"Codename Gravedigger"

 

Gravedigger was the code name given to an African American special operative during WWII in D.C.'s "Men of War" comic book series. Captain Ulysses Hazard became "Gravedigger" after he covertly raided a Joint Chief of Staff meeting in the Pentagon after having his talents wasted on grave detail. Born in Mobile, AL, Hazard suffered polio early in life, but he fought and forced his body to overcome the disease. He had a strict regimen of strength and endurance training, and he became an expert with almost every handheld weapon known to mankind. After convincing the army of his worth as a solo operative, he was sent to war and given only the highest priority and most difficult missions. In an early episode, he was captured by the Germans, tied to the front of a Tiger tank, and used as a human shield. It was during this incident that he suffered the head wound that left him with the distinctive and unique scar, the cross between his eyebrows.

My Gravedigger build was simple. He is a comic book character, so detail and historical accuracy really aren't an issue. His uniform in the comic book appears to benothing more than a t-shirt and a set of HBTs. It was a pretty simple setup to recreate. I gave him a grease gun. I also labeled his helmet with his codename. Though this was never shown in the comic book, I wanted anyone who saw him to recognize that he was supposed to be more than simply an African American GI with a gun. 

For the distinctive scar, I heated a pin with a cigarette lighter, and melted the shape until I was happy with it. I then cleaned up the edges with a hobby knife, colored it with a red magic marker, and wiped away the excess.

I think he turned out pretty good, considering it was in reality a very simple figure. What do you think? Tell me in the comment section, and feel free to send pictures of any similar figures that you may have.