50th Gung Ho
Kabaya VAMP Mexican bootleg mini Gung Ho

The theme for 2019's Assembly Required was Night Force. After putting together the custom class materials I wanted to throw together a quick custom figure to go with it. I had a Gung Ho sitting in front of me for another project and then I remembered I had the little model version of Gung Ho from the Kabaya VAMP bootleg. I thought it would be funny, and true to life, to have a cosplaying Gung Ho visiting the JoeCustoms table diorama to talk about his mini custom Gung Ho.

Then I remembered during Valor Versus Venom there actually was a Night Force Gung Ho to base his color scheme off of...sort of. It doesn't quite translate directly but the color palette is there. While painting over the USMC emblem on his chest with glow in the dark paint I realized how bad the tampo was and had to go back and redefine North and South America as best I could with an Xacto.

As I was taking pictures of him, I started thinking about what if it wasn't a cosplayer after all, but actually Gung Ho, who likes to customize on his downtime during missions. So the pictures go from him transitioning from the beach to the jungle, to customizing in a hut somewhere, to him at the JC table, to finally having his custom figure on display for all to see.