Back in 1994, modeler Mike Reccia started editing a Science Fiction modeling magazine called Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models. I found these in my local Comics Shop and grabbed them whenever I could. The magazine started out bi-monthly, converted into Sci-Fi & Fantasy Models International and ending up as a monthly release. Unfortunately this ended in 2001 with Issue 53.

About 5 years ago Mike resurrected the idea as a quarterly, larger format magazine under the new name Sci-fi & Fantasy Modeller. The issues are now 100 pages (counting covers) with a sturdier card cover and full color photos. The stories are still well done with a combination of modeling stories and behind the scenes articles. Let's take a look and see what is in the latest.

Volume 21 contains 12 articles, 10 on modeling and 2 others.

Introduction

"Steampunk", according to Wikipedia, "...is a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s..." and "...involves an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century and often Victorian era Britain—that incorporates prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy." "Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; in other words, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne or real technologies like the computer but developed earlier in an alternate history." You can read more about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk or just search the web.

Description

Another excellent issue from the folks at Happy Medium Press with high quality production materials and a variety of articles to suit to suit many themes and interests of the Sci-Fi and Fantasy modeler. Between the heavyweight glossy covers are 98 color glossy pages containing 13 articles. There are fewer than 6 advertisements so the content is very high.

The articles are well researched and relevant to the topics they cover.

What I like about the articles is the balance of Sci-fi and fantasy along with a lot of subject matter variety within each genre. Also, there are OOB builds, kit-bashing, scratch building (both partial and complete), painting, in-depth background articles and enlightening interviews.

Description and History

From the Moebius Models web site:

“Galactica was one of the first twelve Battlestars to be constructed by the Colonials, each representing one of the twelve colonies; Galactica represented Caprica. As such, she is some 50 years old. Galactica (BS 75) is a veteran Battlestar and the last of her kind still in service with the Colonial Fleet at the time of the destruction of the Twelve Colonies. Built during the early days of the Cylon War, she becomes one of only two known Battlestars (the other being Pegasus) to survive the renewed Cylon attack on the Twelve Colonies. By the time of this attack, she was part of the 75th Battlestar Group (BSG-75).'

In the Box

Several light beige sprues with parts numbered 3 to 45. There are multiples of some parts, 2 major hull parts, 1 clear sprue, 1 metal rod for the base, a sturdy base and 1 decal sheet, and a partridge in a pear tree.

For Star Trek fans [trekkers], the recent re-releases of the AMT line of Star Trek models has been welcomed with open arms. The re-releases feature all new decals, and in some cases, some new tooling. The Vulcan Shuttle is no exception. First seen in "Star Trek: the Motion Picture", the shuttle Surak is most known for delivering Cmdr. Spock to the newly refitted USS Enterprise NCC-1701. The original release of the Surak featured only a few decals, leaving the modeler the task of masking and painting the complex paneling. Round 2’s new release of the shuttle has solved this.