graven Images for over three years. I would like to tell you that this was a planned purchase and one that I had been thinking about for some time. But it was in fact a small display piece or vignette of Flash and Ming that I saw at a local modelling show that started this obsession. I picked up the two main characters and painted them as the illustrations on the Graven Images/Monolith Designs web site;

http://www.monolithdesigns.co.uk/

From there I ordered the Dr Zarkoff and Dale figures, the Mongo/Ming troopers and officers. Then where next? The Cliffhanger range is limited and with the exception of the Mole-men I had collected, painted and based the whole Flash Gordon range!

For many months I waited patiently for new releases, which never came and so in a moment of inspiration I purchased the Graven Images Werewolves and converted them in to Lion Men, from there on the ‘flood gates’ opened and I have supplemented my Cliffhanger Flash Gordon figures with miniatures from a huge range of toy and model manufacturers, for example, Grim Reaper Castings, Privateer Press, Games Workshop, Foundry, Star Wars CMG, D&D CMG, Monster in my pocket toys and Pirates of the Caribbean figures from Disney. In fact I cannot enter a toy or model shop without thinking – how can I use or convert that figure to increase my Flash collection?

Photos can be found at the Disturbia Yahoo Group - Photos - Flash Gordon, Flash Gordon 2 or Flash Gordon work-in-progress;

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JimbowensDisturbia/

In addition I have built themed skirmish or display boards, tanks and a rocket, all of which I will include in this Blog at some time.

I hope you like the pictures I have posted so far.

Tony

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