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Capturing Archetypes: Twenty Years Of Sideshow Collectables Art (book review)

It seems to be Sideshow Collectables’ month with another book showing off their wares but as ‘Capturing Archetypes: Twenty Years Of Sideshow Collectables’ was originally released Stateside, this might be more like me catching up. If you live in the USA, you might already own a copy. I should point out that this book isn’t done as a catalogue but an artbook often using close-ups and even several models combined together if you posed them outside of the box. All of them are from their statue range with characters mostly from comicbook companies DC and Marvel and films such as ‘Star Wars’, ‘Alien’ and ‘Avatar’. There is a second volume out in the autumn, over here, but with only the cover so far, I can only assume its more statues than their movable figurines.

CapturingArchetypesV1

Oddly, of all the things I haven’t collected, is statues. Well, except for those four piece ‘The Marvel Collection’ back in 1991 when things were a lot more primitive than they are now and, if truth be told, they stay in their boxes because I’m afraid they might get broken. I’d be even more scared of that happening with the more expensive Sideshow range. Seeing their models close-up, I can understand their appeal to some of the more wealthier collectors amongst you and I suspect you are their target audience. Saying that, those of you who can’t afford them, then this is probably the second best thing and is sure to be a talking point for those whom you let clean hands only wander through this book’s pages. In a couple instances, like with Elvira, I could have thought I was looking at a painting than a model. There is also a foldout photo of Roger Rabbit’s wife, who is clearly not drawn that way although I have to confess not knowing why half the space was left black.

Purely as an artbook, ‘Capturing Archetypes’ is an unusual book that you will want to add to your collection simply because its unlikely that you will see Sideshow’s work collected in any other way. There is also a certain irony that at least no statues were harmed in this creation of this book.

GF Willmetts

July 2015

(pub: Insight Editions. 192 page illustrated hardback. Price: £45.00 (UK), $50.00 (US). ISBN: 978-1-60887-319-7)

check out websites: www.insighteditions.com and https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Capturing+Archetypes:+Twenty+Years+Of+Sideshow+Collectables+Art&safe=off&rlz=1T4GGHP_enGB647GB648&biw=1205&bih=699&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIuuvGtdWCxwIVi7wUCh1iwgPB

UncleGeoff

Geoff Willmetts has been editor at SFCrowsnest for some 21 plus years now, showing a versatility and knowledge in not only Science Fiction, but also the sciences and arts, all of which has been displayed here through editorials, reviews, articles and stories. With the latter, he has been running a short story series under the title of ‘Psi-Kicks’ If you want to contribute to SFCrowsnest, read the guidelines and show him what you can do. If it isn’t usable, he spends as much time telling you what the problems is as he would with material he accepts. This is largely how he got called an Uncle, as in Dutch Uncle. He’s not actually Dutch but hails from the west country in the UK.

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