If any of you saw the little story preview I snuck in with the pics of of the game room I posted in the dio section, then this won't surprise you much. But EXCAL has decided to reinvent the Adventure Team, to spearhead the tactical assignments often required by EXCAL's Science Division and Mystic Division.

One of the goal's of the EXCAL organization (some might argue its main goal, though the Paladin Knights steal all the glory) is the preservation of humanity by any means possible, but which also includes preservation of humanity's history and artifacts.

The Science Division has many responsibilities ranging from serving the medical needs of the EXCAL organization to developing cutting edge battle-field technology. It was becoming a strain on the science division to send its limited personnel trotting across the globe in search of materials needed for the development of new technologies, or for purpose of conducting research into the location of key historical artifacts, the location for future significant archeological digs, and so forth. Similarly, neither the Paladin Knights nor EXCAL's fledgling military branches were deemed appropriate for such missions (though having armed agents was certainly not a bad idea given the volatile nature of some of EXCAL's targets). For these reasons, the new Adventure Team was born. EXCAL's AT serves the organization as a whole, though it is most directly at the disposal of the Science Division, and receives fairly regular assignments from the Mystic Division as well.

This new AT is not unlike its predecessor (though in this timeline, the original AT's run occurred from the late 80's to the late 90's, not in the 70's...and the G.I.Joe unit, which in many ways helped shape the EXCAL organization, was a product of the 90's and the early years of the 21st Century, up until its defeat and subsequent disbandment. In any event, the missions are often the same type as before, though with a different end goal in mind (given EXCAL's directives).

For those who remember my submissions for the AT Group Project, my "original" AT was composed of a number adventurers not ever linked to G.I.Joe in the past. Steven Austin was a member, and is still with EXCAL today (though he is now Director of the Aerospace Division, and only loosely tied in to AT). Doc Savage was a never an official member, but was often linked to the team in his pre-EXCAL days, and one of the more high profile members of the team, Race Bannon, was on the fast-track towards running the team up until his inexplicable disappearance in 1997, an event that in many ways triggered the end of the original AT's run. Other past members may come to light during the telling of the story, but for now, here is what we have started (more to come, as my WIP desk assembly line moves forward).

EXCAL AT Team Leader: Flint






INTERNAL MEMO:
TO: Clark Savage, Jr. "Doc"
FROM: Maj. Tristan Knight "Knighthawk"
RE: Dashiell Faireborn "Flint"

To respond to your previous note, I must say yes, I think Flint would be great for that role. He's a born leader, he's intelligent, he's very capable, and his abilities in a fistfight might come in handier for this job than his ability with a shotgun anyway. I think he's ready, and I hope he is willing to lead your new Adventure Team. I'll tell Marvin (Roadblock hates when I call him Marvin) to look Flint up, and try to talk him into it, if you'd like me to.

Only thing I have to say at all, is to remind you how far Flint went off the deep end after Lady Jaye was murdered. He seems to be mostly past that now, but I'll be damned if some days when I see him walking past if he doesn't remind me of the "Punisher" whack job we ran into in our last stop stateside. I think a new start and a clean slate will do him good though. I've even taken to calling him Dash, hoping maybe he'll adopt a new name as he moves on with his life. Let me know if you need anything more from me.

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INTERNAL MEMO
TO: Doc
FROM: Flint
RE: Your new baby

When do I start?


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I really wanted Flint to have a prominant role in EXCAL, but he didn't seem like Knight material to me, and I was never really comfortable carrying his traditional Joe look into the new verse, since most every established character I bring in gets an overhaul. This look is inspired a bit by his DDP look, and a bit more by his Resolute look. Since he's no longer a military guy, I figured it was ok to ditch the beret, though I may still try to sculpt one later for him. I hope the figure still screams Flint even without it.

Parts:
Head - Airborne
Torso - Darth Maul
Upper arms - Darth Maul
Lower arms - TF Flint
Hands - Wolverine (sans claws) and Spirit
Waist - ???
Legs - Resolute Duke
Feet - TF Flint?
Harness - fused hybrid between Flint's and Res. Duke's rigs.
The SWEET grenade pouch was made for me by GreyRyder
The new AT logo (the old logo, in different colors, and located on a shield) is indicative of the new team's mission within EXCAL - to preserve and protect.

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Code Name: CLEOPATRA

Cleo Williams is essentially a genius, though she first made a name for herself when she attained modest success as a teenage pop music recording artist. She had no aspirations of making that her career, however, and quickly faded into the lost world of one-hit wonders. She got “lost” from the mainstream world even further when she chose to receive her education in the heart of the Midwest at Indiana University, with the hopes of utilizing that school’s strong international studies department.

Cleo graduated at the top of her class, with a wide assortment of major and minor degrees ranging from several foreign language degrees (she is now fluent in at least 7 languages while working to master more), a degree in journalism, and a degree in archaeological studies.

Her ambition did not falter after college, and she quickly turned her journalism degree, her brilliance, her past limited fame, and her beauty (her one trait that might surpass all others) into a field reporter’s position at CNN, with a focus on international affairs. Still not content with this job alone, Cleo used her rapidly improving resume to net a syndicated television series which put to use most all of her skills, including her linguistic skills and her archeology training in a series focused on finding lost pieces of history throughout the world. Her show (still in production to this day) is still a huge success and has helped cement her fame which was previously only fleeting in nature.

As if she didn’t have enough to fill her plate, Cleo spends her free time maintaining her peak physical condition. She is a skilled diver, martial artist, and has shown to be a quick learner as a marksman as well, in a wide range of firearms. Oftentimes her job takes her to and beyond the boundaries of the law of the nations where she is searching, and oftentimes she must deal with less than savory characters to get what she wants.

What does all this mean? In short, that she was number one on the list of candidates to be recruited by EXCAL’s New Adventure Team! Once the new project was greenlighted, Dash Faireborn, aka “Flint”, aka the appointed Team Leader of the New Adventure Team, made the recruitment of Cleo Williams his top priority. After some haggling (which includes EXCAL footing the bill for many of her excursions, even when not overtly AT related, and which allows for her to record footage for her show even while on EXCAL/AT sanctioned missions, the deal to add her to the team as an “acquisitions specialist” was sealed. In most instances, it is not even known whether Cleo is on assignment or not, as she operates in much the same way as she would be doing anyway. So it really was a no-brainer for her, especially in light of the higher cause she is now fighting for.

With her given name, and with many of her past archeological successes having come from the field of Egyptology, it is no surprise that this new Adventure Team agent has been assigned the code name: Cleopatra.








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Recipe:
Uhura Head
LJ Torso
Classic Ms.Marvel legs (they pop right on like that, with no mods needed), some scultping done for the boots.
Darth Maul skirt
Lightsaber-turned mic, with a twisty for a cord, leading to a recorder presumably within the satchel (from CG Lyra figure).
If you look close at the belt buckle, there is a lens (the tip of a lightsaber) which serves as a hidden camera when needed.

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Codename: DOZER

Once nicknamed by his mates as Bulldog, based on his barrell chest and skinny legs, that was later changed to Bulldozer, after watching him clear a path through a jungle full of restless natives to help his team escape unharmed. Upon joining EXCAL (originally as a Paladin Knight in Training), he was dubbed simply Dozer, a name that has stuck.

While Dozer ultimately decided the Knight program was not for him, he remained devoted to EXCAL's cause, and continued on for some time as one of the Sentinel's combat team. When Flint spent some time with that team as well, during his first few months with EXCAL, the two became fast friends. It was really no surprise then, that when asked to nominate a second in command for the new Adventure Team, that Flint did not hesitate to name Dozer as his right hand man.

While both men were really not destined to be Knights, both bring an exemplary resume to the AT command. Dozer is likeable and loyal, and a fierce combatant when under fire. He has extensive jungle survival training, which further enhanced his AT portfolio.






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"Dozer" was previewed once before, when I didn't really have a name for him. I've updated his gear and his paint job since that preview, and now have a better role for him as well. This was an early-ish custom for me, but I don't think he stands out too much, quality wise, from the new stuff. Previous critiques focused on his skinny legs, but I like the diverse look (and it reminds me of an old football coach I had). I tried to make the look a part of his simple story.

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Very nice work. My only gripe is the color of Dozer's goggles look to be too close to the color of his skin so it kind of blends from the pics.

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Very nice stuff--have to say though, Cleopatra is hands-down my favorite. Beyond just the work itself you really captured a "look" with her that I can't explain in words, it's just *there*.

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Flint looks good. I think you really could go either way with the beret. He doesn't need it, especially in the AT leader role. At the same time you've already established with Knighthawk that berets are part of the ExCal military uniform. So it wouldn't be entirely out of the question for him to have one either. Personally I think it would be better to leave it off, give a bald spot, and add a little salt and pepper to his hair. Really start moving that character past GI Joe.

Is Cleopatra based on a real character or she an original character? I don't recognize her or her story, but that back story is so rich you couldn't have made it all up. She looks fantastic regardless though. Great idea with the hidden camera. She probably should still have a weapon even if it is just a small concealed pistol.

I agree with Bad Ash about Dozer's goggles.Anything but the brown outline would work. Other than that he's good to go.

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Thanks for the feedback guys.

BA and pluv, I see what you're saying on the goggles. Shouldn't be too hard to add in some detailing to separate the color lines. Never would have seen that, but you're both right on the colors being too close.

Doc, thanks again man. I like to think that I have a way with the ladies...at least in this scale, and I know that the creations in this scale of the female characters is right in your wheelhouse as well. So your praise is very well received. This figure was the highlight for me to make as well, though I am also fond of Flint (albeit in a much different way. lol)

oh, and pluv - Cleo is 100% original, and the fact that you refuse to be convinced otherwise is about as much of a compliment as I could ever ask for. I started with 2 inspirations. 1) The head is very exotic looking, and Cleopatra jumped into my head before I had a chance to even think on it. And 2) once I had the figure assembled, and had the mic in her hand, I couldn't help but see a resemblance to a Beyonce type of star, and I decided this character had to be independently famous before joining the AT. The bio kind of wrote itself after that. Oh, in hindsight, I think the Beyonce notion might have sparked the name too. But I had no interest in making a fro, to turn her into Foxy Cleopatra. lol.

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Excellent work on all of them, but CLEOPATRA is the stand out for me: I'm always sold on sexy.

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Excellent customs and bios as usual.

What happened to Race Bannon?

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Thanks John! I have a feeling those Ms. Marvel legs will lead to a few such customs to sell you on. lol



Thanks, friend. As for what happened to Race...hmm... maybe there will be future story on that...

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I mentioned before how cool that Flint is -- these pics just underscore that. And a real Warrant Officer thinks berets are geigh, btw


Cleo is drop-dead gorgeous -- I was worried that Uhura head would be too tiny, especially for an LJ torso - and while it is on the small side, it still works much better than I thought it would The skirt & bare legs are sheer genius. Now I gotta pick up a damn Uhura... - Oh, and good to know that the Ms Marvel legs pop right on the metal t-bar. Gotta try that one.


Dozer still looks great - I forgot, though - which head did you use?

Bios are awesome as always. And I'll just go ahead and throw down my official "Chief Approves" stamp on what you've done with my boy Flint

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Thanks Dan. Very glad you approve of Flint - which is one reason I previewed him for you awhile back.

The head on Dozer is a BBI head, though the name escapes me.

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Cleo is hawtsome! I love her boots!

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cool stuff, really like cleo and damn that head looks great on lady j's body and the barte legs is good to know too.
Flint is great as well, he's a favorite of mine just like chief.
Glad to see new additions Dennis,
Tim

Very nice take on the Adventure team, But why no AT symbol .
Yes I saw the other symbol but I'd still like to see it.

Flint is cool and a Beret would be cool even if it is geigh.
Nice work on the figure, he does look like Frank.

I like the look of Dozer. I'd like to see him carry a larger weapon.

Cleo is just a WOW figure for me. The only thing I'd like to see diffrent is the top boot to be less bulky.