This 28mm tall plastic “Wizkids” model of the Black Widow is miniature number 057 from the Clobberin Marvel "Heroclix" range, and depicts Natalia Alianovna Romanova "during her romantic involvement with Matt Murdock in San Francisco", when she was operating "as an independent superhero" alongside Daredevil. An "Expert tactician, hand-to-hand combatant and secret agent", the Avenger was created by Stan Lee, Don Rico and Don Heck for the April 1964 issue of "Marvel Comics" "Tales of Suspense".
Having been removed from her 'clicky-base' and super-glued on to a 25mm circular stand, the former Russian spy was primed using two coats of "Citadel" Abaddon Black and heavily dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal so I could make out the sculpt's details. I then considered whether to follow the pre-painted miniature's palette of her wearing a dark blue costume (as depicted in the Seventies comic books) or stick with her more modern-day all-black attire.
After applying a "Citadel" Nuln Oil wash over 'Natasha', I settled with the darker colour scheme, and layered both the super-heroine's chain belt and wrist shooters with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna" before applying a combination of Gold and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade to them. As a final step I painted the Black Widow's famous red hair using "Vallejo" Heavy Red, shaded it with a splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil" and later dry-brushed it with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.
With my latest "Heroclix" figure finished, I have once again turned my attention upon my collection of partially-painted "Star Wars" miniatures by "Fantasy Flight Games", and continued pigmenting the Minnesota-based manufacturer's "Star Wars: Legion" model of General Veers. I thought this Commander Expansion would provide the perfect Imperial leader for a Scout Trooper unit with which to bitterly oppose my current Wookie Warriors.
Unfortunately, I wasn't that happy with how his initial all-grey look turned out, especially the AT-AT Commander's disconcertingly dark grey chest plate. Luckily, having done some research on the Galactic Empire's Imperial Army human officer I spotted several costume photographs, as well as completed models, which depicted the armour as being a somewhat striking green. So I have decided to try and imitate that colour scheme instead.
Lastly, I have been slowly picking out a plethora of pouches, pockets, ammunition belts, braid bands, buckles, shoulder-pads, hand-blasters, leather straps and bladed weapons on my remaining Kashyyyk killers. Slightly frustratingly, the furry wookies continue to 'produce' details which I haven't actually spotted until after I've started shading in all their fiddly pieces of equipment. But hopefully shouldn't take took much longer to complete before being submitted into the Ninth Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge...
Thanks very much Joe. I'm slowly moving across all my older posts across to the new website. The Black Widow was a very old "Heroclix" sculpt - her first I believe - so I was pleased to get her finally finished, and obviously Veers and the Wookies were the start of a much bigger "Star Wars" push :-)
So much to like in this post, another superhero(in?) I've never heard of to like, I think I'd have gone for a navy blue but she looks great in any event.
Great call on the commander, he looks a lot less medieval with his new vest.
But the three wookies are the stars of this show ! Great individual sculpts that look so easy to paint, that is until you see the plethora of minor details that have to be picked out !