Mego Spotlight- Telescreen Console

Item Name: Telescreen Console
Manufacturer: Mego Toys Corp.



Mego released this puppy back in the mid-1970's. Look at that beautiful box art! Here's the other side featuring Kirk...



Not quite as nice as the Spock image, but still better than most of today's toy packaging.



The Rundown: Combining the coolness of a playset with the enduring fun of tabletop arcade games, the Telescreen Console is one of the niftiest toys of Mego's entire Star Trek stable. Sure it lacks screen accuracy, but just like all their other releases, it makes up for that with a surplus of fun. Let's have a look at this truly one-of-a-kind release!



Since the Telescreen Console combines two types of toys into one, we'll look at each function of the piece separately. First, let's focus on its merits as a playset. Since this is called the "Telescreen Console", it doesn't take a Vulcan to figure out the driving force of the toy- A large viewscreen area. While it doesn't really match anything seen in the show, the look is somewhat reminiscent of the animated series. The color pallet and design used here is also consistent with the other Mego Trek toys of the time.



Situated in front of the screen is a command chair, perfectly scaled for all your 8" Mego Star Trek action figures! Go ahead and have a seat Kirk...



With Kirk seated at the helm, the toys now "feels" like a playset. Had I owned this thing as a kid, I probably would have envisioned this as an auxiliary control station of some sort. Those dirty Klingons damaged the bridge, and now Kirk is left to defend the ship on his own from a different location. Oh... or you could imagine this is Kirk on board the disabled U.S.S. Constellation, just like in "The Doomsday Machine". Or you could even ignore that fact that this is supposed to be a ship's viewscreen and just pretend it's one of the various god-like computers that Kirk destroyed in the series, ignoring the prime directive and forcing the planet's inhabitants to start fending for themselves. Hours of fun!



Ah... but Kirk isn't the only one who gets to play around on this guy! Remember earlier when I said this toy rolled two types of playtime into one? You don't? Oh. Well, then take a look at the back of the box up there and you'll see that the Telescreen Console isn't just a place to plop your figures... It's also an arcade game! How cool is that!?



The Console is activated through 2 dials located below the viewscreen. The top switch turns the device off and on, while the bottom switch actually starts the telescreen's cycle. 4 "D" size batteries are needed to make everything function. As a side note- Do you realize how tough it is to find "D" size batteries nowadays? I went to three stores before finding them. I felt like Doc Brown making a deal with the Libyans just getting this thing to run.



Once you have it fired up, the middle screen will light up to show you this: A scrolling space scene with enemy ships rotating by. The objective of the game is to move the black sighting stick over an enemy vessel, "firing" the phasers and destroying their ship. And as you can see in the picture, the game features both Klingon and Romulan ship designs!



Movement of the sighting stick is controlled through a lever hidden behind Kirk's chair. Move the lever to the right, and the sighting stick moves with it. Move it to the left, and... well, you get the idea. I appreciate the fact that Mego kept the controls at a minimum; Having a giant, obtrusive joystick built into this would have severely limited its playset capabilities.



When you are lucky enough to zap one of the enemy ships, an ominous buzz will sound and the red screen to the right of the viewer will light up. We'll get to the lights and sounds in a second, but I wanted to point out a neat bit of design on Mego's part first...



Instead of making the owner take apart their console to switch out faulty bulbs, Mego built the lights into an easily removed panel. Slide it out, pop out and replace the offending bulb, then slide it back in. You're done! As an adult, I really appreciate the ease of maintenance... and as a kid, this would have totally been incorporated into playtime as an "access panel" to get into the viewer's innards.

But enough about that... Let's check out the Telescreen Console in action!



Man, I was on fire for a second there! Take that ya dirty Federation enemies!



Now had this been a high stakes game with money on the line, I would have kept score of my insane amount of hits using the small scoring dial located below the red lighted panel. This is actually my biggest gripe about this toy... I have no idea how one is supposed to battle the enemy ships whilst keeping their own score on the dial. I sucked at trying to do that.

And just in case you have one of these at home and don't have any idea how to make it work... Here are the instructions-





Got all that? Good.



Overall, the Telescreen Console is one damn cool item. I don't recall many other toys that combined action figure play with video games (outside of the 1980's Captain Power line), so this is truly a unique piece of Trek toy history. If this were on the shelves right now, I'd buy one for each of my kids and let them go nuts... but alas, the Console is one of the rarer Mego Trek pieces. Prices can climb into the hundreds for nice examples in working condition. If you do want one to simply display with your 8" Megos, it might be best to go after a non-functioning piece and save yourself a few bucks. Of course then you'd never know if you could beat my score...

Star Trek The Sci-Fi Channel Special Edition Extras- "The Deadly Years"

Here's all the extras from the Sci-Fi Channel Special Edition of "The Deadly Years". Though most of these extras have nothing to do with the actual episode, there are some great bits with Herb Solow in this one...

DST/ EMCE Spotlight- Captain Pike (Mego Style Figure)

Figure Name: Captain Pike
Manufacturer: Diamond Select & EMCE Toys



Captain Pike was released by Diamond Select Toys in 2011.



The Rundown: After rounding out the main bridge crew with their Sulu and Chekov figures, DST & EMCE must have felt the need to explore other featured characters for more "good guy" options in their Trek range. As far as TOS male heroes go, the next logical choice after the main crew would have to be Captain Christopher Pike. The guy had it all; Dashing good looks, a sweet laser pistol, and the ability to beat big-headed aliens. Let's take a look at how his manliness fits the Mego form...



Just like the Salt Vampire we looked at yesterday, Pike features a sturdier body than the previous DST/ EMCE Trek releases. The body is held together with screws and feels a bit heftier than before. I'm not sure why it was changed, but I prefer this newer, tougher body. I've noticed the chest on my Retro Khan has begun to split at the seams, so hopefully this new body will prevent that.



Pike features an all new head sculpt done in Mego style. I'm sorry to say it... But I am not a fan of this head. While I do see a decent Jeffrey Hunter likeness here, it looks like it's been stylized to fit a more "cartoonish" look. All of the other "new" Mego heads from EMCE (like Khan and Chekov) fit right in with the vintage figures. The Pike head looks more like it was made for Mattel's Retro-Action superheroes line, lacking the realism that made Mego's Trek releases so cool.



Unfortunately, the slightly cartoonish look of the head isn't the only problem- The head is also quite large. When I first saw the prototypes for this wave, I commented that the heads were a bit large due to them being prototypes. In most cases, original sculpts for toys are a little bigger than the actual figure due to the shrinkage that takes place in the production process. I assumed that the Pike head seen in the prototype was an original sculpt mounted on a production body and the final product would be properly scaled. Sadly, it doesn't seem that this was the case, as Pike's melon is much larger than those of the other figures.



At this point, it's going to seem like I am bashing the crap out of this head sculpt... but I have one more gripe. Unlike the other figures, Pike's skin is painted on instead of the head being molded in flesh-tone plastic. I have no idea why this decision was made, but I really feel that it adds to the cartoony look of the head. Had it been molded in flesh-toned plastic, the head would have fit a bit better with the rest of the line. Oh... and the paint doesn't match the plastic used for the body, leaving you with a Pike that looks like he's been tanning with a bag over his head. Ouch.



Okay... enough with bashing his head in. So what's good on Pike? Well, he's got a new shirt that is AWESOME! It reflects the turtleneck look of the pilots while still maintaining a consistency with the rest of the releases. EMCE did such a nice job on it that I picked up a couple of extra Pikes for...



...customs of Kirk & Spock from "Where No Man Has Gone Before"! Sure, the rank piping is a bit off, but they'll do in a pinch. ;)



Accessories: Pike includes the same belt, phaser, and communicator used on all the EMCE crew reissues. I'll bet you thought I'd take issue with them including these when Pike never used this type of equipment? Well, you'd be wrong! All the mego releases used these weapons, regardless if they used them in the show or not, so their inclusion with Pike makes perfect sense.



Even with the head issues, I am still stoked to own a Mego Pike. Do I wish he was a bit better? Sure. But the shirt rocks... and it's a freaking Mego Captain Pike! The head is going to be a deciding factor on whether you need him for your collection or not... but with most sites only offering him in a pair with the AWESOME Salt Vampire, the choice may be out of your hands. If you want a Salt Vampire, you may be stuck buying the Pike regardless if you like the head or not... and you DO want that Salt Vampire! And don't forget- DST has made it clear that the production of Chapel and Vina depends greatly on the sales of Pike & Salty. With that in mind, it may be worth trying to overlook any issues you may have with the head and just ordering the pair.

DST/ EMCE Spotlight- Salt Vampire (Mego Style Figure)

Figure Name: Salt Vampire
Manufacturer: Diamond Select & EMCE Toys



The Salt Vampire was released by Diamond Select Toys in 2011.



The Rundown: Remember that scene in "The Man Trap" where Dr. Crater is explaining how the M-113 creature is akin to the water buffalo of earth- an endangered species? Well, that's kind what it's like in the toy world too. For being such a memorable alien from the series, the good ol' Salt Vampire sure has gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to toys. No release in the original Mego line, and nothing in any of the various scales produced by Playmates (though Matt Hackley's custom gives us a glimpse at how it might have looked). And of course, who can forget this one-



Sculpted by Art Asylum for release in their last wave of Classic Trek figures, the Salt Vampire was dropped when the assortment was cut down to 4 figures. The figure lingered in limbo until DST solicited it for release a couple of years ago... only to then cancel it due to lack of preorders. *Grumble* It seemed the Salt Vampire would never grace toy shelves.



...Until today that is! Thanks to EMCE Toys and DST, we FINALLY have a Salt Vampire! Would I have preferred a Playmates or AA style figure? Sure. But for being a Mego-inspired figure, this gal is pretty sweet! Let's take a look!



The Salt Vampire features a similar body to the other DST/ EMCE style reissues; I say "similar" because this one feel a bit more solid and is held together with screws. Regardless, it features the same range of movement found in vintage Mego figures. The challenge is getting this body to hold a pose though. Without the aid of a stand, you're pretty much stuck with a straight stance on your shelf. That's the name of the game with "retro-action" though, so I'm not surprised or disappointed by it.



To replicate the furry body of the Salt Vampire, EMCE went with a fuzzy white oversuit (which is almost definitely what Mego would have done as well). The fur is a bit more subdued than it is on the packaging shot and on the prototype, but I think it looks just fine here. Not entirely screen accurate, but since these are replicating Mego-styling, a little artistic interpretation has to come into play.



Since you don't want your M-113 Creatures running around all nekkid, the figure includes a burlap-sack-toga-thingy. It's a separate piece from the fuzzy suit, and attaches around the figure through a snap in the back. Oh... I should also mention that the fur suit attaches through a single snap as well, which has a tendency to pop open when you pose her. What a floozy.



The body includes a few newly-sculpted pieces to finish off the Creature's look. First, there's the wonderful sucker hands! EMCE did a FANTASTIC job on these! There almost a little too nice for Mego style... but who cares! They ROCK!



And speaking of things that rock- Check out that noggin'! A face only a mother could love! Well, a mother and Dr. Crater. Oh, and Dr. McCoy. And Uhura. And Crewman Darnell. And maybe Sturgeon and Green, but we don't know that for sure. So, yeah... it's a really good sculpt- maybe the finest of the "new" Star Trek Megos.



Accessories: Nada. It's not like you need any though. Well, maybe a jar of salt would have been nice.



It's been a long time coming, but we finally have a Salt Vampire figure! While Mego figures may not be everyone's cup of tea, this is one of the finer efforts in that style. And with no other possibilities in the foreseeable future, this one may be worth picking up to fill the void. At a retail price of $19.99, you may be a bit hesitant to throw down the scratch for her... but I wouldn't wait too long. Remember what happened to the water buffalo?

Hallmark Ornament Spotlight- 2007 Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

Item Name: "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" Keepsake Ornament
Manufacturer: Hallmark



Hallmark released this piece as part of their 2007 keepsake assortment. Here's the back of the box if you'd like to give it a read-



The Rundown: With the 2011 Hallmark Star Trek ornaments hitting stores in just a couple of weeks, I figured now would be a good time to jump back into the ornament spotlights and feature some of my favorites leading up to the premiere weekend (July 16 & 17). Today we're taking a look at one of the 2007 releases- The "Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan" ornament!



The "double-cross" scene from TWOK is one of the most memorable moments in Trek's 45 year history, so it's no surprise that Hallmark mined it for this release. Even recreated at such a small scale, any fan would recognize what scene is depicted here with but a glance... even if the staging is a bit off from what was seen in the film-



That is the closest I could come to finding Spock, Kirk, and Sulu staged together in the same manner depicted in the ornament. Is it a huge deal that Hallmark took some artistic license here to make the ornament "work"? Nope. The scene might have taken place "off-camera", or maybe my memory is just faulty... Either way, I find it *ahem" fascinating that even if it isn't completely screen accurate, there's no mistaking which scene we are looking at here. Let's have a look at these guys-



Positioned to the right of the screen is Kirk. The pictures may fool you, but these figurines are TINY, with each one only measuring about an inch or so. At that size, the paint and sculpting work is pretty impressive. Kirk 's uniform features all the necessary detailing. Hallmark even remembered that Kirk's uniform flap is open during his exchange with Khan.



To the left of the screen is Mister Spock. Even though he is teensy-weensy, Spock features a solid likeness and an intricately detailed costumed. I could just see this widdle guy running down to a miniaturized engineering and shuffling off his mortal coil...



Lastly, we have Sulu at the helm console, ready to fire on the unsuspecting Khan. Hallmark even managed to recreate Sulu's stray bangs! Nice work! But let's have a closer look at that helm...



As far as I can tell, the instrumentation panels are reproduced here by means of a couple of decals. I'm not sure how I feel about these. On the one hand, the scale is so small that I shouldn't expect an abundance of detail... But on the other hand, if these are just labels, there's no reason that the images shouldn't be better. It's not a major issue, but still bares noting.



Of course, the focal point of the ornament is the large viewscreen area. I gotta admit- I was surprised that Hallmark choose an image of the Reliant over Khan for the viewer, since the reveal of Khan is such an iconic moment. But here's where the "magic" comes into play! Since the sound clips used for the ornament included ship battle effects, having Khan on the screen would make it impossible to incorporate these effects in coordination with the visuals. With the Reliant on screen, Hallmark was free to add cool lighted effects... like phaser blasts! Check it out:



Pretty cool, eh? Not only did they have phasers firing from the Reliant, but there's also a separate lighting effect for the Enterprise firing on her! Great choices on the lines too...



The TWOK ornament is easily one of my favorite pieces from the entire Hallmark library. It recreates one of Trek's most memorable exchanges with superb lighting and sound effects, especially given this thing's diminutive size. While the helm is a little bit of a disappointment, the rest of the ornament features solid detailing throughout. Oh... and since this guy runs on batteries instead of plugging into a string of lights it can be used as a display piece during non-holiday months. With most auctions closing in the $10-$15 range, you can get this one nowadays for less than original retail. At that price, your wallet won't be feeling the "wrath" of this purchase! Wokka wokka!