Rebor: 1/11±1 Dire Wolf

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I hope this means they will be going up for pre-order soon. Been anticipating this for quite a while now, like all year I think. Scale seems like it will work with my Neca American Werewolf figure quite well (and also the Furay Planet William I'm waiting on), and pretty much anything else around 1/12 scale (including Rebor's former Smilodon).

kinda my thoughts, dire wolf pack and a werewolf pack.

[Faelrin]

I'm guessing this is about ready to pre-order soon? Definitely can't wait to get my hands on one.

[Joliezac]

Love these! But I wish they were smaller

[Faelrin]

@Joliezac Even though I do plan to get one of these with the current scale, I would also like to see these provided in a smaller scale as well in the future, since I'd love one more in scale with my other prehistoric mammal figures (such as the Carnegie Collection Woolly Mammoth, and many others).

[Eatmycar]

I had no idea these existed, but damn. Easily must-buy figures for me. The plains version one is outstanding.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

A very handsome model! This is not a criticism in any way, just what I have noticed; it has a really deep chest and a very narrow pelvic girdle. Not outside the realm of possibility, but I also don't see the purpose of this design choice. If they wanted to make it look like a robust animal, rather than an over-large gray wolf, it would have been better (in my opinion) to focus that kind of detail in the skull instead. But at any rate, its VERY exciting to have a representative of this species and I hope other brands follow suit!

[Joliezac]

Due to the size/price of the smilodon they released, I opted out. Same will probably go for this one. But that Plain variant wow... These would totally be cool for outdoor photography.

[Faelrin]

@Saarlooswolfhound How does this early neutral posed render (before fur was sculpted) compare with the skeleton image on wikipedia (for example)? Like how do the proportions fare without the fur on? I compiled the two into one image to make it easier to compare them. I tried to do some overlays, but with the skeleton in a different pose, and at a different angle, it was hard to work with scaling them.



Here's also an early render, pre-fur, in the final figure's pose, in case that may also be of help, and another early render of the head with the skull:

[Saarlooswolfhound]

Looking more closely at the first images and the early renders, it looks to me like they deepened the chest cavity for the final figure. However, this could be giving me the impression due to a combination of the lighting/shadows and paint gradient that makes the lower abdomen appear to tuck up rather drastically when perhaps it isn't really. It could also be that they added longer fur on the ventral side of the rib cage region (in real wolves it is the opposite; usually the "floof" is longer on the lower abdomen instead). And again, for me, I would have liked to see thicker temporal masseter muscling to give the head the squarer look of a bone crusher (think of something like a hyena). 

Again, I don't intend this to be a criticism of any real importance. I am still thrilled to see this species get some attention anyhow. There are lots of things they did RIGHT like the depth of the muzzle and I really like the color choice. Those are just my thoughts from my area of expertise.

[Faelrin]

@Saarlooswolfhound Thanks. I'm not as well versed in stuff like this (overall musculature stuff I mean), except for maybe overall proportions. Perhaps having the fur sculpted in a manner different from extant wolves could have been done to help differentiate them? Or maybe it has something to do with the body's mold being shared with the GoT's styled one (I'm not too familiar with the design, so I don't know if they have that thicker torso, with or without longer fur). If not that, then I wonder if it took inspiration from the maned wolf, aside from the very similar coloration? They seem to have longer fur on their chest area. In any case it is good to hear they got some aspects correct, like the muzzle length, that might have been overlooked.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

And thats the beauty of something like this, is that in the end... we really don't know for sure. If anything was to be a good analog for the dire wolf it'd be the maned wolf as they are very distant cousins of the modern gray wolf (btw maned wolves have longer fur on the chest than lower abdomen because of their hot environment. conversely most gray wolves live in colder climes and/or shed for seasons). So yes, likely there would be oddities in characteristics for this animal and we just don't know it yet because those parts (soft tissue, pelage, etc.) don't fossilize as easily. My personal preference would have been to have shorter fur over all to further make the aesthetic difference between dire and gray wolves for the consumer, but thats just crying over spilled milk at this point.

Again, its a very nice model and I can't say enough good about them even daring to produce a figure of this species. Those are just my thoughts from where I sit.

*Also there are no known cave paintings of this species...

[bmathison1972]

I really like this and will consider it if it's not too out-of-scale with other canids of mine (I can't perceive what 1:11 means lol)

[EuropaSuchus]

Reddish version gives me strong Beast of Gevaudan vibes (actual beast based on Marine report, not that hideous newspaper drawings).

[Saarlooswolfhound]

  I had the same thought!

[Ankyloranodon]

I really like this and will consider it if it's not too out-of-scale with other canids of mine (I can't perceive what 1:11 means lol)

I thiiiiiiink that's just a gag in the naming convention. Could also cheekily refer to how the figure can be repurposed for other lines, such as how that one alternate Smilodon was a Battle Cat reference and could be put with Masters of the Universe Classics (I don't think Origins or Masterverse existed then).

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Both Dire Wolves are up on BBTS to preorder for December

[Faelrin]

Just pre-ordered one. Relieved it's like half the price of the Smilodon. Just hoping my situation improves by then.

Edit: BBTS gives this as the size:

3.54 inches tall (9cm)

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Just pre-ordered one. Relieved it's like half the price of the Smilodon. Just hoping my situation improves by then.

Edit: BBTS gives this as the size:

3.54 inches tall (9cm)

I ordered one of each, might get a couple more later.  Sound like they are roughly half the size of the Smilodon which would be correct?

[Faelrin]

Yeah that should be about right, since their Smilodon was based on Smilodon populator, and not S. fatalis.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Yeah that should be about right, since their Smilodon was based on Smilodon populator, and not S. fatalis.

They'll look good with it then for sure. I'll get some pics of them all together with my buddy Tumak and Loana then as well.