# My first look at the new Moebius Frankenstein



## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

_Disclosure: I sell this kit and need money, so the opinions expressed herein may be tainted. Please take that into account._

My case of Moebius Frankenstein's Monster kits arrived today. I was pleased to note that, despite a hole in the side of the shipping box, my kits are in good shape, as opposed to the beating UPS gave my case of Spider-Man kits. There was a little bit of a muddy spot on the shrink wrap of one kit, so that's the one I kept for myself and opened up this afternoon.

Let's not bury the lead. Plenty of people have objected to the look of this monster and I agree that it's not the out-of-the-ballpark home run of the Mummy. This kit looks less like Karloff and is overall a bit stiff, even for the Monster. However, I still like it, and I was pleased to see how detailed the kit's facial features are.










At first, I thought it might help to use some Aves to lengthen the face a bit. Now that I see the kit in person, though, I might instead suggest chopping a couple of millimeters off the neck to give the creature a somewhat tougher, more bull-necked look. Of course, Karloff himself was thin, but the costume's padding hid that.

I wanted to show how this new Moebius Monster looks next to the Aurora classic. Unfortunately, the only version of that kit I have handy is a Luminators, but I did the best I could.










Here's one where I turned the Luminators Frankie black and white to try to better highlight the facial features.










The two heads in profile:










And with the Luminators kit in B&W:










The kit's head went together nicely and the seam line isn't intimidating. If the rest of it is as easy to assemble, it won't take long to get it ready to paint. Some additional photos of the kit follow.



















I really appreciate how Moebius pays attention to some details I don't even consider. For example, on the Spider-Man kit, the seam line on the head follows the web pattern on the character's costume. On the new Frankie's base, there are a couple of delicate connection pins that are nicely protected by a clear plastic shield.


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## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

Frankie's box is nice. It's about the same height as a classic Aurora long box, but substantially wider and deeper. It also has a little more heft than the Moebius Spider-Man and Green Goblin boxes.



















Overall, I'm pleased with this latest Moebius Universal Studios Monster and look forward to seeing the recently announced Lugosi Dracula.


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## hedorah59 (Nov 24, 2008)

Very cool! Thanks for taking the time to post the pics, Todd. I will definitely have to pick up at least one of those


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Now that I've seen the final product,I hope someone sculpts a new head for this.


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## HabuHunter32 (Aug 22, 2009)

Frankie looks better in profile than head on. I hate to say this but from the front he looks somewhat oriental like Karloff looked in FuManchu only without the mustache! Still looks like a cool kit and I cant wait for mine to arrive from Culttvman!:thumbsup:


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

It's too neutral an expression. He needs to look just a little meaner. More frowny.


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## Steve244 (Jul 22, 2001)

I dunno, he looks a little like when he was playing with the little girl right before he chucks her in the lake.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

I'm thinking with a good ghoulish paint job and shadowing this could be a very good looking Monster... I can't wait for my two kits to hit the front door:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Mcdee


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

Thanks for the pics! Its a must have for me!..of course I already knew that LOL...


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## dklange (Apr 25, 2009)

mcdougall said:


> I'm thinking with a good ghoulish paint job and shadowing this could be a very good looking Monster... I can't wait for my two kits to hit the front door:thumbsup::thumbsup:
> Mcdee


I totally agree! First I can't wait to get my hands on this new Frankenstein and second, I think with a good paint this is going to look VERY COOL!!!:thumbsup:

- Denis


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## Marko (Jul 11, 2002)

The box alone makes it a must have! I agree with McD, with some paint, the head and face will look great. Thanks for posting the pics, Todd!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I think it looks good. This is THE monster kit I have been waiting on (passed on the Mummy). There are resin replacement heads for most plastic figure kits anyway... so if you really want one thats probably not going to be a big issue. But as is, I think it looks really pretty nice. I will build this kit next.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

He looks like he has "tall hair" rather than a tall forehead. Actually, the hair looks very stylish for a monster.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

Guess I'm one of the few that is disappointed in this kit. To me, the head looks like a caricature of Karloff, not an exact likeness. Compare the pictures posted to pictures of Karlof from the movie, big difference. Would have been fine if it was just a "generic" Frankenstein kit, but since Moebius is selling it as the Karlof monster, they should have made sure it looked like Karloff. Was looking forward to this kit, but I'll pass on it for now. Hopefully someone will offer a good replacement resin head in the future.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

spock62 said:


> Would have been fine if it was just a "generic" Frankenstein kit, but since Moebius is selling it as the Karlof monster, they should have made sure it looked like Karloff.


Remember, since this is fully licensed then any sculpt had to be approved by the people controling the license.
For all we know, they could have had an exact likeness but had to change it.
Remember the head for Captain America that PL had to use because that is what Marvel wanted?


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

The first head was on the test that Dave Fisher painted,this head allthough better, is not what I expected.


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## KurtKC (Oct 13, 2009)

I don't know, it's not an exact likeness, but I think a good and proper paint job will make him look much less benevolent and he will look pretty cool. I think it's hard to tell too much with just a blank unpainted head.


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

Todd,

Thanks for posting those pics!

I think it is a GREAT kit for styrene! When was the last "styrene" Frankenstein kit done? A huge improvement over the Aurora Frankenstein kits!

I think a lot of folks here are being WAY TOO CRITICAL of this kit!

The box, the base, and yes the figure are WONDERFUL. If you don't like the head, buy a resin replacement to take it up a notch but I will definately be buying at least 2 or 3 of this one for starters!:thumbsup:

MOEBIUS....you guys ROCK!:thumbsup:

MMM


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

TAY666 said:


> Remember, since this is fully licensed then any sculpt had to be approved by the people controling the license.
> For all we know, they could have had an exact likeness but had to change it.
> Remember the head for Captain America that PL had to use because that is what Marvel wanted?


Could be, but it doesn't make sense for the license holders to want the sculpt not to look like Karloff, does it? When you compare photos of Karloff as Frankenstein to the Moebius sculpt it is quite a bit off. The kit's nice overall, but I still would like to see a better rendering of Karloff's face. Would make a good kit into a great kit. Hopefully, the Dracula kit is better.

As for being critical, aren't we as the consumer's allowed to be? Since Moebius does pay attention to what is being said on this board, I assume they like to hear input on their kits, good or bad. Like I said before, if it was a "generic" Frankenstein, the kit would be fine. But once you put a photo from the Karloff movie on the box, people expect the kit to look the same. This kit's head doesn't (although the rest came out pretty good). I'm curious to know why this sculpt was chosen. Was Moebius forced to use it by the people holding the license? Or was it deemed "close enough" and that was that? Sorry for sounding sour, but I was looking forward to this kit, especially after seeing how well The Mummy kit came out. In my opinion, the sculpt of the face in the Frankenstein kit falls short and to me the face goes a long way into making or breaking a kit.


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## HabuHunter32 (Aug 22, 2009)

If the licence holders approval of the sculpt produced this result one has to wonder what the priority was. Logicaly speaking the more that the sculpt looks like Karloff the more units they would sell. Don't get me wrong. I like this kit alot and am thankfull to have a new Moebius Frankenstein. But even in plastic a more faithfull representation should have been possible. If they used an in house sculptor at the company in China that Moebius has contracted this may have been the best that he/she could do. Not everyone can sculpt a dead on likeness. I am suprised that the licence holder would approve such a weak likeness of Karloff however. The reason approval is needed from the licence holder is to protect thier property and present it in the best light possible. This sculpt could have been better. This is water under the bridge however. I am building one strait out of the box and will build another when a suitable replacement head is offered. I guess in this instance Moebius doubled thier money from me with my now buying two kits.
I cant wait for Dracula!:thumbsup:


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

I'm not so sure this head is an improvement over the first one we saw...


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I do not know how Universal is TODAY with the Lugosi, Karrloff, Chaney etc estates, but in the recent past there were problems about Universal's use of the actor's likenesses on Universal advertizing and products. Aparently the character and its basic characteristics are owned by Universal... ie the flat topped Frankenstein with neck bolts. However, the exact likeness of Karloff is owned by at least at that time Sarah Karloff. The estate and Universal quibbled over licensing and Universal went with more generic monsters that you could identify without really saying its the Karloff/Lugosi/etc portrayal. That sounds like the Revell Dracula rationale... it looks like "a" Dracula but not "the" (Lugosi) Dracula per se. This looks sort of like the Karloff Frankenstein but not totally. Or it could be a number of other issues. I have seen the original head sculpt for the PL Phantom kit and it looks nothing like the big doe-eyed bobblehead that appeared in the final kit. So translating from a master to the finished product can result in changes.

I don't think the kit head is "bad" but perhaps it could be better? On the other hand, even the new Revell Dracula head, that looked very poor in test shots and on the box art, actually looks ok if well painted. Its hard to tell with just unpainted plastic.

And as I and some others have said... perhaps a resin head will come out (probably can use one of the existing ones already anyway).

I still want this kit BAD! And also plan on stocking it in my shop for sure.


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

I support Moebius,I bought this kit.It has nothing to do with the Aurora kit,what we had as oppose to what we are getting.This is a 2009 kit and should reflect the image of Karloff,not "pretty good" or "with a little paint".


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Compare with Horizon's Vinyl Frankie:
http://www.inpayne.com/models/franky.html


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Can someone tell me if the "Glow" Chiller kit will be ALL glow or just certain parts? I'll be grabbing it up either way, just wondering.


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

HabuHunter32 said:


> If the licence holders approval of the sculpt produced this result one has to wonder what the priority was. Logicaly speaking the more that the sculpt looks like Karloff the more units they would sell.



See, there is the problem.
You cannot always apply logic to big corporate decisions.
They have their own policies, procedures, and style guides that must be followed.
Universals priority is probably not to get the likeness as accurate as possible. Especially since they don't own that likeness.
Their priority is to make sure the entire figure conforms to their interpretation of their intellectual property.
And these decisions are made by people sitting in officies who may or may not even care about the character in question.

Let me ask the Karloff fans out there.
Is there a more accurate, fully licensed, mass market 3-D representation on the market now?
Not talking about just kits, but toys, and whatever else.
This is a serious question, as I have no idea.
If there are several such items out there, then my theory is probably flawed. But if not, then there might be somthing to my line of thinking.


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## mrmurph (Nov 21, 2007)

I agree with those who think the facial features and head are a little off on this kit, but I still want one (or two). 

The Billiken kit is still the best of all the Frankensteins in my opinion.


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

This is the problem Moebius should avoid with the Bela, Dracula kit. Basing it on the stage play, they will be working with Bela's estate, not Universal. The likeness should be spot on, the costume may not conform to the movie, but I guess that will give some, something to complain about!


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

Here's a pic of Lugosi as Dracula, stage version, 1927:


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## Scary Terry (Jul 8, 2009)

I posted these in another forum -- but what the heck, I'll add 'em here, too. Here are some quick Photoshop sketches over the photos of the kit's head, showing what would need to be done to bring it to a proper likeness. A bit of putty and some sculpting skills could get it looking pretty good. 



















Now if someone would trade me one of these kits, so I can do the revisions for real... (my kit buying budget is shot to heck for the time being...)


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

the Horizon Kit.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Looks a lot like the Horizon kit I posted.


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## HabuHunter32 (Aug 22, 2009)

TAY666 said:


> See, there is the problem.
> You cannot always apply logic to big corporate decisions.
> They have their own policies, procedures, and style guides that must be followed.
> Universals priority is probably not to get the likeness as accurate as possible. Especially since they don't own that likeness.
> ...


You may have a point! In making a dead on likeness to Karloff it may have involved paying a double royalty to both Universal and Sara Karloff. If thats the case It's a shame! I guess we wont get a good Glen Strange any time soon either! Lol! Don't get me wrong..I am thrilled to have this kit and eagerly await Moebius next horror endevour Dracula. It's just a shame that things are so difficult for to work out with the licensing in these matters.


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## Yasutoshi (Dec 5, 2007)

I do not think that the face of this kit is bad so that everybody says. 

Please watch the image of the side face which Todd posted. 
It resembles Karloff closely. 
However, the face of the front does not resemble the line of the chin with the moss condition of cheeks. 

You can imitate it even if do not use a re-plus head if sharpen a chin and cheeks.


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## Mitchellmania (Feb 14, 2002)

I'm going to get the Glow version!


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

There's a lot of speculation regarding why the likeness is off. I'd still like to hear from Moebius why this sculpt was chosen. As for some of you who suggested re-sculpting the head ourselves, that's fine if you have the skill, but that's beyond my abilities! Heck, I still have problems with seam work!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Of course my annoying wholesaler still doesn't have the kit (mid-late Nov they say)


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## Ignatz (Jun 20, 2000)

I just got a couple of these yesterday. The likeness isn't dead-on but the kit itself is VERY nicely done! Kudos to Moebius for making it happen. I really hope there will be future Universal Monsters kits. Wolfman, CFTBL, Ma & Pa Kettle...


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## HabuHunter32 (Aug 22, 2009)

Ignatz said:


> I just got a couple of these yesterday. The likeness isn't dead-on but the kit itself is VERY nicely done! Kudos to Moebius for making it happen. I really hope there will be future Universal Monsters kits. Wolfman, CFTBL, Ma & Pa Kettle...


Ma & Pa Kettle??? Heck Y'all why not the Real McCoys!!!Lol!:wave:


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

djnick66 said:


> I do not know how Universal is TODAY with the Lugosi, Karrloff, Chaney etc estates, but in the recent past there were problems about Universal's use of the actor's likenesses on Universal advertizing and products. Aparently the character and its basic characteristics are owned by Universal... ie the flat topped Frankenstein with neck bolts. However, the exact likeness of Karloff is owned by at least at that time Sarah Karloff. The estate and Universal quibbled over licensing and Universal went with more generic monsters that you could identify without really saying its the Karloff/Lugosi/etc portrayal.


It's my understanding that Universal made royalty agreements with the heirs of Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney et al., so that licensees have a choice of a "generic" license to use the character, or a more expensive license to use the likeness of a specific actor portraying the character. I don't know if that arrangement has changed at all over the years.


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## SUNGOD (Jan 20, 2006)

Still looks like a nice kit but I'd be disappointed if I was expecting a good Karloff likeness.


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## sprayray (May 13, 2009)

Scary Terry said:


> I posted these in another forum -- but what the heck, I'll add 'em here, too. Here are some quick Photoshop sketches over the photos of the kit's head, showing what would need to be done to bring it to a proper likeness. A bit of putty and some sculpting skills could get it looking pretty good.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey Terry what's up !

PM' SENT


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## Moonman27 (Aug 26, 2008)

BTW,who actually sculpted the head anyway?


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## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

I think the sculptor worked for the factory in China but don't know for sure.


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## Scary Terry (Jul 8, 2009)

sprayray said:


> Hey Terry what's up !
> 
> PM' SENT


PM sent back at ya, Sprayray.


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## Moonman27 (Aug 26, 2008)

I have studied anatomical art and have done professional portraiture of people in my artist career,not so much actual sculpting,but I think "the head and hands" of a subject are THE main elements of ANY portrait or sculpt of ANY person. I always use a photograph of the subject projected onto the canvas or illustration board. The MAIN reasons I do this are: 1.It saves a lot of time. 2. It is a good way to get an OUTLINE "guide" of the person's exact features. 3. It is ALWAYS ACCURATE. I am a pretty good artist,but Leonardo Da Vinci, I ain't. Some artists CAN do this without using projection,but if I do artwork for money,I will do ANYTHING to make it the BEST likeness possible. Scary Terry's line overlay on the new Moebius Frankenstein head sculpt really illustrates my point here. The "head and hands" of any figure model are THE selling point for me,If they are not up to par,then I don't generally have much interest in them. I REALLY admire sculptors who can do anatomically correct heads and hands. The old Aurora kits of Franky,Phantom,Dracula are actually well done IMHO. I sold my PL Phantom kit awhile back(the one with the organ) because the head and hands were just awful. Please don't mistake my constructive critisism here for a complaint. I am stoked to have a new Frankenstein kit,and will buy one of the glow versions.


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## Grissom (Aug 15, 2008)

Awe, com' on guys! Where is that old modelers spirit? The whole reason we get into this hobby is to bash, change, create and recreate! Lets see some of that spirit! I want to see some of your best work - resculpt it ! Change the features, do some great painting. Lets give it our best - we know Moebius gives us THE BEST they possibly can - they have NEVER failed to be top notch when feeding our hobby appetites.

THANKS MOEBIUS - YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!


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## MonsterModelMan (Dec 20, 2000)

Everyone is talking about the head....there was a replacement head from John Apgar at Chiller made especially for this kit...so what is the big deal?

Frank.....GREAT JOB on this kit. After seeing it in person...it looks FANTASTIC in my book!

MMM


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

MonsterModelMan said:


> Todd,
> 
> Thanks for posting those pics!
> 
> ...


thank you MMM. the grousing about this kit is really sickening. talk like this certainly cant be helpful when the time comes for frank, dave and co. decide whether or not to do another movie monster kit. 

we should be nothing but grateful about this kit. nobody owed us a frankenstein kit, and in relation to a great many "likeness" frankenstein products, its fantastic.

by the way, i have created prototypes for licensed universal monster products, and in some instances was ordered to change my sculpt/paint to make it less like the monsters film appearance and more like the "style guide" version. these changes had nothing to do with actor likeness at all, they were just to bring the characters looks to be in keeping with the appearance that universal wanted to promote at the time they were done.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

MonsterModelMan said:


> Everyone is talking about the head....there was a replacement head from John Apgar at Chiller made especially for this kit...so what is the big deal?



I guess the big deal would be that not everyone knows about the replacement head; some people don't want to have to spend extra money for an accessory to make a kit accurate; and some people think a kit should BE accurate in the first place.

I'm just sayin'.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

I saw this Kit built up and Painted Yesterday at Chiller, and I got to say it looks Fantastic.

I saw it in Person,..Not from Pics on the web, Etc...To me it's a home run right out of the box..With NO NEED for a Replacement Head.

It's a very impressive display Piece.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

So, "grousing about this kit is really sickening" and "talk like this certainly can't be helpful"? Really? All of us have a right to point out errors and ask questions concerning any product that comes out in the market place, in this case a model kit. Looking back at the posts, I've not seen any, including my own, that have been disrespectful of Frank and company. We have just expressed our disappointment in the fact that the head of this kit does not look exactly like Karloff. Since the kit is marketed as Frankenstein from the original movie, one would expect it to look like Karloff, right? 
You guys should check out other model sites, particularly ones that deal with military models. Boy, if a company gets the shape of an engine cowl or canopy wrong or goes crazy with rivits or has off-color decals, the modlers on those sites let them have it! There have been many times that these companies have revised the offending kits to make them more accurate, that's how much they take critcism to heart.
Seems that some of you are Moebius cheerleaders, that anything and everything they do is the best thing under the sun. Get over it. I personally think Moebius is one of the better companies today and I'm thankful for them to produce so many kits that I have always hoped for, many of which I own. But, that doesn't mean their above criticism when it's called for.
I think John P's response hit it on the head. The kit should be accurate, that's what we're paying for. While a replacement head is nice, (and no, I hadn't heard about this or know how much it is or how to get it), it will add to the cost of the kit. Some of us don't have that kind of cash to throw around.
Having said all that, I ended up buying the kit. Back when this kit was announced, I placed a pre-order for it thru CultTVman. Having no pictures of the it available, I went on faith that the kit would be good based on other Moebius kits that had already been done. Later, when a build up of the kit was shown, I decided that it wasn't worth my money, especially since I had been laid off at that point. But, I ended up purchasing the kit anyway since I didn't want to stiff Steve at CultTVman and not pay for a kit I had him order. The kit is in my hands and I have to say that it is nice, even though the head is not all that, although the head does look better in person. Point is my money is tight (still unemployed) and if I do spend it on a "luxury item", I expect said item to be worth it. While I do feel the kit is very well done, the head sort of ruins it for me. Put another way, if I hadn't pre-ordered it, I would have passed for the moment.


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

Once and for all, the kit looks like it does because that is the way Universal Studio, the owner of the property, wants it to look. Saying Moebius "got it wrong" or "they should give us an accurate kit" has no merit or meaning in this conversation. It is what it is and from what I have seen, a beautiful kit has been produced. I look forward to building it, but it will have to wait in a holding pattern, after I finish all my other great kits Frank and his team have blessed me with. 

A proud Moebius Cheerleader!
Ron


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

Ron, obviously Universal approved the likeness, so I guess their OK with it not looking like Karloff. The real question is did they prevent Moebius from doing an exacting likness of Karloff or is it a case that this is the best the guy in China could come up with and it was good enought for Universal and Moebius? Just curious why this kit is off when they were able to get a much better likness on The Mummy kit, also a Universal property. The question of accuracy does have merit, since it's my money that is paying Moebius to give us kits to "bless" us with.


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

spock62 said:


> Ron, obviously Universal approved the likeness, so I guess their OK with it not looking like Karloff. The real question is did they prevent Moebius from doing an exacting likness of Karloff or is it a case that this is the best the guy in China could come up with and it was good enought for Universal and Moebius? Just curious why this kit is off when they were able to get a much better likness on The Mummy kit, also a Universal property. The question of accuracy does have merit, since it's my money that is paying Moebius to give us kits to "bless" us with.


Universal owns the rights to the "look" of the Frankenstein monster in the 1931 film. Flat head, neck bolts, scar on the head, and so on. The Karloff estate owns the rights to Boris in ANY makeup. Moebius would have had to pay double royalties in order to get both the Karloff and movie makeup rights. That would have resulted in a kit much higher in price, and would have been complained about by another group! Would you prefer a good likeness of Boris with no monster features on a generic body, or a close, no almost exact, likeness on a clearly recognizable movie figure? CAN"T MAKE IT ANY CLEARER THAN THAT! This will not be the case with Dracula since Universal will not be invoved, only the Lugosi estate.


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## Moonman27 (Aug 26, 2008)

My previous comments were not meant to "Diss" Moebius in ANY way,they are my very favorite model company since PL. I admit that I'm not real happy about the likeness thing,but I will purchase the kit anyway. I just did'nt want to pay another $20-30 for a more accurate head, like John P. said. I don't consider myself a "nit-picker" but,when I buy a figure kit,I do kinda hope the focal point (the head) is right. I blame the guy in China,not Frank,Dave,or Moebius.


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

My Opinion Only:I dont think any estate should "own" the likeness of anyone.Boris Karloff was hired to play a charater in a movie,the movie was produced by Universal Pictures,who ones every frame of that 1931 film.The likness of the "monster" played by Mr Karloff should be owned by the film company to do with as they wish.I know that these great actors were cheated out of their share of the spoils.I know that Bela died a poor man.I understand the reasons why the kit is the way it is,thats where aftermarket parts,and or skill take over.


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## Grissom (Aug 15, 2008)

I'm still not gettin' it! This is a $30 kit! Some of you guys have paid upwards of 3Xs as much on kits then bashed the daylights out of them, added several dollars worth of upgrades and thought what you had was the best ever. But with this inexpensive, good kit you complain about a fun, slightly challenging exercise of modifying a single piece (granted, a "key" piece). I have reworked much worse; in this case I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with my files, wood burning tool, and some putty. As I said earlier, you guys are as near to "Master Modelers" as I've seen, (and I've seen your work) so why all the fuss? You guys are all way out of the league of "build it straight from the box" just look at all the bashing and conversions some of you did with the Chariot and Space Pod! I have to agree that all this fuss has gotta be discouraging for Moebius when considering making another kit based on a licensed property.


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

RSN said:


> Universal owns the rights to the "look" of the Frankenstein monster in the 1931 film. Flat head, neck bolts, scar on the head, and so on. The Karloff estate owns the rights to Boris in ANY makeup. *Moebius would have had to pay double royalties in order to get both the Karloff and movie makeup rights.* That would have resulted in a kit much higher in price, and would have been complained about by another group! Would you prefer a good likeness of Boris with no monster features on a generic body, or a close, no almost exact, likeness on a clearly recognizable movie figure? CAN"T MAKE IT ANY CLEARER THAN THAT! This will not be the case with Dracula since Universal will not be invoved, only the Lugosi estate.


Is this accurate information or supposition? Did Moebius pay double royalties for The Mummy kit?


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

RSN, I guess what your saying is that Moebius should have had the same guy who sculpted The Mummy kit do the Frankenstein kit since the Mummy is closer to Karloff's likeness then the Frankenstein kit. Hopefully, going through the actors estate will solve the problem in the Dracula and future kits. Too bad Moebius couldn't/didn't go that route with Frankenstein. As for going with Univeral and the estate resulting in a more expansive kit, depending on how expansive, I would have paid for it since, to me, it would had been worth it. But, that's me, I can understand why a $30 kit is more appealing then say a $60 or more kit.
Grissom, true there are a lot of "master modelers" here, but I'm not one of them! No way do I have the skills to redesign a face! I'm still working on being able to eliminate unsightly seams! As for discouraging the guys at Moebius, I'm not trashing them, just offering my opinion on one of their kits. If they truly are interested in our opinions (and I believe they are), positive and negative, this shouldn't be a problem. A good company will listen to their critics, and if the criticism is justified, make changes to current products and improve future products and continually strive to improve their company overall. Those are the types of companies that survive and grow. I do believe Moebius is one of those companies. To just kiss butt and tell companies/people that "there great", even when they aren't doing their best, doesn't help the individuals involved. There is nothing wrong with helpful criticism, right?
Zorro, my question exactly.


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

I stand corrected on a small point. Here is a small part of a letter written by Sara Karloff; "Although I control the likeness rights to my father, both in and out of makeup, and will continue to license its use, in the future the licensing of my father in the roles of Frankenstein and The Mummy, from the four 1930's films, will be handled by Universal Studios. A separate license from the family will not be required. It is my hope that this will simplify the licensing process for future licensees. However, please let me know if you have any questions or problems regarding licensing of these images." I did some research on my own (try it, it's fun!), just Google "Boris Karloff likeness rights" and you will find the link to the whole letter.

This returns me to my original point, this is the "look" Universal wanted for the kit. Not Moebius, not the"sculpter in China", Universal 100%. If, as the copyright holder, Universal had a problem with said "sculpter in China", they would not have given final approval. It is a matter of fact that the first head was asked to be resculpted. The one in the kit is the one they chose.

Build it or not, get a new head or not, just be informed about what you don't understand. Me? I am getting back to building, need to make room on my table for the Jupiter 2 next month. Good luck with "Frankie" everyone! God bless!


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Hmnnnnn.....

Moebius Cheerleaders?????

Well if that means supporting a quality Model Kit Company, well then I'll shake my Pom Poms!!! _BRICKER BACKER FIRE CRACKER, SIS BOOM BA...Mobieus, Moebius, Rah,Rah,Rah!!!!!_



I'll bet 98% of the "Constructive Opinions" Here are made by guys *WHO DON'T EVEN OWN THE KIT YET!!!*And have never seen it built up in person!!

Again, opinions, weather they are Positive or negative, should always be welcome...Having said that however, Those who do, would be far more constructive if you know what your talking about! Meaning you have at least seen the actual kit in person!!!!


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## RSN (Jul 29, 2008)

beatlepaul said:


> Hmnnnnn.....
> 
> Moebius Cheerleaders?????
> 
> ...


Bless you Beatlepaul, well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

It is still quite fair to comment on a kit (any kit) and to read comments on any kit BEFORE purchase. Especially if the kit has some issue or perceived issue which would keep someone from buying it! its naive to think people will blindly shell out $40 before they make any commment.

FYI the brand new and VERY well done Tamiya Spitfire IX in 1/32 kit totally muffed the wing gun cover bulges... so even the big boys make mistakes. And yes people comment on that mistake without the kit in hand because its obviously visible in photos, and the kit is just now making its way out of Japan and isnt in full distribution everywhere.

Commenting on a kits weaknesses isnt a condemnation of the whole kit, the manufacturer, etc. I would actually prefer honest comments (positive or negative) over blind cheerleading that praises any new release by a company as if it were a reward. There are magazines and sites that do that... you could get a turd in a box and the praise would still be glowing...


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

djnick66 said:


> It is still quite fair to comment on a kit (any kit) and to read comments on any kit BEFORE purchase. Especially if the kit has some issue or perceived issue which would keep someone from buying it! its naive to think people will blindly shell out $40 before they make any commment.
> 
> FYI the brand new and VERY well done Tamiya Spitfire IX in 1/32 kit totally muffed the wing gun cover bulges... so even the big boys make mistakes. And yes people comment on that mistake without the kit in hand because its obviously visible in photos, and the kit is just now making its way out of Japan and isnt in full distribution everywhere.
> 
> Commenting on a kits weaknesses isnt a condemnation of the whole kit, the manufacturer, etc. I would actually prefer honest comments (positive or negative) over blind cheerleading that praises any new release by a company as if it were a reward. There are magazines and sites that do that... you could get a turd in a box and the praise would still be glowing...


 
If someone has to worry about putting $40.00 Out for a Model Kit, Video Game, DVD etc..They shouldn't buy it in the first place....My 2 cents.God knows, I haven't bought a lot of new stuff recently, myself!

Speaking for myself of Course, I was the first one to do a Build of the Moebius Seaview.(Look up the thread, "My Seaview Build"). Before the influx of "experts", who still, to this day, have yet to even crack the box open!

I pointed out some "Mistakes" In the Kit as well as it's Positive aspects.. To share with the folks here on the board.But I did so, Only after I actually Built the kit and did my research on the actual Filming Miniature. I do the same thing every time I build something and share it here.

Personally, I believe if your going to offer your "opinion", Make sure you know what your talking about first. That's just me.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

RSN, so if Universal approved of this likeness and The Mummy likeness, I guess that means their not too concerned with consistant accuracy since one is obiviously closer to Karloff then the other? As for doing research to be informed on something I don't understand, but I guess you do, why should a we have to? Frank and Dave have been happy to supply us with answers in the past, why not now. Again I ask, is it wrong to expect the Frankenstein kit to look like Karloff, especially when his photo is on the box?

beatlepaul, I have supported Moebius from the beginning, with my wallet, purchasing many of their kits. But, I am not a cheerleader, that to me implies a blind support to anything they do, even if it's not that good. Sorry, can't do that. As for criticism "be(ing) far more constructive if you know what your talking about. Meaning you have at least saw the actual kit in person!!!! ", I assume your not refering to me. I have bought the kit and examined it, which I mentioned in a previous post. Also, if someone sees pictures of the finished kit on this board, why do they need to purchase it? The photos provided at the beginning of this discussion were clear enough, that alone should help you decide if the kit is to your liking or not. Are you saying that we should just all run and buy any and all Moebius kits, wither their good or not? Keep shaking those pom poms, your getting good at it.

That brings me to another point. Those of us on this board only represent a fraction of all the modelers out there. Most have probably never heard of this forum or even bother with model forums. Suppose some guy visits his local LHS and sees the Frankenstein kit for the first time, with little or no previous knowledge/experiance of Moebius kits. He checks it out and the first thing he notices is a photo of Karloff from the movie. Yes, there's a small photo of the finished kit on the side, but the box top is what catches his eye. Figuring the kit to be an accurate representation of the Karloff Frankenstein, he buys it. Once home, he opens it up and finds, to his surprise, the face really doesn't look like Karloff at all. Don't you think he'd be disappointed? What do you think the chance is that he'd consider the Dracula kit in the future. What do you think his opinion of Moebius as a company would be? This, if for any reason, is why more effort should be made to get the likeness right. Something, I would think, Moebius should consider.

djnick66, well said! Wish I could say as much with fewer words!


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

RSN said:


> *I stand corrected on a small point.* Here is a small part of a letter written by Sara Karloff; "Although I control the likeness rights to my father, both in and out of makeup, and will continue to license its use, in the future the licensing of my father in the roles of Frankenstein and The Mummy, from the four 1930's films, will be handled by Universal Studios. A separate license from the family will not be required. It is my hope that this will simplify the licensing process for future licensees. However, please let me know if you have any questions or problems regarding licensing of these images." I did some research on my own (try it, it's fun!), just Google "Boris Karloff likeness rights" and you will find the link to the whole letter.
> 
> This returns me to my original point, this is the "look" Universal wanted for the kit. Not Moebius, not the"sculpter in China", Universal 100%. If, as the copyright holder, Universal had a problem with said "sculpter in China", they would not have given final approval. It is a matter of fact that the first head was asked to be resculpted. The one in the kit is the one they chose.


RSN - are you an "official" spokesman for Moebius? Because you seem to be extremely confident in your assertions even though you're admitting (?) you were wrong on that previous "small point" - which was actually the basis of your thesis as to why the head sculpt looks the way it does.


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

spock62 said:


> RSN, so if Universal approved of this likeness and The Mummy likeness, I guess that means their not too concerned with consistant accuracy since one is obiviously closer to Karloff then the other? As for doing research to be informed on something I don't understand, but I guess you do, why should a we have to? Frank and Dave have been happy to supply us with answers in the past, why not now. Again I ask, is it wrong to expect the Frankenstein kit to look like Karloff, especially when his photo is on the box?
> 
> beatlepaul, I have supported Moebius from the beginning, with my wallet, purchasing many of their kits. But, I am not a cheerleader, that to me implies a blind support to anything they do, even if it's not that good. Sorry, can't do that. As for criticism "be(ing) far more constructive if you know what your talking about. Meaning you have at least saw the actual kit in person!!!! ", I assume your not refering to me. I have bought the kit and examined it, which I mentioned in a previous post. Also, if someone sees pictures of the finished kit on this board, why do they need to purchase it? The photos provided at the beginning of this discussion were clear enough, that alone should help you decide if the kit is to your liking or not. Are you saying that we should just all run and buy any and all Moebius kits, wither their good or not? Keep shaking those pom poms, your getting good at it.
> 
> ...


 

Why thank you for the lovely Comments Sir:thumbsup:

God Bless and have a good Day!

Enjoy your Frankenstein Model build up! and Please by all means Post Pics of it when you complete it!!


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

While I do not "blindly support" ANY model company, I did see the build up at Chiller con and liked it enough to purchase the kit. It really does look good in person so...do I make the squad?:lol::tongue:


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## Dave Metzner (Jan 1, 1970)

As I read this thread it appears to me that some here feel like Moebius Models OWES an explanation of how the Frankenstein kit was developed and it is some how expected that we need to defend the kit.
You will just have to excuse me for not jumping right into the "discussion"
I'm tired of defending or trying to explain our decisions. 
Regardless of the project, there is always some one here who can find fault with it..
I've pretty much come to the conclusion that it's best to "opt out" of Hobbytalk "discussions"

We did the best we could with the Karloff likeness - The sculpt was done in China for several reasons. - mainly the short lead time we had available to us -and the need to have a sculpt that could be translated directly to styrene without re-doing it among other reasons...
What we have now is the best we could get under the circumstances...Is it perfect - no it's not, Is it better than any previous styrene Frankenstein - I have my opinion and you all are entitled to yours.

Dave


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## BadRonald (Jun 2, 2000)

It's not the head sculpt that concerns me, it's the mortar joints between the stones on the wall. According to " European masonry:a short history", mortar joints of that time period were no more than .750 in. thick.After scaling the joints on this kit, I found that some mortar joints were .842. in. or greater!I can't believe that this slipped by the folks at Mobius.I hope somebody produces an after-market wall with the correct mortar joint measurements.


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## Zorro (Jun 22, 1999)

BadRonald said:


> It's not the head sculpt that concerns me, it's the mortar joints between the stones on the wall. According to " European masonry:a short history", mortar joints of that time period were no more than .750 in. thick.After scaling the joints on this kit, I found that some mortar joints were .842. in. or greater!I can't believe that this slipped by the folks at Mobius.I hope somebody produces an after-market wall with the correct mortar joint measurements.


If they do, they'll be slapped with a C&D from Sarah Mortar's lawyers. I know this because I Googled it.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

beatlepaul, thanks for all your kind words, I never realized how much you care.

RSN, based on Dave's post, Universal had nothing to do with the sculpt, so much with being informed.

Dave, perfection is in the eye of the beholder. Better then any other styrene Frankenstein kit? If your refering to the old Aurora kit, don't know of any others, then I would agree. But perfection, that's a stretch. The face/head of the figure makes or breaks it. Close, but no cigar on this one. Hopefully the sculptor you have for Dracula can get the likeness right, your kits deserve better.


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## Dave Metzner (Jan 1, 1970)

These "discussions" remind me that other kit manufacturers avoid participation in these forums like Bubonic Plague... I fully understand why!

Dave


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Dave Metzner said:


> These "discussions" remind me that other kit manufacturers avoid participation in these forums like Bubonic Plague... I fully understand why!
> 
> Dave


 
*LOL!!!!!*


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## Dave Metzner (Jan 1, 1970)

No joke intended!
Dave


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## Captain Han Solo (Apr 5, 2002)

Dave Metzner said:


> No joke intended!
> Dave


 
.....Which makes it even more funny!!!


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

I should have mine in a day or two,cant wait!


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## hedorah59 (Nov 24, 2008)

None at my LHS yet - I'm getting impatient, I may have to order one online just to see it!


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## Grissom (Aug 15, 2008)

Just a simple comparison and suggestion: (Of course the comparison part only works if the attachments come through with this) The fix for the existing head is easy. First, shave a little off he back of the jaw line to make the face narrower. Next, reduce the height of the brow line by about a third to half. Then trim away the lower reaches of the hair line to reduce it by about half. All of the above can be done using a file or hobby knife. Using a little putty, broaden the nose. Finish by a little light sanding and you should be ready to paint! With a little modification, and this stuff is easy so anyone can do it, the head supplied can be made to conform very closely to the Karloff image. The most satisfying thing about this is that your model becomes unique to you. 

Spock - If you bought the kit try this and see how you do. If you don't like it, I'll buy the replacement and have it sent to you. I'm not trying to be a wise-guy here, but one modeler to another, I think you may be selling yourself short; and I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is. 

I don't think of myself as a "Cheerleader" as there are many Moebius kits I wont buy, but when they do a good kit, that I like and can afford, I buy it. If it turns out to be good enough out of the box, I build it that way. If it, in my opinion needs work, I rework it. However, the extra work required by me does not necessarily reduce my opinion either of the kit, or the company supplying it. My high opinion of Moebius is due to the constant supply of kits from them that I have wanted for a very long time. As long as Moebius keeps trying to make the kits I want, I will keep trying to buy them and make them what I want them to be.


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

I think Dave answered the questions very well. They were racing against the clock. I think the head looks good. Its not 100% spot on , but its better than some out there. I'm just very thankful to have the kit...If it took a couple of months longer to produce, we would have gotten nothing at all.....My only problem is I have no extra money right now to buy the kit!


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## painter x (Oct 15, 2006)

It looks great to me I should have mine today or tomorrow. I got word it shipped out on Friday. I recently got the Mummy and was blown away I have not been a fan of plastic kits have always been a resin nut but these new Moebius kits have totaly changed my mind.


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

spock62 said:


> RSN, so if Universal approved of this likeness and The Mummy likeness, I guess that means their not too concerned with consistant accuracy since one is obiviously closer to Karloff then the other?


as i said earlier, universal is not very concerned with accuracy the the characters appearance in the film. their concern is whether or not it reflects how the studio wants the public to visualize the character at the time the product is designed (as determined by that years style guide). as i said, i was order to change my paint job and sculptures away from accurate likenesses in favor of the style guide's canon.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Actually kit manufacturers and/or reps and/or contributors do participated in various online forums. Usually its very constructive and they have an open mind to input (positive and negative) towards the products they produce. The owner of Classic Airframes has been quite active on Hyperscale, and many Dragon contributors post and even moderate on Missing Links. Companies themselves do listen to online comments and criticizms also. Tamiya's newish Panzer II French Campaign kit has some suspension errors that Tamiya fixed in their more recent Polish Campaign kit, so they did listen to their audience.

There were issues when Osprey owned Missing Links and turned it into a one sided forum. Dragon's own forum is similar with their anonymous blogger Hiroshi trashing not only other model companies but individuals who review and criticize Dragon kits.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

Grissom said:


> Just a simple comparison and suggestion: (Of course the comparison part only works if the attachments come through with this) The fix for the existing head is easy. First, shave a little off he back of the jaw line to make the face narrower. Next, reduce the height of the brow line by about a third to half. Then trim away the lower reaches of the hair line to reduce it by about half. All of the above can be done using a file or hobby knife. Using a little putty, broaden the nose. Finish by a little light sanding and you should be ready to paint! With a little modification, and this stuff is easy so anyone can do it, the head supplied can be made to conform very closely to the Karloff image. The most satisfying thing about this is that your model becomes unique to you.
> 
> Spock - If you bought the kit try this and see how you do. If you don't like it, I'll buy the replacement and have it sent to you. I'm not trying to be a wise-guy here, but one modeler to another, I think you may be selling yourself short; and I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is.
> 
> I don't think of myself as a "Cheerleader" as there are many Moebius kits I wont buy, but when they do a good kit, that I like and can afford, I buy it. If it turns out to be good enough out of the box, I build it that way. If it, in my opinion needs work, I rework it. However, the extra work required by me does not necessarily reduce my opinion either of the kit, or the company supplying it. My high opinion of Moebius is due to the constant supply of kits from them that I have wanted for a very long time. As long as Moebius keeps trying to make the kits I want, I will keep trying to buy them and make them what I want them to be.


Appreciate the offer, but I think it might take a bit more work then you suggest. To me the ears should be located higher on the head, the head itself should be taller and the hair should be "flatter" at the sides of the head. Not sure I'd want to attempt this myself, though I'm sure doing the mod's you suggested would go a long way in making the kit look more like Karloff. It's too bad that Moebius didn't have more time on this kit, maybe if the sculptor had another go at the sculpt, he/she would have came up with a better likeness. 

Regarding doing extra work on a kit, I feel differently than you. While I don't mind making minor corrections, doing some major reworking of a very noticeable feature is just not my thing. I'm more of an out-of-the-box sort of guy. I could understand if this were an old Aurora kit made in the '60's, you'd expect to have issues, but I don't understand why I should have to do a major (to me) reworking of a kit produced in 2009. Dave indicated that the short lead time contributed to using the current sculpt. Me, I would have delayed the release of the kit and spent the time to have the sculpt refined. But, I know nothing of how a kit is produced or the model kit industry overall, so I'm sure Frank and Dave made the decision they thought best.

As for Moebius, overall I think their a good company. Have many of their kits in the stash, one built, another half-way finished. The Frankenstein kit is fine, except for the head. Hopefully, they'll take something positive out of my and others criticisms and that will translate into better kits for all of us.

As for this replacement head that I keep hearing about, are there any pictures of it? Who sells it? Is it really better then the kit head?


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## Bwain no more (May 18, 2005)

For all intents and purpose, the replacement head(s) are NOT available online
due to the current state in the hobby regarding unlicensed product. 
Tom


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

I would like to see the finished models these 'experts' produce. Unless you have accurate color photos of the Jack Pierce make-up, your green will be wrong. There will be other flaws and mistakes done as well. Moebius is providing a superb starting point for the finished model. Lets see if your talent can do it justice.


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## Capt. Krik (May 26, 2001)

My kit just arrived today. I am happy to say that I think Moebius did an outstanding job on this kit. I have no complaints what so ever.

Thank you Frank and Dave for producing this wonderful kit. Can't wait to see the Lugosi dracula kit. Keep up the great work.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

I also fly model rockets and to me a hobby is primarily for pleasure and enjoyment. But there are some rocketeers who have become what we call "Pink Book Lawyers." To them it is a high competitive business and they are "experts" and folks out for some hobby pleasure are peons. While I don't mind spirited competition, the extremes and the rampaging that occurs because of it on a couple of the boards always depresses me. I feel a bit the same here. I have almost everything Moebius has produced being a big classic horror and scifi fan. And I have been very happy with everything so far. Nothing is going to be perfect for everyone and for me what they have done is great. I don't know that Frankenstein's face is a perfect rendition or that the J2 landing gear didn't get the steps right. I just enjoy having these great new kits available to build and enjoy. Nitpicking ad nauseum about them is ridiculous. If it doesn't meet your criteria don't buy it. I would dare say maybe at max 5% of purchasers are going to care that much. And it gives a chance for the garage resin guys to correct these "problems." I am just going to enjoy it and build mine to the best of my abilities. I'll let the lawyers fight about the nasty details, they get paid for it.


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## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

Check out this buildup of the kit from Clubhouse member "StyreneDude". The Moebius Frankie looks pretty darn good in classic green.


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## Paulbo (Sep 16, 2004)

I've only skimmed this thread, so I might have missed reference to this above. Sorry if I'm repeating ...

One thing people are forgetting about is the stand. It's fantastic and the photos don't do it justice. The stonework looks so real, especially when done up with a great paint job like the one shown at Chiller ... and the wood floor, well, it was a thing of beauty.

Bwain no More made an excellent observation while we were chatting: just the stand is worth the price of the kit. If one were to make that stand out of resin it would have to retail for way more than the kit.


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

I agree with that, the stand is very good and would cost way more in resin. It would make a good accessory to other horror kits.


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## dklange (Apr 25, 2009)

Just received my kit today!!! After looking it over, I really think Moebius did a great job!!!! Other than the US Mail using the box for a football, it came thru nicely. IMHO, this is sooooo much better than the old Aurora kit. Although I own 3 original Aurora Frankenstein kits and like them alot, this kit certainly looks more like Karloff than Aurora ever did. I don't want to ruffle any feathers, but I really like it and am anxious to start building this one! Just my thoughts... - Denis


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## Roy Kirchoff (Jan 1, 1970)

Todd P. said:


> Check out this buildup of the kit from Clubhouse member "StyreneDude". The Moebius Frankie looks pretty darn good in classic green.


Todd, Thank-you for posting this picture. It really shows how  this kit is! 

I picked one up at my LHS yesterday and sat around trying to visualize how I would modify the face, but now after seeing this build I'm not going to change a thing. :roll:

~RK~


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## Grissom (Aug 15, 2008)

I just got mine in the mail and it is laying out in front of me - WOW! 

The photos really did not do it justice. I had planned a re-working of the head but after actually holding it in my hands, I don't think so. 

I understand what Spock and some others are getting at, the hype mentioned Karloff and the photo on the box and the pose and stand all suggest the Monster as seen in the original movie so that is what they thought they were getting - but didn't. I have felt that disappointment before and understand their point completely. 

I guess the way I see models is that they are an artists representation of a subject (not an exact reproduction) which is offered to the builder as a design to either be followed or altered as the builder likes. Point being it's art, it may be our hobby but it's still art and art doesn't always reflect reality. Art simply takes elements of the thing represented and, generally, offers a conceptualized likeness that the artist, usually, hopes the viewer will recognize as the original inspiration. 

I honestly don't think anyone would look at the finished product and fail to recognize Frankenstein's Monster in this kit. So, the artist did his job and now we get to do ours. 

I'm going to go build a Monster!


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## gregsb (Jun 25, 2008)

The camera angle is important, as well as the lens. The lower the angle (shooting up and a wider lens, the more accurate he'll gets.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

I wonder if guys would be complaining as much if thr box just said Frankenstein and had a more generic face as was the case with Aurora's and not a photo still from the movie. That Aurora version has been around for 45 years and I think we now have a MUCH better model now with the Moebius version. That face has much better detail and cant wait to see how evryone taked their own approach to it.
Steve


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## spock62 (Aug 13, 2003)

Grissom said:


> I just got mine in the mail and it is laying out in front of me - WOW!
> 
> The photos really did not do it justice. I had planned a re-working of the head but after actually holding it in my hands, I don't think so.
> 
> ...


Is that the way most of you guys that are into figure kits view them, as interpretative art? I'm new to the figure model thing, having done mostly cars, military subjects, real and sci-fi space kits. In those categories, accuracy is everything (or should be). An artistic representation wouldn't cut it, unless the kit was marketed as such (i.e. Deal's Wheels car/plane kits for example). I just assumed that figure modelers wanted the same sort of accuracy. You hit the nail on the head of what I was expecting when I first heard of this kit. But, I agree that there's no mistaking it for anything other then Frankenstein! 

scooke123, Can't speak for others, but as for me your right, if the box showed a generic Frankenstein face, like the paintings done on the original Aurora kits, I won't have any problem with the kit. I'm fond of the Aurora kit, in fact it's the first kit I made after getting back into the hobby after 20 some odd years (actually it's the Monogram Luminator version). It's also the first figure kit I've done since I was about 7 years old. The Moebius kit is a welcomed update, even if the face is not 100% (sorry, had to say it)! Needless to say, it will probably be the next kit I make.


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## Universalrocks (Mar 22, 2004)

I also was disapointed with the Frankenstein kit. But when I saw the photos of the actual head unpainted I thought it looked much better and had room for improvement. But now that I see how the one above is painted, Darn if that is not one beautiful kit.
Thank You Mobeius.


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

spock62 said:


> Is that the way most of you guys that are into figure kits view them, as interpretative art?


of course. portrait sculpture cannot help but be interpretive art (unless its a lifecast of an person). no kit will ever be 100% accurate to the persons likeness, even if it is rendered by a computer scan of the persons head. most of us "get it", and dont grouse about the likeness. either we appriciate it and buy the model, or we dont and give it a pass. 

y3a, color photos do exist of karloff in the monster makeup from "son of...", and styrenedude's paint job is pretty accurate, just a little dark.


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

I have the book with the color photos and Lugosi's too, as well as the Mummy make-up that poor Karloff endured. Lugosi's green was a little different. I think Max Factor was involved with those. I'll have to dig the book out of storage.


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

razorwyre1 said:


> of course. portrait sculpture cannot help but be interpretive art (unless its a lifecast of an person). no kit will ever be 100% accurate to the persons likeness, even if it is rendered by a computer scan of the persons head. most of us "get it", and dont grouse about the likeness. either we appriciate it and buy the model, or we dont and give it a pass.


I respectfully disagree.It's not about "getting it",it's about talent.There are some sculpturers that can render a likeness spot on and others where their talents lie elsewhere.


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## Mitchellmania (Feb 14, 2002)

SEE?!! That build up looks awesome!!! I still want a Glow one though. I'm on a glow kick now! I want all his skin areas to glow!


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