Superheroes and the internet are joining forces for some pretty impressive things these days. No, I’m not talking about digital comics. This GeekDad’s too old-fashioned to really enjoy those. I’ll take a book I can hold in my hands over some downloadable/viewable version any day. What I’m referring to is the fine art of paper crafts.
Sure paper crafts have been around for a real long time. They’re basically model kits made out of… yeah, you guessed it, paper. You careful cut out all the little pieces, then glue or tape them together and, BAM!, you’ve got yourself a super spiffy 3-D model made out of paper. Some can be real easy to put together, while others require an Engineering Degree just to figure out where to begin!
Lately I’ve noticed a real abundance of high-quality superhero paper crafts. I’ve printed out a few of these, but haven’t tried them with my kids yet. The cutting is probably too tough for them to be accurate with, but I plan on cutting out the pieces and then taping or gluing them together with my kids. But no matter what age your geeklings are, you’re sure to find something fun to build with them. Plus, with the crazy prices of action figures these days, mixed with the horrible shape the economy is in, making your own superhero toys isn’t just fun, it’s economical!
Here are a few great sites to get your paper skills started:
Paper Snikt! Wolverine image: Cubeecraft
Cubeecraft
Fairly easy to put together (no tape or glue needed!), you’ll find standard superhero fare like the X-Men, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Venom and Daredevil, as well as characters like Juggernaut, MODOK, a Sentinel, the Tick, Grendel and even Usagi Yojimbo. Lots of others based on video games (Mario, Kirby, Megaman), as well as cartoons and anime.
Ham Headz
James Bowen has a slew of superhero paper crafts. Called Ham Headz (because the characters’ heads resemble canned ham), James has all your big guns like Batman, Superman, Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine and Spider-Man. But he’s also got more obscure characters like Thanos, Darskseid, Hellboy, Galactus (he’s a big one!) with Silver Surfer, Rorschach, Hawkeye and loads more, including some non-superhero movie and video game characters. James also shows you how to make your own articulated Deadpool Strawman.
Justice League of Paper!
Tektonten Papercraft
For something a little different, be sure to look at Tektonten Papercraft for various superhero props and masks. Some of my favorites are Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer, Spider-Man Mask and Dr. Strange’s Eye of Agamotto.
The Mighty Thor's (Paper) Hammer. Image: Tektonten Papercraft
