Clif Dopson’s Batman -War on Crime

This is a great Mike Hill Sculpt that I got from him at Wonderfest 2000. I go in as an Early Bird, (pay extra money$), and he sold out before the show opened. It is from the back cover of the oversized DC story, “War on Crime.” Alex Ross did the art, and Mr. Hill just NAILED it!.

It’s a spun cast (hollow) one piece cast, needing almost no cleanup. There were small “dots” extruded here and there. The ears were a problem. Air bubbles were trapped in them, leaving both paper thin. After I broke one off discovering this, I opened the other to fill it as I repaired the first. Painting was straightforward. I propped up Mr. Ross’ book, and copied it. I again used oils over an acrylic base, and airbrushed an iridescent blue taxidermy paint (Life Tone Hydromist) on the costume, but using a silver undercoat on the gloves.

The piece screams for a base. I was busy with “Gotham Sunday Morning,” and meant to keet it simple. I put it on a wooden base, then decided to have the base rise up towards him, as though he was emerging from it. As the epoxy putty tendrils lapped up at him, I thought of the city, and saw all this scrap wood laying about from the other model. I began a “Gotham” with “Crime” oozing up all around it. I threw in jewelry, model car parts, and “things unknown” from my teenage daughter’s bathroom. I began a tiny carving of a Batcave at the rear, but ran out of time.

I was very pleased to get a Silver at Wonderfest 2001 for him.

Clif Dopson