Not for the first time it started in China. A place called Wohun. They called it Covid 19. It would also become known as the Coronavirus.
The first the western world learnt of it was in eary 2020 but China had been dealing with it since late 2019. They thought they had it under control, that the virus was contained. It wasn’t. Worse than that it was deadly and there was no known cure.
To begin with countries reacted slowly as they failed to comprehend the situation and the speed with which the virus could spread. It soon became a pandemic and as realisation kicked in so did the safety measures. To start with populations were requested to self isolate, to keep a mimimum of two metres apart, and the vulnerable were advised to stay at home and go nowhere for twelve weeks. But as the number of confirmed cases escalated into the millions and the death toll increased daily by the thousands such requests soon became orders and in next to no time countries were in lockdown. Nobody was allowed to go anywhere while governments worked out how to contain and control the outbreak.
Self isolation became the norm and daily TV bulletins provided statistical updates and medical progress. People remained surprisingly calm and hopeful but after three months things began to change. With no medical breakthroughs and food distrubtion in decline questions and conspiracy theories began to circulate.
China pointed the finger at the Wohun animal wet market as the cause of the virus outbreak. Bat disease crossing over into the human food chain. But Wohun was also home to the Institute of Virology and suspicions grew that China had after conducting biological weapon tests deliberately let the virus lose on the world. With a weakened world China would be free to take military advantage.
Alternative theories suggested environmentalists were behind the outbreak and significant improvements in air polution were sighted along with other examples as supporting evidence. Others bought into the idea that it was a global governmental experiment to see how best to deal with an ever increasing world population. Decline in travel and the ability to work from home were viewed by many as examples which justified the theory.
Growing unrest was not lost on governments. Martial law was enforced. The aim was to calm the public, to reassure them that all was well but it provoked the opposite effect. It confirmed to a great many people that something of gigantic proportions was going on and there was a need to know just what that was. While most people remained hostage to the situation others were determined to escape their confinement in search of the truth.
The authorities had other ideas and adopted a policy of continued confinment by whatever means necessary. Breaking out from lockdown was a life and death situation but for some it was the only way.
It was time to seek the truth.
TIM
The Imperfect Modeller 
There is a fantastic tension in this piece, I love it!
I know I think this with basically every update, but I reckon this is your best one yet!
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Cheers Dave, glad you like it. I must confess I had the idea before the virus struck but by the time it got finished it seemed to good an opportunity not to link the two.
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That’s one bloody awesome diorama, TIM – love it!
Your sci-fi scenario is a bit far fetched, though – maybe redo the writeup for something more realistic, like a zombie apocalypse or alien invasion?
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Cheers mate. I must admit when I wrote the narrative I thought nah, no one will buy this scenario! 😉
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Love the scenario and the diorama. A bit far fetched, but it will make a good film one day.
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I suspect Hollywood are working oj scripts already!
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More than likely!
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Brilliant stuff, Dave! 🙂 The optimist in me says it’ll eventually all calm down, the pessimist in me says we’re all starring in the prequel to the Mad Max movies! Best keep me car fuelled up!
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Funny because the optimist in me is hoping it’ll be a prequel to the mad max movies ahaha.
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Good to see you hedging your bets John. One day I might have grand kids who’ll ask “what did you do during covid-19?” I think I’d rather go with something along the Mad Max line rather than simply saying I sat on my arse all day! 🤣
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What the shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit???? Where did this one come from you sneaky bastard hahahaha. I love it man. Right up my alley but something tells me you knew it would be hehe. This is so, so, SO GOOD. I’m seeing it as a series. You could do a prequel and sequel. Aww man love it. So much detail. The design is excellent too. Can I please save the photos? Brilliant 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
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I actually had the idea of a breakout several months ago, bought the figures but never started the diorama as I was working on OMG! at the time. Then along came Covid-19 and it seemed topical and some how appropriate. I did think you might like it. Quite like the idea of a series, not something which had occurred to me. Will give it some thought but getting the figures given the current circumstances here might prove a bit of a problem. If you are serious about the photos then of course you can save them.
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Of course I’m serious. Thanks mate. Really, really cool
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That is brilliant- really like it. I like the small footprint but your use of vertical space again. It’s a great composition.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Cheers Pete. I sent myself the challenge some while ago to do as much as could with a small base (this one is a 4cm cube) and to some extent tbe only way is up!
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What a great dio – and I have been yelling all over Twitter (well just on my account) that China must be held accountable – so this tickled me greatly (as much as a horrific event like the current one could do anything positive). Nice write up, but as IRO pointed out this could easily be a series. The dio is fab – I just looked at it three times and keep seeing new cool details that I just love. You are sir, one hell of an artist, wow o wow.
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I don’t disagree with you on China, but arguing with people on Twitter is like pissing into a headwind given the amount of general stupid and (especially) political stupid on the platform where you either have to be deeply into one camp (and therefore hold all of the beliefes of one side or another deeply to heart) or the other.
Also agree with you and IRO that I’d love to see more of these as a series.. 🙂
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Well put, and luckily I am not in any arguments so much as trying (for over a month) to get the word out using Twitter about China’s deception and culpability. I am outraged that so many have suffered so needlessly all over the world.
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Thanks Mark glad you like it. I’ll give the idea of it being a series some thought. It is appealing but getting stuff is proving problematic at the moment so it might be a while. When things calm down I think there will be a lot or pressure on China.
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What a way to introduce your diarama… i even learned a new thing or two. Also i laughed a littke seeing all the guys in full gear but the woman is like”im gonna go in, belly button out!”. Is she an imune or an idiot? Not trying to insult your work, its a great set. Love it🤘🏻
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Glad you like it mate. You know what women are like, they do their own thing and are best not argued with, especially when they are holding a gun! 😉
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Love it, you’ve packed in the little details that really sell the piece. Those poor soldiers don’t stand a chance!
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Even if the girl didn’t have a gun I reckon these seasoned troops would be up against it! 😉
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Love that diorama. Did you have this planned out for ages, or did the current pandemic really inspire you from scratch?
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To be fare I had the idea a while ago for a breakout, bought the figures and then it took a back seat when I had the idea for my OMG! diorama and then started work on that instead. Always planned to come back to it but the pandemic and the various conspiracy theories floating around made it rather topical and pushed me to get it done before the whole thing was over. I reckon I had more time looking at the way things are!
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well you always manage to smash them out the park and this one is no exception. The conspiracy theorists among us will say it was released on purpose, and the ‘others’ will say its the shite they eat that should be banned, no wonder they are crap at cricket, they eat all the bats..
Just as a thought, it would be great to see a poster behind them saying covid 19- stay indoors ect..
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That’s a good shout Steve, a poster of the wall would have been a good idea. Would have added some colour too.
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it was just a thought, and given them the reason to break out.
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It was a good idea and one I wished I’d thought of at the time.
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Very cool 🙂
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Great diorama and I love the background, evocative of all that great future-dystopia and post apocalyptic sci-fi we all love.
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Thank you, it was a fun one to do. As it happens I just ordered some figures to do a sequel. Will be a while before it gets done but it is at least on the list! 😊
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This is fantastic! I like how dirty and grimy it feels and the story the dio tells is immediately recognizable and interesting. Really inspirational work 🙂
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Thank you, glad you like it. A fun one to do and at some point I might even do a sequel!
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I would be excited to see that, if you have the inspiration for another one.
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