This is a bit late. I was going to do one last week but then it was too early and I forgot. I think these newsletters are for people really invested in what we’re doing but fundamentally you’d like to hear about your favourite characters/actresses activities, which I can’t fully get into as I don’t want to promise things that then don’t happen. However, the important news is that we are filming again and the roster is in much better health than it was this time last year. Nevertheless, you might see some characters more often than others due to scheduling, but don’t complain because after there will likely be a big gap. This can’t really be helped. I aim not to repeat characters more than 6 to 8 weeks, but for example if they are required in the story (which is returning relatively soon) then that schedule exists outside everything else.
We’re trying to get new people that you’ve seen recently in photo sets into videos and I’m pretty confident with a couple of them. We should have a couple of new villains and perhaps one from the past returning.
I’m getting costumes made continually now, whether I really need them or not. I want more variety to use for photo sets and alternatives for videos as well. We will also continue to refurbish those that are a bit worse for wear. Of the old costumes I think I’d like to refurb Athena because it looks very worn out now and I would like to see it again. If you have other ideas let me know. Essentially when my costume maker finishes one I give her another and I think our costume game will get better and better as we go along.
Lastly, at the end of this month we say goodbye as a production to Joe, who has helped immensely with this project since 2010, originally with the fighting and more recently in pretty much all areas. He will be a big loss to what we are doing and there is no question it is going to have an affect on production. How much you notice this I can’t say. I’ve done several shoots without him and they turned out fine, and I’ve recruited some able people to take on each of his many jobs for us, so I think it’ll work out in the end. Like all change, it should be seen as an opportunity to appraise where we are and if we want to change direction at all. I think maybe I do.
Alex says:
Can you bring back the black catsuit
ngcrisis says:
Which one? I’m mostly talking about character costumes that we get made, it doesn’t really affect whether or not they wear a black catsuit, which is the kind of thing that would mostly appear in the first part of a Transform video.
Cale Solo says:
I’d echo this, but refer specifically to the catsuit that Celestia wears in “Revenge Cries Out”. The sleek leather catsuit is such a great look and I’d love to see some current actresses wear it. It’ll forever be a loose end to me that we never got Majesty to wear it as I almost commissioned it. But any heroine would be awesome in it! I don’t really care for the white boots, but it worked since it was part of her normal costume.
ngcrisis says:
Oh that one? Hmm, trying to think where that is. I think I’ve moved house twice since we shot that. I hope I still have it. Majesty would have needed a different one, she’s about 5’1 and Celestia is 5’9, but yes I would imagine she’d have made it look good. Yeah, I’ll see if I can find it and bring it into a Transform video at some point, if people promise to buy!
Alex says:
Haha that would be awesome and yes the one celestial wore. I know supreme sentinel would look amaziiinnggggg in that.
Looney128 says:
I mean if they are hot chick’s then I’m down for it? 🙂
tbone says:
Looking forward to the new stuff. As per the costumes – Please stop making the cut of the leotards look like grannie underpants!
ngcrisis says:
eyeroll
33sp says:
which leotards look like grannie underpants?
ceej says:
Shoutout to Joe and all the people behind the scenes that make this possible!
Mjkjets says:
Same from me. Behind the scenes crew don’t get enough recognition.
Joe says:
Thanks to everyone for wishing me well, and a big thanks to all the fans who’ve supported this production over the years, it’s been a lot of fun!
Long story short I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse, I’m not getting any younger, and things just seemed to fall nicely into place.
I know some of the people Andrew has lined up to do some of the fight and editing stuff and they’re very talented people, so I’m excited to see what they bring!
If you have any questions about the last fifteen or so years, now would be the time!
33sp says:
Now I’m curious! Which episodes are ones without Joe? I did notice differences in some but they’re nothing negative
ngcrisis says:
There aren’t many and I don’t think they’d be all that obvious to spot the difference because when he wasn’t there we did the kinds of things he’d probably do.
Robert says:
Would you ever bring back Sonica’s catsuit costume for photosets series?I realize the original has been altered but maybe repurchase the catsuit itself?
ngcrisis says:
I would, but the company that made those suits seemingly went bust, which is a real shame as I liked the material a lot. Of course it’s possible to buy another blue catsuit, but it wouldn’t look exactly the same.
Maf says:
I would second the idea of buying a new catsuit and get that costume together again, even if it´s a risk with the original company that made it having gone bust. It´s a shame since as you say the material looked fantastic and seemed to hold up well for videos, but the original Sonica costume is one of those that would likely make me insta buy a video like the old Deceptress catsuit did recently.
Ryan says:
I’d love to see the Nina hellfire costume come back. I can’t imagine that even exists anymore but if it does it would be fun to see that make a return
ngcrisis says:
I think it does exist… somewhere in the vault. I have definitely seen it with my own eyes in the place I currently live. I’m not averse to using it again, certainly for photos. The only issue being that she was small, maybe only 5’2, so I don’t think it would fit many others.
Dr G says:
Thanks to Joe for helping NGC reach new heights. Any chance of bringing back the Miracle Maiden type character in AC ? Thanks and keep up the great work !
ngcrisis says:
Maybe if I can find someone I like the idea of doing it.
Jantor says:
Will the actress that plays Power Woman be getting one of those new costumes? Fingers crossed she’s still around and working with you because she is great!
ngcrisis says:
Yes she’s still around, I’ve not really thought about upgrading AC costumes yet. Not that I wouldn’t do it, but it is a lower priority currently.
Jantor says:
Oh, I meant would she be entering NGC as a heroine?
ngcrisis says:
No plans for that as she has the Iron Mistress role.
rayman says:
Adding my thanks to you and all your cast and crew for the wonderful material that has come so far since that very first and rather cool Powerstar video. Personally I would love to see the Steel Sister costume back in action. Keep up the great work and here’s looking forward to seeing all the new and old talent in action!
ngcrisis says:
Interesting. That costume was a huge disappointment to me and not what I designed. I didn’t get to see it until the shoot itself and was very unhappy with it, so I wouldn’t hold your breath! Might a vastly superior version of it ever be made? Maybe. Again, not a high priority right now.
rayman says:
At least you didn’t give an all our “no” and I myself would enjoy an improved version. I have been here forever so a little longer won’t hurt lol! A nice new shiny Powerstar costume would be cool if that is more to your liking.
ngcrisis says:
That one is actually in quite good condition as it didn’t get masses of use. It needs a small alteration to make it one we could film with again.
rayman says:
That sounds very promising, thank you for considering I will cross my fingers.
Bleh says:
If it helps, I second Rayman’s suggestion about the Steel Sister costume.
It’s actually one of my favourites from the whole run of NGC.
…also, a hearty thank you to Joe for all of his hard work. Wishing him much luck in his future endeavours.
Dr Mabuse says:
Say it ain’t so Joe! Man, he’s been around since back when videos had credits. Hope he’s moving on to something else great and all is well going forward.
Otherwise, I’m always psyched to see new performers and looking forward to some new villains. One villain “from the past returning” is an almost unbearable tease. The note about costumes is excellent news as well. Recent costumes have been exceptionally good in several dimensions, so more of them is great. Could we see variations on existing costumes, maybe different sizes or slight alterations? More Action Cosplay characters with lesser known inspirations like Astral Amazon and Nova? Could a performer ever play more than one character outside of the NGC/AC divide?
As for suggested costumes to refurb, I was a big fan of Catherine Marks’ costume and Georgina Shred. GS was terrific herself, but the costume was nice also. I’ll second Nina Hellfire as well.
ngcrisis says:
He’s moving out of ‘the industry’ for which he was always far more qualified than I am, but he’s happy about it and I’m sure he’ll do well. I’m not sure I’d redo a costume just to change the size. Generally there’s a fair bit of stretch in most of them. Some of the smaller costumes won’t fit the taller girls and vice versa, but there’s a lot of overlap. I’m always looking for good costumes we can use for AC. Unfortunately it seems difficult to find ‘quite expensive’ costumes for DC/Marvel characters that I can buy with confidence. Mostly they are too cheap and can only stand a few wears. Or come from places where sizes are entirely pot luck. I think with New Dimensions I’ve opened up using actresses in multiple costumes. I don’t think otherwise I’d have them play multiple characters in the same universe. I’m pretty sure the Catherine Marks costume was bought or pieced together, I don’t think my costume maker at the time made anything, similarly with Georgina. That costume isn’t very practical in fight scenes, let’s put it that way. There were a lot of takes.
Dr Mabuse says:
Maybe I’m wrong, but I assumed that some of the more “recent” Action Cosplay costumes like Nova, Astral Amazon, and Miracle Chick had to be custom made, they look so good. It’d be interesting to see AC costumes inspired by heroines who aren’t household names like Valkyrie, Hellcat, Elektra, Dagger, or Mantis (maybe something between her comics outfit and GotG).
I was very fond of Catherine Marks, both the costume (for reasons) and the idea of the character herself. As for Georgina Shred, I think the best thing about her costume was that she was in it, she looked great, although I can see how it would be impractical.
ngcrisis says:
Miracle Chick was, the other two we bought, I’d seen a cosplayer I was following using the Astral Amazon costume and asked her if she’d made it, because she makes most of the things she poses in, but she hadn’t and told me where she’d got it which was handy. Nova was also shop bought but a pretty good one. There is a tier of deluxe costumes that I think we’re generally missing. I think if we get into obscure characters we might get obscure sales, that’s perhaps put me off going far outside mainstream. Of course I take that risk all the time with my own characters.
Dr Mabuse says:
Well, the quality of that Mary Marvel costume fooled me. Nova I’m less surprised, but still a little bit. Using inspirations beyond the mainstream does betray the intent of Action Cosplay, I guess, based on the name if it’s supposed to be action in costumes one might see on cosplayers.
Once you get obscure enough, it could make as much or more sense to put the inspired character on the main site. For instance, a character based loosely on Dagger, who nobody knows anyway, might as well be an original character. A character vaguely similar to the comic Valkyrie rather than the MCU version could also be its own thing.
Nico. says:
Will in future some old video or photosete will release that has been only send for members by mail?
ngcrisis says:
Not entirely sure what you mean. Old photo sets are in rotation on Photo Set Tuesday’s, admittedly very slowly, this process may change, but I’ve not worked anything out. I need to be as clear as I can that if people miss a set then it is a LONG way off re-release, many years as it stands. I just can’t say when something that for example comes out this week would reappear. If anything happens to me it simply won’t. I have sympathy with people who joined after something was available, but there’s so many benefits to membership that I think broadly they’re okay.
Maf says:
First of all good luck to joe in any future endeavor he decides to take. As someone else said above he´s been there since the days when the videos still had credits so I imagine loosing a team member with so many shots behind him can sting.
Regarding the costumes I love to hear you are refurbishing old classics. Athena is an all time favorite. That said, I think worn out costumes have a place in certain type of videos. A heroine on the run who has barely escaped or won the last battle but she is now cornered and forced to make a last stand. There are some videos of Japanese producers where costume damage carries over to the next fight in a movie (those are usually above 80 mins) and I feel worn out or damaged costumes really sell the idea of peril or a desperate last stand the heroine is making more out of a fighting spirit rather than thinking they can win.
Of course since your videos are shorter you would just film the last stand with the worn out costume. But I feel it could be a good idea to make as a last hurrah before a refurbish. Or if you ever make a multi video series like Bluebird 2020 or Play Dead it could be great to start out with the worn out costume and when everything seems over make the heroine “unlock” a new power or state that comes with a new costume and dispatch her foes. That could be an epic way to introduce a new costume as well.
Maf says:
In fact if I remember correctly the Bluebird 2020 series saw the debut of the last Bluebird costume, the bright blue one with long sleeves. Don´t know if multi-video series like that are possible or worth to do nowadays but the scope of that series was unmatched at the time and I greatly enjoyed it.
Slade says:
I love all the multi-episode series, some of the best SH videos ever!
Slade says:
All I can say is that I love what you are doing and I’m happy you’re continuing forwards strongly!
I have no issues with the frequency of characters showing up, it ebbs and flows. There really aren’t any heroines that I see in a video and think “I am not interested in this because of the actress.” The roster is excellent!
If I could make one addition to the roster I’d add a new gleefully sadistic villain like Malicia Divine. Somebody who can deliver an evil smile on that level! I don’t think any of the current villains enjoy themselves quite as much as Malicia did.
I would love to see the “Season 4” page of the website get split up- it can be challenging to navigate with so many videos on one page, and it keeps getting even longer.
Tim Caine says:
I’m just hoping to see more Nova in hopeless struggles against evil, powerful villains. In this customer’s opinion Nova is tops when it comes to selling sexy beatdowns. Perhaps The Dominator could find some time in her busy day to deliver a truly one-sided extended defeat?
Other than that, I honestly think you all are really hitting your stride. I’ve been a fan and a customer since Season 1, Episode 2. Recently, there have been so many great videos released, and as others have mentioned, the current cast is truly excellent
I have no problem what so ever with multiple videos in a row with the same heroine.
My 2 suggestions:
1 – I know a lot of folks love debooting. And while debooting isn’t a deal breaker for me. I prefer if you leave the heroine’s boots on.
2 – Imagine the villain has the heroine on the floor, defeated and in pain. The villain could lift her by her costume—whether by the front, back, waistband, or any part—pulling her up for more punishment. Every time the villain lifts the half-conscious heroine off the ground by her costume, it adds to the intensity and is, in my opinion, incredibly sexy.
As always, can’t wait to see what you all do next.
ngcrisis says:
Thanks for being with us for so long, I appreciate it. On your points, I think we deboot maybe 1 in 8 or 10, sometimes it happens twice in quite short order. I’ve no plans to do it any more or less than I currently am. Yes, this is something we could do as long as the costume can take it, maybe we’ll do it more!
Bleh says:
On lifting by costume: I’ve noticed, in other productions, there seems to be costumes that have a “handle” built into them, and that’s what the villain is actually grabbing to lift the actress. It’s like a band that goes around the costume, on the inside, and that takes stress off the costume itself.
Eric says:
Celestia 5’9″ ???
180cm ? Yes she is tall. I think the catsuit fit perfectly to her but it will be interesting to see other actress with this costume.
A question. In one episode Virtue’s costume destroy and dirt by Flirt . Also Angel fall we see destroy clothes. It possible to see other scene who clothes heroines destruction?
ngcrisis says:
Lol, I don’t think he was called Flirt, that’s made me chuckle.
Well we could do it to Virtue as the original costume was pretty worn out and we were making a replacement. What happened to Angel was a tights rip, not the actual costume, we’ve done that several times, used a bit of movie dust and dirt. Generally I wouldn’t wreck a functional costume, but we’ll still have some aspects.
kained says:
Would using AI generated content be a possibility? I’ve been experimenting with various image and video generators with interesting results. For example you can use a pre-existing photo, and instruct the AI generator “have a monster lick her face”, or something to that effect, and you can get images or short 5 second videos of quite passable results – might be useful as a cutaway in a longer piece, or as part of a photoshoot.
ngcrisis says:
I’ve looked at it, currently I don’t think it is where I’d need it to be. I’ve seen stuff like you are describing and find it is still very uncanny valley. There’s also the issue of using a real actresses image and having something happen to her that actually didn’t. Not to say that couldn’t be worked out, but it adds another layer of things to sort out. On the photos side I’ve played around with adding slight movement to photos and I actually quite like those results and may share some at some point.
As for AI generally, when it first came out I wondered where it would all lead. Now I’m a lot more confident that it is a tool we can use rather than a replacement. However good it ends up looking, there will always be a place for real people doing real things, I firmly believe that. However, it could help a lot with establishing shots and the like, maybe effects.
kained says:
That’s a good answer. I also think the technology has a ways to go, but it’s progressing quickly. It’s a tool and not a replacement, like you said.
Toby Flenderson says:
I’d love to see the Red Glory costume return!
ngcrisis says:
I’m sure we will get around to it.