Re: The One True King

[Danvarner@aol.com]

     After hearing so many variations of this theme on the DML over the last 
several years, you have to realize that an interesting new phenomena is at 
work here. In Giganotosaurus we have our first case of a dinosaur version of 
a boxoffice mega-flop. It just hasn't been welcomed into our hearts and 
minds. Remember the cgi "Godzilla" fiasco a few seasons back? It was going to 
be bigger and better, but is now largely forgotten, it certainly didn't 
displace the original version (at least I've heard of no sequels on the way). 
Giganotosaurus couldn't even get a bit part in Jurassic Park 3, losing out to 
crusty old Spinosaurus. It wasn't for lack of trying, though. Remember the 
dust-up with Carcaradontosaurus and the extra smidgeon of plaster on the 
premax? Contention from the begining. Geegahnotetosawrus had it's own PR 
machine pumping out books, tours and the first website dedicated to a 
dinosaur. But none of the images really fired the spirit or imagination (the 
most famous of them was based on a tyrannosaur model!). If anything, the 
South American theropod is loathed as some kind of usurper, an impudent 
Prince John-like pretender to the Throne (at least by a certain cohort here 
on the list). We get pretty emotional about our dinosaurs, don't we? Just an 
observation, let's see what happens with the next batch from Argentina. DV