Why I Love GAFDOZ!

Great miniatures like classical statues tell you stories when you look at them; the fine lines of the carvings conjuring up events and backgrounds for the subject matter that may or may not be accurate but nonetheless stir you and touch you in some way.

The Galactic Adventures in the Fourth Dimension of the Forbidden Zone (GAFDOZ) line of supersized, heroic 28mm figures from Killer B Games are such works of art.

Even if you hadn't previously been considering a Flash Gordon-inspired skirmish wargame or a role-playing game in Buck Roger's 25th Century, then a few moments spent admiring these figures will send your mind racing back to the Golden/Silver Age of comics, movie serials and sword & planet pulps.

I know I've banged on about these figures before, but they are so well sculpted and unique in their design that they deserve wider acknowledgement.

Heck, they deserve their own role-playing game (or a supplement to, say, Savage Worlds, at least), comic book series and animated TV show!

The other day I asked Killer B head honcho Craig Rowlings, who has created a wonderful mythology for his range which he has been teasing us with over the last year or so, about his plans for GAFDOZ in 2009.

He replied, on the GAFDOZ mailing list: "So far I have three new Protectorate Guard and a Protectorate Guard Sergeant waiting to be cast up, there is also the first two Star Patrol characters.

"I'm hoping to have most of the main crew of Star Patrol out by Christmas so that will be about 10 main characters.

"Also, the Lost Legion Troopers are planned this year as well as hopefully the Kappa and the Murphidian Miners.

"Whether I get the Arcticon Blizzard Nomads done this year is doubtful unless I win the Lottery. None of these new aliens feature on the GAFDOZ list on the website yet, as I don't know who exactly I will do next.

"The Collosus of Mars will probably be released last as he will be massive and will bankrupt me.

"2010 will see the release of figures from the Proton Rangers history: in particular the Revolt of the Hornet Men."

The minion figures (such the Protectorate Guard) are roughly 28mm from base to eye level, while the more heroic characters are generally around 36mm and the "super-soldiers" (such as The Lost Legion) are about 40mm.

When asked about the different sizes of the heroic figures, he said: "The Lost Legion were super soldiers and were all bigger than the average chap. I will be curbing the size of figures in future though as I know there is a disparity in size. The Murphidians and Kappa are diminutive chaps so won't cause any problems."

It's these hints and teases of a "bigger picture" that keep me hooked on the GAFDOZ line.

Sure I'd like all the figures to be available at once, but I realise that Killer B Games is a small miniatures manufacturer and such an approach makes very poor business sense - especially in these cash-strapped times.

But I would recommend anyone who loves the old science-fiction serials - in any format (TV, comic, film, book) - to visit The Galactic Adventures in the Fourth Dimension of the Forbidden Zone page on the Killer B Games website and show Craig some financial love by supporting this amazing range.