Monster Scenes "The Deadly Chronicles" by Milto Polykrates

This really has to be SEEN to be believed! Milto Polykrates, in Austria, has created the most amazing Web comic story featuring the Aurora/Moebius "Monster Scenes" model kits. The kits were built up, beautifully painted AND placed in multiple diorama sets, skillfully lit and photographed to tell a story (including added word balloons). After a while, you forget they're model kits and start thinking they are posable action figures.

Link:
The Deadly Chronicles

Bookmark this link! You'll want to go back there again and again. For some reason, "The Deadly Chronicles" does not show up when you search for websites on "Monster Scenes" so a lot of people who are interested in this sort of thing will miss it.

First off, Milto is a very talented modeller. The painting and the detailing of the kits is impressive. Second, he's a kit customizer. Third, he's a scratch builder, Fourth, he's fantastic at making landscapes. Fifth, he's a great photographer. He's got easily hundreds of dollars invested in the kits and materials to build these dioramas, let alone the lighting and camera equipment.

I kept wondering how he was able to change Dr. Deadly's hand positions constantly. I thought he used multiple model kits of the same figure, but eventually I found out that he used magnets to hold the arms on, so he could swap different arms in and out.

The "Monster Scenes" kits were augmented with the use of "Graveyard Scenes" resin kits, as well as the hilarious body modification of the 1:8 scale Nosferatu model kit by Monarch Models. He solved the problem of "how to integrate a 1:8 scale figure into a 1:13 scale world" by modifying and shortening Nosferatu's torso and completely replacing the original legs with short, stubby legs handmade from (I think) epoxy putty.

All of these are astonishingly beautiful. Don't miss the "Behind the Scenes" photos. If you'd ever wondered how to make playsets or dioramas, those photos are a revelation.

"Monster Scenes" book. Buy this! It's a fun read!

Skeleton Warriors and Monster Scenes Model Kits

I don't know if anyone else remembers Aurora's "Monster Scenes" model kits. You had to be around in (koff!) 1971 to have remembered them. I remember when my Dad bought us the model kits. At the time, we were a little to young to use model paints, so we just built them and left them unpainted.

The line ended less than a year after launch due to protests. Seems that some parents and do-gooders thought that the model kits encouraged sadism and were "psychologically damaging" to the kids of the time. Mind you, those children are now between 50 and 55 years old now.

The kits were reissued in 2008, which was over 35 years after they disappeared from the market. So, some of us had to wait a long long time to relive our childhoods.

Anyway, a retro toy forum (Mego Museum) was discussing the kits, so I cracked open mine (2008 reissue). The kits just happens to be scaled correctly for Skeleton Warriors. The figures in the "Monster Scenes" line are 1:13, or 5.25"-5.5". So I tested one of the October Toys Skeleton Warriors on the platform of "The Pendulum" for a fit, and it turns out, the fit is *perfect*! Other torture-chamber-ish kits in the line include "The Hanging Cage" and "The Pain Parlor".

If you're looking for diorama fodder for Skeleton Warriors, you can get some with "Monster Scenes". I also found out that the 2008-era reissues had been discontinued, but there's still stock floating around on ebay and some online hobby shops at somewhat reasonable prices. So, if you like this sort of thing, this is the time to hunt for the Monster Scenes kits before they disappear for another 35 years!

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