Swamp Monster of Dal Tescus

[Hinckley]

So, a good number of you know me, by now, as the author of Fabuland Housewives. Well, I hope to start publishing a castle-based story this Summer, even before the end of season one of Fabuland Housewives. This story is entitled The Book of the Ancients and I have started posting some MOCs from it in other EB forums as well, like Prince Egbert's Pleasure Yacht...

And here is my first brick-built beast character from the story: The Swamp Monster of Dal Tescus

To see more pics of it and how it attacks: click below...

Enjoy and feel free to let me know what you think of it. Thanks.

[zouave]

When I first saw this I was wierded out and amazed at the same time. This is kinda cool in a violent way. *wacko* Your monster looks like a bit like a cricket though.

[Asuka]

A wonderful beast indeed! *y*

Bon app

[Siegfried]

While I think that your monster is excellent, aren't you worried that showing this after starting the "Whack-a-Fig" contest will make people think you are more that a bit sick? How much Mini-fig suffering will satisfy you? Well?

On other subjects, good use for those legs. I assume you own the Lobster set as well. Mine is still in one piece but it is one the recycle list as I find it too fragile. What is in the middle? Is it a large figure torso?

[Hinckley]

While I think that your monster is excellent, aren't you worried that showing this after starting the "Whack-a-Fig" contest will make people think you are more that a bit sick?

You assume I care... >:-)

X-D and thank you!

[Starwars4J]

What a beautiful beastie you have here! It's really nice, and while I have to compliment you on using galidor (I think?) pieces, I do think that brick built legs might look a bit nicer or more poseable. Regardless it's set up beautifully, I love those pincers

[Brick Miner]

i like this a lot hinckley... much better than the AR lobster, which looks like inspired this. i really like the arm molds used here. it makes me wish LEGO would have made some type of new piece for the lobster and crab arms. i know most AFOL wouldn't want specific molds, but i think it would have really helped in the case of the AR monsters. i don't like the technic look of the lobster/crab/(and to some extent the)squid.

anyway, that was my first sequence of thoughts when looking at this :-D

i do like the inventive way the monster has adapted tentacles to reel the victims in. that actually makes a lot of sense if you think about it from an evolutionary perspective. and i really like the large curved slopes used on this back... looks like a exoskeleton. great *y*

sounds like this castle story will be a fun, good luck - BM

[Hinckley]

Thanks Zouave, Asuka, Sinner, SW4J, BrickMiner-all the usual suspects! :-P

It is based on a garthim from the dark crystal,

a frog, a beetle and images I get in my head when I read Lovecraft <--nerd!

EDIT: However, my AR crab and lobster are completely disassembled from building this, yes...end edit

The arms are not Galidor they are from Dino Attack.

I agree with you BM, that the lobsters and brick-built animals from AR look to blocko-ey and technic-y, both real words. I felt the same way about the dragons in the Vikings line, although I prefer them to the new cartoony, megabloky ones in the new castle. I'm not a fan of brick built beasts because I find them distracting when you can see so many angles and studs. So I'm trying to create other-worldly creatures with what I have to work with.

Thanks again everyone for all the feedback! X-D

EDIT:

On other subjects, good use for those legs. I assume you own the Lobster set as well. Mine is still in one piece but it is one the recycle list as I find it too fragile. What is in the middle? Is it a large figure torso?

Oops! Missed this. No, there is no large figure torso in there, just a stomach. :-P It's rather blocky under the armor plus the click-joint sockets in frown (fake + brown = frown).

Besides the squid, the AR animals seems mediocre to me and yes that is a big gripe that they are too fragile. And yes, I think the legs make it. I am trying to order up as many of them as I can off Bricklink. I am kicking myself for not getting as many of the 7474 Urban Avengers as I could when I saw them on clearance for $4 a piece at the LEGO store a year ago or so...

[optimus-convoy]

What a vile and disgusting beast. *sweet* It's simple, yet creepy enough to instill fear in the hearts of minifigs.

Also, nice use of useless dino arms. *y*

[Vader]

Nice...very, very nice. I love that monster *wub* it

[Brainbox]

It's simple, yet creepy enough to instill fear in the hearts of minifigs.

Is it okay for me to be scared?

Nice, although my first thought was one of fear for the minifig. I like the beetle-type look, squat but still agile, etc. Nice use of parts, as *vader* said, especially the Piraka head-tails which I'm a fan of. Even though I don't actually own any of the mini Piraka.

[Stauder]

Very cool mate! Feminds me of a large flea... Maybe you should call it "The Flea"

Who's the flea? The Flea is me! :-P

[Sir Dillon]

I don't normally like those big dino parts, but I think this creation looks really cool. It looks kind of like a large mutant frog to me.

I like the way you've thought out how it catches people with its tentacles... that's a cool detail.

[Norrington]

Very nice! Even though this is for things Relating to the Hat-Box Ghost,I think you deserve the much coveted Sacred order of the Holy Hat-Box seal of approval! Great Job!

Edited July 12, 2007 by Norrington

[ghoulrealm]

It definately looks like a beetle-frog. The entire design is well executed, and the dino arms accentuate an organic feel to the creature. It makes me wish I had more dino arms.

The minifig should feel honored to be devoured by such an exceptional creature. :-P

Edited July 13, 2007 by ghoulrealm

[El Bucanero]

Ah very nice Monster! Doesn't look like the type of beast I'd like to meet on a dark night. :-P So much detail in such a relatively small MOC (I mean, look at the Aquaraiders lobster!).

Could be a nice asset to a treasure hunt at the cursed Island MOC!

You always surprise me with your MOCs Mr Hinckley.

Mr Tiber

[Bonaparte]

You've made a scary beast Hinckley.

When it catches me, I'll probably scare to death (is this a correct expression?) before I'm eaten :-D .

And it's nice to see the pictures of this animal in action.

Monster ON !!

[Starwars4J]

Oh, and by the way, Hinckley, this is absolutely brilliant:

I might just have to steal that :-D

[Sir Dillon]

When it catches me, I'll probably scare to death (is this a correct expression?) before I'm eaten :-D .

I think it would be more like "I'd be scared to death".

[Siegfried]

Besides the squid, the AR animals seems mediocre to me and yes that is a big gripe that they are too fragile.

I agree. The squid was the highlight, although I quite like the fish as well. I am planning on breaking my crab and lobster soon.

I am kicking myself for not getting as many of the 7474 Urban Avengers as I could when I saw them on clearance for $4 a piece at the LEGO store a year ago or so...

Wow! That was cheap. I have two copies of the T-1 Typhoon; one was slightly on sale and the other was under half price. Thus I have 4 sets of those arms. (Sorry, I want them, and not even muffin or ice cube trays could persade me to give them up.)

[Hinckley]

Nice...very, very nice. I love that monster *wub* it

[Piranha]

8-

Edited July 17, 2007 by Piranha

[Siegfried]

Besides buying 20 raptors, so Sinner I'd tell you what you can do with yours but I think you know...I bought some Galidor parts. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I want to combine them with some brick-built beast ideas, but tell me what you think of this...

I feel dirty... (peuking emoticon)

Actually, I like it. I own the Galidor girl and I have fun swapping parts with Exo-Force mechs and the Dino Attack dinosaurs. I look forward to this upcoming story...

[Asuka]

That