CollectA: New for 2018

[Irritation]

Both Safari and CollectA are offering some very good new figures for 2018.  With this latest reveal from CollectA though, and I never thought I would say this, I prefer CollectA's prehistoric releases for the year to Safari's.  It doesn't matter that CollectA hasn't shown them all yet, because Safari's didn't include any animals I like a lot, while CollectA's does now with this very nice Ceratosaurus figure.  I won't be getting this Ceratosaurus, as I have no interest in having dinosaurs that are permanently attached to a base, but it pleases me more than any of Safari's 2018 releases.  I look forward to seeing people's photos of the CollectA Ceratosaurus.

I'm still the only one still having an issue with dinos on bases. The other two I might get.

No, as I mentioned above, I have no interest in having dinosaurs that have permanently attached bases.  I think as it is now, it's more or less okay, since while CollectA makes their bipedal dinosaurs attached to bases, Safari generally doesn't.  The 2017 Safari Giganotosaurus having a base is something I hope not to see in future Safari dinosaurs.  I know some people here prefer the biped dinosaurs to have bases, but some including myself don't want them to have bases.  So having one of the two companies who aims for accurate dinosaurs make them on bases (CollectA) while the other doesn't give them bases (Safari) seems fair to me.  If Safari started attaching bases to the dinosaurs I'd like to have, I might have to stop collecting.

Nevermind. Sorry that I forgot.

[Halichoeres]

Is it just me or is there just an influx of "deluxe" figures from CollectA 
My wallet is gonna kill me next year.

I think they probably make a higher profit margin on the deluxe figures. Your wallet killing you seems to be exactly the point, unfortunately.

The Ceratosaurus looks like a great sculpt. The face paint makes it look like it's going to a Jersey Devils game, though.

The first year that CollectA makes full-size Paleozoic animals, only one was something that the market really needed (the Estemmenosuchus). Despite the relatively novel approach they took with Dimetrodon, I can't help feeling that it and the Dunk are occupying spots that could have been filled with, say, a Moschops and a Rhizodus. Worth it for the Estemmenosuchus, though, and hopefully more Paleozoic creatures are in the pipeline for years to come.

Does anybody know what exactly Anthony Beeson's role is? The quotes on Everything Dinosaur's blog use a lot of "I..." statements, which makes it sound like he either sculpted or digitally designed the figures, but I thought I remember somebody saying he isn't a sculptor, but more of a consultant. Are the actual sculptors anonymous Chinese employees of CollectA?

[Flaffy]

Anthony is the paleontological consultant for CollectA's prehistoric figures, he's the one that approves the sculpts.
Matthias geiger being the sculptor of the figures

[Halichoeres]

Anthony is the paleontological consultant for CollectA's prehistoric figures, he's the one that approves the sculpts.
Matthias geiger being the sculptor of the figures

I've never even heard of Mr. Geiger before now! Thanks for the information.

[ItsTwentyBelow]

As always, there are definitely a few of these that I'd like to add to my collection! I think the Mantellisaurus, Estemmenosuchus, and Dimetrodon are fantastic. Really want to see some more pictures of Estemmeno...

My main gripe with CollectA is that they are difficult to acquire in the US. Weren't they going to have a new North America distributor this fall? I've ordered their figures in the past but these days it is hard to even find them online. For example, it looks like my only choice for the Dimorphodon is to import it. Where do others in the US usually go for CollectA?

Ideally, I really like being able to see a figure in person before I buy, but I've never seen CollectA at retail anywhere. I've only seen some of the crude first series figures for sale once, at a traveling dinosaur exhibit at the zoo in Seattle.

[suspsy]

ItsTwentyBelow, I use MiniZoo for my CollectA purchases, but the fact that Australia and Canada are both part of the Commonwealth means that shipping fees are relatively good. I don't know what it's like to ship to the US.

It sure would be great if CollectA could get a North American distributor to carry all their products!

[Faelrin]

I like the Ceratosaurus. It's another nice version of this dinosaur. I think the sculpt on the Dimetrodon is nice, but the colors are just eh. Like with the Estemmenosuchus, it just doesn't seem convincing enough with the random splotches here and there, but at least it seems more subdued in the Estemmenosuchus. Once again I prefer the color scheme on the Papo version (or even the Schleich one). I'm not really interested in the mammal to be honest.

I'll probably end up with getting just the Dunkleosteus this year, but I do like the Scuirumimus, the Iguanodon, the Estemmenosuchus, and this new Ceratosaurus too, but I'm not sure if it's enough to consider buying them later.

@ItsTwentyBelow DeJankins and Dan's Dinosaurs to my knowledge are in the US, and carry CollectA products. Might want to check them out.

[Jose S.M.]

Dejankins is where I get my Collecta figures, I've seen the site and all the 2016 and 2017 figures were in stock, I'm pretty sure the figures from later years too. I have only good experiences buying from their site.

[Shonisaurus]

Is it just me or is there just an influx of "deluxe" figures from CollectA 
My wallet is gonna kill me next year.

I think they probably make a higher profit margin on the deluxe figures. Your wallet killing you seems to be exactly the point, unfortunately.

Totally in agreement with you, so much affluence of prehistoric animals Deluxe in only two weeks is excessive, clearly indicates that they will not make more prehistoric animal figures of size 1:40 or 1:20. I suspect that the rest of dinosaurs and other prehistoric figures including prehistoric mammals (to my disgrace) will be of standard size.

I suppose they will reveal next week two standard figures of dinosaurs and one of another prehistoric creature and even that they are dinosaur tubes. In short, medium-sized figures shooting small.


Although they cost much more money, I prefer that a company like Collecta make figures of dinosaurs and prehistoric animals of deluxe size or Yi qi of extra-large size like dimorphodon.

[Bokisaurus]

Nice new reveals today
Really love that new ceratosaurus especially the striking colors they gave it.
So the two duplicates of this year between Safari and CollectA is the Dimetrodon, wow, I never would have guessed it I love this version, it's great to see a figure of an animal that is not perfect. CollectA always finds a way to add just a little something to their  figures, be it an injury, a parasite, wounds, or giving birth, that really makes them memorable and unique.
Oh yeah, that Gompotherium is cool, we need more prehistoric elephants.

So, no sauropod yet I 'm hoping we see one on the last batch next week. I wonder how many figures will there be for next year?

[Neosodon]

My main gripe with CollectA is that they are difficult to acquire in the US. Weren't they going to have a new North America distributor this fall? I've ordered their figures in the past but these days it is hard to even find them online. For example, it looks like my only choice for the Dimorphodon is to import it. Where do others in the US usually go for CollectA?

Ideally, I really like being able to see a figure in person before I buy, but I've never seen CollectA at retail anywhere. I've only seen some of the crude first series figures for sale once, at a traveling dinosaur exhibit at the zoo in Seattle.

You can get most collecta figures from happy hen toys for quite cheap actually. I've even seen them up for sale at museums.

The Ceratosaurus looks great but the size. It's fine having large figures when they are actually in scale. At almost 11 inches and in 1:40 like they claim this model would have to represent an individual that was only a few feet shy from being as large as a T. rex. And considering it is deluxe they are probably going to charge anything from 20 to 25 dollars for it. I can only afford so many over sized and overpriced figures a year.

I have the WS Ceratosaurus so I was hoping for some other kind of Jurassic therapod like a new Allosaurus or a Sinraptor. Or even a cretaceous abelisaurid would have been nice and something new. Well no matter the species it's hard to resist picking up a good looking figure.

[tanystropheus]

From Everything Dinosaur's blog
https://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk/blog/_archives/2017/11/17/new-collecta-models-2018-part-3.html

CollectA Deluxe 1:40 Scale Ceratosaurus Dinosaur Model


1:20 Scale Dimetrodon Model


1:20 Scale Gomphotherium Model

Beautiful Ceratosaurus with fugly joker colors.

I really like this Dimetrodon; it's quite natural looking.  It would make for a nice commission project. Either have it colored like the WS or the more starkly painted Schleich/Papo models.

I will be picking up this Gomph for sure. It makes the Bullyland version look like a calf!

[PhilSauria]

More to add to the list of buys for next year (gonna have to take out a bank loan at this rate!). Really taken with all of these. One day I'd like to see Collecta do a Pteranodon in the size of the two mega Pterosaurs so far produced. That would look awesome perched up on top of a bookcase looking ready to swoop down, but any more Pterosaurs in that range would be welcome with this collector.

[Loon]

Amazon sometimes gets collectas in for decent prices.

[stargatedalek]

I actually like the colours on the Ceratosaurus. CollectA typically applies their "warpaint" in unusual ways, or worst of all they apply it and trace the outline of the skull which is completely nonsensical. This one actually looks like a natural pattern.

Dimetrodon is nice, a little thin but not impossibly so. I like the texture on this one more than on the Safari, mixing scales with embossed skin is a nice touch that feels a bit more realistic to me.

[suspsy]

Could someone please add these three new photos to the front page?

[Sim]

Both Safari and CollectA are offering some very good new figures for 2018.  With this latest reveal from CollectA though, and I never thought I would say this, I prefer CollectA's prehistoric releases for the year to Safari's.  It doesn't matter that CollectA hasn't shown them all yet, because Safari's didn't include any animals I like a lot, while CollectA's does now with this very nice Ceratosaurus figure.  I won't be getting this Ceratosaurus, as I have no interest in having dinosaurs that are permanently attached to a base, but it pleases me more than any of Safari's 2018 releases.  I look forward to seeing people's photos of the CollectA Ceratosaurus.

I'm still the only one still having an issue with dinos on bases. The other two I might get.

No, as I mentioned above, I have no interest in having dinosaurs that have permanently attached bases.  I think as it is now, it's more or less okay, since while CollectA makes their bipedal dinosaurs attached to bases, Safari generally doesn't.  The 2017 Safari Giganotosaurus having a base is something I hope not to see in future Safari dinosaurs.  I know some people here prefer the biped dinosaurs to have bases, but some including myself don't want them to have bases.  So having one of the two companies who aims for accurate dinosaurs make them on bases (CollectA) while the other doesn't give them bases (Safari) seems fair to me.  If Safari started attaching bases to the dinosaurs I'd like to have, I might have to stop collecting.

Nevermind. Sorry that I forgot.

In case there's a misunderstanding, when I said, "as I mentioned above", I was referring to what I had said above in the same post, not in an earlier post in this thread.

[stargatedalek]

I've always hated permanent bases. I feel like it stems from birds, it takes genuine time and effort to find figures of birds (that aren't penguins) that haven't been permanently fused to a base and it was a source of repeated frustrations through most of my life. Optional bases make a very nice formal touch, but for me permanent bases, especially one single molded piece, feels cheaply made.

[IrritatorRaji]

I am in love with that Ceratosaurus, I can't wait to buy it!

[tanystropheus]

I actually like the colours on the Ceratosaurus. CollectA typically applies their "warpaint" in unusual ways, or worst of all they apply it and trace the outline of the skull which is completely nonsensical. This one actually looks like a natural pattern.

Except for one small detail -- the new "warpaint" now gives the impression of those vertical eye dashes (is there a name for this?) found on clowns (and, Thundercats)

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/5f/62/dd/5f62dd00ee6c96efcd045b92c3458dc2--halloween-make-up-halloween-foods.jpg

https://i.imgflip.com/c7b9h.jpg?a419184