The Collective: Preview of DST STIV Figures & Tribbles + Review Of Kirk & Spock Busts

Star Trek IV may be the biggest hit of the Star Trek film franchise (so far), but can you believe it never got any action figures? That changes now with DST’s pre-order announcement of Kirk and Spock STIV figures (with pics). Plus Diamond Select have released images of their upcoming new line of electronic tribbles. Details on those plus a review of the new Kirk and Spock busts from DST.

 

PREVIEW: They have been, and ever shall be, yours
Amazingly, among all the lines of Star Trek toys from ERTL, Galoob, Playmates Toys, and DST, the Kirk and Spock two-pack represents the very first time Star Trek IV characters have been action figures. It is ironic, yet The Voyage Home was one of the least retail marketed Star Trek films (it basically got the traditional book, making of magazines, soundtrack, and a few other items). Some fans have been asking for certain items for years, and DST has been good listeners by bringing both Wrath of Khan and now The Voyage Home action figures this past year. Admiral James T. Kirk will be featured in his civilian clothes that he wore throughout Star Trek III and Star Trek IV. The picture below shows Kirk with a Starfleet phaser (although in the film he only briefly uses a Klingon phaser to seal a door in the hospital scene). Spock is wearing his Vulcan robes, including the infamous ear-hiding headband, and no accessories are pictured. Figures usually come with two to four accessories, so the pictures below are not indicative of the final accessories for these figures.

 


Do you want them ? Yes, No, No – Yes, No, Yes

The two-pack sells for $24.99 and is available for preorder at Big Bad Toy Store, for a February sale.

Admiral Kirk and Hippie Spock join already or soon-to-be available two-pack action figures from DST. The following two packs are already available:

The following are available for pre-order from Entertainment Earth

 

PREVIEW: Troubles with these tribbles- and they are multiplying!
This March, fans can multiply their Star Trek collections with three different electronic tribbles from Diamond Select Toys. Available in a choice beige, brown, and limited gray colors, these tribbles feature both authentic sounds and motion, and are twice as big as the previously available plush versions from the 1990s.


New Tribbles from DST, Glommer not included.

Especially cool is that the tribbles have a "Klingon agitation mode" which you can watch in this video from Entertainment Earth.

Get yours today by preordering at Entertainment Earth, where you can either choose between the three colors, or get a three pack featuring all the varieties. They should be shipped by March.

Electronic Tribbles available for pre-order at Entertainment Earth
Beige Brown Grey 3-pack
$24.54 $24.54 $24.54 $67.58

 

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REVIEW: Kirk and Spock Busts
Starting in 2007, Diamond Select Toys was granted the license for Star Trek busts (the license was owned by Sideshow Collectibles until 2006). The original line of DST busts featured all five television captains, and were the subject of a previous review article at Trekmovie. Now, the line expands to include Admiral James T. Kirk from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Commander Spock from the TV era.

Much credit should be given to DST for their creation of an entire TWOK line. With over 15 action figures, minimate toys, role playing items, and ships, DST has given fans now what was not available back in 1982 when TWOK first premiered. Now, DST adds one more item to their TWOK line, the Admiral Kirk bust. Like all the DST busts, the Admiral Kirk is numbered and limited to an edition of 1,701 (what else) and features a Bill Mancuso (the sculptor) signed certificate of authenticity. This is one of the nicest likenesses of William Shatner available. As previously discussed by The Collective, many artists often complain about trying to get Shatner’s unique look properly. Mancuso and the DST team have a good item here, with even the glint of charm that is often present with the Kirk character. Sized at about 4 inches, the Kirk bust features detailed painting of his movie era uniform and style.


Admiral Kirk bust (click to enlarge)

Ironically, it is often Leonard Nimoy’s likeness as Spock which is easier for artists to render compared to Shatner’s Kirk. This time, however, Spock is not as successful as his Admiral. The eyebrow and expression are good, as is the original show’s uniform detailing, yet something is wrong with Spock, most notably he appears to have been eating too much Plomeek soup because his face is too rounded. While not a bad rendition, the Spock bust is slightly disappointing. Also strange is that it appears that these may be the last busts from DST. The original line was thematically cohesive, with the busts being of the television era Captains. It would have made more sense for DST to continue with that theme and produce busts of second officers, or movie era versions of the characters. Yet, what they have done here confuses the line (Kirk from the movie era, Spock from the TV era) which was problem of the Sideshow Collectibles line. That being said, it does look nice to place TV Spock next to TV Kirk, or TWOK Kirk next to TV Kirk.


TOS Spock bust (click to enlarge)

Each bust is $44.99 and is available from Entertainment Earth.

Busts available at Entertainment Earth
Spock Adm. Kirk
$44.99 $44.99

 

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Foist!!
Naaa…want NEW movie stuff, please.
Phasers!!!

And that bust is supposed to be SPOCK??? The ones from Japanese Futura are FAR nicer (and cost a fraction).

Those look pretty neat. Chances are, I won’t be getting them though.

awsome new trailer,will b broke nxt year with new movie out,great to see figs on voyage home!

i want a tribble, but thats a pretty ridiculous price

Who are these bust supposed to be of???????

They look nothing like Shatner and Nimoy! And don’t get me started on the STIV Kirk!

Yeah, but when are they gonna come out with a George & Gracie playset?
Perhaps a little aquarium playstation?

Oooh, even better, how about a Michelobe swillin’ James T. Kirk?

Kirk could get all drunk and swim with the whales, while fondling Katherine Hicks ample busom. *sigh*

RE 6 – or a Gillian sex doll…

Re 1 – “Naaa…want NEW movie stuff, please.”
Agreed, where are the new reports from continental Europe, please?

got the admiral Kirk bust- NICE! (almost) anything with the movie uniforms is great to see!!

#1
I’m afraid you took the wrong junction, then. ;)

Kirk in lilac and Spock in Vulcan robes are really really cool (ok, don‘t get me started on the likeness, we‘ve been talking about that before…;)

And oh yeah, it’s tribbletime again! And this time they even will keep off the Klingons from my apartment. Ah, good old Trek…!

#7
I think I like your suggestions…:)

Wow…the Spock pez dispenser has a better likeness than that bust….

Nice Robert Picardo figure

The Kirk figure from ST IV looks more like Jean-Claude VanDamme with Wayne Newton’s hair.

why is an italian mobster from the 70’s standing by Jackie Chan?

Well, I will say the likeness of the tribbles are dead on.

is it just me or did playmates have better likenesses of the actors on their figures? Jeez, they dont even look like Spock and Kirk, more like Robert Picardo and some unknown guy.

re 16
I was just thinking the same thing…alot of the playmates figures had quite passable likenesses (TMP Kirk comes to mind. TNG Data as well…these new ones always seem to be hit or miss. Except my Art Asylum Archer…its like a little Bakula in a box. spooky how good it is!

I have NEVER seen a good likeness of Shatner in a toy/figure.

Why is it so hard? Doesn’t he have approval over these things?

Are they gonna come out with a Gay Takei and Whiny Shatner action figure?

Funny, the second Admiral Kirk bust looks a lot like Lt. Commander Spock.

I still have my tribble from the trouble with tribbles/tribbleations vhs set but it doesn’t make sounds anymore… :( Might be funny to get a little cage and keep a tribble/tribbles in…or sad, one of the two.

Why does the STIV Kirk come with a phaser he never used in the movie?

Plus, in the STIII figures, I believe that should be Kruge, not Kurg.

I used to have the STTMPSpock bust-decanter (You took off his head (!) to pour out your potent potables). Tres odd. Spock’s hair was *auburn* and the circle behind his badge was *orange.*

…the people have spoken. I predict recall

where are George & Gracie?

#26 LOL! With radio control please, so we can play with them in the bath.

Kirk figure looks like Johnnycab.

Now where are the pics of the new phasers?!

How do the Tribbles on Roddenberry.com compare with the DST Tribbles?

The movie Star Trek IV is the one Star Trek movie my mom was interested in.(that might have had to do with the whales) Any who that was the movie that got non Star Trek fans interested and you mean to tell me the powers that be didn’t think it be wise to have more merchandise for that film!!? Sheesh!!

I liked my Gay Takei joke and you frakers aren’t even laughing.

Tough crowd.

The Tribbles look like Shatner’s old Hairpieces!

The likeness of Star Trek IV Kirk is identically bad to to the release for Wrath of Khan!

25 bucks for a vibrating fuzzball!

I’ll just make my own.

#31: better still when are they going to come out with Shatner’s hairpiece as a liscened product. Now you too can look like Kirk from whatever era you want!

If MacFarlane Toys ain’t doin’ it, it ain’t done right… I feel like every Trek figure they come out with has that same crappy-ness as the old Playmate toys. Generally, none of the figures look like the actors, and the movement on all the figures are limited.

Shatner NEVER looks like Shatner…

They should take notes from the new Star Wars toys, or the MacFarlane line…

I LOVE trek, but would like to see the toys reflect that coolness

The Kirk bust looks really good. But the STIV Kirk action figure is a poor likeness. At least from the photo.

One would think that with 3-D computer modeling, it wouldn’t be too hard to get accurate likenesses.

Dear President-Elect Obama,

Please fix the economic crisis SOON so I don’t have to worry about unnecessary spending in case I lose my job. PLEASE!!!!

Thank you.

It looks the the financial crisis of
today will exist in the 23rd Century
How so? Just look at those busts.
Everything will cost and a arm and
a leg plus some. Funny Huh?

BWAHAHAHA!!!!

Good one, #38 — for I have a sense of humor and like yours! :-)

I got some free Tribbles back in November 1996, when “Trials and Tribbleations” aired. There was a promotion with our local station that put free Tribbles on the New York/New Jersey PATH trains a few days before the episode aired. I got several of them. They don’t make any sounds, but the price was right.

Why wait for Diamond? http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/plush/ac6e/
Been out for a few months now.