Welcome to the Asylum Project, a series showcasing the updated version of my Dalek Asylum custom figure collection. Several of these Daleks have been showcased on this blog before, however they have all changed greatly since then and new custom Daleks have been added to the collection.
Part II of the Destroyed New Series Dalek Asylum Inmates series will cover Time War Daleks in my collection that have been modified to resemble the twisted, malformed remains of destroyed inmates in the Dalek Asylum. Dalek mutants are fun to make, but if they’re used too often then they lose their impact. If every destroyed Dalek had an intricate mutant inside, the mutant wouldn’t be special anymore. However, it’s also important to find the middle ground between too many mutants and too few, as it would make sense in the lore of the Dalek Asylum that Dalek mutants would be a common sight. As such, Dalek mutant feature somewhat prominently in this showcase.
Another prominent theme in this showcase is Daleks destroyed by infighting in the Asylum. This will come up often in the ‘lore’ sections of these Dalek custom figure showcases, but in reality the backstories of these Daleks are completely made up by me. Some of them are created to resemble Daleks that are seen in the Asylum in Asylum of the Daleks, but at this point I have more Daleks in my collection than are seen on-screen in that episode. Nonetheless, an explanation has to be given for the number of destroyed Daleks in the Asylum, and Dalek infighting seems to be a logical reason. After all, not only is the Asylum supposed to be populated with insane Daleks, but the Daleks inside are sourced from all points throughout Dalek history, and we know from previous Doctor Who TV episodes and Big Finish audios that Daleks are not always a cohesive Empire. Infighting is a common occurrence between particular Dalek sub-factions.
As such, infighting within the Asylum is a prominent theme across the customs collection. Many of the destroyed Daleks are of the Time War variety, the most common type of Dalek in the Asylum, and likely the most insane due to the horrific nature of the Time War itself. Some of these Daleks, although destroyed, house mutants that are seemingly very much alive, and plotting revenge…
Destroyed Dalek with Mutant
The first custom showcases a Dalek mutant that I created using computer wires, paper, wood glue, hot glue, plastic parts and cardboard. The eye is a dried dot of glue painted over, and the brain was created using wood glue and paper squashed together and traced with lines. The entire mutant was painted green apart from the brain, which is painted purple, and the eye which has silver, blue and green paint. The top of the casing itself was cut off using a hacksack, and the top half of the casing was further cut up and glued back onto the bottom half to form the base in which the mutant sits. The broken eyestalk was created using a piece of a pen held in place with hot glue, and the entire casing was painted bronze and then given a black wash to give it a grimy finish.
A victim of a vicious firefight within the Asylum, this Dalek mutant is determined to survive despite the critical damage done to its casing. Manoeuvring the damaged pieces into protective armour, the mutant emerges from the shell, determined to claim another Dalek casing for its own.
Headless Destroyed Time War Dalek
This custom is a prime example of the ‘basic’ Asylum customs that are numerous in the collection, as although it would be fun for each and every Dalek to feature elaborate alterations or additions, one has to consider the collection when it is viewed as a whole. In the TV story Asylum of the Daleks, many of the Daleks seen feature only minor alterations, and the few that are seen destroyed have very simple damage effects applied to them, usually taking advantage of the modular construction of the Dalek props as has been customary during production of Doctor Who for many years. As such, the destroyed Daleks seen are often missing anything from the head to the entire top section, and this Dalek was created to exemplify this. The insides were created using cardboard, plastic and hot glue, then painted with black Citadel paint. The entire model was then given a black wash, particularly around the top and the spheres on the skirt.
Some Daleks in the Asylum are unfortunate enough to be a victim of ‘friendly fire’ – this Dalek was part of a band of more lucid Dalek inmates who were attempting to find a way out of the facility before they encountered a group of insane Dalek scavengers. In the resulting firefight, this Dalek was accidentally hit by blaster fire from its allies, and the dome of its casing was blasted apart. The mutant inside later died, and this casing stands waiting for an opportunistic Dalek mutant to claim it.
Blasted Time War Dalek
Not all destroyed Dalek customs have to involve significant damage to the casing, after all if every destroyed Dalek figure was similar then there would be nothing exciting about the more interesting ones. This kind of destroyed Dalek custom is very easy to make, all that was done to this Dalek (which was already missing the eyestalk and gunstick when I received it) was a few cuts into the casing with a hacksaw and a black wash with watered-down Citadel paint. Strangely enough, though included in the concept art, there are few Daleks seen in the Asylum with their eyestalks missing, and the few that are tend to be Paradigm Daleks, of all things. However, given the nature of the Time War and the fact that the eyestalk is a known weakness of the Daleks, it seems strange that there are not more eye-less Daleks in the Asylum.
Having been blinded in a battle during the Time War, this Dalek was admitted to the Asylum for its battle-scarred state – the mutant inside had lost the ability to control its casing, blind or not. Regardless, this Dalek now spins and crashes around indiscriminately, screaming perpetually as it lives out its days in the Asylum.
Ambushed Time War Dalek
This custom was originally supposed to be a destroyed Dalek Thay figure, but damage to the back part of the model as well as a more suitable candidate becoming available meant that this custom was condemned to the Asylum. The bronze finish was created by spray-painting the figure black and then using a dry brush and a light application of bronze Citadel paint to complete the look. The top half of the Dalek was torn off using a hacksaw, and the gooey flesh inside was created using tissue, wood glue and green paint. The entire model was then given a black wash and light applications of grey paint to finish it off.
Ambushed by an opposing faction of scavengers and left to rot, this Time War-era Dalek casing stands as a grisly warning to any who dare entire the territory of the Dalek Splicers, a nasty faction who steal the parts from other Daleks to sustain themselves. This unfortunate victim lost several panels as well as the entire upper half of its casing in seconds.
Damaged Mutant Reveal Dalek
The final Dalek in this instalment is one that I am particularly proud of, a damaged Dalek casing that reveals the mutant festering within. This custom came together quite by accident, as after the top half was cut off using a hacksaw and several of the spheres removed, the damaged insides were originally planned to be painted black like some of the other customs in the collection, thus simulating an ashen remains effect. However, the shape of the plastic, tissue and glue insides that I put together, when dry, resembled a claw attached to a tiny creature. As there is precedent for Dalek mutants possessing claws, as seen in Remembrance of the Daleks, it was as if this custom was meant to be. The mutant was painted Citadel paints and Sharpee pens for an added gloss effect, and the entire figure was given several coats of black wash.
Not all the damaged Daleks in the Asylum are inert – several contain very much living specimens of pure Dalek hatred. These mutants will stop at nothing to hijack a new casing and continue their killing sprees. However, this mutant appears to be different. Either due to insanity or as a result of some maniacal plan, this mutant spends its days sat in the ruins of its barely-mobile casing, using a mutated, malformed claw to create indecipherable scratch markings on whatever surface it comes across. As it moves throughout the Asylum, other Daleks seem to avoid it – as if they are terrified of it.
Next Post: Custom Destroyed New Series Dalek Asylum Inmates – Part III
Sacred Icon 