Character:

Wildman was one of the Sgt. Rock characters, filling the role of “bushy beard guy”.

Design:

Remco’s Sgt. Rock figures could have been amazing but for the short arms. Once I stared customizing as an adult, somewhere around 1998, I knew I’d have to fix a Sgt. Rock figure or two.

After completing Sgt. Rock himself in 2022, I completed a Jackie Johnson custom and now Wildman.

Wildman needed a beard in addition to better arms. Like my Sgt. Rock custom, this adventure in customizing is working within the parameters of the Remco Sgt. Rock line, but with the stubby T-Rex arms swapped out for some of appropriate size. The arms come from a Luke Skywalker figure, but the rest is Remco.

Colors & Paint:

Based on WWII uniforms. Although Sgt. Rock, Jackie Johnson, and Wildman’s uniforms should be matching in color, I took some artistic liberties to help distinguish the characters from each other. The greens are just a bit different from figure to figure, as is the webgear. When they all have the same bodies (except the new improved arms!) It’s a necessity.

Sculpting & Modifying:

Goodbye, horrible little arms. Hello, new ones that salvage the figure. The shoulder sockets were re-worked to accommodate the Luke Skywalker arms. This time around, I kept the original Sgt. Rock hands and shirt cuffs.

The beard is epoxy sculpted, as is the repair work around the shoulder blades. The shoulder blades shattered on that 43 year old plastic that is somehow both gummy and brittle.

There’s also some “sculpting” on this figure I can’t take credit for. It sports the unmistakable marks of having been a dog’s chew toy, which noticeable damage to the figure’s left shin and back of the helmet. The damage gives the design some of the torn up look Joe Kubert loved to give his Sgt. Rock artwork, so it’s a nice little touch.

The Fortnite rifle was whittled down a bit and its handle removed. This creates something that vaguely resembles an M1 Garand rifle. By no means a perfect match, but it gets the job done. If I ever make a Sure Shot custom

Thanks for looking.