CollectA New for 2016

[stargatedalek]

Don't get to excited for Basilosaurus, plenty of other special marine mammals need some love too

[Bokisaurus]

Wow, what an amazing second wave! These figures are awesome! Loving all of them, very different from their previous models really. If I did't know, I would have thought these figures were from a different company (Japanese).
I love the base, makes the feet more proportioned and figures stable, better for displays.
So, 4 figures left, that's not much
With a marine reptile and mammal pretty much confirmed, I'm hoping there would be at least one sauropod in the mix.
Beautiful models! It's been a wonderful privilege to have watch CollectA mature year after year.

[postsaurischian]

  Wow! I'm deeply impressed!
I'd never have thought that CollectA would take such a huge step forward this year.
The theropods look awesome. I'm so glad they're using bases in order to give their models the right proportions.
I just hope they won't bend forward .
Even the paintjobs are good this time (except for Tyrannosaurus of course).

[empire3569]

The quality of these figures is a HUGE improvement over previous years, even with the plain bases. This just makes me wish certain earlier models were held off until now, like the Carcharodontosaurus :/ I will will for sure picking up that Hunting T-rex

[terrorchicken]

such beauties! so glad to have 2 bird mimics that are not gallimimus!
\
are the 3 figures all 1:40 scale?

[SBell]

I am guessing re: Basilosaurus of course, but I know that Anthony listens to long-time collectors _{(but not forums, in case anyone is wondering)}.

And honestly, from both a retailer and collector standpoint, 10-13 new figures a year is more than enough. It is a big wallet hit, and a big space hit. Of course, the supplier in Canada always makes sure I have 4-8 extra months to make that space...that is less than fantastic.

Also, agreed, re: the bases--yeah they're plain, but so were the original Dinotales ones, and we seem to have gotten by just fine. It just means that they're easy to customize (glue some moss or sand to it, and all done!).

[Kovu]

I wonder who is the sculptor?

I wonder if it might be Deborah McDermott? She sculpts the horses for CollectA and outside of Anthony Beeson, she's the only one listed on their website...

She is a brilliant equine artist, her resins are gorgeous! I read an interview with her from 2005 (before she started sculpting for CollectA? Maybe?) and, when asked about sculpting other animals, this was her response:

What animal or subject are you interested in sculpting besides model horses?
I am a new Koi owner and they are just so adorable! I would very much like to sculpt a nice Koi. I have the beginnings of a baby butterfly Koi started, but I am not happy with my progress. I seem to be a one trick pony! All I can sculpt are horses.

Whoever's been sculpting the dinosaurs has obviously improved greatly, this is the first year where I'm even tempted to pick any of them up (particularly the Beishanglong), so I wonder if she's responsible and is now just more confident in her non-equine sculptures? Practice does make perfect after all! Lol

If anyone's interested, here is an example Ms. McDermott's resin work. She's obviously a very talented sculptor.

[Bokisaurus]

I am guessing re: Basilosaurus of course, but I know that Anthony listens to long-time collectors _{(but not forums, in case anyone is wondering)}.

And honestly, from both a retailer and collector standpoint, 10-13 new figures a year is more than enough. It is a big wallet hit, and a big space hit. Of course, the supplier in Canada always makes sure I have 4-8 extra months to make that space...that is less than fantastic.

Also, agreed, re: the bases--yeah they're plain, but so were the original Dinotales ones, and we seem to have gotten by just fine. It just means that they're easy to customize (glue some moss or sand to it, and all done!).

Funny you mentioned the dinotales/Kaiyodo figures - these new CollectA reminds me of them, only in a much bigger scale!
Hmmm, a basilosaurus would be cool.
I'm still holding hope that one of the last 4 would be a sauropod

[Dinoguy2]

Oh, no! they forgot the primary feathers   What a waste. I was all hyped for a moment.

I know the subject has been beaten to death but I will not be getting any of the Collectas' because of the bases.  From what I've heard many of their figures still fall over because of the soft legs.  If that's the case what's the appeal of the bases?

Both of these, so much both of these...

I'm not sure if I'm happy or reluctant to say the Beishanlong is a must have. I really like the secretary bird influence, and it's base is leagues ahead of any other CollectA base, but the missing primaries and (likely) permanent base make me feel like it's a huge missed opportunity.

Struthiomimus I can easily pass on, I like the colours but it's not particularly special to make up for it's missing primaries.

Lythronax looks very nice (aside from the bald face yet again), perhaps I'll consider it. If it turns out these bases are removable though I'll grab it in a heart beat.

Er, there's no evidence ornithomimosaurs had primaries... One Ornithomimus specimen preserves carbon traces on the ulna which may be the anchor point for large feathers, but on the ulna they're *secondaries*.

Given the highly derived proportions and mobility of ornithomimid hands and forelimbs, we can conclude they were using them in different ways than other theropods. Given their basal position and weird hands, I think lack of primaries is actually a pretty likely scenario.

[John]

It would be a shame if at least one wasn't a mammal or marine animal (or...a combination of both? Andno, I have no idea).

You shall have your wish, Sean.

Based on what I've seen so far,I'm going to make the guess that two of the last four will be Basilosaurus and Torvosaurus.

[MLMjp]

So there are 4 figures left?
One of them being a marine mammal
I´m pretty sure there´s going to be a land mammal, and I believe that everything_dinosaur said that marine reptiles were planed, so than leaves one spaces left.
Based on previous releases... I believe the posible scenarios are:
-Marine mammal, land mammal, marine reptile, flying reptile.
-Marine mammal, land mammal, marine reptile, dinosaur.
Don´t wan to anger people who collect prehistoric mammals, but for me, as a guy who doesn't have interest in them, they are taking a spot which could be filled with more dinosaurs.
But you have to try to please everyone so I have to accept them. I guess I just want my wises to become true

[Patrx]

All the theropod taxa for which we have sufficient vaned feather impressions show the same general wing arrangement, no? And all extant theropods follow that same pattern. Ornithomimids bore vaned feathers. It is perhaps plausible that their deviated from that somehow, but it does not seem parsimonious. Anyway, most of what I've been reading lately places them even closer to modern theropods than animals we know for sure bore primaries, like dromaeosaurs and troodontids.

Aesthetically speaking, these models look like they have wings with "hands" sticking out the ends, which is like a blaring alarm to me saying to put my money back in my wallet. Maybe it's just my personal hangup, but there you go.

[Sim]

A lot of people have been using the word "ornithomimid" when it seems they actually mean "ornithomimosaur"!  Ornithomimids are a family of ornithomimosaurs.  Beishanlong is NOT an ornithomimid.  Both Struthiomimus and Beishanlong are ornithomimosaurs, but Struthiomimus is an ornithomimid while Beishanlong is a deinocheirid.

New ornithomimosaur toys have REALLY been needed.  The few out there until now have been long discontinued and/or very outdated.  The exception to this is the Favorite Pelecanimimus which ironically is very hard and expensive to get!  I've not been impressed by much that CollectA has done, but I am impressed by their two new ornithomimosaurs!

I'm very interested in this new Struthiomimus!  If its base is permanently attached, I'm afraid I won't get it.  I don't like removable bases either, but if the figure is nice enough they won't stop me from getting it.  If the base on the Struthiomimus is removable and none of the proportions have been altered from the real animal (like with the hips) that Struthiomimus will almost certainly be the first CollectA figure I buy!

I wish CollectA would stop being obsessed with giving their figures the same boring black eyes.  All the (living) 2016 CollectA dinosaurs revealed so far have them!

[Patrx]

A lot of people have been using the word "ornithomimid" when it seems they actually mean "ornithomimosaur"!  Ornithomimids are a family of ornithomimosaurs.  Beishanlong is NOT an ornithomimid.  Both Struthiomimus and Beishanlong are ornithomimosaurs, but Struthiomimus is an ornithomimid while Beishanlong is a deinocheirid.

New ornithomimosaur toys have REALLY been needed.  The few out there until now have been long discontinued and/or very outdated.  The exception to this is the Favorite Pelecanimimus which ironically is very hard and expensive to get!

Absolutely correct on both counts

[Gwangi]

I like all three of these models, and probably the Beishanlong the most. And hey, all three are feathered which is a plus even if they're incorrectly placed. But I can't get too hung up on that sort of thing, there are too many otherwise stunning models I wouldn't be allowed to buy if I did let it bother me. But the "hands sticking out of wings" thing is getting really old and It's something I would have thought CollectA would have caught up on by now.

[suspsy]

Yes, it should indeed be ornithomimosaurs. Although in my defense, I was extremely excited last night when I posted about the update.

And yes, the bare hands do look a bit odd (I'd be curious to see any and all research on ornithomimosaur wings) but to be perfectly blunt, I don't care. I can easily overlook this potential inaccuracy.

Because we're getting two feathered ornithomimosaurs!

[Shonisaurus]

What impressed me most: the great finish of his figures.

And his realistic and classic colors.

[Roselaar]

Fantastic new models! I'm guessing both Beishanlong and Lythronax have not been done as models before? Collecta really seems poised to make the Unique Species List grow, but I don't mind. I just hope the detail on the final models is half as good as these stock photos suggest!

[Shonisaurus]

Fantastic new models! I'm guessing both Beishanlong and Lythronax have not been done as models before? Collecta really seems poised to make the Unique Species List grow, but I don't mind. I just hope the detail on the final models is half as good as these stock photos suggest!

That's true. Are just prototypes.

Hopefully not disappointed as Safari guanlong

[tyrantqueen]

I have a burning need to know who sculpts CollectA's dinosaurs. I sent an email asking if they can tell me. I'll let you know their response.