Alright, check this out, I’m gonna walk you through how I made my own Jim Cornette action figure. It was a whole process, but totally worth it.
First off, I needed a base figure. I ended up grabbing some random wrestling figure from a local flea market for like five bucks. The important thing was that it had the right build. Cornette isn’t exactly a shredded dude, ya know?
Next up: the head. I knew I wasn’t gonna find a perfect match, so I decided to sculpt one myself. I bought some polymer clay, the kind you bake in the oven. I started by looking at a ton of pictures of Cornette from all eras – Midnight Express manager Cornette, Smoky Mountain Cornette, even modern-day podcast Cornette. You gotta get the details right, especially that facial expression. I’m talking about the perpetually annoyed, “I can’t believe you idiots” look. It took a few tries, baking it and then adding more clay, but I finally got something I was happy with.
Once the head was done, it was time for the clothes. I definitely wasn’t trying to sew a tiny suit from scratch. Instead, I found some black fabric scraps and started draping them over the figure’s body. I used super glue – carefully, mind you – to attach the fabric in the right spots. I wanted it to look like a slightly rumpled, ill-fitting suit, just like Cornette’s style. The tie was probably the trickiest part. I ended up using a small piece of ribbon and meticulously folding it to get the right shape.
- Head: Sculpted from polymer clay, baked, and painted.
- Body: Repurposed wrestling figure.
- Clothes: Fabric scraps glued on.
After the clothes, it was time to paint. I used acrylic paints for everything – the face, the hair (gotta get that receding hairline just right), and the details on the suit. I spent a lot of time layering the paint to get the right shading and highlights. I even added a little bit of a five o’clock shadow to the face. Gotta have those details, ya know?
To finish it off, I needed a tennis racket. Cornette without a tennis racket is like peanut butter without jelly, ya know? I couldn’t find a miniature one anywhere, so I made one myself. I used a thin piece of plastic for the frame and some mesh fabric for the strings. It’s not perfect, but it does the job.
Finally, I attached the head to the body using super glue. And there it was: my own custom Jim Cornette action figure. It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty damn proud of it. It’s a fun little tribute to one of the most outspoken and entertaining figures in wrestling history.
Honestly, the whole thing was a blast. It took me a couple of weekends to finish, but now I’ve got a one-of-a-kind piece that sits on my shelf and reminds me of all the crazy things Cornette’s said over the years.
If you’re thinking about making your own custom figure, I say go for it! It’s a fun and rewarding project. Just be patient, take your time, and don’t be afraid to experiment. And most importantly, have fun!
