Xplode was my first HF villain set, and I’ve been wanting to do a revamp of him for quite a while. So once I finished Thonk, I decided to try tackling something a bit smaller, more simple. A nice change of pace.
I had considered using a more tame and faithful alternative for his mace-ax-club-sword-thingamajig but I felt like he called for something heavier. Plus I had ordered three extra blade pieces that I didn’t want laying around.
Another change was the beefiness of it all. I kinda liked the idea that Xplode had upgraded himself to take a few more hits. Since the Heroes had gotten more and more powerful, it only made sense that Xplode - one of the best at the whole “Criminal for hire” gig, would have made himself more endurant and powerful to stay competitive.
I did leave his meteor blaster alone, because I feel like that’s the sort of weapon he’d like to be quick and maneuverable. Something you can be quick on the draw with, rather than have a giant cannon to lug around.
Overall this MOC certainly isn’t my best, but it was never meant to be. It’s just a fun little dive back into my childhood, and into some simpler techniques and styles. It was nostalgic, while also refreshing. I’ll definitely be doing more MOC’s like this in the future.
Thank you for checking out my stuff! And have a great day!
I really like this revamp. It still is unmistakably Xplode, and captures his look and personality perfectly. And I for one thinks that the larger weapon does work. Looking at Xplode again made start thinking about HF, and how much cooler it would have been if the villains had been more like the heroes: reoccurring characters that would change, upgrade, heck, even switch sides throughout the story. Just an idea that popped into my head. Overall great job!
Thank you! and yeah, I totally agree. While it was cool to see new and fresh Villain designs every wave, it would have been pretty dope to at least have a reoccurring big bad.
The forearms are probably where it’s lacking the most. They feel clunky and out of place compared to the sleek, consistent theme of the rest of the moc.
Which, by the way, is really good.
I’ve seen so many revamps on the site drop the ball by not properly understanding what the essence of any given set is, how to keep a consistent look/feel, or even understanding basic colour blocking. None of those factors are an issue here; although the piece selection is limited and the overall model simplistic, it captures the feel of the set masterfully and makes this the incarnation of Xplode that everyone had in their heads.
Thank you! It was definitely a nostalgia trip working on this thing.
Thanks! [quote=“Ghid, post:6, topic:50790”]
The forearms are probably where it’s lacking the most. They feel clunky and out of place compared to the sleek, consistent theme of the rest of the moc.
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I added the armor-add-on-things because I kinda felt like without them, the arms felt a little skinny and bland, not much texture or bulk. But I do kinda see what you mean. [quote=“Ghid, post:6, topic:50790”]
Which, by the way, is really good.
I’ve seen so many revamps on the site drop the ball by not properly understanding what the essence of any given set is, how to keep a consistent look/feel, or even understanding basic colour blocking. None of those factors are an issue here; although the piece selection is limited and the overall model simplistic, it captures the feel of the set masterfully and makes this the incarnation of Xplode that everyone had in their heads.
Excellent work!
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Thank you! I tried my best to make sure I kept a lot of the design cues from the original, and I’m really happy I managed to make the shin guards work. Thanks again!
Xplode and Rotor were always my favorite villain duo in HF.
This is an amazing revamp, it preserves all the positive aspects of the original design while making him much more full and realized. Awesome work, man!
