Here’s a look at a somewhat new Trek licensor on the block that made our Best of 2021 list and is expected to continue to help ring in 2022. We take a look at EXO-6, review (with video) their first two releases from 2021, and look at what they have coming up in 2022.
EXO-6: Focusing on 12-inch Star Trek
12-inch scale collector figures are having a lucrative boom right now, with companies like Hot Toys, Sideshow, and others making high-end 1/6 scale figures with remarkable likenesses of actors like Robert Downey, Jr., Keanu Reeves, and others as they license properties like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Keanu’s John Wick series, and others. Star Trek has had a spotty record in this area, with companies like Playmates and even military figure company Dragon producing 12-inch Trek figures of varying quality over the years.
The best so far was a brief run of Star Trek: The Original Series figures from QmX that included James T. Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, and renegade superman Khan Noonien Singh from “Space Seed.” Other figures were announced, including a Wrath of Khan Khan, TOS Chekov and Uhura, Admiral Kirk and Spock from The Wrath of Khan, and Michael Burnham and a Michelle Yeoh figure from Star Trek Discovery—but these never materialized.
Nanjin Tam was one of the brainchilds behind QmX’s line of Trek figures, and after being frustrated by their output (they eventually discontinued the line), he struck out on his own and formed Exo-6, which has launched an ambitious line of Star Trek figures encompassing the Next Generation movie Star Trek First Contact with figures of Jean-Luc Picard and Commander Data in 2021, and more on the way.
EXO-6 Picard and Data
Video unboxing and reviews
Check out the video for my unboxing of Picard and Data—these were released mid-2021 but 2021 being what it was, circumstances prevented us from posting our unboxing until now, but hopefully we will feature the upcoming Exo-6 figures as they become available.
A closer look at Data and Picard
Each figure comes with finely tailored uniforms, hidden magnets to supply that old “magnatomic adhesion” magic to hold phasers, communicators and tricorders onto the figures’ clothing, and large accessories like phaser rifles etc. Both figures come with display stands modeled on the Enterprise transporter pads, which are designed to lock together to potentially create a complete transporter platform once you collect six figures. The likenesses and paint details are wonderfully lifelike and subtle, capturing the attitude of both characters, and Exo-6 has gone the extra mile to make sure that their body joints are both highly poseable and firm to maintain extreme poses if needed. (Figures also come with swappable hands for different poses and to hold specific accessories.)
EXO-6 Picard
EXO-6 Data
EXO-6 Data extra head
Bottom line
These figures easily hold up against the best that Hot Toys and Sideshow can deliver, and at a pretty reasonable price point of under $200 (whereas most Hot Toys figures now go for closer to $300 and sometimes far more). EXO-6 has produced a tremendously exciting line that promises to bring some of Trek’s greatest characters to life to pose and preen on your desk or bookshelves.
What’s next
Both the Data and Picard First Contact figures sold out quickly, as did a just-released Star Trek Voyager Captain Janeway figure; a Holographic Doctor figure is imminent and still available for pre-order, and apparently a Seven of Nine is not too far away.
EX0-6 EMH
EXO-6 is continuing to expand their line in 2022 with a number of releases coming up. These include TOS “Mirror, Mirror” Spock and a figure of John de Lancie’s Q in his magisterial robes from TNG’s “Encounter at Farpoint.” Future releases for Star Trek: Discovery and more are being planned. Visit EX0-6 for more details and pre-order reservations.
EX0-6 Mirror Spock
Find more Star Trek merchandise news and reviews at TrekMovie.com.
I received the Picard figure for Christmas, and it’s outstanding. If you’re interested in figures, it’s something you need to consider picking up
Can’t praise this company enough. High quality figures, below average prices and super fast time between preorder & delivery. Talking a few months not 12 to 18 months plus like Hot Toys. Get them while you can.
Obviously a quality offering for those who are into collecting such stuff. But, man, I still maintain that the FC uniforms are easily the ugliest and most uncomfortable-looking in the franchise —
and across a thousand years of Starfleet couture, that’s quite an accomplishment.
Really? It’s crazy but the FC uniforms are hands down my favorite in the entire franchise. I’m glad to see them back on Lower Decks and hope we see them on Prodigy when we eventually see Starfleet officers show up again. The original DS9/VOY uniforms are my second favorite.
But it’s true what they say I guess, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Agreed, the First contact uniforms are my favorite too, followed by Picard’s swanky TNG away mission jacket
First Contact uniforms are second only to the maroon monsters of the TOS movies for me
Ugh, I hate those too. The TMP costumes were an ugly bust, no doubt, but the TWOK outfits were bulky and impractical (It’s hard for me to imagine many of the breezy TOS action scenes playing out the same way with the crew throwing kicks and rolling around on alien planets wearing those uniforms.) There’s a pretty absurd scene in THE WRATH OF KHAN, after they beam up from the Genesis Cave, where a couple of ensigns rush forward to help Kirk back into his uniform jacket, because of course that took priority when the ship was still struggling to recover from a devastating attack.
At least those outfits had color. Wesley Crusher’s cadet ensemble aside, the FIRST CONTACT uniforms are the first in the franchise to be almost all gray. I think they’re incredibly drab, but what’s worse is that they also look uncomfortable, with an undershirt, vest, and quilted jacket that look like they would be stifling to wear in any venue without heavy air conditioning. The relative simplicity of the TOS and TNG uniforms said a lot about what Starfleet as a future military service chose to value and prioritize. I don’t know what kind of statement the FIRST CONTACT uniforms make.
I have the Picard figure, and it’s incredible. It’s even better than the QMX Picard, which is also quite good. I just wish there was some rhyme or reason to the EXO-6 release. Seems to be all over. They announced a Captains line that doesn’t seem to be happening, and not a peep about the previously announced Enterprise-E captain’s chair to go with Picard.
FC – back when Trek was Aliens/T2 level of cool
Yeah. I always got that Aliens/T2 vibe too, with the aesthetic of the Enterprise in particular.
Interesting that they use a transporter pad as the base of a First Contact figure. I don’t think the transporter set was used in First Contact.
Only because transporters weren’t used in Aliens and the T2 transporter would have bumped the rating to a hard R.
Huh? I’m not sure if you are joking or not.
But I like First Contact more than Aliens or T2. I don’t need my Star Trek to be R-rated to enjoy it.
I purchased the Janeway Figure. My first action figure I have ever purchased in my 60 years. It looks so realistic; it is mind boggling. I am very happy with it. Though I doubt I’d ever purchase anything else that extragavent.
You’re going to leave Janeway all by herself? She needs a crew, dammit GKL! Get her the Doc asap.
LOL; If money was no object…. But no worries my sister bought me a Voyager ship model.
Heh. Go crazy enough to purchase a Master Replicas Enterprise studio miniature for $1300.00; then we’ll talk. 😊
Budget allowing I’m in for everything EXO-6 makes between TOS & Ent, with a few from Picard & Disco.
Mr. Nanjin has done a fabulous job on these figures. When he was QMX, he done an outstanding job with the TOS figures. I have Kirk, Spock, Scotty, McCoy, and Sulu. I hope that he does Chekov and Uhura real soon so I can have my TOS crew complete. :-)
Still feel that the likeness are not right for something that expensive. Jean Luc looks puffy and doesn’t feel like Patrick Stewart, looks like a boxer or something, and Date looks sad and expresionless.
Unfortunately, that price point is just too far out of my league. I would though like to hear more about what Playmates Toys has planned, now that they have the master license. Im also curious if the Next Gen Super 7 Reaction line would continue