The Action Figure and Toy Collecting and Discussion Thread!

[fireproof78]

Of course except for the Playmates, none of these are in the original boxes (nor do the boxes even exist anymore), so as an actual commodity, their collector value would be in question. Unfortunately, since almost all of them were purchased to play with, future investment occupies zero part of a kid's brain compared to an adult collector.

Isn't that their purpose though? I had this discussion with my dad who still has original Star Wars figures in the package, which I respect but I guess I don't understand the collector's mindset. I got my Star Wars figures out one time and my daughters created their own story about kings and queens and adventurers just from the figures alone and a basic idea of Star Wars. "Value" I suppose is a relative term. But, I always struggle with how collector's view things. But, at the same time, even now, when I price out figures to add to my groupings for play there are many that I have that are worth $100 even used as they are. It's crazy.

Sorry, rant over.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I hate leaving anything like this in the box. I'm always tempted to remove them at least once to look at and to hold, especially if the packaging can be safely done up again without damage.

Why do NECA figures smell funny when you take them out of the packaging?

Also yeah asking again anyone used an RC Dalek? Is it worth buying?

 

[fireproof78]

Why do NECA figures smell funny when you take them out of the packaging?

I have limited experience with NECA, at least not in a while, but a lot of plastics and foam get coated for shipping. I would run in to that with other product while working sporting goods. Not sure if it was a moisture deterrent, a rodent deterrent or what.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I have limited experience with NECA, at least not in a while, but a lot of plastics and foam get coated for shipping. I would run in to that with other product while working sporting goods. Not sure if it was a moisture deterrent, a rodent deterrent or what.

It does wear off after a while but initially when you open a fresh new box that smell just hits you, it's not a bad smell just odd.

 

[fireproof78]

It does wear off after a while but initially when you open a fresh new box that smell just hits you, it's not a bad smell just odd.

Yeah, not 100%.

But, what do I know. I love the smell of a freshly opened can of tennis balls

 

[Kor]

Has anyone played with an RC Dalek?
Are they any good?

Which one? There have been a few different ones released.

Kor

 

[Redfern]

Which one? There have been a few different ones released.

You beat me to the punch.

As a personal case, I own three of the "Product Enterprise" RC toys which were released a few years before the series revival in 2005.

* "Genesis of the Daleks" - 12 inches tall, gunmetal grey,
* "Troughton era" - 12 inches tall, silver with blue skirt hemispheres

Both are "tank" driven with RC remote having 2 joysticks, and the upper dome rotates with a "cam" action the eyestalk bobbing up and down, single button to cycle through 6 or 7 phrases

* "Dr. Who and the Daleks" - 8 inches tall, silver with blue hemispheres, blue dome

Controlled with an infrared "fob". A button for forward motion, another to turn right and a third to left left

From the "Character Options" range

* "Time War" Dalek - Bronze, 12 inches tall

"Tank" driven with RC remote have 2 joysticks, dome is cam driven with bobbing eyestalk, lens glows, separate buttons on remote for 7 different selectable phrases

* "Voice Command" Dalek - 18 inches tall, bronze, "Time War" details

RC remote with 4 joysticks, 2 to drive unit "tank" fashion, a third to rotate the dome on command and a fourth to raise or lower the eyestalk. Single button for random phrases. Dalek contains microphone to hear verbal commands and reacts accordingly (rather like the scene in "Genesis of the Daleks" when Davros demonstrates verbal control). Also has infrared sensors to navigate in a "patrol" mode , seeking out and "exterminating" enemies. When asked, "Who is the Doctor?", the unit will act frantic and the drive motors purposely "jitter" to get the casing to rock back in forth as if in a frenzy.

 

[Kor]

I would like some kind of moving and talking Dalek between 3 and 3.5" tall, since that would be close enough for my preferred action figure scale of 3.75". I know there's the 4" "desktop patrol" Dalek in a few color choices, but that's too big.

Kor

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I would like some kind of moving and talking Dalek between 3 and 3.5" tall, since that would be close enough for my preferred action figure scale of 3.75". I know there's the 4" "desktop patrol" Dalek in a few color choices, but that's too big.

Kor

There used to be small versions that size that were for a desk or table but I can't recall the brand, they had sound and movement.

The Voice Command Dalek was the one I was looking at, saw one on Ebay but the seller was asking a lot.

 

[Redfern]

List price for the Voice Command 18 inch tall Dalek was around 150 to 200 (US dollars) when they were first released, so I'd probably faint at what they are going for today.

Oh, I forgot I also bought the "2 Daleks Battle Pack" with came with either a Rose figure or an Eccleston. (Offered randomly, I got the Rose pack.) That was the item that pretty much started the Character Options line. Their size, roughly 5 inches, pretty much governed the height of the Doctor and Rose figurines (about 5.5 inches) and that continued for all subsequent figures. The Daleks were RC controlled, again, "tank" styled with 2 joysticks. The remote also had a button to "fire" at the opposing Dalek using an infrared emitter and would be detected by an equivalent receiver of the enemy "travel machine"...if in range. Once you achieved 3, maybe 5, successful shots, the opposing Dalek would "die".

the initial batch released were rather flawed, the drive motors often jamming, leaving the Daleks "stalled". The infrared sensors were always finicky; the aim had had to be just right. Even when running, the motion was comically fast so it was next to impossible to score a successful shot.

The initial promotions claimed that when "killed", the forward half of the midsection (mounting the gun and plunger was to pop free exposing the mutant inside. This feature proved too intricate and costly, so it was dropped from the actual release. However, that detail would be offered in a "static" toy a year or 2 later. One simply removed the piece by hand to reveal the mutant. (In the show itself, the mutant sat about the height of the neck grille, but the toy seated it in the midsection. Still a neat detail.

Oh, a final note, the Doctor and Rose were originally meant to be static figurines, not action figures, so they were cast in action poses (rather like the very first PlayMates Next Generation figures). At the last hour, the company opted to give the arms a simple pivot motion at the shoulders. Later figures were sculpted in neutral poses with more points or articulation. Supposedly, Billie Piper was so dissatisfied with the final figure (it had a rather piggish nose) that it took several years to convince her to "okay" an improved likeness.

Dang it! I got verbose again, didn't I?

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Verbose is cool don't stress

 

[Astra]

Definitely! I sometimes feel as if I am overtaking the thread with my pictures, so I am always happy if more join into the discussion.

Also, in case that was not clear, I am absolutely in favor of getting figures out of the package! Where's the fun otherwise?

Since we're on the topic of Doctor Who and especially Rose - did I ever show my 1/6 scale Big Chief Studios Rose? She gets a lot of flak from collectors. Admittedly I wasn't sold on the face when I first saw her either, but she did grow on me.

What is weird though, that apparently there was a different - and in some opinions better - sculpt at first, but Billie Piper got them to change it and this is what she approved.







And a little crossover story for you

 

[KimMH]

I’m glad Billie Piper got some say in toys created in her likeness!

Love that crossover idea!

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Yeah the whole crossover thing was neat.

 

[Astra]

Thank you! Can't wait for 12" Janeway to arrive. She will get a trip in the TARDIS too!

I made da Vinci's studio, the holodeck program that Kathryn uses in Voyager. I even bought a da Vinci figure for it and a flying machine he constructed. And look at the wee set of set squares!

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Hey that's really neat the whole DaVinci set you did.
Did Billie come with that gun, or was that off something else?

 

[fireproof78]

I made da Vinci's studio, the holodeck program that Kathryn uses in Voyager. I even bought a da Vinci figure for it and a flying machine he constructed. And look at the wee set of set squares!

That's absolutely amazing. Beautiful work. Would love to see more of this set up

 

[Astra]

Hey that's really neat the whole DaVinci set you did.
Did Billie come with that gun, or was that off something else?

She came with it. I have a similar one for the 5" figures. It's from a Doctor Who episode but I don't remember which.

That's absolutely amazing. Beautiful work. Would love to see more of this set up

Thank you! I've already taken it apart again but I can always set it up quickly if I have another idea. If you have any wish what to see, I'm sure I can arrange it!

Today I made Sandrine's and the pool game:

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

The episode was "The stolen Earth" and that's were we see Billie with the BFG.

Has anyone seen the kits from Polar Lights?

There's a USS Voyager with landing gear which I just purchased and a model of Pike's Enterprise from Disco with a full lighting kit and motors to spin the bussard collectors.

The Voyager kit is snap fit so I'll be happy with that the Enterprise scares me as it's a glue model

 

[fireproof78]

Thank you! I've already taken it apart again but I can always set it up quickly if I have another idea. If you have any wish what to see, I'm sure I can arrange it!

Don't really have ideas so much as I love wood paneling, fire places and desks. Just need a pipe and a leather chair.

Maybe they visit Professor Data?