# Did James Bama the box art for all thirteen Monsters?



## Spockr (Sep 14, 2009)

Could one of you knowledgeable _Aurora Scholars_ point to a list of all the Aurora artwork he did for the company? 

TIA

Regards (and Happy New year)
MattL


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## Todd P. (Apr 12, 2007)

I think he did 12 of the 13 classic monsters. The exception is the Forgotten Prisoner, painted by Mort Künstler. Bama also did some of the monster rods but I don't recall which. Thomas Graham's book about Aurora says Bama hated the monster rods and stopped accepting those assignments.


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## Spockr (Sep 14, 2009)

Kong and Godzilla seem different in tone than most of the others to me. Maybe just because they are in colossal scale.

IIRC he also did James Bond and Odd Job. Is that right?

Is there a definitive list of the ones he did?

Regards,
MattL


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Spockr said:


> Could one of you knowledgeable _Aurora Scholars_ point to a list of all the Aurora artwork he did for the company?
> 
> TIA
> 
> ...


No just 12 Monster Models...and then some...

This is the definitive list that James Bama painted...:
Frankenstein
Dracula
Wolfman
Mummy
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Phantom of the Opera
Hunchback of Notre Dame
Bride of Frankenstein
Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde
Witch
King Kong
Forgotten Prisoner of Castel-Mare( Correction...Painted by Mort Kunstler)
Godzilla
Frankensteins' Flivver
Draculas' Dragster
Wolfmans Wagon
Mummys' Chariot
Customizing Kit #1
Customizing Kit #2
Guillotine
Munsters Family livingroom
Addams Family Haunted House
Gigantic Frankenstein...

Godzillas' Go Cart and King Kongs Thronester were painted by Dick Prezio...
Aurora also hired Wayne Blickenstaff, Mort Kunstler, John Amendola as well as other exceptional Artists to paint the other kits...
Mcdee


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

mcdougall said:


> Yes all 13...and then some...
> 
> This is the definitive list that James Bama painted...:
> Frankenstein
> ...


Denis Forgotten Prisoner boxart was done by Kunstler and the first boxart of the hunchback was done by bama that was the one with anthony quinns face on it based on the 56 hunchback movie remake he stared in at the time..But the boxart changed 66 to Chaney's face a another artist did it which the name escapes at the moment


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

Spockr said:


> IIRC he also did James Bond and Odd Job. Is that right?
> 
> Is there a definitive list of the ones he did?
> 
> ...


Matt,Kunstler did the boxart for those two kits


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

wolfman66 said:


> Denis Forgotten Prisoner boxart was done by Kunstler and the first boxart of the hunchback was done by bama that was the one with anthony quinns face on it based on the 56 hunchback movie remake he stared in at the time..But the boxart changed 66 to Chaney's face a another artist did it which the name escapes at the moment


Yeah I read that on page 45 of Thomas Grahams Aurora Model Kits, that Mort Kunstler,who is a good friend of James Bama had painted the Forgotten Prisoner, but on Page 48 0f Bill Bruegmans' Aurora History and Price Guide it lists it as being Bamas' work, I'll try to dig deeper, and as for the Hunchback Bama painted the original with Quinns face and later another artist just redid the face, the rest remained Bama.
I stand corrected ...Looks like the FP was painted by Mort Kunstler after all!
Denis/Mcdee


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

John Steele painted a lot of Aurora's military box tops. Steele also did work for Revell.


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## buzzconroy (Jun 28, 2002)

djnick66 said:


> John Steele painted a lot of Aurora's military box tops. Steele also did work for Revell.


I admire John Steele's artwork, great style, I have the Aurora La France Pumper, he did the boxart, just dazzling.I believe he did the artwork for the U.SS Enterprise Aircraft Carrier.

Randy


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

Try this, I put a lot of work into it so I hope that it'll help with box art questions.
http://members.cox.net/auroramonsters/boxart/loba/frankenstein.htm


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## NTRPRZ (Feb 23, 1999)

Did Kunstler also do the Lost in Space 420 kit? It's always been one of my favs.


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## wolfman66 (Feb 18, 2006)

NTRPRZ said:


> Did Kunstler also do the Lost in Space 420 kit? It's always been one of my favs.


Kunstler did the two cyclops boxarts and Schaare did the robot boxart:dude:


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## Spockr (Sep 14, 2009)

TRENDON said:


> Try this, I put a lot of work into it so I hope that it'll help with box art questions.
> http://members.cox.net/auroramonsters/boxart/loba/frankenstein.htm


Thats a great resource. Very informative. Thanks for posting. :thumbsup:


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## Spockr (Sep 14, 2009)

Lots of really helpful info. I can't get enough of this stuff. Are there other book resources you could suggest about Aurora's history other than the already mentioned Thomas Graham and Bill Bruegman books?

Thanks,
MattL


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Trendon, thanks for posting that link - I never knew there was a 1st version of the 2nd Wolfman boxart. Yeah, it looks a bit rushed but the overall tone is closer to what Bama always shot for, whoever it was that did it. More menacing and facially it doesn't look as cutsie as the final 2nd Wolfman has always looked (to me, anyway). I wish we could still see that unused Wolfman art w/o the glow layover they did on it.


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## mcdougall (Oct 28, 2007)

Spockr said:


> Lots of really helpful info. I can't get enough of this stuff. Are there other book resources you could suggest about Aurora's history other than the already mentioned Thomas Graham and Bill Bruegman books?
> 
> Thanks,
> MattL


Along with the books you mentioned I also have 'Classic Plastic' by Rick Polizzi...Lots of cool info in that book also...and you can get it right here...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Classic-Plastic...362?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c59e1f04a

Cheers
Mcdee


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## gaz91 (Nov 26, 2007)

Some Great info from Trendon :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## TRENDON (May 24, 2000)

Thanks, Guys.


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