Pterosaurs are delicate gangly creatures, so it is unsurprising that, for the most part, toy companies have tended to create simple ‘in flight’ postures for their pterosaur figures. Pterosaurs with the wings outstretched are easier to make. Bullyland broke the mold when they produced a pair of pterosaurs, a typical flying version (I will call this version 1), and a standing version (version 2), with wings partially folded up. Some companies have since followed suit e.g. Safari Ltd.

Both versions represent the same species of Pteranodon, Pteranodon sternbegi. The crest of P. sternbergi has a distinct convex forward facing margin and is more greatly expanded, which distinguishing it from the other species of Pteranodon. P. longiceps, for example, is typically produced by toy companies, the crest in this species is a more simple ‘spike’, so it is good to se Bullyland breaking the mold in this regard too (Bullyland also has a P. longiceps of course). The shape of the beak is also different, it apparently curves upwards in P. sternbergi.

The Version 2 Pteranodon sternbergi is nicely detailed, it occupies a quadrupedal posture with the hands supporting the front part of the body, the wing-supporting fingers pointing backwards, and the feet firmly on the ground. The partially folded wings show creases and wrinckles and the body has a fine sculpture of hair; there is even a pteroid bone sculpted in the wing, a fine detail often overlooked or deemed unimportant by toy comapnies. The stubby legs splay out slightly but the feet and hands are both accurate, considering the small size of these elements, Bullyland has done an excellent job. The head and neck lurch forwards, in this standing position it becomes apparent just how large the head of Pteranodon is in relation to the body.

The colour scheme is identical in both versions, although version 1 also has a fish in the jaws. The wings are red, the body grey, and the beak is yellow, but all of these shades merge naturally into each other, and there are blue highlights on the head: the colour scheme is therefore very impressive. The striking beady yellow eye in the darkened socket adds the finishing touch to this super-cool collectors item. The figure is about 13 cm long.

Available here (€)

Pteranodon sternbergi (Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

It’s not the end of the year yet, but all of the major releases this year have been and gone. The only other line we were (especially!) looking forward to, the Sea Monsters figures, have been cancelled – to everyone’s dismay. But not wishing to dwell on our losses, Dinosaur Toy Forum member Bokisaurus had kindly provided a round up of all this years newbies. Let us review the Class of 2008…
– Dinotoyblog

“Well, with the release of Schleich’s Brachiosaurus, Allosaurus, and Spinosaurus, the big 2008 dinosaur toy releases are finally complete (I’m still bitter about those sea monsters

I just got my Schleichs a few days ago, so I wanted to put together a photo of the class of 2008. Now I only included the big names in dinosaur figures. Well, let’s hope that 2009 will be as exciting as this year. Let’s all pray that no more figures will be discontinued the last minute like this years sea monster set. So here they are, the Class of 2008!

Procon: Gave us such obscure and diverse species of dinosaurs to choose from; many species made as toys for the very first time. They also released the most figures with 11 small ones and 6 deluxe figures! Not an easy thing to accomplish in this days toy market. From what I hear, next year’s will be as exciting!

Safari: The leader of the pack! They just get better and better every year! The Carnegie line gave us Giga and Diplo,easily the best figures of their kind. Only Battat’s diplo rival this years Safari star. The Wild Safari line gave us new versions of old time favorites :Three horn, Stego, Allo, and Velociraptor. The oviraptor is in his (her?) own category.

Schleich: Gave us three big ones this year. New versions of Allo, Brachi, and Spino, all big heavy guys! This years figures have lot’s of details and skin textures. The color is still a bit bland. A big improvement from Schleich.

Papo: Gave us just one figure, Big Al, but he is just a beauty! Love him or hate him, no denying that he has the best detail job of all the figures. Lets hope that Papo will release more that just one figure a year.

Bullyland: Ah, hmm, I don’t really know what to say about this lone figure, a feathered viloceraptor. Looks like Bully got left behind and made a desperate attempt to release a figure. :-/

That’s it! Happy hunting ;)”

Thanks to Bokisaurus for the text and amazing photos!

Many of these figures are available from Amazon.com here

Dinosaur figures for 2008 – a review is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

This figure is not a dinosaur but a very felicitous reconstruction of a plant-eating pelycosaur from the Lower Permian period. Once again, Bullyland have proved that they are able to create realistic and authentic figures of extinct animals. I said felicitous because the Bullyland Edaphosaurus is very authentic in many aspects. The skin pattern is very detailed and its colouring is credible, yet perhaps a little bit boring. The shape of the head is realistic; the brim of the sail on the back is red with two red dots in the middle, maybe for intimidation of competitors, maybe for courtship, maybe for physiological reasons.

There is another aspect I appreciate: the reconstruction does not look like it is made of rubber, but because of the colouring and skin pattern, more like a resin version of a higher quality. Altogether I recommend this figure to every collector who is not only fixed on dinosaurs but wants to extend his collecting passion on other extinct animals. A great contribution to every collection!

The figure can occasionally be found on Ebay

Collect dinosaurs? Why haven’t you joined in the talk at the Dinosaur Toy Forum

Picture by ‘Sbell’, used with permission

Edaphosaurus (Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Perhaps best known for their prehistoric mammals, Bullyland of Germany has been taking gradual steps to improve their line of dinosaur figures. Few figures exemplify this better than their latest version of Iguanodon, released in 2010.

Happily plodding on all fours, this gentle giant actually treads in the realm of action figures with an articulated left forearm. Although this results in a prominent seam, it shouldn’t turn away collectors looking for an exciting new rendition of the famous herbivore. The obvious impression one might receive, as Randy Knoll points out, is that Bullyland is emulating the playability of the Papo dinosaurs. Since it may prove costly to compete with Papo’s level of sculptural detail, Bullyland seems to favor the flashier paint schemes. This Iguanodon’s orange and green ornamentation certainly jumps out in any display or collection, even among its Bullyland kin (though the color combination does bear a strong resemblance to Bullyland’s Stegosaurus).

Tragically, Iguanodon has rarely been considered worthy of articulation or “action figure” status – at least since Disney’s heavily merchandised “Dinosaur” film. Even among the plethora of Jurassic Park figures that have been produced, no Iguanodon “action” toy could be found. This historically important species is often regarded as too plain or boring to deserve much attention from manufacturers, but the vivid tropical patterns on this figure seem to slap those assumptions in the face. He is back, and ready to stab you with his thumbs.

At 21 centimeters long, he fits in pretty well within collector displays. The alert stance is also somewhat difficult to come by in iguanodont reconstructions, so this figure’s dynamic posture also should provide good diorama potential. The articulated forearm is held off the ground, as is the tail. Positioned correctly, he even seems to be thrusting his fingers into the camera, as though rehearsing a hip-hop music video. The tongue is visible within the cheeked jaw, and the pupil glistens slightly – often a problematic area in other Bullyland dinosaurs.

Although the textural details could be a bit finer, this Iguanodon is easily one of Bullyland’s best dinosaurs. The beautiful balance of authenticity, playability, and aesthetic refinement make him worth the attention of collectors young and old.

Available on eBay here

Iguanodon (Bullyland)(2010 Version) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

Given the preponderance of bald dromaeosaurs that still stink up dinosaur toy stores, it was nice to see Bullyland step in two years ago with a Luis Rey-inspired feathered version of that perennial favourite, Velociraptor. Unfortunately the results are a little mixed – a figure with great potential let down in a few key areas.

Generally speaking, this is a pretty decent figure, particularly anatomically where some dromaeosaur figures fall down. Various body parts are approximately in proportion and it has a nice, long tail that helps it stand, Safari-style. The plumage is very well done – Bullyland haven’t skimped on giving the animal an all-over covering, and it’s a little scruffy looking which suits a flightless hunter. They probably should’ve had the arm feathers attach to the second figure on each hand, but far more troubling is the fact that the relative lengths of the fingers are different on each hand…asymmetrical hands being a bit of a weird blunder to make.

The posture of this figure is a little strange. One arm is launching forwards while the other one is being lifted upwards so that the palm of the hand faces down. Maybe it’s meant to look like it’s striking out at its prey, but it does also rather resemble (as one forum member pointed out) a guy striking a pose on a surfboard. Which is unfortunate. Once you’ve imagined this guy screaming “SURF’S UP DUUDES!” it’s impossible to look at him the same way again. Try it out (try shouting out yourself if need be. Don’t worry, you’re quite alone. Probably).

Pictured with Favorite Velociraptor skull (life size model)

That’s not to mention the worst aspect of this figure, which is, of course, its head. By God it’s ugly. All the more regrettable is the fact that it’s really only ruined by those giant comedy teeth, which stick straight down out of the jaw like those on the weird hollow ‘Chinasaurs’ of yesteryear. The sculptor did a fine job on the rest of the body, slight digit misjudgements excepted, but it appears that when it came to the teeth they went home and let the work experience guy do it. The paint job could have done with a little more attention, too. I don’t mind the red eyes, although those combined with the enormo-teeth did make me think ‘Demented Demon Velociraptor From Hell’ when I pulled this figure from the jiffy-bag.

In conclusion, if any figure needed a new head sculpt, this is it. The current one just doesn’t do the rest of the figure justice, as it’s a perfectly good and quite sizeable dromaeosaur sculpt. (Bullyland claim it to be 1:20 scale, which it most certainly is not, as that results in a creature getting on for 5m in length. It’s more like 1:10 or even larger scale.) It’s still a charming figure to be sure – I love the lean body, long tail and well-rendered plumage – but a little difficult to recommend in its current state, to collectors at least. Hopefully Bullyland will take a look at the recent CollectA release and re-release this guy with an improved head – then it’d be a hit.

Velociraptor (Museum Line by Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

More Bullyland – and this time it’s their 2005 resculpt of the giant African brachiosaur Giraffatitan (still known at the time as “Brachiosaurus” brancai. And yes, I am going to refer to it as Giraffatitan throughout the review, to annoy you all and because it’s only correct, so there). All told it’s not too shabby.

First impressions are very good – this is a striking figure. Although not the largest Giraffatitan figure (it doesn’t quite reach the giddy heights of the grinning Carnegie behemoth), and certainly not matching the stated 1:30 scale, it’s still an impressive size – approximately 28cm tall, it’s actually somewhere in the region of 1:45 scale and is very similar in size to the Invicta. Like many sauropod figures, the animal is posed as if it has just taken a long stride forwards, its tail held aloft and its neck forming a graceful curve. What I like most about this figure are the colours – while many sauropod figures continue to be released with rather dull uniform grey or brown paint jobs, this Giraffatitan is a vivid green and yellow/brown with a bright orange band running from its snout down its neck. Apparently there’s also a brown version out there, but who would prefer that over this?

Anatomically this brachiosaur’s in pretty good shape. Although the neck could probably do with being a bit deeper, the overall proportions match up well with skeletal reconstructions. The powerful limb muscles are in evidence – this is no classical obese sauropod – and the head is very well sculpted, even if the teeth are only painted on. Perhaps most pleasing is the fact that the nostril openings aren’t located up top, but rather further forward on the snout in line with more modern reconstructions. It’s great to see sculptors taking this on board. The feet appear fine ‘n’ dandy too at first glance, but closer inspection reveals, unfortunately, that they have once again been fouled up.

Although the digits on the hands are correctly arranged in a columnar fashion – with a thumb claw sticking out – the sculptor has succumbed to the seemingly irresisitble desire to give sauropods a full set of fingernails. Quite why toy sculptors keep doing this can only be guessed at – maybe they like to take their sauropods home and diva them up with some glittery nail varnish. Although the feet aren’t as horrendously bad as those on some Schleich sauropods (where the sculptor has given up and just copied an elephant), it’s a shame that they’ve been messed up on what is otherwise a decent figure. The hindfeet are more bizarre still, mostly because they’re asymmetrical. While there are correctly three claws on the right foot (and a couple of erroneous extra blunt ones), the left foot has no claw on the innermost toe. Weird.

It does look a bit like it's rolling its eyes.

In the end, however, one must remember that one has been dubbed the ‘sauropod foot fetish guy’ for a reason, and point out that this is still a very good Giraffatitan figure as they go. Not only is it a decent sculpt of a very popular dinosaur, but it’s a big figure available at a perfectly reasonable price. I’d recommend picking it up if sauropods are your cup of tea.

Brachiosaurus (Museum Line by Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

We’ve already previewed the upcoming offerings from CollectA (New CollectAs for 2012) and Papo (New Papos for 2012), so now we’ll have a peek at what Bullyland have in the pipeline. They have two new figures for our perusal, a somewhat googly-eyed Spinosaurus, and a feathered Therizinosaurus.

The Spinosaurus:

The Therizinosaurus:

Bullyland are continuing their trend of adding points of articulation to their figures, presumably to increase playability and provide a marketing hook, so the new releases have moveable arms and jaws, respectively. Next up from me, an overview of Safari Ltd’s 2012 releases.

Upcoming releases from Bullyland (New for 2012) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

To celebrate Bullyland’s highly anticipated re-release of their prehistoric mammal collection I felt it was a good time to review the only Bullyland mammal figure I actually own, the Chalicotherium. For those of you out of the loop on this a brief overview is in order. Bullyland is a German toy company notable for producing its figures right in Germany. To the best of my knowledge it is actually the only dinosaur toy producer that does not have its products made in China. Bullyland is also well known for their prehistoric mammal collection which in many cases outclasses their dinosaurs. While Bullyland still makes dinosaur toys their other prehistoric animals were all retired some time ago making them highly collectable and in a few cases very expensive. Due to popular demand Bullyland has re-released their line of mammals and other non-dinosaurs for 2012. That basically sums up the story and also explains why I don’t own more of them myself for now at least. This is great news as many of the Bullyland mammals in particular are very well made and represent species not covered by other companies. One of these includes the toy being reviewed here.

Chalicotherium like many other species of prehistoric mammals is not a well known animal. This is a shame because it is one of many bizarre creatures just as deserving of our interest as the dinosaurs. Because of this a brief overview of the animal is also in order. Chalicotherium was a genus belonging to the family Chalicotheriidae within the Perissodactyla order (odd-toed ungulates). It was basically an animal that looked a lot like a ground sloth but was actually related to horses, tapirs and rhinoceroses. Chalicotherium lived in the late Oligocene and early Pliocene in Europe, Asia and Africa. Its name means “pebble beast” in reference to its pebble-like molars. If you are familiar with the animal it is probably because it appeared in the 2001 BBC series “Walking with Beasts.”

Now finally on to the toy itself, though it looks odd it is actually a quite accurate reproduction of Chalicotherium. The head is horse-like and would have appeared this way in life. The lips appear fleshy and bulgy in appearance as they would have been on the actual animal. Fossil evidence shows these animals lost their incisors and upper canines once they hit maturity. The fleshy lips and gums probably were adequate enough to strip soft vegetation without the need for teeth. The forelimbs are long with large claws and supported by the knuckles much like an anteater or ground sloth. The knuckles on fossil animals were thick with bony growths suggesting this animal was indeed a “knuckle-dragger.” The claws themselves show little wear on the fossils showing they kept them clear off the ground. If my sources are correct, it is the only known example of a hoofed mammal reverting back to claws.  The back legs are short and reflect this animal’s gorilla-like lifestyle. That is, sitting around on their haunches and reaching out for vegetation with their forelimbs. It would seem that Bullyland really did their homework with this one and I can think of no major flaw where anatomy is concerned. I’m by no means a prehistoric mammal expert so if I missed something feel free to correct me.

Where color is concerned the figure is not too spectacular. The model is mostly an off-white or pale brown color. A dark brown stripe runs down the back of the model and down the short tail. The knuckles and claws are also dark brown, actually the same dark brown and that is kind of a disappointment. The claws really should be a different color from portions of the body. Overall the colors are uninspired but appropriate; it looks like an animal of dry or grassy ecosystems though I honestly don’t know what kind of habitat it lived in. I would have actually preferred it if they colored the animal more like those in “Walking with Beasts” but I digress, it is still a great figure. I can think of no other toy Chalicotherium on the market and with this one available there really is no need for one. The Bullyland figure is a beautiful and accurate reproduction of a strange mammal few people have even heard of. If you have not yet acquainted yourself with the Bullyland mammal collection now is a good time to start and this 1:24 scale model is a great place to begin. It can be found on eBay between $20-30 or over at Dan’s Dinosaurs for $19.99.

Chalicotherium (Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

The earlier dinosaurs of the Triassic are often overshadowed by their larger and more glamorous decedents. Though less flashy than later genera these were important animals in their time that paved the way and gave rise to the later dinosaurs we all know and love. That is why when a genus of dinosaur from the Triassic pops up, collectors should take notice. Even the well known Coelophysis has yet to be reproduced in a serious way by prominent toy lines which I find shameful. This review concerns Bullyland’s representation of the late Triassic theropod Liliensternus. A 17’ long, 300 lb animal that was not too dissimilar to Coelophysis and Dilophosaurus. Strangely this obscure genus has actually been produced by CollectA as well so big fans of Liliensternus have a couple choices to choose from if they wish.

 Bullyland is an interesting company. From Germany, they for a very long time also made their products in Germany, only recently has Bullyland outsourced to China to make their figures. To the best of my knowledge they were the only major dinosaur toy company that manufactured these models outside of China so it is sad to see them jump on the China bandwagon. Bullyland often reproduces (or at least did) obscure animals from the Triassic and other periods that often get neglected. For this reason alone their line is very collectable. Where Bullyland often falls short is the level of quality in their works. While often accurate they can on occasion be poorly sculpted, sloppily painted and lacking in detail. They don’t hold up well to the likes of Papo or Carnegie. Still, their obscure models have a lot of charm and character and that is as true for their Liliensternus as much as it is for any other.

 Measuring 10” long the Bullyland Liliensternus is a 1:20 scale model of the actual animal. It stands horizontally on two legs supported by a rocky base under each foot. The pose itself is very dynamic with the creature appearing as though it were stalking or skulking through some underbrush, perhaps hunting the contemporary Plateosaurus. The colors are an interesting and pleasing choice as well. Grey dorsally the underside has a pinkish skin-like tone. Three red spots along the neck give way to yellow spots down the rest of the body, tail and legs. The fenestra and eye sockets are also red. In some spots the paint application is a bit sloppy, notably on the teeth. In some places they didn’t bother to paint it at all like on the teeth inside the mouth and the underside of the finger claws. The texture of the model is a bit lacking with no discernable scales aside from some on the feet and head. The rest of the body is covered in wrinkles. Curiously there is a line of feathers along the back. At a time when many companies still don’t add features to their dromaeosaurs (I’m looking at you Safari) it is interesting to see a Triassic theropod with them, even if it is only a scant covering.

 In terms of accuracy the model succeeds well, at least to my untrained eye. The animal has a very gracile look to it. The proportions all seem correct from the four fingered hands down to the very long tail, all features of the actual Liliensternus. The model does suffer from pronated hands, a common mistake on theropods but that is the only obvious mistake I see. The tail is also fairly wavy but I have no knowledge on how stiff the tail of this theropod actually was and won’t bother getting that nit picky because it still looks nice. Many depictions of Liliensternus show it with a crest on the head similar to that of Dilophosaurus. While it may have had this feature there is no fossil evidence to support it so Bullyland’s choice to omit this detail does not represent any failure on their part.

 The only real criticisms I have regarding this model is the overall lack of smaller details already mentioned.  That Bullyland tends to make their models out of a very soft and bendable material making paint rub-off a problem and on occasion, stability too. Despite having a base under each foot my particular model stands with one foot almost completely off the ground. Aside from that though, this is a mostly accurate and certainly charming addition of an obscure theropod to any collection. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on mine which took me quite awhile, like so many of Bullyland’s other models this one can be difficult to locate.

Liliensternus (Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

We’ve had a good ogle at the upcoming (or already released) 2014 dinosaur figures from Papo, Schleich, Safari Ltd, and CollectA, but there’s another well-known long-standing dinosaur toy-producing company who are serving up some new offerings this year. We wouldn’t want to miss out on German company, Bullyland! Bullyland have been a bit ‘hit and miss’ in the last few years, with only a limited number of annual new releases, so it is always interesting to see what species Bullyland opt for. Once again, the company isn’t pushing the boat out with just two new figures for consideration in 2014, but they both look rather nice.

Lambeosaurus. Quite possibly the best hadrosaur, nay, the best dinosaur, ever to have graced planet Earth.

Europasaurus. This could be the first replica of this ‘tiny’ sauropod dinosaur, described in 2006.
 First impressions are that these are very natural, realistic, and well-rendered sculpts of some great species. More like these, please, Bullyland! We will, of course, aim to review both new Bullyland figures properly on the Dinosaur Toy Blog when we get our hands on them!

Upcoming releases from Bullyland (New for 2014) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog

I am sure most collectors are aware that Bullyland has produced an interesting collection of prehistoric mega fauna, mammals, and terror birds. One overlooked mammal by most toy lines has been the Irish elk. It was nice to see a company take a chance on an animal that rarely sees any toy love.

History: The magnificent and regal Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus), along with many of the other giants of that age, grew to an enormous size compared to its contemporary animals that are alive today. Megaloceros giganteus stood seven feet (2.1 meters) at the shoulder, and its enormous antlers spanned 12 feet (3.65) meters across. That is one big rack. To compare it with extant fauna, the largest subspecies of Moose, the Alaskan Moose also stands seven feet at the shoulder, but its antlers only span six feet (1.8m)

About the toy: According to Bullyland, the scale of this figure is 1:24. It is 2.5 inches (6.35 cm) high at the shoulder, and its antler rack is 4.4 in (11.17cm) across. The pose is a rather static one, as the figure is shown standing still, with its head turned slightly to the left (looking at it head on), its mouth agape. This is not a bad thing since it is a male and it is conceivable that it could be bellowing to its rivals during the rut, showing off its impressive head gear.

The antlers are big and proportional compared to its body. Its two pointed ears are below the antlers on the sides and the eyes are pointed forward on its head. There is a shaggy mane coming down the neck all the way to the front legs. The rest of the body is covered in less shaggy fur. A hump is present on the spine just above the shoulder blade. A short tail is on its rump and you can see the slight hip bone protrusion above the rear legs. All four legs are long and slender and end in two toed hooves with two dew claws.

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of meat on this figure. The flanks do have a small bulge were the ribs are, but the body is thin. Texturally the head is smooth, and around the neck there are long, wavy, fur patterns, which make up the mane. The rest of the body is covered in smoother fur lines. There are some hints of muscles on the legs, but it is rather subtle. All four legs are rather smooth showing some very small fur texture lines at the beginning of the legs and at the hooves.

The colors on this toy are really drab in basic earth tones. The entire body is a combination of shades from light to really dark brown. Inside the mouth there is a drop of a bizarre pinkish color where the tongue would be. The eyes are glossy black.

Playability: It has an average level of playability. Most kids probably will think it is a regular moose, elk, or deer toy, not realizing it is an extinct deer. Which is fine as kids will find a use for it whether it is played with by itself or in multi animal herds. The toy does well in the safety department, as all the points are rounded, and the antlers and legs are soft and bendable. The paint job will wear very fast on this toy, so it may need the occasional touch ups.

Overall appraisal: One of the biggest problems with this toy is the antlers. They are molded separately from the body and attached above the head. I am sure this was done for ease of production; unfortunately it just doesn’t look quite right. The antlers are also very flexible, so depended on how it is stored or shipped; you could end up with an interesting looking rack. This is unfortunate, as the antlers are the main feature for this animal.

For the most part, this is one toy that will probably not please the average collector. The sculpt lacks the grandeur that this animal truly deserves and the paint job is on the boring side. There are many deer type toys out there, so I don’t think many kids will be begging the parents for this toy.

Whereas this is an easily forgettable toy, there are some other things to consider. First, the only other Irish elk that I am aware of was made by Starlux, so this is a truly rare animal in toy form. It can be also used in education to show deer evolution. It would also add some flavor in dioramas, as this would add some distinction to the normal Pleistocene animals that normally grace dioramas that cover that time period.

Available from Ebay.com here.

Megaloceros giganteus (Irish elk) (Bullyland) is a post from The Dinosaur Toy Blog