Robin Hood's above and Will Scarlet's
below, along with the guy I used to think was falling or sitting, but who I can
only picture hiding in a tree now! The guy middle-bottom is an unnamed
character - one of the Merry Men - but could pass for Robin or Will!
Now, there is no discernible difference
between the two smaller Will's, and in the course of taking these mages I came
to the conclusion I'd had the Down Under version all along, which means I need
to find a Canada one at some point, just to satisfy myself as to their
differences/similarities, as all the other figures do have clear differences
between the sculpts and I believe the Canada issue is an unnamed figure?
The Maid Marion/ian's; Marx's 'ian is Rubenesque sexy in a Viking-court sort of get-up, the
antipodean 'ion is a bit Hippy-chick sexy in plain Anglo-Saxon villager's
garb, the Canadian 'ian sculpt looks like a rather dry Mother Superior or a
'Flanders mare' in full Norman aristocratic finery and Robin would be a fool to
get involved with her, she's just gonna' whine alot!
'The Tuck'; my kind of priest - a godless
one! I prefer the Marx sculpt, if
he's got a staff he can get fightey-bitey, but the smaller ones have him
holding a scroll or torch/brazier - it's not clear? This is the other pose
(after the archer, if mine are of different sources) which has little change
beyond base markings between Australian and Canadian issues - the Canada one is
better detailed/etched and slightly taller maybe?
The two sheriffs' (Nott's & Darby!) and
tree-climber/falling guy again! He's actually the most dynamic pose of all four
sets (I haven't shown/got the other Marx
set), but this may have meant he was a bugger to manufacture - lots of weird
undercuts, not in the pose per se, but in relation to the
layout of the other cavities/rest of the tool?
Little John; the difference between the two
smaller ones is clear here with heaver sculpting of the thin parts obvious,
while the dagger on the Canadian chap is longer. Neatly; both/all three issuers
have gone with a taller sculpt for the man whose name was a play on his notable
height, he's half-a-head above Robin and has a good [scale] six-inches on
everyone else.
Alan-a-Dale/Minstrel, a close-up of the
base marking differences, the 'Canada' sculpt is on the right. I find red plastic
a bugger to shoot (so don't know why I concentrated on this one!) but with a
black & white filter and some stopping-down it seems to show what's needed.
The unnamed 'minstrel' could used as/taken to be the Coeur de Lion's lover;
Blondel?
Much the Miller; I seem to remember him from
childhood stories, although Marx
haven't named theirs, they all share the same hood and similar kilt/surcoat
tails, so they were all watching each-other or the Saturday-matinee's for their
fashion leads, rather than historical sources, although they can all be
painted-up for medieval armies!
Down Under this one's Will Stutley, another
one I recall from tales told to me as a child, or read in comics, elsewhere
he's the anonymous 'signaller'! One of the missing Marx versions has the green guy shouting with cupped-hand and no
stowed-bow!
♪♫♪ Stick-fighting Maaaaaaaaaaaaan! ♫♪♪ The best candidate for
converting/repainting to court jester or fool!
The
other three! Australia/New Zealand give them all names, Canada doesn't bother,
but they still make-up the numbers. The rock guy needs a siege-engine, but
there are plenty around to chose from, and Will Stutley would make a good No. 1
to this chap's No. 2. While you can never have enough medieval archers, for
Crecy, Agincourt or the other one where we gave Frenchie a good spanking!
Done did!
The
lack of available information on the 50mm set from Down Under leaves questions still
outstanding, for someone to follow-up, somewhere, sometime;
- · Which cereal were they issued with?
- · Were they Australian or New Zealand-issued, first?
- · Who made/manufactured them?
- · Did Canada issue a license or are they pirates
- · Was there a Sherriff or 'tree-hugger'!?
And - to be honest similar questions remain over the 50mm 'Canada' figures!
Many
thanks again to Glenn Sibbald for revealing the
antipodean versions and donating a set to the blog - New to Hobby/Internet - cheers
Glenn!
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