MEGALANIA REVIEW PAGE

WHAT'S HERE:

A review of The Prehistoric Times, Mike Fredericks' unique magazine devoted to dinosaur item collecting.

There's no shortage of top quality artwork adorning the cover of The Prehistoric Times! Here's an example -- the cover of issue 21 by none other than Mark Hallett.

This Megalania page has been visited times since March 18, 1998.

Much of what I have learned about the dinosaur art and modeling hobby came from reading The Prehistoric Times, a successful fan magazine created by Mike Fredericks. I had never heard of Bob Morales, Mike Evans, Tony McVey, Mike Trcic, Saurian Studios, the Dinosaur Studio, Dana Geraths, Wiccart or any other producers of quality dinosaur models until I got my first issue of PT. I owe this magazine a lot for educating me about what's out there in this great and sometimes hilarious hobby.

The magazine is in theory a bi-monthly (a frequent lament on the dinosaur mailing list: "where IS my PT?"), and covers dinosaur models, dinosaur toys (especially but not exclusively old plastic dinosaurs), other memorabilia and dinosaur movies; now and then soft-science items such as interviews with paleontologists are included.

Its key function, however, is to flag new kits. The magazine has established itself as *the* way to sell dinosaur models, and as such anyone offering a dinosaur model would be truly insane not to send Mike Fredericks a review copy. Likewise, for the collector, the ads taken out by sculptors are a prime reason to subscribe. " You'll see it in my ad in the next PT" has become a phrase I hear increasingly often.

Simply put, PT brings together the struggling dinosaur artist and large numbers of modelers hungry for models you simply can't find on the shelves of K-Mart.

Ok, look -- this is not GRANTA we're talking about here. Mike is a modeler and dinosaur enthusiast first and a magazine publisher second. Slightly strange things sometimes happen to the English language when it passes through The Prehistoric Times. I also can't help but smile at the notion of a "prehistoric animal of the month" column (in a bi-monthly, no less!) or at some of the fiction preceding an article that is, after all, about a scale model of a reptile.

Then again, in the end who really cares -- who reads PT for properly placed modifiers? I have to admit that this is all part of what makes the magazine so much fun -- I'm actually glad it's not slick and professionally written. I always smile when I see PT in my mailbox in its now-familiar envelope.

And I spend money every time it comes -- whether it's a beautiful new sculpt or a great buy in the classified section, there's ALWAYS something there to lighten your wallet. I'm surprised that my wife hasn't taken to hiding it. Yet.

You can write to Mike Fredericks for more details on subscribing, or call him -- Mike is as good a fellow as they come and will be happy to help. You may also find it on the newsstand -- it's one of the few fan magazines to be carried in certain mainstream chains, a testament to PT's success.

Mike is not online yet, but here's his information if you'd like to reach him:

Mike Fredericks
145 Bayline Circle
Folsom, CA 95630-8077
Phone: (916) 985-7986 (Before 8 PM PST Please)
(see below for e-mail address)

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