Icons Robin's Throwing Bird

This is the Robin's Redbird replica from the movie "Batman & Robin". This is number #154.

Here is what Larry Taylor can tell us about that replica : "Oh boy, do I remember those things...Jeeeze what a production nightmare...nothing lined up, the fitment was horrible...alot of the wings wouldn't open out because of warpage.

Consider yourself very lucky Fred that you have one because a lot of them didn't make it out because of these issues. It's a great looking piece".

"It was just taken away from us by Warner Brothers so we couldn't finalize an accurate reproduction of it from the prototype and that's the reason why it had issues but some did make it out as is yours did and those were the good ones". Thank you Larry.

Al Z. adds : "It was definitely one of those props that was made just for the movie and not for the real world. People kept opening and closing the wings over and over again and after just a few times they would tend to pop off because they weren't designed to be used in the real world.

Had we had time to re-engineer it just a little better I think it would have made a very big difference".

"But Warner Brothers was very insistent that it get done ASAP....I also remember them coming in when we would do deliveries and supposedly DNA marking them so that they could not be bootlegged. Not that I think anybody would have". Thank you Al.

Then we have hand-made drawing prototypes of the piece, rendered by Daren Dochterman.

That one above is a concept advertisement for the Icons "Batman & Robin" replicas. It's interesting and funny to see the movie and Icons logos melted together !!

Here are some early concept COAs for the Throwing Bird.

Some other early concept COAs with Warner Bros. Studio annotations.

Another serie of COA prototypes.

Final test versions for the Redbird COA.

This is an early prototype plaque : as you can see, there are no trademarks (TM) after each line and logo, and it is "The RedBird" which will finally become "Robin's Throwing Bird" on final pieces !!!

Icons Ghostbusters 1 & 2 Patch-Set Display Replica Prototype

"Who ya gonna call ?..."   

Here's a very unique item. This is the only Studio authorized and authenticated Ghostbusters replica patch-set display that the Icons Studio wardrobe department ever produced.  

Unbeknownst to most, in 1998 Icons was gearing up for a public offering on Wall Street. They were being groomed by multiple investment bankers to expand and diversify in order to attract more potential stock buyers. Icons began to plan in total secrecy to create wholly owned subsidiaries that would produce licensed wardrobe replicas, toys & novelties, etc.   

One unique concept was to apply the same stellar quality and sales and marketing methodologies Icons was World famous for in the licensed prop and miniature replica arena to the manufacture and distribution of precise Studio wardrobe and costume piece licensed replicas. Icons successfully negotiated with and entered into an exclusive agreement with two renowned film and television wardrobe fabricators that were also highly regarded in the cosplay fandom universe, for their custom costumes. Which were known for being flawless in their accuracy and tailoring. These two individuals were Kathy Pillsbury and Joe Kerezman. If you ask around fandom, all of the information contained in this description is verifiable. 

In the Spring of 1998, Icons opened a full-scale wardrobe shop complete with computerized sewing machines, hundreds of bolts of fabric, and pattern making equipment, etc. 5 prototypes were produced in this facility. 1) A Star Wars Empire Strikes Back Han Solo costume  2) a Ghostbusters jumpsuit  3) a Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior jacket  4) a Ghostbusters 1 & 2 jumpsuit patch display and finally  5) a Starship Troopers 2-piece military uniform.  

Unfortunately, before this dream could be realized, Icons closed its doors forever. The existence of the Icons Studio Wardrobe department was a closely guarded R&D secret and was considered just another rumor for many years.  

The rare, one of a kind item displayed here is a prototype display set, of authentic replicas of the patches worn on screen in the blockbuster-hit films Ghostbusters 1 & 2.   

Original Ghostbusters 1 & 2 costumes worn by the stars of the films were provided by Sony Studios / Columbia / Tri-Star Pictures to the Icons Wardrobe Department and utilized to create precise 1:1 scale replications of the screen-worn patches which adorned the Ghostbusters' jumpsuits. Icons had hoped to utilize its relationship with Sony Studios to procure a master license for both Ghostbusters properties. 
  
As you can see by the photo, this old prototype is in gorgeous condition and has obviously been well preserved. Also, as you can see by the photograph, the quality of the computerized sewing is exceptional. The display was created by mounting precise Studio authorized and authenticated 1:1 scale quality reproductions of the name patches of the beloved character names, as seen in the film on the Ghostbusters jumpsuit uniforms, as portrayed by Bill Murray (Dr. Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Dr. Raymond Stantz), Harold Ramis (Dr. Egon Spengler) and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore) and the classic Ghostbusters / jumpsuit uniform sleeve logo and Ghostbusters 2 sleeve logo, which have been carefully placed and mounted between 2 sheets of custom cut quality Plexiglas which are bolted together with six custom screws. The original Icons prototype metal inventory tag number (#000139) is still affixed to the piece in the bottom right hand corner. 

The prototype display includes a rare paper "temp-plaque" with the Icons, Columbia Pictures Studios logo and a credit area where a Icons Studio Wardrobe Department logo would have been placed between the two, but this logo was never developed. There is a mock-up celebrity signature in the center of the temp-plaque of actor Dan Aykroyd. This is a facsimile signature and was not signed by the actor. The #42 of 500 is a simulated number on the temp-plaque, this edition is actually #1 of 1.  

The reverse of the Plexiglas wall display has an interlocking hanging point bracket which includes the original mounting piece which is easy to screw into a wall for immediate home display. 

This prototype was on display in Icons legendary memorabilia adorned conference rooms in both the Sun Valley and North Hollywood, California locations, from 1998 until 2000. It now resides with Andrea in Italy.

Icons Blade Runner Deckard's Pistol And Badge Prototype

This is the, never before seen, Icons prototype for the Rick Deckard's pistol from the movie Blade Runner. 

The gun is a static piece (no moving parts) as it was molded off a production / stunt gun (owned by Jim Latta at the time).

The badge is also molded off an original prop and is polished cast metal.

And finally, I think that all of you will recognize the display backing which was molded off an original Ennis House tile, issued from the home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

That piece was bought in the Spring of 2003 by Eric, a dentist from Indiana. I'm really grateful to him for sharing that beautiful piece with us here, on the Museum.

 



Icons Hellraiser Puzzle Box Prototype

Here are two Hellraiser Cubes, displayed with the Icons plaque Art.

On the bottom, is a test casting for the Hellraiser Le Marchand's puzzle box, featuring the Lament Configuration, taken off of an original used in filming, with computer scanned graphics of the etched brass panels in the background.

On the top is the unfinished wood prototype. This is the very first one made. Mike Moore probably made 2 sets of wood components. That one, and Hemdale (the Licensor for Hellraiser at the time) certainly got the second and completed one.

Icons Jurassic Park Claw "Master"

 This is one of Icons Jurassic Park claw master. It was given to a friend of mine by Mike Rogers, one of Icons co-founders. It is in pretty good shape. Displayed with regular Icons JP claw base.

These two COAs are Icons Jurassic Park Velociraptor Claw and Egg COA prototypes. You can see on pic that they were supposed to wear Director Steven Spielberg's signature....Finally, Icons ended-up with another design for those COAs, parting with Spielberg's signature :-(

Lucasfilm Archives Star Wars Icons First Announcement / Teaser Concept Advertisement (1996)

Conceptualized 24 years ago by Icons Jim Latta & rendered by Daren Dochterman, these are early concept designs for the first announcement of Icons licensed line of Star Wars prop replicas. Icons was the first collectibles company to be granted a license by Lucasfilm LTD. to produce 1:1 scale Star Wars prop and miniature replicas (1995-2000), after LFL had received over 1,000 proposals.

Interestingly, Icons preferred the open wood door ad concept (above) with the illuminated eyes of C3-PO and a Jawa peaking out, and Darth Vader's lightsaber glowing in the darkness, but Lucasfilm felt the wood door concept appeared "too unsecure and could lead to break-ins by fans", so a bank-vault style door was created by Dochterman as requested by Lucasfilm. The Icons wood door version of this advert has never before been shown until posted here on this blog.

Stormtrooper's guarding the vault door (above) were added to feature more of a Star Wars theme to the advert but eventually Lucasfilm chose the simple bank-vault door design. Variations on this theme were rendered by Daren, before the final design appeared in a 1996 issue of the Official Star Wars Fan Club publication - "The Star Wars Insider".

Icons Glossy Collector Postcards (set of "4" - 1998)

The beautifully designed and printed, glossy Icons collectors postcard set (of "4") which were published and mailed-out to customers 22 years ago in 1998. Designed and rendered by freelance graphic designer Noel Martin. Designed to promote the Icons Predator, Terminator and Star Wars replica lines.

Icons Jim Latta recalls - "The Icons Collector Postcards were intended by me to be almost like jumbo trading cards. Noel Martin was an incredible talent. When I was introduced to him in 1998,  he was working full-time at the Southern California Gas Company as serviceman. I was blown-away by his gifts as a graphic designer and at the time, our in-house graphic designer was overwhelmed with all of the work that was needed. So we retained Noel to work on a few campaigns and he designed and rendered these postcards after a little discussion on what I had envisioned for them graphic-wise. He hit it out of the park in my opinion".

Interestingly there was a "5th" Collectible postcard designed by Noel for an Icons Star Trek full-size Captain's Chair replica. But it was never printed.