This featured article comes from longtime forum member Boki, who shares his thoughts on the two major stegosaur releases of 2011. Thanks, Boki! (-Dan)

In this year’s dinosaur lineup, we are offered two unusual late Jurassic stegosaurs.

In the past, most companies have opted for the familiar stegosaur when choosing a species to add to their line of prehistoric figures. Almost everyone knows what a stegosaur looks like, so it has become a staple figure. All companies that make prehistoric animals have stegosaurus in their collections. With the exception of Kentrosaurus, other species of stegosaurs were underrepresented. This has changed in the last few years (thanks to CollectA), which brings us to these two new figures from Safari and CollectA.
Last year, both companies offered their versions of Kentrosaurus in their lineup. This year, they are at it again, but with two different, yet similar in many ways, species of stegosaur. Both figures are unsusual in their own right and display really well as a pair.

CollectA Dacentrurus (Pointed Tail) 1:40 scale

This was actually the first species of stegosaur discovered. It was a large species of stegosaur that was found in many parts of Western Europe.
Of the two figures, this one is the larger and more robust figure. So if you want a stegosaurid with some beef on it, this one is for you. The sculptor gave it a rearing/high browsing pose which is very pleasing. It balances well on its two legs without the aid of the tail, a trait common to all of CollectA’s rearing/biped figures.
It has rows of paired triangular plates down the spine, and spikes on the tail. The legs are typical stegosaurids, longer, more robust back legs, and shorter skinny legs. Its body is built wider on the hips, and looks low to the ground (big belly) when on all fours. One can say a full bodied figure.
There are two huge shoulder spikes, one on each side of the figure.
Skin details on this figure abound. There are lots of small bumps all over the body. In addition, the skin had a nice texture to it with lots of folds. The color conservative but works well with this figure. The multiple hues of browns and some lighter highlights bring out the figures nice details. The throat has a reddish highlight, a nice splash of color to an otherwise brown figure.
Overall, its’ nice sculpt and unusual pose make this figure one of the most impressive and memorable stegosaur figure in my collection.

Safari Miragaia (Wonderful Earth Goddess) 1:30 scale

Miragai or Wonderful Earth Goddess is a newly names species. Like Dacentrurus, it is also a European species (found in Portugal).
Unlike the robust Dacentrurus, this figure is all about grace and beauty.
The most unusual feature of this stegosaur is that it has a long neck, longer than any other known stegosaur to date. In fact, cut out the back plates, and it will look very much like a medium sized sauropod.
Like Dacentrurus, it also has rows of triangular plates down its spine, and spike on the tail.
Everything about this figure is delicate looking. The pose is not as dramatic as CollectA’s rearing Dacentrurus. However, it is actively posed as if bellowing or browsing on some low vegetation in mid-stride. It truly is a graceful and beautiful figure.
The skin is smooth with lots of delicate folds and textures. Unfortunately, the paint application obscured many of these delicate features. It is a shame really for you can see them just under the surface. Perhaps some dry-brushing would help bring those delicate textures out.
This one does not posses the shoulder spikes seen in Dacentrurus or Kentrosaurus.
The color is bold: the body is yellow green, a black band runs along its side just below the plates, the base of the plates, as well as the throat/neck has red highlights, and a splash of blue on the neck completes the appearance of one excited stegosaur! The face is whitish.
Overall, this is the most graceful and delicate stegosaur in my collection.

Here they are side-by-side
Dacentrurus on all fours

The two figures truly compliment each other. Despite the difference in scale, they are pretty much close in size, with Dacentrurus being bigger and more robust, which it should be. It is nice to see a different species of stegosaur besides Kentrosaurus represented. And both in the same year, too!

These two figures surely rank as the best in the group of medium sized figures in my collection.

They both make good diorama subjects. In fact, with other dinosaur species from the same region and time also making their appearance in the toy world this year, it would be a great experiment to create an entire diorama featuring these faunas.

Tale of Two Stegosaurs: Carnegie Miragaia and CollectA Dacentrurus is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

This Ankylosaurus from Favorite is one of the best plastic ankylosaurs out there. It’s just not Ankylosaurus…

A little background: in 2004, a paper by Ken Carpenter was published that redescribed Ankylosaurus and finally gave it a definitive modern ‘look’. Before that, restorations of the animal’s armour tended to be based either on the original description (like the Walking With Dinosaurs Ankylosaurus) or on Euoplocephalus. It’s the latter that’s occurred here. I’m not sure exactly when this model was first in production, so it doesn’t seem fair to count this as a criticism – however, it is worth comparing with the Carnegie Ankylosaurus which has the ‘new(ish) look’ armour. (Notice in particular the lack of shoulder spikes, which were very common on old Ankylosaurus restorations, but were borrowed from Euoplocephalus.)

This figure has plenty of aspects that are worthy of praise, regardless of any misidentification. The armour matches up very well with Euoplocephalus tutus. The sculpt overall is fantastic, and one of the very few to accurately capture the strange appearance of ankylosaurs – especially their stupidly wide hips. Detailing, as in all Favorite models, is extremely crisp – in particular, I am always impressed by the scalation. Even if the scales would be smaller at this scale, it gives the model a very refined appearance and reinforces the creature’s reptilian character (rather than making it look too much like it has mammalian skin, which admittedly is a bigger problem with sauropods).

In fact, and in spite of the relatively drab colours, it’s one of the best Euoplocephalus models you can buy, except in one respect – the head! The head of Ankylosaurus is pretty well known – when your skull’s a huge hunk of reinforced bone, rather than all dainty and riddled with openings, it tends to be preserved pretty well. I’d argue that the head on this figure resembles Ankylosaurus magniventris more than Euoplocephalus. Although the spikes may not be quite stout enough, the shape of the snout pretty much confirms it for me – this is a freaky hybrid. It’s Euoplocephalus with an Ankylosaurus head!

Still, this hardly detracts from what is overall an excellent figure, particularly as the head is pretty small anyway. The stately (but not static) pose, superb detailing, and the well-researched sculpt all make for a worthy addition to anyone’s ankylosaur collection. It’s still available wherever Favorite models are sold.

[wpebayads]

Ankylosaurus (Soft model by Favorite Co. Ltd.) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Rounding out David’s acclaimed line of 1:72 models is this 3 inch long reconstruction of Stegosaurus stenops. The upright posture will be one of the first things to draw the eye. It’s a refreshing twist on what is otherwise a very traditional dinosaur. Some may be skeptical as to whether this pose was anatomically feasible. What can be said for certain, is that it demands strong faith in your choice of adhesive – or at least a good quality of adhesive. The bulky herbivore definitely needs your help in order to maintain this position on his hind legs, and an unexpected collapse is particularly risky for this animal, given the delicate nature of his plates.

As always, the base comes with guide prints for easier placement. The feet, like much of the body, may require some careful cleaning to remove excess resin. This will allow a more snug fit on the base, and you really don’t want any resin rods stretching between the plates, do you?

Of course, if you are planning to paint your Antediluvian Stegosaurus, that is something best done before base attachment. Since the base is fairly open, it allows installation of various habitat elements, such as water, dirt, and leaves. For buildup king Martin Garratt, dried crushed leaves work wonders for a base, and he likes to introduce new flora as well. In this particular buildup, he has provided a Walking With Dinosaurs coloration for the animal, which can be seen in many restorations of the species today.

Resin version (left) and bronze version (right)

David offers further fluidity to the animal by curling its neck and tail to the left. It’s not hard to imagine this is a primal response to an incoming threat, so this is certainly an option for pairing with the Antediluvian Allosaurus. As far as accuracy, this is about the best you can get with Stegosaurus. His hind limbs are appropriately larger than his front limbs, the signature spikes are nice and pointy, and the plates appear to number a proper 17 (counting the tiny neck plates is a rather tricky task, but possibly part of the fun). And yes, the back feet have three toes each.

Painted by Martin Garratt

At this scale, it’s nearly impossible to see if the throat pouch is included. I think it would be a forgivable omission for a three inch replica, but Martin has actually painted a few ossicles on the neck anyway. It’s worth noting most Stegosaurus figures in this price range don’t have the accuracy to hold up to a model like this. They typically have greatly reduced tails, plate problems, or something weird with their proportions. This is a great, affordable way to introduce your current collectibles to a proper Stegosaurus.

Painted by Steve Riojas

Stegosaurus (Antediluvia Collection)(David Krentz) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

First things first – this is yet another “Ankylosaurus” model that is nothing of the sort, instead rather obviously being based on Euoplocephalus (would giving these figures the correct name really harm their commercial prospects that much?). It’s also Papo’s very latest dinosaur, released a few months ago and well overdue the Dinosaur Toy Blog treatment.

Papo’s legions of screaming fans (maybe) will be pleased to know that this figure continues the company’s tradition of preposterous detailing and immaculate paint schemes, the likes of which have often made other manufacturers’ efforts look plain embarrassing. A few may complain that it’s a little on the brown side, but it’s still one of the few dinosaur toys that one can use the word ‘sumptuous’ about with a straight face. Every fine detail – scutes and spikes, eyes, tongue – is painted flawlessly. In terms of aesthetics, Papo remain without peer at this price point, and the careful paintwork even puts some expensive resin models to shame.

The pose is an interesting one. Thanks mostly to their bulky, squat frame, the majority of ankylosaur figures tend to have fairly similar poses – just standing or walking with the tail swinging out to one side. However, Papo’s “Ankylosaurus” is posed crouching, as if to brace itself, with its tail swinging wildly up into the air. Such an inventive, exciting pose is definitely worthy of commendation, and really makes the toy stand out among its more static peers. Being frozen in such a pose may limit its playability for kids, but there’s no doubt that any dino-mad child (or man-child, ahem) would be thrilled to receive a figure like this anyway.

Anatomically there are certainly flaws, as usual, although this is far from being the most severely flawed figure in the Papo range (dare I mention the horrible Oviraptor again?). Apart from it being a Euoplocephalus rather than an Ankylosaurus, the head is too large for the body, and the tail rather too short. Most significantly though, the body fails to reflect the true nature of ankylosaur anatomy, that is to say incredibly wide-hipped and strange. The similarly mislabelled Favorite “Ankylosaurus“ shows how it should be done, even if it is not quite as lovely to look at.

Still – and speaking as someone who has gained a bit of a reputation for nitpicking – this is not a figure that should be passed up (or destroyed on sight, like the Oviraptor). In spite of the anatomical errors this is a beautifully made plastic dinosaur at a very reasonable price, and I highly recommend it. Now if only Papo would consult with palaeontologists when developing their figures – THEN we would have hands-down the best dinosaur toy range in the world. One can but dream…

Available from eBay stores here

Ankylosaurus (Papo) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Review and Photos by forum member Pangolinmoth

From the Battat line of dinosaur figures, better known as the bane of our bank accounts and the envy of our peers, comes the charming Edmontonia rugosidens. Edmontonia was a nodosaur from the late cretaceous, and quite the tank at that. Boasting massive shoulder armaments and a solid mass of armor down its back they were not to be trifled with by hungry theropods.

One of the neat-o things about Battat figures is they are all classified by specific taxon, further distinguishing the line from all the other toy companies out there. And I say charming in a surly, grumpy, Eeyore sort of way.

The figure is about 18 cm long, and at a scale of 1:40 that puts right in the ballpark of the scale of all the Battat collection, another rare feat for companies these days. The detail is fantastic, and corresponds perfectly to a complete fossilized armor plate found from one of these guys. You could just imagine a Rex getting a mouthful of those awesome shoulder spikes or a good whap from its spiny tail.

Out of all the Battat collection this guy has one of the more believable paint schemes. A beige underbelly with a nice green and brown armored back create an image of a simple beast, one that does not need flashy adornments to show the world he is not to be trifled with. It’s pose is also simple, like he is walking along looking for some delicious foliage to enjoy and unconcerned about any lurking predators.

All in all I think this is one of the best nodosaur replicas. They seem easier to find than some of the other Battats, but the price is still probably up in the 30-40 dollar range.

Edmontonia (Battat) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Review by forum member Gwangi

I’m really starting to dig this dinosaur review thing, I’ve always enjoyed writing, learning and doing anything that involved dinosaurs so naturally I would have to give this a try and as you can tell I’ve gotten fond of it. Hopefully my reviews are meeting the standards of the blog, feel free to let me know. Thinking it was time to do another review I gazed over my collection looking for a figure that hasn’t already been reviewed, not an easy task. I came across my recently acquired CollectA…ummm…what is this thing? I looked under the belly but there was no name. It looked like a generic Ankylosaur and a Nodosaur more specifically but beyond that I had no clue what it was supposed to represent. I almost put it back on the shelf; I am not particularly knowledgeable regarding Ankylosaurs and without even knowing the species how could I review it? In the interest of educating myself I decided to give it a try anyway. I was quite shocked to find out what my figure was supposed to represent, a Polacanthus…what? Seriously? Polacanthus is a genus of Early Cretaceous Nodosaurid from western Europe. The first species discovered was P. foxii in 1865 by Reverend William Fox. The other species P. rudgwickensis was named by William Blows in 1996 and named for the village in which it was found in West Sussex, England. Enough on the detail though, any one of you can read the Wikipedia page as good as I can. For what it is worth the Wiki entry on the genus cites this animal in two pieces of pop culture; “Walking with Dinosaurs” and “The Land before Time”. I think the latter was the model by which CollectA probably designed this figure.

So where to begin with this guy, well lets start on the most well known feature of Polacanthus, the large sacral shield that can be seen in just about every reconstruction of this animal. Its not there! Evidently CollectA made a Polacanthus without the one thing that might distinguish it as a Polacanthus. When I discovered that this figure was indeed supposed to be a Polacanthus I was shocked and I didn’t believe it, how could it be possible? I realize CollectA has produced some really questionable figures but this one was made in 2008, years after WWD popularized the beast. It just goes to show you that they did absolutely no research on this animal and just tacked a name on a generic Nodosaur, I’m surprised they even had the sense to omit the tail club.

Along with not having the sacral shield there are a long list of other glaring errors. The head it beakless, narrow and horse-like…a generic head for a generic dinosaur. The spikes are excessively long and I’m certain there are more of them than should be. The feet even have one toe too many, I guess if you’re going to do it wrong you might as well do it on all fronts. So…what’s good about this figure? Not much. The figure is a flat brown color and covered in small pebbly scales which I guess is something to be thankful for. The pose is fairly static but at least more dynamic than the Toyway Polacanthus. The overall sculpt really isn’t bad and if you can forget that it is supposed to be Polacanthus could pass over for a fairly good generic Chinasaur. The actual Polacanthus was about 16’ long and this figure at a little over 5” puts it at about 1/30 scale.

I hate to give it such a bad review because it is a cute little figure but it is what it is. I really cannot recommend this figure to those who want accuracy but it does make a half way decent hairbrush as I discovered while proofreading this review. If you are a diehard Polacanthus fan (and who isn’t?) then you’ll probably have to settle for locating the Toyway version, good luck with that. Hopefully this genus will someday get its due. One last note: I apologize for pushing the Sideshow Apatosaurus down the list with this thing. I’ll wait for the hate mail to start coming in. (Sideshow Apatosaurus forgives you. –Ed.)

Polacanthus (CollectA) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Out of the depths of my cabinets I dug out this odd Nodosaurid for you.
And it´s kind of strange for a review that I do neither know the exact species nor the origin of the figure. I bought it from ebay two or so years ago, that´s all I can say. The only thing it says at the label on the base is “Furkan” or “Jurkan” (see picture). Once you google these names, you are getting confused by information that these are Arabian names. So the real origin of this figure remains a mystery, unless some of our fellow readers can tell us more about it.

Mystery is a nice word in context with this figure that is 13cm tall (with base) and 19cm long. I have mixed emotions looking at it, changing from admiring the daring dynamic pose, wondering about what species it could be, if any at all, and laughing about the cheap material it is made from, that I only know from flea market window-sill kitsch.

Despite its cheap and light material, the figures skin texture and body qualities are curved out quite detailed. The colour, on the other hand, is not the big thing anyway. It varies from light grey, white spines and orange – yellow stripes at the back.
The pose is extraordinary for a Nodosaurid. Usually we know Ankylosaur and Nodosaur figures seem relatively static with Marx´s tank – style Ankylosaurus and Invicta´s Scelidosaurus as a prototype.

Although later Nodosaur figures leastwise lifted their tails (Carnegie, Schleich), the poses remained uninspired. Then came Papo Ankylosaurus / Euoplocephalus and changed our perception of Ankylosaurs at least a little.
The reviewed dinosaur figure was on the market earlier and anticipated a bold and swinging Ankylosaur pose. I think it´s a nice alternation, even it may not have been possible for those dinosaurs to bend S-like or rise on their hind legs at all.

What matters at this figure is that it brings a little live to the underestimated Ankylo- / Nodosaur – clan. It is enthralling that both its origin and the species (it is closest to Polacanthus) are unknown and its halfway state between kitsch and high-fashion resin kits.
Any new information revealing more details of this figure are welcome!

Nodosaurid (“Furkan”) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Sideshow’s rendition of the mighty Stegosaurus was released in summer of 2012. At 16″ high and 26″ long, the term “mighty” becomes quite appropriate. While previous models like the Apatosaurus may have been technically greater in length, there is a great visual difference between an animal with a long, slender tail, and one that is bolstered by huge plates along the entire body.

Cast in heavy polystone with a relatively lightweight base, this is certainly one of the better pieces seen in Sideshow’s Dinosauria line. Sideshow categorizes this as a “diorama” rather than a single-character “maquette” because of the juvenile that ambles alongside its mother. The paint scheme is simplistic and does not overpower the stunning artistry of Jorge Blanco. Collectors familiar with the “dark dots” on Dinosauria models will notice them here in the diamond formations along the flanks, which essentially reflect the shape of the plates. The base is perhaps the simplest yet seen in the series, with only a few green ferns scattered on the ground to tempt the juvenile.

As usual, the characters have pegs on their feet which allow them to be sturdily attached to the base. This offers us a rare glimpse at a Stegosaurus that stands perfectly on its hind legs, a trick that has only been seen in one other place that I can recall. The base contains trackways that help guide the feet into position, and if you don’t mind using them as only vacant footprints, you can display the adult without the baby.

From a logistics standpoint, Stegosaurus is perhaps one of the most difficult dinosaurs to manufacture. While vinyl toys might be pliable, resin or polystone models are hard and more prone to breakage. Sideshow has cleverly worked around this issue by packing the four largest plates separately. They are easily dropped into place via peg insertion, and since gravity alone keeps them in place, you don’t want to go jostling the statue without removing them first. Each one is numbered and fits into uniquely shaped slots, so there’s little chance of putting them in the wrong place. Once installed, they look exactly as you might expect. Giant blades of bone and keratin erupting from the skin, impressive to gaze upon if not to regulate the animal’s temperature.

The high level of detail in a Sideshow model can be particularly nice for Stegosaurus, with its throat armored in fine ossicles. This feature stands out very nicely, and it is surprising how many manufacturers seem to miss this aspect. The artist has also taken the liberty of providing our roofed reptile with further protection on the forelegs, which bear a smattering of scutes. This is a speculative feature, but it makes for a more interesting restoration.

The backstory suggests that this mother is rearing in response to an impending attack from a carnivore, though the violence appears not to have fully erupted, or surely the juvenile would not be scarfing down food. The rearing posture of the Stegosaurus does provide her an alert quality. This would be more of a showy gesture, one that is appropriate for an extravagant-looking animal. The twisting of the tail and turning of the head are excellent for aesthetic purposes, but also suggest the adult has some awareness of the danger and wishes to protect her offspring.

The famous thagomizer is looking nice and sharp here, as well. The spikes appear to have fractured, splintered, and regrown in certain areas, suggesting this girl has seen her fair share of battle. It is said that Stegosaurus was well-equipped to pivot on its legs and make maximum use of its armed tail, and those legs have been given a great treatment here. In addition to the sheer mass of its body, the limbs have a great thickness and musculature that reinforces the power of this creature, perhaps even more so than any other Dinosauria statue. Theropods might hog a lot of attention, but even large theropods look relatively dainty in their bird-like limbs. This is an animal clearly built to crush its foes.

The Dinosauria line did contain a ferocious Protoceratops at one point, but even an animal as stereotypically parental as Protoceratops did not receive any juveniles for the restoration. It is interesting that Stegosaurus was selected as the first subject to care for its young, when so many other species seem to be chosen for parental scenes. It’s possible this pairing is a subtle nod to The Lost World, without the restrictions of working under a massive franchise.

Like several previous pieces, the prototype shown in Sideshow’s stock photo is warm and golden in hue, while the final product is decidedly less so. The statue turns out to be more grey and green, which is not altogether bad, and in fact mimics the classic colors more commonly seen in Stegosaurus reconstructions (assuming you aren’t sick of them by now). At least the plates are not bright traffic-cone orange.

Shown beside Papo Stegosaurus

For those curious, the baby alone is approximately the size of the popular Papo Stegosaurus adult. It is approximately 1:15 scale, and since the Dinosauria line does not conform to a consistent scale ratio, scale-minded collectors might find it fits better among their Shane Foulkes models, or the larger CollectA pieces. It demands considerable space, so plan your display accordingly.

For all the love we lavish upon Stegosaurus, it rarely gets the treatment it deserves from the manufacturers. If you can afford this, the most expensive Dinosauria model so far, you’ll get fancy throat ossicles, all seventeen plates, and an outstanding sculptural quality. It’s truly a work of art, one that Mr. Blanco should be congratulated for.

“I was working on Brazil when I was commissioned to sculpt the Stegosaurus for the Dinosauria line. I prepared some sketches based on my favorites versions of this peculiar dinosaur. Again, the principal idea was to represent a full grown specimen, plenty of strenghth, but this time he or she would be accompanied by a little one. My initial idea was they were part of a big herd. After a rain season, the little child comes out the forest and the vigilant mom rises on his hind limbs, maybe because she heard some suspicious sounds among the foliage.”

“To represent my version of Stegosaurus stenops, I reviewed some articles by Tracy Ford (Thanks again, Tracy) in which he explained some theories about the way Stego moves, and the skeletal reconstruction of Gregory Paul. I paid special attention to the spikes and the scutes. I wanted to represent a magestic animal, worthy of respect for any hungry theropod. The Sideshow team was very generous to give me all the necessary support, and Steve Riojas did a wonderful job with the painting. I thinking in of mom, who said she saw the dinosaurs through my eyes when I was a child, so I dedicated personally this sculpture to her memory.”

- Jorge Blanco

Stegosaurus (Sideshow) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

One of the earliest Carnegie figures made (it’s stamped ‘© 1988′), this Euoplocephalus is also the line’s very first ankylosaur figure. Remarkably, this review will also be this blog’s first to feature a toy that’s actually labelled Euoplocephalus, rather than simply de facto representing the genus (like the Favorite “Ankylosaurus” and original Schleich “Saichania“). So, how has this rubbery little fella aged over the years?

Not all that badly, as it happens, especially for a very early Carnegie. Many of the earliest Carnegie toys appear very crude to modern eyes – when compared with their modern counterparts, or even with the Battat range of the early ’90s, they lack fine detail and sculpting finesse. Subsequently, a lot of them have received resculpts (a process that is still ongoing), but some – like Euoplocephalus – were simply shelved. It’s a bit of a shame, as this sculpt shows great early potential.

Of course, we have since seen a pretty good Ankylosaurus (posed in a similar fashion to this figure), but Euoplocephalus was a rather different-looking animal. Apart from being smaller, it’s also somewhat spikier, as this model amply demonstrates – in fact, the pattern of scutes and spikes matches up closely with Euoplocephalus tutus, showing an attention to detail greatly exceeding that of the other early sculpts (block-head T. rex, anyone?). The aesthetic detailing overall is really quite good – the scutes are individually highlighted in a dark grey-green and the tiny eyes and mouth are very carefully painted.

Of course, it has its flaws (it’s from 1988! What do you want, blood?). Most notably, the proportions of the body are a little off – the torso and tail should be longer and the hips a little wider, while the body should be ‘flatter’ on top. The feet also suffer from what appears to be an issue in the moulding process, and two of them on my figure are quite badly deformed. Apparently, this was an issue that afflicted all of the Euoplocephalus figures made by Carnegie, and might have been a contributing factor to the toy’s retirement.

A view from above, alongside the (much more recent!) Favorite model, shows where this figure is lacking.

Overall, though, this is a nice little figure – well-made for its time and packing plenty of charm. Given Forrest Rogers’ (the Carnegie sculptor) previous good form with ankylosaurs, I really hope that there is another one somewhere in the pipeline – and if they’re looking for suggestions as to which species to go for, a Euoplocephalus tutus remake certainly wouldn’t go amiss!

Euoplocephalus (Carnegie Collection by Safari Ltd.) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

In 2013, Sideshow Collectibles released an extremely limited edition model featuring a baby Euoplocephalus. Of course, every Sideshow Dinosauria model is produced in limited quantities, and once they are sold out, they often fetch high prices at auction sites. So why all the fuss over this sweet little dinosaur?

Well, the Euoplocephalus hatchling was intended as a sort of lightning-sale. Vigilant Sideshow followers noticed the preorder announcement – which appeared without any warning, mind you – through Sideshow’s official website (exclusively, not available through any retailer) in October of 2012. Within minutes, they were completely sold out, with many clever customers purchasing multiple models with the intent to resell the rare piece at a later date. And boy, did they ever. The so-called “flippers” managed to take a model that was a paltry $40 at retail, and sell them on eBay for $300 each. This does provide at least some opportunity for hardcore Dinosauria collectors to get their hands on the hatchling, but Sideshow’s limited offering of the model left more than a few collectors quite understandably peeved.

No doubt the rarity of this piece is responsible for drawing many readers to this review. If you have come to this page with the hope of finding one for sale, or finding flaws in the model that will make you feel better about missing out, I’m afraid I cannot help you. This may not be the first hatchling dinosaur that Sideshow has offered, but it does represent some of their finest work.

The packing material is not unlike most other Sideshow Dinosauria models, consisting of fitted styrofoam and a thinly wrapped padding to reduce the risk of paint rubs during transit. Given the stout build of the model, this seems safe enough. No assembly is required whatsoever, and the model itself is centered on a round black base. One standout worth noting to collectors is the box. Most Dinosauria models have a dark color theme on their outer display boxes, but this little guy sports a cheerier, brighter case. I suspect it’s intended to mimic the look of an egg shell, and I’m betting this will probably not be seen on packaging for future models.

Although only a baby, this model very visible in a display, measuring eight inches high. I am pleased to say that the prototype stock image is well represented in the final model. The details are not heavily softened, and perhaps most noticeable is the paint. The blend of fiery yellow, orange, and red is reminiscent of the Tyrannosaurus maquette. This has been very nicely implemented to bring out the liveliness of the sculpt. I expect a newborn dinosaur would be more inclined to have a subtle, camouflaged appearance, but there’s no question of the vibrant beauty it provides. A layer of sheen allows it to glisten realistically, so this 1:1 scale model is likely the closest we’ll get to watching a baby dinosaur hatch from an egg. Unlike the Brachiosaurus baby, which appeared barely conscious with its eyes only slightly opened, this little guy is definitely wide awake and wriggling free, unquestionably ready to take on the world.

Another nice thing about the polystone medium used for this collectible is that it allows you to do things that would be unsafe for a mass-market toy. While the dinosaur itself is fairly rounded – and would likely still be even if the clubbed tail was revealed – there is quite a lot of eggshell in the scene. The shell shards are visible on the body and base, and are a bit sharp just as one would expect, so please take care when showing this piece to young children. Chances are, you wouldn’t want them handling a piece like this anyway.

It’s hard to say why this particular species was selected instead of the more prototypical Ankylosaurus, but it may have something to do with the baby ankylosaur fossil find, which has been specifically attributed to Euoplocephalus. There is also a fair chance that Sideshow will introduce a fully-fledged maquette or diorama later on, featuring the more popular species. Given their choice to make this a highly exclusive model, they probably could have gotten away with any obscure species. What’s more, few people would have noticed if they had skimped on the quality, but this does not appear to be the case at all. For those who missed out on this piece, it may be painful to learn this, but I must say this is one model that definitely delivered on the promise of the stock photo. It’s hard enough to find examples of baby ankylosaurs, and I cannot think of any that deliver so well on the concept.

Additional notes from Jorge Blanco will be added shortly.

Euoplocephalus in Egg Maquette (Sideshow Dinosauria) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Stegosaurus has for some reason become a recent favorite of mine among the dinosaurs. It is such a bizarre dinosaur and I feel it is taken for granted due to its large presence in pop culture, that, and we’ve known about it since 1877. As a stegosaur alone it is quite bizarre, the only one with such exaggerated plates, but as a dinosaur it is one of the original show stoppers. As a toy the Stegosaurus is a staple of any toy line done many times over and when Favorite released re-sculpts of much of their original line this year, the Stegosaurus was included. So just how well does this take on the classic Stegosaurus hold up against the masses of other Stegosaurus toys out there?

 Sculpted by Kazunari Araki this 1:40 scale model competes well with Favorite’s original. Those with an eye for accuracy will appreciate the bodily proportions and attention to detail sculpted here. The posture of Stegosaurus was truly interesting with short forelimbs requiring this animal to hold its head low to the ground and that spike-bearing tail high up in the air. The tail of this model is held high without any sagging and is a testament to how far we’ve come in reconstructing these animals. While the posture is not particularly dynamic this looks like a serious and confident animal that is fully aware of what that thagozimer is used for. The sturdy hind legs are supported by three blunt toes while the smaller forelimbs and hands make it easy to see this dinosaur as an occasional biped. The digits on the hand appear to be in the correct semi-circular arrangement and include all five toes, even the reduced ones.  All 17 plates are present and correctly arranged with the largest positioned over the hips. The head is nicely sculpted if not a bit large but lacks the cheeks these animals were thought to have had. That decision probably had more to do with artistic license than anything else but it doesn’t look bad. The neck is properly sculpted with a bony armor on the underside. Overall this looks like an accurate Stegosaurus for the modern age, aside from the missing cheeks.

 Aesthetically the dimensions and posture of the model make it pleasing to look at but the color choices probably could have been picked better. This Stegosaurus is painted like a toy with a lime green body and orange plates. The plates and spikes are darker orange towards the top with a paler tone where they meet the body. Similarly, the green body is painted with darker green stripes running down the sides. Underneath the body is a paler green. The throat plates are a pinkish color, the beak and toes brown and the eyes white. That said the color is pleasing to look at. This Stegosaurus looks like an animal in full display which certainly helps it stand out on the shelf. Unfortunately the paint application is sloppy in places, where the plates meet the body in particular. There are many spots on my model where green is seen on the plates and spikes and orange bleeds onto the body. Texturally however this Stegosaurus succeeds. Small and larger scales cover the body as do wrinkles in all the appropriate places. The sculpting on the musculature makes this look like an active animal in its prime.

 Overall, I would have to say this model mostly succeeds. Sloppy paint application and questionable color choices might hold it back, as might the missing cheeks to people bent on accuracy. It should also be noted that given the soft material this dinosaur is made out of, the plates and spikes appear to bend easily. All in all, I quite like it. It really pops out and has a lot of charm to it. Despite its few shortcomings Araki has managed to sculpt an interesting and eye catching depiction of an animal we’ve all seen done before. This model was just released so should be easy to locate. Be careful of inflated prices on eBay however, a little searching can help you find this toy at a reasonable price.

Stegosaurus (Soft Model Series 2 by Favorite Co. Ltd.) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Review and photographs by Mikko aka Dinomike

This magnificent version of Ankylosaurus magniventris has been very difficult to obtain in Europe since the import prices from Japan are quite steep. However, I managed to obtain this Late Cretaceous creature when a shop in Britain finally took Favorite’s Soft Model series in their selection.

This sculpture, crafted by the Japanese paleoartist Kazunari Araki and manufactured by Favorite, is something to marvel at. The sculpture is a revisited version of the older Favorite Ankylosaurus which was more or less a Euoplocephalus with the head of an Ankylosaurus. This time the anatomical details are very accurate – as far as its body parts are known. The Ankylosaurus, even though quite archetypal among dinosaurs, is not fully known. For instance its limbs have not been fully discovered but they are thought to have resembled those of other ankylosaurids. Thus, they are thought to have five-toe feet.

The proportions of the model are pretty much in order even though the famous club may be a tiny bit too big. The scutes and spikes on the back of the animal seem to be of the right animal this time and highly resemble the ones on the Carnegie Ankylosaurus, although they are a bit smaller and less bulky looking. Araki’s sculpture portrays a heavy animal marching straight onward with one foot off the ground. The pose and coloring is less striking than Papo’s battle posed Ankylosaurus.5 The color scheme is quite pleasing with bluish-grey accentuated with mild yellow scutes and a white underbelly. The overall appearance is that of a stern yet mild-tempered creature. There are some violet paint strokes to accentuate shadows.

The level of details in this sculpture is very pleasing though it’s no Papo. It’s reasonably priced (available from Amazon.com here), so I would highly recommend this model to anyone who desires to have an up-to-date version of this fantastic animal.

Ankylosaurus (Soft Model Series 2 by Favorite Co. Ltd.) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Most of the dinosaurs Larami released in the 1990s were more or less decent copies of Invicta originals, made of vinyl. Three animals did not base on Invicta originals: A Styracosaurus, a Parasaurolophus and the reviewed Ankylosaurus.
I probably don´t promise too much when I say this is one of the ugliest animals that have ever been reviewed here. Honestly, it does not even deserve the description “Ankylosaurus” and seems to be better of in the “Plasticosauria” blog. Should any dinosaur species ever have served as an original, it was Polacanthus rather than Anklyosaurus.

Let´s get factual anyway: We see a figure that is 11 cm long and 2,5 cm tall. Its colours vary from green, grey and black. It does not have a neck or a real tail. All bodyparts unite to one big bizarre sculpt that looks like a blend of a turtle, an armadillo and a hunch of an Ankylosaur.
A closer look at our figure can only lead to two conclusions: Either the sculptor was drunk or there was not any sculptor at all and it arose directly from a strange nightmare of a chinese guy who didn´t have the slightest interest in correct dinosaurs. He accidently stumbled upon a Yale mural picture and said “wow, I can make a figure from that painting”. Or he wanted to make a bigger version of the Marx version. But he failed. No club at the end of the tail, the feet are a mess and the skin and armor detail is poor. And look at the head! It seems to smile or have a lower jaw overbite (or the “lower jaw” even is a molding seam…)

Only its mother can love it – and of course plasticosauria and libraraptor, who have a big heart for animals like these and give them a refugee.

Ankylosaurus (Larami) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Review and photos by Rob Oakes

I have never been much of a CollectA fan but I ran across this little guy and was intrigued. It looked a lot better than some of the others CollectA nodosaurs and ankylosaurs that I have seen (Their Polacanthus and Scelidosaurus being the main offenders).

Minmi was found in Roma, Queensland, in 1964 and named after a nearby creek. It was the first thyreophoran unearthed in the Southern Hemisphere and is also one of the few dinosaurs known from an almost complete specimen. Minmi may be too primitive to be included in the Ankylosauidae or Nodosauridae families. It is suggested that Minmi is the basal most know ankylosaurid. Minmi was approximately 3 ft tall and 6.6 ft long.

Now to the fun part – how does this little guy stack up? I’ll start with the pose, which is rather uninspiring but still acceptable. It looks like the animal is just walking along at a relaxed pace, with one foot raised, and the head slightly turned down and to the side as if it was looking for some tasty leaves and ferns to nibble on. The proportions are quite accurate for such a small figure. The head is fairly accurate as the skull is longer than it is wide and the snout region is higher than the base of the skull. The only issues (and a slight one) is the postorbital and jugal horn are a little too prominent, looking more like an ankylosaur, but that is really nitpicking. The neck on the model might also be a little too long and thin.

The hind legs are longer than the front legs, which again is correct. Minmi had a long tail and the tail on this model appears to be very close to the correct length. Along the back it has transverse bands of scutes that run the length of the body very similar to a crocodiles, and has spines from the hips. The proportions again appear to be correct in most respects, the spikes maybe a little over done.

The paint job is not sloppy but neither is it exciting. It has a brown yellow top with sides and belly of grey, with a small splash of yellow on the legs. The texture is nice with small pebbly scales but like the rest of the figure it is basic and simplistic. Even though it is a simplistic model, I think it is easily overlooked as a truly nice model, one that I am proud to have in my collection.

Available from Ebay here.

Minmi (CollectA) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Review and photos by Rob Oaks

History: As you know, the Stegosaurus is one of the staples in the four food groups of the dinosaur world that the lay person and connoisseurs know. Besides the spikes, plates, ‘tiny’ brain, and being the size of a bus, what else can I say about Stegosaurus? It was an herbivore that had a small beak, and teeth in the back of the mouth with cheeks that ground up plant matter much like a modern day cow. It was preyed upon not only by Allosaurus but probably Ceratosaurus and Torvosaurus later in the Jurassic. So without further ado, tie a napkin around your neck or lay one gently in your lap, as I offer up the latest version of Stegosaurus from Bullyland and see if it fits your palate.

About the toy: The Bullyland version is approx. 1:30 scale model as it dwarfs much of the current competition. The body is in an ‘s’ shape with the head looking down and off to the left and the tail turning to the right. The Stegosaurus looks to be on the move in search of tasty plants to munch on. Its right front leg is off the ground and it is pushing off on its back left leg. Its body is thick and feels well fed and active with decent musculature in its quads. The tail is held high and has a length that appears to be long enough. There are 18 plates on its back with 4 nice spikes on the tail. Its head has a beak followed by cheeks and its eyes seem to bulge out of the eye socket. On the forefeet there are five toes and on the back feet there are five toes.

The color is a standard array of Stegosaurus colors straight from Jurassic Park, Walking With Dinosaurs, and my coloring book when I was a kid. My Stego’s were green with brown plates. It is yellowish green with dark tiger stripes that originate from the back and tapers to the legs muscle line. There are an additional lighter three stripes horizontally across the quads. The plates are large and have dark brown outline with an orange red middle. The Plates have texture lines that radiate from bottom middle to the edges of the plates. The Thagomizer is colored similar to the rest of the body but being colored with slightly yellower hue. Personally I like the colors, though when looking at it closely, the yellow brushwork just doesn’t feel natural. The overall texture is nice with pebbly look with many skin folds.

Scientific Accuracy: First off, I mentioned above that on this Stegosaurus it has five toes on its hind feet. Stegosaurus actually had three short toes on its hind feet. The skull is not the pin head that Safari ltd’s Wild Safari Stegosaurus and Carnegie Collection Stegosaurus brought to the table, and is a little bigger than what I have seen in skeletal reconstructions. It is also missing the small rounded ossicles on the throat and neck. After those small inaccuracies, I think it feels very close to the real thing, with short forelimbs, head close to the ground, and a tail that is high in the air, ready to swat a nosey predator.

A comparison of the Bullyland, Wild Safari, and Schleich ‘World of history – Dinosaurs’ Stegosaurus figures

Playability: The paint does rub off real easy but it is a great toy to play with. It has good size, pleasing colors, and a tail that is perfect for swatting all the cars, dolls, stuffed animals, block towers, and carnivorous dinosaurs it can thagomize.

Overall appraisal: There are some glaring but easy to overlook scientific flaws and its paint job looks better from afar than up-close, though still pleasing. In my opinion it is not perfect but it has a great pose, good detail, pleasing paint job, and a child will enjoy playing with it. It will also look handsomely on a shelf.

Available from Ebay here.

Stegosaurus (2007 version by Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

As I started writing this review I realized that I am an anomaly. During the 90’s when I was buying my first Carnegie dinosaurs, I never heard of or saw Battat dinosaurs. Throughout the mid 2000’s I wasn’t really collecting dinosaurs, other than grabbing the occasional interesting ones that I would find in a store. I have no attachment to the Battat line, and even now, I have never really felt the need to spend $60 plus on one. This makes the new Battat Terra series so much fun for me, since they are all new.  As a Stegosuria fan, I knew I wanted to check out the Battat version of Dacentrurus Armartus. The only other Dacentrurus toy I have seen was a version by CollectA.

150 million years ago, walking around the woodlands of Western Europe, there was a 6-8 meter, two tons, of plant munching awesome named Dacentrurus. Even though the animal looks more like Kentrosaurus, it was bigger than its African cousin, more closely related to Miragia, and amazingly enough, Hesperosaurus from North America. I would also like to point out that it was the first Stegosaur to be described, and that was done by Richard Owen in 1875.

The Dacentrurus sculpt has the head and tail pointed in the same direction. The head is slightly cocked to one side and has small ear holes on the back of the skull and two prominent nostrils in the front. The neck is short and has small plates running down it. The triangular plates become bigger and longer along the back, and reach their tallest over the hips. Along the tail, the plates become thin spikes. The tail also is raised up in a way that it could be using its tail for display or defense. There are also two shoulder spikes, one on each side. The legs are all firmly planted on the ground with some definite bend on its front two legs. There are five splayed toes on the front feet and three on the back feet.

The colors are conservative, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. The top half is dark green, and the bottom half is light green. The plates and spikes are colored in a light bluish green that really stands out. The edges of the plates and the tops of the spikes are black. The eye is yellow with a black middle. The toes and beak are brown. The skin texture is basically all skin folds and lines and it feels very fleshy. There is also a wattle of skin under the skull and has loose skin running down the neck. There are some texture lines on the plates as well.

So here are my nit- picks on this model. On skeletal reconstructions that I have seen, the highest point of the animal should be over the wide, robust hips, instead on this model it is over the mid-section. Now is that a nit-pick or what? The other thing that bothers me is the eyes. The one eye has an undeveloped look to it. It reminds me of the Kentosaurus eye from safari, though that skull was tiny. On the topic of the skull, the head also feels too big compared to the size of the rest of the body, but I could be wrong.

As for playability, it has spikes on its tail. What’s not to love? The spikes are bendy, so it shouldn’t hurt any kids playing with it. I am not sure what the breakage rate is with the spikes, but it seems to be strong enough to stand up to kid play. Also, with a high tail, it enhances a kid’s ability to use it during play, so that is another plus.

Overall, this is a nice, but average model. I would not say it the best stegosauridae out there. The stance is a little boring, though I do like the height of the tail. The paint could have been applied a little better, but for the price, it was a steal. For kids, I think they would enjoy it, and for school projects, due to the lack of Dacentrurus out there, it could come in handy. I just have to mention that I enjoyed the box that it came in, very cool.

You can find the Battat Terra Series at Target and Dan’s Dinosaurs

Dacentrurus (Terra Series by Battat) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Back in 2010 our own Libraraptor reviewed a little Apatosaurus, part of Bullyland’s Micro Tiere Collection released in 2005. Having found the same little figure in an eBay lot I was very curious about this small but seemly high quality figure. A search yielded his review but further research yielded the rest of the collection and a couple years ago I was able to procure the entire line. Though not on the same level of quality as say the Kaiyodo Dinotales these little figures are nicely made and have a lot of charm. Overall they’re very similar to the Safari toob figures, only smaller. The set includes 6 prehistoric critters; Apatosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and a very cute but out of place woolly mammoth. Rather than treat them separately I’ll review them all here but there is not much left to say about the Apatosaurus since Libraraptor already covered it.

We’ll get the mammal out of the way first and start with the woolly mammoth. It’s a standard little mammoth. Brown and woolly with a pair of tusks and its trunk reared up. It is very cute though and quite accurate for its small size. The detail work is commendable. All his little toes are there, wrinkles are sculpted down the length of the trunk, individual hairs are sculpted and even the tuft of hair on top of the head is present. He has small black eyes meticulously painted and for such a small toy the paint application really is quite good, on all of these figures.

The Tyrannosaurus is also quite accurate for its size; at least it is a biped, with the aid of a base of course. It is mottled brown in color with a red throat and horns above the eyes. It looks quite menacing for a little rubber toy, although its mouth is closed it looks as though it is baring its teeth! The hide looks quite crocodilian with numerous bumps and scutes sculpted all over the body.

The Stegosaurus is a delightful little model; it is yellowish-green overall with orange along the sides on the back, although the plates are yellow too. The plates are more or less sculpted in a line down the back but some effort was made to alternate them which must be a challenge at this small scale. The neck for whatever reason is very thick, I think they may have tried to sculpt the throat armor on there but it didn’t quite work out. The hide is scaly with appropriate wrinkles along the flanks.

Old three-horned face is up next and is one of the best of the bunch. Quite accurate for its size it is overall green in color with a lighter colored underbelly. Little occipitals are sculpted around the frill and a line of bumps are sculpted along the back and painted black. Tiny scales are sculpted on the body and frill. Its head is slightly lowered and tilted towards the left with an open mouth. Five little digits can be counted on the hands, four on the feet.

Lastly we’ll cover the sauropods, starting with Brachiosaurus. It’s a pretty classic looking Brachiosaurus, or maybe it’s actually Giraffatitan? It’s green in color, dark dorsally and lighter towards the belly. The neck is craning towards the left, the tail upturned at the tip and swinging towards the right. Despite its small size it appears appropriately bulky and weighty. No scales sculpted here, just wrinkly hide as is typical with sauropod sculpts of all sizes. It has tiny black eyes and a mouth but I can’t quite tell where the nostrils are although they do appear to be on the nose and not the crest above the eyes.

Last but not least, the previously reviewed Apatosaurus. I’ll basically reiterate what Libra said by commenting on its compact and heavy build in addition to the attention to detail on an otherwise small figure. The neck is particularly thick and the hide wrinkly. The head has a classic Brontosaurus look to it which adds a lot of character. It’s brown in color, dark dorsally and lighter towards the belly.

Really there is no reason not to add this collection of little dinosaurs (and a mammal) to your collection. They’re quite detailed for their small size, fairly accurate, easy to display and affordable! You can buy the entire set for $3.00 over at DeJankins! They’re also adorable and full of charm. What’s not to love?

Micro Tiere Collection (Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Alright, it’s confession time. I really have a thing for ankylosaurs. Or at least, toys and models of them. Generally speaking, I’ve never really been a big fan of the group, not that I had anything against them, I think they’re an underrated group of dinosaurs overall. When I started collecting I had no particular preferences but now that I’ve been at it for awhile I find myself more and more drawn to models of this particular group. Maybe it’s because I mostly ignored them in my younger years. So with that said I’m naturally pretty excited about the upcoming Safari Sauropelta and Battat Gastonia! Those aren’t out yet but I did just manage to acquire a resin Euoplocephalus by Galileo Hernandez to hold me over. It’s a spectacular little model, in part because it’s not labeled as Ankylosaurus. Euplocephalus as it turns out is perhaps the genus of ankylosaur most often reproduced in the model industry but is often incorrectly labeled as or hybridized with Ankylosaurus on some of the more mass produced figures.

Measuring about 7.5” in length and 2.5” in height this model is in the 1:35 scale range. We actually have a lot of material attributable to Euplocephalus so achieving a fair level of accuracy with this dinosaur shouldn’t be too difficult and I’m sure Galileo did his homework on this one. Comparing it with other restorations and skeletal diagrams it matches up very well. The manus has the correct number of five digits while the feet have three. The body is appropriately wide and portly, something often neglected in a lot of the more mass produced toys out there. The armor arrangement and osteoderm placement matches closely with Greg Paul’s skeletal drawing (which is what I compared it to). The head is particularly well done. Although I didn’t compare the unique pattern of bony armor on the head (I’m not that dedicated) I did notice the correct placement of the nostrils, Euplocephalus is known for its slit shaped forward facing nostrils. But discussing accuracy in this case is probably not even appropriate as I’m certain Galileo Hernandez knows considerably more about dinosaur anatomy than this humble reviewer. But accuracy always needs some sort of acknowledgment in these reviews. Suffice it to say that to my untrained eye there is nothing to complain about in this department.

I don’t think I need to point out that this model it not a toy, it’s a proper model or figurine. Quite breakable too if one were to treat it too roughly. So needless to say the level of detail on this little fella is quite high. Aside from the mandatory armored plating and osteoderms the entire body is meticulously detailed with scales, bumps, wrinkles and musculature. I already mentioned the head on this figure but I need to stress again how much I love it, aside from the detail and accuracy it is actually kind of cute. I wonder if the actual Euplocephalus was as adorable? I like to think so. As for color, my particular model was painted up by the sculptor and you can purchase it that way or buy it unpainted and tackle it yourself. I’m not much of a painter which is why I often shy away from these resin models. My model is dark brown dorsally which fades into lighter shades down the sides and towards the belly. There are some dark brown spots along the sides and the feet are also dark brown. There is a purple flush along the sides of the neck. The tail club is a lighter shade of brown. Personally I like to think ankylosaurs had colorful tail clubs to serve as warning signs but it is what it is and it works for this model, conservative but lifelike. The pose is not very dynamic but I doubt these living tanks were capable of much flexibility anyway. The model is striding forward while looking towards the left, the tail swings towards the right. Though pretty basic in pose the model is appropriately powerful looking, mostly due to the excellent craftsmanship involved.

I must admit that I’m new to the whole resin model side of collecting but this Euplocephalus is serving as a great gateway into this other side of the hobby. Although comparable in size to a lot of the mass produced toys out there this model has a lot of what they don’t, including an astonishing level of detail and accuracy you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Since it is a sculpture and not a toy you’ll be looking at a higher price tag but you won’t have to break the bank for it. It’s quite affordable for the quality and craftsmanship presented. And if you’re a burgeoning ankylosaur fan like me you wouldn’t want to miss out on this charming little fellow. You can buy it painted up over at “Dan’s Dinosaurs” or if you want to have a crack at painting it yourself you can buy it over at “Geene Models.” If you do decide to paint it up yourself make sure you share your work over at the “Dinosaur Toy Forum,” we would love to see it!

Euplocephalus (Galileo Hernandez) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Review and photographs by Tallin

A small member of the stegosaur family from Tanzania, Kentrosaurus aethiopicus is often hidden in the shadow of its much larger and more famous big brother, Stegosaurus stenops. That’s not to say that other toy lines haven’t made their own versions of it; CollectA and Safari Ltd both have a Kentrosaurus for example, but they are rather small models that remain overlooked next to their well-known American cousin. For Schleich, this model, new for 2015, seems to be a step in the right direction away from some of their other creations. For me, at least, is far more attractive than their theropod offerings for 2015.

Before I review the toy, here’s a little back story to this small stegosaur. At 4.5m at adult size, this dinosaur was considered for a long time to be a very primitive member of Stegosauria, but recent analysis show it to be more advanced than many of its kin, and more closely related to Stegosaurus than previously thought. It had an elongated snout ending with a tough beak for handling plant material and an impressive array of plates that gradually merged into long spikes at the hip, ending with the longest and most lethal spikes on the end of its tail. Unlike Stegosaurus, the spikes and plates are arranged in pairs, rather than running sub-parallel down the back of the animal.

Now on to Schleich’s new World of History line product (and now available from Amazon.com here). Starting with the head, it seems to be about the right size; very small in proportion to the body but not as small as Safari Ltd’s Wild Safari Kentrosaurus. It glares out with yellow eyes and a detailed mouth open in a bellow, as if an Allosaurus is baring down upon it. It has appropriately short forelimbs in comparison with its hind limbs, and the shoulder spikes protrude almost perpendicularly to the body in my model. Since these spikes were not attached to the main skeleton, there is still some argument as to their position, so this isn’t a problem. It also appears to have a more or less correct number of plates that merge into spines in the correct area. The tail spines in particular are very long, though comparison to reconstructions shows they aren’t too long. They are quite stiff as well so watch out if your child is swinging it around!

In terms of inaccuracies, my first thought was of the very flexible look of the tail. The curve at the base seems realistic and plausible to me given that stegosaur tails were most flexible at the base with strong muscles to swing their ‘thagomizer’. However, there is also a curl in the end of the tail, which doesn’t seem wholly accurate. It is, however, held suitably high off the ground in a very defensive stance. The feet are also not quite as they should be. Whilst the hind feet are correct in having three short toes, the front feet are incorrect. Stegosaur forefeet did have five toes, as this model demonstrates, but only the two inner toes should show a hoof.

These issues are rather nit-picky when you consider the different in anatomical quality between this model and some of Schleich’s other offerings. The pose is extremely dynamic and perfect for dioramas, and this large Kentrosaurus (16cm not considering the curling stance of the body) makes an excellent companion to the small Safari Ltd and CollectA versions. It is exquisitely detailed in the sculpt, with plenty of deep wrinkles and muscle with high relief scales covering the back. The paint job is also very attractive – I don’t think I have ever seen such a pleasing shade of grape-purple used on a dinosaur model before. The main body is a sandy golden colour, with the plates and spikes coloured in beige that fades to a dark grey, making them look like they are covered in horn as they should be.

Overall I think this is Schleich’s best figure for 2015, and is definitely my favourite Schleich figure to date. It’s a far cry from their clown-footed theropods and truly feels like a living, breathing animal from a long lost world.

Available from Amazon.com here.

Kentrosaurus (World of History by Schleich) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Time now to jump into the WABAC Machine and take a trip to 1988. It was a good time to be a kid or a collector. GI Joe and Transformers were still going strong, Barbie and Lego were around as always, and TMNT was taking its first steps towards iconic status. And then you had Dino-Riders. HARNESS THE POWER!

Regrettably, the vast majority of my Dino-Riders toys are long gone. But I did manage to hold on to a couple. First up is the Ankylosaurus.

Despite the fact that Ankylosaurus was the largest known ankylosaur, this is one of the smallest Tyco dinosaurs, measuring a mere 13 cm long. Just why the big guy got shafted this way remains a mystery. Adding insult upon insult, the second series of Dino-Riders included a very large and impressive Edmontonia toy. Perhaps the evil Rulons were unsuccessful in their vile scheme to wrangle a mighty Ankylosaurus adult and so were forced to settle for a juvenile instead. Yes, that’s it.

Size aside, this is a well-crafted ankylosaur for its time. The upper half of its body is covered in an intricate pattern of spikes, scutes, and grooves. The head has the standard ankylosaur profile, albeit with a slight underbite. The hips are appropriately wide and the tail club is about the right shape. The entire tail looks too small, however, (further proof that this is a youngster!) and each foot has only three toes.

The Ankylosaurus is articulated at its shoulders and hips. Its colour scheme is quite modest: grey with airbrushed reddish-brown and yellow and black eyes. Unlike nearly all other Tyco prehistoric toys, the eyes are not plastic beads. They’re simply painted on instead.

Despite its disappointing size, the Tyco Ankylosaurus is a fun and well-made toy, one that I played with for countless hours as a child. I’m glad to still own it.

Ankylosaurus (Tyco) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog