sphexx avenger

Among the exiled Sphexxian enclaves, none are more obscure than the Institute for Advanced Research (IAR) — a secretive collective of scientists and visionaries. Far beyond the reach of the Phaerrox Protectorate, they established a hidden colony in the distant reaches of Exxos, dedicated to restoring their dying homeworld, V’zapir, through bold and unregulated experimentation.

For cycles, their breakthroughs offered hope. But hope was shattered when the colony was struck without warning by The Quiet — an enigmatic species from beyond the Five Rings. Their attack came as torrents of spiraling energy, unleashed at near-lightspeed, tearing through the colony and reducing it to ruins. Only a handful survived, sheltered deep within the armored vaults that held the Institute’s most dangerous and untested research.

From tragedy came transformation. Realizing survival demanded more than knowledge, the IAR turned its brilliance toward weaponization. Volunteers stepped forward to become the ultimate defenders — their bodies and spirits offered up for irreversible fusion with alien science. Out of this sacrifice, the first prototype was born: Sphexx Avenger IAR-01.

Forged in biomechanical crucibles, the Avenger is able to absorb and redirect hostile energy through a devastating zoronic disruptor. Enclosed within a living “second skin” — a lattice of alloys harvested from the remains of collapsed dwarf star Riata-26 — their form is both shield and weapon, impervious to vacuum and fire alike. No longer merely Sphexxian, the Avenger is vengeance incarnate: a sentinel whose very existence is a vow of retribution.

***CLASSIFIED***

Fragments of intercepted intelligence suggest that the attack may not have been the work of The Quiet alone, if at all. Certain sources whisper that the Phaerrox Protectorate, operating through shadow agents of T.U.5.C.C., orchestrated the massacre as a means of forcing the IAR to abandon ecological research in favor of weapons development — weapons that the Protectorate itself could later control.

Confirmation of this theory remains dangerous, and highly suppressed.

The origins of this custom project trace back to the launch of the first wave of Cosmic Legions figures by the Four Horsemen in the fall of 2021. That wave not only pulled me back into the world of action figure collecting, but also opened the door to the art of customizing.

When the Sphexxian Prison Guard was revealed, it instantly reminded me of Yar’s Revenge — my favorite Atari 2600 game. That connection planted the first seed of inspiration. Then, in 2023, the release of the Sphexxian Mine Worker added fuel to the idea. The figure came with a drill accessory that looked remarkably similar to a weapon illustrated on the Yar’s Revenge packaging artwork.

It was at that moment I realized I wanted to go beyond creating just a custom figure — I wanted to design an entire custom box, styled in the spirit of the original Yar’s Revenge packaging. After researching parts, experimenting with paint, and learning the fundamentals of packaging design, the vision finally came together. The result is a character that bridges Cosmic Legions lore with my enduring love for the 1980s.

• Box: 4H Mythic Legions Half-Giant LB

• Head, wing joints: 4H Cosmic Legions Sphexxian Prison Guard

• Torso, legs, wings, main arms and hands, feet: 4H Cosmic Legions Sphexxian Mine Worker

• Secondary arms: 4H Cosmic Legions T.U.5.C.C. Engineer

• Secondary hands: 4H Olek Thygar (Hvalkatar) 

• Weapons: Energy staff (Weapons Pack - Gravenight), Zoronic Disruptor (4H Cosmic Legions Sphexxian Mine Worker & T.U.5.C.C Sentry)

• Paints: Apple Barrel acrylics, Culture Hustle Mirror, Krylon Colormaxx Flat Black, Turbo Dork Miami Sunset and Thinning Medium

Notes:

All Sphexxian figures' wings have a double-wing construction comprised of a large wing connected to a small one. Using a rotary tool these parts were separated and modified with female joints from the Sphexxian Prison Guard's small arms for additional articulation. Modifications and repairs were finalized using Army Painter Green Stuff.