Daybreak breaks throughout the Egyptian marsh. Rays of daylight start piercing the treeline, and Ramses stirs as the heat of the rays tickle the arch of his sail, working their means down his flanks. His six-foot lengthy, toothy jaws open extensive in a yawn, and he begins stretching his muscle tissues, readying his physique for a brand new day of exercise. Ramses raises himself of the bottom into bipedal posture, and begins strolling the quick distance from his sleeping tree to the open riverbank; his hind limbs seem diminutive, however they bear the load of his prolonged kind with shocking grace. His tall, slender tail sweeps behind him, counterbalancing his deep chest and lengthy neck. Ramses opens his jaws once more, this time to announce his presence. A growling *HONK* like a seven-ton goose reverberates throughout the waters; this stretch of the river belongs to him, and any guests should cross his approval. The pharaoh is awake, and a brand new day of searching alongside the rivers begins.
Just a bit greater than three years to the day because the marketing campaign’s preliminary launch, a large field with a particular merchandise treasured inside was delivered to my doorstop, courtesy of The Mesozoic Life Mission. The merchandise in query was the highly-anticipated scientific duplicate of “Ramses”, the Spinosaurus aegypticus, a mascot of kinds for a multimedia undertaking devoted to protection of distinctive prehistoric biomes, from the smallest obscure fauna to the enduring saurian superstars of the ecosystem – shades of Strolling with Dinosaurs, Age of Reptiles, the currently-ongoing Forgotten Bloodlines collection, and a lot of different docu-drama titles which have graced paleontology pop-culture. Ramses represented what was to be the primary bodily realized product out of the undertaking. Though the primary marketing campaign failed to achieve its aim, the second marketing campaign met with success in June of 2022; regardless of quite a few delays in manufacturing, the mannequin was lastly accomplished nearly precisely two years later. In late summer season of 2024, Ramses started arriving eventually to the doorstops of backers all over the world, concluding the primary chapter of a hard-earned saga and delivering a collective, albeit extended, victory for the indie paleo-media sphere and its followers.
Conception of Ramses and the Mesozoic Life Mission started in 2019, led by content material creator Kevin Miguel Elias (who goes by Blayken on social media), with a crew that included notable artists akin to Raul Ramos (idea artwork), Cheung Chung Tat (colour scheme), and Jacob Baardse (3D modeling). As the general undertaking advanced, so did the design for Ramses, with the reveal of recent discoveries in 2020 requiring revisions to the already unusual-looking theropod. Though Blayken was working with skilled artists {and professional} scientists – together with Roberto Diaz Sibaja, Elena Cuesta Fidalgo and AgustÍn Martinelli – Ramses can be the primary time this unbiased crew would ship a bodily mannequin for market launch. The vary of high quality out there within the dinosaur-collecting interest has expanded spectacularly within the final decade, which put Ramses in a difficult place for expectations. How would this high-end duplicate from an “novice” crew of model-makers evaluate to related merchandise already out there from the interest’s business giants? Would such a comparability be honest in any respect?
With Ramses lastly arriving in my very own palms, I’ve been working to reply the above questions for some time now. Regrettably, it’s taken for much longer than I supposed to collect and consider all the knowledge I wanted, however these questions on what Mesozoic Life’s crew might accomplish are nonetheless nicely price a solution. It’s additionally price noting that, within the time it’s taken me to compile this overview, the subsequent stage of the Mesozoic Life undertaking has gone underway: a fully-animated pilot quick titled River of Giants, which launched as a Kickstarter campaign Might 14, 2025 and efficiently reached its essential funding aim by the 22nd, nicely earlier than the marketing campaign’s deadline of June 14. After greater than 5 years of improvement, going through quite a few hurdles and challenges, the Mesozoic Life Mission is lastly discovering its stride and coming totally to life. With all that historical past in thoughts, let’s sit down get began taking a look at Ramses, we could?
Ramses comes packaged in a… Properly, it’s not precisely a field, however a large black Styrofoam block measuring a hefty 54.5 x 27 x 13.5 cm (21.5 x 10.5 x 5.25 in), with a cardboard sleeve for cover and presentation. The block holds the determine snugly in place, with some extra Styrofoam items protecting from the entrance. The sleeve shows paintings of Ramses on the entrance, with prototype images on prime and an informational blurb about Spinosaurus on the underside. The again of the sleeve is simply clean, strong black. The bundle feels very “premium on a price range”, if that makes any sense; the undertaking crew clearly put effort into the presentation, however had been possible compelled to chop corners to maintain prices manageable. It’s completely serviceable at its essential function, which is maintaining Ramses safe when in storage. The most important problem may simply be determining the place to retailer such a big “field”; however that may be inevitable whatever the bundle. Ramses is loads massive as a figurine, demanding loads of area as soon as he enters his new area.
Ramses himself measures a whopping 50 cm/19.75 in lengthy – which is earlier than factoring within the curvature of his neck and tail – and 17 cm (6.75 in) tall from sail to toe, with out the bottom. At this dimension, Ramses might characterize a modest 12.6-meter particular person at 1:25 scale, a big 15-meter particular person at 1:30 scale, or a colossal 17.5-meter particular person at 1:35 scale. We don’t have any fossils supporting the third choice but, however it may be inside the realm of risk (in keeping with a recent case study on theropod dimension). In any case, collectors aware of Safari, Collecta, PNSO, and many others will discover Ramses is well larger than most different theropod collectible figurines out there, and even rivaling a few of the sauropods on the market. Posed in a principally impartial, conventional strolling pose with the mouth agape in a roar, Ramses doesn’t want an particularly dynamic pose to keep up a commanding presence on the shelf.
Ramses does want some help in posing, nonetheless; he’s accompanied by one accent within the type of a tough plastic show base, which is critical for Ramses to face with. Measuring 27 cm (10.75 in) lengthy by 10 cm (4 in) extensive, and roughly 7 mm excessive alongside the sides, the bottom emulates a muddy river mattress or financial institution, with rusty orange mud flats and an erratic floor of rocks, mounds, and ripples. A pair of footprints are molded into the bottom for Ramses to suit his toes in, with a peg rising from the left print for further stability. Though the fabric feels type of flimsy to me, the bottom seems sturdy and appears very skilled; I can simply envision the mannequin and mount being displayed in a Museum window field. Regrettably, Ramses’s toes don’t fairly match snugly within the footprints, even after makes an attempt to reshape the toes with sizzling water remedy; fortunately that doesn’t impede the steadiness in any noticeable means. Ramses makes use of the fingers of his proper hand as a 3rd balancing level, which traces up with the rocky raised portion of the bottom. Not everybody may recognize this design selection, however I’m positive each seasoned collector studying this could recognize how tough the duty of balancing a toy theropod dinosaur is; even the perfect firms within the enterprise nonetheless can have hit-or-miss information maintaining their bipeds steady. The Mesozoic Life crew went by quite a few iterations making an attempt to suit the candy spot for Ramses earlier than deciding on this compromise. I view it as a delicate nod to the temporary quadruped period of Spinosaurus reconstructions we had following the brand new discoveries revealed in 2014. The sail-backed dinosaur has seen a variety of modifications previously decade, modifications which the undertaking crew needed to weigh rigorously for Ramses’s last reconstruction.
There are at present two main camps of Spinosaurus reconstructions: the “aquatic pursuit” mannequin, based mostly on the findings of Ibrahim et al. 2020, and the “semiaquatic ambush” mannequin, based mostly on Sereno et al. 2022. These two papers and their accompanying skeletal illustrations have impressed numerous different revised takes on the animal’s look by a variety of artists since then, every with their very own nuances to the dimensions and functionality of the dinosaur’s ever-peculiar-looking anatomy. The design crew for Ramses had loads to work with in deciding the place on the Spino-spectrum Ramses would fall. Having spent a variety of time pouring over the revealed figures and the plastic figurine alike, I can solely think about how exhausting the method of really MAKING this mannequin needed to be! Ramses serves to remind me of how a lot work and examine goes into the science of significant paleoart, business or in any other case.
The ultimate design for Ramses seems to take cues from either side of the Spinosaurus life-style debate, hedging some bets and making some compromises to realize the imaginative and prescient the crew felt was appropriate. Ramses’s cranium is unmistakably spinosaurine in its slender, gar-like jaws and notched snout, lined with massive conical tooth. A exact complete of six tooth line both sides of the premaxilla, with one other 13 on every maxilla – probably one too many, however that’s a minor quibble. I do, nonetheless, assume the snout’s narrowness and shallowness may be a bit exaggerated for this mannequin, because the incline to the deeper jugal bone (the “cheek”/again of the mouth) seems to be sharper than even most current reconstructions. I’m additionally not sure of how a lot binocular imaginative and prescient Spinosaurus would have been able to, though the forward-facing eyes definitely add to the hanging look on Ramses. A single half-oval crest protrudes from the highest of Ramses’s head between the eyes, and the nostrils and ear holes are outlined nicely. One caveat to the design is that the decrease jaw – which is a separate piece from the top – is a little bit conspicuous with the seam traces from some angles.
Most reconstructions are a minimum of constant in regards to the cranium; it’s the postcranial skeleton (ie, the whole lot else) the place Ramses the Spinosaurus will get trickier. The neck of Spinosaurus is considered pretty lengthy, a minimum of longer than the animal’s already sizable cranium; Ramses’s neck could also be conservative in that regard. Ramses’s torso is barely over twice the size of the cranium – measured from the shoulder to the hip socket – which does match up with each the 2020 and 2022 reconstructions, from my very own estimates. The precise form of the torso aligns with the 2022 version, which has a shallower chest cavity that reduces the frontal weight. The tail, in the meantime, additionally matches nearer to the 2022 proportions – its size equal to the torso plus the cranium as much as the antorbital fenestra – however these tough measurements of mine might be a little bit off because of the shortened neck.
Whereas the very tip of the tail tapers like within the 2022 skeletal, the neural spines on the base of the tail exhibit a concave form resembling the 2020 skeletal as an alternative; likewise, the musculature of the tail close to the bottom is narrower underneath, versus the robust cross-sections modeled for the 2022 reconstruction (one other key function in counterbalancing and realigning the animal’s heart of gravity in life). The eponymous sail on Ramses’s again is modeled within the M-shape that’s been standard in reconstructions since 2014, as an alternative of the extra conventional convex sail that has been making a return extra lately. A modest layer of soppy tissue covers the sail, smoothing out the floor and mixing into the flanks of the physique. It’s a far cry from a hump, as some have postulated, however it may nonetheless be extra tissue than the newest analyses recommend would have sheathed the spines.
Out of all of the surprises Spinosaurus has given us previously decade, probably the most controversial is the hind limbs, that are so quick some scientists and artists had been satisfied the stays had been a chimera of separate creatures. To this point the chimera concept has been debunked, however questions stay in regards to the precise dimensions of the animal’s limbs in maturity. Fortunately each the 2020 and 2022 papers appear to be in settlement about dimension, due to how full the fossils are. Ramses seems to be to have precisely proportionate legs, with the thigh equal to the pubis and ischium of the hip, and the shin bone about equal in size once more. The forearms can contact the bottom with their claws, as talked about earlier than; however this has extra to do with what section of the gait the legs are in. The diminished internal toe additionally flattens towards the bottom precisely, and a modest sheet of webbing stretches between every of the bigger toes. One manufacturing error is current right here on the precise foot, the place there’s a spot within the webbing between the second and third toes.
A number of trendy Spinosaurus designs wish to imitate crocodiles of their osteoderm armor and mottled brown-and-green pores and skin patterns. Even with out the croc scutes, a variety of Spinos find yourself being coloured brown in some kind or different. For Ramses, the inventive crew determined to do one thing very totally different: utilizing two modern-day dinosaurs, the agami heron (Agamia agamio) and the tricolored heron (egretta tricolor), for reference, the crew decked out Ramses in a phenomenal wash of blues, from deep midnight shades to ashen-white tints. The face is punctuated with stark white markings and a vibrant pink to the crest. The minute eyes, completely marked with inexperienced irises, are simply misplaced in these markings; however any would-be enemy would rapidly take discover of the brilliant pink mouth and sharp tooth. There are some discrepancies to notice, nonetheless, moreover a hint of paint slop on a few tooth. I discussed earlier than how the decrease jaw is a individually molded piece; it additionally seems to be individually painted, because the white values don’t fairly match the cranium, and the throat shows a jarring cutoff from darkish to gentle blue the place the jaw piece attaches. I’d be extra essential of this error from a longtime studio like PNSO, however given the character of this product I’m extra keen to let it slide.
Returning to the postcranial colour patterns, there are irregular splotches that embellish the ribcage and play on the sunshine/darkish values of the coloration properly. The beneath of the determine is a really gentle, milky blue, with only a trace of pink blended in, whereas the darkest values will be discovered on the outer limbs, the again of the neck, and the rim of the sail. The sail additionally incorporates a row of fiery red-and-orange bolts streaking upwards and outwards, intensifying the show qualities of the construction. It’s not a garish contact, and it helps the general determine pop in colour a little bit extra. One word of criticism I’ll make is that a few of the reds and oranges look a bit sloppy in utility and mixing; however most viewers in all probability received’t discover until they’re in search of it. Equally, alongside the tail there look like a number of discolored spots amidst the blue, as if one or two coats had been utilized (or possibly eliminated) inconsistently. This generally is a bit extra noticeable, relying on the lighting; however as soon as once more, the general high quality of the work appears very spectacular to my eyes for such a small undertaking. I can solely think about what limitations they may have confronted with the manufacturing manufacturing unit on their price range.
It’s been a protracted street for Ramses, reflective maybe of the tumultuous historical past of Spinosaurus itself; however I really feel assured in saying the Mesozoic Life Mission’s first bodily reward has met all of my expectations with flying colours. It’s a powerful piece that captures the entire extraordinary traits that make the dinosaur so fascinating as we speak. The combination of options between the 2 vying reconstructions may annoy collectors in search of a “pure” rendition of 1 reconstruction or one other, however I believe the mannequin serves a effective illustration of this era in time when our understanding of Spinosaurus continues to be going by an upheaval, with many uncertainties but to be resolved. Some quibbles will be made in regards to the base or the paint utility, however total this is among the most spectacular dinosaur collectible figurines in my complete assortment. Though Ramses was produced as a restricted marketing campaign run, new fashions had been designed for this yr’s Kickstarter, and I believe it’s secure to say we are going to proceed seeing collectible figurines of this high quality from the Mesozoic Life crew for so long as the undertaking is alive and kicking.
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