Original price: USD $395
Limited edition of 50
Scale: 1/1
Dimensions: 26 x 26 x 4 cm (HxWxD)
Weight: 1.1 kg
Materials: Mixed media
Previewed: July 23, 2009
Released: July 6, 2010
Sculptor: Jamie Beswarick
Painter: Dordi Moen

The Xenodefugio, or Gumbolt's Wind Rat to use it's colloquially Venusian name, is a curious little creature. Its locomotion has been described as somewhere between a hop and a glide as it leaps and flaps between its preferred grazing sites, the common Venusian Gas pod plant. To ascribe the characteristic 'retarded' to its movement would not be unfair, as these simple little beasts move unpredictably in a manner akin to an unhappy grasshopper with mild brain damage.

When chased by a predator, these mentally challenged animals are as likely to leap straight into the attackers mouth as they are away to safety. Natural Selection seems to have been taking a nap with the Xenodefugio. Stupid Natural Selection, wake up! While you're pissing about killing off all the slow gazelles and wimpy lions, one of nature's greatest morons is busy shitting on the quite pretty common Venusian gas pod plant with no repercussions! Aaah, I give up.

50 of these preposterously rare beasties have been secured and presented for your appraisal within a finely wrought wooden frame, against a supremely high quality art paper stock. Immaculately prepared, this high quality specimen is the third in the series of fantastical insectoids from the Universe of Dr Grordbort's, hand made by the world class artists at Weta Workshop. It joins the Blue Sacked Pillock and the Nandy Duke.

The Xenodefugio Subtiltus was sculpted for display at San Diego ComicCon 2009 by long-time Weta sculptor Jamie Beswarick, who was instrumental in sculpting both Gollum and Kong and who has put his name to a long line of Weta collectibles. Greg Broadmore has served as the art director for this piece.

Weta paint virtuoso Dordi Moen painstakingly puts every single hair in place and applies the sparkle and fantastical colouring. Only when it has been approved by Greg Broadmore and Richard Taylor will it be passed on. This rather lengthy process is repeated for each of the only 50 pieces made.

The finished specimen is then moved to Weta's woodworking area where it is mounted and framed behind perspex in a solid wooden frame before it's carefully packaged and prepared for shipping straight from our workshop into the hands of the international couriers that will bring it to you. The whole process from order to shipping will take up to a month as these are made to order.

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