MOEBIUS MODELS BATPOD COMING SOON

Another Batman kit is on the way, says David Jefferis:

Due for release from Moebius Models in October is this 1:25 scale sci-fi motorcycle. It’s the Batpod, a Hollywood prop that first appeared in director Christopher Nolan’s 2008 movie The Dark Knight. 

Batpod equipment

As visualized, the Batpod is powered by a high-performance (of course!) single-cylinder engine, and steered by shoulder weight-shift, rather than traditional moveable handlebars. It’s a brutish but great-looking machine that fits very well into the gothic retro-noire look of Nolan’s Batman franchise.

Batpod ejection sequence

In the movie, the Batpod is seen ejecting from its ‘mother-ship’, the Tumbler Batmobile, so allowing Batman to continue his pursuit of the enemy, armed with grappling hooks, twin cannon, and a quartet of machine guns. The Batpod’s front wheels are actually those from the Tumbler, the bike transforming itself along the lines of the robots of the same name. Impressive stuff.

Test shot of the Batpod kit, courtesy Moebius Models.

Batpod next appearance

This looks like a fascinating kit, which we’ll have on the worktop at SMN Towers ASAP. You’ll be able to see the Batpod in action again next year, as it will be featuring in The Dark Knight Rises, due for release on July 20, 2012.

Batpod on display

Here the Batpod shown as part of a group of Batmobilia, on show in Hollywood, California. Thanks to ‘Gavatron’ for the picture.

Visit Moebius Models here.

More Batman stuff here.

Pre-order from Hobby Link Japan here.

MOEBIUS MODELS BATTLESTAR GALACTICA - HUGE SPACECRAFT, TINY SCALE

Size is Important, says Mat Irvine:

There is a big problem when you try to make a small model of an immense object, and it is literally one of scale. With most models, it’s an easy subconscious trick to work out scale by comparing bits and pieces on the model to their real-life counterparts.

Reducing a vehicle to, say, 1:25 scale is perfectly acceptable as the doors, seats, steering wheel are familiar objects. A 1:35 scale battle tank has immediately identifiable features, and an 1:72 scale aircraft equally so - even if it is 72 times smaller than the real thing. Even 1:144 scale airliners are OK, as you can still make out doors and imagine yourself sitting behind those tiny windows. But go further, to ocean liner and warship scale - mostly 1:600 down to 1:1200 scale -  at which point commonplace window and door detail starts to disappear.

Box sides have useful extra pictures.

Mighty movie battlewagon

But what happens with craft meant to be several kilometres or even miles long? For that’s the situation with the 1:4105 scale Moebius Models Battlestar Galactica - a reduction at which a typical human would be a speck just 0.04 mm tall! As conceived for the excellent re-imagined 2003 TV series, the huge spacecraft is almost a mile long. Look at any object that length (some bridges are) and you will notice that while shape and structure are fine, familiar-object detail gets lost. It’s the case with this model, so whilst imagination may to fill in many details, it could be possible to put a familiar ‘something’ next to the ship for comparison purposes. The USS Enterprise aircraft carrier for instance would be just 83 mm (3.3 in), long, while the Eiffel Tower would be 79 mm (3.1 in) high. Either of these examples would really underline the Galactica’s huge size, as it is some 330 mm (13 in) long when assembled. 

Inside the box are three component-packed polythene bags and excellent instructions.

Evolution of the Galactica story

The Battlestar Galactica storyline has had something of a chequered career since its first airing in 1978. Various incarnations appeared before the present, hugely successful, version was released. In the model world, Monogram made four kits from the original TV series, while this Moebius Models version features the latest Galactica. It’s slightly smaller than the Monogram ‘Mk I’, and does suffer somewhat from that lack of indication of scale and size. Overall however, it is a realistic attempt, with plenty of ribbing and surface detail that just beg to be given the super-detail and weathering treatment. And lest anyone say there is no weather in space, remember that the Battlestar featured here is half a century old, has been in plenty of space battles, and has likely suffered much erosion from dust, gas, and interstellar radiation - plus, of course, plenty of combat damage and repair work.

Plans are printed in colour, which is a great help for the final scheme.

What’s in the box?

The box contains three big polythene bags, containing 67 components, including five clear parts. There is also a metal rod that fits into the supplied display stand. Assembly is aided by a comprehensive set of instructions, and colour printing helps a lot, especially when it comes to final finishing. The operational Battlestar Galactica is mostly bare-metal, so finishing the model involves spraying an overall shade of steel, then careful masking for further coats of different shades of gunmetal. And here the plans come into their own, with a five-view technical illustration and colour pix making things clear. Construction is straightforward, though tweezers definitely help with the 24 tiny gun turrets. 

Final model on display - note the excellent pylon stand. 

Should you buy the kit?

For sci-fi fans, and of Battlestar Galactica in particular, this is an essential kit for the collection. With attention to detail and all-important paint detailing, it’ll be a rewarding kit to build. And if you add a scale Eiffel Tower - or even a print of it to the right size - then that visual sense of true-to-life size comparison won’t be lost!

Battlestar Galactica fans should keep an ear to the ground for the upcoming Blood and Chrome, a prequel to the present series. The two-hour pilot is currently being shot, for release planned for late 2011 or early 2012. 

Review kit supplied courtesy Moebius Models.

Visit Moebius Models here.

Battlestar Galactica kits and collectibles here.

Unofficial fan trailer for Blood and Chrome on TouTube here.

THE WONDER OF WONDER WOMAN - A SUPERHEROINE KIT FROM MOEBIUS MODELS

A Mat Irvine review

Although Wonder Woman is most likely best known from the 1970s TV series starring Lynda Carter, the character existed long before that. In fact, the original Aurora kit of 1965 was based on the comic books that first featured the character in the 1940s. Along with Wonder Woman, Aurora issued others in the same vein, such as Superman, Superboy, Spider-Man, Batman, Robin, and The Penguin. However, amongst all those boys (and a bird), Wonder Woman never seemed to have quite the appeal - must be all that testosterone (and fish) - and the Wonder Woman kit was only available for a couple of years.

Wonder Woman gets lost?

Aurora did reissue its figure kits a few times, and invented the Comic Scenes series in the 1970s. Many of the original figure kits were repackaged under this title, a few parts were changed, there were new boxes, but otherwise they were pretty much the same as the originals. However there was one reissue absentee - Wonder Woman. The story went that the tooling had been sent to an outside company for moulding. This in itself was not unusual as although Aurora had many in-house injection moulding machines, when these were fully occupied, outside companies had to be used occasionally. It is thought that a batch of mouldings for Wonder Woman was one of these, but the tooling never came back and was lost, presumed scrapped.

Retro-engineering from Moebius Models

Consequently, Wonder Woman has become one of the most sought-after of these original superhero figures, and an unbuilt one can command a price approaching $500 USD (£310 GBP). Good for those with a stash of unbuilt kits, not so good for those who want to actually build one, rather than keeping it mint-and-boxed as loft insulation. This is where the 'New Aurora' companies have come into their own, and one of the major ones, Moebius Models, has now retro-engineered the Wonder Woman kit, slightly modifying some parts to improve fit but otherwise producing a near- identical kit to the original. This is true, even down to the style of plans and a virtual clone of the original Aurora box. It is even moulded in the same flesh/tan-coloured styrene.

Inside the box

Like most of these 1:12 scale personalities, the Moebius Wonder Woman is reasonably straightforward to put together, even if you are not accustomed to building figure kits. The actual colour of the plastic is almost irrelevant, as most of the effort will go into the painting and recreating the lady's set of very colourful garments. In the box you get more than a superheroine though, for there's the fearsome-looking octopus trying to wrap its tentacles around her legs. Much like the somewhat surreal quality of art used in the original comic and on the box, the octopus is highly stylized, but none the worse for that, and as you can see from the photo of the Moebius prototype that I took at the iHobby Exop Hobby Show in Chicago, the whole ensemble - WW, octopus, rock and sea - gains immeasurably from a careful paint and airbrush job. An SMN reader has pointed out that the skilled model work here was the work of Amazing Figure Modeler fame David Fisher.

So if you feel that male superheroes shouldn't have it all their own way, you can now add Wonder Woman to the collection - and the price is slightly more modest, at a UK price of around £27 GBP. She is an excellent addition to the growing Moebius Models range, and well worth having if you're into comics.  

See the Wonder Woman kit here.

The pictures show, top to bottom:

1  Wonder Woman tackles yet another pesky octopus. Just think of all that calamari…

2  The box for the Moebius Models Wonder Woman is a virtual clone of the original Aurora kit from 1965

3  The plans also reflect the original Aurora style.

4  Neatly bagged components are moulded in tan plastic.

5  There’s a new-style Wonder Woman being planned (publicity art shown below), who has an altogether more butch look.

Thanks to Andy Yanchus, Project Manager for Aurora for many years, who gently pointed out some errors that crept into the first edition of this review.

Thanks also to Moebius Models for the review kit.

WHAT'S IN A NAME? THE NEW FRANKENSTEIN FROM MOEBIUS

A Mat Irvine review

You had the same situation with the classic Aurora monster kits - all had their own names: Dracula, Wolfman, The Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon... except Frankenstein, for it was of course a monster of his own creation, not Dr Frankenstein himself. But over the years the two have ended up as virtually interchangeable names. 

Moebius breeds a new monster in the cellar

Although the original Aurora kit has reigned supreme for nearly half a century, there’s now a new kid on the block, or in this case, monster in the cellar: the new kit of Frankenstein’s Monster from Moebius Models. Some Moebius kits have simply been recreations of Aurora kits, but this kit is brand new. However, it is made in a similar style to those of Aurora, to the same 1:8  scale, and posed in some appropriate scenic setting, but in a completely different location. Also, and although Aurora modelled the actor most associated with the creature - Boris Karloff - pretty closely, this monster bears an uncanny resemblance. It recreates the scene where the creature opens the door to the basement, and in fact the box-art is a still of the same scene from the movie.

Building the Moebius kit

Besides the figure you get a sizable chunk of floor, walls, and cellar door. The overall construction, as is the case with most of this style of kit, is not difficult as the scenery comes in very large chunks of plastic. In fact there are just 32 components in all. Maybe a bit of filler is required on a few of the seams, but in a model like this, these are easy to conceal in folds of the clothing. 

Important paintwork

What is the most important part with this type of kit though, is the paint finish. To this end the plans give a comprehensive breakdown in recreating - in colour - the images in what was, after all, a black and white film. It is also a good opportunity to try out paint ideas for the figure, as if they are slightly wrong, well, you can apply a quick wash-over with basic colours and start again. Here, base colours for the clothing were applied, then lighter shades dry-brushed (a brush with most of the paint already wiped off) over areas such as edges and creases, to highlight them. The same technique was also used on the walls and floor. Actually, the plans themselves should have a special mention, for they are very comprehensive, and show photos of various stages in construction.

All in all, an excellent addition to the growing Moebius range.  

Thanks to Moebius Models for the review kit.

The pictures show, top to bottom:

1  The model, box-top and base. The box image is a still from the 1931 movie, and you can use the stone-patterned box base as a background behind the open door. 

2  The main assemblies cemented together. The stonework comes in four parts, the door in two halves, with separate handles.

3  Colourful plans include plenty of detail to guide you through the construction stages.

4  Dry-brush techniques used on the stonework. Use these on the clothing as well.

5, 6  Frankenstein’s Monster, coming out of the cellar. 

SMN take - a nice kit for any movie-buff, though you’ll have to work a bit to make him a close likeness of the finest Frank of them all, Boris Karloff. Here’s a pic of him as a guide for you monster-makers, not forgetting those bolts in the neck!

SUPERHEROES REIGN IN WOODSTOCK MUSEUM

David Jefferis reports
That’s not the hippie Woodstock, but the handsome town in folksy Olde Englande, on the edge of the beautiful Cotswold Hills. Here the local Oxfordshire Museum has regular displays on all manner of subjects, and at the moment it’s a Superhero show, based on the private collection of Kevin Losonczi.

Robots and Aliens
Kevin has been an avid fan of the Superhero genre since he was a teen, and now has 1000-plus items including many one-offs and rare pieces, including massive 1:1 scale Terminator, Predator and Robocop figures. The pull is a link to Kevin’s childhood in which his dreams were packed with magic that included having the extra powers of Superheroes.

For model fans, science-fiction and Superheroes are well catered for, though it’s fair to say while the choice in ready-made figures and equipment is huge (just cruise the aisles of Toys ‘R’ Us to see what I mean) the number of model kits is not quite so expansive. Still, let’s not complain, as Moebius Models covers a wide range these days - and there isn’t a dud among them.

Moebius Iron Man
Among the newer kits is Iron Man (reviewed by Mat Irvine not long ago) and Iron Man 2 in various versions, and modelled from digital files used for the movie. It’s fair to say that on scale models, chrome usually looks rather gaudy, and some dulling down usually helps in the realism department - and it’s true here, though don’t let that put you off these great little kits. 

Visit Kevin’s collection here.

Visit Moebius Models here.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1  Iron Man bust.
2  1:4 scale Incredible Hulk.
3  Spider Woman
4  Spiderman and Batman.
5-6  Moebius Iron Man kits.

AURORA LIVES - IN ‘LIVING DEAD’ PLASTIC MONSTER FORM ANYWAY

Mat Irvine reports
If there was one thing that the original Aurora Plastic Company of Hempstead, Long Island, was famous for, it was monster figures. Other companies may have done figure kits, some may have had similar subjects, but it was Aurora that became synonymous with these creatures of the night.

Monsters DVD
The original Aurora company is long gone - as dead as most of its monsters - and as long ago as 1976, most of the tooling that survived was acquired by Monogram. But Aurora certainly hasn’t been forgotten. And to this end, enthusiasts Dennis Vincent and Cortlandt Hull bring you ‘The Aurora Monsters’ - the DVD. With extras, this provides two hours of stories and interviews with people associated with creating the Aurora monster legend, all hosted by Zacherley the Cool Ghoul, with Gorgo the Gargoyle.

What's on the disc?
To UK TV viewers, Zacherley’s name will almost certainly be unfamiliar, but in the US, particularly in earlier years, his was the face that introduced all those old Universal movies that are now found on TV, and in many ways more famous than the movies themselves. The Zacherley-Gorgo duo introduces the main DVD, then - by Gorgo supposedly finding and running some old film stock - this leads into the interviews. These include my old friend Andy Yanchus in New York, who was Project Developer for Aurora, and worked on, if not the original figure series, certainly the later Monster Scenes. On the DVD, Andy regales you with stories of how Aurora got into terrible trouble with parental groups, who assumed all this monster mayhem was injuring their little darlings. Mind you, ask the kids, and it was the opposite view - they loved it all!

Box artist
Also present on the DVD is one of the most famous box-art illustrators ever, James Bama, who did all the monster boxes for Aurora, some again for reissues. Then there is Ray Meyers, who was one of the original sculptors for the company and managed to get incredible likenesses of actors who portrayed the movie monsters.

The interjections of Zacherley and Gorgo is a bit of an acquired taste, Gorgo coming across at times like the Muppet Kermit the Frog on speed, but the spooky setting looks effective, considering it must have been done on an incredible tight budget . 

Taking over the Aurora mantle
Aurora may have gone, but new companies have taken over much of the catalogue. Some are ‘garage’ outfits (ie specialist) Sideshow Collectibles, while others use traditional injection-plastic techniques. They lease old tooling from Revell-Monogram, retro-engineer original kits, cut new tooling from original parts, or create brand-new kits ‘in the Aurora style’. Two of these companies, Polar Lights and Moebius Models are mentioned on the DVD (the other is Monarch Models), with the Moebius CEO Frank Winspur interviewed.

The YouTube clip above is from the DVD; thanks to Andy Yanchus for the review disc.

Visit the DVD website here.

Visit Moebius Models here.

Visit Sideshow Collectibles here.

Have a look at a range of monster and fantasy stuff here.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1  DVD cover, featuring six of Aurora’s most famous monsters: Phantom of the Opera, Wolfman, Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon.
2-3  DVD frame grab and publicity still of Zacherley and Gorgo. Note the Aurora Frankenstein box.
4  Illustrator James Bama.
5  Sculptor Ray Meyers.
6  Frank Winspur (left) and David Metzner of Moebius Models.

MOONBUS KIT FROM THE CLASSIC MOVIE 2001 REISSUED BY MOEBIUS MODELS

Mat Irvine reports
The Moonbus from 2001: A Space Odyssey was first issued as a kit by Aurora in 1968, along with Aurora’s take on the Orion spaceplane from the same movie. The Orion was reissued in 1975, but the Moonbus never reappeared and prices for the kit have tended to go through the roof on certain on-line auction sites.

Retro-engineered Moonbus
Moebius Models - one of those new model companies often dubbed the ‘New Aurora’ - has been contemplating the Moonbus for a couple of years, and now it is available online and in stores. The approximately 1:55 scale spacecraft is a retro-engineered kit - one that is copied from an existing original, with subtle changes made to improve assembly.

Useful improvements
Changes include the addition of locating pins and the like, which are hidden once assembled. But there have also been improvements to visible parts. The cockpit windows on the Aurora kit were single-layer transparencies, with an inner window canopy missing. Moebius have rectified this error. Also, the side passenger windows have been corrected and are now individual window panes, instead of one long strip on each side. The kit includes nine decently sculpted figures, so the craft can be fully occupied if you wish.

More 2001 spacecraft in the wings?
If the Moebius Moonbus is successful - and the way the kits are selling, it seems more than likely - there may be more spacecraft from this most famous science fiction movie coming soon. Apart from the Orion, none have been made in conventional injection-moulded kit form.

The pictures show, top to bottom:
1 The original Aurora box.
2 The Moebius Models reissue - the only real difference is that movie references are absent.
3 Aurora components (left) came in grey and light green, the new kit is in white.
4, 5 My Aurora kit-build shows the removeable roof and interior.
6, 7, 8 Views of the Moebius kit, which looks extremely convincing when completed.

Sample kit supplied by Moebius Models. You can visit the site here.

The Moonbus is also available here.

A recommended reference book to the movie is Piers Bizony’s Filming the Future published by Aurum Press. It is available here, though the last reprint was in 2000, and used copies are not cheap.

FEELING BLUE? THEN NOSFERATU IS THE VAMPIRE FOR YOU!

Mat Irvine reports
I was watching The Simpsons recently, and it reminded me that there was a kit I’d acquired some time ago, but had yet to build.

It was a figure in the style of the old Aurora kits, of a subject that Aurora perhaps should have done, the original vampire movie of 1922, named Nosferatu for copyright reasons. Later versions of Count Dracula by Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee set the benchmark for what a self-respecting vampire should look like (it was good enough for Grandpa Munster, after all), but the German actor Max Shreck’s portrayal of Nosferatu was far more frightening, even though - or maybe because - the movie was black-and-white and the vampire was seen mostly only in shadow.

The Canadian model company Monarch Models, run by Scott McKillop, is one of the companies often cited as the ‘new Aurora’, along with Polar Lights and Moebius Models. Monarch’s Nosferatu has been nicely produced in the style of the original Aurora company, even down to the vertical blue box. The only real change is that the instruction sheet is in full colour, whereas Aurora’s would have been black and white.

The features of the model match Max Schreck as Count Orlok, aka Nosferatu the vampire. He is shown descending the steps to his cellar, with added features (again typical of Aurora) that include a spider, centipede, human bones and a couple of rats. There’s also a version that includes luminous parts, which is just as well, as the standard version has a 'Sold Out' sign.

Oh, and The Simpsons reference? Mr Burns of course. Apart from having an uncanny likeness to the undead, he actually took on the role in Treehouse of Horror IV, which briefly featured a scene with a passing nod to Nosferatu.

The pictures show (top to bottom):
1 Monarch kit box.
2 Box and parts.
3 Nosferatu assembled on base, blue skin and all.
4 Colorized frame from the 1922 movie. btw German director Werner Herzog made an excellent 1979 remake, which is well worth a look if you’re into the genre.

Visit Monarch Models here. You may have to reload the page, as it seems to be a bit iffy at the moment.

DVDs of the movies are available on Amazon here.

IRON MAN'S ATTRACTIVE INSTRUCTIONS

Just thought we'd mention the neatly produced instruction sheet for the Moebius Iron Man model, pictured above. It's clean, clear, and heaps better than some of the opposition's offerings.

Note that the parts are pictured in a cream shade. The actual kit has ruby red parts, so the ones used for the instructions could have been early early test shots, before the final injection shade was decided.

IRON MAN - BUILDING THE MOEBIUS MODEL

A MAT IRVINE REVIEW
The movie Iron Man turned out much better that I was expecting. Frankly, having gone off a lot of superhero movies because, well, those superheroes can seemingly get away with anything, Iron Man initially seemed to be of the same genre, but of course it isn’t. Tony Stark is an ordinary man (OK, a very rich ‘ordinary man’) who builds a power suit to help him defeat the bad guys, but it does not empower him with ‘superpowers’ as such - we are not talking the missing sibling of the Fantastic Four here. The screenplay was much assisted by Robert Downey Jr in the role, and the humorous elements mean that he doesn’t get it right all the time.

Iron Man never had the honour of being represented in plastic by the originator of the ‘super figures’ kit, Aurora. Instead, it’s been one of the companies that has taken on the mantle of ‘new Aurora’, Moebius Models. MM has reproduced the Iron Man figure in 1:8 scale (part of the instruction sheet is shown, top picture above) and made it in a style that is certainly reminiscent of what Aurora might have done. (And there is a long list of what Aurora could - or should - have done.)

The kit is moulded in the rich rub red of the Iron Man suit, so you could get away with just painting the gold section of the armour. However, for a more authentic finish, paint the whole figure gold. Wait until it’s thoroughly dry, mask off the areas that will remain gold, then spray on a transparent red. This will then match the original finish very closely. Finally add painting details to the base.

There’s one other kit you could add to this display. Although not specifically made as an Iron Man movie model, the recent Revell 1:24 scale kit of the Audi R8 could be added, as it is one of the cars featured in the movie. (Audi seems keen on such product placements). Finish the car in silver and metallic black - oddly it does not appear in the movie in matching Iron Man colours - then add California ‘STARK 4’ licence plates.

Incidentally, Robert Downey Jr (playing Tony Stark) had a cameo role in the most recent 2008 The Incredible Hulk movie; Iron Man 2 is in the works, for first screening on April 30, 2010.

Visit Moebius Models here.

And for absolutely everything you ever wanted to know about Audi R8s in movies and TV - and a lot more besides - visit the Internet Cars Movie Database here.