Operation Monster Force

[Damien]

Yeah... I think I'll be buying at least one of the nuns - I like both of the heads without the gas mask, so I might buy 2 - but I might just paint the flesh parts black. It seems like that would have been an easy choice, but maybe they were afraid it would look too monolithic or blah without a secondary color too break it up.

If someone showed me the greyscale with no context beyond 'its a battle nun' and asked me to paint it; it would be mostly black with some white to break it up and definitely a few gold or silver accents. I mean... that's just what makes sense, regardless of any concerns about not having enough color breaks. Plenty of action figures are fairly monotone.

I'm a big fan of bands doing theatrical stuff, especially when it comes to hard rock & metal. I know many think it cheapens the music, but I don't feel that way. To me, it adds another layer that is highly entertaining. Considering how talented the girls in Dogma are, and how it was basically conceived as a Broadway type show to begin with, I think it is a perfect blend of theater and rock.

100% I don't buy into the 'cheapens the music' stuff anyway. To me there's no legitimate argument there. A band either plays good music or they do not. You can't hide bad playing with spectacle because they are separate things. KISS puts on an incredible show and I still think their music sucks.

For me, I look at it and think of how impractical it is from a tactical standpoint. Why wear armor when you're leaving massive patches of skin exposed?

Believe it or not, I tend to -not- look at it that way. Because, to be perfectly fair, that is how armor works. Most people wearing armor do leave massive patches of skin exposed. Look at a modern soldier and how much of their body is actually protected. Modern plate carriers don't provide that much coverage, and almost no soldiers wear ballistic masks over their incredibly vulnerable faces.

A common criticism I have for fantasy artists depicting medieval-esque and ancient-esque warriors is their incessant need to add armor where it was not actually worn. To our modern eye, it looks crazy that someone is 'fully armored' without anything on their lower arms. But that -was- how most warriors from the Classical to the pre-Modern period armed themselves.

I don't even get too mad when the armor/no armor decisions are clearly something inspired by fashion. Because armor also has a history of being inspired by contemporary fashion. So I find it really hard to explain why I don't like certain things beyond 'it just looks bad.'

In this case, looking at the nun; the bare shoulder thing does line up with some contemporary fashion for 'off the shoulder' shirts and such. But A) it doesn't make sense for a nun character, and B) it makes the rerebrace armor look stupid. She's not even wearing clothing on her shoulder, but 2 inches from her shoulder she has this huge strapped-on armored plate? Looks a bit nonsense.
It's also got the MCU problem: Overdesigning every costume until it's just violently fucking your eyeholes. There's nowhere for your eyes to rest because there's just so many lines and details everywhere and it actively makes the entire costume worse.

Also, I'm now noticing that she has like.. armored high heels. And I hate it. I fucking hate that. I get that 'warrior lady in high heels' is a thing. But it is a thing that I despise. Also, she appears to be wearing cross-stitched thigh-high boots under the armored boots? Ugh.
Don't get me wrong, they can make whatever figures they want, however they want. I'm only talking about what I like and not what is objectively correct or good. But for my money, I'd want to take a red pen to this entire design.

 

[Fletch]

Hey look at that, a covered belly button so she doesn't catch a .45 to the gut.

Ooh. I stand corrected.

I actually really like the headsculpt and wimple. It's a lot more nun-y than the just a white scarf she was wearing in the drawing.

But I'm afraid everything from the clavicles down is a no from me. It's just too future-tech for my tastes, neither modern tactical like the rest of the line nor archaic gear like an ancient order might wear.

It's also my guess that the collar piece is attached to the bra. I could otherwise be tempted to get one just to use that really awesome nun head on a more restrained battle nun body if one should present itself. Same with that NPC priest, really. I'm kind of eyeballing him to see if I can mix and match some parts to make him some kind of military chaplain to accompany the team.

 

[docsilence]

I actually think the futuristic/busy-ness aspect puts me off more than the showing skin. the existing figures, despite being actual monsters, actually feel really grounded. I appreciated that they avoided the over-designed looks a lot of modern characters have.

This is where I have to shamefully admit I'd totally pick up the gun nuns from Hitman if they were ever made at 1/12 scale. Speaking of which, the black-suited agent figure is one red tie and a bald head sculpt away from being an easy Hitman homage, yeah? I wonder if the spare Patrick Stewart head I've got kicking around would fit on the agent body here...

 

[JakeEkiss]

Also, I'm now noticing that she has like.. armored high heels. And I hate it. I fucking hate that. I get that 'warrior lady in high heels' is a thing. But it is a thing that I despise.

Not even the 'combat wedge' they typically use for live action women in costume like Wonder Woman.

I actually think the futuristic/busy-ness aspect puts me off more than the showing skin. the existing figures, despite being actual monsters, actually feel really grounded. I appreciated that they avoided the over-designed looks a lot of modern characters have.

I have a feeling it's because the designers, consciously or not, want you to see more of the form of a woman under the gear. So they're veering a bit away from the more realistic gear of the dudes into fantasy scifi territory so it can be more form-fitting. I feel like Valaverse weirdly does this better. The women in that line at least feel like they pull from a similar closet as the men.

This is where I have to shamefully admit I'd totally pick up the gun nuns from Hitman if they were ever made at 1/12 scale. Speaking of which, the black-suited agent figure is one red tie and a bald head sculpt away from being an easy Hitman homage, yeah? I wonder if the spare Patrick Stewart head I've got kicking around would fit on the agent body here...

I think those nuns get a pass because they are so cartoonish. Like, you can't fault them for a lack of realism because they aren't even pretending to go for realism.

I also keep wondering when we're getting a head pack with a bald guy and a dude with shoulder length black hair and a short beard for that suited body. Surely it's coming. Surely.

 

[Ru1977]

I would go with the McAvoy head, but to be fair I am vehemently anti-Patrick Stewart. That guy can burn in hell. I would rather be tied to a bumper and have my ass dragged naked though a field of broken glass than watch one more second of that motherfucker "act".*





*I'm entirely kidding, I like Picard. Just thought the McAvoy head might work better and decided to aim my morning aggression at Patrick Stewart for absolutely no reason.

 

[docsilence]

I would go with the McAvoy head, but to be fair I am vehemently anti-Patrick Stewart. That guy can burn in hell. I would rather be tied to a bumper and have my ass dragged naked though a field of broken glass than watch one more second of that motherfucker "act".*





*I'm entirely kidding, I like Picard. Just thought the McAvoy head might work better and decided to aim my morning aggression at Patrick Stewart for absolutely no reason.

I literally read that first sentence with my mouth open like... did I miss PatStew doing something abominable recently? I do have an extra McAvoy head kicking around, too, actually. I hope the ball pegs fit. Or maybe I DON'T hope the ball pegs fit so I'm not inclined to get another figure.

I think those nuns get a pass because they are so cartoonish. Like, you can't fault them for a lack of realism because they aren't even pretending to go for realism.

That's exactly it. The Hitman gun nuns are cartoons. Horny cartoons, but cartoons nonetheless.

 

[Ru1977]

Heh yeah I'm in a weird mood today

 

[TENIME]

NOT funny.

You're fired.

 

[Fletch]

I don't know a thing about Hitman, but I assumed they weren't actually nuns. Just picked a matching theme for their squad?

But if I'm to believe a character is an actual nun, even a fantastical ancient order of monster-fighting tactical nuns, I'd expect them to hew closer to expectations. I can imagine a battle nun with a "protective" leather corset, tabard and combat boots. Bunch of straps for gear. I think the key is maintaining the silhouette and color palette. And, to my eye, "flesh tone" is not part of a nun's color palette.

 

[Damien]

To clarify my own position; I don't think you can't do 'nuns showing skin' ever. I do think it's contextual. If you told me 'there's a new Netflix movie about grizzled nuns battling evil with blades and automatic rifles as part of an ancient demon-hunting order,' I feel like my expectation for what they should look like is going to be a lot different from 'next time on Venture Bros -- BATTLE NUNS.'

I just don't think of Monster Force, despite the name and some of the character ideas, as in that same 'goofy' or 'exploitation' style as something like Venture Bros or the kind of movie set where Doc finds his hook-ups.

 

[Spongyblue]

I just don't think of Monster Force, despite the name and some of the character ideas, as in that same 'goofy' or 'exploitation' style as something like Venture Bros or the kind of movie set where Doc finds his hook-ups.

Which is funny because from my perspective, it seems like 90% of FMF catalog is exactly that; a grindhouse horror movie that lays heavy into the exploitation and ridiculousness. Everybody's got different eyeballs I guess.

I'll wait to see what the final physical prototype for the nun will look like before I make up my mind. The stripper look for the nun has been played out a bit, so that's why I'd shy away from that design. This latest one looks a lot better. I wanna see the full colors. I can't tell if it's ornate armor or what. It can swing from "very old armor used against magic with modern day ballistic protection on top, or maybe the Vatican has an R&D department that uses Divine Technology to develop weapons and armor.

 

[Fletch]

I can't tell if it's ornate armor or what. It can swing from "very old armor used against magic with modern day ballistic protection on top, or maybe the Vatican has an R&D department that uses Divine Technology to develop weapons and armor.

I can't see it as anything other than futuristic high-tech armor. Too many straight lines and panels.

For fun, I busted out the crayons and did some coloring based on that first, color illustration. I still think there's room for a tactical, monster-hunting nun squad, but this misses the mark for me.

 

[docsilence]

I just don't think of Monster Force, despite the name and some of the character ideas, as in that same 'goofy' or 'exploitation' style as something like Venture Bros or the kind of movie set where Doc finds his hook-ups.

I can't even defend against this. You know the "leave the costume on" conversation happened. I was and forever remain a shameless trollop.