Ebony and Ivory live together in perfect harmony...

Okay, maybe not perfect harmony according to the episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, of course in this situation we are talking about the "half blacks" and the "half whites" of the Planet Cheron. One of my more favorite episodes of Star Trek for the following three reasons: The story seemed well done, Frank Gorshin's performance as Bele, and Spock's play by play at the end of the episode.

The story in a nutshell is The Enterprise intercepts two travelers that are bent on destroying each other, see one is black on the right side, the ruling class of Cheron, and the other is white on the right side making him an outcast. Kirk is on a mission to save another planet, Ariannus from a plague when Bele, Frank Gorshin, takes control of the ship so he can return Lokai, played by Lou Antonio, back to Cheron to stand trial. Kirk threatens to destroy the Enterprise to re gain control which works, upon finishing their primary mission to decontaminate the planet of Ariannus, Bele once again takes control and propels them forward to Cheron, where it turns out that the two factions have destroyed each other years ago, both Bele and Lokai blame the other and take their battle to the planet surface where the Enterprise leaves them to their life long battle, the last two members of their society.

So, with that of the way we have a reproduction again produced by EMCE of the classic Mego action figure called Cheron. Obviously Mego took some artistic license with the character, the whole head is black and white, no brown hair as is the body suit, plus the name is the name of the planet and not something like Bele or Lokai. I think these differences between the toy and the actual show can easily be overlooked. I always thought this was an interesting figure so I couldn't wait to get one in hand. I'm not entirely sure, but most of the original Megos have what is called "Cheron Rot" or "Cheron Mold" where the white part of the body suit has had a reaction with the plastic used for the body, cast in black, and has started to stain the body suit. To find one without this is a pretty big deal and could cost a pretty penny, so I was glad that this figure made the list of being reproduced. The plastics used today should be far better and prevent this color change from happening again, so little Cheron here should be safe for as long as I live.



Playmates Toys released a more accurate version in their 9 inch scale and of the character Bele, they can still be found on Ebay at good prices, matter if fact I'm thinking of picking one up soon. I wonder why neither company chose to make the reverse character, that of Lokai? Did Bele when the final confrontation and is now the last citizen of Cheron standing?

Chekov the list

Today is Chekov's day! Rounding out my EMCE Mego reproduction bridge crew. Let's back up real quick, Uhura had a figure back in the Seventies, made by Mego, but Chekov is like Sulu and was never produced. I'm not sure why, seems pretty easy, take a Kirk figure, make a couple new heads, reduce the rank accordingly, Bam! You have Chekov and Sulu.



My only guess is that the toy line was either waning in popularity and they did not get produced, or some sort of rights were not negotiated for these characters, or Kirk did not want the yellow shirted competition. All speculation on my part.

Chekov, like Sulu has a really nice Mego like head sculpt and was equipped with the standard issue Phaser, Communicator, and Tricorder. Tip top work there Dr. Mego and EMCE.



The only thing missing is the accent, kids can provide that. " Vhere are your nuclear wessels?"

Side note: I'm doing a little research here, does anyone know why Chekov was not in Star Trek the Animated Series? I think I might know, just want to double check with all the Trek fans.

Hailing Frequencies Open

I decided to get some of the EMCE photos up this week so I can catch up, and since I've been in a Star Trek mood this past few weeks, all the Trekkies will get a good dose of Trek Toys!

This time I'm posting a female action figure, yes action figure, since I'm a guy and that's what we call them, not dolls. And yes I did buy this action figure myself, jeez people I'm not afraid to go into a store and purchase Lt. Uhura. I'm secure in my masculinity to go into a store and buy Lt. Uhura. Though, it was much easier to just click "add to cart" when FAO was having that sale online and have her sent to my door in a nice discrete box. Not that I wouldn't pick one up in a store, it's just it was on sale!



I'm just going to move on now. What I like about this action figure is it's the only figure with rooted hair from the Star Trek collection, which I guess if you were a toy company trying to compete with Barbies and what not back in the day you had to have something to comb. I also read that Dr. Mego when designing this reproduction, based on an original Mego toy, he made a few adjustments, that in toy terms is really cool. The hips can pop in an out of socket for a doll like look for playing or a more female figure form for displaying. You know now that I typed this it's sort of creepy, moving on.



What I don't like, and this is nothing against EMCE or Mego, is that the hands can't hold a phaser, which is cool I guess because she didn't come with one. Wait, what? Tricorder, check, phaser and communicator, no! To fix this I guess I need to get one for her, I mean Uhura wasn't just arm candy on the series, she got in there and explored the galaxy with the guys, went on missions to planet surfaces, was exposed to the same aliens as the rest of the gang. Also what gives she needs a communicatorl, she is the communications officer. So even though she can't hold them I'm going to equip her like the rest of the landing team. So I guess I'm off to accessorize my dolly, check you guys later.

Ahead Warp Factor Four Mr. Sulu

While we're waiting for Spock's first report from the road, I thought I would show off another really cool looking figure from the EMCE Star trek line, one that Mego did not produce back in the seventies. Well, EMCE didn't let this essential crew member go un-noticed, along with another coming in a future post, and they did a great job on him as well.

"Oh My!"

Okay, I will admit when I was a kid I never wanted to pretend to be Sulu, Chekov, or Doctor McCoy, they just were not as exciting as Kirk, Spock, and Scotty in my book. I did recognize that they were needed and even back them made sure we rounded out or crew during pretend time, before going with Spock's brother, Kirk's cousin, Scotty's clone, and on and on.

Nowadays I seek out these characters, I guess I still try to round out the bridge crew, the magnificent seven, but now on more equal terms. What's the bridge without Sulu and Chekov manning the helm and navigation, the sickbay without Bones, and the communications station without Uhura? I just hope EMCE keeps going and we start getting guest stars, more aliens, and more Federation personnel.

He's Here...KHAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

As promised some pics of the EMCE Khan figure, or retro cloth figure, I think that's what most are calling these.



The coolness factor of this figure is off the scale, which when I thought about this last statement a little more I thought of a funny situation. If I was eight this would be the lamest figure ever, I mean that's why I had Kirk and Spock when I was a kid, they were not lame, they were the heroes of the show. Now, much older, this is one of the coolest of the figures from the EMCE Star Trek line. Makes me chuckle when I think that I may be betraying my younger self.



Oh and isn't the likeness dead on to Ricardo Montalban? Which by the way celebrated a birthday just this past Tuesday, Happy Birthday Mr. Montalban! The plane, the plaaaaaaane!

EMCE Andorian: Why so blue?

Okay finally the EMCE Andorian! I jumped ahead to the Romulan last time cause I was pretty excited to get him, but the Andorian is a pretty cool figure as well.

The thing I remember about the Andorians in the original series was they were always with a crazy villain or they were sort of spineless. I guess that last one was because the ambassador Andorian came off that way to a young mind. It wasn't till I saw some episodes of Enterprise that I appreciated the Andorians on a whole new level.



So this Andorian, while weaponless, will be part of the proud warrior race and not the spineless one of episodes past. I really dig the gloves on this figure, not like the usual Mego style mittens, more like hard little plastic boxing gloves. Perfect for smacking some Starfleet personnel around!

I know I've raved about these EMCE reproductions of Megos before, but I'm really glad these are making a comeback. It gives me a chance to get some of the characters I didn't pick up when I was younger (mainly because of a lack of interest, if it wasn't Kirk and Spock, I wasn't having it!) and It gives Star Trek and Mego collectors alike a chance to get some newer figures. It wasn't long ago I had a post where I had some comments about future characters, now EMCE is releasing a revision of the Gorn and Khan! Plus a couple of other never before seen figures, Sulu and Chekov, Space Lincoln are you just around the corner?

Reproduction Adventurer

While we are talking about Joes. I thought I would drop a shot of a Hot Topic Reproduction GI JOE, Land Adventurer up on the blog! These were released a few years back (and re released a year back at Walmart) and when I found out I made a special trip to the land of emo and goth to score this GI JOE.



Okay I don't know all the little things that make this guy different from the original, but I can tell you his Kung Fu grip has thinner fingers than I remember, he seems lighter, meaning the plastic is not as heavy, and his hair seems a little fuzzier! Other than that he seems like the same old Joe of day long ago. Oh I forgot didn't the Land Adventurer come with a rifle? Or was that the Air Adventurer? Oh well, who's keeping track.



Still I think he's a great looking figure and he was only about 10 bucks (more than the Joes back in the day, but still not that expensive). He reminds me of when I went with my dad to the auto parts store, I think the store was called Whites Auto Parts, and in their small toy department they had a knock off jeep that was scaled for the 12" Joes, needless to say it came home. Man I loved that jeep, so much that it went on every adventure till it couldn't go no more. The thing was actually in scale better than some of the official vehicles. Good times, well I dug this Reproduction Joe so much I made a trip or two to Walmart (yeck!) to pick up a few buddies for him. I'm hoping once we get everything settled to be able to put together an "Eclectorama" display in the studio / office again. So expect to see some pics!

Trek Train keeps rollin'!

That's what I'm calling these new, reproduction action figures from EMCE, my Trek Train. I'm really digging these figures more and more since I started collecting them. Of course they are reproductions of the classic Mego's, but now I'm not afraid to touch them. Not that I've had any problems with my few classic, but man oh man would I hate to break them.



So I'm a little out of order, seeing how series one was Kirk vs. Klingon and series two was Spock vs. the Andorian, so I'm jumping ahead to McCoy vs. the Romulan. Not much of a fight though, this Romulan figure is awesome, simply awesome I tells you! When I was a kid I had a few Trek figures from Mego, and was more than likely unaware, or simply wasn't interested in the bad guys to get the Romulan. When I got older and learned a little more about the Megos of my youth, I sought out the aliens of the line. The Klingon always seemed more obtainable than the rest, I never even thought about owning a Romulan. Then that little company that could, EMCE, came along and I'm popping open a fresh, brand spanking new Romulan out of a package. Also as a bonus, A RED TRICORDER! A big deal because these didn't come with the originals, or were even made in that color as far as I know. My son took one look at this figure and said how lame it was that they recycled the starfleet weapons from the other figures, I had to snatch the Romulan away and said that's how we rolled back in the day, Blue meant good, red was evil dammit! That's how we liked it. Okay maybe not how we liked it, but looking back today I think it was awesome to color them different, those magnificently cheap bastards of the toy industry ( I say this in jest, being a member)! I remember a friend having the Klingon, or having seen one, and we would have discussion after discussion about the red versus blue phasers. Today, I enjoy when they paint the weapons in the proper colors, but when ever I see a blue phaser it takes me back.



The likeness is somewhat reminiscent of Mark Lenard the actor who portrayed the Romulan Commander in the Original Series episode Balance of Terror, as well as Spock's father Sarek in several of the original episodes and movies. Lenard also seemed to play a Klingon in the Motion Picture according to the Startrek.com article. Though the Romulan Commander didn't wear the head gear, I think Lenard having portrayed TV's first appearance of a Romulan, would be a logical choice. If I'm not mistaken the Sub Commander in that episode also played a Vulcan that was to challenge Spock in the episode Amok Time for the hand of T'Pring. Also the helmets were recycled in that episode, painted silver with some extra stuff, but they are the same style. Not a surprise as the Vulcans and Romulans are related as everyone knows. I know, I know, Geek Alert! Geek Alert!



So now I'll need to shoot pics of the others in the series, the Andorian is pretty cool as well, but I had to get the Romulan up on the ole' blog first, plus it was fun shooting the pictures on this one, so much shinny stuff! EMCE has Scotty and the Keeper up next, followed by Uhura and the Magato, and the newbies Khan, Chekov, Cheron, Sulu, and a series accurate Gorn (though I would have dug the Mego version as well). There's even a rumor that a bridge playset might be made. It's going to be a great year for Trek!

Khaaaaaaaaaan!

Okay I know, everybody is titling their article this, but really, what the hell is going on?! Man what an exciting thing to see first thing this morning!

I'm really happy to see something new in the Trek license, this is simply just amazing. How many doors will this open for other "retro cloth" figures? I never did dig that name for these EMCE's. Anyway, I'm also kinda bummed out about this seeing how I don't have a Hastings or Planet X in my area.

Click the image above to find out more info, and watch out Khan is a dangerous one!

Here's Bossk!

Another of the Vintage Original Trilogy Collection, Bossk here is really a neat representation of this character. The usual detail and articulation that you've come to expect from this sub line of Star Wars figures, Bossk does not disappoint either of these department.

Bossk is the one character from my vintage collection that I did seek out to buy from a toy show while in college, see my son and nephew beheaded my original Bossk when they were young. Something that I still to this day remind them of. Boba Fett was next in line before I stepped in. They would have had very different lives if the Fett man had fallen that day. Anyway, I always considered Bossk Boba Fett's equal, though the comics make him out to be more of a nemesis, and not to good of a bounty hunter either. Even though, as a kid, Boba and Bossk were always inseparable in my mind.

I still see these hanging around on the shelves, and I still say if I was going to get one figure out of the set this would be the one. This is by far the ultimate version of Bossk.

IG-88: Empire Strikes Back

I have to say, I thought I would never see a nicer version of this Droid than the original. You think about it, how can you do more for a figure of this character. Well that didn't stop Hasbro. This is another one of those "Vintage" figures that are in stores right now, the ones that are super detailed and packaged on vintage looking cards, like the Snowtrooper and Luke before. The thing that amazes me about this figure is the amount of articulation they put into small frame. The legs on this thing are seriously smaller than a number 2 pencil in width, but non the less it has knee joints.

I remember thinking as a kid it would be cool to be able to pose the original, instead of just the stiff leg stance, but watching the movie over and over all these years I realized that this is just that a stiff legged prop. The added articulation on this figure, as well as some other recent purchases, also got me thinking about the durability of today's playthings. Do you think that the articulation on those knees will hold up for more than twenty years like the original stiff legged version. I'm guessing those will be the second thing to go after all the elaborate accessories. It seems more and more todays toys, action figures anyway, are being created for collectors. So will kids ever get to have fond memories of these things, or find them years later in their parents attic or basement and revel in the joy of finding a lost friend? It makes me wonder about this hobby and where it is headed.

So having said this, I still think it's a nicer version. Great sculpt, articulation galore, cool accessories. You know, I'm just going to display it, I really don't think it was made with a child in mind, and that is kind of sad.