By Jonathan Alexandratos
Pop culture auction site Prop Store is auctioning off numerous Star Trek and Star Wars toy prototypes, creating a bidding buzz that will culminate in a live auction on March 4th at 8am PST. While most of the offerings would require me to take out a mortgage (a serious problem, considering I rent), the auction has showcased many pictures of familiar toys in their earliest stages.
In many cases, the detail in the prototype sculpts is more pronounced than in the final products. The face on this Captain Picard, for instance, resembles Patrick Stewart a little more closely compared to the end result.
Other pictures showcase the complete process of producing a Playmates Star Trek action figure. Here, Commander Riker, infamously shirt-torn and grabby-handed, comes with the molds that were used to produce his body parts. Furthermore, the prototype is hand-painted, giving us a more realistic matte finish that contrasts to the glossier figures we bought off the pegs.
As the philosophers the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs once said, “Heads will roll,” which nicely foreshadowed this auction, in which you can win a set of Playmates Star Trek action figure noggins. Special attention should be paid to the Romulan head, which features white hair, which is different from the ultimately black hair on the produced version.
If you are, like me, a fan of the Diamond Select/Art Asylum Star Trek figures, plenty of those prototypes made it to auction as well. This Captain Beverly Picard, like the above Commander Riker, is hand-painted. Is she just a normal, unassembled prototype, or an unmade “freak transporter accident” variant? Win the auction, and you decide!
While there’s enough in this auction to bankrupt the entire Trek fandom, Star Wars fans aren’t off the hook. There are plenty of Star Wars action figure and toy prototypes up for grabs as well, like this micro C-3PO presumably directing traffic like any good protocol droid should.
In fact, a number of fandoms will find their grail figures for sale to the highest bidder. Click here for a complete PDF of all pieces your deep, deep pockets will love. You can bid online starting now, and/or participate in the live auction on March 4th (my birthday, hint hint!).
Special thanks to Sue Kisenwether of Women at Warp for making this author aware of the auction of the century!
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