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Fallout – An Ice Cold Nuka Cola

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I took a break from the Khorne display project this week to try and recharge my batteries a bit and work on something with lower stakes. I went back to work on the Junk Barricade and finished up the ice machine and the Nuka Cola machine. They were pretty relaxing to work on and I like how they look for the most part. The Nuka Cola machine will get a bit of rust at the end so that it looks a little less pristine but here’s where they stand now.

One of the challenges with this terrain is working out the order in which I paint it. I’m going inside out since it seems like the outside pieces occasionally scrape up against something while I’m painting. I think I may even need to varnish the front before I work on the back to ensure there’s no damage as I work on the other side. There is a fair bit of work to be done on the back so its probably a good idea to break this up.

The one part that I might have done better on is the freehand I attempted for the bottle dispenser. In the Nuka Cola machine, there are metal shelves where the bottles sit until they are dispensed so I tried to freehand them. The freehand is not bad but not good enough to trick the eye. It was worth a try anyway and is better than nothing I suppose.

Other than that, I varnished a few things that I’ve shown before which is barely worth mentioning. It did help me take a picture of my finished pieces for Dave Stone’s Scenery Challenge. Last year I managed a single shipping container so I’m quite happy with this year’s progress. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a more scenic image since I don’t have a folding table to put my mat on but I’m still proud of the progress I made this summer.

Lastly, I was lucky enough to read some new comic books this week and so I thought it’d be fun to try and give a brief review of each one in the event that they pique someone else’s interest. Comixology had a sale on Image Comics where you could get the first volume of a series for pretty cheap $4-6 a piece so I thought it would be cool to pick up a few that I thought I might like and see how it goes. The fact that I could read four relatively quickly is one thing I really enjoy with comics. Try reading more than a book in a week (unless maybe you’re retired and a voracious reader) and you’ve got a real challenge on your hands.

Before jumping in, I should briefly mention that Image Comics are an indie publisher and so they tend to publish non-superhero comics. They are an interesting company because they have some really big time writers and artists but they also have up and coming people trying to make a name for themselves. Reading stuff from Image is a great way to try to find something new or different in other words. Anyway, on with the mini-reviews!

Oblivion Song: Vol 1 – Written by Robert Kirkman (creator of Walking Dead and Invincible), I thought this one would be better than it was. Its ostensibly post-apocalypse where fungus type monsters destroy Philadelphia but the rest of the world is mostly fine. The main character is trying to save the people left in ruined Philadelphia with a dogged determination that makes Galadriel in Rings of Power look restrained. I’m starting to suspect that Robert Kirkman is not great at bringing characters to life and the art was just okay.

2 out of 5 stars and I won’t be reading more.

Newburn: Vol. 1 – A crime story about Newburn who is a “fixer”/private investigator for organized crime. The police let him investigate crimes so that they can solve difficult cases. Each issue tells the story of one crime and the challenge with this format is that Newburn comes across as a Sherlock Holmes with a cape on because he solves crimes so fast. It hurts the believability of the book even more than the premise does. I did like how you slowly learn bits and pieces about the characters and the art is definitely good too.

3.5 stars out 5 and I might read more.

Monstress: Awakening – This one is tough to explain, partially because I never felt like I fully understand the world myself. Monstress takes place in a beautifully rendered steampunk world with heavy Asian influences. The main character has a personality reminiscent of Wolverine but has powers somewhat similar to Venom’s. The story is dense but I never felt like I had anything to hold onto and so when I finished reading, I don’t feel compelled to read more. To be blunt, most of the characters are female and I really think the book appeals more to women than men though it is critically acclaimed, award winning, and highly rated on Goodreads. The art truly is beautiful and is the main and only reason why I’d consider reading more.

3 stars out of 5 and I probably won’t read more.

Nocterra: Full Throttle Dark – This has a great title and its the only one of the four comics that had a really strong first issue. I was engaged and interested in the story from the beginning. The story centers on Val, a truck driver, in a post-apocalypse where the sun is gone and animals and people turn into ravenous beasts if they remain in the darkness for long. The world is pretty interesting and flips a lot of what we know on its head. It seems like a fairly fresh take on the post-apocalypse genre. Val is also very likable because she feels like a real person who has been through some tough times. There is a lot of exposition but otherwise, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it.

4 stars out of 5 and I’m excited to read more.

So there you have it! I had fun reading some new things and being surprised this week. I don’t know that I’ll be able to repeat this sort of thing often but if I can, I certainly will. Its back to the display project this upcoming week and we’ll see if I can’t get the Khorne miniature itself wrapped up so I can turn my attention towards the base.

36 thoughts on “Fallout – An Ice Cold Nuka Cola”

    1. Thank you, mate! I like to mix it up and have some easy stuff followed up with things that take more time and concentration. It makes me appreciate the relaxing parts a bit more for sure.

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    1. I think terrain can be quite relaxing when it goes well. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always go that way for me. I’d say you deserve a break after all those Bretonnians you’ve been working on as well!

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  4. Nice work on the barricade! 🙂 I think I’d have “bottled it” with the display on the coke machine and painted it up to look like dirty glass that you couldn’t see through! Good that you got the chance to read some comics, however some of them turned out!

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    1. That was well played, John! 🙂 I used a photo reference which helped me out quite a bit with the glass. Otherwise, I would have done exactly what you described. It was definitely fun to read some comics though its back to Ancient Egyptian history now that those are done!

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  5. Some great progress on the barricade Jeff, and the attention you’ve paid really shows, John’s idea of dirty glass is worth looking at as it will help sell the cage inside. Interesting reviews on the comics, must admit I don’t read many anymore, and tend to just get the graphic novels of stories I want to follow, does mean you can sometimes miss some great work, but does save on space ! LOL

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    1. I will take a second look at the glass to see if I can’t improve it a bit further. I did use a photo reference so maybe taking a second look at that might give me an idea for extra effect I can add to it. Its close to being pretty good but is just missing something…

      I am the same way as you on graphic novels over comics. I used buy them in trade paperback form and not the monthly issues. You have to wait longer for them to come out that way but I like the collected editions better. I think the monthly paper comics are a bit fragile and not as enjoyable to read as a result. Everything I read and reviewed in this update was anywhere from 120 to 200 pages each so I’ve certainly been busy reading this past week!

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  6. Nice job on the completed terrain. That’s way more than last time.
    And the barricade is coming along nicely. I’m not sure where you did the freehand on the machine. Is that a good sign maybe? 😀

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    1. Thanks, Stew! It didn’t feel like as much progress as I was hoping for but then again, it is a pretty big piece of terrain. Just pick the worst painted part of the terrain and call that the freehand then! 😉

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  7. As might be expected, I am loving it mate. Lots of good suggestions already on that glass pane. I think your work already sells it but just a bit more weathering to dirty it up would be a nice touch. I wish Modiphius had gone 28mm instead of 32mm but the sculpt does look Grand and compliments your painting skills.

    Nocterra Sounds like my kind of story. My Dad was a long distance over the road truck driver for most of his adult life and I rode with him a few times. It really was a way of life for him and his buddies.

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    1. Really glad to hear it on the terrain! I think the barricade will look really nice when I get it done. Its taking a while but I think my Fallout games are going to have more variety in terrain but also recreate the game more effectively and I’m excited about that.

      If I hadn’t read Nocterra last, I wouldn’t have shared what I had been reading because the other three weren’t all that noteworthy. I did mention Nocterra specifically in the event that you or Bret wanted to check it out since the three of us are post apocalypse junkies. I’d definitely recommend it. Oblivion Song is one to watch out for as I saw somewhere that a movie studio bought the license and intends to develop it into a film. I don’t think its worthy of that treatment based on what I read, but we’ll see what happens.

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      1. The physical setting (ie terrain) is part of what makes Fallout… well… Fallout and not just generic post-apoc. The branding on display, like Nuka Cola as well as the retro aesthetic. It sets the tone which helps give a sense of satire or whimsy which softens the hard edged reality of a true apocalypse and for me makes it more palatable than say for example grimdark Necromunda.. although I do have plans for some of the Ash Wastes stuff for a non-40k project.

        Your painting always impresses me mate!

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      2. That is well said. I think the terrain in Fallout is just as necessary as the landscapes in LOTR when it comes to bringing the setting to life. I look forward to seeing your Necromunda plans. I like the world and would love to paint some of it one of these days. There’s just too much to do and not enough as always!

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      3. Oh, to be clear I will not be doing anything with Necromunda… merely putting the Ash Wastes figures and buildings to other uses. I have even toyed with the idea of doing up the elevated Ash Wastes habitats for an ocean setting. Some thing for my Core Space/Stargrave/5 Parsecs from Home project.

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      4. We’re on the same page. I knew that you weren’t going to start playing Necromunda (that would have been a shocking turn of events!). I’m looking forward to seeing you use the miniatures and terrain. The Ash Wastes stuff is cool and I like seeing what people can do with it.

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  8. The barricade looks awesome so far, and I think the internal shelves of the Nuka Cola machine work a treat. I even had a look at the prices for the Fallout terrain just now (I baulked!) but you did get me to look! 😀
    The finished desk and computer also look pretty sweet as well!
    I do remember Image Comics from their founding days when they were the breakaway indie darlings led by Mcfarlane et al. I wonder what my Spawn #1 is worth these days? The focus then was on Super heroes, so it’s interesting to see how much broader they’ve become since.

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    1. Darn! Almost made a sale there 😀 In all seriousness, thanks for the kind words. When I was painting the Nuka Cola machine, I thought to myself, I better go for the freehand because its what Azazel would do! 🙂

      Image Comics has definitely changed quite a bit. They were kind of like an alternative to Marvel and DC from what I gather but now they only have a few superhero titles. Todd Mcfarlane is still at it in some capacity with Spawn and Savage Dragon is still going (I think) but a lot of the people who started Image have moved on.

      I know nothing about comic book values but I’d think that Spawn #1 is a pretty decent one to have, especially if its in good condition!

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      1. Yeah, I know with all licenced games that fact in itself bumps the price by a fair bit (20% not unusual) but the Fallout stuff just doesn’t pass the “I like that” vs “price/value” threshold for me. If I had people locally playing it it might be a different sitution, but it is what it is – so I keep painting Zombicide models instead! 😀

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      2. I know what you mean on the price bump and that makes sense. I wouldn’t be able to use Fallout in a non-Fallout setting myself (which makes the higher cost even less palatable) but I bet you’d do much better in that regard than me. Lastely, I’d say you’ve got enough games to play as it is too! 🙂

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      2. Absolutely! I’m waiting for a high quality table to come back in stock. I have a feeling its going to take some time for that to happen unfortunately for me.

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  11. Excellent work on the barricade! I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself about the freehand, details that small add a lot to the look and quality of the piece but then again probably 99% of people playing the game won’t even notice them. On the other hand there’s something very satisfying about painting those small details even though you know 99% of people won’t notice them 🙂

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    1. Thanks, Matt! You’re spot on but the problem is that I play Fallout solo so the only person who sees it up close is me. And of course, as you know, I’m the toughest critic on myself 😀

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  12. That Fallout barrier is looking really sweet. I imagine the freehand looks fine when it’s not zoomed in, so I probably wouldn’t knock it. I liked the paint chipping on the letting of the machine too.
    I read a small bit of Oblivion, maybe the first trade. I can’t say I was really taken by it. While there are parts of Walking Dead I think are amazing, I’m not sure how much was me reading into it versus actual thought put into the comic. Like was Rick really intended to be a flawed leader, making dumb mistakes along the way or is that just Kirkland writing? I imagine if I read ore of Kirkmans work I might start to see the weaknesses. Though most of the stuff I’ve seen of his, I haven’t been that interested in. Invincible, aside, of course. Which was greatly elevated by Ottleys incredible art. The other books I haven’t read, but I would agree with you that Image is an interesting company with their variety in genres.

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    1. Thanks for the kind words on the barricade! I did what I could with a small amount of real estate.

      I know what you mean on Oblivion Song and Walking Dead. I kind of really like Walking Dead in the early volumes but I also never finished the story line because it becomes less interesting as it goes on. So I have pretty mixed feelings on it, overall. I think it becomes more soap opera-y and more interested in trying to establish the biggest, baddest villains that it can. There’s no doubt that Rick becomes a worse protagonist as time goes on too.

      I haven’t read Invincible though I should probably give it a shot. I’m sure you found some more of my Image reviews in future updates but there will be even more in the future I’m sure. Its been fun checking out new things to see if anything hooks me.

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      1. I’m the opposite, still need to finish Invincible. Both are good series. The problem was, I got into them about halfway. So I was able to devour several books in a short time. Then I had to wait, and wait again. Sometimes I’d forget then go ‘wait, has WS ended or anything?’. So I’d catch back up and then play the waiting game again.

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      2. I know what you mean. I often would reread a series before I read the latest volumes if I was reading the trades as they came out. That helped me keep everything straight and but also remind myself why I enjoyed a particular series. I found that to be an enjoyable part of the process. I enjoy doing that with comics but I don’t reread books or even re-watch movies that often due to lack of time. Go figure.

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