collectables

Those of you lucky enough or ahem brave enough to go to SDCC (San Diago Comic Con) can get this exclusive from Underground Toys, River Song with Pandorica Chair. As to whether it will fit together with last years Pandorica sides which housed a free cd, is anybodys guess.

But it's not the only new piece of new kit from Underground Toys/Character Options, these fortunately aren't exclusives. To this there are Errrrrr.... Cuddly Daleks? yes that's right Soft Daleks which come in red or blue. But that's not all to that a Cuddly TARDIS, both the Daleks and TARDIS have sound and the Tardis's lamp light up as well. 

This week is the annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, which means there is a tremendous amount of tech related announcements coming out of the show. As often is the case, there is some crossover between tech and sci-fi. The Panasonic booth had a special "most impressive" (as they termed it) announcement of (pre-orders for) the Star Wars films coming to Blu-ray. I had heard there would be a TARDIS speaker system at the show, but didn't have much details on it. Engadget has come to the rescue (since I am not at the show myself) with this report of hands-on prototype of the new Speakal TARDIS speaker dock and Bluetooth speaker and IR remote control system.

I am assuming it will work with the iPhone as well as the iPod. The photos show an iPhone in the dock (a white at that). If the speakers are shielded enough to prevent GSM radio noise interference from the iPhone, it should work.

Just in time for the holidays (depending on when your holiday falls), it is the "11th Doctor: Christmas Adventure Set 2010" available now on the Forbidden Planet website. It features the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond sporting her kiss-a-gram police uniform and a non-electronic TARDIS with front doors that open and judging from the photo, access to the phone as well. It is expected to be available on the 20th of December 2010. It sells for £26.99.

I can only assume this is being called a "Christmas Adventure set" solely due to the fact of when it is being released because to the best of my knowledge, Amy will not be wearing her police uniform in the upcoming Christmas special, A Christmas Carol. It would be more fitting to call it 'The Eleventh Hour' Adventure set… though technically the Doctor was still in his 10th Doctor hand-me-down raggedy clothes when Amy was in her kiss-a-gram police uniform. If you want 'The Raggedy Doctor' it is available in a two figure set. This two figure set is available for £11.99.

Happy holidays!

Character Options has finally started on bringing out classic companions that are not robot based such as K9. First out of the gate is Peri and joining her in this outing is not the 6th Doctor, but Sil. This set is taken from the Vengeance on Varos story from Series 22. If you are in the UK the set is available from the link below, US sources should follow soon.

Peri and Sil - Vengeance on Varos - ForbiddenPlanet.com

Forbidden Planet has announced the first of the Wave 2 of figures for Doctor Who Series 5.

They include the Dalek Progenitor Guardian (pictured left), Prisoner Zero, A smiler, The Son from the Vampires in Venice and an Roman Auton. See here for details and to pre-order.

As far as releases for Cybermen figures from character options, this year has really been a storm. With the Earthshock Cyberman at the beginning of the year, to the recently released Silver nemesis twin pack of Cyber lieutenant and Cyber Leader. To the Pre-orderable Revenge of the cybermen set due in November. It left me puzzling what could Character Options/Underground Toys bring out next Cybermen wise. Well that wish list has been cut down even further with this Double pack of the 6th Doctor and Cyber Scout. For me this is a double goal As I collec t 6th Doctors and Oh boy DO I COLLECT CYBERMEN! I personally would have made this set the Cyber Controller and Cyber Scout from attack of the Cybermen, but due to the silly prices going for the Standard 6th Doctor I am more than happy about the nature of this set. Since the original 6th Doctor release was brought out in a blister pack with a singular Part of the K1 robot from Robot to collect, trying to get hold of this figure for a "Reasonable Price" has been an absolute Nightmare. As to the cyberscout, it saves me time and effort of trying to customise an Earthshock cyberman to look like a cyberscout.

In another Forbidden Planet exclusive, the 6th Doctor and stealth Cybermen collectable figure set will be available 01 October 2010. Available for pre-orders today for shipping to the UK and Ireland now for £24.99. This set includes the 6th Doctor and a Stealth Cyberman from the 1985 Doctor Who story Attack of the Cybermen. The Doctor comes with a signal tracker accessory and the Cyberman is equipped with a Cybergun.

All 11 Doctors together at one time is something to make any fans hearts race faster.

this time though it's because they are being released as an 11 figure boxed set for the first time.  The set may become one of the most sought after items this year after the 11th Doctor's sonic screwdriver. Mainly by hardcore fans and some not so hardcore fans, 1st big point being that obviously Paul McGann's 8th Doctor is part of the set, and Tom Baker's 4th Doctor is in his season 15 garb.

The postman delivered my 11th Doctor This morning so here's my review after a little play with it.

This Easter, in celebration of the launch of the brand new Eleventh Doctor action figure, Toys R Us in Brent Cross will be hosting a Doctor Who extravaganza and will be offering guests an exclusive first look at the new generation TARDIS.
The Toys R Us store at Brent Cross at 9am on Monday 5th April and be the first to get your hands on the new Eleventh Doctor action figure and Sonic Screwdriver which will go on general sale that day.
As part of the event, fans will be treated to an exclusive first look at the legendary TARDIS which has been completely re-designed for the latest series. The TARDIS will be taking time out from the set so fans can enjoy a closer look at the Doctor’s living and breathing, time-travelling machine.

The Sonic Newsdriver 20090806
Selected Doctor Who related news delivered sonically.
For Earth-date: Thursday the 6th of August 2009

In this episode: New Threads for 11, New TARDIS Too, No Spoilers, Revealed: John Simm and Timothy Dalton, Waters of Mars Trailer, San Diego Comic Con, Exclusive Figures Announced, Actor Harry Towb Dies, John Barrowman Made it Through, What's The Big Chill?, Doctor Who: Podshock 158 Coming Soon, and Get Your Sonic Gear, plus more!

Hosted by Louis Trapani

In another exclusive from Forbidden Planet (UK), they are now taking pre-orders for a new figure of the Sixth Doctor from The Caves of Androzani. This is the third 6th Doctor as played by Colin Baker figure to be released by Underground Toys. This version is of the 6th Doctor as he was immediately after regenerating from the 5th Doctor. He appears still muddy in the 5th Doctor's clothes. 

This figure is limited to sale in the UK and Eire from Forbidden Planet (UK). It is expected on in their warehouse on 12 August 2009. No further information on where it will be available outside of the UK is known at this time.

You can pre-order your 6th Doctor Caves Of Androzani now for £14.99. For more information or to pre-order see: Forbidden Planet UK - 6th Doctor Caves Of Androzani

Forbidden Planet (UK) has announced the availability of two versions of the 3rd Doctor (as played by Jon Pertwee) collectable action figure expected to arrive in their warehouse on the 30th of October 2009. It is going to be available in two sets.

Underground Toys have released images and descriptions of their 2009 San Diego Comic Con exclusives. They seem to be the same exclusives as the figures being introduced as exclusives to the UK Forbidden Planet retailer (and could not ship outside of the UK, now we know why).

Sixth Doctor with ‘Real Time’ Blue coat - $19.99
This alternative costume was most visibly used in the BBC webcast 'Real Time' (having previously appeared on a few book and audio book covers). It varies vastly from the gaudy coat of many colors normally worn by Colin Baker's sixth Doctor whilst retaining some design elements including the dandy's tie and question mark shirt collar. For many fans this has become almost the preferred costume with it's more muted, less frivolous, colorways. Underground Toys are thrilled to be able to offer this new figure as part of their 2009 Exclusives program.

An army of plush K9s stacked in a pyramid at the DWFCA Doctor Who Festival in February 1985. The pyramid had been much bigger, this photo was taken after most of them had already been sold. They all sold out by the end of the show. No, I didn't get one... perhaps I should have. Photo by Louis Trapani