Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine Ads - Playmates Figures and Game of Trivia 1993

Going through a copy of Starlog Magazine (1993), I found quite a few interesting ads, articles,  and comics relating to Star Trek: The Next Generation. I am actually scanning them right now. Until I have scanned some actual articles, here are a couple of advertisements.

Coming this fall: I don't actually have this game as of yet, but from what I have heard I would definitely like to.

Game description:

Star Trek: The Next Generation Trivia, Exploration and Discovery is a game of navigation, search, and discovery. The object of the game is to ‘seek out new life and new civilizations’ on an unknown number of planets and be the first to report them to Starfleet Command. It is a fun, challenging game for those with general Star Trek knowledge and even more exciting for dedicated Star Trek fans.

You are the Captain of your own starship, in control of your navigation and in command of your actions. Your knowledge of Star Trek: The Next Generation influences your success. Unpredictability abounds. You are always on the lookout for chance encounters with the Borg ship, Temporal Fluxes, “Q”, planets, and other starships. Your sensors detect these entities to keep you abreast of your relative position.

Test your knowledge of Star Trek: The Next Generation as you commandeer your own starship through unexplored territory.

There is also an ad on the back of the magazine for some TNG Playmates figures that come with exclusive Skybox Playmates collector cards.

One thing I don't have enough of is Borg merchandise. I find the Borg to be quite fascinating, as well as aesthetically pleasing. I would love to get a hold of any one of these figures - but if I could get a hold of those two Borg, I would be utterly elated.

Playmates The Keeper from Talos IV and Bele from Cheron

While rummaging through the boxes at Comic Con in October, I found two more Playmates Figures (Aside from Spock ad Pike, shown here). I took some photos so that you, the readers, may see the wonderful details.

One of my favorite characters (I have many) has always been The Keeper from Talos IV, a Talosian as seen in the first pilot episode "The Cage". Because of this, I was extremely excited when I found a Playmates Serialized Warp Factor Series 5 Talosian from 1998. It is obvious that this is The Keeper, due to the pendant worn around the neck. It also came with a Talosian viewer (alien menagerie monitor) and a classic action base.

On the back of the box:

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Alien Database:
Creature: Talosian Keeper
Homeworld: Talos IV
Unique Features: Unusually Large Cranium
Unique Capabilities: Telepathic Communications
Comments: Talosians are extremely dangerous. They can implant any thought or illusion in the Humanoid mind. Talos IV is quarantined.

Also, check out those matching underwear and muscular legs. I never knew.

The fourth and last figure I got at that table was Bele from Cheron, as seen in the TOS episode "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield". This figure is part of the same series as the Talosian Keeper - the 1998 Serialized Warp Factor Series 5. The "Galactic Gear" that came with Bele: a Lantern bottle (Ornate beverage container), fluted glass & fluted bottle (glassware appropriate for formal toasts), stemmed glass (Useful for all occasions), acorn top bottle (Container corked to keep the flavor),  and a classic action base.

On the back of the box:

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Alien Database:
Name: Bele
Rank: Chief Officer, Commission on Political Traitors
Homeworld: Cheron
Unique Characteristics: Bi-Colored Pigmentation (Black/White)
Comments: Bele is one of only two survivors of his species (Cross-reference: Lokai)

Eventually I would like to get such figures as Sarek, Spock from Unification, and - although I am not sure that one exists - Surak. Until then, I shall sit on the top bunk above my shelves and admire the Playmates figures that I have.

Playmates Mr. Spock and Captain Christopher Pike

While I was at Comic Con, I came across a table that was selling Playmates figures - four for twenty dollars. After running around trying to find an ATM, I was finally able to get the very four that I had wanted. I took pictures of two of them tonight, and will post the other two on the morrow.

The first one I picked was Captain Christopher Pike, from the 1996 Playmates Federation Edition Star Trek Collector Series. The figure also came with a "Starfleet hand laser", communicator, Tricorder, and action base with the Captain's insignia. I took these pictures in the dark with a mere desk lamp for lighting, but I am particularly pleased with how the head shot came out:

On the back of the box:

Subject: Pike, Christopher
Species: Human
Place of Birth: Majave, Earth
Rank: Captain
Assignment: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701

I also got Mr. Spock, which came with "Galactic gear" such as  the Vulcan "harp", lirpa, plomeek soup, and a classic Star Trek action base. Once again, this is a playmates figure - this time from 1999 (exclusive to K.B Toys, limited to 5000).

I have absolutely no idea why the lyre is blue, and he looks quite a bit more like Stonn - but the bowl of plomeek soup makes up for it entirely.

On the back of the box (a bit inaccurate, as Kirk was not technically chosen as a mate): 

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Personal Database (Classified)
Officer: Spock
Rank: Commander
Stardate: 3372.7
Circumstances: Overcome by Pon farr, the "time of mating." Spock was brought to Vulcan by Captain James Kirk. Spock's mate T'Pring chose Kirk as her mate, forcing Spock to fight his captain in the Koon-ut Kal-if-fee battle to the death. Using the lirpa, Spock nearly killed Kirk. Dr. McCoy injected Kirk with a neural paralyzer to simulate death, ending the duel. Given the circumstances, no charges were filed.

Some of my readers may be exclaiming, all aghast and mentally, "the world is going to end because she took a limited edition Spock figure and a Pike figure out of the box". I don't care. I do not believe that one should keep such things in a box, where it cannot be enjoyed and exists only for monetary value.

Next post: Bele and a Talosian.

Spock and Hikaru are my Playmates.

Dollarama has been selling the Playmates Star Trek 2009 Galaxy Collection figures for a while now, at two dollars each. Most of the characters' faces were just too skewed for me (a combination of bad sculpting and the fact that they are based on different actors than I am used to) so I only ended up getting a couple. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the new Spock or Kirk. I did, however, find Sulu and the Original Spock.


Poor Mister Sulu here has the misfortune of having his shirt made of a strange rubber, but he does come with a phaser, communicator, and a utility belt to put them in:

Hikaru Sulu in action! Running across Kirk and Spock's face.

I don't know what is happening with his arm here - I think he dislocated it somehow.

Spock's top is also made out of a strange rubber, the kind they used to use for Polly Pockets. He didn't come with anything extra, stands a plain black stand, and looks nothing like Leonard Nimoy. That aside, I still appreciate having it:

Spock Prime, played by Leonard Nimoy (one thing they got right, at least)

Looking nothing like Leonard Nimoy here, and more like some random old man.

I don't like to spend a lot of money on Playmates items, because of the lack of quality - but for two dollars each, there was really no reason not to get these guys. I am still looking out for Kirk and the new Spock!