Thundercats Classics - Mumm-Ra The Everliving Custom

I am probably not alone in this, but it seems like a terrible crime that the Thundercats Classics range from Mattel was discontinued before we got a Tygra, Cheetara and empowered Mumm-Ra. Using a litteral translation of local expression that probably doesn't work in English, "I put on my bold shoes" and decided to attempt a custom model.

The resulting figure and its accessories:

Looking for options to complete the line-up, I came upon the Mumm-Ra figure from Bandai's 6 inch line. The figure was almost as big as a Classics figure, which was mainly due to having a bit of a pinhead. His head was smaller than his arms and it prevented him from really being compatible with the Classics Thundercats. The unpainted plastic look didn't help either. Then Funko released their neovintage style Thundercats range, made to be compatible with the vintage MOTU range. They were the toys I dreamed of having as a kid, but that were no use to me now. Or were they? From googling some size comparisons, I started thinking the heads seemed close in size to Classics figures so perhaps it would be possible, with some work, to combine the head from the Funko figure with the body of the Bandai figure. Already having bought the Bandai figure and the Funko figures being relatively inexpensive I ordered one and at first glance, the size checked out and some other bits of the Funko figure might also be used. Out came the blades and the Funko figure was stripped of it's head, cape, weapon and bandage wrappings around it's neck. The sculpted on neck needed to be removed from the Funko figure, but once that was trimmed, a quick dryfit seemed to confirm the bigger head would work so much better on the Bandai body and would lift him up to Classics size.

A quick mock-up as a proof of concept, with Skeletor for size.

Some sculpting was required to blend in all the different parts and to hide some of the more unseemly gaps on the figure that weren't really needed for the articulation and then a paintjob where I tried to match the Thundercats Classics Mumm-Ra in his shrivelled form as best as I could. Painting and shading it also helped to make it look less like a children's toy and more like an adult collector's action figure.

The fully assembled painted figure,  with the sword of Plun-Darr:

Both versions of Mumm-Ra, side by side:

Mumm-Ra fighting his nemesis: Liono. Mumm-Ra ended up being slightly taller than Liono, which is a good thing. The size difference isn't quite as high as the cartoon would dictate, but it is enough to work.

The original figures (left and right) and the end result in the middle:

All in all, the following modifications were done:
- the head from the Funko figure had it's head trimmed down and added some undercuts to detach the cheekguard from his cheeks;
- the flying ribbons and the nose guard/frontal ornament from the Bandai head were added to the Funko head for added detail. Nose guard was slightly widened with putty;
- wrinkly eyebrows were sculpted to increase the likeness to the cartoon version;
- the bandages around the Funko figure's neck were removed and added to the Bandai body, heat formed to lay flat and blended in with putty;
- the neck stump was built up to leave less of a glaring gap and a new socket was added in the Funko head to fit on the neck peg;
- the grip for the sword was extended with wire and putty, and made thinner, to fit into the Bandai hand;
- the Funko figure's cape was cut off and glued onto the Bandai body (after painting). I also included one set of the flying bandages from the Bandai figure as two would be too busy and not work with the cape;
- paint, paint, paint!

A work in progress before sculpting the new wrists and painting

EDIT: apparently this custom inspired the respected customiser He-Bro to do his own version based on the same recipe. You can check out his video's about it below. Some ideas he incorporated that I like as an alternative for a quick-win is to give a wash of the original Funko face to make it match the Bandai skintone instead of repainting the whole and the fact he managed to incorporate the second set of swirly bandages from the Bandai figure that I didn't find a good use for. The use of O-rings to tighten the neck joint is also a clever idea. You can also check out his YouTube channel for more videos on making your own customs.