Most unusual release of 2012

I know most of you aren't figure modelers, but having spent a good many years in that corner of our hobby, I keep an eye on the latest releases from manufacturers such as Andrea, Pegaso, Alpine, and so on, mostly via planetFigure. One of this year's releases that made me scratch my head was Metal Modele's release of a 54mm Columbo. Yes, the Columbo portrayed by Peter Falk in the popular 1970s American television series by the same name.

 Okay, I get the interest in obscure aircraft types such as the Meteor F Mk.8 Prone (which I'd never seen until Special Hobby announced their release of the plane last month) and little-used armor such as the beastly VsKfz 617 mineroller. I even get the interest in the flurry of science fiction figures we've seen over the last few years, including the bizzaro fantasy subject matter that's followed (check out the Terrible Kids Stuff figure titled Joe Petrosino). But is there really a group of modelers who've been asking for a figure of Columbo?

Maybe there is. Maybe after watching the show's theme song you can't help but feel the compulsion to paint a figure of Mr. Falk.

 I haven't thought about this show in nearly 25 years, not since the days when I was forced to watch police and detective shows while visiting my grandparents in the late 70s and early 80s. My grandfather was particularly fond of Columbo, The Rockford Files, Hawaii Five-0, and Barnaby Jones. Listening to these classic theme songs takes me back to those days. Those were good times. In fact, my first memories of building models was with my grandfather, when we cleaned our paint brushes with the gasoline he used to fuel his lawnmower. How times have changed!

But I digress. Don't get me wrong. I wish Bruno Leibovitz all the success in the world. His Napoleonic figures are among the best researched, sculpted, and cast figures in the hobby, but I can't help but be amused at unusual choices like this one.  Maybe I'll buy a Columbo and paint him in memory of my grandfather.

Tomorrow I'll give you the biggest surprise release of the year.