SLAP Miniatures Survivors 01

Today, I have for you a set of heroes you probably never expected to see on my blog - Popeye and friends. I kid you not! SLAP Miniatures produce a range of three 28mm scale figures known as the Yacht Club. Although they have been renamed to avoid copyright problems there is no mistaking who they are meant to be. In addition, I also review another couple of humans from the same company.

At the far left of the photos directly above and below is Skipper Fred. Yeah, right! We all know it's really Popeye the Sailor Man. Popeye was created by Elzie Crisler Segar and made his first appearance in the Thimble Theater comic strip in January 1929. Can you believe he's been going that long? This figure has been beautifully sculpted. Yes, it is slightly exaggerated with the over-sized head but still passable for a normal looking human. I love his lantern jaw and pipe, which has so many uses you couldn't imagine - a cutting torch, jet engine, propeller, periscope, and, of course, a whistle with which he produces his trademark toot.
In the centre of the group is Steward Gladys, or as we all know her - Olive Oyl, the woman loved by both Popeye and Bluto. Personally, I could never see the attraction but different strokes for different folks. However, I do think think she is the best sculpted figure out of the trio. I am also extremely happy at how well I have painted her. By the way, Olive Oyl was created in 1919, a full decade before Popeye. Popeye's comment about her measurements is that she is a perfect 57... 19-19-19. (WTF!)

Rounding off the trio is Bosun Ace, whom we all know as Bluto or Brutus. Bluto made his first appearance in 1932 and quickly became Popeye's main antagonist. He was originally called Bluto the Terrible but in 1957 his name was changed to Brutus due to a misapprehension that the name "Bluto" was copyrighted by another company. Bluto is, of course, Popeye's arch-nemesis and love rival for Olive. Once again, the figure has been expertly sculpted and does not look too cartoon-like.

Moving away from Popeye and friends we come to a sculpt known as Angry Chef. On the SLAP Minis website it is suggested that you can use him with the Yacht Club or in a Pulp or Post Apocalypse setting. I favour using him in a zombie apocalypse game. The obvious influence for him is chef, Gordon Ramsay, but I already have a not-Gordon figure in my collection of Zombicide Season 3 Survivors. So, as a fan of the TV series, Masterchef (and its spin-offs), I decided to base him on Marcus Wareing, a judge with a fearsome reputation as someone not to be messed with. I renamed him Marcus Mainwaring and painted on his beard and moustache so that he looks just like the real life Marcus.

Finally, we come to Ms. Whiplash, a dominatrix whom I have named Dominique Strickland. She is dressed from head to toe in a sexy leather costume and wields a studded whip. Like Angry Chef, she is not a person to be messed with. As with all of  these figures, I like how she has been sculpted. She isn't too brazen, unlike some other dominatrix figures I have seen and own.
Angry Chef and Ms. Whiplash are obvious candidates for Survivors in a zombie apocalypse setting but I'm not too sure what I'm going to do with the Yacht Club trio. Even so, I just couldn't resist buying them, especially as they were all being offered at discount prices.
Currently, all five figures are on sale on the SLAP Minis website. Skipper Fred, Steward Gladys and Ms. Whiplash each cost £2.39 instead of £2.99. Bosun Ace costs £2.79 instead of £3.49. Angry Chef costs £1.59 instead of £1.99. You can find them here - http://www.slapminis.com/humans-23-c.asp 
I received my figures within two days of placing my order. Great service! Stuart Powley, who runs the company, also sent me a free a free Goblin Pirate figure, whom I will use when I receive my Rum and Bones game.