By some estimates, this year’s Gen Con was as bursting with new games as the 560. We’ve covered some of the trends we’ve seen, including a boom in roll-and-write games and a chaotic wave of new party games. But the nation’s biggest tabletop gaming convention had another unusual item: a tiny, handsome, plastic Jeff Goldblum.
unmatchedThe incredibly popular skirmish game that pits Hollywood heroes against historical heroes recently dropped its latest set of Jurassic Park-inspired villains. Unmatched Jurassic Park: Dr. Sattler vs. T. Rex Currently out of stock. The $30 game comes with an Ellie Sattler miniature and a giant Tyrannosaurus rex. Ellie also gets a sidekick – a small plastic token on which Dr. Ian Malcolm, a two-dimensional object in which his raw, sexual energy is completely incapacitated.
To remedy this situation, Restoration Games ordered 10,000 plastic Ian Malcolm miniatures, complete with a delicate ink wash, which it made available with pre-orders. Speaking with Polygon at the convention, team members said that the Mini sold out before they could set aside something for themselves. A handful were available at his booth, but the demand for miniatures completely stunned him. Another batch is already on the way.
But this isn’t the only Jeff Goldblum gaming miniature currently in production. Strata Miniatures is working on a whole set of figures based on the popular Dark Dice real drama series. The crowdfunding campaign goes live in October. Among them is the mighty elf magician named Balamur – portrayed by none other than Jeff Goldblum. Early renders of his miniature show him in a powerful pose, with his hand raised to cast a spell and a shrill smile on his face. Drawn Short – Illustrated by David Fisk, better known on Line Dungeon & Dry Commodities – Features lots of freehand work, including a beautiful tattoo.
Photo: Strata Miniatures
“The amazing sculpture boasts not only her chiseled good looks but also her ‘glare in the eye’ personality,” Fisk said while speaking with Polygon on Twitter. “On a more serious note, I was really keen to do justice to their cultural heritage and create a custom skintone blend just for them. Most miniature paints are formulated for the manufacturer’s ‘skin tone’ Caucasian complexion, so It was an interesting challenge.
The sad fact is that there are no Jeff Goldblum miniatures suitable for tabletop gaming available for sale on the market at the moment. But I believe it will be resolved soon, because as we all know, life finds a way. In the meantime, Dr. Ian Malcolm will be sitting at my desk until the Warhammer TV presenter Louise Sugden I find these rock hard, shiny abs a proper tutorial on how to portray them.
