Khonshu Imprisoned, Moon Knight, 2022

Designer: HickoryHill
3D Printed PLA at 95% scale by Andrew Liptak, April 2022

The concept of 3D printing dates back to the 1970s: a computer would guide an extruder along a
continuous, pre-programmed path, which would lay down a material in layers. A Japanese inventor
named Hideo Kodama devised a system to rapidly produce prototypes, using resin that would harden
when exposed to UV light. He wasn’t about to acquire a patent for the technology, but in 1986, an
American inventor named Charles Hull successfully filed a patent for a form of stereolithography
technology, in which a laser fired into a vat of liquid resin would form an object. Hull founded a company
called 3D Systems which helped start the additive manufacturing industry.

Between TKTK and TKTK, hundreds of key patents related to 3D printing began to expire, allowing new
companies to begin producing their own machines. As a result, the cost and availability of a 3D printer
opened to a much wider audience, including cosplayers.

This model was produced and distributed by HickoryHill on a 3D printing platform called Thingiverse. It’s
a model of a character named Khonshu from the Disney+ series Moon Knight, after he was imprisoned in
a small stone ushabti in the show’s third episode, “The Friendly Type”.

After the release of that episode on April 13 th, 2022, HickoryHill released their model on Thingiverse,
allowing Andrew Liptak to print the model in two parts on his Snapmaker printer, finish, and paint it
before the following episode, “The Tomb” on April 20 th, 2022. It was printed at 95% of the original size to
fit on the printing bed. HickoryHill has since resculpted their model to improve its accuracy and re-
uploaded it.

This particular model is an excellent demonstration case for the ability for makers to quickly produce and
release props, helmets, armored suits, and other accessories for their fellow cosplayers. Because the
models are produced digitally, they can be tweaked and adjusted without having to produce a physical
version to replicate. Costumers can simply download, adjust, and print parts on their own.