Battat, Terra series - New for 2014

[amanda]

Well, my spelling and memory are shot, but at least I remembered about the head.

[DinoToyForum]

The paintwork on the Pachy is highly reminiscent of the Wild Safari one. I wonder if that was intentional?

I don't hold Battat in quite as such high esteem as Simon does, there are other lines that I have a personal preference for that also fit the criteria he lists, but I can see the appeal.

[postsaurischian]

What about Greg Wentzel? Is he involved in the project in any way? Will all the figures originally sculpted by him also be re-issued?
Can you tell us which figures (if any) won't be re-released? Thanks !

[Libraraptor]

This news come close to a sensation. I love the overall look and approach of every new figure, even if the Theri bears no feathers. They have the charming and somewhat clumsy paintjobs. They probably also have the special Battat feel and "weight".
Now I am waiting for another popular classic company to release some new species...Sigh...

[DinoToyForum]

This news come close to a sensation. I love the overall look and approach of every new figure, even if the Theri bears no feathers. They have the charming and somewhat clumsy paintjobs. They probably also have the special Battat feel and "weight".
Now I am waiting for another popular classic company to release some new species...Sigh...

*ahem*-Invicta-*ahem*! I'm afraid that will forever remain a dream, my friend, but wouldn't that be glorious!

[Gwangi]

This news come close to a sensation. I love the overall look and approach of every new figure, even if the Theri bears no feathers. They have the charming and somewhat clumsy paintjobs. They probably also have the special Battat feel and "weight".
Now I am waiting for another popular classic company to release some new species...Sigh...

*ahem*-Invicta-*ahem*! I'm afraid that will forever remain a dream, my friend, but wouldn't that be glorious!

I was just thinking the same thing last night while TRYING to get to sleep and thinking about these Battat models. I can just picture a monochrome feathered dromaeosaur by Invicta, or a Carnotaurus, or an Amargasaurus. I'll just keep wishing.

[Simon]

A couple of interesting things - the new round stamp on the bottom of the figures is cool, and they no longer list the species name or the date of issue.

Secondly, it sure looks like the top half of the Pachyrhinosaur's head was glued onto the body, possibly also one of the legs - which I noticed with one of the legs and arms of the Theri as well.

Meaning that it looks like Battat is no longer casting each figure from one single piece.  Its done so well that outside of the top half of the Pachyrhino's head, I can't even be sure.  Would like to hear from Dan about that.

This is actually a good development, as trying to cast some of the more complicated figures in one single piece sacrificed some quality in my view.  Some pieces do better with several casts, glued together into one piece. 

The Dacentrus and the Cryolophosaurus look like "one-piece" castings, however.

[Dinoguy2]

Wow!!

Battat has always been my all-time favorite line. Awesome to see new figures, even more awesome I'll get to buy the few I missed the first time.

It's a testament to how nice these sculpts look that it's the first time in a long time I'm excited to buy featherless maniraptorans. Not sure who the consultants were for this but I guess it wasn't Darren Naish, Tom Holtz, or anybody else who are on Facebook every day criticizing featherless T. rex Based on both modern birds and mammals we see that feather loss due to large size and arid climate does indeed happen but happens strategically. Ostriches have extensive bald patches, but keep some of their feathers for a reason. This is not an issue of size, but an issue of sun block and utility. Wing feathers are not primarily for insulation in these species, they are necessary to cover the nest in brooding, to display, and more importantly shield the naked flanks from the sun.
http://dinogoss.blogspot.com/2011/02/heat-feathers-and-half-arsed.html

So for a therizinosaur to have lost 100% of feathers or even 50% (I don't think it's reasonable to say it was covered head to toe), there needs to be some behavioral or anatomical tradeoff. I'm having a harder time picturing a gigantic biped taking extensive mud baths than simply retaining feathers on the back and wings to shade itself...

That said, I think the feathers on the Gigantoraptor are very reasonable looking. Keeping in mind this is a closely related, but LARGER animal from the SAME ecosystem! What applies to one should apply to both.

[DinoToyForum]

Not sure who the consultants were for this but I guess it wasn't Darren Naish, Tom Holtz, or anybody else who are on Facebook every day criticizing featherless T. rex

If they give permission, maybe the identity of the palaeontologist's consulted could be revealed. For example, I've been consulted on a few figures in the past and never sought anonymity. Perhaps Dan consulted Dr Steve? Kidding!

For the record, I'd also have preferred the therizinosaur to be feathered - it looks so weird all plucked like that. I'm not upset by it though. I don't have emotional stakes in the debate, and understand the reasons for defeathering the beast, even if I disagree with them. However, this thread is not the place for a detailed discussion about feathers. This thread is open for that: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=1742.0

[Dinoguy2]

I'm not upset by it though.

Ditto! Still a must buy.

I ... understand the reasons for defeathering the beast, even if I disagree with them.

I don't though... Dan said the consultants told him it was too big, so why was this de-feathered and not the larger Gigantoraptor? It seems very arbitrary.

[Chad]

No luck for me at the Brooklyn target. Any word yet if Target will have these online or if they'll be available from other suppliers?

[DinoToyForum]

I'm still hoping for a Battat Pterosaur!   

The new figures are gorgeous and they will seduce me & my wallet if they make it up to Target Canada...

Hehe, I'm also hoping for a plesiosaur

[Chad]

I'm still hoping for a Battat Pterosaur!   

The new figures are gorgeous and they will seduce me & my wallet if they make it up to Target Canada...

Hehe, I'm also hoping for a plesiosaur

A 40 scale titanosaur in the Battat style would be a heck of a thing, too.

[Dinoguy2]

I'm still hoping for a Battat Pterosaur!   

A Battat pterosaur would make everything right in the world

[DinoLord]

A Giraffatitan would be glorious. Would probably sell well with the kids too.

[Cryolophosauro]

I have had luck finding them in my target.
And also that's great that they are releasing repaints of the original models. I've always wanted to obtain them, but being in high school means I can't spend all the money I own, lol.
Does anyone have any idea how much the repainted original battats will cost, or has that not been disclosed just yet?

[stargatedalek]

along with the repaints I would love to see some feathered retools of the gallimimus, utahraptor, maybe even tyrannosaurus, but thats probably never going to happen

does anyone know if they will come to Target Canada?
Target.ca is arguably one of the worst sites in existence and all it has to comment (on anything) is "look in store for more stuff"

[Patrx]

The Dacentrus and the Cryolophosaurus look like "one-piece" castings, however.

Actually, in looking at my copy of the Dacentrurus, I think the shoulder spikes might be separate pieces.

[Ultimatedinoking]

Honestly, these molds are pretty sloppy. The face sculpts aren't well defined, the body outlines look "blurry" like left over plastic is still on them. They look more like chinasaurs, than hq molds.

[stargatedalek]

I'm glad the faces aren't extremely skin wrapped
you really shouldn't be able to every little detail of an animals skull when theres flesh on it