@poysntixels The early Skull Brains have that rubbery, squishy brain that goes over the actual head. I’m not sure how long this went on for, or when they made the transition to sofubi brains, but I have about two with the first painted Skull Brain and the black blank.
Ah. Thank you.. got the blank black one from the Deeco sale and hadn't seen or held one in hand before. It's weird how fast Skullbrain and the rest of the web have moved on and the related info is not immortal. Stuff just vanishes. Thanks again!
The squishy brains are definitely more delicate than regular vinyl and I can see them being susceptible to damage and not aging as well as regular vinyl. Still no access to the shelf in question or the S7 mook double-check, but from memory, the OG Prototype, Walder, Plant, 'Full-Colour', Warp x Gargamel and Rainy Day Brain coverings were squishy. Maybe from around the blank GID they went to regular vinyl(?) As a nod to tradition, we brought the squishy brain covering back for the 'Grim North Rides Again' SDCC 2012 Skullbrains. 10 years ago already . . . FARK!
@Anti Social Andy Totally spaced the King Walder and Plant Man tributes, both of which I have, as well as the Warp mashup. It’s been a minute since I’ve had full access to much of my collection at the moment! I also had the Grim, but I helped out a ‘Brainer that was in longstanding search!
The totally clear 'Brain was also squishy. I think that's different than the "Prototype" Andy mentioned? Was that the unpainted black with clear brain?
So I have to ask since we're on the topic- are the squishy brains a different material from the normal soft vinyl, or is it just a different production process that makes them squishier?
Yes, unp. black with squishy head cover, and per akum6n it is almost more rubbery somehow and very thin.
Yeah, they’re a total different material. It’s not like squeaker toy soft vinyl, it’s more of a rubbery material with not a lot of give. It’s also rather sticky and impossible to clean off. Dust and dirt stick to the brains like crazy.
That reminds of the same material for the cp (circus punk) mini zagoran. No other zagoran was like that, in the sense that it was super squishy and had a rubbery feel.
which skullbrain is it? Some of the older brains had much softer, squishy brains with more plasticizer than the rest of the figure, but that was phased out pretty early on and the vast majority have brains that have the same rigidity as the rest of the figure.
i had just assumed it was vinyl with more plasticizer in it. I suppose I could be wrong. Either way I’m not a fan because of the dust issue. Incidentally it’s nice to see a Secretbase topic being active here.
Supposedly silicone oil can help clean up the dusty look but I have not tried it. There are many different additives to a wide variety of oils, so I would want to test very carefully.
And yes, having missed a lot of Secret Base and moved onto vintage for so long, it is really nice to learn about it and hear some of what I've missed. Thanks to all who've chimed in!
So would you say you’ve rediscovered Secretbase fighters? It’s a weird time for it… Hiddy seems to have abandoned them, in favor of licensed toys for the most part. And on the secondary for a while these last few years a lot of stuff was popping up for cheap, like $10-$20 figures… it seems to have slowed down considerably in terms of how much shows up for sale and what does pop up on mandarake for instance seems to sell quick. Then you still have rare/desirable pieces that command a fair price. It’s fun knowing you can sometimes catch a really good deal; but also sad when you realize that the line is basically dead… Only Funnyara and Pushead continue regular releases of Skullwing, and our own @brianflynn still manages to get a Ghostfighter (or one of its relations) when he is able. I’m thankful they continue to fight the good fight as it were. The other saving grace is the sheer amount that was put out by Secretbase and their collaborators means there’s almost always going to be something out there that you’ve never seen before, or something to hunt for.
I'm okay with it all. I'm older, don't need as many and am not a completist. I've also spent the last 15 years chasing lines that went dead before some of the members were born, so I'm used to disappointment. Let's not even start about Buta... So, yeah it's kind of a rediscovery, but kind of a turn back to where I came in. The first time I saw a skullwing I lost my mind. When I found out that the big heads covered up little heads, the era was almost over but I was still thunderstruck. Still need at least one of the Astro Mu 5 style heads and a ghost with the sheet or two and some more MIM. If I ever can recapture the Brian Flynn GID Ghost Trooper ( I know, different deal) I will lead a better life and cease some of my remaining bad habits in gratitude to the Almighty. But I digress. If Hiddy is tired of the fighters, so be it. He worked long and hard. Sometimes you have to make a living, even in toys. If he wants to start again, that's his call, although I'm sure that many people would be very happy.
Does anybody remember whether the Base made white unpainted stuff for the Kaiju Taro DIY promotion? I seem to remember a bee?
No, they were not part of that. The white Bee was a normal release, although I don't recall the details off the top of my head.
The only unpainted white SB figure I have is a Balzac skullman, but that was for a painting contest. I guess your consulation prize would be all the blank gid fight figures. I think there was at least one release for every one of those. You could keep the lights on 24/7 and pretend.
True. Had one blank GID Cyclobot, sold it on to somebody with a nearly complete run, kept the painted. Can't imagine trying to get all of them at this late date. Would need life extension treatments to live that long!
Did any secret b releases (like Easter) come in plastic eggs?. I've got 3 of them; were they maybe for Easter Cyclops?
