There are so many details on this album cover, especially on the back side, that makes it so interesting to discover!
Derek Riggs, getting into the details: "Somewhere In Time was a complicated picture, but I never felt that the actual picture... it was so complicated, it all gets lost; it falls down a bit there. All the jokes are my idea, like the reflection in the window that says 'This is a very boring painting.' Occasionally someone would come up with an idea for an actual picture, but the brief for this one was, we want a city more like the Blade Runner city rather than something like Star Wars. They wanted a science fiction city. So l worked with that brief and created a picture. I had put in a bunch of well-known starships like the U.S.S. Enterprise, but they didn't want to get sued so I had to take them out. But I did manage to squeeze in Batman — this is three years before the movie came out. He's on the back, standing on a ledge, which is just above the Powerslave cartouche."
Derek continues his tour of Somewhere In Time's frenzied profusion of detail... "Webster's — that's for Charlie Webster; I'd forgotten all about him. He was the art director at EMI, when we were doing this cover. This Cyrillic above the words Pizza Hot, I think it says sour milk in Russian, if I recall correctly (note: this might also refer to yogurt, or something short and to the point to designate a store that sold milk and other dairy products, in Russia). The Chinese there... I copied it from a Chinese or Japanese magazine, and it was an advert for zit cream. I copied it, I wrote it down, and a friend of mine, who is Chinese says, Why did you write that in there?' I said, 'I got it out of a magazine.' And he says, 'Do you know what it says?' And I said no. And he translated it for me, and said — because a lot of Chinese is based on context — As far as I can tell, that says: Danger, yellow bikini.' (laughs)."
"And Eddie's got a nuclear-powered willie," continues Derek, pointing out the biohazard sign on Ed's crotch-plate. And the cramped hand rising from the lower right? "That's a joke! It goes way back to Creature From The Black Lagoon. Now, the Creature From The Black Lagoon, the original black-and-white thing, was done in 3-D. He comes out from the lagoon and he kind of rips up somebody's tent and kills them. That shot, from the Black Lagoon, all these victims, they've all got one hand like that. They're lying on the ground and they've all got one hand sticking up like this. And it's a joke amongst horror fans — always that hand. So that's what that is. And Eddie's actually in the pose that toy soldiers take up. That pose was always used by soldiers or cowboys. I never really knew why they were standing like that, because they weren't actually doing anything. Why is he pointing his gun at the ceiling, dad?' 'I don't know, son.'"
And that space age toaster trailing Eddie? "That's his spaceship; it's what he rides around in. It looks just a bit peculiar — I just wanted a little buggy."
Adds Derek on the busy text seemingly everywhere, "I just wanted lots of logos. If you go around town, it's all company logos. So I had to invent company logos, in order to make it look like a town. Bradbury Towers, that's a statement, not the name of the building — Ray Bradbury Towers. See, in Blade Runner, the building that he's in, I think it's called Bradbury Villa or something like that. It's referring to that; it's a science fiction joke."
Eddie is posed next to a street sign which partially reads Acacia, a reference to The Number Of The Beast song 22 Acacia Avenue and below that, "That's the very first Iron Maiden poster there. And right in the middle on the front, that's the lamp post from the very first cover, complete with sign and garbage can. It all feeds back on itself. Icarus is falling off the top of that building on the back. There's some Jewish — it's God written in the shape of a man, deep mystical stuff; Jews pick up on it. That would be Caballic stuff."
And Herbert Ails? "There's a song on Piece Of Mind called ‘To Tame A Land’, and it's about Dune. They phoned up Frank Herbert and asked if they could call the song Dune, and Frank Herbert said, 'No, you can't call it Dune. And you can't do anything based on my book, because I think rock 'n' roll is decadent and corrupt.' So they put Herbert Ails, as in, Herbert's not very well (laughs).
And they've got the football scores there, and Live After Death and Blade Runner showing at the cinema; Phantom Opera House, as in Phantom Of The Opera. Ruskin Arms, that's the pub they used to go to, and Rainbow, that's The Rainbow pub in LA. L'Amours is in New York. Hammerjacks is a nightclub in Baltimore they used to go to. There's the TARDIS from Doctor Who. Doctor Who flies around in a time machine called a TARDIS (time and relative dimensions in space). The time machine had a chameleon circuit to make it blend in with the background, but he landed in 1960s London, and it disguised itself as a police phone box, which were around in 1961 or something. But the chameleon circuit broke and it got stuck as a phone box. So he's flying around in a time machine that looks like a 1961 phone box."
"There's Fireball XL5, which most people don't remember — this had all the spaceships in it, didn't it? Jerry Anderson had Thunderbirds and Stingray, and one his early ones was called Fireball XL5 and it was a rocket ship. The one before that was called Supercar. You have to get one of the DVDs; they were brilliant, better than Star Wars (laughs). And that big thing there, that's a pyramid, and we've got death floating around, and there's the Tyrell Corporation in the background. That's the name of the corporation in Blade Runner. They're the company that makes the clones that Harrison Ford is trying to shoot. The Mekong Lives In LA. is written just to the right of that. The Mekong is in Dan Dare, a science fiction comic book from the 1920s, 'Dan Dare, pilot of the future.' You don't know Dan Dare, pilot of the future?! Good God, man, culturally deprived! (laughs)."
Continuing the tour, Derek points out that, "this is whiskey in Yiddish and that's Bruce with a brain. They told me to paint portraits, and they complained because they didn't look exactly like them. Hello? They're inches tall. They're the size of postage stamps (laughs). The whole painting would have been about 15 inches high by about 32 inches long. Powerslave is 23 inches, I think, because that's as big as a sheet of board as I could get, so that would have been probably 23 x 26, and we would have had to trim it down to make it square, or just paint blue at the top or something. But yes, there's Sanctuary Music Shop. There's an HMV store, because they were signed to HMV. There's Gypsy's Kiss, which was Steve's first band. There's the Spitfire from Aces High, so there's the Aces High bar over there. That's a flying saucer, a UFO..."
"And with Eddie," says Derek, getting back to the core of the busy shot, "the whole concept was that it carried on from one album to the next, which is why he kept the artificial eye and all the things that happened to him. I just like rolling him on like that, seeing what you could do with him next, which parts you could keep."
Other interesting tidbits include the clock set at two minutes to midnight, the football score with West Ham naturally ahead, a namedrop for Philip K. Dick, who wrote the book Blade Runner was based on, Nicko's Iron What? T-shirt, the Eye Of Horus, the cat with halo, the Asimov Foundation building, and Tehe's Bar, the place where the band copped some backup vocalists for use on Heaven Can Wait.
"For Somewhere In Time, Eddie is stripped down as a robot. Now this was a difficult single, this Wasted Years. We had to have something that had Eddie in it somehow, but we didn't want to preempt the album look of Eddie. Because it would take the shock away from what we did to Eddie, right? We didn't want to give away the game before we started. So we were stuck, for what we could do. You try illustrating Wasted Years. What do you do? If you put four guys on there playing guitar, and you put the title, Wasted Years, it looks like they've been wasting their time playing guitar. If you have a picture of Eddie chopping people up, it's like, he's been wasting all these years chopping people up; what can you do? Whatever you do, it turns it into a negative."
"So we said, we couldn't use Eddie too much, because it was such a radical change to Eddie, that even giving a bit of Eddie away, wed kind of blow it. So, I think, Rod said what about using him as a reflection in something, so you could only see part of his head. So you can't really see what's going on, but it's still got Eddie on it. So we played with that for a bit, and we said, what about a time machine? You know, wasted years/time machine. And that was the only idea we could find that could work properly, and fulfill all the specifications of what we needed to do with it. It's got a TARDIS in it again, that spaceship that looks like the police phone box. So it's a duffer. It's a technical illustration of a keyboard of a time machine (laughs), with Eddie reflected in the window, because it was the only thing we could think of, that wouldn't give Eddie away, which fit Wasted Years, without becoming a kind of self-defeating illustration."
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Angel Giraldez
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 1/24
Number of Parts: 9
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Senjutsu is the seventeenth studio album by Iron Maiden, released on 3 September 2021. Their first album in six years, it was a critical and commercial success, praised for its ambitious epic scope. Two singles, "The Writing on the Wall" and "Stratego", were released to promote the album.
For Senjutsu (loosely translated as ‘tactics & strategy’), the band enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Steve Harris. And with a running time of a little under 82 minutes, Senjutsu, like their previous record The Book Of Souls, is a double CD album/triple vinyl album.
This is an interesting interview of the artist talking about the build up of the artwork:
What were your first thoughts when you heard Steve wanted a samurai Eddie?
Steve had sent what we used to call at Art College a 'mood board' - a collage of pictures and reference material to act as a guide to what he had in mind for Senjutsu. There were a lot of Kabuki face-painting ideas and masks. He did say these can sometimes be too theatrical or over the top, but he wanted to show the menace and madness of some of them. There were also creatures from Japanese folklore, 'oni'. They are typically portrayed as hulking figures with one or more horns growing out of their heads and red-, blue- or white-colored skin, a huge mouth and fang-like tusks. There were samurai warriors and images of pagodas, suggestions of armor... a smorgasbord of ideas in other words!
How did you research and where did you draw inspiration from? What were your reference points - books, movies or actual artefacts?
I was not keen to simply plonk skeletal Eddie into the elaborately embroidered padded costumes of the early samurai.
I preferred the distressed metallic armor of the lower-caste warrior tribes that came later on in Japanese history - lots of tom cloth and rustic leather, heavy breastplates painted with tribal symbols held with dyed rope. I started with the face - with thickly applied Kabuki white face paint and red streaks. The fangs from the oni monsters then added an authentic Japanese look, which took Eddie into a different realm of menace.
Each time I've worked with Steve he's always wanted to create something so realistic and visceral with Eddie that he'd be your worst nightmare. Steve liked the black background from Book Of Souls, and suggested we kept the cover art simple, leaving the complex colorful 'reveal' reserved for the inside art again. With the red lettering and Hanko seal, the cover had that authentic indigenous Japanese look of the Edo period we were after.
The elegance of the battle stance with the sword and strategic poses of the samurai, mixed in with the horror of the make-up, would scare the bejeezus out of any enemy that dared face them... that was the mission statement of the samurai... and ours for Eddie too.
I looked at The Last Samurai and Seven Samurai films, bought a few books on samurai costume, and later on checked out the beautiful artwork from the Ghost Of Tsushima game. I also spent a day in the V&A Museum in London (pre-Covid) to look at the samurai exhibits, including the swords and armor. I wanted to get a feel for the helmets too, and learn how they were constructed.
What were some of the challenges of depicting samurai armour in such detail?
The materials used for the armor of the samurai changed through the years from the 4th to the 19th century, from the heavily decorated ornate layers of fabric and lacquer applied for extra protection to the later use of iron chest plates attached by colored rope. The basic shape of the samurai armor, katana swords and shape of the 'kabuto' combat helmet changed little in style however. The ear defenders or 'fukigaeshi', attached to the 'shikoro' (neck cowl) with the 'hachi' (helmet). They were all a mix of metal and/or leather - some had visors, which of course I avoided, as you wouldn't have seen Eddie's face at all then!
"I had to honor the sheer craftsmanship of samurai armor with that astonishing level of detail, it had to be perfect no matter what pose we had for Eddie as a samurai.
I suggested to Shacky... as the management were going to create an amazing animation for the first single, TWOTW, we commissioned a friend of mine, Michael Knowland, to construct a 3D model of Eddie's head and shoulders based on my designs so we could turn Eddie around and figure out a way to make it work. Michael is a brilliant 3D artist who was previously employed by Naughty Dog in San Diego on the first Last Of Us game as lead character artist. But he'd left there, moved to London and was taking on freelance projects. The timing was perfect."
Steve likes a nickname, and we heard he started calling you the tinkerer'.
"I went through dozens of ideas for Samurai Eddie and many ideas about backgrounds too. Steve always knew when I'd changed any detail... I called him 'Eagle-Eye' when he spotted something so he started to call me 'The Tinkerer', said he had me on speed-dial with that name and it sort of stuck! It was a football reference - Claudio Ranieri the Chelsea and Leicester City manager's need to tamper seemed almost out of control... constantly changing his squad and tactics. I used to drive Steve up the wall with my 'tinkering'... he'd say, 'Why have you changed it? I liked it exactly how it was before!' 'I think I've improved it,’ I'd reply. 'Well, you haven't - leave it as it was!' He'd laugh - it was always good humored."
Aside from the japanese aesthetic, what are the challenges of getting eddie right?
"I'm well aware that I'm dealing with one of (if not the) most recognizable 'brands' in music history, Eddie is an institution as far as the fans are concerned. I always say (if asked) that the artists that came after Derek Riggs are caretakers of his brilliant creation if you don't respect that, then you are fooling yourself. However... there's not much point in simply recreating the same thing over and over again... or attempt a pastiche in the same style as Derek, which would be disrespectful.
I think I brought something new to the party, a visceral realism that took me a long time to get right."
What can you tell us about the beautiful pagoda reveal? It was quite the surprise when the album arrived with people.
"Steve always had it in his mind to have a simpler image for the Senjutsu cover and (as with The Book Of Souls) the big scene inside. To begin with I was just asked to design a pagoda, which I started after the first Eddie was done. But the timelines shifted when the album was put back due to Covid. I then had a lot more time to spend on the pagoda and Steve suggested we go for a full battle scene.
It came together (as you would expect from me) slowly! Very slowly because I was still adding extra Samurai Eddies for the packaging. I would down tools on the pagoda scene... tinker a bit more on, say, the full body design so Michael could complete the 3D model, then return to the pagoda scene. Stuart Crouch designed some flags so I was asked to put a few of those in, there were dead bodies to paint and arrange in an - ahem - artistic manner... then Steve suggested adding the two huge stone lanterns each side to create more depth as the aerial perspective was so widescreen. It turned into an immense project, that inside artwork... Eighteen variations in all before I got it right and Steve signed off!
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Spyros Paizakis
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 1/12
Number of Parts: 12
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Killers is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was first released on 16 February 1981 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and on 11 May in the United States by Harvest and Capitol Records. The album was their first with guitarist Adrian Smith, and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who was fired after problems with his stage performances arose due to his alcohol and cocaine use. Killers was also the first Iron Maiden album recorded with producer Martin Birch, who went on to produce their next eight albums until Fear of the Dark (1992).
Riggs says the character's development was not a conscious process. "The Killers picture was done about three years after the first one was painted," he says. "But I never sat down and said 'Now I am going to make him look this way or that way.' I'm very spontaneous when I create a picture — sometimes I don't even use a sketch to begin with. I fill up the space and then start putting things into it. Eddie has an ax because he's an 'axman' — it's a pun on the term for a rock-and-roll guitarist. His hair got a bit Farrah Fawcett, but that was OK back then, because there was this kind of fashion for big fluffy hair with rock bands, so people didn't really notice. But really, it's just me making it up as I go along. Eddie was not 'developed,' Eddie is just there."
The original Killers painting, done in a type of watercolor called designer's gauche and took Riggs about a week to paint. "The buildings in the background are actually the block of apartments that I lived in at that time in North London called Etchingham Court," he explains. "It was a bit rundown in those days and it had cockroaches all over the place. We used so much stuff trying to kill them off that I ended up getting pesticide poisoning."
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Magnus Fagerberg
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 1/12
Number of Parts: 7
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear in the New Testament’s last book, the Book of Revelation written by John of Patmos. In God`s right hand is a scroll that is sealed with seven seals. The Lamb of God (Jesus) opens the first four of the seven seals, summoning four terrible beings that ride out on white, red, black, and pale horses.
These four riders bring upon the world the divine apocalypse and are released upon humanity as harbingers of the Last Judgment. During the End of Times, humanity will encounter these horsemen and will know death, disease, famine, and many more trials.
Pestilence — Revelation 6:1-2
The next thing I saw was this. When the lamb had opened one of the seven seals, I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, ‘Come!’ And, as I watched, there was a white horse. Its rider was holding a bow. He was given a crown, and he went off winning victories, and to win more of them.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Chris Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 54 mm
Number of Parts: 11
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear in the New Testament’s last book, the Book of Revelation written by John of Patmos. In God`s right hand is a scroll that is sealed with seven seals. The Lamb of God (Jesus) opens the first four of the seven seals, summoning four terrible beings that ride out on white, red, black, and pale horses.
These four riders bring upon the world the divine apocalypse and are released upon humanity as harbingers of the Last Judgment. During the End of Times, humanity will encounter these horsemen and will know death, disease, famine, and many more trials.
War — Revelation 6:3-4
When the lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, ‘Come!’ And another horse went out, fiery red this time. Its rider was given permission to take peace away from the earth, so that people would kill one another. He was given a great sword.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Chris Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 54 mm
Number of Parts: 16
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appear in the New Testament’s last book, the Book of Revelation written by John of Patmos. In God`s right hand is a scroll that is sealed with seven seals. The Lamb of God (Jesus) opens the first four of the seven seals, summoning four terrible beings that ride out on white, red, black, and pale horses.
These four riders bring upon the world the divine apocalypse and are released upon humanity as harbingers of the Last Judgment. During the End of Times, humanity will encounter these horsemen and will know death, disease, famine, and many more trials.
Famine — Revelation 6:5-6
When the lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come!’ As I watched, there was a black horse. Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand. I heard something like a voice coming from the midst of the four living creatures. ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius!’ said the voice. ‘And three quarts of barley for a denarius! But don’t ruin the oil and the wine!’
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Chris Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 54 mm
Number of Parts: 11
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Material: High Quality Resin
Number of Parts: 7
“Oh, look, how beautiful she is. How gracious. How elegant. How young. Look at her face. Her eyes. She looks like an angel. Oh she’s so blessed.”
And she was happy as everyone praised her.
The people's awe and the vivid description of her stunning appearance pleased her.
She saw herself through the eyes of the others. She imagined her face. Young and innocent.She can only imagine...
Because whenever she looks at the mirror, all she can see is her hollow sockets staring back at her as her rotting skin around them is falling to pieces...
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Material: High Quality Resin
Number of Parts: 7
“Oh, look, how beautiful she is. How gracious. How elegant. How young. Look at her face. Her eyes. She looks like an angel. Oh she’s so blessed.”
And she was happy as everyone praised her.
The people's awe and the vivid description of her stunning appearance pleased her.
She saw herself through the eyes of the others. She imagined her face. Young and innocent.She can only imagine...
Because whenever she looks at the mirror, all she can see is her hollow sockets staring back at her as her rotting skin around them is falling to pieces...
Limited edition / 270 copiesIn Collaboration with Parabellum Wargames
What is in the boxScale: 1/18 (90mm) Material: High quality resin Packaging: All pieces are safely packaged within a cardboard box in protective foamNote: Figures/kits come unassembled and unpainted.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Christos Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 90mm
Number of Parts: 25
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Tsuki, known as the Shadow of the Shikoku Isle, casts a long shadow over the seas of Japan. From her fortress hidden among the rugged cliffs of Shikoku, she commands a fleet of swift vessels, striking terror into the hearts of coastal villagers and samurai alike. Yet despite her fearsome reputation, Tsuki remains an enigma, her true motives known only to herself and her loyal crew.
What is in the boxScale: 1/10 (200mm) Material: High quality resin Packaging: All pieces are safely packaged within a cardboard box in protective foam
Note:
Figures/kits come unassembled and unpainted.
Wooden plinth (base) is not included
They contain small parts not suitable for children.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Spyros Paizakis
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 1/10
Number of Parts: 8
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Catalina is a notorious pirate known plundering the Caribbean for the past decade. Beatiful but deadly, always accompanied by Captain Kidd, her favourite monkey. She has amassed a fortune by preying on unsuspecting ships and multiple attacks in Cartagena. Her ability to strike swiftly and quietly earned her the moniker "the Silent Storm," leaving a trail of lucrative spoils and fearful whispers in her wake.
What is in the boxScale: 1/24 (75mm) Material: High quality resin Packaging: All pieces are safely packaged within a cardboard box in protective foam
Note:
Figures/kits come unassembled and unpainted.
Wooden plinth (base) is not included
They contain small parts not suitable for children.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Chris Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 1/24
Number of Parts: 12
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Tsuki, known as the Shadow of the Shikoku Isle, casts a long shadow over the seas of Japan. From her fortress hidden among the rugged cliffs of Shikoku, she commands a fleet of swift vessels, striking terror into the hearts of coastal villagers and samurai alike. Yet despite her fearsome reputation, Tsuki remains an enigma, her true motives known only to herself and her loyal crew.
What is in the boxScale: 1/24 (75mm) Material: High quality resin Packaging: All pieces are safely packaged within a cardboard box in protective foam
Note:
Figures/kits come unassembled and unpainted.
Wooden plinth (base) is not included
They contain small parts not suitable for children.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Chris Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 1/24
Number of Parts: 14
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Amara, a seasoned marauder, carved her legacy through relentless pillaging across the Mediterranean's azure expanse. With her vessels laden with cannons, she struck fear into the hearts of seafarers, earning the fearsome moniker, the Mediterranean Gale. Her raids were not mere plunderings; they were tumultuous storms of destruction, leaving a trail of sunken adversaries in her wake. Despite the efforts of authorities to capture her, Amara proved elusive, her stronghold shifting among the Aegean's labyrinthine islands, her presence an ominous specter haunting the seas, forever beyond their grasp.
What is in the boxScale: 1/24 (75mm) Material: High quality resin Packaging: All pieces are safely packaged within a cardboard box in protective foam
Note:
Figures/kits come unassembled and unpainted.
Wooden plinth (base) is not included
They contain small parts not suitable for children.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Chris Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 1/24
Number of Parts: 16
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Limited edition / 270 copiesIn Collaboration with Parabellum Wargames
What is in the boxScale: 1/18 (90mm) Material: High quality resin Packaging: All pieces are safely packaged within a cardboard box in protective foamNote: Figures/kits come unassembled and unpainted.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Magnus Fagerberg
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 90 mm
Number of Parts: 11
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
The battles were ferocious the creatures were absolutely relentless, one shot was not enough to kill them. You had to get in close up and personal and blast their brains out…or at least what we though were their brains!
She had enlisted in the marines as soon as the invasion of her planet occurred. They had arrived in their millions, the infestation had occurred overnight, they were everywhere, killing, pillaging destroying!
Over the years many skirmishes and battles had been fought, and she was always at the front, leading by example…killing by example. Her armor was tough like her determination, her eyes dark like her soul….and her shoulder cannon deadly like her emotions.
She had become known amongst her battalion as Major Pain, she could endure everything, she would do anything for the freedom of her planet. She would bring the pain to the enemy.
Sculptor: Spyros Paizakis
Painter: Alex Aggelakis
Material: Resin
Scale: 1/10 (200 mm)
Number of Parts: 2
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Four sisters, four queens, four scourges upon humanity. They were brought into this world as quadruplet sisters from the womb of one mother, but they were the seed of four different fathers.
As soon as they were born, they were torn from their mothers’ bosom, and handed to Persephone; the goddess Queen of the Underworld. They suckled at her teat until they were old enough to be unleashed as a plague upon the world, to rule, devour and haunt the living.
She was the only one of the sisters that died…at aged 18 she died from typhoid and was laid to rest. From the moment she closed her eyes the transformation begun. As her body decayed, life started to come back to her limp, rotting body.
The time soon came that she was reborn unto the world as the “Zombie Queen”, wielding unworldly powers and an unending appetite for death and destruction.
She would wonder cemeteries, graveyards and burial grounds and seek out the most wretched, perverse, and wicked souls…only to reunite them with their bodies and bring them back to the world of the living.
One bite, one scratch from these foul creatures and you would immediately become the slave of the Zombie Queen. The end is night, evil is upon us…the Zombie apocalypse has arrived!
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Kyriakos Simos
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 54 mm
Number of Parts: 7
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Collector’s edition
Limited edition: 270 copies
Once sold out will not be re-released
Story of Genesis
Shattering the silence that had encased the eternal darkness since the beginning of time, just one word was quietly whispered, “GENESIS”.
There was a tremor, a murmur, a faint glimmer of light…the infinite expanse of absolute darkness and quiet shifted…shapes, shadows and sounds began to emerge…the colors and sounds grew louder and louder, until the cacophony of light and noise was unbearable. The pain was excruciating, intolerable, the speed of movement and light blurred into one fantastic kaleidoscope of agony and discomfort… then suddenly a blinding white light…….and silence. Life!
“Let there be light,” and there was light separating the darkness. And it was so.
“Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” The vault was made and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.
“Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.
“Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.
“Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years.” And it was so.
“Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” And it was so.
“Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.
“Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” And it was so.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Kirill Kanaev
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 150 mm
Number of Parts: 5
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
They have a keen sense of smell, big ears, a squiggly tale, a huge appetite, and an infinity for mischief! They live in the walls and under the floorboards, they scavenge and hunt for their food and their appetite is insatiable! If you were awake at night you can hear the tiny pitter patter of their feet, a creak here and a crack there.
Normal people would think they were mice…people with an overactive imagination could go so far as saying that elves live in their house…nope, it’s even worse…they are Melfs, food raiders and troublemakers extraordinaire!
They will raid your cupboards and fridge, creating intricate machines to gain access to the most delicious foods. They have an affinity for cheese…good quality cheese mind you, not the cheap “plastic” stuff… Parmigiano, Quintano, Brie, Comté, Clothbound Cheddar and of course their favorite… Roquefort (for which they will tear down your kitchen).
Of course, if you run into these two…Peco & Rino…well you had better change house, when it comes to trouble, mischief, destruction, and appetite these two are unstoppable, unbeatable and absolutely relentless.
Good Luck, you have a Melf infestation!
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Tasos Tzivitzis
Material: HQ Resin
Scale: 1/32
Number of Parts: 5
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
The wild wild west was a dangerous place, there were one million different ways you could die.
Betty had survived all the hardships and tragedies that were thrown her way. At aged six her family was slaughtered before her eyes by a gang of criminals and cutthroats. Severely wounded, young Betty managed to escape and make her way to her Uncle Jed an eccentric recluse.
Uncle Jed took Betty in and raised her like the daughter he never had. He replaced her mangled and severed arm with a mechanical device of his own creation – an advanced prosthetic making Betty quicker and stronger.
Hell bent on revenge, Betty grew up honing her tracking, shooting and fighting skills, and once she was old enough she made her way into the wilderness to find the animals that slaughtered her family and bring them to justice.
After killing six of the criminal gang and dragging another five to jail, she was granted the role of Deputy by the local Sheriff.
From that moment on, Deputy Betty was feared by all criminals, bandits, cattle rustlers and murderers alike. She was ruthless, gave no quarter…and if you made the mistake of unholstering your pistol with intent to shoot her…well let’s just say it was “Howdy Partner” for you!
Sculptor: Christos Panagiotopoulos
Painter: Christos Panagiotopoulos
Material: Resin
Scale: 75 mm
Number of Parts: 4
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Four sisters, four queens, four scourges upon humanity. They were brought into this world as quadruplet sisters from the womb of one mother, but they were the seed of four different fathers.
As soon as they were born, they were torn from their mothers’ bosom, and handed to Persephone; the goddess Queen of the Underworld. They suckled at her teat until they were old enough to be unleashed as a plague upon the world, to rule, devour and haunt the living.
Isis, Osiris, Horus, Amun, Ra were not gods…they were her creations, her children. Civilizations would be built and brought down by these so-called gods…these instruments of power. The feeble humans would worship her and her children for all eternity, an animistic highly anthropomorphic belief system imbued with magic, that will subjugate both the living and the dead.
And if the living got out of line, she would bring upon them plagues and famine, death and despair. She would summon the dead and raise them from the ground to do her bidding, execute her wishes, smite her foes.
Remember, never infuriate the Mummy Queen, for she is more powerful than you can ever begin to imagine…just ask King Ramses II.
Photos by Stelios Demiras (Mr Black Publications)
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Chris Panagiotou
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 54 mm
Number of Parts: 6
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Four sisters, four queens, four scourges upon humanity. They were brought into this world as quadruplet sisters from the womb of one mother, but they were the seed of four different fathers.
As soon as they were born, they were torn from their mothers’ bosom, and handed to Persephone; the goddess Queen of the Underworld. They suckled at her teat until they were old enough to be unleashed as a plague upon the world, to rule, devour and haunt the living.
For millennia the “Vampire Queen” sat upon her throne ruling over the army of the undead she had painstakingly created. Each kiss, each bite caringly, satisfyingly, delivered to her victim…would it be one more meal or would she create one more immortal soldier?
Her seductive beauty had served her well in her unending pursuit to quench her thirst for blood. At first, she would hunt for her prey, track their scent, stalk them, pounce on them, and devour their blood and soul. Now, her vampiric minions would fill her chalice with only the best quality blood and any sacrifice she required would be brought to her feet.
However, a queen is not to be underestimated, especially the Vampire Queen, one look, one whisper is all it takes, and you will be hers for all eternity!
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Francesco Farabi
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 54 mm
Number of Parts: 7
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Renowned within the seven kingdoms for being vicious and cunning the Dark Elf Priestess is regarded by many as a monster, a beast that seeks vengeance on all those who live.
She loves to inflict pain, yet for herself she has the ability to disregard it! She is a master of witchcraft and sorcery and uses her terrible powers to influence and control the hordes of Dark Elves and their tamed Driders.
Yes…. as a priestess of the spider goddess, the Dark Elf Priestess has the power to summon and control armies of large arachnids, ordering them to do her bidding.
Her followers are many and fanatical, her cult requires at least one sacrifice a day, be it animal, human or elf they do not care as long as the urges of Dark Elf Priestess are satisfied.
She is an enemy no one wants, but a powerful ally to have on your side.
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Stephan Rath
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 90 mm
Number of Parts: 9
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
The garden had been abandoned for decades, the flowers had long since died, and the decorations had crumbled and cracked over time. But tonight, they danced, the garden had once again come to life, under the translucent moonlight, they danced, with the giggling fairies and pixies as their audience.
They danced for all eternity - she held him tight, she would not let him go again. She rested her head against his chest, his heart pounded rhythmically, like a sweet calming lullaby. With every beat, it brought her closer to him.
They came together under the strangest of circumstances, a debt to save her fathers life for a past transgression. At first, she was scared and fearful of this beast, he was abrupt, awkward, and solemn, but over time he softened, he even professed his love for her.
She looked up at him, she did not see ugliness, she did not see malice, she did not see a beast…she saw kindness, affection, beauty…she saw her Prince!!!
She closed her eyes and with all her heart and soul she whispered to him ”I love you”.
Photos by Stelios Demiras (Mr Black Publications)
Sculptor: Michael Kontraros
Painter: Kyriakos Simos
Material: High Quality Resin
Scale: 54 mm
Number of Parts: 12
Unpainted - Unassembled Model Kit
Michael Kontraros Collectables is known for elegant sculpts, classical proportions, and masterfully composed scenes. Their work is deeply rooted in fine-art sensibility, making this a standout collection for display painters.
