Mattel vs Johnny Lightning - "Star Trek"

Well, I finally found one of the new Star Trek "die-cast" ships. *heavy sigh*. What the hell was the marketing dept. at Paramount thinking. Really....really, really.First off, calling them die-cast...well that is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. The one I found is the Enterprise from the first three movies, so that is what I am basing my comparison on. The only part that is metal is the secondary hull...primary hull and nacelles are plastic. kind of like saying I'm a cyborg because I have a couple of metal earrings. That and the detail leaves a lot to be desired. Add to that there seemed to be a bit of a cost increase (but I can't be sure about that because the only place I have found one is a specialty collector store...). You know, I was just saying that a few days ago..."Gee, I wish I could find some more starship models like the Star Trek line Johnny Lightning made...but not as well detailed...or cool...and harder to find...oh, and I want to pay more." Ya...that's what I want.

Here is a comparison of the two ships by Hotwheels and Johnny Lightning.

My other beef with this line is that I assumed that by going with a larger company like Mattel, you would think that the toys would be a little more available. You know, as in "be able to find in a regular store like Wal-mart or Toys'R'Us". But such is not the case...when will I learn not to make assumptions. Even when they make so much common sense. So I say again...what the hell! I guess it's back to collecting the line by Furuta. Is there anything that the Japanese make that isn't cool.

"One small step for man..."

"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." One of the most inspiring quotes of the modern age. As the 40th anniversary of man landing on the moon past yesterday, it made me think back to when I was a little kid watching it on TV. I was a little to young (two and a half) when Apollo 11 made it's historic landing, but I have vivid memory's of some of the latter missions. I remember having all matter of "space toys" when I was very young...and my total fascination with space and all things related in a larger part is the original birth place of my love of science fiction, and I believe to an extent my optimistic view of the future.

So what happened? One show I watched yesterday had a politician from the US on some talk show, saying that if we go to Mars, it should be robots and not humans. "Why should men risk their lives, when robots can do the job better?" he asked. I just don't think he gets it. The Apollo missions helped unite the people of earth better than anything else in history. In a clip of an interview with "Buzz" Aldrin he said he was amazed that after the mission... as they made appearances all over the world, people would come up to them and say "We did it!!". Not the United States, or America....we. That is why we sent humans into space. Yes, it may be better for a robot to go. Yes, probes can do the same job at a fraction of the cost. But where is the goal...the dream that humans can do anything we set our minds to. I like to think that NASA will find itself. Find a new dream and send a mission to Mars. I know they are currently working on a new program called the Constellation Program (the programs logo is to the right). The plan is to put men back on the moon in the next 10 years, and have a mission to Mars with any luck in the next 25 years or so. I for one can't wait. To be honest, I really didn't think, the way things were going, that I would live to see humans on a mission to Mars. Yes it will be incredibly expensive. Yes it will be unbelievably dangerous. But if it's one thing mankind needs now more than ever, its a dream that will unite all the people of earth in hope and peace. And I for one think that is worth a little risk.

A Look Back At "Enterprise"

Seems odd, I know to be talking about "Enterprise" (or "Star Trek:Enterprise")...what has it been now...about 4 years after it was cancelled. But the "Space" TV channel here in Canada has been running every incarnation of Star Trek every weeknight for awhile now and "Enterprise" comes on right about the time I get home from work every night. So I have been watching them all over again. And true be told...I like it.

When the series first came on, I was glued to them. over the next few seasons my interest wained a little (part due to the stories, but a big part was constantly shifting time slots). I enjoyed the show for the most part, but by season three they were starting to lose me a little bit. I was not a fan of the big season long Xindi storyline. I realize they were trying to re-energize the series, but in my opinion, went the wrong way. By season four though, I was totally hooked. They had finally found their footing and hit their stride. Season four had some fantastic episodes! But unfortunately, it was to little to late as far as Paramount was concerned. Truly a shame. If you look at the first two or three seasons of any of the other Star Trek spin offs, none of them hit their stride till the third of fourth season either. Watch any episode from "The Next Generation", "Deep Space Nine" or "Voyager"...every one of them, the acting is a little stiff and the actors hadn't quite "found" their characters yet. So why the powers that be found it necessary to cancel the show is beyond me.

Say what you will, I think the show was killed before it's time. A million cool story lines where right around the corner. The developing relationship between Earth, Vulcan and the Andorians, the Earth - Romulan war...so much potential for so many story's. And I feel bad for Mr. Rick Berman, one of the creators of the series. For a time he was vilified as one of the men who "killed Star Trek". After seeing the brutal slashing of the "re-imagined" Star Trek this summer, it was at worst a flesh wound. And at least he had a certain amount of respect for what came before and for the fans. Even "Next Generation" star Brent Spiner credits Berman with having "protected Gene Roddenberry's vision. "

In watching the shows again, with a fresh perspective, most of the episodes are really quite good. Sure, not every one of them is pure gold, but there were lots of stinkers in every other version of Star Trek as well, over all the series had a bright future ahead of it. It's always a shame when something so young dies to soon.

Beam Me Up...

I have been playing video games for years. MMO's for the last couple of years and still going. Still totally addicted to World of Warcraft, and gave Warhammer a good long try. But I have to say, the game that I am most looking forward to is "Star Trek:Online". I know...huge surprise. But come on...ask any Star Trek Geek what would be the coolest thing in the world (short of commanding an actual starship) is to have a game like this to play. How cool is this game! You get to command a starship (Federation or Klingon!) and fly around the galaxy exploring and getting into the occasional fight. Awesome!! While there is no official release date yet for the game, all indications are pointing to a release sometime around the end of this year. I can hardly wait! Looks like it will be a very Merry Christmas for me!


*UPDATE: Well, looks like it might not be such a Merry Christmas after all. Looks like the release date (which still hasn't been released yet) will be sometime in the first quarter of the new year. That's ok....maybe I will take a look at the MMO Stargate: Universe after all.

Where Have All The Good Toys Gone?

Remember when you could play with toys. I mean actually, really play with them. Think way, way, way back to when you were a kid. Ya!...that's what I am talking about.

Don't get me wrong, some of the toys that are being produced are really cool and beautifully sculpted. They look fantastic on display. But that isn't what they were created for. Take for example the Star Wars line. Are the new figures better than the ones produced back in the 70's and 80's? Well, they are far better looking than the original ones, but as for play-ability...not so much. They can hardly stand up on their own and almost fall apart if moved around to much (had the head of a Mara Jade figure pop off...easy to pop back on, but very uncool!). The original line was far more robust. Kids could actually play with them....stuff them in their pockets and take off.

With the lure of big bucks from collectors, allot of the toy companies seem to have forgotten the real reason for toys. As a father of two boys (although the oldest has passed the age of playing with toys and my other son is fast approaching it...lol) there are only a handful of toy lines that have came out over the last few years that looked cool, well designed and had very high play-ability. Two that come to mind are the Sigma 6 line (very cool looking and could take a pounding by kids), and the Xevoz line (yet again, very cool, awesome play-ability, and the fact that you could swap out parts from any figure and create your own...fantastic!!). unfortunately, both lines ended long before their time. I do have high hopes for the new lines of 3 3/4 figures from Marvel and DC, as they both seem to look good and have a high degree of "survivability".

I'm not saying that there is no place for some of the statue like toys being produced, there most certainly is. but the company's need to remember who they really should be making these toys for. Close your eyes for a minute and think back to what made you into a toy collector in the first place. Go on...I'll wait. Done....good. Was it the fond memory's of the cool toys you had as a kid. Hours spent having Superman and Spiderman save Han Solo and Luke from Skeletor? Now think about the toys that your kids (if you have them!) have to play with. Will they be as nostalgic as we are about our old toys? I doubt it....and if they have no fond memories of cool toys to build on, there will be no "next generation" of collectors out there.

Bad Marketing

Someone...and I don't know who it would be. It is who ever is in charge of marketing and/or release dates at Mattel-Hot Wheels, or it is the guy in charge of marketing and licences for Paramount Pictures. Here we are in the second week of June and still waiting for the release of the die-cast Star Trek ships.

I realize that the movie is doing well...and I by no means have a degree in marketing, but it seems to me that the smart thing to do would have been to capitalize on all the hype and free marketing in the days leading up to the release of the new "Star Trek" movie. Even Playmates got their stuff (questionable as it was) into the stores to take advantage of the hype.

I think I understand the wait for part of the line (as they are ships from previous Star Trek movies and shows...no rush for them), but none of the new ships have hit the stores as of this posting. What the...? Even myself...always a sucker for the ships, is very quickly losing interest in picking these up...and most of the collector and online toy store sites only say "June 2009" as the release date for them! Nothing like striking while the iron is hot! I think that someone, somewhere needs a good swift kick in the butt...and be handed a "pink slip". Hey...times are tough everywhere!

Never Forget

This past weekend was the 65th Anniversary of D-day. I spent a good deal of my weekend watching many movies, and documentaries on the D-day landing and World War II. Seeing some of the interviews with the Veteran's of the war got me thinking. I know it has been said before, but they really were a special breed. Maybe it was growing up and living through the Great Depression that gave them the fortitude and mind-set that you just had to "suck it up" and do what needed to be done...maybe it was the evil that the world was facing and the desire to help in some way.

Whatever it was, they all stepped up when the world needed them. Many gave their lives all for something they believed in. They fought on and did what was asked of them over and over till those that made it through returned home. And what is most refreshing, did so with great humility. There is a line in the mini-series "Band Of Brothers" right at the end. They are showing interviews with some of the Vets and one recalls a letter from a friend. A little girl asked her Grandfather, "Were you a hero in the war grandpa?", and he says "No...but I served in a Company of Heroes."

Sadly, fewer and fewer of these brave men are left as the years go by. In this modern world so many seem to be self-obsessed, I truly wonder if we would have what it takes to do what they did. I know many in the military that do, but would we as a country be able to muster the numbers for a massive undertaking such as was launched on June 6th, 1944. Someday there will be none of these brave souls left, then remembering will be up to us. We must always strive to remember them and the sacrifices so many made for our freedom.

The "New" Star Trek

I have been thinking about the new Star Trek movie ever since I saw it on opening day. Now, as a long time Star Trek fan I watched the movie with as much of an open mind as I could muster...and you know what? I liked it. It was a good movie. A couple of little things bugged me, but over all a good movie. You would think as a fan, I would be totally blown away by it! But there in lies the rub. As a cool science fiction movie it was awesome! But as a Star Trek movie it was just...ok. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, besides all the little things that bugged me about the movie...finally, it hit me the other day! That is it!

"The devil is in the details" as they say. A lot of the little things that bothered me is what the problem is in my mind. Little things like how they must have saved all kinds of money shooting the engine room scene's in a bottling plant. Surely they could have spent a few dollars on a better set that didn't make it look like the engine room on the Titanic. The Uniforms for the crew of the USS Kelvin. I don't think it would have taken much work to have them give a little nod to the original (pilot) uniforms. Last, and it may seem trivial, but the fact that the ends of the warp nacelles were blue bugged the hell out of me. Making them red would have in no way affected the movie or the look of the new "old" Enterprise, but would have been a nice touch of continuity for the old fans. But I don't think Mr. Abrams really cared all that much about the old fans as much as he said he did.






Concerning the new Enterprise...didn't like it the first time I saw it. The lines where there, but all wrong. And don't get me started on what J.J. Abrams say is the size of her (according to J.J, its 900 meters....yes...meters. The exact number from ILM is aparantly 2357 feet. compared to the Star Trek:The Motion Picture/Wrath of Khan Enterprise at 305 meters.)but to be truthful, it's started to grow on me. I still think they were a little lazy with the design (the whole primary hull is basically the one from Star Trek: The Motion Picture with some minor cosmetic changes).

Then there was the cast. Loved Karl Urban as McCoy...totally sold me on that. Zachary Quinto as Spock was good as well. Chris Pine did an ok job of Kirk, but I don't think I ever really bought into his character. Zoe Saldana as Uhura was good as well, and Bruce Greenwood as Pike did a fantastic job (really like his role). Eric Bana as Nero was not to bad as a villain, but unless you had read the prequel comics you didn't really understand why he was so pissed. As for some of the other characters, well to be honest they didn't get a lot of attention (which is kind of funny, as they didn't during the original series in the 60's either!). They felt kind of tacked on. Like they just had to toss them all a few lines and a little camera time and its all good. I was a little disappointed in that..Scotty was always one of my favorite characters, and I was kind of looking forward to Simon Pegg's take on him.


In the end, as mentioned earlier, it was a great sci-fi movie, but not a great Star Trek movie. The funny thing is, most of the comments on fan sites that are very positive are from people that were fans of other sci-fi series (Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, etc.) Most of the original fans of Star Trek haven't been so kind with their comments and criticism. When all is said and done, will this movie be a huge hit? Seems to be so far. Will it re-energize Star Trek? In the short term, I think so, but I don't think so in the long run. Will this incarnation of Star Trek create the next generation of astronauts, scientists and inventors? Highly unlikely.


The sad thing is, the management of the franchise has said to us old school fans "piss off" and appealed to Joe Public in an attempt to squeeze out as much money as possible from this property. Unfortunately just as the ancient Emperor's of Rome learned, the masses are quick to lose interest and tend to be quite fickle.

Closet Geek?

So, first, what is a closet geek. Those that are know. I have always been a bit of a geek (ok...huge geek). I love Star Trek, Star Wars, anything science fiction for the most part. I collect toys and comic books. My lovely wife says she will have one hell of a garage sale when I die! So what is a closet geek you may ask?

1987...First time I went to a Star Trek convention. It was in Spokane WA. I was so excited to be going to one (I had grown up in a small town and had never had the chance to go to one before). by the end of the day though, after seeing some of the extremes some fans go to...wow! I decided to keep my natural geek-ness to myself as much as possible.

So, if you were to bump into me on the street, I doubt you would know what I am...but its there...it's always there.

And So It Begins...

I think it has something to do with age. I think as you get older, you get more opinionated. That is the main reason I created this blog...to vent off random thoughts, opinions and comments, as my wife (God love her) is probably getting tired of hearing my thoughts on goofy stuff.

Cheers!