# I Need an Update, Guyz



## Da Queen (Mar 11, 2005)

Gentlemen...in preparing for WF, I could sure use an update on the hobby. I'll be helping Cult at his booth and need to know what's Hot and what's not out there. Who's in and who's out? What's the latest trend? Or....has nothing changed???  How is WF since Lee Stanton turned over the reins?

Hugs!
Lisa, who finally figured out where y'all were getting those nifty avatars. :thumbsup:


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Hopefully I believe Star Trek is still "in". :thumbsup:


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## Steve CultTVman Iverson (Jan 1, 1970)

Well, as far as Wonderfest goes, there will always be Star Trek and Sci-Fi and monsters and figures and so on!

Steve


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

O my Queen,

Steve's being too modest - he's got _tons _of cool aftermarket stuff, books, etc. I spend the lion's share of my WonderFest model budget (what little there is) at his table every year. The other vendors may have noticed - watch yer back, Steve...

There has been a trend for some time now in the modeling community in general for larger scale kits. For example, although 1/72 and 1/48 scales are still the norms for aircraft kits, now we're seeing more 1/32 and even 1/24 models turning up. It's been suggested - and I think rightly so - that the increase in size is owing to the decrease in the aging modeling population's ability to deal with small parts, painting tiny details, etc. There are several magnifiying aids on my own workbench that weren't there in years past...

Also, I think that a lot of us just plain think that bigger is better. I loved the fact that Polar Lights' reissues of the Hulk, Spider-man, and Captain America were done in 1/8 scale (the purists didn't, but then, ya can't please everybody). These models are easier to work with (how many 1/12 scale Capatain Americas got dental work done, compared to the larger Ray Romano lookalikes?), and certainly easier to paint. Plus they're now in scale with most of Aurora's other figures.

The 1/350 scale _Star Trek _kits are breathtaking. Personally, I like the smaller-scale kits for fleet-building purposes. But don't those big _Enterprises _just knock your socks off? And lighting them, if not a snap, has still got to be a whole lot easier than it is with any of the small scale iterations.

One more trend - nostalgia. RC2 may not realize it (or maybe they do - I haven't heard anything *from them *about their policy toward future kit releases), but Tom Lowe has by no means exhausted the vein of Aurora and other Sci-Fi/Fantasy figure kits. RC2PL could go on for another ten years easily with more repops. And aren't we all gonna have another conniption fit when _Pirates of the Carribean II _is released with still no reissue of the "PotC" model kits?

Do the Garage Kit guys have to do ALL the work?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Just be on the lookout for people selling recasts, and report them to the show people immediately.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

Da Queen said:


> How is WF since Lee Stanton turned over the reins?


Last year seemed just as good as the others I have been there.
The contest has moved upstairs to on big room. Had a few problems with that last year, hopefully they have been ironed out for this year. (I know it didn't help they were given the wrong room dimensions and had to adjust the layout on the fly while setting up last year, leading to not enough elbow room)
Actually, if anything, seemed like there was even more stuff I didn't get a chance to do/check out last year than in years previous.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

BTW - swing by the clubhouse and sign up for a button.


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## Prince of Styrene II (Feb 28, 2000)

Mark McGovern said:


> The 1/350 scale _Star Trek _kits are breathtaking. Personally, I like the smaller-scale kits for fleet-building purposes. But don't those big _Enterprises _just knock your socks off? And lighting them, if not a snap, has still got to be a whole lot easier than it is with any of the small scale iterations.


I have to agree with Mark on this one! Too many of us are still drooling over wanting to get our hands on the release of "The Refit". Also, for the 'lil 1/1000 PL E, Steve, don't you have the Sparkchaser lighting kit for the nacelles? "Spinning" lights in the bussards & everything! It's way cool! I'm looking into getting one of those myself!


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## Otto69 (Jan 2, 2004)

I bought a set of the 1/1000 bussard lighting from CultTVman. They're so cool I like just hooking them up to a battery and playing with them directly. Really cool level of miniturization to get all those LEDs in there.


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## Da Queen (Mar 11, 2005)

Hi, Tay....FYI, I did scoot by the Clubhouse and sign up for a button. It's probably buried in that one thread somewhere.

Cult...duh...I know that. I meant...what kits are going to be the hot ticket this year at WF, etc. Generically, it's always Sci-Fi...is there anything else??? A girl's gotta be prepared you know.

Lee, got your note on the backside...one coming back at 'cha, Hon! ;-)

Hugs!
Lisa


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

John P said:


> Just be on the lookout for people selling recasts, and report them to the show people immediately.


  Good One!


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## Steve CultTVman Iverson (Jan 1, 1970)

John P said:


> Just be on the lookout for people selling recasts, and report them to the show people immediately.





F91 said:


> Good One!


Nothing like a little hostility.

Steve


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## F91 (Mar 3, 2002)

Hey Steve, I was just in Atlanta (Norcross), The War Room too. I had dinner with Vince and Steve Payne. Great guys and we had fun. Went to the Roswell Hooter's. Vince says you guys (AT too) had a meeting at the War Room on Wednesday night...Wish I would have known, I would have liked to come by.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Steve CultTVman Iverson said:


> Nothing like a little hostility.
> 
> Steve


 Certainly not on my part. Just good advice.


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

I see we're getting a bit _cheeky_ with all these notes on the backside! 

Well Lisa, I can tell you about one garage kit manufacturer who is gathering a real well-deserved following these days: Bill Lenches of Wilco! Models. Steve Iverson stocks most of his stuff. Bill makes very nice resin kits of a number of very cool sci-fi subjects like the Proteus submarine from Fantastic Voyage, the Martian War machine from War of the Worlds, the Icarus from Planet of the Apes, and others. Bill has distinguished himself from the rest of the pack by providing nicely detailed kits at very affordable prices and by providing excellent customer support. 

Huzz


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## Da Queen (Mar 11, 2005)

Ooooo...thanks, Huzz! I'll definitely check out the Wilco line...I'll have plenty of time to do that if Steve carries his stuff since I'll be at his table all day Saturday. Speaking of which...Steve, I think the guyz are just playin' here with the recast remarks. Actually, I think it's pretty funny...does that mean in the past we should have all turned in PL? Ah, the days of the bitter recast debates! Makes one wax nostalgic doesn't it??? But, Gents...let's not fire that one up again, OK? We've seen the dog chase his tail before and it gets rather boring after a bit.

Hugs!
Lisa


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## beck (Oct 22, 2003)

ooo yeah , i am chompin' at the bit to get that Wilco Proteus ( it will be ordered from Steve this friday ) . couldn't believe the price on it . very reasonable . 
one thing , Lisa , that i really enjoy these days , is the number of customizing parts available . check 'em out at Cult's place .
hb


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## THRUSH Central (Feb 20, 2003)

Can anyone post pictures of what the quality of these kits look like? Thanks.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

THRUSH Central said:


> Can anyone post pictures of what the quality of these kits look like? Thanks.


 http://culttvman.net/wilco_models.html


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Here are some "in progress" pics of my Proteus:


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## JGG1701 (Nov 9, 2004)

Man - o - man that is nice !!! :thumbsup:


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## The Batman (Mar 21, 2000)

Dave Hussey said:


> Bill has distinguished himself from the rest of the pack by providing nicely detailed kits at very affordable prices and by providing excellent customer support.


Yeah, you translate that into styrene-ese and it sounds an awful lot like what PL used to be back in the day.

- GJS


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Y'know Batman, I was thinking that exact thing as I typed it too. And Bill is a heck of a nice fellow too.

Lisa - sorry to hijack your thread with my pics!

_*We now return you to regularly scheduled programming.  *_

Huzz


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## Da Queen (Mar 11, 2005)

No problemo, Huzz! Conversations tend to wander...it's those wanderings that have always given us some of the best conversations AND the best laughs, right? All that aside....That is one sweet piece of work you've got going there, Huzz! Nice work! Very nice! :thumbsup: 


Hugs!
Lisa


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Hmmm, well when my wife and I are on vacation and I'm wandering around without a map on an unfamiliar highway we definitely do get into some interesting conversations!!

LOL!

Huzz


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## The Batman (Mar 21, 2000)

Your Wilco Proteus is looking good, Dave. I haven't even started mine yet. But.... at least I've got one in the pile. That's cool in itself.

- GJS


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Da Queen said:


> No problemo, Huzz! Conversations tend to wander...it's those wanderings that have always given us some of the best conversations AND the best laughs, right?


 Yup!


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