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Monsterpocalypse – Imperial State Building III

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Despite the Thanksgiving weekend and some time off work last week, its not been the best couple of weeks in Chateau Kuribo. Our dog, who has always had a sensitive stomach, had a five day stretch of diarrhea which wore my wife and I down. The only place we went over that period was to the grocery since our dog could only go 2-3 hours between trips outside and wouldn’t you know it, we both got sick somehow! Everyone is fully recovered now, thankfully, but I think it did slow down my painting a bit. Work has also been crazy on the days I’ve actually worked and will continue to be that way until Christmas so that’s less than ideal as well. I’ll get through it one way or another, hopefully!

When I’ve felt up to it, I’ve been slogging away on the Empire State Building. I know I said it before, but man, this thing is such a technical challenge. Mistakes are easy to make and I spend a fair bit of time cleaning things up but I know that this building is not going to be perfect no matter how hard I try. That is not something I can say about many miniatures, truthfully. Here’s a look at where it stands and I’ve just started on the crown so it looks pretty rough right now.

A couple of weeks ago, I actually thought I’d be done with it by now but I’ve got at least another week’s worth of work to go, I’d guess. Its going to end up taking over a month to finish this building which makes sense since its very tall but it also is a bit intimidating because I have a lot of hobby work to go on this diorama. I think I might end up spending a year or even two on it all told which is crazy to say the least. I’ve already spent around four months between Hondo and the Imperial State Building…

This brings me to something I’ve thought about quite a bit and have a new perspective on. If you go hunting on Youtube, there are quite a few people making videos focusing on building and painting dioramas. I’m often impressed by the creativity and building skills that these hobbyists’ have. However, when it comes to the painting, I’m often shocked at how close to “Tabletop Standard” they paint. Some of them base coat and add a wash and call a figure done, for example. As you can probably imagine, to me, that is a little disappointing especially considering how much they excel at the other parts of making a diorama. My suspicion is that they “gloss over” the painting part of dioramas because they’re making Youtube content which requires a steady flow of videos to keep gaining subscribers and views. Thus something has to give and it can’t be the building part because then you have a pretty weak diorama. At the same time, I can see first-hand how little someone could get done if they slow down and focus on painting everything to the standard that I am. I’ve been drawn to big projects in more recent years but never really attempted one until this year. I will certainly be very mindful of how much time and effort in the future. There IS a reason why you don’t see that many get made as it turns out!

There are two other non-miniature topics to discuss this week. One is a recommendation for a comic book that I’ve enjoyed thus far and I think some of you might be interested in it. Escape is a new series that does some familiar things but is quite unique in the current comic book landscape since there aren’t a lot of comics that focus on war stories currently. Escape is a WWII-esque story about a fighter pilot that goes down behind enemy lines and has to make a harrowing escape to safety to get back to his wife who is pregnant. The plot is simple and not ground breaking but the story has been really engaging all the same. The author, Rick Remender, is inspired by a family member who went through a lot in WWII which lends some authenticity to the proceedings. In Escape, characters are anthropomorphic where the Allies are dogs and the Axis side are bats (Fruit bats to be more specific!). This may bring to mind one of the all-time classic graphic novels, Maus, which explores the toll of the Holocaust through mice and cats. In my opinion, its a good trope and it allows a writer to focus on writing a story that is vaguely historical without worrying about historical accuracy. My only complaint about the book is that fruit bats kind of look like dogs when you think about it and its certainly possible to confuse the good guys from the bad ones occasionally in the story. I should mention that the art is by one of the best modern artists, Daniel Acuna, so that means you have the combination of a great story and art.

Escape has had four issues released thus far and I’m guessing that it will run for 6-8 issues. So it will be a while until it comes out in a collected edition. I should also mention that every single book that the imprint Giant Generator has put out has started off releasing issues monthly and then usually around issue 3-4, the delays start and the last issue can take a pretty long time to come out. Some of the final issues were something like a six month wait which is brutal when you’re enjoying the story and can’t wait to read more. So all this is to say, the collected edition might not be out until late 2026 but I think Escape will be worth the wait based on what’s been released so far. I get a similar joy from reading it that I had watching 1917, which is a tense and exciting movie in its own right.

Finally, I ended up finally watching Dune: Part One last week and I was really impressed by it. I read Dune probably ten or so years ago and its one of the few Sci-Fi/Fantasy books I’ve read that blew me away. The author, Frank Herbert, really created an interesting world that parallels our own in interesting ways. When I watched the movie I was struck how many of the things that make Game of Thrones good are also in Dune. And those Harkonnens sure are a rancid bunch, aren’t they!? I’m pleased to say that the movie lived up to the positive critical reviews and it is a visually stunning and well-acted rendition of the book. It was fun watching things happening and thinking to myself, I remember this from the book! The visual design is excellent as well and the movie looks different than anything I’ve ever seen. So definitely check it out if you like Dune. I know Dune has had other versions made in the past and I’ve never seen them. It might be hard to do so after how well-realized this latest version is truthfully!

While I have been meaning to watch Dune for quite some time and stayed busy with other things, I suddenly have the urge to get back into collecting non-sports/Entertainment cards again. I have a huge chunk of my card collection for sale (and still intend to sell it over time) though I kept the best stuff I had and am glad I still own it. I think I’m going to have a go at collecting Dune cards as I’m a fan of the first couple of books and I assume we’re going to see more Dune movies in the coming years.

I could talk about this in greater detail if anyone finds it interesting but I started to lose interest in non-sports cards a few years ago because there was a pandemic bubble where a lot of new people got into collecting so prices on everything skyrocketed which made it less fun to collect. I also realized that Star Wars and Marvel cards, both of which I was collecting at the time, were having so many releases that it was impossible to keep up. So I’m looking to keep any additions to my collection small and contained so I don’t end up eating up a ton of my limited storage with cards. I bought a box of Dune cards to open in a few weeks over Christmas break so I might just post the results if I get anything cool or interesting. There is a possibility of pulling some crazy stuff like autographed cards by Christopher Walken, Josh Brolin, and Jason Momoa so hopefully luck is with me. And always remember, the spice must flow!

28 thoughts on “Monsterpocalypse – Imperial State Building III”

  2. Glad to hear you are all feeling better Jeff, in the winter months you especially need to be careful.

    Great progress on the Empire State, taking your time on a diorama isn’t a bad thing as you can work out and correct any problem areas. David Soper multiple time Slayer Sword winner took years to do a vehicle for Golden Demon.

    I found the latest Dune slow in comparison to the original 80’s film but was very stunning looking.

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    1. Things have been cold and snowy here and December is only a week old so that doesn’t bode well for this winter, I’d say…

      I’m glad you like how the miniature is coming along as well. I can believe that he took his time on that project (and many more!). At least some members of the GD crowd advocate spending hundreds of hours on a miniature which I think is probably necessary to do well in that competition but I also I think its not wise to spend all your time on one project as we tend to learn from taking on different projects and trying new things regularly.

      My other concern with investing tons of time is that I don’t have this diorama “assembled” enough to know just how good it is going to be. The painting I can control, of course, but if my modelling skills let it down then that’s a lot of time invested in a flawed project, you might say.

      Have you watched any other movies by Denis Villeneuve? I was thinking back to Blade Runner 2049 which I liked when I saw it but I thought was kind of slow and I don’t remember almost anything about the movie now. I feel like his style of film-making works better with Dune which is a pretty thoughtful book that focuses on politics more than action. Its definitely no Star Wars!

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      1. I know what you mean about watching your health, I’m supposed to be extra careful as my treatment can leave me compromised ! LOL

        Agree a variety is good and trying new things can be a great exercise, even if it is just learning from mistakes.

        I did watch Blade Runner 2049 which I also found to be stunning in looks but really slow and didn’t really go anywhere, I just find he’s one of those directors he spends too much time going look at my pretty scenery ! LOL

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      2. Yes, definitely be careful! Its very easy to get sick post-Covid, it feels like, so stay in when you can.

        I had a feeling that if you saw Blade Runner 2049, you might feel that way. I think I liked the movie back at release but when I look back on it, I tend to think, we waited all those years for THAT?! I’ll have to give it a rewatch one day and see how I truly feel about it then.

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  3. Hope you’ve all recovered, Jeff! 🙂 Nice work on the building as well!

    I think I am the only person in the world who was not particularly impressed with Dune the book! I think it was all the soul-searching Paul did in the desert that made it all a bit tedious for me! Having said that, I’ve found the Dune graphic novels co-written by Frank Herbert’s son quite good, although I’ve only read two out of the three at the moment. I haven’t seen the latest film, since if anything comes out in parts I usually wait for the final one to come out before watching them. I did enjoy the 80s’ film that Dave mentioned above though!

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    1. My back is still not 100% (yet!) but I’m feeling normal otherwise, thankfully.

      I’m surprised to hear you didn’t like Dune as I consider you a man of letters! 🙂 Dune is not the action-packed book or movie that other Sci-Fi books can be. I’ll have to look up the graphic novels as that sounds interesting. I’m not sure how you’ll feel about Dune: Part One and Two. I’m guessing it has around a five hour run time which might not go over well with someone who found the book to be slow. You’ll have to watch it and let me know!

      This has nothing to do with Dune, but I have a question or two about WWII that I think you might be able to help me with. Would you mind if I sent you an email with more information? It should be quick and easy for you to sort me out, I would think 🙂

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  4. Oh man, glad to hear you’re recovered after all that illness!! Doesn’t sound pleasant at all…

    I’ve been meaning to watch Dune since it came out, hoping to get round to it sometime over Christmas. I’ve not too long ago read the book, and I do like the boardgame that I have. So my hopes are high! I’ll need to stay away from any cards though 😃

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    1. It was a difficult couple of weeks to be sure, but hopefully everyone can stay healthy for a while.

      If you like the book and board game, then I reckon chances are good you’ll enjoy the movies. The good news is that these Dune cards have no game attached so there’s no incentive for you to grab it 😀

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  6. “Chateau Kuribo” – I like it. Just as an aside, when I went to copy that text it gave me a choice of map. 🤔

    it’s a bummer when a pet is sick, they can’t tell you what is wrong or if they are getting better, even more of a bummer when you all get sick.

    Take your time on the diorama, it’s better to take your time vs rushing, especially if you do something else at the same time. I find if I step back from a project I might think of something different (not always better) to do with it.

    I enjoyed the Dune movies but never got through reading the first book.

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    1. Not that anybody would know this but I use it somewhat ironically as “Condo Kuribo” is more accurate but hardly rolls off the tongue!

      A sick inside dog is a real nightmare. You have to be on guard pretty much all hours of the day and night. I hope that she doesn’t get sick again but she seems average once or twice a year, sadly.

      I will most certainly have to take my time on the diorama as there are a lot of pieces to be painted. I think the reality that I will literally put a year or two of work (which will be spread out over a much longer period, of course) is a bit scary. I just hope it ends up being worth it in the end. There’s no shortage of fun things to paint and I’m literally putting a lot of eggs in one basket, you might say.

      I find the first Dune book engaging but I liked how it incorporated political philosophy into a Sci-Fi plot that is basically an allegory about petroleum and its scarcity. I am glad to hear you like the movies as that has been a somewhat unpopular opinion so far!

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  8. Sounds like you had a bit of a rough time, good that you managed to get some hobby time though. Nice progress on the building!

    The original dune movie is fun to watch in its own right, it’s definitely of its era, but some great actors there.

    I’m not sure off you’ve seen but mophidius just announced some resin fallout busts which might interest you!

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    1. Its a bit of bad luck to be sure, but hopefully things will get easier now that Christmas is approaching. It doesn’t usually go that way, of course, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

      It seems like the older Dune movie has some fans, which was my suspicion. I did watch the trailer recently and it does seem a bit more action-packed and energetic than the newer version.

      Its funny you mention that, I was going to say something about those very busts in my next update! I will say this, I certainly wasn’t expecting that to happen 🙂

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      2. It sounds like Modiphius and I should start some kind of partnership then 🙂 If nothing else, discussing the busts is motivating me to put the final touches on the Empire State Building.

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  9. As always, I think that you’re being very harsh on yourself with that building. In these pictures any mistakes are invisible. The only problem is that it doesn’t have two giant monsters destroying it 🙂

    Using those actual scenery minis instead of the card for the Hellboy furniture is very cool. I sense that this is a rabbit hole that you could fall very deeply into, until eventually you find yourself playing the game in a fully realised doll house.

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    1. I’d have to take photos at specific angles to show the mistakes and I don’t often deliberately seek them out (though I don’t necessarily try to hide errors either). Hopefully, you’ll see more monsters soon. I certainly will take a break from buildings after this one.

      And haha, don’t worry, mate. The only doll houses I’ll be playing with our post-apocalyptic ones in Fallout 😀 I’m going to probably wait until it warms up again to prime all of the Hellboy scenery though I am looking forward to working on them… six months from now!

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  10. Every time you post this I think it’s already perfect, and then you do another one and it’s even better. Fantastic… as always.

    Alo can you delete my above comment as I had a couple of tabs open and commented on the wrong post!

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    1. I’m glad to hear it 🙂 I always worry about there not being enough progress because I work at such a methodical pace. No worries about the comment as well, mate!

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  11. The way I see it is that there are really three (ok, four) broad types of hobbyist/painters who share their work online. Sure, there’s also some (or a lot of ) crossover, but you know what I mean.

    1. Those who are primarily gamers. They can do good work and take pride in it, but their hobby priority is really for the tabletop experience rather than the painting.

    2. “Hobbyist painters”. This is where I think you and I both fit – along with a lot of this blogging community, despite differing details like you taking months for your diorama and me trying to churn out 40 tabletop zombies in a week or less. We do our work for ourselves and like to share it online, but we also have “real” jobs that don’t typically involev painting toys.

      Now we move to the “professional” types of hobby work sharers.

      3. Full Time Content Creators. Youtubers fit in here, whether it’s Zorpazorp or Squidmar or Miniac. These guys’ JOB is now content creation and that’s whhere the income that keeps the lights on comes from. They need to constantly feed the algorithms with new content to keep the lights on. It’s also very likely that just like the rest of us, they enjoy and are skilled in different aspects of the wider hobby, so someone who makes brilliant terrain may not be the best painter and vice versa. Either way, they need to feed the beast on a schedule in order to feed themselves.

      4. Pro Painters. Sometimes crossover with 3., but these are the instagram painters who keep their lights on by producing high quality painted models for others. Whether that’s Angel Giraldez or the people at Big Child, or just some of the top commisison painters. They’re also full-timers like the content creators but operate on a different kind of schedule as they’re not working for YouTube clicks, but those who commission their work. For these guys, Golden Demon and Crystal Brush trophies are not only personal achievements, but advertising their work to potential clients. These are the guys you’re competing with and why I personally don’t bother with competitions at all.

      As for Dune, I’m holding off watching it until Part 3 is out, so I can watch the whole trilogy back to back!

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      1. You summed up the type of hobbyists we have now very well. I can’t really add anything to it as I think that sums up the vast majority of people and what motivates them in the hobby.

        I’ll be curious to see how many Dune movies we end up with. There are a lot of books and I would think that they’ll quit making movies before they get through them all but I could be wrong!

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