Kit Review:

Bad Moon Rising

BTTG Model Kit Company

reviewed by the Mad Skotzman

Appearance of the Kit
pose, expression, details/articulation, accuracy (or originality)

This is one of the more dynamic werewolf kits to come out in years, and sculptor Mark Krabbenhoft has done an excellent job of combining human and canine features in an original werewolf that is both vicious and active in appearance.  The fur is great, the muscles flex beneath the surface without overpowering the kit and the teeth are are absolutely remarkable.  Even though the mouth is open on the model, if you set the two dentition parts together, they fit perfectly.  That is exceptional attention to detail. 

"Bad Moon Rising" has a splayed sort of pose that walks the fine line between fantasy and realism that is especially appealing if you like kits that communicate a specific moment.  I can imagine that this beastie has just turned his head toward the first kill of the night in mid-howl.  Very nice indeed.

Construction and Quality of the Kit
ease of assembly / fit of parts, putty / sanding work, 
quality of cast / ease of painting /painting options

The parts are nicely cast and they fit together well with a lock and key style design.  A little Xacto work is necessary around the seam lines and I found a Dremel was useful in preparing the parts, but the trim work took only a few minutes and it was ready to glue.  The joining parts leave only small gaps and one of the coolest features of this kit is that Mark has provided a seaming tool that is identical to the one he used to sculpt the fur!  That is very, very cool and will make this kit easy even for relatively inexperienced modelers.

Since the kit is an original sculpture, the paint scheme is wide open . . . if you can imagine it on a werewolf, this kit allows you to do it.

Time/Energy/Money
 how much effort, headache, etc. is there versus the cost

At $145, this kit is priced right.  It is a very big hunk of resin and will not take much work at all to assemble, but more importantly, it will look great on your shelves.  This is one your friends will look at and say, "Wow . . . that's cool!"  The teeth are separate pieces and the dew claws have duplicates in case you drop one and loose it.  That not only adds to the value of the kit, it also makes painting and assembly very easy, which for my buck, adds a lot of bang.

Other Factors
"wow" factor, suitability for dioramas, flexibility for modification

Well, as I said above, it has a "wow" factor, for sure.  It is designed for the base, of course, which raises the left leg a little.  However, it can be set on a custom base with a flat surface if the modeler is willing to work around the right foot a little. 

Another thing that is absolutely great about the kit is that the design allows for painting every part easily after assembly.  The teeth go in separately, the monster is big and openly displayed, and you can airbrush every millimeter if you want.  Personally, I like that!

Overall Recommendation
Level of skill required and general thoughts

This is a very, very good kit.  I love original sculpture and Krabbenhoft has given us a fun and easy to do kit of a favorite subject for so many of us.  I think this is a kit that, despite its size, can be done in a weekend with very satisfying results.  It is highly recommended for most modelers and I think it makes a great intermediate kit for those who are ready to step up to the next level of building and try something that will help develop skills without being complicated to do.

© CreatureScape 2006