Ganner Krieg, Imperial Knight

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh My Dear! We all know how Godlike Thomas is! You need not sing his praises so loudly here!

We all Love us some T_C_E!!!

[The Clone Emperor]

Gosh. One might deduce it is not enough for my armour to be bright red, that this hue is also sought after in my face. I feel I must address this.

 

Thank you for the strong endorsement. I hope that I make it clear that I admire and respect costumers who make their own suits out of passion (and are not driven by profits on ebay alone.) This community is a family to me, home to many of my own personal heros.

 

I am not a celebrity, I don't ask to be treated as one. It would be false to say I don't enjoy the recognition, but amongst peers, especially those passionate about costuming, equality is best.

 

Please, call me Thomas.

 

 

I don't like to "bump" a thread without a fresh image on the topic to share. Fortunately I have this;

Illustration by Justin Chung for Topps Star Wars Galaxy Series 4

Imperial Knight Ganner Krieg as modeled by Thomas Spanos

 

Topps Star Wars Galaxy Series 4 goes on sale today. Sets sold at the Target franchise sport a slightly different premium than those purchased else where.

 

Be well.

[Guest Anonymous]

So cool! So cool! *cheers*

 

Ok. Your Majesty, Emperor Thomas (that better? )

 

You have a card....well several really....(and a figure and a miniature..don't think I didn't read up on all of it!....isn't Wookieepedia amazing?) normal people don't have cards of themselves in collectible card sets. Well.. there are sports stars. Okay, and movie/television stars. And historic figures. And serial killers. And gangland members....

 

Damn...forgot what I was talking about....?

 

Oh right. You're cool. That opinion is not changing. Even if you use the old jedi mind trick. So just accept that your costuming rocks and I am totally determined to do something underhanded to get your goat. *points to goat in distance*

 

As soon as I figure out how....you'll be the last to know. I promise.

 

 

Great card btw.

[The Clone Emperor]

Greetings,

 

I recently came across footage of a spontaneous interview from New York Comic Con 2009that I'd like to share;

 

(Click on the video still to view)

This is one of the rare instances that I do not cringe at the sound of my own voice.

 

While I personally feel my suit is presentable, I still require a great deal of work before I would call Version 1 complete. I hope to attend to the next upgrade to the suit, custom cast red straps for the underside of the bracers, in tyme for my next convention, Motor City Comic Con.

 

Be well.

Thomas

 

[Guest Daritha]

Glad that you join this with us!

 

Thomas, I think you were great. You've represented your point and the gloryful Empire in a good way.

And Crazy Al is an appropiate name for this guy.

 

To the costume: Surely you're mor critical to it but I think your costume IS great at this present stage. There propably some details you are not happy with but your Imperial Knight, Master Krieg, is a horrific costume. I'd kill to have one like this! Just want say this.

[Guest Anonymous]

Always happy to see your IK costume

really awesome and well-done as usual

[The Clone Emperor]

I can now share this pencil work portrait from Jan, from a SW Legacy panel appearing in issue 35.

 

I recognize there might be a conflict of interests going on here. I am the 501st Legion Membership Officer. As such, I want to make darn sure that my own costume is as close to the supplied references--which I study religiously--as a 501st Stormtrooper approved costume is to a movie Stormtrooper.

 

I could just approve my own costume, but I know it is not complete, and that would present a poor example for and officer.

 

The first Republic Commando in the Legion simply appeared one day without review;

The member had access to the Legion database and just approved himself.

501st Reviewed Republic Commandos look a bit different;

 

I won't throw something up just to be first, but I would like to reasonable to others whose costumes are close--having all the parts of the suit and armour is my cut-off.

 

Be well,

Thomas

[Guest Daritha]

The picture is so beautiful sad. I'm sure Ganner is thinking about Azlyn. Thanks a lot for sharing it with us!

 

About the costume: Sure, if you are the guy who must agree to the costumes you will be double strict about you own ones but I'm onest when I say that I so far never saw a more accurate IK costume than yours. So don't be too strict about yourself. You've done a amazin work yet!

[Guest Anonymous]

Hi Thomas

I hope this is not out of line, but I'm curious how you straped your armour together.

I have a set of armour, that I am getting ready for a con at the end of August.

I am interested in how you mounted the two piece shoulder bells, did you cement the top to the bottom?

How does your cape attach across your back? I see in the picture that it extends to the shoulders, not just stopping at the sides of your back..

Could you reveal the type of Fabric you use for your sleeves and torso?

I'm presently looking at using a very non-breathing pleather for the sleeves, with a BA under suit.

 

I would appreciate your advice.

 

I like sharing too .

 

From Dragon Con 2008

 

I like the Apple and the shades look. Very casual.

 

 

[Guest Daritha]

I'm sure, Thomas will be delighted to reveal this secrets.

 

After an overnighter ... again.

 

Never out of duty as a Knight of the Empire.

[The Clone Emperor]

Thank you for the images Randy. I actually may have a very special use for the one with the Sunglasses--but nothing I can talk about yet.

 

The back image of my olde cape makes me wince. I am so glad I upgraded from last year. The know cape is of a richer fabric and employees twice as much material for a more dramatic flow.

 

Your questions;

I am interested in how you mounted the two piece shoulder bells, did you cement the top to the bottom?

Not cemented. Infact, my upper bells detach from the lower bells for travel and storage. Fpr this I use Chicago Screws;

 

How does your cape attach across your back?

No real industry secrets to be had here, I simply used industrial velcro with the "hook" material adhered to the underside of the shoulder bells and shoulder plates. The "furry" part was sewn on to the top of the cape.

 

Could you reveal the type of Fabric you use for your sleeves and torso?

I hate to say it, but I think I will have to recommend leather for the sleeves, neck and skirt. For the Torso I suggest a costume from fitting eight-paneled and black work-out material.

 

Be well,

Thomas

[Guest Anonymous]

Thx for the help and suggestions, I finally finished the night before I depart for the con. A never ending work in progress, but I hope it meets adequate expectations.

 

Oh and that is my fearless female goldendoodle "Snoopy"

 

[Guest Daritha]

Sweet ... the dog and the armor. ^^

[Guest Anonymous]

You killed fluffy! You (imperial) bastard!

 

 

Seriously....OMFG THAT IS #$@#$#$@#$ AWESOME!!!! *cheers*

 

If you grow your hair out a bit you could totally pass for Antares Draco!

 

Well done armor and looks great on you. Way cool!

[Guest Anonymous]

Well DC was great! Fan Expo I got 5 secs of fame in my Imp Knight:

 

http://www.eyeweekly.com/fpLarge/video/70553

 

I also wore it for the parade at DC, if anyone got a pic of me in it, it was only cause I was standing behind Mara Jade. I guess I don't have the pressence Tom does I walked thorugh the Hyatt and Marriott (while figuring out what to do after losing my con badge after the parade) and no one stopped me to take pics. Imp Knights need more PR!

 

After talking to Tom I need to change the cape an boots, then get some back armor, I wouldn't mind submitting pics and info to get the IK aproved into the legion!

[Guest Anonymous]

Thx for the help and suggestions, I finally finished the night before I depart for the con. A never ending work in progress, but I hope it meets adequate expectations.

 

Oh and that is my fearless female goldendoodle "Snoopy"

 

Awesome! I agree with Darth Maladi on the Antares Draco comment but at the same time think that you could pass for Mohrgan Fel extremely well! (Oooh gosh there's a silly unintentional rhyme there!)

 

I met you at FanExpo (I was the Jaina there) and your armor is great. Took your advice and scouted around for the armor maker and all that so now I've got contacts and should be on my way to doing mine. I'm still shuddering at what this shall do to my pocket book!

 

I've decided to do Marasiah Fel's because, call me a liar if you want to, I naturally have that white streak in my brown hair (it runs in my dad's side of the family, sadly he skipped out or I'd FORCE him to be Roan). So I may as well use this genetic quirk to my full advantage. And she's my fave character so I'm working on some of her other things for Celebration V (notably the white cover outfit and the refugee outfit).

 

Now, Thomas, I gotta ask because you probably know better than anybody. Are the IKs accepted into the 501st yet or not? In a previous post you said that your requirements are just having all the armor and the suit but all my net-scavenging has led to nothing but posts dating back from 2007-ish regarding that they're not in the 501st or RL just yet. Obviously a fair amount of Legacy stuff has come out between 2007 and now so I'd just like to know the take on it. Thanks!

 

If neither side (RL or 501st) accepts them, that's cool with me. I'm still doing it because I LOVE the IKs. But having the scenario cleaned up definitely doesn't hurt. (Especially if there are some standards in place or anything that would permit submission to the 501st/RL.)

[The Clone Emperor]

Not all Imperials are evil. Not all Imperials of the Legacy Era are aligned against the Alliance and/or Jedi. In fact, Imperial Knights were specifically withheld from battle with Alliance and Jedi forces on orders of the Emperor they serve, the True Emperor Roan Fel. NO Imperial Knights serve Darth Krayt's Empire.

 

And above the their duty to the Empire, to the Emperor himself, comes their duty to the Light Side of the Force. (Legacy 29.)

 

Over the course of this discussion I have come back to support Imperial Knights in the Legion on virtue of the very first argument offered by creator Jan Duursema; "They are Imperial."

 

This will become an issue for consideration in the 501st when someone completes an Imperial Knight costume matching the designs and specifications as suggested by Jan Duursema's illustrations;

 

No one has yet completed a Basic Legion Level Imperial Knight;

 

1. Full body suit

A. Black Quilted leather/leather-like top with eight panel torso and high neck

B. Black Quilted or Plain leather/leather-like trousers

2. Black eight panel leather/leather-like skirt

3 . Gloves

4. Three layer leather/leather-like brown belt and Imperial issue buckle,

5. Proper boots--A chocolate brown version of Obi Wan's Episode II boots

6. Rich Brown cape

Armour;

7. Unique L/R Red hand plates

8. Unique L/R Red Bracers and molded red straps

9. Unique Red Loin plate

10. Unique Red Abdomen plate

11. Unique Red Chest plate

12. Unique Red Back plate

13. Unique Red cape cap plate

14. Unique Red L/R under bells

15. Unique Red L/R over bells

Accessories

16. Unique hilt lightsabre and white blade

17. Brown leather/leather-like belt pouches

 

Besides matching the references created by Jan Duurseama, I'd also look for the armour to fit the wearer. The abdomen plate should cover the abodomen, not sit on top of the belly button. The breast plate should not rest above the wearer's chest, but rather be aligned with it.

 

I have a file of all the Imperial Knight costumers that I have found in the past 2 years. Some are close, but most try to hide missing parts with a cape or hood. Or they are flat and do not follow the sculpted form of the armour referenced. Or the fit is fairly off. I am for requiring a completed, accurate suit for membership.

 

I personally hope to add my own suit to my Legion roster one day. But I will have to complete it first.

 

 

Be well,

Thomas

[Guest Anonymous]

12. Unique Red Back plate

That be the hard part...

 

Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated! And your Ganner is awesomesauce as it is...

[Guest Anonymous]

Perhaps I am being more stupid than usual (if that's even possible) and please to the gods don't think I am asking this to be a smart ass or rabble rouser.....but why is validation with the 501st so important compared to doing a great (if unoffical) SW costume?

 

Thomas' Ganner Krieg is beyond awesome to my eyes, regardless if even Lucas himself looked down on it with disdain but isn't jumping through potentially unreasonable hoops perhaps forcing a cosplayer to lose sight of the art of the costume and the love of the craft, turning it into a tedious, labor-intensive job akin to something like fixing an automotive engine?

 

Whether the 501st approves or not, the Imperal Knight outfit is unique and incredible. Thomas' (first and foremost but hardly alone - I'm looking at you TR-0773!) IK costume is incredible, the labor and time invested in it incontrovertble, and the love put into it immeasurable. Isn't that enough? And besides...the whole issue seems (to my ignorant self) to be lopsided since some characters (many from video games) get a fast track for approval while many characters from comic books and other sources are left to languish.

 

Maybe it's just me?

 

I say the IKs - whether approved or not - stand tall and proud as their own unique subset of SW costumes!

[ghostred7]

I agree....do a costume for self, not an organization.

 

As for "fast track" with some of the video game costumes....that's a negative, especially if it's a costume covered by this detachment. Even recently there was a thread about Nihilus' whimple and difficulty for being approved. Understand that there was a limited time where Legion approvals, even for EU characters, were handled by local GMLs instead of passing through LMO scrutiny, and thus lowering the standards temporarily IMO. During that phase there WERE several costumes passed through at the garrison level that had of gone through anyone here would of been rejected due to lack of accuracy and representation. Heck, my Nihilus barely made it (for the reasons in the aforementioned thread), which is why I'm working on v2.0. My 2 next costumes are video game based and another from a comic, but all will be treated with the same scrutiny, and one of them isn't a 501st approved costume.....and honestly, I don't care. I just want it to look as accurate as possible.

[Guest Anonymous]

Good points there everybody!

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm STILL going to do Marasiah Fel in her Imperial Knight armor regardless of whether the 501st accept it or not. But I figured that it's best to check first if there are standards and what they are. I just feel that it's good to know if there's a bar and if there is, where it stands. That way I won't just walk smack into it.

 

As for the back plate, my brain is still going "huh?" on it. Probably because Sia's hair covers hers. So as much as I'm going to strive for accuracy, I really do just want to have fun.

[The Clone Emperor]

Cape should be brown.

 

I don't recall seeing images of the backs of female Imperial Knights in the entire Legacy series, but I can speak with certainty that the armour is not significantly different between the sexes.

I would strongly recommend making the amour from scratch.

 

Be well,

Thomas

[Guest Daritha]

@Jaina: As for the Rebel Legion, we have some Imperial characters accepted in the Legion i.e. Princess Marasiah (e.g. Miss Jaina):

 

 

The simple fact, mentioned by Thomas, that the Imperial Knights are Imperial makes it nearly impossible for the RL to include the Knights. Sia Fel is, like other characters, a borderline. Its difficult with many Legacy characters. But these discussions are held elsewhere for a long time now. ^^

 

[...] I say the IKs - whether approved or not - stand tall and proud as their own unique subset of SW costumes!

Well said (in the whole), My Lady. I just couldn't have make it better!

 

I don't recall seeing images of the backs of female Imperial Knights in the entire Legacy series [...]

Yeah, I would've loved to see som fem backs. Sorry, was too tempting. *g*

[Guest Anonymous]

I don't wish to deviate from Thomas thread, but for me, achieving 501st status for my costume is more of a personal challenge, than a frustrating jump throught the bureacucracy. I already have more 6 TK ID's

 

It allows me a chance to learn new skill ie. Fibreglassing for my Shadow Guard,

It reveals more information on a costume or individual of interest, and

Clears up any discrepancy with existing referances.

 

I just finished reading the Starkiller thread, and found it very informative, and can now pass that info onto a member of my garrison, who is pursuing the costume.

 

In short I like the challenge, and enjoy the positive comments of the community.

[The Clone Emperor]

Good afternoon,

 

I regularly receive mail requests as to the availability of my costume creations for sale.

 

I have wanted to offer my costume work, but lack of studio space, start-up funds, and not wanting to jeopardize my standing with LFL with license violation has proven to be quite an obstacle.

 

I almost had a licensed deal with one of my costumes, the Imperial Knight armour from SW Legacy.

The company--let's call them Mr.--holds a license to do high end SW costuming. After much research and initial soft-goods development, Mr. contacted me with a fabulous offer, expressing interest in producing my Imperial Knight armour as their first EU product. However, before this project could occur, they would have to get approval from LFL.

 

After the initial presentation, LFL was quick to point out that Mr.'s contract--while covering all characters from SW movies, video games, television series, animated movies--did not extend to comics. For this reason LFL canceled the project.

 

No matter. This changes nothing. I still have costumes to build and refine.

 

Be well,

Thomas