1:03:08
Master Replicas' New Star Trek Figures & Fanhome's Starships Revealed with Ben Robinson
Trek Untold
Overview
This video features an interview with Ben Robinson, a creative consultant for Fanhome's Starships program and creative director for Master Replicas, discussing upcoming Star Trek merchandise. The conversation delves into the history and challenges of Star Trek collectibles, including the closure of Eagle Moss and the subsequent revival of their popular ship subscription model by Fanhome. Robinson also details Master Replicas' new line of action figures based on modern Star Trek series and explores the future of Star Trek publishing, highlighting his personal projects and the evolving landscape of collectible production.
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Chapters
- Star Trek publishing and merchandise can serve as a lens to examine societal changes and Hollywood trends.
- Ben Robinson, a consultant for Fanhome and creative director for Master Replicas, is interviewed about new Star Trek merchandise.
- The discussion acknowledges the significant role of Star Trek collecting in the speaker's life and the broader fan community.
- The interview aims to fill gaps regarding recent developments in Star Trek collectibles, including the fate of Eagle Moss and the emergence of new companies.
This chapter sets the stage by framing Star Trek collectibles as more than just toys, connecting them to broader cultural commentary and introducing the key players and the central topic of the interview.
The speaker mentions his own extensive action figure collection from various manufacturers as an example of the passion within the collecting community.
- Eagle Moss, known for its extensive diecast Starship collection, unexpectedly closed down, leaving fans uncertain about future products.
- The closure was attributed to an overly aggressive expansion plan that outpaced sales, leading to financial collapse rather than a lack of product demand.
- Master Replicas, a dormant brand, acquired Eagle Moss's remaining inventory, including Starships and other products.
- With guidance from CBS/Paramount and Ben Robinson's involvement, Master Replicas successfully transitioned to online sales, proving the viability of the business and leading to continued production and new licenses.
Understanding the business failures and successes of previous companies like Eagle Moss provides crucial context for the current landscape and highlights the resilience and strategic shifts required in the collectibles market.
Master Replicas began by selling off Eagle Moss's leftover inventory online, which proved successful and encouraged further investment in new products and licenses.
- Fanhome, a large partwork company, stepped in to continue many of Eagle Moss's product lines, prioritizing the completion of build-up models.
- Fanhome acquired the rights to produce Star Trek ships, aiming to provide a seamless continuation for fans.
- The development of new ships for Fanhome's subscription model takes approximately a year from concept to release.
- Fanhome's approach to the Starship collection is fundamentally similar to Eagle Moss's, focusing on quality and carrying over successful elements, though they are exploring minor improvements.
This chapter explains how a popular subscription model for Star Trek ships was resurrected, offering fans a sense of continuity and a path to completing their collections after a period of uncertainty.
Fanhome is releasing new ships monthly, with the Titan (later Enterprise-G) being one of the initial offerings developed over the past year.
- Fanhome's initial offerings focus heavily on ships from newer Star Trek series like Picard, Strange New Worlds, and Lower Decks, with plans to include Discovery.
- The company is prioritizing Starfleet ships due to their strong sales performance, but aims to cover significant alien vessels as well.
- Fanhome has adopted a mid-scale for most ships, deeming smaller scales less commercially viable and larger scales too expensive for a subscription model.
- The decision to not strictly adhere to in-universe scale is a practical one, balancing production costs, affordability, and displayability for collectors.
This section clarifies the direction of Fanhome's ship releases, emphasizing new series and addressing the persistent fan concern about ship scaling, explaining the rationale behind their approach.
The Titan/Enterprise-G and the Stargazer are highlighted as examples of new ships being released, while the Faragut is noted as a personally exciting release due to its mythical status in the original series.
- Fanhome's strategy involves releasing a larger 'XL' ship every fourth issue in the subscription, featuring important capital ships like the Voyager-A and Progenitor.
- While current production focuses on new releases, Fanhome has the rights to re-release any ship previously produced by Eagle Moss.
- There is a strong possibility of re-releasing popular XL ships and potentially convention exclusives, though retooling existing molds is economically prohibitive.
- Fans may need patience for re-releases of sought-after older XL ships like the Enterprise-A and C, as there are no immediate plans, but confidence remains high for their eventual return.
This chapter addresses the inclusion of larger, more detailed ships and the potential for beloved older models to be reissued, offering hope for collectors seeking specific items.
The Enterprise-F and Enterprise-G are mentioned as examples of XL ships that will be part of the subscription model.
- Master Replicas has secured the action figure license for all Star Trek series from Discovery onwards, focusing on modern shows.
- The figures will be released in a 4.5-inch scale, similar to classic Playmates figures, allowing them to complement existing collections.
- Two new figures will be released monthly, with plans for specials and playsets, including a potential Enterprise bridge playset.
- The figures will feature realistic likenesses, collector-friendly packaging, and logical accessories, with a focus on getting a wide range of characters out quickly.
This section announces a significant new venture for Master Replicas, providing collectors with a dedicated line of action figures for contemporary Star Trek series, designed with fan input.
Mariner from Lower Decks is highlighted as a favorite figure so far, with other Lower Decks and Prodigy characters like Boimler, Tendi, Rutherford, and Janeway/Rokk being high priorities for release.
- While Fanhome is unlikely to produce books, Titan has acquired the rights to republish and potentially continue Eagle Moss's book series, including the 'Shipyards' volumes.
- Ben Robinson is involved in new book projects, including 'Open a Channel,' which explores Star Trek's portrayal of women, and has ambitious plans for future publishing endeavors.
- Master Replicas is expanding beyond Star Trek, with upcoming product lines for Blade Runner and potential interest in Star Trek: 2099.
- Both Fanhome and Master Replicas are catering to dedicated adult fans, understanding that the market for Star Trek collectibles differs from mass-market toys.
This chapter looks beyond ship models and action figures, discussing the future of Star Trek books and Master Replicas' broader licensing strategy, indicating a robust and diverse future for Star Trek collectibles.
The book 'Open a Channel' by Nar and Ben Robinson is discussed as an example of important, society-focused Star Trek publishing.
Key takeaways
- The Star Trek collectibles market is dynamic, with companies like Eagle Moss facing challenges while new entities like Fanhome and Master Replicas emerge to fill the void.
- Fanhome is successfully reviving the popular Star Trek ship subscription model, focusing on ships from newer series and a balanced scale for affordability and display.
- Master Replicas is launching a comprehensive line of 4.5-inch action figures for modern Star Trek series, designed to appeal to dedicated adult collectors.
- The decision on ship scale is a deliberate compromise between artistic accuracy, production cost, and collector accessibility, prioritizing a consistent price point.
- While direct re-releases of all past Eagle Moss ships are unlikely due to tooling costs, popular XL models and convention exclusives may see future production.
- Star Trek publishing remains a significant area, with new books exploring diverse themes and potential for ambitious projects to continue.
- Patience is a virtue for Star Trek collectors, as licensing, production, and development cycles can be lengthy, even for those involved in the industry.
Key terms
FanhomeMaster ReplicasEagle MossStarship Subscription ModelXL ShipsAction FiguresScalePartwork CompanyLicensingCollector-Friendly Packaging
Test your understanding
- What factors contributed to the closure of Eagle Moss, and how did Master Replicas leverage its assets?
- How is Fanhome's approach to the Starship subscription model similar to and different from Eagle Moss's previous offerings?
- What is the rationale behind Fanhome's decision regarding the scale of their Starship models, and how does this impact collectors?
- What can collectors expect from Master Replicas' new line of Star Trek action figures in terms of scale, release schedule, and character focus?
- What are the future prospects for Star Trek publishing, and what role does Ben Robinson envision for himself in this area?