Here’s my kitbash/custom 12″ action figure of Michael Man Tak Wong as “Stone Wong” from the best Hong Kong SDU film, First Option (1996). SDU stands for Special Duties Unit – The Hong Kong police’s SWAT team. During the 1990’s, Hong Kong cinema had a small crazy over the SDU and produced several movies of mostly low quality. The best were The Final Option and its prequel, First Option, both starring Michael Wong and directed by Gordon Chan. Both were ahead of their time in their emphasis on combining realistic tactics and gear with hard-hitting action scenes. Worth seeking out if you are an action fan!
Hot Toys’ SDU 3.0 figure sported a decent sculpt of Michael Wong, but it was lacking the very awesome and militaristic haircut that Michael wore in the film. That haircut is practically the whole character! After owning and staring at the head for 4 years, I decided to try and customize the head to the style I wanted and create the Stone Wong figure I’ve always aimed to have in my collection.
RECIPE
Head: Hot Toys SDU 3.0 head molded & recast, sculpted new hairdo, painted with acrylics.
Body: ACE
Jeans: Early HT
Gloves: Store-rooms ripoff gloves (they’re sticky), repainted to simulate texture of the vinyl-looking SDU gloves
Vest: Very Hot
M4: Dragon LA SWAT
Everything weathered lightly.
Original vs Customized headsculpt:
Modifications to the ACE 12″ figure body to make it fit clothes better:
Test fit on raw, unweathered gear:
Weathering on SDU Level 3 Ballistic Vest:
Redwing boots (repainted for burnished leather look, tho after these pics, an unwise spray of dullcoate took the shine & deep colour away :/):
