Monster May(hem) 2024 draws to a close, and if you’ve been keeping up with the blogroll, you’ve seen some pretty great submissions from everyone who participated. I planned on doing three separate monsters this year, but fate (a.k.a. the “Honey-Do” List) has conspired to make that impossible. But, as the immortal Meatloaf reminds us, two out of three ain’t bad.
For my second (and final) submission, I painted a Tyranid miniature I didn’t even know I owned: The Red Terror! I got this miniature in a big bag o’ bitz I purchased from some guy off Craigslist. Turns out it had all the parts necessary to make this miniature, so…score, I guess.
Since he’s so…red…I wanted to have a bit of contrast between the model and the base. I think I achieved that, but I also hate the way it looks. I’m considering removing the Tyranid bits from the base and just going with a more traditional base. What do you think?
I painted the Red Terror to look like the rest of my Tyranid army, which is straight out of the 1990’s (which is the last time I actually played them, I think). Not a great photo, but I’m not setting up the army again to take a new one.
Here’s the list of this year’s participants and their submissions. Keep in mind there may be some late ones trickling in over the next few days (there always are), so I’ll keep this updated as I become aware of any.
- Simon, from Fantorical, is working on some big Laputian Robot Troopers;
- Dave Stone, from Wargames Terrain Workshop, completed a Balrog, a Mumakil, and scratch-built the man-eating plant from Little Shop of Horrors (he also did a ton of other, non-Monster May(hem) stuff this month, all of it awesome!); and because he’s THE Dave Stone, he also submitted a last-minute MM entry:at the 11th Hour: a wooden dragon gifted to him by his children some 20 years ago. It looks wonderful, and fulfills both the Monster May(hem) AND Year of the Dragon challenge in one fell swoop! Swoop, Dave! Swoop!
- Jon, from Jon’s Hobby Desk, did a bunch of Japanese-themed Yokai miniatures from the Cool Mini or Not game, Rising Sun. I’m a huge fan of Yokai, ,and I have to say my favorite miniature Jon’s has to be the River Dragon, followed by the Yurei. Jon did a dragon, so he met the criteria for the Year of the Dragon challenge, too. Way to go, Jon! Check out all his miniatures at his blog!
- Snapfit, from Da Green Horde, did an awesome and terrifying Brutgoth (a big monster that orcs ride);
- Matt, from PM Painting, painted a female daemon of Nurgle, called “The Cultivator”.
And these folks from Instagram:
- Tom, @The_Goodground, did some miniatures for Legion Imperialis: a Tzeench Lord of Change and a kitbashed miniature, “The Phoenician” (sorry, Tom, I know nothing about LI, but the minis look great!);
- Malcolm, @mdcampbell_dunwichcreatives, has completed a Gloranthan Dragonsnail and a Tidal Lurker, and also waxed philosophical about one of the first miniatures he painted, the dreaded Mimic;
- James, @spoontasticminis did a pair of Tyranid Carnifexes, including an old-school, all-metal screamer-killer, and they look friggin’ fantastic;
- and finally, Sabrina, @Uthwulfsminis. not only rose to the Monster May(hem) challenge, but also the Year of the Dragon challenge by painting THE Dragon: Vermithrax from the film Dragonslayer! Way to bring your A Game on your first MM, Sabrina!!!
Be sure to check out everyone’s blog/website/account and lend them your support! Thanks to everyone who took part. I am always inspired by everyone’s creativity, which is one of the reasons I host this challenge every year!
So, what’s next? Well, June is traditionally the month for Forgotten Heroes, hosted by the legendary Carrion Crow; but one has seen nary a feather from our avian friend here on the blogosphere for quite some time. Most likely, he is on Barsoom again, bounding across the red dunes towards a willowy Martian princess (or possibly two, we all know the Crow has appetites), wearing only a sword belt and slippers, his thick, bronzed thews glistening in the Martian sun. Could it be he has forgotten about Forgotten Heroes? If so, will anyone pick up the torch and host the challenge? I, for one, will be carrying on in spirit!
Great blast from the past Keith, and fantastic work on it, I actually really like the contrast of the base against the creature itself, it really makes it stand out as a character creature.
Have one more post scheduled for tomorrow to round off the challenge, and it’s pretty topical ! LOL
Thanks for running the challenge again, I always enjoy taking part, will need to make some for next years challenge, as I’ve run out of monsters in my stock pile ! LOL
I guess that’s the good thing about being a talented sculptor, Dave (although I wouldn’t know): you’re never without a miniature you need because you can make it yourself! Looking forward to seeing your last post for this year’s Monster May(hem), and thanks as always for your participation and inspiration!
Forget Forgotten Heroes? Never!! I may have been off on Barsoom (and you were right about the slippers) but nothing will prevent me from hosting this once again.
Of course, I now have to come up with something to actually do this year…
Woo-HOO! The Crow is back! (And sporting a tan from the unforgiving Martian sun!) So thrilled to having another go at FH. Now, we just have to dig Roger out of whatever igloo he’s hiding in…
Great work by all concerned Keith, so sorry I wasn’t able to take part this year, but I have really enjoyed watching and reading all of the great posts as well as enjoying the eye candy on show.
Your Wampa’s were a treat mate, and your Red terror is also very nicely done, I remember painting up a load of Tyrannids for my eldest years back and I think there was one of them in amongst that lot (or something similar, the memory comes and goes these days!
As for forgotten heroes….I might be tempted, would have liked to do two figures but I think better safe to just go with one as things stand.
Cheers Roger.
I’ll take some Roger to no Roger at all. Looking forward to seeing what you do for FH this year. I must confess I have nothing planned. Nothing at all! Better get to thinking…
Thanks for the kind words, and no worries about not taking part in MM this year. Real life can be a tosser, as you Brits say. Here in America, we say bitch.
Is tosser classier than bitch? I dunno.
Thanks Keith, you very well have to take “some” Roger for the rest of the year, so glad you can cope with this!
Not just kind words mate, well deserved, I really am sorry to have missed it this year.
Yes you need to get thinking, I at least have known what figure I was hoping to do for well over a year now! (just nearly didn’t get it done, but as they say it’s the thought that counts! )
Oh and no “tosser” is not classier than “bitch” as it is a reference to a person usually male who shall we say amuses themselves (hopefully in the privacy of their own home), often with the assistance of a “film” or “magazine” (or probably more likely the internet these days), and a kleenex tissue. Hope this explains why this is worse than a disagreeable woman
Thanks for the education! How about “Real life can be a toe-rag” then? I’m not up on my British slang, as you may have intuited…
And I have some ideas, but I’m not sure they’ll fly with the Crow. you know what a stickler he is for the rules…
So many great entries, and I really like your tyranid. Thanks for hosting the challenge again, Keith!
But of course! Your entry was spectacular!