The Wonders from Wonder Fest 2021

While us in the States continue to await the return of our big, in-person conventions, the summer edition of Wonder Festival 2021 took place this past weekend in Shanghai. Outside of some self-produced video showcases and the rare small, intimate showing, this was the first time collectors have been able to get up close and personal with new statue reveals in quite a while. It's an exciting progression for the hobby to return to in-person shows so that the scope, size, and quality of new collectibles can be witnessed in person and reported on by fellow members of the community. Everyone has their own benchmark for a return to normalcy in the hobby, as we have been relegated to experiencing it from afar (the internet) and, for me, in-person conventions in one of those benchmarks. For many, making it to this convention was not in the cards, but we luckily had a great deal of video and photo coverage of all the happenings. From the well-knowns to the unknowns, there was a little bit of almost everything for collectors to sink their teeth into.

Companies like Infinity Studios, Queen Studios, Hex Collectibles, Pure Arts, Prime 1 Studio, XM Studios, AzureSea Studio, Kinetiquettes, Taurus Workshop, and Figurama all brought something new to the show. Sideshow Collectibles, while having a presence, is obviously saving new reveals for their personal convention in July. Even though there was nothing new from Sideshow, watching footage from the booth made me realize that I may not give enough appreciation to their Court of the Dead line. Even sifting through an unhealthy amount of photos and videos of the event, I have compiled the collectibles that most caught my eye.

(Credit for all photos go out to the collectors who attended and shared with the community)

HONORABLE MENTIONS

A few nice pieces that have some things going for them that really stand out, but not enough to land "Best IN Show"

BEST IN SHOW

Dark Souls II - Pontiff Sulyvahn

by Pure Arts

My video game knowledge goes as deep as Mario and Pokemon, so I have no clue of what this guy is or his backstory, but damn it looks really cool. The dual swords, each of which seem to conjure different elements/energies, play well as bright contrasts to an otherwise grimly-colored character. I am not sure if there are two versions of this piece or not, but the darker representation of the character in the upper background brings such a visceral feel to the whole piece overall. I do hope that it is a deluxe version of the statue that comes with both takes on the character. The tree branch-like wings are what push this piece over the edge for me. Even without the hue from the purple light, they give such a raw feel and bring me the feel of backwoods horror.

Unknowns

by Unknown

My research to discover the makers or names of these two pieces failed miserably. I am not even sure they come from the same studio, but their pictures came after each other and they both have a similar weightless or floating design. For vertical pieces, they are so well-balanced in how the constructs (in the left) and the body (on the right) are formed and curved so that they are balanced on either side of the imaginary center line. The weightlessness that these statues imitate brings about a peaceful aura. I appreciate the small intricacies in what I assume are mermaids/sirens, with both the details in the bone structures and the flow of their dresses. The dragon/man hybrid is a bit different, with no base to paint a setting for his lackadaisical appearance, relies solely on the layers and sculpt of his dragon portions to capture the eye...and they very much do. These are the types of sculpts I would love to see myself start collecting way down the line when my collection focus shifts.

Batman Who Laughs on Throne

by Queen Studios

Perhaps no company had more hype going into this event than Queen Studios (QS). With the potential to have a booth full of show stealers ranging from the new 1:4 Hulkbuster and Wonder Woman to the 1:4 Dark Knight Joker or Batman on Throne, QS was primed for success. Even when faced with the flawless likeness of their 1:3 Catwoman on Batpod, I don't think Queen Studios brought a better piece than their Batman Who Laughs on Throne. Not one for throne pieces nor for overhyped new characters, I can't help but appreciate how much QS really leaned into the disturbed with their concept for this one.

While a few things were expected with this statue, such as a sinister smile and feral Robins, the addition of about 10 demented looking creatures crowding the throne bring a more unique horror feel to this character. The details and textures in the character's costume and the deathly sculpt of his minion's allow the paint work to bring out quite the grim feelings. The back of throne is nothing to cough at either, with an eerily blended half Joker/half Batman face representing the character's origin. As much as the statue stands out as a whole, with some improvements to the front of the throne and the ground portion of the base, this statue could be thrust into the stratosphere of success.

Unknown

by Unknown

Sadly, another unknown set of pieces, which appear to be two paint variations of a Cthulhu-like creature. Perched like a gargoyle, you can't see the design of the front of the body and I could not find pictures or footage of the back of this design. What you can see, however, are a bland of skin layers, bulging veins, fleshy textures, and small details like teeth in the wings and an exposed cranium. Like an evil totem, the creature seems to have been designed to house a dark spirit. This looks like it could come alive at any point and it's the lively tones in the paint that really push this sculpt to such appealing heights.

Flying

from the Art of Dun Huang

Another elegant piece with strong ties to Asian culture, "Flying" brings an interesting mix of high level detail, perspective-style sizing, modern light-up features. and a small cartoon influence. If only heard of in discussion, I would not think that these elements could come together in such a cohesive manner. The embroidery that is strewn throughout the musician's dress, the details in the peacock's tail and fathers, and the way the sculpt of the two intertwine are so harmonious. While I tend to dislike perspective bases (when the details are disproportionately small to imitate distance), I think the small buildings and landscape fit the overall style well. The animated style of the clouds should drive me crazy as an unnecessary shift in style, but I think the smooth and simple look helps push all of the other textured work into the forefront. The light up features in the water base and sun design backdrop are nice touches that are kept minimal enough as to not pull attention away from the primary sculpt but still help provide a complete scene.

Godzilla Collection

by Prime 1 Studio

Ok, sure, the entire Godzilla vs. Kong diorama is a feat in diorama design and a complete showstopper. However, I think there is clearly a stronger side to the dio, with the Godzilla portion able to well stand on his own. Taking that, along with the 30" tall Godzilla bust really puts Prime 1's Godzilla offerings high above those from any other company I have seen. While it was nice to see the statue out in the open, I do wish I was able to find a picture/video with a person near the dio to better comprehend the size and scale. Of course, there is a bit of bias here as I am a huge Godzilla fan and plan on adding the Godzilla statue from the diorama to my personal collection. Even so, I think it is hard to find these as unimpressive representations of the popular kaiju.

Queens of Oblivion - Nephtys 1:4

from Taurus Workshop

The second statue in their Queens of Oblivion line, Taurus' representation of Nepthys is wonderfully creative. Known as both a goddess of death and decay, as well as one of four goddesses who guard the shrine buried with the pharaoh, the creative direction on this piece captures both very well. Appearing to be guarding a toppled sarcophagus, or perhaps destroying it herself, Nepthys is represented with the upper torso of a woman and the lower extremities of a winged insect with some blending of the two throughout. Wearing traditional ancient-Egyptian garments, she maintains the essence of her mythological origins. The concept and creativity on this piece alone drew me in, with the remnants of an Pharaoh's tomb scattered on the base and her defensive pose telling quite a story. While I could not find pictures that showcased the back of the piece, the sculpt of the insect portions and the details from the arms to the wings come off so realistic, almost like it was once alive and preserved. Even with a grotesque makeup, she still carries a sense of beauty and a sense of royalty.

Darksiders II - Death Rider

by DemonFlame Studio

For every international company there is, I can only imagine how many unknown collectible developers there are hoping to build some recognition. As I was watching a live stream from Wonder Fest, outside of the room that houses all of the extravagant, big company booths with their fancy lights and displays lies rooms that house fold out tables with less notable groups displaying their toys and collectibles. At a single table were three guys sitting behind both the painted and unpainted version of this dynamic Death Rider statue. As vibrant as the painted version was, with the clear teal resin of the flames which I believe was lit up, the unpainted version was a bit more appealing. The motion and emotion captured in the horse, the way they captured the Death Rider leaning back ready to swipe at the skeletons reaching from below with his blades, and the skeleton being kicked off the back give so much for the eye to take in. A cohesive statue in regards to how balanced it is with the mix of high detailed portions and smoother, more basic textures. For the painted version, this helps highlight the bold shadowing of the horse's details and the unpainted version better shows demonstrates the deep details with natural shadows easily guides the eyes towards the Death Eater himself. But almost nothing about the statue can top how sick the unpainted version looks with an indirect light (pictured above).

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What statue did you like the most from Wonder Festival (Summer) 2021?