Topic: What is the best male and female base figure to use?

[Tamer]

I was just reading a small conversation Remco and Devin were having about good base figures and I am wondering what the experts here would consider the best male and female base figure period that is so good it always goes in the cart when you see it on the pegs?

I have seen such good use of base figures like Skaar, Agent Helix, and quite a few JOEs. Now I know it would depend on what the particular custom would be in regards to figure line and what not, but I would love to start a poll to let you all vote on a final male and a final female figure that is considered a must buy for customizers.

I will start the nominations with the lastest:

Vintage AOTC Clone Trooper (that one just seems like you could make any armored SW form out of it)

Marvel Agent Helix

Feel free to nominate your best three male and best three female figures and then we can vote in about a month. Also, think about things like accesories, cost of action figure, ease of assembly/disassembly, most parts being able to be used (you can use up all the parts you cut up), how easy it integrates with other AF Lines, articulation, etc. It might even be fun to do a separate vote for all of those categories later, but the most basic question is which figure do you see yourself using more often than not in you next custom creations?

[Mr. Black]

You're fast, Shawn 

As I already mentioned in Spud's thread, the use of GI Joe parts (particularly the legs) is not favoured by all of us, due to the look of said legs. I personally don't have one favourite base figure and just try to find parts that resemble what I'm looking for as closely as possible.

I've also noticed male GI Joe figures are often taller than their SW counterparts, making them out of scale a bit. Doesn't really matter if you're making a tough alien biker or a taller Endor Commando, but just wanted to get that out.

The new VC45 Clone is definitely a top base figure to use for creating Clone customs. It's the new ROTS41, so to speak

I've never owned a Marvel Agent Helix before, but for female figures I tend to use (parts of) the GI Joe/Cobra ladies. I'm working on a female smuggler using a Marvel Universe Ms. Marvel too, which is pretty easy to customize as well. The articulation on that mold is not as good as on the Joe figures, but it works.

My 2 cents:

Male human bodies: for articulation research Joe parts, keep scale and overall look of the figure in mind. Clones: the new VC45 sculpt, great base figure to repaint, switch helmets, backpacks, belts, etc. Want to keep the Hasbro SW look intact? Stick to SW figures. Rebel crew, Bespin Luke make for great base figures to add details on. I've got this ultra cool Mando Neo Crusader from Ruprecht, which has the VTSC Bespin Luke as a base, with armour sculpted on it. Awesome use of that figure.

Jedi: well, SW Jedi figs, I guess, although TOR Jedi can be created from armoured Joe figs, like the reactive impact Duke and Ripcord and such.

Sith: again, these guys are often clothed like Jedi, but with TOR out now, you can again really benefit from armoured figures from other lines.

Mandalorians: I still use the standard Jango/Boba bodies, with limbs switched out and such, but try to make them look different enough. I feel Mandalorians wear similar style of armour during each Mandalorian "age".

These are just my thoughts on this subject and what works for me

[spudafett]

Tamer, i dont think there is asingle figure thatsurpasses everything else...  As incom has already put it, it all depends on the project your wirking on.

Btw,  agent helix is a rise of cobra gi-joe figure.   All the female marvel figs use the exact same sculpt, for that reason it is probably the only figures that i will buy every time i see one, especially if they are for sale cheap!

[RebelAce]

Btw,  agent helix is a rise of cobra gi-joe figure.   All the female marvel figs use the exact same sculpt, for that reason it is probably the only figures that i will buy every time i see one, especially if they are for sale cheap!

They released a new female sculpt for the marvel universe figs in their most recent waves so at least you can have a little variety now and again.  I think I've seen that Helix body used for customs more than any other figure.  Hasbro really knocked it out of the park with her.

[Tamer]

Nope, we have to pick three of the best of each gender for all of your customizing needs.

I know each creation might mean different figures and parts, but overall, for many of  your custom projects what figure do you think, male and female, will work best for the majority of the projects you work on?