The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Model Madness Realm

CHILLER THEATRE'S SPRING 2001 EXPO SHOW

(Page One)

The morning of Saturday, April 28^thfound a very quiet, idyllic setting in place at the Sheraton Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With the birds a-singing and the blossoms a-blooming, the weather had started showing signs that Spring had finally sprung.

Inside the hotel the April 2001 Chiller Theatre Show was getting into full swing. However, from the very quiet, peaceful scene that existed outside, you really couldn’t tell this…(Or could you? The three junior Ghost-Busters we passed by should have been an indicator that things were not as they seemed).

This was the third Chiller Show that I was attending in as many years. Once again, my Chiller partner-in-crime Gene accompanied me. Also, once again, we were running a bit late, speeding up the New Jersey Turnpike, on our way to the Sheraton.

We arrived at the hotel at sometime between 11 am and 12 Noon. After proceeding through the lobby, we went out a side door and worked our way to the end of the line that had formed.

Once we got there we ran into another character. This guy looked to be a cross between Robocop and a Starship Trooper.

Fortunately for us, this time it took us only around 20 minutes to make our way up to the admissions table.

On the way, yet another Chiller character, Animal, keeper of the Gate accosted us.

We paid our admissions fee and took the escalator up to the second floor.

At that point, Gene and I decided to split up. He wanted to check out the vendors, while I wanted to check out the contest room and the modeling seminars that were being conducted.

This was the first time that "Diceman" (alias Ed Bowkley - the guy running the contest) had scheduled seminars on different aspects of model building. I was looking forward to attending them.

Ed himself had conducted a seminar at 11:00 am entitled "Garage Kits 101." (Unfortunately, I had already missed that one).

David Grant (from Needful Things) was currently holding a discussion (which had begun at 12 Noon) entitled: Sculpting 101. I dropped in and took in the remainder of David's talk.

I was pleasantly surprised to (once again) run into my other two Chiller compatriots, Ron and Mark Vantine.

During the talk, David showed a slide presentation and talked about his latest work, a Dracula figure. The Count was scheduled to be released within a month or so.

David talked about the types of sculpting putty that he uses (mainly Magic Sculpt), mentioned different problems he ran into while working on Drac, and pointed out different things he did to his figure. He ended his speech by answering numerous questions that were posed, along with showing an aluminum armature that he had brought along.

Following David's talk I ventured out and dropped into Ken Kelly's room. Ken is known for artwork he did on the Kiss "Destroyer" and "Love Gun" Album covers. In addition, Ken did artwork for numerous Conan Books, along with the covers of a number of Robert E. Howard novels.

I commented on how I thought Ken's work resembled that of Frank Frazetta, and was told by Mark that Ken had studied under Frank.

After admiring Ken's work and talking to him a bit, I made my way into the contest room.

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