This is my first blog entry in just over a year. Coming back to something like this after such a protracted absence is daunting. It's not as if I've really been away either as those of your who regularly interact with me via Twitter or Facebook will know that I've actually been a pretty busy boy. To be blunt, the last entries in this blog a year ago, revolved around taking chunks out of an idiot called Dan Stokes (known online as 'Anakin Starkiller') and that whole distasteful business left an exceedingly acrid taste in the mouth. Despite my rather obvious talent for it, I'd rather not berate, belittle or bully anyone unless I find their behaviour either exceedingly stupid or just plain and misguidedly wrong. In both instances, Stokes just excelled and instead of just accepting it, decided to argue. Again, a monumentally stupid move given I held all the cards. So, instead of expending my ever pressed resources on arguing with Stokes and fucksticks of that genus, I decided to concentrate on doing what I do best, knowing that my work willl speak louder than any wanker of a detractor.
To that end, the blog took a haitus, my career has, to put it mildly, come on in leaps and bounds and I've finally reached the finish line in regards my rather definitive 11th Doctor sonic screwdriver. It is this particular replica, or rather the events that have arisen from it that is the subject of my ire today.
It is generally accepted that certain things within this universe that we inhabit are constant, fundamental and pretty much undeniable. The axioms upon which our reality is founded span the disciplines of mathematics, physics, geometry and philosophy, to name but a few. The way in which any online discussion of sonic screwdrivers invariably descends, double quick time, into an unmitigated clusterfuck being yet another, less anodyne truth. But now we can add another: stupidity. Not just any old stupidity, mind. It is a stupidity so deep, so magnificently ill conceived and so logic defying, it can only originate from that primeval pit of eternal stupidity that we only know as Daniel 'Risu' Pawlik.
Yes, him. Our old chum, purveyor of crap 'replicas', humourless blowhard, professional runt and Doctor Who wannabe in a cheap knockoff suit. A knobgobbler with all the skill of a blind dyspraxic rent boy with Parkinson's. Not content with the virtual beatings I have dealt upon him over the years, he has carved out quite a niche for himself as a laughing stock, a byword for comical ineptitude that has sent even the most forgiving and patient collectors running for the hills, screaming for mercy.
And I have shown mercy. Despite his numerous cheap pot shots over the years, which I have ignored, I have refrained from pressing the button and permanently squash this irritating little fuck, until now.
Let me give you a little background. Earlier this year my team and I finally completed our prototype for my replica of the 11th Doctor sonics. These beauties here:
A little background behind these: these were based directly on the 4 screen used props that I had access to and differ significantly from the replicas that Nick Robatto made for QMX. In short, these are about as accurate as you're ever going to get and even more so than those made by Robatto. In addition to accuracy, one of the major issues that has taken me over 2 years to rectify and solve is the issue of fragility. The filming props were flawed in that they often broke from the flicking action that is needed to open it. Despite numerous vehement denials from various parties, this has been confirmed from multiple unconnected sources who have seen first hand, at conventions, the rather horrible habit of the upper cage detaching and flying across the room when flicked. Mainly because I am an extremely clever bastard, I have redesigned my sonic replica internally to allow you to do this:
So where does Risu come into all of this? It is well known I am an extremely choosy seller. The almighty dollar has never been my primary motivation rather the pursuit of the perfect replica has driven my little enterprise. Having a little fun a long the way and shining a light into the dark ignorant corners of fandom has proven to be a welcome side effect as well as some of the wonderful, loyal and charming friends I have made along the way. That is as it should be. However, the flipside is that I have also made a lot of enemies and as a rule I don't sell to enemies, dickheads and thieving cunts. Which leads me quite nicely to Risu.
About a week or so ago, I received an email from a good friend and customer of mine asking me if I had heard about Risu and Bob Mitsch's run of metal 11th Doctor sonics, copied directly from the Robatto QMX.
It is a pretty major rule, some say fundamental, in the world of prop replication that you do not recast or copy another maker's replica. Even if that replica is by the original maker and is a replica of his own work, unless you have his blessing. Let me give you an example from the world of Highlander: Sal D'Aquila produced the Season 1 katana. He later sold a subtly modified replica of it as the 'Musashi' katana. It is pretty obvious that buying one then recasting it and selling it is a no-no. However, a grey area exists if you somehow got hold of the original screen used prop and started selling replicas based on that. Ok, Sal may not be happy about it, but tough shit, it's up to Davis Panzer to deal with but within the world of prop replication, it's fair dibs.
A week ago, Risu posted the following on the Gallifrey Base forum: (click to enlarge)
Mitsch dropped a hint that there was a run in the offing (knowing full well he was one of the instigators). Risu couldn't help himself and replied on the same thread with "it's actually closer to $700 range, but yea (sic), it's in the works. And it'll be the best ever"
Conveniently overlooking the rather juvenile and nauseating hyperbole (seriously "it'll be the best ever"????? When this incompetent fucker has neither a track record in producing anything that is 'best ever' except for steaming turds, nor has a prototype to show or even any reasons for why it will be the 'best ever') this doesn't really appear to be very incriminating.
So let's see the smoking gun. Feast your eyes on these private messages that one of my customers sent me:
Makes for some pretty grim and damning reading doesn't it? This fucking idiot is not only singing like a canary to some random internet agent provocateur, he's also landed his buddy Mitsch in the doo doo and admitted that what we've known all along, he's been sucking up to Robatto in order to extract enough info to copy his replica. Hmmmmm, classy. I hope Nick tells that cunt where to go. Who fans can be a bunch of cunts at the best of times but when you combine cuntishness with an unimaginative lack of resourcefulness, you end up with cheap fucks like Risu.
Not only cheap, but a recasting scumbag to boot. I can certainly sympathise with him to an extent. When you have a maker whom you despise but is the only maker of a replica you badly, badly want though refuses to sell to you, it puts you in a rather interesting quandary. You either bite the bullet and try and obtain one through illicit means (of which more later) or you try and compete. Being the utter halfwit that he is, Risu decides to do the latter, deludedly declaring to the world that "it'll be the best ever". In your frigging dreams Twinkletoes! In order to produce 'the best ever' you need several things:
- Skill - Risu is about as cackhanded as they get. He can't even cast, in effect, a resin brick. Let me explain: a while back on The RPF, this utter donut managed to get hold of a screen used bar of silver from Looper. He decides to cast them in resin and sell them in the Junkyard. He has absolutely no idea about how to mould or cast them in silver which effectively leads to more experienced guys puppywalking him through the process and spoonfeeding him info on the correct resins and pigments. He then has a brainwave and decides to fill the casting with lead fishing shot, conveniently overlooking the strong possibility of shrinkage and cracked castings. What a fucking tool. To cut a long story short, it takes him nigh on six months to produce a handfull of resin bricks of a quality from 'fair' to 'middling'. Kevinericon then bails him out by producing a much better metal version in a shorter space of time. The point? Would you trust your money to a retard who is teaching himself as he goes along?
- A keen eye - I have been pointing out Risu's [lack of] ocular acuity since the year 'dot'. I would rather trust Stevie Wonder to make observations about props that Risu. Either his eyes are shonky, or brain is. Personally I think it's a combination of both. Recently he proudly declared "Honestly, and I say this having looked at both in hand, the quality of machining on the wand sonic is better. Especially the teeth. They actually fit together. Nobody's done that as well in the past.". Until someone pointed this out:
Which is puzzling since a) he owns one of my UE's and b) even The Wand Company admitted their teeth are incorrect.
Given the above, it is laughable that this turd refers to my 11th sonic as 'garbage' and 'crap for a number of reasons'. Now what reasons would they be Mr Risu, I wonder? Given that this blind piece of shit wouldn't know garbage even if it shat on his head from 50 storeys up, any idiot can see that my prototypes are about as accurate as it's possible to get. The picture of the four above even fooled a great many people who thought they were pics of the props in their case. I have proven to a number of trusted confidantes that my replica has been referenced from the screen used props. And Risu? All he has are a few pics of the 'ugly duckling' screen used prop from the exhibition and a QMX Robatto replica which is wrong in several areas.
What makes this idiot think that he can re-engineer the sonic to make it more durable (a notion that I have been pushing since I began this project two years ago) with sound in three months when an industry pro like me, with a team of the finest propmakers working in the business, has taken the best part of two years to do? Personally, I'd just let him get on with it and laugh when he falls over and lands in the shit.
Forgetting Risu's limitations as a propmaker, his limitations as a human being are even more striking. This is a man whose innate shadiness is matched by his complete lack of intellect, envy and bitterness. A recent example of this was when he asked Ray Remillard, an owner of a Belstaff Milford 'Sherlock' coat, to borrow a button from the coat:
His purpose? To dump a load of silicone on it and sell recasts. Shameless. At least I had the class to buy a coat and 3d scan the buttons before using a cnc to machine them out of horn. What a twat. This fucker knows what he's doing is wrong. Why else say "This run was never meant to be brought up on the forums"? He's not assembling these things 'free of charge'. I know how much these things cost to make as I make them and this little shitbag cuntflapper does nothing for free. He's probably making enough to both fund his own one or pay the guy who is lending them the QMX sonic. I love how he tries to rationalise what he's doing by saying that he's not interfering with an existing licence as QMX are no longer selling them and that it's only a small personal run between friends. Well, if that's the case, why doesn't he just ask QMX if it's ok first? Why the need to keep it on the down low? Just because QMX aren't actively producing goods under the licence, doesn't mean they have lost the right to. They still have the right to do it and he's infringing upon it, let's make no mistake. And as for a small run between friends, that's too funny. He was ready to sell to anybody that shows an interest. I'm no angel but I'm honest in my outlook, I make no bones about what I'm doing isn't strictly by the book but I have the benefit of Chinese government protection so I have no need to fudge my corporate message. Risu? He's a crooked lying little fuck with a mini penis and a deluded sense of self worth that is utterly at odds with his rather underwhelming physical appearance.
Let me show you some correspondence that one of my customers forwarded to me recently between himself and Risu:
"RISU
Hey man, I just wanted to try to explain the situation a little better, but I can't do it in the public forum. The member that is being referred to is (ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF THAT UNLICENSED SELLER IS PERMITTED ON THIS FORUM, EVER). He currently makes the only sonic available, and that's not good for anybody. He's rude, hateful, and at times threatens violence against anybody who disagrees with him, or happens to get caught in the crossfire. For example, he targeted me years ago for calling him out on his rude language toward other board members, and over a full year after everything had calmed back down, he was still reading my posts and commentating on them on his blog. He would call me out on anything he could, and after one of his many lackeys started a whole new bunch of drama with me, he posted a request on his twitter for somebody to find me at a con and break my legs. The reason nobody is allowed to mention him or his products on either forum is because he and his far too loyal customers will find any mention of him and find a way to incite a riot. After the tenth time, they finally made the new rules.
It feels to me like pressing the issue is just an attempt to put a stop to the group run, and that's probably what's about to happen. Even if that wasn't your intent, the argument you've started and what you've said so far might very well put an end to all group runs on this forum. You may not have realized it was headed in that direction, but I don't see how pressing the issue could do anybody any good.
It feels to me like pressing the issue is just an attempt to put a stop to the group run, and that's probably what's about to happen. Even if that wasn't your intent, the argument you've started and what you've said so far might very well put an end to all group runs on this forum. You may not have realized it was headed in that direction, but I don't see how pressing the issue could do anybody any good.
ME
Thanks for that. What I have not had an answer to is, did this person actually say anything on this site to anyone? As I can't see any ref to that. Perhaps you can help answer that?
I could be wrong, but from what I have read this person has said things on his own blog, but not broken any rules HERE. If not, how can he be issued with a banning order for NOT breaking rules here on GB.
I don't know why he attacked you or anyone else, & sorry to hear that, but why did he pick on you? Please don't take this the wrong way, but why pick on you out of 100's of us out there? Did you & others say something to start it. Only asking because you know what they say. No smoke without fire etc. Like I say no offence, just asking.
Another question I have & I know you can't really answer, as you haven't set the rules... but OK the member is banned but why can't he or his props be talked about? The trouble is from what I have found out, his props seem to be the best out there. Better than any official licence replicas & most seem to have them. This means that costumed photos at cons with his replicas in hand can't be taken & uploaded as well as photos of collections as that would lead to a banning of any members that publish! Crazy situation don't you think.
As for banning group runs, well they ARE bootlegs too & we have to be honest about it. If GB has banned a member for illegally producing replicas (if that is THE real reason) then yes they have to do the same with group runs. It would be hypocritical of them not to. The rules have to be the same for all of us & only GB can change that.
I could be wrong, but from what I have read this person has said things on his own blog, but not broken any rules HERE. If not, how can he be issued with a banning order for NOT breaking rules here on GB.
I don't know why he attacked you or anyone else, & sorry to hear that, but why did he pick on you? Please don't take this the wrong way, but why pick on you out of 100's of us out there? Did you & others say something to start it. Only asking because you know what they say. No smoke without fire etc. Like I say no offence, just asking.
Another question I have & I know you can't really answer, as you haven't set the rules... but OK the member is banned but why can't he or his props be talked about? The trouble is from what I have found out, his props seem to be the best out there. Better than any official licence replicas & most seem to have them. This means that costumed photos at cons with his replicas in hand can't be taken & uploaded as well as photos of collections as that would lead to a banning of any members that publish! Crazy situation don't you think.
As for banning group runs, well they ARE bootlegs too & we have to be honest about it. If GB has banned a member for illegally producing replicas (if that is THE real reason) then yes they have to do the same with group runs. It would be hypocritical of them not to. The rules have to be the same for all of us & only GB can change that.
RISU
He was only banned for the conduct. The forums have to be delicate about things thing group runs and unlicensed replicas. It's kind of an unspoken thing with license holders. Members are allowed to produce small runs of items without being issued a cease and desist. With CT, he mass produces them in China. But he wasn't banned for that, it was just a tenuous issue that made the mods nervous. As for taking pictures of his sonics, people are free to do so as long as the sonic isn't the focus/they don't go talking about how it's a CT sonic.
I can't remember exactly what went down on GB because I was mostly just an RPF member back then, but I think he was briefly a member here as well. He was banned from both forums, but here's exactly how it happened on the RPF. He signed up, started posting about his in development sonics. A couple people very politely suggested some alterations to improve on accuracy and he flipped out. He started calling people c***s, etc. (this is where he latched onto me, because I posted to tell him he was out of line. He attacked a few others as well, but eventually let them off the hook because they publicly apologized to him, which I still refuse to do) Anyway, he was quickly suspended from the RPF for his language, and that's when he started posting to his blog. He posted rants about the RPF and it's specific members, pulling our real names and pictures of us from our Facebook pages, posting libel about a few of us that was searchable on google if you typed in our names. In some cases they became the top results for our names. The moderator of the RPF found out about the blog, read the posts, and immediately permanently banned him. It wasn't until much later that the no mention of him rule came about, which as I said was because any mention of his name or products was riling up his supporters and causing them to start flame wars. To keep the forum running smoothly they had no choice but to set up the rule, and things have run pretty smoothly ever since. I think Shaun over here followed suit with that rule because he didn't want the same thing happening over here."
I can't remember exactly what went down on GB because I was mostly just an RPF member back then, but I think he was briefly a member here as well. He was banned from both forums, but here's exactly how it happened on the RPF. He signed up, started posting about his in development sonics. A couple people very politely suggested some alterations to improve on accuracy and he flipped out. He started calling people c***s, etc. (this is where he latched onto me, because I posted to tell him he was out of line. He attacked a few others as well, but eventually let them off the hook because they publicly apologized to him, which I still refuse to do) Anyway, he was quickly suspended from the RPF for his language, and that's when he started posting to his blog. He posted rants about the RPF and it's specific members, pulling our real names and pictures of us from our Facebook pages, posting libel about a few of us that was searchable on google if you typed in our names. In some cases they became the top results for our names. The moderator of the RPF found out about the blog, read the posts, and immediately permanently banned him. It wasn't until much later that the no mention of him rule came about, which as I said was because any mention of his name or products was riling up his supporters and causing them to start flame wars. To keep the forum running smoothly they had no choice but to set up the rule, and things have run pretty smoothly ever since. I think Shaun over here followed suit with that rule because he didn't want the same thing happening over here."
Stirring words, aren't they? Pity that they have no basis in reality. To put the record entirely straight, I was banned not for using 'bad language' but because I refused to take the petty envy and the snideness that was directed at me because, a) I was new to the forums and b) I stood up to the childish bullying that Risu was part of. Risu never apologised and continued to make snide remarks about my products, claiming inaccuracies etc when that fucker wouldn't know the first thing about accuracy. All my claims have been PROVEN. Time and time again. My initial detractors were neither polite nor informed. They simply were not qualified to criticise on accuracy because they had never been as up close to the prop as me. That's simply the way it is. Was I rude? Sure. But I had earnt the right to be especially to deadheads who thought they were fucking experts and Risu was one of the worse. He still knows fuck all.
My UE sonic came onto the market 2 years ago based on the Tennant B prop. It is only now that things have come out to confirm just how accurate it is. My 11th prop replica is no exception. What makes Risu's claim even more absurd and surreal is that recently he has shown that he owns not one, but two of my supposedly shit replicas. A fob watch and one of my UE sonics! That he was waving it around like a halfwit at a recent convention not realising that one of my customers "Captain K" was right next to him. So....let's get this right. This is a toolbag who supposedly thinks that my products are shit, yet owns two of them and was inspired to copy my ideas and price point by producing his own competing product? Yes Risu, we believe you have no hidden agenda.
In spite of everything above, I do believe that what we've got here is a failure to communicate. Risu simply does not understand that you cannot take me on and expect to get away lightly. His stubborness is commendable but ultimately he has caused his own destruction. His first encounters with me have dented his credibility yet he didn't have the intelligence to quit, apologise and move on like some of his friends. Subsequent encounters have made him a laughing stock and still he thinks he can go head to head with me and expect to come out on top. So, as much as it pains me, this time Risu is finished. I just hope this has made him realise a few home truths and if he comes out of this broken, so be it. He'll rebuild, stronger and hopefully less of the turd he's spent his life so far being. Somehow, I doubt it will happen though.
Addendum: Inspired by Risu, I have decided, forthwith, to adopt his observations as my corporate advertising slogan. What better endorsement for a product than to have it slated by a simpleton with dead eyes? Don Draper, take note.
