THE RAYGUNS: DR GRORDBORTS INFALLIBLE AETHER OSCILLATORS

The Rayguns: Dr Grordborts Infallible Aether Oscillators, is a line of 1:1 scale antique styled, sci-fi hand weapon props, conceived by Weta designer Greg Broadmore and meticulously built by Master Model Maker David Tremont. With charming 1900s contraption styling and finish, the Rayguns evoke the nostalgia of a lost age of exploration and discovery, and possess an intentional sense of humour and fun in their design.

Six years ago, Greg started illustrating classic Rayguns, and after creating a series of nine full size illustrations on canvas, he showed Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor, who, in turn asked for a painting of his own. Greg agreed and tentatively suggested launching a range based on these drawings. And the rest is history: the Rayguns were unveiled to the world at the San Diego Comic Convention earlier this year and are the latest in the Weta Originals range.

The three pieces revealed from the Weta Originals Rayguns range include the Manmelter 3600ZX Sub-Atomic Disintegrator Pistol, FMOM Industries Wave Disrupter Gun, and the Goliathon 83 Infinity Beam Projector.

Since then, the Rayguns have exploded onto the web, featured in collectors Christmas and Birthday wish lists and have been featured on International Directory BoingBoing.net and Gizmodo.com, who dubbed the Rayguns "your weapon of choice ? a Raygun that'll blast away giant monkeys ? or evil wizard dudes".

The self confessed gun nerd says the contraptions have been a long time coming in his mind. "I clearly and fondly remember watching the old black and white serials on Sunday afternoons as a little kid and the classic Sci Fi imagery has always stuck with me?, says Greg. ?The swept shapes, spikes, fins and beautiful forms that are all jammed together with boiler plate and extraneous mechanical detail. That's how I saw Flash Gordon, Tarzan, King Kong and others. But what I've [always been] fascinated by is the macho idiocy of the 'hero' in science fiction. The 'heroic' attitude of killing anything and everything in sight, especially if it's jeopardizing the swooning heroine.?

The three Rayguns are the first pieces to be revealed from the limited edition Weta Originals range. The concept of the Weta Originals line stemmed from the abundance of creativity that thrives at Weta Workshop under the Direction of Oscar? Award winner, Richard Taylor. Greg Broadmore is one of many artists who create their own art outside of work hours, and the Weta Originals line aims to showcase these talented artists.

The Rayguns are just one part of the graphic novel designed and conceptualized by Greg Broadmore, titled 'Dr Groadborts Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory'. The directory is a catalog of weird and wonderful contraptions that look as though they have been lifted from somewhere between the turn of the Century 'Scientifiction' and early Pulp cover art. A preview of the comic was released exclusively to Comic Convention attendees in 2006 and the full comic has yet to be released.

'Dr Grordbort's Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory' plays to all that Sci Fi imagery I love", grins Broadmore. "It's full of bizarre inventions and man-melting weaponry. The three Rayguns are featured alongside many others including Servile Automatons, War Wagons and even Mass-mo-trons. Almost all of them are capable of accidentally crippling the user or worse. That's one of the things I loved about the classic Science Fiction machinery. They all looked like death traps. Just as likely to kill you as your enemy."

The guns will be limited edition pieces. There will be only 500 of each gun made worldwide, all of which will be handcrafted and made out of metal with some glass parts. Every Raygun comes with its own velvet lined pressed tin case, Certificate of Authenticity and an assortment of implements and crafting tools. Not only that, these bad boys will be a decent punch of metal ? with each gun weighing in at over 7 pounds each these are no light investment.
Each Raygun will retail at US $690.00 (+ tax) / NZ $1165.00 (incl GST) and will be available for sale later this year. Weta Originals will also reveal a further piece at this years? San Diego Comic Convention in July.


ABOUT THE MAN MELTING WEAPONRY

From the fetid and possibly incriminating imagination of Weta Workshop designer Greg Broadmore come Weta Original?s first release, the Rayguns range. This line includes three antique Rayguns, the ManMelter 3600 ZX, the Wave Disrupter Gun and the Goliathon 83, sourced from attics, antique collections and auctions the world over, these are made available to you in extremely limited quantities.

Bespangled in fine detail and with various (most likely quite dangerous) moving parts, these wave weapons of yesteryear are the perfect ornament for a gentleman's study or a deterring centerpiece for a lady's powder room or chiffonier.

And that's not all, my dear punters! Keep tuned for a Comic Convention 2007 exclusive from the Weta Originals Rayguns range? By golly, aren't you lucky?


FMOM Industries Wave Disrupter Gun

Are you genetically pre-disposed to not wanting to blow your face to bits? Then, by crikey, this may not be the device for you - Try a kite! But, if you're a man, then send large money orders forthwith and procure yourself FMOM's latest and greatest. Built from the exacting plans of the famed Dr. Grordbort, and reinforced with purest Tremontium, this little tiger will turn your foes to a slurry!

FMOM Dimensions: 3.5 kgs (7.7 lbs), 430mm long x 250mm high x 105mm wide (17" x 10" x 4"). The display box is approximately 460mm x 320mm x 140mm (18" x 12.5" x 5.5") *All sizes are Approximate*
The FMOM Industries Wave Disrupter Gun will be priced at US $690.00 (+ tax) / NZ $1165.00 (incl GST) and will be available to purchase in June 2007.


ManMelter 3600 ZX Sub-Atomic Disintegrator Pistol

This ?ready to use? ManMelter 3600 ZX comes prepped to vaporize all and sundry down to a molecular level. Featuring many of the latest ameliorations in Raygun Technology, it comes with Phlogiston canisters, cleaning apparatus and wingdings, so that you may commence atomizing Moon Soldiers or neighbourhood dogs at your earliest convenience. Be a better man with a Manmelter. Your wife may come back to you!* (*Disclaimer ? wife may not necessarily come back?)

ManMelter Dimensions: 3.4 kgs (7.5 lbs), 305mm long x 240mm high x 100mm wide (12" x 9.5" x 4"). The display box is approximately 460mm x 320mm x 140mm (18" x 12.5" x 5.5") *All sizes are Approximate*.

The Manmelter 3600ZX will be priced at US $690.00 (+ tax) / NZ $1165.00 (incl GST) and will be available to purchase in July 2007.


Goliathon 83 Infinity Beam Projector

The advantage with this trusty wave discharger is heft. In the unlikely (but statistically probable) event of its malfunction, it doubles as a wonderful cudgel. Brigands and ne'er do wells will cringe when the Goliathon is brandished at them. Of course, its infra-wave undulations will dissolve 7/9ths of an African elephant in 10 earth seconds, a handy implement to wield on all occasions. On lower settings a quick zap will cook a Dodo egg to perfection. Order right this moment or consider one's self a snotty cur.

Goliathon Dimensions: 4.5 kgs (10 lbs), 350mm long x 270mm high x 50mm wide (13.8" x 10.5" x 2"). The display box is approximately 460mm x 320mm x 140mm (18" x 12.5" x 5.5") *All sizes are approximate*
The Goliathon will be priced at US $690.00 (+ tax) / NZ $1165.00 (incl GST) and will be available for purchase in August 2007.


ABOUT THE ARTIST: Greg Broadmore

Greg Broadmore is a Dinosaur nerd. He probably always was a dinosaur nerd. As a boy he drew dinosaurs, tanks and robots. Now he is paid to draw dinosaurs, tanks and robots. And Rayguns.

In 2005 Greg co-designed and oversaw the art direction of the Tripod-Wellington Film Industry Tribute sculpture, (a six metre tall robot of doom which lives on Courtenay Place in Wellington city) as well as the Riff Raff-Richard O'Brien tribute sculpture in Hamilton, New Zealand.

He was a designer and sculptor on Peter Jackson?s remake of King Kong and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and was also one of the illustrators and concept writers for Weta Workshops first publication, 'The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island'.

In 2006, Weta revealed their first Weta Originals range, entirely designed and conceptualised by Greg. The Rayguns: Dr Grordborts Infallible Aether Oscillators is a line of 1:1 scale antique styled sci-fi hand weapon props. With charming, 1900s contraption styling and finish, the Rayguns evoke the nostalgia of a lost age of exploration and discovery.

He is currently working on expanding the Rayguns universe and is writing and illustrating 'Dr. Grordborts Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory', a graphic novel publication filled with Rayguns, contraptions, moon soldiers and detailed alien breeding pictograms.

Before joining Weta Workshop, Greg illustrated over 30 childrens stories and books and released his own comic, 'Killer Robots will Smash the World'.