This “Eight Questions” column will be the last at Minimate Headquarters until 2006. Check back in January for a whole new list of questions and all new interviews! This interview is with Boyd, maker of the custom Batroc the Leaper minimate pictured here.

1. Which was the first Minimate you ever purchased?
I think the first Minimates I bought was the Black Costume Spider-Man 2-pack that I found in a Suncoast. The next day I went and bought the rest of the Spider-Man Minimates. But I admitted I was hooked when I made a special trip to Tower Records to get the exclusive Silver Surfer.

2. What is the average length of time in hours does it take for you to make a custom minimate?
It takes me about 3 - 6 hours for me to do an average Minimate.

3. Of the minimates you’ve made, which custom is your absolute favorite?
I don’t know if I have a favorite - usually it’s the most recent one I’ve finished. But I really do like how my Batroc the Leaper custom turned out.

4. How much money do you think the average custom minimate is worth?
The average Minimate custom is worth whatever people are willing to pay for it. Though I think there’s a good market for well-done customs.

5. Do you own a Gold Spidey?
I do not have a Gold Spidey. By my wife won a Silver Spidey this year.

6. If all of the Marvel Minimates fought all of the DC Minimates, who would win and why?
The Marvel Minimates would win because there are more of them - the Wolverine & Spider-Man variants alone outnumber all the DC Minimates made.

7. What is your best trick or secret for customizing minimates?
Customizing becomes easier with practice and confidence. I’m doing figures now that I wouldn’t have tried last year. Which means someday I’ll figure out how to do that Plastic Man Minimate that I want.

8. White Queen or Catwoman?
Catwoman.

This week’s Review of the Missing comes from a promotional minimate poster that was displayed with the launch of the Marvel Minimate line. The poster featured illustrations of what appeared to be upcoming Marvel Minimates. The attached poster identifies the minimate to be reviewed today, the black clad Havok from the X-Men.

The Havok character began as a B-Lister within the Marvel universe, but he gained increased prominence during the 1990’s. Havok is the troubled brother of the X-Men’s Cyclops, and consequently has a similar “blast” power.

The illustrated design for a Havok minimate does a great job capturing his classic black costumed look. The hair piece appears to be Havok’s focus helmet and would presumably be removable. Simple and understated, Havok’s original costume was never flashy. His “flash” occurred when he used his power to focus a blast at an enemy.

I am hopeful this minimate will be made. The Marvel Minimate series continues, and Havok has been featured in enough cartoons and comics to be recognizable to casual fans. I expect we will see a Havok Minimate before the series is done.

Dr. Bruce Banner, one of the lead scientists for the Minimate Institute of Research (M.I.R.), announced plans today to test the lowest possible threshold of temperature that a minimate can withstand. “Dr. Reed Richards and I have modified our cooling unit to drop the temperature to absolute zero. As the temperature drops to its lowest possible point, we will observe JP1000, who will be locked inside. We will be measuring how long it takes to freeze him solid.”

Dr. Richards added, “Bruce and I have a gentleman’s wager on this one. Bruce is certain JP1000’s extremities will shatter before freezing entirely solid. I’ve calculated that he will freeze solid, then immediately shatter. Either way, we are certain to have our answer sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

Thank you all for the Comments! Please feel free to post comments anytime, I like the feedback. I may not be able to answer everyone, but I do read them all. I also appreciate corrections, so if you see me make a mistake, let me know! I like to keep the record straight and make sure due credit is given.

I am frustrated that I have to monitor comments though. If you submit a comment, please have patience. Although I can get them during the day at work, often times I can’t publish until I get home in the evening.

I would turn off moderating comments, but there are these highly annoying spam bots running around spamming blogs. I want to spare the readers of Minimate Headquarters from these terrible ads. Most are just nonsensical gibberish, probably designed to flag crawlers.

Stay tuned this week. More Minimate Institute of Research, Reviews, and Questions are coming your way.

Oh yeah. And the Minimate Headquarters Holiday Party is coming.

An unfinished prototype for the ill conceived 401K-Man was purchased by accident today on Ebay. “I bought a bunch of loose action figures on Ebay,” explained billionaire Bruce Wayne. “Mostly Marvel Legends Series 9. I guess the Prototype 401K-Man minimate was just thrown in.”

The fantastically wealthy Bruce Wayne was initially unsure of what a 401K even was. “I’m like, a four-oh-one-what? But then the Prototype starts telling me about 401Ks. As it turns out, it is some kind of savings program for poor people.”

Bruce Wayne paused for a moment. “But that’s when the trouble started. You see he doesn’t shut up about it. He keeps going and going and going about ‘flex spending-this’ and ‘savings account-that’ until you finally go crazy. I had to pretend I got a call on my cell-phone to get away from the guy. A few more minutes with him and I would have slit my own wrists.”

The “Eight Questions” column will appear regularly at Minimate Headquarters. In it I interview minimate customizers and other fans of minimates. This interview is with Luke314pi, maker of the custom Ultron pictured here.

1. Which was the first Minimate you ever purchased?
The Spider-Man / Carnage set. I told myself I would ONLY be buying this set, and no more. I still laugh about that one.

2. What is the average length of time in hours does it take for you to make a custom minimate?
It usually takes 2 hours total, but it can take more depending on the complexity of the custom.

3. Of the minimates you’ve made, which custom is your absolute favorite?
That is a hard question! I am the most proud of my Brood custom, because it changes the shape of the standard minimate, while still keeping the same style and parts. But my favorite custom is probably my Ultron minimate, since it was my first one.

4. How much money do you think the average custom minimate is worth?
I think most custom minimates are worth around $25. There are exceptions, of course, as eBay has proven over and over again.

5. Do you own a Gold Spidey?
Nope.

6. If all of the Marvel Minimates fought all of the DC Minimates, who would win and why?
Marvel would win through sheer force of numbers. Batman could take Spider-Man, but could he take 6 Spider-Mans at once? I don’t think so!

7. What is your best trick or secret for customizing minimates?
Sharpie makes a silver permanent marker that is very helpful for customizing minimates, especially for metal parts or highlights.

8. White Queen or Catwoman?
White Queen. I am sweating just thinking about her!

The Site Navigation links should now be working. A special thanks to Ady Carter for hosting my site.

You will notice a lot of “coming soon” pages. I am still working on the second level of the website. This level will contain the upcoming customs gallery.