# Dark Shadows Barnabas... what you get in the box



## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I picked up this kit yesterday... very cool and attractive original artwork hardbox.

The kit is molded in black plastic with the usual flash here and there. Nothing abnormal for a 40 something year old tool. The kit has about 25 parts, not counting the glow duplicates and extra arms.

The entire kit comes molded in black styrene. Then you get a duplicate set of arms molded in that funny vinyl/polyethylene stuff that is virtually ungluable. Just like the original kits, you get some wire and a little jig to bend wire inserts for the rubber arms. Im not sure what this was supposed to do as the arms, while semi soft, were not bendable anyway. It looks like the original mold was used for both sets of arms, too. You get a sprue of glow parts that include Barnabas' head, hands, cane, shoes, bat, rat, and spider. The glow parts are the standard yellow/green color not blue.

The instruction sheet is pretty much a repro of the original one and is pretty simplistic.

About the only problem I can see with the kit is the clothing has a heavy fabric texture that will disappear around the seams when you putty and sand them down. It may be possible to use some MEK and a paint brush to craze the plastic back to match the original etched texture. 

I paid $21 for the kit at Hobbytown but they gave me a discount off the $29 ticket.


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## buzzconroy (Jun 28, 2002)

Pics please.
Thanks
Randy


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## Model Man (Oct 1, 2007)

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=335508


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

buzzconroy said:


> Pics please.
> Thanks
> Randy


Can do that tomorrow... all the parts are in bags.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

djnick66 said:


> ...About the only problem I can see with the kit is the clothing has a heavy fabric texture that will disappear around the seams when you putty and sand them down...


I made a texture stamp by painting several coats of liquid latex over a flat area of Barnabas' coat. After I filled the seams with Aves Apoxy Sculpt I pressed the stamp into the soft putty. This restored the texture nicely; the same technique worked with the Werewolf's clothing.


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## buzzconroy (Jun 28, 2002)

Thanks, I like to see the head sculpt without paint.

Randy


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Mark McGovern said:


> I made a texture stamp by painting several coats of liquid latex over a flat area of Barnabas' coat. After I filled the seams with Aves Apoxy Sculpt I pressed the stamp into the soft putty. This restored the texture nicely; the same technique worked with the Werewolf's clothing.


I have a product that does that; was marketed for modelling dinosaurs with the skin texture, etc. You can use other materials though (even liquid mask) and its a good idea.

I notice you did the nice build up on the back of the box!

is that really a glue thread on the shoulder, though?? Or just an illusion in the photo.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Here are some of the kit contents. 

You get duplicates of most of the small parts in glow and black plastic. The face isn't "bad" and is about the same on the likeness level as some of the Aurora heads.




















The rather poor MPC instructions.





















The coarse texture on the coat (and arms, etc.)










Mark's great build up on the back of the box. This is good for a few reasons including its a great build up and the kit box does not show the kit contents very well as the painting does not match the model.










If you like large plastic figure kits its worth picking up.


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## buzzconroy (Jun 28, 2002)

Honestly, that head scupt isnt bad at all, with the correct shading around the eyes and face , the likeness can be very close.
But I dont like that werewolf sculpt, the head is out of portion, and the pose is just silly.
Thanks for posting pics, much appreciated, cant see the head that clearly in the video.
Great job Mark.

Randy


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Yeah, I don think the facial likeness is that bad... And the teeth baring scowl makes him look a bit different compared to the more placid Jonathan Frid photos.

I agree about the Werewolf... the head is too big. The pose isn't too bad I suppose. You can alter the position of the arms a bit. I was thinking of seeing what a resin Wolfman head looked like on the DS Werewolf body when he comes out. Even the Aurora head might be better. Thats the kit I had as a kid... So I have to get one, even though he sucks...


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

djnick66 said:


> ...is that really a glue thread on the shoulder, though?? Or just an illusion in the photo.


I hope not, dj; haven't picked mine up yet, so I can't say for sure. For now, let's go with "illusion"... 



djnick66 said:


> ... the painting does not match the model.


It would be more accurate to say I made the most I could out of the model. I worked from some online photos of Jonathan Frid. His eyes are just recessed slits in the face (like the Aurora Frankenstein's eyes), but I made an effort to paint the details in there and they came out looking okay.

I'm with everybody else in thinking that these kits would benefit from better-sculpted aftermarket heads. And I hereby call Night-Owl out to whip up some nicer, interlocking bases. Maybe the Headless Hearseman will make us some nameplates - ?


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## Lloyd Collins (Sep 25, 2004)

Takes all of the fun and excitement out of opening the model box.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

I'd love to see some aftermarket heads and bases - just have to find the $$$$$$$$$$ for all these kits coming our way!!!!!!
Steve


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

I had to run off after my last post and, churl that I am, forgot to thank those of you who sent such nice comments about my buildup. I hope the Werewolf will meet with your approval as well. But with that head...well, we'll see.

Oh, and dj, were you talking about the original painting on the top of the box? If so, you're right - the features of the model's face aren't nearly as accurate to Jonathan Frid's likeness as the cover art.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Yes the cover art is better than the sculpt in the kit. The kit sculpt isnt great but its not horrible. But, the kit box art does not match the pose of the kit. Sorta like the Aurora Wolfman box


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

That's the sixties for ya...


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

Mark McGovern said:


> That's the sixties for ya...


I don't know how old you are Mark but I spent the best years of my childhood in the 60s. I was 6 when they started and 16 when they ended and I still have very fond memories of the simple pleasures of youth during those times. Swimming, sports, exploring the woods, building tree forts with scrap lumber from the houses being built nearby, building plastic models with about 6 colors of paint you saved all your lawn mowing money to buy. It didn't take much money to have fun either, most of those past times didn't cost anything. And the great 60s TV shows we got to watch. I do have to admit to only catching Dark Shadows a few times, we usually were outdoors immediately after getting home until dinner and then bedtime. You could do that year round in Florida.

Bob K.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Change the location to the north for a few hundred miles to Merrillville, Indiana and you are describing my youth as well, Bob (except I was a _Dark Shadows_ junkie). My comment was based on the fact that, in the 1960s, there was less concern about having a kit's box art resemble the model inside than there is today. As for the TV programs being broadcast currently - feh! - they're the reason why I'm getting a lot more reading done.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I missed Dark Shadows since I grew up in Germany before moving to Florida in 1970... but my older Cousin was a fan. I don't recall it on TV at all but I did watch the repeats of Lost in Space, Star Trek, Batman, etc. 

Whats funny now is my son can't believe there was a time when TV went off the air at night (now they dont show real programs so whats the difference?), that TV started with the national anthem in the morning, and that TV guide told you which shows were in color or that you even had b/w TV sets.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Heck, I remember when _TV Guide_ was a genuine guide to what was on TV. Last time I looked, it had become just another gossip magazine.


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## Dr. Brad (Oct 5, 1999)

djnick66 said:


> I missed Dark Shadows since I grew up in Germany before moving to Florida in 1970... but my older Cousin was a fan. I don't recall it on TV at all but I did watch the repeats of Lost in Space, Star Trek, Batman, etc.
> 
> Whats funny now is my son can't believe there was a time when TV went off the air at night (now they dont show real programs so whats the difference?), that TV started with the national anthem in the morning, and that TV guide told you which shows were in color or that you even had b/w TV sets.


Funny you should mention that - we were just telling our daughters about that the other day! They were surprised to hear it! Kind of reminds me of line from the TV show where one character notices that a TV has an off switch. A metro cop observes that "she'll get years (in jail) for that..."


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Yeah my son, who is 21 now, is totally clueless to pre 1990s life. I showed him a picture of my first TV... he was shocked that it had an on/off button and two big dials for the channels. He was really shocked when I said well we only had ABC, NBC, CBS, the local PBS channel, WUSF the university channel, and WTOG a local independent station. Its not like you needed a remote control with 6 channels.

WTOG had all the cool stuff like Creature Feature. I spent many a saturday afternoon sitting on the floor in by bedroom building either the Aurora tank or figure models, and watching Creature Feature. 

I distinctly remember building (or trying to build) the Dark Shadows Wolfman. I remember thinking man, I can't glue these arms... and sure enough I couldn't. I think I even tried this funny black rubbery seal-it type glue my dad had... 

I don't remember but I thought the kit instructions showed that you could glue the wolfman's hands up under his head, and then the feet, to make a mini monster, using the spare parts. I think I did that since I couldn't build the stupid rubber arms.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Mark McGovern said:


> ...these kits would benefit from better-sculpted aftermarket heads.





scooke123 said:


> I'd love to see some aftermarket heads...


Don't tell anyone, but there's at least one in the works for the Barnabas Collins kit, and maybe for the Wolfman kit somewhere down the line.


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Zombie_61 said:


> Don't tell anyone...


Gotcha, Zombie - it'll just be a secret between us girls - :freak:


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Will take some work.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

frankenstyrene said:


> Will take some work.


Is that even Frid? or the Barnabas from one of the 90s version.

http://weeklyrot.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/barnabas1967.jpg

http://rue-morgue.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Dark-Shadows-Barnabas-Collins-Jonathan-Frid.jpg


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## Zathros (Dec 21, 2000)

*I got mine last week..I'm going to build it as is straight out of the box with no "aftermarket" parts or anything extra...As I Love the retro nostalgia of the hobby..I thought it was great when I was a kid and got it...and for what it is and from the time it was made...its still great:thumbsup:

Z
*


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## deadmanincfan (Mar 11, 2008)

djnick66 said:


> Is that even Frid? or the Barnabas from one of the 90s version.
> 
> http://weeklyrot.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/barnabas1967.jpg
> 
> http://rue-morgue.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Dark-Shadows-Barnabas-Collins-Jonathan-Frid.jpg


That was Barry Atwater as Janos Skorzeny from the original THE NIGHT STALKER TV-movie...:thumbsup:


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

And a dandy little flicker that was! With a different head and perhaps some trimming to turn Barnabas' overcoat into a sport jacket, one could turn out a fine Janos.


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## starduster (Feb 12, 2006)

I was a fan of Dark Shadows, I came home from school and turned on the TV, in N.Y.C. in the 50's -60's N.Y.C. had channels 2,4,5,9,11, and a PBS type station, and if I wanted to watch color TV, we had a TV and appliance store on the corner and always had their color TV set on, with people standing on the street looking through the store window. Karl


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## KINGZILLA (Aug 27, 2005)

*Sweet kit*

I have been waiting for this for years,now was it always 1/8 scale? I thought it was a bit smaller. I had it arrive in the mail the other day,and there was a gash in the front of the box. I emailed to complain and was in the process of sending it back when they emailed and said keep it,we're sending ya another one. HOW SWEET WAS THAT???Now I'll have the build up and a sealed one. This kit screems aurora by the way,if only the base was larger. The werewolf kit (with the exception of the large head) Looks good I guess (especially the box artwork). Will proboly get that too. But as far as this kit goes,the best $21 I spent in a while. Now how about a kit of Collinwood.


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## Mitchellmania (Feb 14, 2002)

I've gotta get these!


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

djnick66 said:


> ...is that really a glue thread on the shoulder, though?? Or just an illusion in the photo.


dj,

I just got a copy of the model, it's the first time I've been able to see the box up close. That's not a glue string on Barnabas' shoulder - it's the edge of his capelet, where it folds back over his shoulder. Since it can't be done out of box, the bat I mounted his shoulder got edited out; I imagine Jamie would've removed a glue string just as easily.

Assuming I'd left one in the first place...*harrumph*


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Mark McGovern said:


> dj,
> 
> I just got a copy of the model, it's the first time I've been able to see the box up close. That's not a glue string on Barnabas' shoulder - it's the edge of his capelet, where it folds back over his shoulder. Since it can't be done out of box, the bat I mounted his shoulder got edited out; I imagine Jamie would've removed a glue string just as easily.
> 
> Assuming I'd left one in the first place...*harrumph*


Thats cool thanks. I didnt think you left a glue string but often box art models get damaged, crudely fixed, and then photographed.

Two bad ones I can think of are the Revell History Makers V-2 that has the ladder rungs all broken off the trailer, and Testors' F-18 (or F-4?) with the front landing gear totally broken off and not in the photo at all.


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## Facto2 (Nov 16, 2010)

Just a side note. Anyone who hasn't seen Tom Parker's replacement head for this kit needs too. It's 100% better than the head that comes with the kit.


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## Bwain no more (May 18, 2005)

Thanks for the kind words John!  Dave Fisher is working on a paint-up for me right now, I can't WAIT to see what he does with it!
Tom


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Facto2 said:


> Just a side note. Anyone who hasn't seen Tom Parker's replacement head for this kit needs too. It's 100% better than the head that comes with the kit.


Where can I see it and get one?


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## Bwain no more (May 18, 2005)

Email me at [email protected] for more info, or CultTVMan will have them sometime in October.
Tom


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Bwain no more said:


> Email me at [email protected] for more info, or CultTVMan will have them sometime in October.
> Tom


Hey thanks. Will check back at CultTVMan... not in a super hurry but dont want to miss one.


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