Marvel, if you will, at the supreme talents of one Richard Martin, UK-based Special Effects Make-Up artist, Sculptor, painter and indeed, SuperFan. Pictured above are two of his sole creations, 1:1 silicone figures of Christopher Reeve as Superman and a bust of Terrance Stamp as General Zod. Those lucky enough to attend the Memorabilia 2011 show at the NEC Birmingham will surely testify to the frightening realism of these pieces in the flesh among other exhibits in the first ever prop party sanctioned by the RPF.
Chances are you’ve seen some of Rich’s work already on screen and not even known it. With a portfolio containing significant contributions to everything from the last series of Dr. Who to Lady Ga-Ga Music videos, go to his site for an impressive showcase of his work.
With the credentials shown above I was compelled to contact Rich myself to assist with my own Superman 1:1 project last year and to my surprise he accepted – taking on the difficult task of inserting prosthetic eyes into my bust, mounting it onto the mannequin and finally giving it a realistic paintjob of incredible quality. The result will be shown in a future post but for right now I want to thank Rich for being such a consummate professional and a real gent – he literally came to my rescue…
From the top, pics and video taken from the RPF booth by me (please excuse my Zod impression, I got excited:) of Rich Martin’s Superman projects (both now in the hands of private collectors)
Enjoy these unreleased publicity portraits of Christopher Reeve for Italian Vogue from 1985 –
Or instead marvel at the fact they are actually shots of a modified Hot Toys Superman figure by Duabelas Custom Works complete with rooted hair and casual attire. A true work of art…
Browsing through my collection for more recommended reading of comics tailored to fans of the Superman Movies I came across this forgotten gem from 1985(!). Presented in standard direct sales format, this unusual collection of tributes to the ‘Fifty Who Made DC great’ was released in celebration of the publishers upcoming 50th anniversary.
Introduced by then-president Jenette Kahn, this refreshingly ad-free special devotes whole pages to everything from the Fleischer Studios to Burt Ward. Among the many Superman contributions (including features on Kenner Toys and Peanut Butter) are the above scans acknowledging the Man Of Steel’s impact on the silver screen. I look forward to the revised digital edition in 2035…
Enjoy these newest dynamic illustrations by SuperArtist Sebastian Columbo from his series premiering on christopherreeve.co.uk, a homage to the DC art of Jose Garcia-Lopez from the mid ’80’s. Note the typically awesome attention to detail with the actual costume colours replicated perfectly and the pose reminiscent of the alleyway change scene in Superman II…
New additions to the fantastic retro-style wallpapers courtesy of artist Jayce76 –
Jayce clever reworkings of vintage Variety ads amongst others here gives these pieces a look of complete authenticity. The Salkind’s famously mounted quite the campaign from 1976 onward to capture the imagination of the movie-going public and would continue throughout production and even beyond.
Some of the best examples of these are peppered throughout this blog in the Superman: The Movie section where the fascinating evolution of the project culminates in the film still regarded as the arguably the best comic-book adaptation of all time…
