Wild Safari Iguanodon wins award (Prehistoric Times 2016 figure of the year)

[BlueKrono]

Personally I would have given it to the CollectA Andrewsarchus. Sure, I'm biased, but I think it's the most up-to-date sculpt of this mysterious animal, and a detailed and dynamic one at that.

[Neosodon]

Personally I would have given it to the CollectA Andrewsarchus. Sure, I'm biased, but I think it's the most up-to-date sculpt of this mysterious animal, and a detailed and dynamic one at that.

Are mammals even considered in the competition?

[Reptilia]

I would think so, the magazine is called "Prehistoric Times". It'd be strange if they were out of the competition.

[suspsy]

The CollectA Megacerops won in 2012, so yes.

[Reptilia]

Anywhere to see a full list of past winners?

[tanystropheus]

I don't agree with this choice. It's a fine figure, but 2016 offered so much more daring stuff (Beishanlong, Huanghetitan, Glyphoderma and what not). In comparison, this Iguanodon is just kinda... bland. No offence meant to Doug.

It's a perfect representation of a 'bland' animal. Edmontosaurus, Maiasaura, Mandschurosaurus and Shantungosaurus are all 'bland'. No decorative head crests, or crazy integuments. At least, the Iguano has spiked thumbs 

[EmperorDinobot]

I love mine. The Iguanodon we deserved.

Didn't they reassign I. bernissartensis or something like that recently? I know I. atherfieldensis is now Dollodon, but I never really followed after that. This figure is based on the former, it seems.

[Bokisaurus]

Seriously? Look, I like the Iguanodon a lot, but the CollectA Beishanlong blows it away.

I agree and the Beishanlong was my personal favorite to win ( also my favorite 2016 figure)
The iguanodon is beautiful figure for sure, just not as exciting imho 😄
Yeah, it would be interesting to see what the runner up were.

[suspsy]

Seriously? Look, I like the Iguanodon a lot, but the CollectA Beishanlong blows it away.

I agree and the Beishanlong was my personal favorite to win ( also my favorite 2016 figure)
The iguanodon is beautiful figure for sure, just not as exciting imho 😄
Yeah, it would be interesting to see what the runner up were.

I firmly think the Beishanlong would have beaten out the Iguanodon if CollectA's products were as widely available in North America as Safari's are. Again, that's not to say that the Iguanodon is in any way a poor toy. It's just that the Beishanlong is more impressive.

[John]

I keep seeing comment after comment that the Iguanodon was not a deserved winner...my stance is that the voters in Prehistoric Times magazine were right to call it the best of the year.I have nothing against CollectA,but the Beishanlong was not the best thing that came out last year,not even close.It's odd looking feathering doesn't quite look natural on it in my opinion.If I were to choose a CollectA model that really had a chance at being the best,then that would be the Torvosaurus gurneyi.

[Takama]

I for one am proud that this model made it figure of the year.


Its the best damn igunodon out there. And i feel like Safari really out did themselves the past couple of years.   And plus i agree. The Beishenlong is no where near as good as this model, but i think that,  because its based on a somewhat fragmentary species, which i think should be avoided by toy companeys.

I also have to congratulate safari for evean letting Doug make what im sure most kids these days will think is a boreing ass dinosaur when compared to all the teeth  horns and spikes that get all the attention.

[John]

I for one am proud that this model made it figure of the year.


Its the best damn igunodon out there. And i feel like Safari really out did themselves the past couple of years.   And plus i agree. The Beishenlong is no where near as good as this model because its based on a somewhat fragmentary species, which i think should be avoided by toy companeys.

I also have to congratulate safari for evean letting Doug make what im sure most kids these days will think is a boreing ass dinosaur when compared to all the teeth  horns and spikes that get all the attention.

Yes,I agree.I love the big toothy meat-eaters,but I also love the ornithopods like Iguanodon just as much.

[CityRaptor]

Yes, I agree. Ornithopods don't get much love and are considered bad sellers, which is of course ironic given how popular their lame mammalian counterparts are.

Congratulations to Doug Watson, Safari and of course Iguanodon for winning!

[Flaffy]

I blame it on media depiction of Ornithopods as mere walking meals.
Hopefully Saurian will change this misconception.

[Doug Watson]

Whew! Nice to see some more positive comments amongst the many negatives. Talk about raining on my parade, heck I never win any polls on the DTF so you could at least give me this one victory. Some have asked what the runner up was, well they don't announce that but the publisher did tell me it was another one of mine. I do know what it is but I won't reveal it since I don't wish to read how unworthy it was to finish 2nd.
and someone asked what my other wins were, 2013 Gryposaurus, 2014 Monolophosaurus, 2015 Sauropelta, all totally unworthy.
I have deviated from my rule of not commenting on negative comments only because what was a surprise and a positive feeling for me quickly got turned into a negative here. I know a lot of you have added the caveat that you thought the Iguanodon was a nice toy BUT, "Seriously", "blow it away", "bland","easily better figures".
It was a democratic vote by the readers of PT and the circulation is around 10,000 worldwide so I would hope people could just except the results rather than turning my piece into the next Trump. After all I don't write in and whine when I lose another DTF poll.
Enough ranting I will now return to my policy of not commenting on the negative or positive comments. Well before I leave thanks again for your kind comments CityRaptor, John, Takama, EmperorDinoBot, tanystropheus, Shonisaurus, Joe289, Halichoeres, Pachyrhinosaurus, Patrx and Daspletodave not sure if you agreed with the choice but I appreciated your post even though it got you in trouble.
and if anyone here takes offense at me taking offense, well I am human and I have feelings.

[Reptilia]

Well it's just people's opinions, I believe you've been in the business long enough that you should be accustomed to this already. And in the end, as you said, it's a 10.000 units magazine, so the majority appreciated your figure enough to make it win the award. I said I would have preferred other figures, but hey, it's not outrageous that yours won instead. And I'll add that I would already give this year's prize to your Velociraptor, that purely based on the quality of the original sculpt and taking aside all my gripes with Safari's production flaws. Sometimes you get the praise, sometimes you don't, it's life.

[suspsy]

It certainly wasn't my intention to hurt your feelings, Doug, and in retrospect, I could have worded my original statement less harshly, however, I stand by my sentiment regardless. As you said, we're all human. We all have our own values and preferences and opinions, and we're not always going to agree on certain outcomes. This is one such instance.

But one thing I really should have included in my original statement was a sincere congratulations on your victory, as the hard work and dedication you put into your art is unquestionable. So I do apologize for that omission. And for what it's worth, I think your new Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor figures are guaranteed to win first and second place this year (or vice versa). Nothing from any other company comes close to those two masterpieces.

[Doug Watson]

Well it's just people's opinions, I believe you've been in the business long enough that you should be accustomed to this already.

You are new here so you may not know that I usually do not reply to negative or POSITIVE comments since in most cases it is just someone's opinion and there is little use in trying to change that plus I don't want to look like I am  fishing for compliments. I will comment sometimes to clarify a point of science. I find this latest comment of yours another shot in other words "you have been doing it long enough you should grow a thick skin". I have endured even harsher comments on this forum before I joined and also since I joined but I have tried not to comment. Many of the negative comments in the past have been very cruel since some people like to get quite flowery in their descriptions, but I have tried to keep to my policy of not commenting and allowing people to criticize my work without fear that I will respond. In this case as I mentioned it was a surprise (I wasn't expecting a win this year) and I was feeling very good about and it got to me. Excuse me for being human.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Congrats on the win Doug...I think you are also in great position to repeat this coming year, with a few pieces aside from those mentioned. Few may realize that you might have managed to produce the most accurate dinosaur piece made for the mass market with your psittacosaurus this year, given the correct anatomy, scale placement and size, coloration, quills, etc. Aside from that one I personally find myself quite find of the Ceolophysis....although admittedly I am not a theropod person , I would also point and make note none of your four previous wins was a theropod, possibly meaning the polling audience as a group are like myself to a degree and enjoy more than theropods. Whatever happens I hope you continue with your streak of wins.
    In retrospect something I see as a positive from this...I had passed on the iguanodon originally but will grab a pair now to see what all the fun is about.

[Derek.McManus]

Congratulations on your win...a nice model and well deserved, I suspect you will be in with a decent shout next year too!