Introduce yourself and let readers know where they can see your work.
Hello, I’m Adam Bobo and I’m from a small town in Arkansas. You can see my customs and toy photography on the Facebook group Mythic Legions Cabal and on my Instagram @graycloakranger
How long have you been customizing action figures?
It all started back in the mid to late 1990’s with the Star Wars Power of the Force 2 figure line. I would do simple head swaps like putting a Luke Skywalker head on a Darth Maul body and calling it Jedi Master Luke. Stuff like that. I have to give credit to the ffurg.com.(Forgotten Force Ultimate Resource Guide) I really learned about customizing from that website and the figurerealm.com website.
What got you into Mythic Legions?
I just happened to be scrolling through toynewsi.com and saw an article about a new Kickstarter called Mythic Legions. From there I made a very large pledge(the most I have ever spent on toys at that point in time) and have been hooked ever since.
Do you have what you would call a signature custom, or any favorite customs you have done?
As for a signature custom it would have to be the one I did of myself. I was able to commission the talented Evanis Hart to create a head sculpt in my likeness. I have always favored the ranger class so I made my own Mythic Legion ranger. As for a favorite, the Dragon Knight was my very first Mythic Legions custom so it holds sentimental value to me. As for non-Mythic Legions, I’m quite fond of a post ROTJ Luke Skywalker on Speeder Bike I did back when I was still learning.
What are your favorite kinds of Mythic Legions customs to do?
It all depends on the type of character I’m trying to make. I’ve made just about every kind of medieval fantasy class out there. From barbarians, to wizards, knights, thieves, rangers ect. When making a character I enjoy putting my own artistic flair on it. An example would be making a popular fantasy character such as Warduke, but putting your own spin on it. It doesn’t have to be an exact copy of what someone else did. Oh, and I love homage characters although I’ve only done one, Mythic Magneto. Besides that, I also enjoy making fantasy figures that may not use any Mythic Legions parts but would fit into the same lore. I’ve made several fantasy themed figures using Marvel Legends for a base.
Do you have any “wish list” character types or races that you would like to see from Mythic Legions, and which you would love to be able to work with as a customizer?
One day, I'd love to see a large scale Griffon get released. Traditional high fantasy style Griffon, eagle head and talons, lion for the back half. I’d like to see more elves in the line. Maybe elf and dwarf deluxe sets like the Barbarian builder from 1.0. That would be awesome. Other things on my “wish" list include some bare, muscle toned arms for male elves(as those female arms don’t look right on males), and more bows amid the sea of swords, axes, daggers, and shields.
What kinds of tools do you use your customs work, including paints and brushes?
I have a set of sculpt tools that I use for sculpting work. For paints, it’s the cheap Folkart and Apple Barrel. I know most customizers hate those, but for me it’s what I learned with so it’s what I really know how to use. It’s not the quality of the paint that matters but the skill of the artist. On brushes, I go all John Hammond and spare no expense. A cheap brush will only produce junk.
What would people be surprised to learn about your customizing or collecting hobby?
The toy collecting hobby unfortunately comes with negative stereotypes so I keep my hobby to myself most times. Outside of my family very few actually know about my figure hobby. So, I guess the surprise would be that I’m a toy collector in the first place. That and how much space this hobby actually requires. Over the past few years I’ve really had to be selective about what I buy because of limited space.
Any tips or suggestions for Mythic fans looking to start customizing?
Do some research on it before diving in. Lots of tutorials out there. Besides that it’s really just practice and trial and error to see what what works and what doesn’t. Also have the finished piece in mind and always look for inspiration from various forms of entertainment. Whether it be novels, video games, movies, or just a simple image search on Google. Ideas can literally come from anywhere.
Do you do any other kinds of customs outside of Mythic Legions?
Yes, as mentioned before, it all started with Star Wars. I have also done customs for that “other" fantasy line Vitruvian H.a.c.k.s. The smaller scale allows for castle playsets and large beasts like dragons without costing a fortune.
Final question - who is your favorite non-customized Mythic Legions figure?
Hands down, it’s Elf Ranger. I remember back when the second Kickstarter was going and Assa Spiritbender got revealed. Her hood got me thinking about a Ranger character being made. I instantly went to the message boards and began petitioning for a Ranger to get made. Since being released, I have made several kitbashes and customs with the Elf Ranger and I was lucky enough to get his test shot.
Published on 07.17.20