Sidekicks II Custom Contest

Sidekicks II - Custom Action Figure Contest!

Contest Winners:

1st

2nd

3rd

View Contest Entries

When things get hairy, it's good to know that you've got a dependable partner watching your back! The goal of this challenge is to craft a custom of any "sidekick" character. Sidekicks are defined as close companions who are generally subordinate to the individual that they accompany. The character's relationship to the hero/master could be that of an apprentice/trainee, companion, employee, fan/groupie, or even a trained pet.

- If the character you want to make has grown out of the sidekick role, then turn back the hands of time so that your custom reflects how they looked when they were still playing second fiddle to the main attraction. For example, it would be more appropriate to depict Richard Grayson as Robin than Nightwing for this particular challenge.

- Don't forget to tell us, in your entry description, who your character is a sidekick to and how/why they fill that role in the relationship. This is particularly important for more obscure characters that the voters might not be familiar with.

- Here are some examples of sidekicks to get you thinking: Amanda (Jigsaw Killer), Barney Fife (Andy Griffith), Bird Companions (various Silverhawks characters), Brain and Penny (Inspector Gadget), Bucky (Captain America), Buzzbomb (Dr. Badvibes), Chewbacca (Han Solo), Dr. Watson (Sherlock Holmes), Ed McMahon (Johnny Carson), Enkidu (Gilgamesh), Fallout Boy (Radioactive Man), Gabrielle (Xena), Harley Quinn (Joker), Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley (Harry Potter), Jedi Padawans (various Jedi), Jimmy Olson (Superman), Jubilee (Wolverine), Jughead (Archie), Kato (Green Hornet), Lockheed (Kitty Pryde), Mini Me (Dr. Evil), Rick Jones (Hulk), Robin (Batman), Samwise Gamgee (Frodo Baggins), Sancho Panza (Don Quixote), Short Round (Indiana Jones), Speedy (Green Arrow), Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog), Timber (Snake-Eyes), Tonto (Lone Ranger), Transformers Cassettes (Blaster/Soundwave), Woodstock (Snoopy), Wong (Dr. Strange), and Zero (Jack Skellington).

- There are no limitations on size/scale and you may use whatever base bodies, parts, materials, tools, and techniques you like to create your toy sidekicks. If you're still stumped for ideas, or would just like to see some examples, check out the results from the first incarnation of this contest: Sidekicks Custom Contest

What is the contest schedule?

Begins:	Contest Closed
Ends:	July 31st, 2012 - Last day for submissions. No exceptions! Cut off is at midnight Central Standard Time.
Voting:	August 1st - 7th.

What are the rules of the contest?

Please use the form here to submit your custom figure.
At least a paragraph description is required with your entry. This paragraph, at a minimum, should answer the following questions:

How was this custom customized?
How does the custom fit into the contest theme?

You may submit up to three different entries for the contest.
Please only submit figures that were created for this contest. Do not submit old figures from the Showcase or previous contest entries.
Your entry should not be posted on this website, any other website, or anywhere on the internet until the contest is completely over.
The pictures for your entry will remain hidden until the contest ends and the voting begins.
Your identity will remain hidden until after the voting completes.
Do not include names, logos, signatures or anything on the pictures that will give you away as the creator of the custom. We want to keep the customizer's identity a secret until the contest is over.
The contest is purely for fun... well... and bragging rights!

How does the contest voting work?

Anyone can vote for their favorite customs in the contest, you don't even have to submit anything to the contest! You do have to be logged-in to your Figure Realm account though so we can keep track of the votes. Only appointed Figure Realm staff can see the votes, so anonymity is guaranteed. Voting begins once the entry deadline is met and lasts for a week.

It's hard to choose just one custom to vote on when there are tons of great entries, so Figure Realm has a unique voting system where you can vote on ALL the customs! When you click on an entry to view, there's a bar with buttons on it that lets you give the custom anywhere from 1 to 5 Stars. 1 Star means you think they could have done a better job on the custom while 5 Stars means you think they did a perfect job. The votes for each entry are added up when voting is closed and averaged-out to determine the winners. Also, don't abuse the system. Don't give your own custom 5 Stars and then give everyone else 1 Star to boost your rating. Remember, the votes are monitored.

Some points you might consider when casting your vote: Is the figure well-made? Is the paint smooth or crusty? Are there noticeable fingerprints on the sculpted parts? Is it an original custom? Is it accurate to the source-material (comics, photos, description in a book)? Are the pictures clear enough to see the details? Did the creator take the time to include a back-story or recipe? Is the custom so unbelievably awesome that you'd trade your girlfriend for it?

Craftsmanship and creativity are major factors to consider, but ultimately your vote should depend on how much you like the custom, and how well you feel it fits the contest theme.