Review by Dan, Photos by Jeremy After a slight delay, Sideshow has finally released their first Dinosauria statue of 2011. They have elected to market the statue under the name “Tupuxuara – Pterodactyl,” likely to foster recognition among mainstream demographics. Fortunately, the Tupuxuara is indeed a pterodactyloid, a term that would furrow fewer brows than a separate suborder such as...
For many western paleo-enthusiasts, the world of Japanese miniatures is chock-full of wonders both common and rare. The fact that Japan produces so many outstanding prehistoric replicas is made even more jarring by their tendency to be packaged with manufactured candy, a marketing move that would make both products seem casual or cheapened to an American consumer of disposable goods....
Nope, that’s not a spelling error or practical joke. There really is a dinosaur named “Irritator”. The Irritator was named as such because, as it passed through the unscrupulous hands of commercial fossil markets, many modifications were made to the original fossil in order to make it appear more desirable. Separating the real from the fake was a real pain...
Among prehistoric collectible enthusiasts, the company currently known as CollectA has a considerable reputation to cope with. Their figures, although competitively priced, have ranged anywhere from decent to embarrassing over the past few years. Fortunately, their lineup for 2011 kicks off with a batch of fresh faces that have clearly been more carefully constructed than their predecessors. So far, my...
It has been said that if one simply dropped into the middle of late Cretaceous North America, the massive herds of hadrosaurs are likely one of the first sights to see. Despite their prevalence, the so-called “duckbill” dinosaurs are extremely underrepresented in the dinosaur toy market. The most common reconstructions are focused on the ornately decorated headgear of lambeosaurines –...
“Saichania” is Mongolian for “beautiful one.” Admittedly, this is not the sort of title one expects to find among ankylosaurs. After all, they don’t quite have the sleek and decorative appearance of other thyreophorans like Kentrosaurus, nor the poise and majesty of the classic Stegosaurus. And yet, armored dinosaurs possess a vast array of impressive adornments, more than just functional...
Despite a superficially similar product line, Dinostoreus of the United States manages to distinguish itself from its former sister company, Favorite of Japan, with a few exclusive pieces. This diorama is one such piece. Constructed in fragile polyresin and just shy of five inches at its highest peak, this scene offers a glimpse of every dino-nut’s fantasy. A pair of...
Photos and Review by Boki What I have here is the resin version of the Horizon Elasmosaurus model kit. The resin versions were produced to be used by vendors as display samples of the vinyl kit and not mass produced. Its limited production and sales should make it one of the rarer and highly sought Horizon models around. This model...
Review by Dan, Photos by Boki Ask someone to name a sauropod, and “Apatosaurus” will often be the first species to come to mind. Consequently, this prototypical animal will often be the answer if you ask “What was the first sauropod ever discovered?” In fact, that title belongs to a relatively obscure creature known as Cetiosaurus. Any fan of Cetacea...
Photos by Jeremy, Review by Dan of Dan’s Dinosaurs One of my favorite things about my job is that it affords me a unique opportunity to interact with paleontologists and paleoartists from around the world. During a brief chat with the esteemed artist Tony McVey, he casually mentioned that he was working on a Spinosaurus for Sideshow’s Dinosauria line. Naturally,...
Favorite (formerly Kinto) of Japan is known for their many “museum quality” pieces, which consist of both flesh-on reconstructions and skeletal models. Probably their most impressive line includes the finished models sculpted by Michael Trcic, the esteemed artist responsible for the Jurassic Park Tyrannosaurus. While these mass produced statues might be a far cry from Trcic’s original sculptures, the incredible...
Review by Dan L, Photos by Jeremy K. Despite the public’s insatiable love of maniraptorans, it took over a year before Sideshow added one to their Dinosauria line of statues. This introduction is not without a few twists, however – and not all of them will be well-received by the foaming, rabid consumer base. This diorama focuses on the classic...
