Controversial opinions on dinosaur toys

[Lynx]

Has Safari LTDs other sculptor done any figures as of late?

[Thialfi]

Has Safari LTDs other sculptor done any figures as of late?

Yes, a couple of the 2022 releases at least. I can't fully remember which ones, it was discussed in the Safari 2022 thread a while ago.

[Flaffy]

Has Safari LTDs other sculptor done any figures as of late?

There's all the new Dino Dana figures this year that aren't sculpted by Doug.

Stygimoloch, Nanotyrannus, Zuul.

Not sure if it's the same sculptor who did the other recent non-Watsonian offerings though.

[Concavenator]

There's also the 2021 Spinosaurus, that's another non-Watson piece.

I wonder if that sculptor is the same person who did those Dino Dana figures as well as other figures like the Anzu, Microraptor, Malawisaurus...

[Halichoeres]

I think there could be some legitimate issues to keep a sculptor anonymous if the individual artist so desires, especially if some aspect of them was public knowledge, which would draw undue attention and harassment (aka not a cis het white male, might have a disability, etc), especially with the hostile geopolitical climate online these days. Even among dinosaur toy collectors there are some unsavory types out there that would stoop to something as low as that. I don't specifically mean Rebor either. Just in general.

That's a good point. I recently commissioned a sculpture from an artist, and because they shipped it to me directly I know their legal name. But just in case, I asked how they'd like to be credited, and they asked me to use their DeviantArt username instead. There could be a few reasons for that, maybe as simple as branding, and I didn't think it was my place to pry into their rationale. But given the abuse that paleoartists sometimes endure online, safety could be a concern too. The upshot is I'll be presenting it in my collection thread with just their username and a link to their DeviantArt page.

I learned this lesson when I bought a small-run item and used the name on the parcel, and later learned that the artist was trans and the name I was using was their deadname. I changed it when I figured it out, of course, but it would have been better all around if I'd asked.

[Bread]

Controversial take, the brown Papo Running Tyrannosaurus rex was the most overrated and overpriced dinosaur toy to have ever existed.

Not only did I find the green variant vastly superior, but the fact that the model is based on the Peter Jackson Kong V. rex, made me dislike the brown variant even more.

Plus to add to this issue, Papo went around and reproduced the brown variant even though at first it was deemed to be a limited run. Ruining its limited and exclusive production.

Sorry for a slight change in this discussion of artists for each company. I've been holding this rant on the brown papo running tyrannosaurus for a while now.

[suspsy]

I think it's high time for Papo to retire both their original and running T. rexes, which are now 17 and 10 years old respectively. If they seriously wish to remain relevant as a company, then producing a brand new T. rex, one based on real science as opposed to Jurassic Park, would be a savvy move.

[Lynx]

I think it's high time for Papo to retire both their original and running T. rexes, which are now 17 and 10 years old respectively. If they seriously wish to remain relevant as a company, then producing a brand new T. rex, one based on real science as opposed to Jurassic Park, would be a savvy move.

As much as I find Papos tyrannosauruses a classic, they would benefit from retirement. The green running tyrannosaurus is already having drops in quality.

I'm just concerned as to if the new tyrannosaurus will have the same quality of sculpt as the Protoceratops

[suspsy]

I think it's high time for Papo to retire both their original and running T. rexes, which are now 17 and 10 years old respectively. If they seriously wish to remain relevant as a company, then producing a brand new T. rex, one based on real science as opposed to Jurassic Park, would be a savvy move.

As much as I find Papos tyrannosauruses a classic, they would benefit from retirement. The green running tyrannosaurus is already having drops in quality.

I'm just concerned as to if the new tyrannosaurus will have the same quality of sculpt as the Protoceratops

Yes, that's a whole other kettle of fish, isn't it? The Papo Protoceratops is easily one of the ugliest ceratopsian toys ever made. It would be absolutely dreadful if Papo decided to make a new T. rex only for it to have a similarly derpy appearance. OTOH, the upcoming Kronosaurus looks pretty decent, so there's hope.

[DinoToyForum]

I see your point @dinotoyforum but I don't think it's a good parallel. Some of the unity of the Marvel universe comes from scattering the characters across the various segments, even if only in a cameo role. More unity comes from the interconnectedness of the stories. There is a sense of a shared universe that arises from the various stories. And there lies part of the difference. Our models stand alone. They do not have the link that comes from intricate interlocking stories that give substance and recognizability to the Marvel brand.

Probably more to it than merely budgets. Having an identifiable brand is a cornerstone of business theory. Most companies might be reluctant to choose to ditch that tenet.

Indeed, but I can think of some counterexamples. the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an 'identifiable brand' that thrives on diversity of styles and tones. Would it be the global success it is now if all MCU movies since 2008 were written and directed by the same person?

That's fair.

[Halichoeres]

I will say that generally I like to know who did the creative work behind my figures, and whom to give credit to. Kaiyodo and Favorite are pretty good about crediting their sculptors, but a lot of companies keep that information pretty close. I'm guessing that in most cases that isn't at the artists' special request.

[ceratopsian]

I would concur.  I strongly suspect it is usually done for purely commercial business reasons in the case of companies.  The aim is to promote the brand, not individuals within that brand - who, for instance, might move on and take their then well-known name to another rival brand, or set up for themselves.

I will say that generally I like to know who did the creative work behind my figures, and whom to give credit to. Kaiyodo and Favorite are pretty good about crediting their sculptors, but a lot of companies keep that information pretty close. I'm guessing that in most cases that isn't at the artists' special request.

[jc_4130]

I think it's high time for Papo to retire both their original and running T. rexes, which are now 17 and 10 years old respectively. If they seriously wish to remain relevant as a company, then producing a brand new T. rex, one based on real science as opposed to Jurassic Park, would be a savvy move.

Serious question - is that a savvy move from a business standpoint?  I would think the percentage of their customers that would appreciate the difference is quite small. But I'm no expert at this business.

[suspsy]

I think it's high time for Papo to retire both their original and running T. rexes, which are now 17 and 10 years old respectively. If they seriously wish to remain relevant as a company, then producing a brand new T. rex, one based on real science as opposed to Jurassic Park, would be a savvy move.

Serious question - is that a savvy move from a business standpoint?  I would think the percentage of their customers that would appreciate the difference is quite small. But I'm no expert at this business.

It's certainly worked for CollectA, Safari, and Schleich. Not all children or adults may be able to appreciate the distinctions between a real Tyrannosaurus rex and a movie monster, but they're still going to immediately recognize the former.

[Fembrogon]

Of course, Safari is still releasing repaints of their T. rex sculpt from the 90s...

I'm guessing Papo's Rexes still sell well enough (and show up in multimedia enough) that Papo isn't very concerned about updating their toys' image, sadly.

[Concavenator]

It's certainly worked for CollectA, Safari, and Schleich.

I had no idea Schleich released a Tyrannosaurus figure based on real science, which one is it?

[suspsy]

It's certainly worked for CollectA, Safari, and Schleich.

I had no idea Schleich released a Tyrannosaurus figure based on real science, which one is it?

Schleich's latest T. rex certainly isn't in the same leagues as Eofauna's or Rebor's, but it still is a decided improvement over the 2012 one. The head is far less Jurassic Park-influenced.

And let's not forget Papo's limited edition Spinosaurus that had lots of fans cheering. There's no reason for them not to do the same with T. rex.

[Lynx]

Here is a take I am sure people won't take lightly: I like the Papo Giganotosaurus, and while the pose kind of sucks, it doesn't ruin the figure for me.

[Gwangi]

Here is a take I am sure people won't take lightly: I like the Papo Giganotosaurus, and while the pose kind of sucks, it doesn't ruin the figure for me.

I kind of like it too. It's ridiculous, and I don't actually own it, but it has character.

[CityRaptor]

As we all know, Schleich's research mostly consists on looking up pics on google...but hey, it is basically an Ely Kish Tyrannosaur.


May be not so controversal, but I reached the conclusion that the best Jurassic World Minis ( Mattel, Toymonster, Funko Mystery Minis) are Snap Squads!
Superior Articulation to the other lines, mostly better paint jobs, you know exactly what you are buying (even if the other Mattel ones have codes, you still buy them blind), there is less waste when it comes to their packaging, no slime! And since they are stylized, you don't need to worry about screen/scientific accuracy too much.