New Merch from Bif Bang Pow!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Y’now, funny story, I was actually born on Thanksgiving (11/27/1969) and, since the holiday always falls on the fourth Thursday of November, it lands on my birthday (or, more appropriately, my birthday falls on it) every so many years (the next one is 2014). 

I know, I know… who cares, right?  It’s Thanksgiving, so I’m sure y’all have better things to do than listen to me prattle on.  I’ll get right to the point so you can go back to your turkey and football and whatnot.

Our friends at Bif Bang Pow! have announced a few new TZ-related collectibles.  It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of interesting items to be found….

First up we have a Twilight Zone travel mug.  Honestly, why the hell?  In fairness, Bif Bang Pow! is doing the exact same thing with every single property they license (Venture Bros., The Six Million Dollar Man, etc).  Man, nothing says “crass branding” like slapping a logo onto the ubiquitous travel mug.  Honestly, anyone out there in need of a travel mug probably already owns several.  Sorry guys, you know I love you, but damn.  Not buying it.  I should mention that it’s being advertised as an Entertainment Earth exclusive, which is strange since, as far as I know, Bif Bang Pow! sells all their merchandise exclusively through Entertainment Earth.

$12.99 (plus shipping)

Okay, in fairness, it does look kinda snazzy as far as travel mugs go.  It looks like the iconic doorway repeats all the way around, which is… well, a bit lazy now that I’m thinking about it.  Why not spread several icons (clock, eyeball, spiral, etc) around?  Unless the repeating doorway is intended to convey the parallel earth/alternate reality theory, which would be… I dunno, kinda cool.  I still like my idea better.  If this is your bag, it’s available now at the above link. 

A similar (and equally questionable) item is the Twilight Zone stainless steel water bottle.  Ugh.

$9.99 (plus shipping)

It features the exact same design as the travel mug.  *Sigh*  It’s also available now, if you want it, at the above link.

Hey, I seem to recall that we were supposed to be getting shot glasses and beer steins at some point (not to mention drink coasters)…. These would be much more useful for a beer-swillin’, liquor-lovin’ rapscallion like me.

Next is the second in a series of Twilight Zone dioramas.  This time it’s “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” and I’m frankly a bit stumped.  It’s a plane perched atop the iconic season 3 spiral design… with a tiny gremlin on the wing. 

$24.99 (plus shipping)

It’s kinda neat in a goofy sorta way, but unfortunately the itty bitty Gremlin is far too small to really convey anything approximating the drama and tension of the episode.  I can’t tell from the picture, but I don’t think Shatner is even visible inside the plane.  I think a better approach would have been a smaller section of the plane, just part of the cabin and the wing, which would have permitted both a bigger (and more menacing) Gremlin (and a visible Shatner).  Of course, this was kind of already accomplished with the matching bobbleheads (both of which are still available, incidentally, here and here).   The diorama is scheduled for a February 2013 release.

$24.99 (plus shipping)

The first diorama (above), based on “The Invaders,” is problematic as well.  The iconic character (in this case, The Invader) is too small to really impress (and the Invader sculpt looks a bit sloppy to these eyes);  further, the Agnes Moorehead head is too big, the trapdoor is too small, and everything is too damned close together.  Far too many liberties were taken with the scale, and consequently nothing really looks right.  Honestly, I’d have left Moorehead out entirely and just featured the saucer on the rooftop, with the stairway hatch lowered and both Invaders milling about.  The Forbidden Planet saucer sculpt is admittedly cool, however, which justifies the piece all on its own (hey, speaking of the Forbidden Planet saucer, I wouldn’t mind seeing it immortalized in bobblehead form).

I’m actually not collecting the dioramas, for a few reasons.  First and foremost… I've just gotta draw the line someplace.  I've already got boxes of TZ action figures and bobbleheads that I’m not currently displaying (space is at a pretty severe premium in my current digs), so I’m reluctant to shell out for more stuff that’s destined to reside in my storage unit for the foreseeable future.  Second, at $24.99 plus shipping, the price is a bit steep.  Third, I’m just not that impressed by them, which makes said price seem even higher.  I dunno, if future dioramas turn out way better, then I may have to rethink this, but for now…. nope, not doing it.

Three, count ‘em, three distinct license plate frames are available now.

$9.99 (plus shipping)

$9.99 (plus shipping)

$9.99 (plus shipping)

They’re cute.  I might just spring for these… I haven’t decided yet.  At ten bucks a pop, they’re pretty reasonable.  I don’t own three cars, however, so I may need to pick just one.

Next up is the Doorway to The Twilight Zone tin tote, which is basically an old-school metal lunchbox (without a thermos, dammit). 

$12.99 (plus shipping)

I can’t deny…. It looks pretty cool.  I already own the Kanamit Tin Tote (which I’ll be reviewing very soon), so I’ll probably have to get this at some point (once you’re in, you’re IN; at least for those of us with OCD collecting tendencies).  Style points for putting the iconic TZ door on the hinged side, allowing it to be an actual functioning door (of sorts).

Finally, Bif Bang Pow! has come up with something just…. freakin’…. AWESOME.  Readers of this blog will recall that I’m quite a fan of the Mystic Seer (already produced in various iterations, most notably the full-size--- and fully functional--- replica, which I still don’t have and still long for, achingly so), so imagine my delight to learn of the Mystic Seer Monitor Mate Bobble Head!

$9.99 (plus shipping)

It’s basically a miniature version of the Mystic Seer bobblehead, which was the very first Twilight Zone collectible that Bif Bang Pow! released (way back in late 2009).  It bobbles and… well, that’s about it.  But it’s unrelentingly cool, and I want several (one for each computer monitor I own, plus my laptop, plus the PC I use at work, plus a few more just because).  It’s not due till February 2013, but goddammit, I want this thing like YESTERDAY.   Here’s hoping this is the first in a line of Monitor Mates… for example, I’d love a mini Invader (or a whole bunch of ‘em).  And a mini Gremlin might be fun (I’m imagining an ongoing photo blog with the li’l guy turning up in all kinds of unexpected places).

Overall, it seems the TZ merchandise is moving away from the bobbleheads and action figures and more into the random memorabilia realm…. Which I’m not entirely okay with.  C’mon, lose the travel mugs and water bottles and give us something cool.  Cufflinks, maybe?  A set of eyeballs, a set of spirals, a set of TZ logos… Hell, I’d buy all of those (and start dressing better so I could utilize them regularly).  Or what about an iPhone cover? Belt buckles?

Underwear?  Oh, wait... it's been done before.  *Shudder*

Bif Bang Pow! brings The Twilight Zone to SDCC!

The title says it all.  Have a look... see anything new?

That's right, the Doctor Bernardi (from season two's "Eye of the Beholder") bobblehead is glimpsed here for the first time.  Predictably, it looks great.  Nearby is the "Invaders" diorama, plus a nifty TZ license plate bracket (which I just might put on my car).

Also seen for the first time here (but previously announced) is the Cyclops action figure (from season five's "The Fear"), standing between the "Eye of the Beholder" Nurse and Alicia (from "The Lonely").  I bitched at length about this figure a few months back, but I can't deny that the figure actually looks kinda cool.

And here's a nice display featuring the color and monochrome versions of the highly-coveted Mystic Seer replica.  It's probably a good thing that I'm not there... I might've busted the glass and snagged one.

*Pictures stolen without remorse from Action Figure Insider.

Spotlight: Bob Wilson/Don Carter action figure (Bif Bang Pow!)

Earlier today we gazed lovingly at Bif Bang Pow!'s Bob Wilson bobblehead. Now we move on to their action figure version, which has one rather surprising bonus feature: he's actually two characters in one!

William Shatner appeared in two Twilight Zone episodes, both beloved classics: season five's "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (in which he played the aforementioned Bob Wilson, a man beleaguered by a Gremlin on the wing of an airplane) and season two's "Nick of Time" (in which he played Don Carter, a man beleaguered by a Mystic Seer fortune telling machine). This action figure serves as both characters, including complete outfits and episode-specific accessories (they do share the same pair of shoes, however). This Bob Wilson/Don Carter hybrid immortalizes Shatner's contribution to the series while offering collectors the ultimate in interactivity: you can choose which Shatner character you'll proudly display.


Yeah, okay, this approach is somewhat problematic if you want to display both characters, as you'll have to buy two Bob/Dons to do so, which will give you duplicate sets of clothing and accessories. You'll also pay more, as this deluxe single figure will run you $32.99 (as opposed to the $37.99 Entertainment Earth charges for two regular figures), which means you're paying $14 for a change of clothes and a fancy box. Yeah, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all. It's certainly an interesting approach, and the fact that it's a Comic-Con exclusive adds to its perceived value, but if you're the type to open and display your figures, you're probably gonna be a bit pissed.


CHARACTER LIKENESS

No, I am NOT James Van Der Beek.

The Shatner likeness is... well, a bit disappointing, especially after the Bob Wilson bobblehead turned out so good. It's not a bad sculpt at all, don't get me wrong, it just... well, doesn't look much like Shatner. It's really too bad, not to mention frustrating, since Shatner himself gave the sculpt his stamp of approval! Even more madding is the fact that Mego pulled off a vastly superior Shatner likeness on their Captain Kirk action figure, at this EXACT same scale, over 30 years ago:



Well, since we're dealing with essentially two different action figures, let's tackle them individually. First up: Bob Wilson (the default or, in other words, the only one you'll ever see if you don't open him up and change his clothes).

Bob Wilson is really a no-brainer for the action figure treatment, since Bif Bang Pow! has already given us his nemesis The Gremlin. Bob comes with everything you'd expect: suit and tie, newspaper, pistol; it's nice to see Bif Bang Pow! throwing in some accessories (out of six TZ figures last year, only 1 had an accessory: The Kanamit's cookbook). Surprisingly, the best of Bob's accessories is the newspaper, because it contains a brilliant in-joke. It's a variation on the newspaper featured in season one's "And When the Sky Was Opened"!

Bob comes with a pretty spiffy looking wristwatch, which carries over nicely to his inevitable Don Carter identity switch.


Bob doesn't come with socks, but since his pants hang low enough, it's not really an issue. For the record, none of the new human characters come with socks. As I recall, only Talky Tina from last year had socks, which were painted on (but then again, her ankles were visible, so it was necessary).


Okay, now I'm gonna straight-up get my bitch on. The Mego-style body used for these TZ figures works well enough if they aren't encumbered by too much clothing.... which Bob Wilson is. You've got a shirt with collar, a necktie and a jacket, which adds up to a problem I'm calling EPS (Excessive Puffiness Syndrome). Nothing looks (or sits) right, poseability is severely restricted, and the sleeves of both shirt and jacket aren't long enough. Further, the elastic-band necktie (while a clever idea) totally fucks up the shirt collar (this same problem will resurface with Henry Bemis, who we'll spotlight later in the week).



My solution is to put the necktie UNDER the shirt, which looks a bit goofy but allows the collar to lay down correctly.


The necktie is held in place by a tiny little square of Velcro near the bottom of the shirt (it's actually hidden behind the waistband of the pants when the shirt is tucked in).


I'm not gonna sugarcoat this: I hate the fabric suit, period. Why they couldn't simply create a single-piece jacket with a faux shirt collar and tie is beyond me. It would've looked better, been easier to handle, and would've undoubtedly been cheaper to produce. At this scale, it's just too many layers, and it looks ridiculous.

Hand over the gorilla suit. It's gotta be more comfortable than this bullshit.

Heeeeeey ladies!

Let's get Bob out of that ill-fitting suit and into something a little more comfortable... like a whole new identity. Ladies and gentlemen, Don Carter!


First, the good: the outfit is pretty much dead on. Here's a shot from "Nick of Time" to demonstrate:

Nagging wife not included.

The not-so-good? The polo shirt is utterly destroyed by that horrendous collar. Seriously, what the hell happened here?


I think maybe the collar is supposed to lay down. Mine doesn't. A couple of tiny strips of Velcro would've REALLY come in handy here. But even then, the collar is still too damned big. A thinner material would've really worked well here (the shirt doesn't need to be as thick as a real polo shirt at this scale, guys).

Don Carter is obviously the less dynamic of the two Shatner characters here, but he does come with a killer accessory. That's right, it's a miniature Mystic Seer!


No, it doesn't dispense fortunes. And yes, the head is a bit ratty looking, but this thing is literally TWO INCHES TALL. The detail is pretty impressive, all things considered, and it's even got the bejeweled eye!

Don's final fortune read: "Ditch the bitch and take ME home."

PACKAGING


The front of the box is actually a flap, held shut by a tiny dab of Velcro. When opened, we are treated to shots from both episodes on the inside of the flap, and a window-box granting us a full-frontal view of Bob, flanked by his (and Don's) various accessories. Each character is depicted on opposite sides of the box:


The back of the box gives us a rather cute group shot of the whole Twilight Zone action figure family, including six figures that won't be released till next year:

This same picture adorns the card-backs of all the newer TZ figures. I especially appreciate the crashed spacecraft in the background, which looks like it came directly from season five's "Probe 7 - Over and Out."



I've gotta give Bif Bang Pow! props for the packaging. The figure and its assorted accessories are packed in a triple-layer plastic tray system, which makes it quite easy to put everything back into the box exactly as it came from the factory (the regular figures come on blister-packs, which are effectively destroyed upon opening). After my photo session with Bob/Don, I put him carefully back into his box, and you'd never know he'd been opened. Now THAT'S collector-friendly!



FINAL THOUGHTS

If you couldn't tell, I'm really torn on this item. There are a few things I love, a few things that I hate, and a lot of things that I'm relatively ambivalent about. If you're a TZ collector like me, you obviously have to own this (if you don't already). I do recommend it (if for no other reason than the awesome accessories it comes with), but with pretty heavy reservations. Think before you buy.

Cheer up. You're gonna outlive Nimoy no matter what.

It's Mystical... It's Magical... It's Completely Out of My Price Range (continued)...

Yesterday's semi-rant (rantette?) about Bif Bang Pow's ultra-awesome (but prohibitively spendy) William Shatner-autographed Mystic Seer got somebody's attention.... none other than Jason Labowitz of Bif Bang Pow! First he Tweeted a link to my blog, then he posted a response on their website:


"It's Mystical.... It's Magical... It's Completely Out Of My Price Range....

Read this review about our new Mystic Seer Signature Edition - We love it!

Thanks to one of our biggest fans, Craig Beam, for not being too harsh on us! Just know that we HAD to make this item, and we had to convince Mr. Shatner to sign it. He's never signed or been involved with any Twilight Zone merchandise before, so this was our big chance. And talk about a dream come true. He came to our booth to meet us. We didn't have to wait in any line to meet him! True story - he said that he wished us well in our "Enterprising" business.

Crack open that piggy bank and pre-order yours today!. Limited to just 150 pieces!"



Note that he totally stole the title of my blog entry for his own evil purposes. Does that entitle me to a free Mystic Seer? I highly doubt it. But don't worry... I won't sue. I suppose my blog will see some additional traffic from the attention, so... thanks... I guess?

Shatner signs one of the 150 limited edition Mystic Seers. *Sigh*

All in jest, folks. Jason and the gang at Bif Bang Pow! are friends of this blog, and I love 'em.

It's Mystical.... It's Magical... It's Completely Out Of My Price Range....

We've already previewed the soon-to-be-released Mystic Seer Replica here (and which you can pre-order here). I've known about this particular item for quite a while now. What I didn't know (until today) was that those crafty rascals at Bif Bang Pow! are unleashing a variant version, which is ultra-cool....and ultra expensive....

Mystic Seer Replica - Signature Edition
$499.99, pre-order here

It's black and white. It appears to have a nifty spring neckpost, further differentiating it from its full-color cousin. But what makes this item truly desirable is the fact that William Shatner himself has signed it. In fact, he signed 150 of them. He introduced the item at the San Diego Comic Con last month. Here's the writeup from Entertainment Earth:

"Personally introduced at SDCC 2011 by William Shatner, this incredible, super-deluxe reproduction is an authentic, functioning replica of the Mystic Seer featured in the well-known The Twilight Zone episode #43, "Nick of Time," that starred the legendary actor. This exclusive black-and-white Signature Edition version is limited to just 150 numbered pieces and is signed by William Shatner! Complete with napkin holder and menu holder-- just like in the show-- it features a working coin mechanism and can act as a bank. It even dispenses "fortunes"! Meticulously crafted of polystone and steel, the life-size Signature Edition Mystic Seer Replica is a black-and-white replication that measures about 13 1/2-inches tall x 7 1/2-inches wide x 6-inches long and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Can't you just see this in your living room or office?"

Well... yes, yes I can. However.... well, it costs FIVE HUNDRED FUCKING DOLLARS. A staggering price tag. I've owned cars that cost less.

I'm trying to come to terms with the fact that I will never, EVER own this. Even if I had five hundred bucks just laying around, I can't possibly justify spending it on this. I have too many real-world financial obligations. We just bought a new car two days ago. The regular color version costs half as much, and scoring that one was gonna be tough... but this? It's impossible. Kudos to Bif Bang Pow! for making such an awesome collectible, but....

...but nothin'. I'm gonna just pretend it doesn't exist. Damn it.

Bif Bang Pow! Toy Fair 2011 Preview

So I'm lying awake around 1:00 this morning, staring at the ceiling. Can't sleep, no idea why. I casually reach over, grab my Droid to check Facebook. I then proceed to Twitter, where the following grabbed me by the throat and almost threw me out of bed:

"@BifBangPow: Toy Fair 2011 Sneak Peak! http://t.co/ZlaXxUq"

I clicked the link. Of course I did. Here's what I saw:

Dear God, look at it all. I'm clearly not as "in the loop" as I like to think. I knew about some of this stuff, but a few items caught me completely off guard.


There's Henry Corwin, aka Santa Claus, from season two's "Night of the Meek." I'm more excited about Alicia, from season one's "The Lonely"! She's my second most-desired action figure. And look! Her face is blasted off and everything!



Finally I can unseal my lips. My all-time most-wanted Twilight Zone character will appear in action figure form later this year.... it's Maya the Cat Girl, from season one's "Perchance To Dream." I've known about her for several months, and keeping the secret has been killing me.


And hey, there's the alien from season three's "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" too. I hate the episode, but the alien is pretty cool, so good choice. I'm a sucker for that 60's suit-and-turtleneck look.



We already knew we were getting Doctor Bernardi from "Eye of the Beholder," but it looks like we're also getting the nurse too!


And there's the Clown from season three's "Five Characters in Search of an Exit"! Here's hoping they immortalize the other four (Army Major, Ballerina, Bagpiper, Hobo) in action figure form as well.... that'd make a helluva diorama.


Let's see.... that's six action figures, plus the previously-announced Doctor Bernardi, Henry Bemis ("Time Enough at Last"), The Invader ("The Invaders"), and The Venusian ("Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?"). That's a whopping 10 new figures, presumably before the end of the year.

And there are two new bobbleheads too! I meant to cover these earlier, as both are already available for pre-order (due to ship in May)....


It's Bob Wilson, better known as William Shatner, from season five's "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." As you can see, they answered my prayers and designed him as a companion piece for their earlier Gremlin bobblehead. And as I predicted, when used together, they work as bookends! Here's how I'm currently using my two Gremlins:


No choice but to use one backwards, but the arrival of Bob Wilson will solve this problem. Too cool. Hopefully we'll see a color version of Bob at some future point, which will give us a second set of bookends.

Here's a better look at both new bobbleheads:



The other new bobblehead is Willie and Jerry, from season three's "The Dummy." Willie has already been given the action figure treatment, but here we get him --- and his poor ventriloquist owner (victim?) Jerry to boot. They've captured the episode's surprise switcheroo nicely. It looks great.

Notebooks! Travel mugs! License plate brackets, oh my!


Coasters! Lunch boxes! Magnets!


And finally, in the mortgage-your-kidney department, we have the life-size replicas of the Mystic Seer ($249.99) and Talky Tina ($139.99). Is it just me, or does Tina look like she's been frozen in carbonite....?


Man, I'm gonna need a second job to afford all this stuff....