# Yagher-sculpted Bama-style Wolf Man replacement head



## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

Jeff completed this for me a few weeks ago and it's now available from Escape Hatch Hobbies. For those who don't recognize it already, it's the head James Bama put on the Wolf Man he painted for Aurora back in the early '60s. Complete with Curse of the Werewolf-style ears. Fits the Aurora Wolf Man and various reissues.

Hope y'all like it.


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

Oh wow!!! I'd like to see what this actually looks like on an Aurora Wolfman.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

Great likeness!


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Frankie Boy said:


> Oh wow!!! I'd like to see what this actually looks like on an Aurora Wolfman.


You axed for it! here's a WIP shot of a build by our own Nightowl, Rick Evans (used without his permission).  For myself, I'd prefer to use this head on a Wolf Man's Wagon rather than the figure kit. But it *is* a cool piece no matter what you do with it!


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

Its' a magnificent sculpt, to be sure. But it looks a little large relative to the body, doesn't it?


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Frankie Boy said:


> Its' a magnificent sculpt, to be sure. But it looks a little large relative to the body, doesn't it?


 That seems to be an issue with many replacement heads, Frankie.
But in the first place, they are superior to the original parts (otherwise we wouldn't want 'em!). In the second place, it's often possible to disguise the issue. For example, I used the resin Basil Gogos-style replacement head sold by the late, lamented Tom Parker for the Moebius Frankenstein. Tom worried that the head might be a bit too large, but after I fleshed out the body of the rather scrawny figure with Aves Apoxie Sculpt, the CoPP head looked just fine. I think adding a torn shirt to a Wolf Man wearing this replacement head could easily achieve the same effect.


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## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

There's no way around the fact that Lon Chaney Jr. was a big, tough-looking guy, but he wasn't the lithe muscleman Bill Lemon sculpted for Aurora. Jeff did a great job of making the Chaney head fit the Aurora body, but the face shape is what it is. I think I'll do as Mark suggests if I build one, and fabricate a shirt onto the figure.

This was a project dictated by popular demand. A few people were begging me to do it; I finally agreed to move forward. And Jeff really did kill it on the likeness. He's got a gift for both the Universal monsters and Aurora.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Todd P. said:


> ...Jeff really did kill it on the likeness. He's got a gift for both the Universal monsters and Aurora.


When Mr. Yagher passes on, I call dibs on his hands. > You listening, Dr. Gogol? [Ooh, there's a thought - a Peter Lorre _Mad Love_ (1935) replacement head for Dr. Deadly...!]


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## tracy.net (Aug 30, 2009)

Mark McGovern said:


> You axed for it! here's a WIP shot of a build by our own Nightowl, Rick Evans (used without his permission).  For myself, I'd prefer to use this head on a Wolf Man's Wagon rather than the figure kit. But it *is* a cool piece no matter what you do with it!


 Marks 100% correct stare at the pic a few seconds then imagine it with the ears gone, It then appears to be just the right size! One could easily beef up the neck a bit and you could not tell any difference.


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## djmadden99 (Dec 23, 2008)

When I compare the replacement to the model's original head I find they are indistinguishable by size alone. It is a superior likeness as well. Great job, Todd!


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

tracy.net said:


> Marks 100% correct stare at the pic a few seconds then imagine it with the ears gone, It then appears to be just the right size! One could easily beef up the neck a bit and you could not tell any difference.



I respectfully disagree. The head is too large, irrespective of the ears.


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

djmadden99 said:


> When I compare the replacement to the model's original head I find they are indistinguishable by size alone. It is a superior likeness as well. Great job, Todd!


Can you put the two side by side? Not just the two heads, but the full model in its original form, and beside it, the full model with the replacement head attached.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Frankie Boy said:


> Can you put the two side by side? Not just the two heads, but the full model in its original form, and beside it, the full model with the replacement head attached.












I also removed the ears from the replacement head. I do think it's maybe 2%-3% too big...or is the original kit head 2%-3% too small?


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## tracy.net (Aug 30, 2009)

Hey does the new head come with that new hanging low belt knot ? It looks too big to me.:grin2:


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## Frankie Boy (Feb 28, 2002)

Zombie_61 said:


> I also removed the ears from the replacement head. I do think it's maybe 2%-3% too big...or is the original kit head 2%-3% too small?


Thanks, Zombie. And thanks for removing the ears ... they are arguably a distraction to the head size question. But seeing them now side by side, we can quibble over by how much, but the replacement head still looks too big. 

I think one of the things that's going on that contributes to it is the jaw, or the "beard" around the jaw. It's full, as it rightfully should be, but its very fullness contributes to the overall oversize of the head. On the original head, the jaw tapers toward the chin, and if the top half of the two skulls are relatively close in size, this tapering of the jaw on the original head certainly ameliorates the perception of an otherwise disproportionate head size. 

And while we're talking about disproportionate sizing, I really wish somebody would re-sculpt the entire torso, head, arms and hands. They're ridiculously out of proportion. The legs and feet could stay, but an entire re-sculpt from the waist up would be welcomed by one and all I would think ... well, except for purists perhaps ;-) But that's okay, too.


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## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

Once again, this was a project that happened because of popular demand. About three dozen people really, really wanted to see an Aurora box-art Wolf Man head to fit this kit so we did one and they've been happy. 

I'm not going to try to convince anyone it's the right size. If it looks wrong to you, please don't purchase it.

Candidly, this is not a project I would have gone ahead with unless I'd paid for it through preorders, because -- as I said before -- Lon Chaney Jr.'s body was not shaped like the Aurora Wolf Man's. Chaney was big, he looked tough, but he wasn't a bodybuilder. He wasn't that broad in the shoulders or that narrow at the waist. Heck, the Aurora kit isn't proportioned at all like the character it's supposed to represent. Thus, an accurate sculpture of his head is never going to look entirely right on this model kit without some additional modification. Some people are up for making changes, others are happy with a quick alteration.

This is a constant concern for replacement part projects. Will a Lugosi head look right on the Aurora Dracula? How about a Glenn Strange head on the Moebius '31 Frankenstein? Are there enough Aurora Witches on the market to justify a box-art head for that? I'm the only guy in the world who wants a Jason Voorhees head to fit the Polar Lights Michael Myers, but please please please do it anyway!

When the budget and time allow, I'm going to do a Werewolf by Night head to fit the Aurora Wolf Man. I think that'd be perfect.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Todd P. said:


> ...Lon Chaney Jr.'s body was not shaped like the Aurora Wolf Man's. Chaney was big, he looked tough, but he wasn't a bodybuilder. He wasn't that broad in the shoulders or that narrow at the waist. Heck, the Aurora kit isn't proportioned at all like the character it's supposed to represent...


You're absolutely right. Aurora's Wolfman kit is arguably their most generic because it doesn't really look like _any_ "wolfman" we've seen in _any_ movies. Strangely, that's one of the things I like about it. 

Actually, I think your idea of doing a "Werewolf by Night" replacement head would be a perfect fit for the body sculpt.


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