The Action Figure and Toy Collecting and Discussion Thread!

[Redfern]

It'll be interesting to see what happens when Character Options/Underground Toys switches to the 3.75-inch scale. Some classic Doctor Who figures were never released in the 5-inch scale...

Of course, plans can change, but for the moment, UnderGround Toys and/or Forbidden Planet can still "commission" figures in the 1/13 scale. That's been the business model that has resulted in the bulk of the "classic era" figures after that initial wave that included the 4th, 5th and 6th Doctors along with an assorted collection of monsters. Those were for general distribution and execxuted by Character Options itself. But since then, UT and FP have shelled out "X" amount of money to Character up front to have a particular character made.

Character Options will focus strictly upon the current program and what figures evcentually offered will be in the 1/18 "Star Wars" scale. I know what you're gonna' say, that we won't get the Doctor in his new longer purple coat or Clara as 5.5 inch tall figurines. Actually, Alister Dewer has hinted that if UnderGround Toys and/or Forbidden Planet CAN commission long coat Smith, Clara, or say, a "Spoon Head" robot in 1/13 scale if they are willing to shell out the money before hand.

It's just that the widely distributed figures one can find in the "high street" stores (department stores and those located in malls to us Americans) will be the smaller scale focusing upon the newest episodes.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ I didn't know this! Well ignore my previous post blathering on about the scale change. I don't like the word "commissioned" though. Makes me nervous.

 

[Redfern]

Don't feel awkward, I was slowly composing as you were posting.

"While myou may not like the word "commission" or what it implies, that's the way we've gotten the bulk of the "classic" figures. As I stateed above, Character options released that initial set of classic figures (Doctors 4, 5 & 6 along with several monsters like the Zygons, the Robots of Death, Magnus Greel and a few others (each blister containing parts to build Kettlewell's "Robot")) to be sold in the mainstream department stores. Wait, I take that back. I think the "Ages of Steel", a series of 4 different Cybermen (10th Planet, Tomb, Invasion, and a "leader" from the '07 series) with parts to "collect and buil" a "Tomb..." Controller also had general distribution.
Shortly afterwards, one of the major buyers was "Woolworth's" and it filed bankruptsy and closed all its stores. Suddenly a major line of revenue was gone. Character Options WAS going to abandon the "classic" line, but somehow, a deal was made with UnderGround Toys (a distributor in the U.S.) and Forbidden Planet (a specialty store of SF memorabelia in the U.K.) to continue the line. Several more figures had been planned which otherwise would have collected dust.

Basically, the terms of that deal involves UnderGround Touya and/or Forbidden Planet playing a commission fee before Character Options would even start the job. Every figure since the realease of "Ages of Steel", such as Hartnell's doctor, Troughton, Jon Pertwee, McCoy and McGann, the various Davros incarnations, the three Peri variants, the "Revenge..." Cybermen, the Leela variations, and so on, all of them were requested and paid beforehand by UT and FP. If not for them, we'd possibly have only 3 of the classic Doctors that came in that initial wave.

I assume your "nervousness" comes from the fear UT and FP may stop their commission requests. That is not just possible, it WILL happen at some point. But ALL toy lines stop sometime. Yeah, it would be a bummer if we don't get (place the name of your as yet unreleased favorite companion and/or monster here), but eventually someone will be the disappointed party. Even if we get every major companion, someone will be wanting the more obscure characters ("Hey, what about Ronson, the Kaled technician who was the first victim of a Dalek?"), but eventually, the end WILL come.

I'm just grateful we at least got all the Doctors and even some outfit variations thereof. I think most will agree those are the most vital figures. For me, everything since then has been "gravy". If the line were ended tomorrow, I'd be adequately sated.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[golddragon71]

Just got my Latest Tricorder today (Geological, far-right)

It had me curious.
I know we see it in pretty good detail in "That Which Survives" but I don't recall any other episodes off-hand it may have been in.

 

[cooleddie74]

^
WANT!

I don't have any of those tricorder replicas but have been wanting one of them. They're positively gorgeous.

 

[Redfern]

I don't have the "geological" unit from "That Which Survives, but I have the other two, the science and the medical. They are certainly neat and round out the collection started with the phaser and the communicator. In effect, the "Exploration Set" we WISHED we had as kids.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[cooleddie74]

And the great irony: these replicas are more detailed and sophisticated than the original 1966-69 television props.

 

[Redfern]

Though in one factor at least, the original out performs the Art Asylum toy/prop. The original handheld scanner Dee Kelley waved about had an electric motor to spin the little sensor array. The AA version has only a thumb driven "wheel" that spins the array and it's prone to jamming.

Some argued that the toy designers couldn't fit both a motor and the sound chip circuits to play the famous "warble" into the small casing. (BTW, the sound quality is very faint compared to the toy PlayMates released according to numerous purchasers, including me.) However, some intrepid fans re-engineered the unit, managing to fit both a motor and the audio circuits just to prove it COULD be done.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[cooleddie74]

We're such cunning little bastards, aren't we? There's nothing we can't do given enough elbow grease and a quickly scrawled blueprint.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Some argued that the toy designers couldn't fit both a motor and the sound chip circuits to play the famous "warble" into the small casing. (BTW, the sound quality is very faint compared to the toy PlayMates released according to numerous purchasers, including me.)

I still have one of those Playmates TOS tricorders. I can still wake up the whole house with that thing even after all these years.

 

[cooleddie74]

I used to have little electronic keychains of the TOS and TNG props that made sounds and had flashing lights. The classic Phaser pistol and TNG tricorder were probably my favorites.

 

[Redfern]

Some argued that the toy designers couldn't fit both a motor and the sound chip circuits to play the famous "warble" into the small casing. (BTW, the sound quality is very faint compared to the toy PlayMates released according to numerous purchasers, including me.)

I still have one of those Playmates TOS tricorders. I can still wake up the whole house with that thing even after all these years.

Just to clarify, I was referring to McCoy's little handheld scanner that PlayMates released rather than the tricorder. But you're right, I think the audio circuits to the PlayMates toys are, in general, louder than their Art Asylum counterparts.

Oh, I should mention I was very pleased with the length of the strap included in the AA tricorder. Being of average height, 5 foot 8, the strap make the tricorder hang at the perfect height.

On the other hand, the actor's voices that one can play back with the tricorder are, well, chipmunk pitched, yet the sound effects sound right. Many buyers experienced this. The communicator, thankfully, plays back the voices properly.

Since McCoy's medical tricorder came with the famous Feinberger, an equivalent device is supplied with Spock's science oriented tricorder. It's the little device Daytrom waved over the M5 computer when running diagnostics. I'm sure that prop was used in other episodes, but that's where it can be clearly seen. No sound, but it has an LED that sequences through different colors, very similar to the actual prop. As can be seen in the photo up thread, it's stored in the "bin" at the base of the tricorder.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[cooleddie74]

When I was younger I'd sometimes refer to the little handheld scanners as ”McCoy's little whirring scanner doo-dad.”

 

[Redfern]

Tom Servo says, "Hi, CoolEddie!"

He just arrived this afternoon. If I'm lucky, Crow will arrive tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

Well. That puts my tiny little plastic Servo to shame. Good show sir.

 

[Redfern]

I debated getting one for some time. But while my cousin was rooming with me, working towards her retirement, I didn't want to try explaining my actions. (Yes, she knew about B9; kinda' hard to hide that thing.) But now that she's retired and moved out, I finally took the plunge.

If it's any consolation, I'm too afraid to puppeteer the thing for fear of damaging it. So, for the moment, I can't let myself enjoy it for what it is.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[cooleddie74]

Servo knows who I am!

And no Servo experiences shame, OdoWan. Your little mini-Tom is just as cool in my eyes.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Well..."Batman Arkham Origins" was officially announced today...I suppose that this means we can expect to see Origins figures next year I'm already excited.

 

[Redfern]

Servo knows who I am!

I figured the card was an easy way to demonstrate I actually have the thing rather than just nabbing a photo from the web.

True, it could be PhotoShop trickery, but frankly, I'm not nearly that talented.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[cooleddie74]

I'm honored. Thanks for the trouble.

And don't worry, my Photoshop skills are crap too.