Ruckus - Custom Jem Doll

[On-X]

So I thought I’d share the results of my first ever attempt at making a custom doll. I have to say that it has been a real adventure and it was quite nerve-wracking at times.

Some background: Last year I finished collecting all the original Jem dolls (each of the adult characters plus Synergy, not yet interested in the Starlight girls). While I was happy to have the whole group, I was also wondering “Well, what do I do now? There’re no dolls left.”

I found a few Kenner Darci dolls and started to think about the idea of making a custom Jem doll. I knew I wasn’t going to attempt any face painting so I’d have to use the factory Darci face paint. Since this meant I really couldn’t make an actual character from the series I decided to make an original character.

I chose orange hair as it was a color absent from the Jem doll line and to make a Misfit because I adore the Misfits. I did my first ever reroot and what a process that was! As it was my first time I did a simple ponytail reroot (and none of the Misfits rock a ponytail so that worked for me). My gosh, rerooting is exhausting and frustrating but I’m mostly happy with the results.

The dress is from the Mego Cher doll line I believe. It was full length so I cut it down. I think the color and style of the dress are very Misfit-esque. The belt I made from some ribbon and trim. Simple ribbon in the hair. One Misfit bracelet for now (I may look for something unique for her) and I think I’ll be giving her a pair of Jerrica’s blue shoes.

The makeup was a stumper since she had to have makeup and I didn’t want to venture into painting. So I used temporary tattoos. The lightning bolt on her right cheek, the star on her left cheek, the blue above her eyes and the lines above her left eye are all temporary tattoos. They went on really easily and I think they look great.

So in my head, she’s Lisa “Ruckus” Brooks, the Misfits’ mysteriously absent drummer (I always thought it was odd that they added a saxophonist to the band rather than a drummer, no offense Jetta, love ya Jetta).

So here she is...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mHCvbX1qD9EZ5boK7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Yhg1kKu1cqtQhowk9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uhQiX5sDkVjk19X96

[BubbleTea]

Looks great! I like how well the tattoos worked.

[lalalei2001]

She looks awesome! Love the hair!

[glitterball]

Amazing! She looks so 80s-authentic! 

[Taffeta]

Nice work! Darci makes a great base for Jem customs, doesn't she? The outfit suits her really well too!

I haven;t done it for years but I've rerooted a few Jem dolls - and one Darci - in the past and stabbed my fingers multiple times in the process, so I realise how much work went into hairing that doll I hope your fingers feel better xD.

Also the Misfits are always better.

Fun fact - when Christy Marx first wrote Jetta into the cartoon plot, she was written to play guitar. Bass guitar I think. I can't remember off hand, but not sax. But it seems Hasbro wanted to do something gimmicky so she got the sax. Jetta will always be my favourite Misfit, but I feel like they totally wasted the 'gimmick' by not using it in more than 3 songs after insisting on it in the toy...

I wonder if that was why she was released late.

I feel like instead Roxy became a one woman band since she can apparently play bass guitar and drums :/

[lalalei2001]

So that's why Jetta in the comics plays bass as well as sax.

The sax was definitely unique, though. And it gave us great songs like this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usb_e_T2R9o

[Leave a Whisper]

Oh wow! She looks awesome! Good job.

[Taffeta]

So that's why Jetta in the comics plays bass as well as sax.

The sax was definitely unique, though. And it gave us great songs like this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usb_e_T2R9o

Yeah, when they used it it was awesome. But I think it's only in I Like Your Style, Trapped and Free & Easy - and in one of them...the repeat of Congratulations? She is playing keys for some reason?

I dunno about the comics if you mean the new ones - I don't follow them, and I don't know if Christy is involved with them. The community she was directly connected to is now defunct as well. But in the original script for The Talent Search, in that scene in the club, it's a bass guitar she's swinging around.

I forget the other details but I checked and it's definitely a bass guitar, not a lead one or anything else.

[On-X]

Thank you for the kind words. As I mentioned, she’s my first custom. I’d love to do another but I don’t know if I want to tackle such a project again (especially rerooting, ugh).

Ruckus now has some shoes and I’m working on her drum kit. I was inspired by Raya’s drums but wanted to do something different. I’m liking how it’s looking but it still needs some finishing touches.

Still thinking about drumsticks... Don’t want to just use Raya’s. Plus the right hand is more open than the left so anything that fits well in one hand won’t fit well in the other. The sticks may need to have handles/clips like Barbie accessories...

Again, thanks for the kind words and I will hopefully post pics of finished drums by the end of this week.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

How fun! Congrats!

[On-X]

So I got the last few supplies I needed and finished up her instrument...

I wanted to do something different from Raya’s drums and not attached to the doll stand. I’m calling it a “percussive synthesizer” as it’s a portable, electronic drum kit that can be programmed with different sounds. For example, one drum pad could be a snare drum, one pad bass, and another a cymbal. I figure the world of Jem is a bit ahead of its time as far as tech, so why not. I wanted to capture the look of the original Misfits’ guitars with the sparkly stickers. The kit can attach around her body via the elastic band and she can use drum sticks (marching band-style) or she can hold it in one arm and use her other hand (bongo-style). The drumsticks fit well in the left hand but have to balance in the right.

I think I can call her done now.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pFwCLVTJHxHWXPtd8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fagXFQNT9JfoA4ry5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mhRRCdxmR6kPTj157

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBb8Dte97nVEmibN9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BprGtuYw4WLLT8VC9

[Taffeta]

I think that makes sense. I mean, Roxy does do this:
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And Raya already has something similar to that as a doll, so I think it's very logical

I admit I cheated when it came to drums for my custom percussionist...my sister played percussion for a long time and brought back a miniature drum kit from australia that I borrowed for photo purposes >.>

Ruckus looks really good. It is a complete labour of love to root a doll head and still have fingers at the end of it, so I don't blame you taking a break before deciding whether to do anything else in that line!

But Misfits are always better >.>