Above, In around seven minutes, PopCult looks at some of the custom models on display at WonderFest USA, the first weekend of June. This is a PopCult Video shot by Mel Larch and Rudy Panucci, with music, narration and editing by your humble PopCulteer. Most of the music is stuff I’ve done in the past, but I forgot to credit my brother, Frank, for our collaboration on the second tune you hear in the background.

Below you’re going to see about thirty photos of some of the models we didn’t manage to get into the video. The model room was packed with very-impressed onlookers, and trying to get decent shots made us feel sort of like salmon swimming upstream in wet cement. So to fill in the gaps, here are some still images of the models we didn’t get on video. You can expect another photo essay or two in the next week, but for now, watch the video and enjoy the photos below.

WonderFest USA happens in Louisville every year, the weekend after Memorial Day, and it’s a fun gathering of model kit builders, monster kids, horror and sci-fan fans, aficianados of special effects and make up and folks who just love cool stuff. We always have a blast there and of course, I like to share some of that with you.

Your eyes are drawn to the cool monsters, but Forbush Man is the real gem here.

Just as the tables were packed with models, the aisles between them were packed with admirers.

One of dozens of classic movie scene dioramas.

Winged and other creatures abounded. And that guy has a cool shirt in the background.

Vampirella. People like her because of her big fangs.

Kaiju fight!

On a table filled with cool, classic monsters, my eye is drawn to Calvin & Hobbes down at the bottom.

The obligatory close-up of a Hulk model for Lee Harrah.

“Morticia! The Creatures is RIGHT BEHIND YOU!”

Valkerie says “Howdy.”

As a huge fan of the late Dave Stevens, I had to include this model of The Rocketeer.

And then there was also his girlfriend, Bettie.

A huge and impressive classic B-Movie Monster bust.

And then another one of them.

Daleks in the back, Harryhausen monsters in front here we are…stuck in the middle with you.

Universal monsters hanging out with Hammer vampires…what is this world coming to?

More classic monsters hanging out together.

Here there be heroes.

Things got a little random here.

A fella going for a nice swim.

“Pardon me, did you order the big Cyclops head?”

A closer look at the cheesecake trio. Ms. Boop seems to be a modified Marylin Monroe.

“I just completed my seventh voyage, and boy are my arms tired!”

To be honest, I don’t think the Sci-Fi/Fantasy was confined to this one spot.

I had no idea the movie “Short Circuit” was so popular. There were tons of these guys in all sizes.

The sexy fine-scale modeler. Hey, why not?

Necron 99, as seen on the poster for the movie, “Wizards,” drawn by WonderFest guest, William Stout.

These two guys showed up.

“Clark, Dude, I hate to tell you, but nobody’s looking at you.”

And with this unexpected choice, we wrap up this photo essay. Suddenly we find ourselves hankering for a hunk o’ cheese.

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