 |
 |
|
|
|
1990s
|
In the Pop Culture arena, the "Digital Decade" started off like gangbusters as new sci-fi and fantasy kits appeared by the crate-load thanks to the ever-burgeoning number of genre programs gracing the airwaves. "Star Trek: The Next Generation" begat "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," which begat "Star Trek Voyager," while J. Michael Straczysnki's "Babylon 5" simultaneously demonstrated the power and flexibility of low-cost CGI. In Hollywood, the producers of "Independence Day" (1996) surprised everyone by handing the license for its spacecraft designs to the Lindberg Line, while the long-awaited "Star Wars" prequel, "Episode I - The Phantom Menace" (1999) contributed a half-dozen new members to the now-familiar Lucasfilm pantheon of X-Wings, TIE fighters and AT-AT's, courtesy of AMT/Ertl (the company also responsible for exploiting the new "Lost in Space" movie). And then, just as the 20th Century prepared to enter the history books, the Pop Culture field imploded. Citing sagging sales, AMT/Ertl abruptly ceased production of all its "Star Trek" and "Star Wars"-related kits, then went out of the plastic model kit business altogether. Revell/Monogram, which had briefly held the license for UPN's "Star Trek: Voyager," saw its first half-dozen entries meet with only a tepid response, and so decided to get out of the sci-fi business as well. Suddenly, what had been a gusher turned into a dry hole. For the first time in 50 years, only one company -- the upstart manufacturer Polar Lights -- was producing licensed Pop Culture models. Was this the end of Fantastic Plastic modeling? Stayed tuned... |
Click Photos to Enlarge
|
|
|
|
|
|
RED OCTOBER FROM "THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER" (1990) |
OUTA-TIME CAR (FINAL VERSION) FROM "BACK TO THE FUTURE III" (1990) |
BAT SKI BOAT FROM "BATMAN RETURNS" (1992) |
STARFLEET ACADEMY TRAINER FROM "STAR TREK; THE NEXT GENERATION" (1993) |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
SEAQUEST FROM "SEAQUEST DSV" (NBC-TV 1993-1995) |
DEEP OCEAN TRANSPORT FROM "SEAQUEST DSV" (NBC-TV 1993-1995) |
STINGER FROM "SEAQUEST DSV" (NBC-TV 1993-1995) |
DEEP SPACE NINE SPACE STATION FROM "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" (SYNDICATED 1993-1999) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FEDERATION RUNABOUT FROM "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" (SYNDICATED 1993-1999) |
U.S.S. DEFIANT FROM "STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE" (SYNDICATED 1993-1999) |
U.S.S. ENTERPRISE-B FROM "STAR TREK GENERATIONS" (1994) |
BATMOBILE FROM "BATMAN FOREVER" (1995) |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
BATWING FROM "BATMAN FOREVER" (1995) |
BATBOAT FROM "BATMAN FOREVER" (1995) |
STARFURY FROM "BABYLON 5" (SYNDICATED 1994-1998) |
PIRATE RAIDER FROM "BABYLON 5" (SYNDICATED 1994-1998) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
OLYMPUS-CLASS CORVETTE FROM "BABYLON 5" (SYNDICATED 1994-1998) |
MONSOON GUNBOAT FROM "BABYLON 5" (SYNDICATED 1994-1998) |
U.S.S. VOYAGER FROM "STAR TREK: VOYAGER" (UPN 1995-2001) |
MAQUIS SHIP FROM "STAR TREK: VOYAGER" (UPN 1995-2001) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
KAZON SHIP FROM "STAR TREK: VOYAGER" (UPN 1995-2001) |
SPECIES 8472 BIO-SHIP FROM "STAR TREK: VOYAGER" (UPN 1995-2001) |
U.S.S. ENTERPRISE-E FROM "STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT" (1996) |
"PHOENIX" FROM "STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT" (1996) |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
ALIEN ATTACKER FROM "INDEPENDENCE DAY" (1996) |
JUPITER 1 FROM "LOST IN SPACE" (1998) |
JUPITER 2 FROM "LOST IN SPACE" (1998) |
ROBOT FROM "LOST IN SPACE" (1998) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
X-71 SPACE SHUTTLE AND ARMADILLO FROM "ARMAGEDDON" (1998) |
RUSSIAN SPACE STATION FROM "ARMAGEDDON" (1998) |
STARSHIP SOL FROM "PERRY RHODAN" (1999) |
MARCO POLO FROM "PERRY RHODAN" (1999) |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
SPACE JET GLADOR FROM "PERRY RHODAN" (1999) |
BLUES SHIP FROM "PERRY RHODAN" (1999) |
REPUBLIC CRUISER FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
GUNGAN SUB FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
DROID STARFIGHTERS FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
ANAKIN'S POD RACER FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
SITH INFILTRATOR FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
NABOO FIGHTER FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NABOO ROYAL STARSHIP FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
BATTLEDROID AND STAP FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
TRADE FEDERATION LANDING SHIP FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
TRADE FEDERATION MULTI-TROOP TRANSPORT (MTT) FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
TRADE FEDERATION TANK FROM "STAR WARS - EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE" (1999) |
Nebuchadnezzar hovercraft from "the matrix" (1999) |
|
Pop Culture |
Home X-Planes Concept Aircraft Real Space Concept Spacecraft Pop Culture Grab Bag
