I know what you may be thinking. Is this a toy line based off of those Fox ADHD cartoons where they figure out the grossest sex and death stuff animals do and apply it to one of your favorite cartoon characters? And the answer is no. Basically, in this context it just means “dinosaurs with feathers and full Latin names.”
Toy sculptor and designer David Silva loves making monsters: he’s responsible for many of the kaiju in NECA’s Pacific Rim and Godzilla lines, not to mention the ’90s-era Dewback from Star Wars. And as he very correctly points out, dinosaur toys haven’t evolved as much as most other action figures have. If you look at Jurassic World plastic tie-in dinos, for example, they’re pretty similar to the ones made for the first Jurassic Park. Part of that is an “if it ain’t broke” mentality; another aspect is surely that, since really young kids love dinosaurs, the toys have to be made to take a beating rather than perch precariously in a display.
Silva’s working on that last part, making Beasts of the Mesozoic, a line of painstakingly sculpted prehistoric critters that sport 26 points of articulation, come with a display base that allows for multiple action poses, and generally will make all the grown-up toy collectors in the room feel like little kids getting their first T-rex again… only these are raptors.
Using the same base body with variant extremities cuts down on the expensive costs associated with toy-making, and allows them to be offered for $35 apiece, which is high compared to mass-retail toys but a great deal for a limited line. They’re technically 1/6 scale, standing about half the size of a 12-inch action figure. But if you want them to look huge they can certainly menace smaller toys.
The Kickstarter, which lasts through May 27, is close to being funded as of this writing, and if it goes through, the next line extension is waiting in the wings…
Is it time for more, better dinosaurs in your hands? Does your toy collection need more “clever girls”? Don’t beast around the bush; leave us a comment below!
Images: David Silva
