CollectA—New for 2020

[stargatedalek]

The Wild Safari Microraptor does not have an alula, nor are the fingers properly fused. The Carnegie has an alula but still no fused fingers.

No the alula is not always going to be sticking forwards, but it is always going to be attached to the outermost finger, hence the Wild Safari does not have this regardless of the pose we assume the alula is holding. It does have a mass of feathers that looks superficially like what the alula resembles on a modern bird when its tucked along the edge of the wing, but its not attached to the finger.

Simply put there has yet to be a fully accurate Microraptor figure (even ignoring the tail, which could be exclusive to one species). I would argue the Carnegie comes the closest in terms of sculpted details, while the PNSO is closest in terms of overall design. This new one from CollectA and the current Wild Safari one are somewhere in the middle.

I will probably get it because it's an interesting pose, but I'm worried at 1:6 it will be a bit small. The real animal wasn't much larger than the Supreme pterosaurs, I'd have expected a Deluxe Microraptor to be 1:3 or even 1:2 scaled.

[Sim]

I still think the Wild Safari Microraptor does have the alula, the feathers do appear to be attached to the first finger to me.  Also, are you sure the fingers aren't properly fused?  They look correct to me in one of the photos here: http://dinotoyblog.com/2016/12/15/microraptor-wild-safari-by-safari-ltd/

[stargatedalek]

I still think the Wild Safari Microraptor does have the alula, the feathers do appear to be attached to the first finger to me.  Also, are you sure the fingers aren't properly fused?  They look correct to me in one of the photos here: http://dinotoyblog.com/2016/12/15/microraptor-wild-safari-by-safari-ltd/

The "alula" is further along the wing than the finger is, it doesn't start until its already at the claw. It should be extending along the length of the finger covering it even when at rest, not extending from it forward along the rest of the wing.

Being connected at the base isn't enough, the two fingers should be encased in a fleshy mitten, like one big finger with two nails at the end.

[Concavenator]

All of these are a pass for me.They're not bad figures, but these are quite bland in my opinion.I hope the next batch is better, I had very high hopes for CollectA's next year based on how awesome their 2019 releases were, I hope they won't let me down.

Bring on a stunner like last year's Edaphosaurus, Carnotaurus or Baryonyx!

Also I think the new Baryonyx is really unnecessary. Wouldn't it have been better to make a Suchomimus instead? Very similar, but at least it's a new dinosaur for their range.

[Dinoguy2]

Nice choices but a shame the Microraptor is inaccurate, especially for a 2020 figure, when the Safari Ltd, Beasts of the Mesozoic (though if I recall correctly forum member Sim helped with information with that during or after the kickstarter long before production), and PNSO figures have been out for some time. [...]

Yes, from what I remember I was one of a couple of people who helped David get the tail fan shape right, and I also told him about the alula so he could include it in the figure.

[...] Still, the lack of feathers on the fingers is inexcusable. Microraptor even had an alula. This is obvious looking at the fossils and diagrams in the papers. To be fair, Safari not only ALSO botched this but went ahead and painted the fingers bright yellow. At least on CollectA one they don't stand out as badly.
[...]

D @Dinoguy2, I'm pretty sure the Wild Safari Microraptor does have an alula.  I should have this figure, I just haven't yet opened the box it's in.  However, it has already been discussed here: http://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=3390.msg193052#msg193052

Hmm, i'll have to take a closer look at mine, but the photo on that thread just looks like primary coverts to me. Either way the alula feathers in the M. gui holotype go right up to the base of the first digit claw, so there should be no bare areas of any digits.

[Gwangi]

I'm personally stoked for the Protoceratops, it's on my wish list every year for any company willing to produce it. Good Protoceratops figures are rare, this one from CollectA might be the best best mass produced Protoceratops to date. I also really like the dynamic posture of that Microraptor. I have the Safari and Carnegie figures but to me their outstretched wings and static posture look unrealisitc, not so with this one from CollectA. I think it will display better than those by Safari, Carnegie, or PNSO.

[Shonisaurus]

Personally, I like the Collecta microraptor because of its size. I do not understand biology and anatomy but the only thing that I may not like about that figure is how they have sculpted the head as if it were a fierce animal and somehow without lips. The figure is dynamic but it seems a very defensive and too violent and aggressive position reminds me of a basilisk. Sincerely I like the figure in general terms at first sight or "bird's eye view" since I do not have it physically or I can not contrast it with other photos, it seems that its feathers are very detailed, but what I said I would have liked a microraptor with lips for another I celebrate that I have no articulated jaw in this case is more than justified because it would ruin the tiny head of that feathered dinosaur. My opinion is that good but it could be much better is perhaps the weak figure of the group.
Having said all this sincerely in my case, I do not share the excessively negative criticisms about the microraptor is a good figure and I would say that more than decent outstanding in this case perhaps outstanding low but not of honors.

[MLMjp]

If these reveals were not disappointing enough, almost all of the figures are done in this dull brow with dark spots patterns, just like some members have already pointed out, which makes Safari's orange based patters look like the most colorful paint schemes.

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

None of these first wave dinosaurs are instant 'Must-haves" for me, but I like them all well enough. If I had unlimited cash, I'd get the Protoceratops and Microraptor just for fun, but since I don't I'm going to continue my tradition of sticking to the 1:40 scale (a very effective means of forcing myself to keep my purchases to a minimum). With that said, the Fukuisaurus and the Baryonyx are my favorites of the bunch. They're both close enough in scale that I'll definitely consider getting them.

[Mellow Stego]

Loving the Protoceratops! Although, if I were to nit pick it I'm not a fan of the posture. 

[Brontozaurus]

Honestly, I'm pretty unimpressed. Fukuisaurus is quite nice, but the rest are easy passes.

I wouldn't say I'm unimpressed with them, but it's definitely not 'impressed enough to be buying them' territory either. Fukuisaurus is a possible purchase though, it's quite a nice colour scheme and always good to see more ornithopods.*

*which reminds me, I still haven't got the Mantellisaurus yet...

[tanystropheus]

The Protoceratops is a stunner!

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

Honestly, I'm pretty unimpressed. Fukuisaurus is quite nice, but the rest are easy passes.

I wouldn't say I'm unimpressed with them, but it's definitely not 'impressed enough to be buying them' territory either. Fukuisaurus is a possible purchase though, it's quite a nice colour scheme and always good to see more ornithopods.*

*which reminds me, I still haven't got the Mantellisaurus yet...

LOL, I had that exact same reaction! 
"Oh, that Fukuisaurus is nice, but I still haven't bought the Mantellisaurus yet! I should get that one first."

[John]

All of these are a pass for me.They're not bad figures, but these are quite bland in my opinion.I hope the next batch is better, I had very high hopes for CollectA's next year based on how awesome their 2019 releases were, I hope they won't let me down.

Bring on a stunner like last year's Edaphosaurus, Carnotaurus or Baryonyx!

Also I think the new Baryonyx is really unnecessary. Wouldn't it have been better to make a Suchomimus instead? Very similar, but at least it's a new dinosaur for their range.

If there is one thing I've noticed about this line,even the presence of a Baryonyx doesn't rule out the possibility of a Suchomimus no matter how closely related they are,much like when a Mantellisaurus turned up alongside Iguanodon in 2018.

[Shonisaurus]

In three weeks, of course, Collecta can surprise us with pleasant surprises and perhaps some of our dreams of figures of dinosaur species and other prehistoric animals can materialize. For example, it has materialized with the large-sized protoceratops this year. For me the protoceratops was a highly anticipated figure by Collecta and for me it has been a very pleasant surprise.

The truth is that Collecta as Safari are unpredictable.

[DragonRider02]

I have pointed out Microraptor's tail innaccuracy on Collecta's FB Page, and they simply responded that " their interpretation is diffrent"

[Sim]

Regarding the Wild Safari Microraptor, I'll have to take a look at mine when I can.  Right now, it seems possible to me that it has its alula positioned for when it's not in action and I'm not sure that's incorrect.  I've seen it depicted like this in the life restoration seen here: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/science/feather-cells-tell-of-microraptors-crowlike-sheen.html

The second and third finger don't look separate until their tips, I'll have to look at mine to check if they're too separate at that point.  In any case this is an extremely minor detail.

[stargatedalek]

It may be (vaguely) alula shaped, but it's in the wrong part of the wing on both the figure and that drawing.

[LeapingLaelaps]

I have pointed out Microraptor's tail innaccuracy on Collecta's FB Page, and they simply responded that " their interpretation is diffrent"

That's a strange response. How do you have a "different interpretation" of something we have direct fossil evidence for?


Anyways, the figures are nice but the only one I really want is Fukuisaurus. I'm getting the BotM Protoceratops so I don't need this one and the rest are... Meh. I love the pose of the Microraptor but it has too many inaccuracies for me to want to get it.

[Shonisaurus]

Sincerely, the ones I like the most are the protoceratops and fukuisaurus of Collecta 2020.

The Collecta microraptor is beautiful but I see superior to other brands and the baryonyx is a variant of its colleague Deluxe counterpart 2019. Perhaps the least interesting figure is the microraptor and for me the one that interests me most is the protoceratops first because it will be one of my first protoceratops in scientific version that I will collect (if I dare with time) in my shelves and on the other hand it is much cheaper than that of BoTM.