The Collective: Review Of 2008 Hallmark Trek Ornaments + DST Landing Party Kits

This weekend Hallmark stores are having their annual Keepsake Ornament premiere parties, and Star Trek is invited. Available now are two of the three Trek themed ornaments for 2008 (a third will be available this October). Trekmovie.com has a review of the new ornaments, and provides news about some new DST items. 

 

Christmas in July
It takes the power of Q to turn the U.S.S. Voyager into an ornament in the world of Star Trek. For fans, however, all it takes to get a Star Trek Christmas ornament is a visit to the local Hallmark store. At premiere parties on July 12th and 13th, Hallmark stores are revealing many of their ornaments of the year, including the "The Trouble With Tribbles" scene ornament and the U.S.S. Reliant.

"The Trouble With Tribbles" ornament is the newest in the line of scene based Star Trek ornaments. Available previous years were The Wrath of Khan battle scene (2007), transporter with Kirk, Spock, and Scotty (2006), Locutous meets the Borg Queen from First Contact (2005), and the "City on the Edge of Forever" Guardian scene (2004). The Tribbles ornament includes some great detailing, from holographic sticker decorations to the delta shield shaped speaker. As usual for these kinds of ornaments, there are sounds and voice effects when a button is pressed. As a bonus, this nice ornament also includes the constant barrage of Tribbles on Captain Kirk as in the original episode.


Tribbles for Christmas? (click to enlarge)

The U.S.S. Reliant continues the traditional starship line started in 1991. The very first Hallmark Star Trek ornament ever was the 1991 U.S.S. Enterprise and it commands nearly $200 because it was produced in limited numbers. For each of the last 17 years, one or two starships or vessels have been included in the ornament line. This year, U.S.S. Reliant is an excellent example of this kind of ornament. The lights are bright and the details are excellent. It is to scale with other ship ornaments, and with nearly 20 starship ornaments in the collection, fans could have a "Starfleet" themed tree with great aplomb.


Khan’s ship says happy holidays (click to enlarge)

Not all traditions are preserved by Hallmark during the last two decades, though. First, for the second year in a row, ornaments no longer include the "collector card" found prior to 2007. These cards featured a picture of the item on the front of the card and a "TO/FROM/DATE" form on the back and were handy for managing collections. It appears to cut costs these cards are a thing of the past. Also, Hallmark appears to have abandoned figural ornaments. Starting in 1995 with Captains Kirk and Picard, action figure sized ornaments of various characters were always offered. Nicely detailed and to scale with each other, the ornaments were good items for display at Christmas time, or any time during the year. Despite the fact that there are plenty of characters available that yet to be "ornamented" the last Star Trek figural ornament was Khan in 2005. Last year, a limited edition Uhura ornament was offered, yet it was not to scale with previous editions. Despite these concerns, the Hallmark Star Trek ornaments are always fun items that help make the nice emotions of the holiday season seem not so far away.

The Tribbles ornament sells for $28 and the Reliant goes for $32. Although Hallmark eventually sells ornaments online, the only real way to get these now is to visit the stores. However, a good secondary dealer of Star Trek Hallmark items is Hooked on Ornaments.

The third ornament, a Starfleet communicator, will be available this October. Hallmark offers a preview (including sound effects) of the communicator ornament at their website.


2008 TOS communicator ornament (click for details)

Video: See (and hear) the new ornaments in action

 

DIAMOND SELECT TOYS NEWS – PHASER PACKS

Want to start thinking of holiday gifts? There is some news for fans of the popular Diamond Select Toys role playing toy line. Just in time for Christmas, DST is reissuing their incredibly popular Original Series Phaser and communicator prop toys now as a reasonably priced set in two varieties.

The standard two pack includes the Phaser (with black handle) and the regular communicator. The Phaser includes the detachable type 1 module with sounds and lighting effects. The communicator has a moiré, a flip open grille, voice and lighting effects, and a awesome call back feature that allows for the Enterprise to hail you. This set conjures images of the 1970s "Exploration Kit" only with scaled items and much better quality. The item is available for $39.99 this December. You can preorder now from Action Figure Express. You can complete your landing party set by picking up the Science Tricorder ($31.99) which arrives is September and is also available for pre-order from AFX.

Star Trek Communicator and Phaser Two-Pack Star Trek Original Series Science Tricorder
$39.99
(pre-order for December)
$31.99
(pre-order for September)

Entertainment Earth has its own exclusive edition of the two pack. This version includes the gold handle for the Phaser and the previously available exclusive communicator with a bonus phrase. The EE exclusive edition is available this December for $49.99 and can be pre-ordered now. This two-pack makes a good companion set to Entertainment Earth’s exclusive Medical Tricorder which comes out in October and is also available for pre-order.

EE Exclusive Star Trek Classic Gold Phaser and Communicator Two-Pack EE Exclusive Star Trek Original Series Medical Tricorder
$49.99
(pre-order for December)
$39.99
(pre-order for October)

 

Khan phasers coming
Speaking of phasers, Diamond Select Toys has confirmed with Trekmovie that there will be a Wrath of Khan phaser available for preorder soon, shipping this winter or next year. If pricing and quality are consistent with previous role playing toys from DST, this will surely be a good item for fans.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas this July!

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Phaser & Tricorder for 40 bucks seems a very good deal. Too bad I already have both.

I’m sorry: Phaser & Communicator!

does the regular Tricorder not have anything on the screen ?

Cool. Cool. And cool. To everything. Really jazzed about the tricorder.

I ordered the 2 new 2008 ornaments this morning on ebay for retail + shipping. Cheaper than driving to my nearest Hallmark. Christmas in July is right!

Yeah, me too, Holger. And I’ve got the Med Tric on order.
So let me get this straight John: The science tricorder doesn’t come with the scanner and has the blue screen with no display whereas the med tric has the scanner and a bio-bed display? If so then I am glad I got the med tric.

Oh, and what happened to the Art Asylum home page? It’s been down for two or three weeks and just has a countdown clock running in it’s place. Is there going to be some announcement from AA in the next couple weeks? I seemed to have missed any news on what was up.

On posting, thanks for the tricorder info, John.

I got my ornments today! Yippeeee…
btw…the communicator ornament is not available until October.

whoa…just ordered a medical tricorder for my best friend for Christmas…the price listed here is deceiving. It’s actually $51 and change with tax and shipping. Well, she is worth it…..I’ll just have to drive a little less next week! Ha!

I’m pumped about the medical tricorder. Was the gold phaser featured in TOS? I don’t recall seeing it…

I would have liked to see the Tribble ornament a bit closer. Zoom in so we can see the tribble action.

That Reliant ornament is MINE – to go with every other one I’ve collected since ’91 – pristine, and still unopened. And that phaser/communicator combo link just got forwarded to Santa Claus. LOL

Like the Reliant!

cant wait for the new tricoders- i cant believe i have survived 14 years with only the playmates tiny tricoder.

The Kirk in that tribble ornament looks like Hank Hill – I bet you’ll press the button, and it’ll say, “Damn it, Boomhauer!” LMAO

I don’t like how the new Hallmark ornaments for Trek require batteries and the pressing of a button for activation. I liked it before when they plugged into your strand of lights and stayed lit.

The new ones just suck.

Hmmmm….darn it, I don’t want the Wrath of Khan phaser…I want an affordable assault phaser, or the phaser from Star Trek 3…or First Contact’s phaser rifle.

I wonder if the WOK phaser will have the removable phaser 1? I too await a good assault phaser, I’m sure they’ll make one eventually–it’s popular. I wonder if, when they make it, it will have a removable phaser 1?

That Kirk one is huge.

TWOK Phaser DOES have a removeable phaser 1, I saw it at Wizard World.

#20. TWOK Phaser DOES have a removeable phaser 1, I saw it at Wizard World.

Nice! “I’m gettin’ that fo sho.

I’ve got the Phaser and Communicator already. I love ’em! I also have the medical Tricorder on pre-order. I’m loving DST’s replica toys.

I have the Diamond Select Classic Phaser, and I’m aiming to get the Communicator at Comic-Con (Someone will be selling them for sure).

However, the WOK Phaser is definately on my want list !!!!

Every year I keep thinking they are going to run out of ships. Or people to buy them.

I remember buying the Borg Cube several years ago. The old lady at the counter took it out of the box to plug it in and make sure all the lights worked.

She held that dark cube in her hands and looked at it all dumbfounded, and said, “Well, that sure is . . . . . . interesting.”

I sheepishly answered, “Yeah, I know. Hallmark has a new one every year, and they could be crap on a shingle and I have to buy it in order to have the entire set.”

She just shrugged and put it back in the box, probably thinking that I’m such a dork.

Meanwhile, I walked out of the store thinking that I AM such a dork.

#23

Not a dork! meanwhile, said old lady returned home from work to dust off her cherished collection of Betty Boop cookie jars, place mats, cream dispensers, and telephone. Or, God forbid, her beloved beanie baby collection. Let’s just see if she can turn back a Klingon invasion with nothing but betty Boop and a floppy seal beanie.

“Meanwhile, I walked out of the store thinking that I AM such a dork.”

Nah, if it makes you happy and gives you joy, then it’s a good thing. I’ve been collecting Trek stuff since I was 13 and I show no signs of stopping.

Wow — AdmiralR is SO giving me the Reliant for Christmas. Hey, at least she doesn’t have to put worms in anyone’s ear…

Greetings. I’m the “dork” who has sculpted all of the Star Trek ship ornaments for Hallmark since 1991. I’m glad to hear that most of you like the Reliant. It’s been one of the great joys of my life to make these little contributions to universe. All the time, I just wanted something cool for my own tree.

Lynn — Thank you! Yes, I loves me some good starships.

If Hallmark would consider it, I’d love to see:

TV version of the Jupiter 2…

The Yamato from Starbalzers…

The Arcadia (there are a couple of versions) from Captain Harlock…

Of course, next year we need to see the NEW old E.

Starblazers even — Harry has polluted my brain.

Thanks Lynn for job well done! I own all the TOS ornaments and always look forward to pulling them out at Xmas. Although last year’s (or was it the year before?) TOS Enterprise remains displayed at all times. I love the shuttle craft with Spock’s custom Xmas greeting as well. Good stuff.

It’s been my pleasure. I erred in my previous comments; the shuttle craft ornament from 1992 is the only ship I didn’t sculpt. I was given the assignment, but had to have unexpected surgery. My coworker, Dillard Rhodus graciously stepped in and made a great contribution to our ornamental “Starfleet” . I retired from Hallmark in 2006, but continue to sculpt ornaments and toys from my home studio. I hope Hallmark (and I) will be offered the rights to make a ship ornament from the upcoming movie. Keep you phasers crossed.

Ms. Norton — thanks for posting. I have all the ships and it gives us so much pleasure at Xmastime to look on the ornaments on the tree.

It’s great to have a job that brings some pleasure into people’s lives. Actually, it’s Mr. Norton. I have all the life stories like a “boy named Sue.” Once I was interviewed (via email) about the DS-9 ornament by a writer for the Star Trek Communicator magazine. At the time, Hallmark had the artists photographs on the ornament box and I assumed he would know my gender. Wrong! It was a great article and we all had a good laugh. By the way, the founder of Hallmark Cards was a man named Joyce Hall. I guess I’m in good company.

#17:
I’d like to see stiII Phasers too. I wanted one (pairing), but I couldn’t afford one of those expensive prop replicas off of Roddenberry.com.

#16:

I disagree. I have the Galileo 7, one of the earlier ornaments, with the “plug-in” for the lights. Problem is, the outlet no longer fits the sockets. Last Christmas, I was eventually able to get power to my ornament, but it took some very careful placement of the metal prongs and some duct tape to get it to work. I much prefer the newer ones for this reason alone. Unless there is some kind of adapter kit for these older ornaments that I am not aware of, that is…

Lyle- check around for different strings of lights. I’ve noticed that different manufacturers (all Chinese) use different socket sizes. Good luck, and be careful “hotwiring” those things. You don’t want to cause an overload and warp core breach!

There is a way to adapt the plug-in ornaments to most light strings. If you still have the paper insert that came with the ornament, there are instructions and a drawing. Basically, you straighten the metal prongs at the end of the ornament plug and remove the plastic end cap. Do the same with one of the bulbs from your light-string and place the cap from the bulb on your ornament plug. Then bend the metal prongs back over the cap and you have constructed an adaptor plug to fit your light string. The only downside is that you have to sacrifice a bulb to make it work.

#24

I meant to call myself a dork in a self-effacing, humorous sort of way.

My favorite model: The Enterprise-A. I was surprised that it took as long as it did in order to come out with the movie-era design of the ship. I would have preferred that it was the regular Enterprise after the refit (without the A), but it’s something I keep on display the whole year.

Same goes with the DS9 ornament. With the stand, it looks really cool on a shelf on my living room.

My least favorite would be the Romulan shuttlecraft with Data and Picard in it. If they were going to tie into the Nemesis movie, I’d rather had seen one of the new warbirds, or Shinzon’s ship.

The Reliant is long overdue!

I think the starbase floating above Earth would make a cool ornament. Same goes with a Cardassian warship, and maybe one of the old-style Klingon cruisers. And without a doubt the other Enterprises, the B and C!

I thought I had all the ships in the series, then I read somewhere that there were a year or two in there with multiple ships. In particular, there was a year with a diecast NX-01 I think. So now I’m not too sure what I need and where to get what I need in order to be “complete.” I have all the main ornaments, though.

Hey “Out There,” I took no offense. I also intended to poke fun at myself as a fan. You are correct, the NX-01 was an additional ornament in the year it was issued. There was also a die-cast Enterprise and shuttle on a 30th anniversary display base that was sold in the same year as the Voyager ornament.

“Actually, it’s Mr. Norton. I have all the life stories like a “boy named Sue.”

MR. Lynn Norton. I am so sorry. I did momentarily ponder gender since I have a good friend of the same name!

Not a problem, Krikzil. Thank you for your kind words about the ornaments I’ve sculpted.

Mr. Norton-
Job well done. It wouldn’t be a holiday season worth celebrating without a
Hallmark Star Trek ornament.
Question: Did you sculpt the first Enterprise ornament in ’91? The reason I’m asking is there seems to be a big difference in style from that first ship to the current selection. Don’t get me wrong-I love that first ornament, but the ships from recent years are much more sophisticated and detailed. Just wondering.
Please keep up the terrific job- and thank you for all your hard work.

Thank you. I did sculpt the first Enterprise ornament and there’s a story to tell if you’re interested. The Enterprise was the first popular icon to be made into an ornament by Hallmark. All previous ornaments had been traditional and festive for holiday decorating. When I got the assignment, concept drawings had been made with garland draped around the saucer section and Santa popping up out of the bridge dome. After my blood pressure subsided, I teamed up with my editor (also a fan) and we successfully waged war on the product-development-team. The compromise was a relatively sane Enterprise with the red and green blinking lights to provide a “festive” element. Also, the store display was a small shadow-box design so I had to shorten and squeeze poor Enterprise to fit. Even so, the first ornament was so successful that I was able to convince them to let me make more accurate renditions as the line developed. There will always be some design compromises due to the electrical components, but I try my best to keep them “in character.” By the way, I married my editor six years later and we displayed the Enterprise ornament on our wedding cake as a tribute to our first collaboration.

“By the way, I married my editor six years later and we displayed the Enterprise ornament on our wedding cake as a tribute to our first collaboration.”

Awesome story!

On those old Star Trek ornaments that plug in, you can buy strands of lights that work with those ornaments without having to adjust the plug. I know for a fact that you can buy lights still that work with old ornaments. Below is a link to the site.

I have been collecting the ships from the start , some I even have 2 of . but if they keep it up with the battery powered ones I am going to loose interest in them . I want to keep up my collection , but I just cannot stand having to go push a button to light up my ornament . I totally enjoyed sitting on my sofa and looking over at the ships glowing and flashing on my tree , not just sitting there . when they put them on the powered base , and sometimes just on a hook with the base . that was ok on a rare occasion , but this is not what I am paying the increasing price for . I do not even get my ornaments new at Hallmark anymore , I get them used / new off of ebay . I did look forward to that time of year , when I would go into Hallmark and see what new ship they had , but not anymore . please bring back the original .

To me it is easy to change the plug when needed , and well worth it .