Icons Forbidden Planet Laser Pistol Prototype

Icons X-wing Fighter

To launch its Masterpiece Line (Icons authentic replicas which require extraordinary detail and labor intensive procedures), Icons product development and creative staff, along with its Fabrication and Design Group (Icons in-house film and television effects fabrication specialists) chose two highly desirable iconic film miniatures : the Star Wars X-wing fighter and the ID-4 : Independence Day Alien Attacker.

"There is perhaps no other film space vehicle in history that is more recognizable worldwide than the X-wing fighter" stated Doug Conway, President of Icons.

"Icons Masterpiece Series represent the 'Crown Jewels' of the collectible universe" explained Daren Dochterman, Icons Creative Director. "What is most impressive about these pieces is their sheer size in comparison to the standard toy or model kit. The fuselage of the X-wing measures 22 inches and the Attacker is 26 inches across" said Dochterman.

He continues "Each piece features precision detailed Dremel work and custom paint finishes. Even weathering and 'battle damage' are accurately reproduced".

Each Icons Masterpiece edition is film quality. You can take an Icons X-wing or TIE fighter for exemple and mount a motion control bar in it and shoot it on film. That's QUALITY.

Max Cervantes, who was in charge of making the prototypes & molds for the production runs at Icons, was also at one point in charge of the quality control of the X-wing line. He made a multi-point checklist to make sure they were made to the highest quality standards. Max thinks at the most, 500 X-wings were ever produced on the supposed 1977 edition size. So, the Icons model is really RARE !!!

The Icons X-wing 1st generation masters castings came from John Eaves who worked at Boss Films (formally John Dykstra's Apogee FX).  Although that style of miniatures was also studied at the LFL Archives. 

There were 5 Icons prototypes made.

This is a prototype for the X-wing cockpit that Al Z. was going to fiber optic to light up the control panels.He thought it would be easier than wiring LEDs. 

If you look carefully, you can see the holes he drilled out for the fiber.

Another one of those things that never fully happened.

Icons X Files Replica Test Prototype

Here's probably the most unusual early Icons prototype that I have ever seen or had the pleasure of sharing. 

This never before seen or photographed, one-of-a-kind early prototype, produced by the pioneering collectibles company Icons Authentic Replicas, was a X Files prop replica concept, developed to submit to 20th Century Fox and X Files creator/producer Chris Carter, as a possible licensed, limited edition Studio authorized and authenticated product. 

In 1995-96, the popularity of the hit television series The X Files, was at an all-time high. 20th Century Fox wanted to capitalize on the tremendous success of the show, so it endeavored in discussions with Icons to create unique limited edition product. 

After the test piece was completed and examined, Icons Fabrication and Design Group moved swiftly to complete the finished and final prototype. And the results were extraordinary. The piece was submitted to 20th Century Fox Licensing who immediately approved the piece and in turn submitted to X Files creator Chris Carter. Everyone waited on pins and needles for Carter's decision...but what came back was what was expected from Fox Licensing. Chris loved the piece but would not approve it for manufacturing and release to the general public. Case closed. But he wanted to keep the prototype because he was so impressed with it. 

Chris Carter had a understandable but highly protective nature when it came to his creation. Carter was very concerned about over-exploiting the X Files when it came to merchandise. A source of constant frustration to Fox licensing. 

Thus ended another colorful experiment and dynamic chapter in Icons history. 

To this day, 24 years later, no one has ever seen again the original Icons finished prototype of this replica, that remains in the possession of the illusive Chris Carter... 

FYI, this X Files prototype was hand-made by the skilled and talented Vice President of the original Icons Fabrication & Design Group, Mike Moore, who was also one of Icons co-founders and Senior partners and now runs HMS-Studios.

The piece above is a concept drawing / doodle. It was rendered by James Latta. He actually read / studied UFO abductions. The alien calligraphy is based on several cases where people recalled alien writing during their abduction. So that is what Mike Moore made from scratch. Copper plated with gorgeous I.D.'s and clear lucite and plated FBI badge. 

You can read more about that replica on "The Plasma Infusion" website, owner of that awesome piece.

Icons B-9 Robot/Robby The Robot Limited-Edition Promotional Print

Here's a scarce item printed in 1998. These were produced in a very limited edition of only 100 as promotional items for the now legendary and ill-fated Icons Authentic Replicas, which was the original pioneer in Studio licensed Film and Television prop and miniature replicas.

In 1998, Icons successfully tracked down the ORIGINAL and legendary 20th Century Fox and MGM Design engineer & draftsman Robert Kinoshita...who had never done an autograph-session in fandom before !! And as exclusive promotional gifts, Icons published this limited edition print, which depicts copies of the original concept drawings of the Lost in Space B-9 Robot and Kinoshita's other mechanical man masterpiece Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet (YES ! THAT'S RIGHT ! One man designed both incredible and memorable Robots which are famous and loved the world over).

The print is in mint condition, printed on heavy, light grey-tone, simulated stone-wash paper, very nice stock. It was not printed on a computer but obviously by a professional printing company. The printing quality is very nice and the images are very clear. 

This rare print, depicts the world renown robots and a very cool, unpublished vintage image of a young Robert Kinoshita in it's center, hard at work at a Studio drafting table. Kinoshita himself provided this rare image for this scarce print.

The B-9 is referred to as "Blinky" on the print, because that was Robert's affectionate nick-name for his amazing creation. The initials RK are adjacent to both Robot images. And...as if that wasn't enough, besides Kinoshita's hand written original signature, in order to insure authenticity, Kinoshita utilized a red stamp of his name in Japanese and a duplicate stamp of the same symbols in invisible fluorescent ink !!! You have to hold it under a black light in order to see it !!! (Note : the authentic Kinoshita signature is the smaller one in blue. Not the large facsimile one at the bottom in the center). 

According to my reliable sources, 30 to 40 of these rare promotional and authentic autographed prints were sent to B-9 customers. 10 or 20 went to the company's employees. 

Fans and collectors who received these years ago, rarely, if ever, let them go. That rare art print salutes not only the classic Television series Lost in Space but also the classic film Forbidden Planet, the two most legendary Robots of all time and their brilliant and talented designer, Bob Kinoshita, who was in his 80's when he signed this super-scarce collectable. Only 100 made !!!

Icons TIE Fighter

The TIE fighter 1st generation masters castings came from an ex-ILM employee (although that style of miniatures was also studied at the LFL Archives). 

"The main body was from a 1977 ILM model which had wings as well but they were too bad to mold" said Max.

"I rebuild the wings : I used this central core of the wings but the triangle shaped grills that form the hex was in very bad condition. We found that metal grill and remoded it so I could then remold the entire wing. The ILM TIE wings were NEVER cast as single components.....we did it to save all that assembly time !!!"

Dave Heilman is the one who cleaned up the main body.

Al Zequeira oversaw the molding of the TIE fighter, including the TIE fighter wing micro-screens which were considered impossible to mold and re-cast in production.

Icons Fab & Design helped clean them up and work with Al on the assembly methodology, supervised by Mike Moore.

« The paint we used on the TIE fighter was a water based house paint from Sherwin-Williams. That is a paint company here in the U.S." said Mike.

« I definitely think less than 500 TIE fighters were made add Max……it was a lot of hard work for a lot of people to make that happen. »

Peter Greenwood was the Icons staff member who secured the TIE fighter castings.

Most of the original SW ANH miniature molds were buried in ILMs parking lot as ground filler. Per George Lucas instructions !!

Lucasfilm has one set of Icons TIE fighter masters that were given to them at the closure of the company, one Icons co-founder had one set (Mike Rogers) and one set was destroyed :-(

Here is a picture of Robert Bowen working on a TIE fighter during the year 1997 at Icons under the "supervision" of Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars movies....Thanks to Rob for that superb picture 😀

Icons Rocketeer Helmet Prototype

This is the production prototype for the Rocketeer helmet. In the late 1990s, Icons Authentic Replicas acquired the sought after Disney license to manufacture props and replicas based off Walt Disney's legendary films. Icons planned to segue from their mainstream "Star Wars" props to "Disney" related items, as communication about license was more effective with Disney than with LFL !!!

However, financial troubles befell Icons in late 2000 causing them to shut down their facilities in California. Icons only created three Disney replicas under the license which were the 15 inch and 31 inch Nautilus from "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" and a "The Black Hole" Sentry pistol.

In 1999, Icons began prototyping the Rocketeer helmet from the 1991 smash hit motion picture of the same name. This Rocketeer helmet was hand-poured and casted by Icons professional film industry artisans and techs from the Studio Fabrication company "Design Setter's" master molds via Paul Ozzimo & Mike Possert who were part of the Rocket helmet & Backpack crew (Disney contracted "Design Setter's" to produce the helmets and backpacks for the production) and loaned by Walt Disney Studios.

This helmet features unprecedented craftsmanship and detail. The helmet, which in the film was fashioned out of an old, rustic bronze space heater, features the signature 4 light bolts fastened around the eye openings to secure the bubble lenses. The helmet also features the streamline art deco raised ribbed edge that contours around the helmet and also features detailed wield lines that circumnavigate around the helmet. Also present are the upper head air vents and the front grill breathing vents.

As usual with Disney, Icons artisans casted only 6 fibreglass helmets from these molds, to make the samples required by the Studio. The original molds were then returned to the Disney production vaults. Only ONE helmet was fully dremelled, refinished and painted : mine. The helmet, which sat on a bronze bolted display stand in a plexiglas case was precisely inspected by the Icons staff and other prominent members before being shipped off to the Studio execs, along with the 5 other unfinished helmets, with art advertising proof sheets and photos.

Disney green-lit the production of the helmet upon revision of the advertising campaign.

Icons was ready to produce the full edition run of the helmets when the issues of the Lost in Space B-9 Robots and faulty production finally presented themselves. Icons filed for bankruptcy and in 2000, they closed their doors.

Once again, an awesome and never before seen piece from Icons guys.

The picture above is the concept advertisement submitted to Disney.

Icons Terminator 2 Replicas

Here we have some Terminator 2 replicas.

The Future War Battlefield Skull (molded off originals used in filming). Some of these were sent to customers who ordered the 1:1 scale Endo Skeleton (to be part of the display base), some others were sold to public. 

Not a lot were made as only 8 full size Endo Skeletons were shipped to customers.

Only one Film Prop replica company produced Terminator 2 "Chrome-dipped" authentic replicas. 

After casting, all Icons T2 Endo Skeletons, Endo Skulls and Endo Arms were carefully prepped and sanded by Icons renown prep department. "Sanding is an art" said Dev Gilmore, Manufacturing Supervisor. "Without borderline perfect preparation, chrome plating will show flaws". 

Amazingly, Icons used THE SAME Triple liquid-Metal plating process that Stan Winston Studios used in the making of Terminator 2. 

Icons three-step plating process was known for being the finest in the nation, if not the world. "We went through 65 platers before choosing our final plater", said Paul Francis, Manufacturing Manager. "Plating polyurethane and fiberglass is very tricky business". 

Each Endo component is treated with an electro-static coat and then dipped in liquid copper and then liquid chrome. The results are astounding. The final gleaming finish is cold to the touch, as if solid metal. 

"Electro-plating" and "vacuum-metalizing" (in China) IS NOT "Chrome-dipping" (in the U.S.A.). Nor is liquid-Nickel AND Copper used in electro-plating. Icons Endo products weigh more, shine better, have thicker plating and a more gleaming luster than ANY on the market. To this very day. THERE IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE !!!