Dracula and His Minions - Vampire Bats

It is said Dracula's power extends to controling the creatures of the night. Large vampire bats have been spot in the city and unlike normal bat behaviour, they have been attacking humans without fear or hesitation. There are some who whisper these aren't true bats at all, but lesser vampires who have learned to transform into giant bats, though such claims have not been verified so far. One thing is for certain, alive or undead, they are ferocious creatures best avoided. 

Three giant vampire bats on the prowl

The original models are retired 28mm giant bats made by Masquerade Miniatures, probably as Warhammer proxies. Being as big as humans in 28mm means they are still a respectable child-sized monstrosity in 60mm and the added wingspan makes them a terrifying sight indeed. I had to sightly convert them to remove some off-scale details and then rebase them to match my other figures. I added a repainted Lemax fire hydrant as a support for one of them, which also helped to raise him at eye-height for the 60mm humans.

Attacking bat, with fire hydrant.

Soaring bat...

Grieviously wounded but not defeated...

And some "in action scenes":

Her Majesty's Finest trying to stop the attacking bats...

For some reason, the giant bats don't seem to like Count Orlok either...

Dracula and his Minions - Faction Overview

Count Dracula moved from Transylvania to London in a bid to regain his old power in a modern world. Since he found relentless opposition from Van Helsing and his cronies, the Count surrounded himself with both eleder vampires and newborn whelps.

The faction so far...

1. Count Dracula

Source: Lemax (converted and repainted)

2. Dracula's brides

To be added

3. Count Orlok 

Source: Miniaturas Beneito (built and painted)

4. Lesser vampires

To be added

5. Vampire bats

Source: Masquerade Miniatures (slightly converted and painted)

6. Dracula's wolves

To be added

7. Bat swarm

To be added

Dracula and His Minions - Count Orlok

Count Orlok is a vampire from Transylvania, and is known as "The Bird of Death", who feasts upon the blood of living humans. He is believed to have been created by Belial, the lieutenant demon of Satan. Like Count Dracula, he traveled to London by ship. His journey by sea spread plague all over Europe. Although an elder himself, Orlok reluctantly serves Dracula as one of his close advisors. Doing so, he takes some pleasure from the fact that his appearance fills the Count with distaste.

The vile Count Orlok.

Orlok is, of course the vampire from the cult movie "Nosferatu", who does serve Dracula in Kim Newman's Anno Dracula novels. The figure is a metal kit from Miniaturas Beneito. While technically listed as 54mm, the figure is of a similar size to the 65mm King and Country figures and fits in beautifully.

Two different kinds of monsters face off...

By order of her Majesty, the Queen, your reign of terror ends here, soulless fiend!

Hisssssss! A woman vampire??

Vampire counts, out for a stroll...

Dracula and his minions - Count Dracula

Count Vlad Dracula moved from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse. He boarded a Russian ship, the Demeter, taking along with him boxes of Transylvanian soil, which he required in order to regain his strength. In England, Dracula successfully purchased multiple estates under the alias 'Count De Ville' throughout London and devised to distribute the 50 boxes to each of them to secure for himself "lairs". Despite attempts to stop him by Abraham Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker, Dr. John Seward, Quincey Morris, and Arthur Holmwood, Dracula first takes Lucy Westenra, who is subsequently killed, and Mina Harker, the latter being turned, but managing to escape his control and remaining mistress of her own destiny.

The count is an extensive conversion of a cheap Lemax Christmas figure. I added the shades, hair and beard, made a new cane and bulked out the legs and arms so he wouldn't look too weedy.

What did you expect, a black evening suit with a cape?

It wasn't easy to get the "eyes peeking over the top of the shades" look, but I think it worked. I would have prefered to do red shades, but decided to stay true to the source material which had them dark blue.

Is that what they call "bedroom eyes"?

My interpretation of Dracula is of course based on Gary Oldman's version of the Count:

I'm a handsome foreigner in a stylish suit, why won't they love me?

"You belong with me, Mina" - "I would rather die! ...Again."

 The base figure was one half of another Lemax model called "Attending services"

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - Mina Harker

Wilhelmina "Mina" Harker was the wife of Jonathan Harker. After the death of her friend Lucy Westenra, she joined the coalition around Abraham Van Helsing, bent on destroying Count Dracula, the vampire. Unfortunately, the Count learned of this plot against him and took revenge by visiting — and biting — Mina at least three times and feeding her his blood, dooming her to become a vampire should she die. Eventually, Mina was turned and became a vampire, but unlike many, she managed to hold on to part of her humanity and in her new found form, she is a valuable asset to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

My version of Mina is based on the LXG movie interpretation (rather than the graphic novel, where she never became a vampire). The figure is a Lemax christmas figure, representing a young lady carrying an umbrella. I sculpted on a scarf and painted her in pale skintones and black and red clothing. I gave her red pupils to suggest the bloodlust in her eyes and to mark her more clearly one of the undead. The umbrella adds to the suggestion of a vampire shying away from the sun, I think. All in all, a pretty easy, but effective conversion of a cheap figure. I'm quite happy with the way she turned out, though she looks much better in person than in the pictures.

I know it's not raining, I just don't want the sun to ruin this lovely complexion.

Gaze at my cold, dark beauty and tremble...

A comparison with the original figure. I quickly realised she'd make a fine vampire lady, which, after a while, mutated in the idea of using her for vampire Mina. These christmas figures don't always show it, due to seemingly being painted by a drunk person, but many are quite lovely sculpts if you look more closely.

The difference a decent makeover can make.

The members of the League so far:

Not exactly the glorious heroes you'd expect...

Madam, you have the most remarkable eyes.