Decided to take a little break from my DC project and make some more Joeverse stuff.

I've never cared for the idea of the Night Creepers. They felt redundant to the red ninja of the comics and, while the file cards talked a good game about their tech-savvy, I just saw them as more ninja.

That was the motivation for me to explore the Black Dragon spy organization from the 2003 Con set.

First thing I did was do away with any ninja influence on the design whatsoever. I even changed it from a secret spy organization to a more traditional Japanese crime family. Here's where I took the concept:

The man known only as Black Dragon is highly respected in the Japanese underworld and international criminal circles. He is a fourth generation Yakuza oyabun and as ruthless as he is intelligent. His primary business is the importing of military grade weapons, which he procures primarily through his relationship with M.A.R.S. CEO James McCullen Destro (whom it is rumored Black Dragon attended prep school with). As a result his footsoldiers are always the most heavily armed and best equipped in the streets, and they are often loaned out to wealthy and powerful concerns around the world in exchange for favors to be named later.

Black Dragon has no sons of his own, but his most loyal lieutenants are treated as such. Chief among them is Leather Wing, a former street urchin who earned the crime lord's respect at the age of fourteen by obstructing police in pursuit of the Dragon's men. When he was released from the hospital, Wing was adopted by the Dragon and taken into his home to learn the path to true power and influence. Widely seen as the Dragon's heir apparent, Wing is a computer genius and adrenaline junkie. The only things he loves more than his motorcycle and American pop culture are his "father" and his "family," for whom there is nothing he wouldn't do.

As respected as the Dragon is, there is one whom is feared more by his clan and especially by his enemies. Fire Breath is actually the Dragon's uncle by marriage and served the Dragon's father faithfully in the same capacities of bodyguard and chief enforcer. A former champion in illegal bloodsport, he is as deadly with his hands as with the various weapons he carries on his person and in the case that is always within easy reach. If there is anything in the world the Yakuza fear more than Fire Breath, it is "the case."

The hands of the Black Dragon are his Talons, forces better equipped than the soldiers of any army in the free world and trained to extreme levels of expertise in electronics, infiltration, sabotage and murder. They are among the most highly prized and highly priced mercenaries available, but those who have begged for the favor of the Dragon's Talons know from painful experience that the money exchanged for services rendered is merely the down payment on the true debt owed. And no one has ever defaulted on a debt to the Dragon.

While I was in the mode, I went ahead and made a modern ode to the Black Dragon ninja from the new-sculpt battle pack.

Black Dragoon is the son of Fire Breath, the Dragon's dreaded enforcer, and his father's equal in unarmed combat. In exchange for a favor requested by the Arashikage clan, Black Dragon asked that the legendary ninja train his young cousin in their mysterious ancestral ways. He returned a master seven years later and was promptly gifted by the Dragon to his dear friend and business associate James McCullen to ensure the arms dealer's good health and the continuation of their mutually beneficial professional relationship. In addition to being Destro's bodyguard, the Black Dragoon is his deadliest assassin and contingency plan should the Cobra Commander ever send Stormshadow to "negotiate" on his behalf.

What do you guys think?

That group is awesome. Great use of the POTC figures heads. They look right at home and fit the look. The man known only as Black dragon is my favorite. Looks like one of the business types, but you know there is a full dragon tattoo under those clothes. He has that i'll just shoot ya in the kneecaps and walk away while you suffer look.

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I like what you've done here figure wise. I'm not sold on the names. Black Dragon is fine, but Leather Wing, and Fire Breath seem off.

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The short cut jacket and the very tight wifebeater on Leather Wing don't really work well, IMO.

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Yes! I LOVE these. Nice to see Black Dragons getting some love in a very creative way.

Nice work. I love the vibe you've created here. Your take is just dripping with back story.

But going strictly off the look (if not the nationality ) - if this group doesn't have an encounter of some type with Jack Burton, I'll be sorely disappointed. lol.


speaking of which...



He's a decal and a head swap away...

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I think the gang looks great. I like all of the customs, but agree the names are a little too Saturday morning cartoon for their looks.

Leather Wing is my favorite. Everywhere I went when I lived in Japan there where pockets of western culture, like fake biker bars and surf clubs and such. That dude looks like he'd fit right into the biker bar scene.

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I really like this idea and for the most part the figures work. I do have an issue with the Sao Feng head on Fire Breath. It looks a bit too small. Could be the angle of the picture but as is I'm not feeling the size difference.

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Nice! Those would make an excellent box set.

Those are awesome.
I really like the looks of the Talons.

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Awesome work here!! No crits like them all!

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That's hilarious, because I was actually streaming Big Trouble in Little China from Netflix while I worked on BD and FB. Hadn't considered a Burton custom, but I do have a Kurt Russell head from a Stargate figure. Anyone interested in shrinking it down?

Thanks for the comments on these guys.

Glad they went over well.

Great work as always man!

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I really like all this stuff. I'm working on some Black Dragons too, and while mine is a slightly more ninja-centric take, I'll definitely be referring back to these for some inspiration. The Yakuza angle allows them to fill a new and different niche in the Joeverse, and you made simple but effective figures with cool back stories. Great work.

My main complaint with these figures is how close they are to my take on the Black Dragons.

They're simple, they're effective, and they fit with the established concept very well. I'm astonished at how well those VvV Gung-Ho arms work too. I'd like different legs on the troopers, but I've never liked those legs for anyone really. The pouches at the ankles just look odd, though good call getting rid of the giant feet. I just think they look too streamlined compared to the bulky look of the torso.