More Diamond Select Figures

[Therin of Andor]

But does anyone think that genetic figures of crazy looking aliens like Mugato, Cardassians, Jem Hadar, 8472, Hirogen, Breen, etc would sell? I think these might have wider appeal than a specific character.

The ultimate Mugato already came out years ago: Playmates' furry 12" version, who was excellent! Playmates also did an 8472 in their 5" scale. Do we really need another one? And then there's the oft-promised DST Salt Vampire, the sculpt of which posed too many problems. It was a buzz that we finally got a Mego-style Salty recently, when a green Vina was a more likely partner for Captain Pike.

Did the DST Dukat actually come out? My more recent DST figures are all packed away at the moment:
http://8of5.blogspot.com/2008/12/dukat-in-two-pack.html

I've already bought a "Predator" figure to create a torso for a Jem'Hadar. I'm not expecting to see a DST version. The Breen helmet looks too much like Leia's disguise in "Return of the Jedi".

As cool as ST aliens are, the sad truth is that Kirk, Spock and Picard are the consistently top sellers. The shops, at least, seem convinced that the people who buy these things (in recent years) aren't necessarily completists, but random, casual ST fans who'll pick up the most recognizable figure they know on a whim. The best chance aliens have of release is being paired with either Kirk, Spock or Picard.

 

[Pauln6]

I'm not sure that they sell better but they might widen your audience. Children need villains for their heroes after all. It's no good having 12 hero figures and one villain. They need to even up the waves a bit more. Khan doesn't count - he is the equivalent of 12 villains.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I think funky looking aliens have a better chance of selling than lots of human-types in similar uniforms, absolutely. Playmates understood this perfectly, and offered so many (Ferengi, Klingon, Borg and Romulan got figures before Dr. Crusher!)

Well, she wasn't needed until Wave 2. After Picard, Riker and Data battled Ferengi, Klingon, Borg and Romulan.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I'm not sure that they sell better but they might widen your audience. Children need villains for their heroes after all. It's no good having 12 hero figures and one villain.

The makers of "Batman" figures discovered this was not the case after the 1989 movie, its sequel and the related animated series. Kids were perfectly happy to buy multiple Batmen - in weird outfits never even seen on screen - and left perfectly fine Joker, hundreds of Bob the Goon, Catwoman and the rare animated Penguin, hanging on the pegs!

Similar things happened with "Spider-man" figures.

 

[Pauln6]

Hmm - it never happened in my day. I bought wave 2 of the Star Wars figures including all those cantina aliens! Mind you the Black Hole Figures didn't have many villains and they were cool too.

We used to play our lengthy space operas with our figures. Maybe modern children just play very simplified games?

 

[Therin of Andor]

We used to play our lengthy space operas with our figures. Maybe modern children just play very simplified games?

Could be. I'm a teacher-librarian. Kids bring their action figures into the library often. It never seems to worry them that they have three Batmen, none of them in canonical colours, and no villains. Or eight versions of mutated Spider-Men and no Dr Octopus. They are just as likely to turn a toy dinosaur, or the nearest pencil sharpener, into a villain when they need one.

As a kid, I usually wanted "the whole set", but double-ups of some characters really annoyed me. I recall some little Warner Bros characters that hung off drink containers. There were "six to collect", but Bugs Bunny was in two different poses.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Hmm - it never happened in my day. I bought wave 2 of the Star Wars figures including all those cantina aliens! Mind you the Black Hole Figures didn't have many villains and they were cool too.

We used to play our lengthy space operas with our figures.

When I was little, I'd reenact the entire movies and if I didn't have a particular figure, I'd borrow one from another toyline (for quite awhile, Harry Booth and Kate McCrae from the Black Hole collection were my Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru for Star Wars).

Maybe modern children just play very simplified games?

Yeah. Some kids are very casual about their toys while others have been bitten by the collector's bug at an early age.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

I finished my Mackenzie Calhoun made from Doctor Bashir. I build models but never tried adapting a figure before so I feel pretty good about it.

http://imageshack.us/f/846/dscn2018k.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/f/823/dscn2020g.jpg/

 

[doubleohfive]

^^ That's really well done!

 

[Caesar753]

^^^
Wow! Very nice.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

You think I got enough of the Bashir out of him and made him look close enough to book depictions? (Obviously not the German covers with the middle-eastern look).

 

[Caesar753]

^^
I think he looks spot on. I especially love the five o'clock shadow! Again, good job.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

Thanks. I figured he needed the stubble since he seems like someone who is going to be working long hours and neglecting regular shaving. I also tried to upturn the edges of his lips to give him a smirk since Calhoun is cocky and confident.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

An unpackaged DST Ezri just sold on ebay for $108. Apparently that was low compared to past auctions. Those things are gold, and the face isnt even that good.

I was willing to go to $50, mostly for the gun.

I wonder how it would affect the value if you paint the collar to make her Captain Ezri?

 

[Therin of Andor]

I wonder how it would affect the value if you paint the collar to make her Captain Ezri?

Depends. Mint collectors would probably be mildly appalled, mint-on-mint-card collectors would commit suicide, and fans of customized, one-off figures would be thrilled.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

What are the rarest of the AA/DST figures? I'm assuming it's Ezri and FC Data. My one of a kind Calhoun surely doesn't count. I have a captain Laforge which I haven't seen anywhere.

 

[Therin of Andor]

What are the rarest of the AA/DST figures? I'm assuming it's Ezri and FC Data.

Ezri was a shortpack in a fairly short-run wave of DS9 figures and FC Borgified Data was limited to 1701 figures.

 

[MatthiasRussell]

You know anything about the VOY Timeless Captain Laforge? I bought one for a few bucks in a comic shop but can't figure out how limited it is. Never saw one on ebay.

I keep him in Archer's chair since ENT figs look funny sitting and in honor of Indistinguishable From Magic.

 

[Therin of Andor]

You know anything about the VOY Timeless Captain Laforge? I bought one for a few bucks in a comic shop but can't figure out how limited it is. Never saw one on ebay.

From the website:
http://trekmovie.com/2008/12/17/the...sive-figure-revealed-timeless-geordi-arrives/

'Timeless' Geordi arrives
"In other ‘DST exclusives’ news, fans who sent in the order forms featured in the September DVD 'Alternate Realities' collective release are starting to receive their Diamond Select Toys 'Timeless Geordi' figure. The 7" action figure is an exclusive to the DVD set and features the character as he appeared "Timeless," the acclaimed 100th episode of Star Trek Voyager (which was directed by LeVar Burton).

"While Geordi is one of my favorite characters, and any Geordi item is welcomed, this action figure is slightly disappointing. Firstly, the 'future' delta shield on the figure is not from 'Timeless' and is more akin to the 'Future Imperfect' variety. Also, the sculpt is a bit 'thin' because actor Burton has a rounder face than this in the episode. However, other details are good, including the proper collar pips and a full beard on the character. The eyes are also nice, which is one of the most important features of the character. In a year dominated by TOS collectibles, it was nice that DST offered a TNG item for fans. Plus the figure is ‘free’ except for the $7.50 in shipping and handling."

 

[LeadHead]

An unpackaged DST Ezri just sold on ebay for $108. Apparently that was low compared to past auctions. Those things are gold, and the face isnt even that good.

I was willing to go to $50, mostly for the gun.

I wonder how it would affect the value if you paint the collar to make her Captain Ezri?

That's not the way I'd play it. If I remember correctly, Kira in Starfleet Uniform was the same body as Ezri. I'd just headswap the Ezri head to the Kira body and do some Trill Spots on the neck of the Kira Body to match up the whole figure.

Back when the AA/DST figures were coming out regularly, I did a few projects like that.