The Collective: TOS Chair Details + New DS9 Figures + Minimates Wave 5 Review December 26, 2008
by John Tenuto , Filed under: DS9,Replicas,Review,TOS,Toys , trackback
This week brings great collectible news for fans of Captains Kirk and Sisko. Diamond Select Toys has released more details on their life-sized TOS captain’s chair and also announced a new Sisko & Dukat DS9 7" figure two-pack. We also have a review of the the latest wave of Star Trek Minimates.
Command your den – more details on DST TOS chair
More details have come out regarding the life-sized TOS Captain’s Chair from DST complete with lights and sounds (see previous TrekMovie report for details on lights and sounds). DST has released a new photo and announced the chair will have a limited run of (of course) 1,701. The full-sized chair swivels and weighs 140 pounds. It will be released in April with a suggested retail price of $2,717.01. The chair is available for pre-order at Entertainment Earth for $2199.00.
Take a seat, captain. (click to see higher resolution at ToyNews)
Deep Space Mine! — new 7" DS9 figures announced
Showing that DST is continuing to support the various versions of Star Trek even though most attention is on the new movie, DST has announced a new Sisko and Dukat action figure set. The figures will be sold as one of DST’s "Two Pack" sets (a popular line of usually pairing a hero and villain character). Both action figures have accessories, including a Bajoran Orb of the Prophets. The set is scheduled for April and is available for pre-order at Entertainment Earth for $27.09.
New Sisko and Dukat figures (click to see higher resolution at ToyNews)
Review: Minimates Wave 5
Continuing our DS9 theme, this week the fifth wave of Star Trek minimates arrive at retailers. Minimates are much like "Lego" minifigs, yet are more detailed and have been very popular for DST. This wave includes seven new figures, packed as four pairs (with one repeated figure), usually sold together as a Set of eight. There are a few "firsts" for DST in the line.
Captain Benjamin Sisko and Dukat
These are both the first ever DS9 minimates and the first Dukat toy from DST.
Commander Sisko and Dukat
This is a limited edition version of Sisko with the same version of Dukat from the previous two pack
Ilia and Decker
This is the first TMP offering from DST, and the first Decker toy since 1980.
Captain James T. Kirk (green shirt) and Janice Rand
This is the first Janice Rand item from DST.
Minimates are a niche item and very stylized, yet the faces capture the essence of the characters. All of the minimates in this wave have excellent expressions, and the detailing on the uniforms is amazing consider these are barely two inches tall. Notice on the Kirk figure that DST has the flourish on the hem line, while Sisko’s Minimate has the slimline pant hem of the modern version shows. Even more impressive is the very good detail on the accessories, which include phasers and tricorders.
Minimates tricorder accessory
Packaging a hit and a miss
The only mistake with the new Minimates is the packaging. While Trekmovie is a fan of the new unified packaging required by CBS of most of its licensees (which is a good marketing technique when items are going to be sold at retail and something that mostly every other toy line does), here it shows it flaws. The past two waves of DST minimates has featured the unified packaging (with the color, artwork and logos and images of Kirk and Spock). The problem is to feature Kirk and Spock on packaging of items for TNG or DS9, both because it is confusing and slightly insulting to the sequel shows who have their own iconic characters. We would recommend that CBS utilizes the example of Star Wars, which has unified styles, yet feature the proper characters on the packaging (see example from Hasbros Minimate-like "Galactic Hero" below). Hasbro uses the Star Wars unified themes, yet the proper characters are featured on the packaging. Keep the Enterprise, keep the Star Trek generic logo, keep the color scheme, but it would be better to feature the proper characters.
Why put Kirk and Spock on all ST products? Star Wars shows you can do unified packaging and individualize it to be character specific
Bottom Line
Minimates are meant for both collectors of unusual items and for appropriate aged kids (there are many small accessories and like Legos, these come apart so they are not meant for the youngest fans). However, for the "older" kids this is a great item that is fun to play with, and Minimates have a cute factor important to this age group. Because of this, Minimates has double duty. They are both a fun and detailed collectible, and they help Star Trek appeal to more kinds of fans. Despite the packaging problems, the fifth wave of minimates is very good, and features characters that might not sell as large sized action figures.
Available now
Wave 5 of the Star Trek minimates is available now.
But them online at Action Figure Express
| Minimates Series Five - 8-pack |
 |
| $25.59 |
The last two waves of Minimates are also available at Action Figure Express:
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Comments
wow….if I could get that chair along with a Spyder II GX Green Laser, I could be Captain Kirk with a phaser and only burn a $4416 hole in my wallet!
Happy days!
I.
NEED.
THAT.
CHAIR!
“…and Minimates have a cute factor important to this age group.”
Couldn’t disagree more. These things are evil-looking. And ugly. As. Sin. These could be one of the least-appealing TREK collectibles I’ve ever seen.
Any self-respecting Trekkie would sell their firstborn for that Captain’s chair, however! :)
And that Kirk minimate with the green tunic looks like James Cawley.
Real wood armrests?
They better be for that price.
(Oh, if I had the space…)
If the chair does not come with Yeoman Rand, why bother.
It should have a cup holder or a universal remote option.
That’s what the TOS style remote is for JR.
Kirk always used the area around wood arm rests for the cup holder.
Perhaps a supply of blue foam cups.
Wow! With the bail out for the banks, I guess they will be the only ones who will get one of thes bad boys! If you work in the auto industry, you get the stubaker model!
The chair is done with more care than the highlights in that woman’s hair… OUCH! Sorry about that but, girlfriend needs a makeover.
The chair looks great, would be a real thrill to have one.
whats with the deformed characters, they are just fugly. Are kids that warped they find misshapen toys cute now??? Ugh
Vanedge, is that the best Shatner impression you can do? ;)
Would love that chair. But even if I could afford it that’s too geeky even for me.
I can’t afford the pre-built/wired chair…fortunately there are online blueprints, and DIY wiring guides. You can have the same chair for under $500.00 if you have the time, know-how, and tools.
Sadly, I’m lacking time and tools.
:(
I just don’t get these Minimate things; they look like something a five-year old would create with wooden clothespins and some magic markers on a rainy afternoon.
I wonder what it is its made of. Is the base plastic?
Wait a darn minute, i thought they said that the chairwould be around 2000 dollars, not 3000. I will not pay 3000 for a darn chair unless it came with a computer or something. I mean seriously, 3000 for a chair with blinkies and sounds, fugetaboutit!
dukat? dude looks like rusot….
“Diamond Select Toys has released more details on their life-sized TOS captain’s char …”
Somebody hit the spellcheck before serving the captain’s char.
That chair doesn’t have a cup holder.
First thing to run through my mind: Does the blond come with the chair?
Jeez, how much is the shipping on that thing?
I’d mention what I’d be willing to do for that chair. But I’m sure most of the things would be illegal.
Is it me, or does the mini mate of Kirk in the Green Shirt look kind of like Jim Crawley?
#23
…But I’m sure most of the things would be illegal.
So what? :)
#24: I wouldn’t have noticed it had you not pointed it out. Now I can’t see anyone else BUT James Cawley in that toy! Kinda cool.
$2,700 chair. My mind cannot contain this concept. Ow [it slides out of my mind and hits the floor with a mighty thud]. Ow.
I hope people don’t actually shell out $2000 bucks for that chair – as cool as it is, it would be much cheaper just to make one on your own. It’s not THAT hard, really…
Tell you what make one for me and let me know how much? I want one or maybe two to go in my trek room.
It’s a shame Star Trek products are covered buy mini mates, can you imagine Star Trek – Lego!!! after playing Star Wars, Indiana Jones & now Batman on my Xbox 360 I would love to see Star Trek TOS LEGO, any ideas on how the game would play?
After that of course there would be Star Trek TNG LEGO, the possibilities are endless!!!
Lego Trek would be wonderful :-)
is it a lego? it looks more like a Cube Craft ahaha kinda reminds me of cube craft take a look
http://www.slime-tube.com/index.php/archives/309
It’s good to see Janice in there! I’ve been waiting for a ‘proper’ Janice figure for ages though!
In spite of my Janice love, given Majel’s recent passing, I really hope they advance their schedule and bring out a Chapel figure as an homage to the great lady as soon as posible. An TOS original uniform would be cool, or a TMP McCoy/Chapel 2-pack to compliment the Kirk/Spock 2-pack that we’re hopefully going to see before the New Year…
Minimates are downright creepy.
Minimates…. Ugggggggggggly!!!!!!
But I bet the Captain’s Chair will still sell like hotcakes, even at that price!
That doesn’t look like Dukat at all..more like Garak!
I’m wondering at what target group these weird Minimates are aimed. Well, whatever.
This chair is too costly for me, as much as I’d like to have one, and it gets costlier with each update. One day I’m gonna build one by myself…
Where can you find the blueprints for the Captain’s chair? I’ve looked online, and can’t find them anywhere!
Willard??? I thought it was William Decker. Am I wrong?
It’s Willard Decker / William T Riker – they were pretty much the same character concept though so it’s easy to get confused!
I WANT THAT CHAIR!
Yes, the chair swivels, but does it swivel on it’s own BACK into a straight position after turning left or right?
The Decker and Ilia would be worth the price alone, plus Kirk in his wrap-around is cool.
…looks like the ol’ Tax refund will be buying me some furniture his year.
And I just don’t get the fisher mriced-like mini maes. Show me a preschooler that wants to play with a cute 2″ Commander Deckert, because it’s commander Decker and I’ll eat my hat. If any little 4 year olds ARE playing with these cute little buggers, it’s because theeir Trekker Mom or Dad bought it for them!
“Spock! What the devil is my chair doing on Ebay?!”
Chair’s price has risen considerably from the time first announced. Figures.
They really ARE giving up on Shatner. The MiniMates Kirk looks like James Cawley. Whoops. Thought I was the only one. Guess I am not the only one who sees it.
Maybe it is the Elvis hair all these MiniMates sport that gives it that Cawley glimmer. ;)
That 7″ Cardassian figure looks more like Gul Macet than Ducat. Also, it would have been nice if the the 7″ figures had cloth uniforms.
On a positive not I love Kirk’s command chair, they should do the TOS movie chair too.
FOR SALE OR TRADE FOR CAPTAIN’S CHAIR
1 (one) 15 yr old boy; 6’0”; will occasionally pick up after himself; may shower on an “as needed” basis; should develop into a good tight end or defensive end with the possiblity of earning back any $$$ you invest on him; asking $2199.00. Free shipping (he can walk).
WAITTT!!!!!
the TOS chair didnt have wooden arm rests!
what is this???
TOS was better… sure it does. You just can see it until you get to the HD versions. I never noticed McCoy’s ring before, either.
can’t
I’ve seen some of the original props close up. Trust me these replicas are MUCH better quality!
#38: Amen to that.
The original chair is in the sci-fi museum in Seattle if you haven’t been there I recommend it.
54 — Wow I didn’t know it was that close to my house!
3 hours by car road trip coming in the near future!!…..
4. SPB – December 26, 2008
“And that Kirk minimate with the green tunic looks like James Cawley.”
That is absolutely spot-on correct!
I hope That Diamond Select makes a USS Defiant.
I really want a USS Defiant with the same attention to detail that they paid to their other ships.
“STAR TREK LIVES”
Gotta wonder: How many more chairs would they sell at a price tag of $1,701 ?
50: Oh yes, it did have those wooden armrests in TOS. Look closely and you’ll recognize them.
58: I believe they could sell 50,000 pieces at $500.
Can we start wagering on how many chairs will be sold? I’ll wager 1 cent that they will sell a grand total of 5 chairs.
yeah i agree about the cvahoirs price.
I saw the article in the times. 2700 dollars. my god.
you know ive seen adds for entire living room sets 10 pcs for $990. and if you act now they throw in a blueray player.
i too wish for a lego trek. do you klnow how hard it is to build a ent using their builder program.
oh the chair looks so cool. I want one!
i wonder if there are blueprints for the chair?
because i wont be paying $3k for a flimsy piece o’ crap
to perfect the chair- a cupholder and either a built in universal remote or a spot to nest your own!
What is so great about minimates?
DST just screwed themselves in my opinion. When they first talked about the chair they said it would be around a grand. Then all of the sudden it was 2 grand…then they said, “wait a minute, we havent firmed up a price yet!” and now its almost 3 grand.
Can you say wharehouse full of captains chairs?
fail.
Ill wait for the inevitable EBAY bargain.
#61 “Can we start wagering on how many chairs will be sold? I’ll wager 1 cent that they will sell a grand total of 5 chairs.”
I wouldn’t wager too much. There are people sanding in line to buy Lost in Space Robot replicas at $25,000 a pop. The same can be said for replicas of Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet. Kirk’s captain’s chair is a very iconic image. They’ll have no problem selling each and everyone of them…regardless of the fact that it’s probably costing less than $100 per unit to manufacture in China. DST is being very greedy, but that’s not surprising.
I disagree. I know the folks making the robots and its a very short line they are standing in. We are in a recession and I will guarantee you that they will not move 1.701 of these chairs at that price. Bartons robots are not flying off teh shelves and though the LIS Robot has done better (considering the catastrophes that were the previous attempts) you make it sound like these robots are flying off the shelves and that just isnt so. Time will tell I suppose but having some involvement with past licensees Im not holding my breath….youre talking about the same fan base that complains about MRs prices on props and replicas and now tacking a couple of grand more on.
I dont see this being successful. Pretty much guarantee a much cheaper secondary market though :)
One is on ebay now at $2,717.01, a really stupid price. Go type in Star Trek Captain’s Chair and see what comes up. No takers as of yet. You guys can start to formulate a judgment on sales of these things, starting with this one.
I think mass produced Captain’s chairs are interesting, but I’ve already got one.
67
“Wacky incredible swiveling captains arm chair!”
“Wacky incredible swiveling captains arm chair!”
“Wacky incredible swiveling captains arm chair!”
HI Im Al Harington Presisent and CEO of Al Harringtons “Wacky incredible swiveling captains arm chair Emporium and Warehouse.
Thanks to a garbbled subspace transmission. im now currently overstocked on “Wacky incredible swiveling captains arm chairs!”
#69 “you make it sound like these robots are flying off the shelves and that just isnt so.”
Not really, all I’m saying is this. The fans and prop collectors out there who CAN afford a B9 replica at $25,000 aren’t going to blink twice at a $3000. chair, IF they want it. And yes, the recession is bad, but again, those who can afford a prop that costs more than a car probably arent facing possible layoffs in the near future. And lastly, there are far more Trek collectors than Lost in Space collectors and they have no problem letting lose the money for something they want, just witness the recent Christies auctions.
Bottom line is this, there are a lot of people with alot of money that like Star Trek and would love to have this in their collection, or media room. Having siad that, I hope you’re right, because I want one, and will probably get one…but I have no problem waiting it out to see if I can pick it up cheaper.
72
so what, these chairs are aimed at those can aford it and not the general trek audiance?
maybe if it was the original chair and not a made for public replica.
the robot tends to STAND static in collection. the chair would most likely be USED in every day life of the buyer. SIT/SWIVEL every weekend and watch trek. thats what the trek fan wants. how many of THOSE fans have that kind of cash. in this market or not.
#61 “Can we start wagering on how many chairs will be sold? ”
Yes, but the wagers must be in quatloos.
74
Ill buy that for a quatloo :)
But is it comfortable?
I tend to be insane with my Trek collecting but $2700????!!! That is even crazy by my standards. ;)
All I know is the quality better be a LOT better than the captain’s chair that came with the Pike and Kirk figures. If they leave the sealer coat off and scratch up a $3000 replica, there will be plenty of returned merchandise.
Cool chair but no way does a normal person purchase one. All of you folks with tons of expendable money or no common sense please let us know how the chair rates.
A review from my kids concerning Mini-Mates v. Galactic Heroes:
Mini-Mates suck and Galactic Heroes are cool. My six year old says he can tell which character is which. And you can buy ships for the characters. I, of course, paraphrased.
heres the question
whos the cuatomer here?
the Collector who has wads of cash to spend
or
the gen public who dont