The best figure of every species, according to Halichoeres

[Concavenator]

Okay, I admit I wasn't expecting to see the squished Nematocera!

About the BotM tyrannosaurs, I think I recall you saying you were going to get the Proceratosaurus too? Will you be keeping the PNSO in the end?

That's a great batch, congrats! I just adore that Dryptosaurus. But as tempting as it is, and despite it being an historically relevant taxon, it's still a fragmentary one, so I don't think I'll be getting it, considering its size and price. At least Dryptosaurus is a bit of an interesting tyrannosauroid (as an animal) for having long frontlimbs with didactyl hands, so its hunting method probably differed from its more derived, short-armed relatives. That coupled with its historical relevance make it a more interesting subject for a figure than other fragmentary carnivorous theropods like Zhuchengtyrannus, generic big carcharodontosaurids including Carcharodontosaurus itself, and spinosaurine spinosaurids we know so few about, in my opinion.

If they release a smaller version then maybe I'll consider it, though don't know how likely that will be. 1/35 stuff from Creative Beast is pretty rare unfortunately. As it is right now, I plan to get the Yutyrannus at some point, which for me would be a more worthy investment than Dryptosaurus, as a result of Yutyrannus being more well-known and also being among my favorite dinosaurs.

I had the Suskityrannus in my wishlist but I no longer plan to get it. It's a really nice figure as well, but the animal is a bit fragmentary (if still interesting from a paleochronological perspective for being a tyrannosauroid from the middle part of the Cretaceous). So out of the smaller tyrannosaurs, I only plan to get the Guanlong. I would find an Eotyrannus interesting too, if there was a figure depicting its odd proportions after the new monograph by Naish & Cau.

Also, I was wondering, have you considered replacing Safari's Edmontosaurus with CollectA's? The latter has the "hooves", after all. Its proportions look a bit better to me as well, comparing it to skeletals like the one by Ivan Iofrida:

Spoiler

[close]

In case you didn't know, Haolonggood confirmed they have an Edmontosaurus in the works, too.

[Leyster]

@Concavenator Safari Edmontosaurus has the coccetly laterally oriented forelimb (correct), while the Collecta has an hand pronated in regard to the forelimb (incorrect)

[Concavenator]

L @Leyster Yeah, I was aware of that, but thank you for pointing it out regardless. But still, the CollectA figure incorporated the detail of adding those nails to the manus, which for some people might be more relevant of a detail (well, for me at least it is), and so I was curious about that.

[Sim]

Tim, have you considered the CollectA Kentrosaurus?  I think it's the best Kentrosaurus around.  Its got the tail spikes in the correct positions, unlike the Safari, and its shoulder spikes have the correct orientation unlike the Schleich that you have in the first post.  Its skin also looks more like a dinosaur's than the toad skin Schleich is so fond of.  I think its scale is closer to what you prefer than the Schleich figure's.

[Halichoeres]

Thanks for stopping by, everyone! I appreciate the comments.

I love how much of a completist you are to include things like a squished mosquito and the previously mentioned Anchisaurus that's obviously a Brachiosaurus. You really stick to your guns!

Never let it be said that I won't commit to a bit.

Good for the belligerent Zuniceratops!  Nicely composed photo.

I try not to take sides in their squabbles, but I definitely find it easier to root for the ceratopsians...

@Concavenator I do have the BotM Proceratosaurus, which will appear in a future post. I'm keeping the PNSO too, since they're quite different scales and neither takes up an inordinate amount of room.

The BotM Yutyrannus is a beautiful figure, if it weren't for the size I'd probably go for it. I suspect you're right that the Dryptosaurus won't be offered at 1:35; that will be reserved for maybe half a dozen of the most famous dinosaurs. As for the Eotyrannus, although it's already a little out of date before its release, it's so much nicer than the CollectA version that I can hardly wait to get it!

I haven't followed all the arguments about the hoof/nail of Edmontosaurus, but I had a vague impression that the CollectA had actually overdone it. The arrangement of the forelimb as Leyster alluded to, and what I think is overall a nicer sculpt, make me favor the Safari version. I'll have to read up more on the integument of the hand. I saw that Haolonggood is making one. Nice to see their first hadrosaur is in the works, although I would have preferred Brachylophosaurus personally.

Tim, have you considered the CollectA Kentrosaurus?  I think it's the best Kentrosaurus around.  Its got the tail spikes in the correct positions, unlike the Safari, and its shoulder spikes have the correct orientation unlike the Schleich that you have in the first post.  Its skin also looks more like a dinosaur's than the toad skin Schleich is so fond of.  I think its scale is closer to what you prefer than the Schleich figure's.

I considered it back when I was first starting my collection, but I rejected it on aesthetic grounds. There's not much obviously wrong with it from an accuracy standpoint, but I find the sculpt sort of amateurish and blobby. The Schleich has overdone textures, but I find the 2010-era "poke it with a hollow-tipped dowel" textures that CollectA used less pleasant to look at, personally. Kentrosaurus is pretty famous; someone will make one to obviously improve on Schleich's by and by.

[SBell]

Thanks for stopping by, everyone! I appreciate the comment.

Tim, have you considered the CollectA Kentrosaurus?  I think it's the best Kentrosaurus around.  Its got the tail spikes in the correct positions, unlike the Safari, and its shoulder spikes have the correct orientation unlike the Schleich that you have in the first post.  Its skin also looks more like a dinosaur's than the toad skin Schleich is so fond of.  I think its scale is closer to what you prefer than the Schleich figure's.

I considered it back when I was first starting my collection, but I rejected it on aesthetic grounds. There's not much obviously wrong with it from an accuracy standpoint, but I find the sculpt sort of amateurish and blobby. The Schleich has overdone textures, but I find the 2010-era "poke it with a hollow-tipped dowel" textures that CollectA used less pleasant to look at, personally. Kentrosaurus is pretty famous; someone will make one to obviously improve on Schleich's by and by.

Well, you'll have a second chance with the Safari sculpt in a new and exciting paint job.
Or, another under-the-radar version, FameMaster made a 4D puzzle around the same time as Safari prime and CollectA -- similar size, dynamic pose, and a bit more color. Not sure how the morphology holds up though.

[Sim]

The FameMaster Kentrosaurus has the spikes decrease in length towards the tail end when in Kentrosaurus the opposite is true.  Personally I don't see anything blobby or unappealing about the CollectA Kentrosaurus and the only thing I can see why someone would consider amateurish is the paintjob.  But I can accept someone feels differently.

[SBell]

The FameMaster Kentrosaurus has the spikes decrease in length towards the tail end when in Kentrosaurus the opposite is true.  Personally I don't see anything blobby or unappealing about the CollectA Kentrosaurus and the only thing I can see why someone would consider amateurish is the paintjob.  But I can accept someone feels differently.

I've never paid enough attention. Didn't know about the spikes

[Halichoeres]

The FameMaster Kentrosaurus has the spikes decrease in length towards the tail end when in Kentrosaurus the opposite is true.  Personally I don't see anything blobby or unappealing about the CollectA Kentrosaurus and the only thing I can see why someone would consider amateurish is the paintjob.  But I can accept someone feels differently.

Yeah, aesthetic preferences are hard to defend and hard to assail. The other Kentrosaurus I looked at was the PNSO mini, but it was just too small to fit in with my collection.

Well, you'll have a second chance with the Safari sculpt in a new and exciting paint job.
Or, another under-the-radar version, FameMaster made a 4D puzzle around the same time as Safari prime and CollectA -- similar size, dynamic pose, and a bit more color. Not sure how the morphology holds up though.

I actually have the original Safari one, which I'd stashed away with the vague idea that I'd evaluate it properly one day. I did so recently and I still prefer the Schleich! Not often that happens, but it does happen.

Reference list on page 1 updated. Also, bonus photo of Dryptosaurus in the process of being removed from the package, to showcase the generous supply of extra feet and legs. (The smaller tyrannosaurs 'only' came with extra feet.)

[Concavenator]

Yeah, Brachylophosaurus is a criminally overlooked taxon. That said, it's still a hadrosaurid, so I think it will get a good figure eventually (or so I want to think). Perhaps by CollectA, who have recently been paying some attention to ornithopods. They even made a figure of the fragmentary but historically relevant Hadrosaurus, after all.

[Halichoeres]

A few coelurosaurs, mostly Jurassic but one sneaky Cretaceous one.


Safari Ltd Utahraptor
Scale: 1:25
Sculptor: Doug Watson
Released: 2023
Early Cretaceous of North America
Etymology: L. "thief of Utah"
At least the second Utahraptor from Safari, but the first with feathers. It reflects the material suggesting it had a very unusual mandible and a very boxy skull, making it one of the more distinctive dromaeosaurs. The jaw on mine is slightly misaligned, which is unfortunate but not fatal. Overall, a very nice figure. I preordered the Creative Beast version very shortly before this was revealed. It'll be a tough choice when that arrives. But either way the CollectA one is out.


I wonder if someone might give me an excuse to get rid of this Falcarius.


Eikoh Ornitholestes
Scale: 1:18
Released: 2022
Late Jurassic of Laurasia
Etymology: Gr. "bird robber"
I've had quite a few Ornitholestes figures over the years; I think this is the fifth, replacing the Mattel action figure. This is the first to look like Ornitholestes specifically rather than just a generic coelurosaur (or a dragon-esque monster with a nose horn). I hope future Eikoh Miniature Planet sets include more like this, small animals that can scale well with figures from other companies. Some pterosaurs or synapsids about this size would really hit the spot.


A few critters from the Morrison.


Eikoh Guanlong
Scale: 1:30 - 1:35
Released: 2022
Late Jurassic of Laurasia
Etymology: Chinese "crown dragon"
Another tiny theropod from Eikoh; I wasn't sure it would scale well with my collection, but it does. It's obviously not as pretty as some other Guanlong figures, but it's the only one in the common 1:30 - 1:35 scale range (perhaps barring 3d prints, which I don't keep track of for dinosaurs). The proportions aren't perfect, but I consider that an acceptable price of miniatiurization. Same with the PNSO minis; I can't get too bent out of shape about their being slightly bent out of shape.


Scales pretty well with Vitae's Sinraptor.


Creative Beast Proceratosaurus
Scale: 1:14
Sculptors: David Silva and Raul Ramos
Late Jurassic of Laurasia
Etymology: Gr. "before the horned lizard"
The last figure from Wave 2 of the tyrannosaur campaign. It has the same problem with the jaw that the Suskityrannus has; I guess getting that right is harder on the small figures. The underbite and crookedness are less noticeable when the mouth is open, so its mouth will stay open. It's a different enough scale from the PNSO one that I think I'll keep both, at least for now.


With one of its relatives from the other end of Laurasia.

[Concavenator]

Nice batch, congrats! I'm so glad the Safari Utahraptor is a thing. Safari is basically the only company that makes quality figures of dromaeosaurids in a relatively regular basis, take them out of the equation and we wouldn't have good dromaeosaurids around save for the articulated BotM figures. I feel dromaeosaurids are quite underrepresented on the figure market, it's taken awfully long until we've had good versions of Deinonychus and Utahraptor in my opinion. A nice Austroraptor and Halszkaraptor would be very welcome, but unenlagiines and halszkaraptorines are even more overlooked within the already overlooked dromaeosaurids... hopefully I won't be waiting forever!

And Falcarius, like the aforementioned dromaeosaurids, may also be a theropod, but one that potentially enters the category of: "will it ever receive a good version?". It seems that, when therizinosaurs are concerned, companies see no further than Therizinosaurus.

Also, did you consider the BotM Guanlong? If I were you, I would have gotten that figure as the one and only representative of the genus (and I would have forgotten about the more fragmentary and similar looking Proceratosaurus too  ) but our collecting strategies are slightly different.

[ceratopsian]

I got that Eihoh set and think they're quite acceptable as minis.

[Halichoeres]

Nice batch, congrats! I'm so glad the Safari Utahraptor is a thing. Safari is basically the only company that makes quality figures of dromaeosaurids in a relatively regular basis, take them out of the equation and we wouldn't have good dromaeosaurids around save for the articulated BotM figures. I feel dromaeosaurids are quite underrepresented on the figure market, it's taken awfully long until we've had good versions of Deinonychus and Utahraptor in my opinion. A nice Austroraptor and Halszkaraptor would be very welcome, but unenlagiines and halszkaraptorines are even more overlooked within the already overlooked dromaeosaurids... hopefully I won't be waiting forever!

And Falcarius, like the aforementioned dromaeosaurids, may also be a theropod, but one that potentially enters the category of: "will it ever receive a good version?". It seems that, when therizinosaurs are concerned, companies see no further than Therizinosaurus.

Also, did you consider the BotM Guanlong? If I were you, I would have gotten that figure as the one and only representative of the genus (and I would have forgotten about the more fragmentary and similar looking Proceratosaurus too  ) but our collecting strategies are slightly different.

What are you talking about? Schleich has so many dromaeosaurids! Kidding aside, I think you are probably pickier than I am about dromaeosaurids. For example, while Rebor and Colorata's Deinonychus figures aren't perfect, I'd still say they're reasonably high quality. Obviously not up to the standards of Safari or BotM, though.

Therizinosaurus has name recognition and 'biggest-ever' status going for it, so yeah, other therizinosaurs are pretty ignored. If you count Fukuivenator, nine taxa have been made as figures, although some of them are pretty bad, like Disga's quadrupedal Segnosaurus or Hayakawa's actually-it's-an-ornithimomid Alxasaurus.

I did consider BotM's Guanlong. It's a very attractive figure, and it's probably more accurate by 5 or 10% than the Favorite version, but I prefer figures without articulation and that's enough to override any marginal accuracy gain. The Eikoh is obviously less precise, but I do like to have small animals in 1:40 or as close to it as I can get, to make those shelves feel more complete from an ecology standpoint. The shelf with my large Jurassic figures is sorely lacking in small animals, so this little guy is a very welcome addition.

I got that Eihoh set and think they're quite acceptable as minis.

Definitely some up your alley, like the Maiasaura with nest and Kosmoceratops! And they're blessedly parsimonious with space.

[marisaura]

the utahraptor is such a nice figure! i wasn't expecting mine to be such a standout, but the coloration is so striking.

[Concavenator]

@Halichoeres Admittedly I doubt I would find a Schleich Austroraptor or Halszkaraptor very tempting!    Unless Konstantinov made them, but chances for that are gone it seems.

Oh and about Creative Beast, aside from the Utahraptor and the Achillobator, do you plan on getting any of the other genera? Maybe Kentrosaurus and Ceratosaurus?

[Halichoeres]

the utahraptor is such a nice figure! i wasn't expecting mine to be such a standout, but the coloration is so striking.

Yeah,I was unimpressed by initial photos but it definitely looks better in hand! The feathers are masterfully done.

@Concavenator I'll consider Kentrosaurus, Ceratosaurus, and Dilophosaurus. At 1:18, the first two would only be slightly larger than the ones I already own. Dilophosaurus will depend on closer examination of Haolonggood's. And of course, given the amount of time between a Creative Beast Kickstarter campaign and actual delivery, any or all of those genera could have new versions released in the interim. Unless there are surprise stretch goals, I might not back the campaign this time, instead just ordering select figures when they become generally available in a year or two.

[Halichoeres]

A few gnathostomes of the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic:


Animal Heavenly Body (Animal Planet) Eorhynchochelys
Scale: ha ha good luck
Released: 2023
Late Triassic
Etymology: Gr. "dawn beak turtle"
This company seems to be pretty prolific, with lots of series of very exaggerated but well-made animals appearing on AliExpress and elsewhere. Some of the flyers and boxes say "Animal Heavenly Body," while others say "Animal Planet." I don't know if that's just a translation thing, or if there's an intentional pun there on the rotund physique (you know, heavenly bodies) of the subjects. Either way there's no connection to the US cable channel. I'm always excited for a new stem-turtle, so I snapped this up as soon as I learned it existed. Maybe once upon a time I'd have held out for a PNSO mini, but for whatever reason they seem to have given up on both minis and non-dinosaurs, so this is probably as good as we're going to get!


With my other turtles and almost-turtles. Luckily they're all very similar in style and display cohesively together, right?


The box says "museum exclusive," according to machine translation, in this case the Geological Museum of Guizhou. There are, or will be, four in the series. We've seen the Guanlingsaurus elsewhere on the forum. @Flaffy correctly guessed that number two was Dinocephalosaurus, which I'm currently on the lookout for. Number four isn't specified, but based on the silhouette I think it has to be Atopodentatus.


Obviously the scale on something this deliberately distorted is impossible to estimate, but it has to go on one shelf or another, so I think it will live with these guys from PNSO's more adventurous days.


Sbabam Thalattoarchon (Sea Prehistoric Predator)
Scale: 1:35
Released: 2023
Middle Triassic
Etymology: Gr. "sea ruler"
Sbabam has allegedly made Thalattoarchon before, but this toy actually looks like it was purpose-made to resemble its namesake, rather than just a renamed whale. It's not bad for what it is (a rubbery stretchy toy). Unlike previous purchases from Sbabam/Diramix/DeAgostini, this one has a thin coating of slightly sweet-smelling lubricant powder that I think is intended to prolong its longevity. Maybe it will prolong it long enough for someone to make a better Thalattoarchon.


Honestly, as far as Triassic animals go, ichthyosaurs aren't nearly as neglected by toy companies as other groups.


Safari Ltd Estemmenosuchus
Scale: 1:20 - 1:25
Sculptor: Doug Watson
Released: 2023
Late Permian
Etymology: Gr. "crowned crocodile"
This animal has fascinated me ever since it appeared on the cover of David Peters' 1989 art book (remember when Peters was simply a well-regarded artist with a knack for anatomy and no obviously contrarian views?). I'm glad it's getting some exposure, first from CollectA, and now from Safari (OK, first from Kenner way back in the 90s).




Embarrassingly, I didn't notice this when I first reviewed the CollectA version for the blog, but its ear opening is smack dab in the middle of the squamosal bone, in an area that is solid bone. The Safari version has its ear opening at the bottom edge of the squamosal, which is the typical position for dinocephalians. CollectA made a similar error with their Lisowicia, which I guess is understandable, since early synapsids had a slightly weird configuration compared to sauropsids. At first I was thinking I'd keep both Estemmenosuchus figures, since they're different scales, after all. But the Safari has more believable musculature, especially around the neck; the correct ear position; a more realistic rendering of the facial embellishments; a more pleasant color scheme; and no articulations to mar it. So I think this is a replacement situation, although I'm still grateful that CollectA gave this animal a shot.


This is everything I have from the Permian at a similar scale, although they weren't really contemporaries for the most part--this sampling spans 44 million years.


Limelight Miniatures Falcatus
Scale: 1:2 (also available in other scales)
Designer: Conor Malik Flynn
Released: 2023
Early Carboniferous
Etymology: L. "sickle-shaped"
One of the many strange stem-ratfishes from Montana's Bear Gulch formation. I have a Falcatus already, by from Artificial Animals, but I'm not going to let a designer who takes a chance on a Carboniferous fish go unrewarded. Anyway, they're at different enough scales that I think they can coexist for now, on different shelves.


Very slowly building my Carboniferous collection--it takes some doing! If you go to "Carboniferous" on DinoToyCollector, there are 16 entries, 10 of which use my photos. So I'd guess I'm more interested in this period than the average prehistory fan.

[Flaffy]

Really wish Geological Museum of Guizho partnered with a company that produces realistic reconstructions rather than cartoony caricatures. While I don't doubt there's a (niche) market for these cutesy figures, I can't imagine the demand being any higher than proper models. Maybe PNSO will finally step up and give us interesting fauna again?   I'd imagine a PNSO x Museum collaboration would make for a formidable duo.

The Safari Estemmenosuchus is definitely the superior reconstruction. Far more realistic musculature uncumbered by the articulated jaw. I don't think I'll ever get rid of my CollectA one, but it'll definitely take a backseat once Safari's one arrives.

[SBell]

Really wish Geological Museum of Guizho partnered with a company that produces realistic reconstructions rather than cartoony caricatures. While I don't doubt there's a (niche) market for these cutesy figures, I can't imagine the demand being any higher than proper models. Maybe PNSO will finally step up and give us interesting fauna again?   I'd imagine a PNSO x Museum collaboration would make for a formidable duo.

The Safari Estemmenosuchus is definitely the superior reconstruction. Far more realistic musculature uncumbered by the articulated jaw. I don't think I'll ever get rid of my CollectA one, but it'll definitely take a backseat once Safari's one arrives.

I think what shocks me is the prices. For what they are, they seem to be too much.
They produced a bichir, and for the first time I made the choice not to bother