New Series Dalek Customs Collection Tour – Even More Destroyed Daleks

Welcome to the next instalment in this series of Dalek customs showcases, a tour through my collection of custom-made New Series Daleks that have been altered and painted to appear destroyed, with some marked with stamps for the Dalek Asylum. In the previous two-part feature we delved back into the Dalek Asylum to look at more customs. These are more destroyed Daleks that are doomed to rot in the Dalek Asylum for all eternity. All of these customs are made by me unless stated otherwise in the description.

Abandoned Dalek Casing

Custom Asylum of the Daleks figure using the Mutant Reveal as a base

Due to the centuries spent languishing in the Asylum, many of the insane Dalek inmates are crazy enough to try and escape from their casings, particularly the ones with cybernetic enhancements that allow them to slowly adapt to living for longer and longer periods outside of their shells. The mutant that formerly resided inside this Dalek casing has reach a point where it can abandon its metal prison altogether, leaving the damaged remains to gather dust in some dark corner of the Asylum. To create this custom a mutant reveal Dalek was used with the mutant itself removed, and the front panel cut in half and attached to the casing with plastic pieces. The wires came from an old TV cable and all the paint was done with Citadel applied using a dry brush.

Destroyed Time War Commander

During the Time War the Asylum saw an unprecedented increase in inmates – sometimes dozens would arrive in a single day. Due to a huge overload of the Asylum systems many of the automated drones were assigned to repair duties, leaving many of the more aggressive inmates unguarded. As a result, heavy infighting is now a common occurrence in the Asylum, which the central computer allows in order to keep numbers down. This Dalek Commander was a particularly unfortunate casualty of a conflict between various factions, and the blasted casing now sits as a grim relic of the Time War, that for some Daleks in the Asylum still rages to this day. This custom used a yellow and black Dalek Commander figure as a base and plastic pieces for the insides of the casing. The dead mutant is a combination of tissue paper, hot glue and Citadel paints and hot glue was used to attach a sucker arm and gun socket to the middle of the casing.

Spider Eggs Dalek

Cobwebs were a recurring feature in the episode Asylum of the Daleks, with many of the Daleks in the Asylum (particularly the Classic Daleks) being covered with spider webs. However, this creates an interesting implication, in that it means the Asylum is also home to a population of spiders. Logically, these creatures must eat and reproduce, and so this custom represents what the local spider population might do in order to eat and lay eggs – with an unfortunate Dalek as the host. It stands to reason that the spiders would adapt to use the Daleks as a means of reproduction, and perhaps even food, as the spiders themselves may have been converted into another extension of the on-site defence system thanks to the tenacious nano-cloud that surrounds the Asylum. This custom uses a black Dalek as a base that was cut up using a hacksaw and heavy duty wire cutters. The inside was created using plastic, wires and small blobs of hot glue to represent spider eggs, with the end result spray painted silver to add to the spider aesthetic.

Destroyed Asylum Inmate

In-fighting in the Asylum has brought several factions to complete extinction – and their remains are salvaged by Dalek Splicers that scavenge for spare parts among the wreckage. This Dalek was a Commander in a pre-Time War Dalek Assault Squad. Thanks to heavy Dalek casualties in the Dalek War, it was not long before the survivors admitted to the Asylum were wiped out. This custom was created using pieces from various New Series Daleks that had been cut up for other customs, and as such a new paint job was needed to make all the pieces seem like part of the same Dalek. The inside computer parts were taken from a few old electronic devices and the whole thing was assembled using hot glue and tissue paper held together with wires.

Dead Asylum Inmate

The battles that take place within the Asylum are not always firefights – in order to conserve power, many Daleks have resorted to close-quarters combat using makeshift weapons that have been cobbled together. Though these Savage Daleks form only a loose alliance rather than an ideological faction, they are among the most deranged and deadly of the Asylum inmates. This particular inmate was a victim of a Savage Dalek attack during which they cut out many of the front plates as well as both weapons, causing the casing to shut down and the mutant inside to drown in its life support fluids. This custom was made using a hacksaw and heavy duty wire cutters, and the internal frame was constructed from plastic and painted with Citadel paints.

Next – New Series Dalek Customs Collection Tour – Savage Dalek Asylum Customs

New Series Dalek Customs Collection Tour – Intensive Care Asylum Daleks Part 2

Welcome to the next instalment in this series of Dalek customs showcases, a tour through my collection of custom-made New Series Daleks that have been altered and painted to appear destroyed, with some marked with stamps for the Dalek Asylum. Continuing from Part 1, these are the next set of ‘intensive care’ Dalek customs. These are based on the Daleks that appeared in the special ward of the Dalek Asylum who are all survivors of particular encounters with the Doctor. All of these customs are made by me unless stated otherwise in the description.

Open Emperor Guard Dalek

This custom was created using a previous attempt at an insane Dalek Caan custom, with the mutant removed and replaced with a custom green mutant made using hot glue and a plastic claw. This Dalek is intended to represent one of the Dalek Emperor’s Human-Dalek Hybrids, specifically one of the Emperor’s Guards that somehow managed to survive the events of The Parting of the Ways and has ended up in the depths of the Dalek Asylum. As the last of the Emperor’s Human-Daleks, this specimen is quite insane, and the repair drones dare not approach for fear of being sliced in half by this Dalek’s vicious metal claw. The weathering on this Dalek was done using drybrushing and as the base model was already burnt the pieces are warped and malformed as if the casing has melted due to extreme temperatures.

Ongoing Maintenance Dalek

Not all Daleks in the Asylum were admitted for insanity – some are cast into the dark chambers of the facility for simply malfunctioning. This Dalek contracted some form of computer virus during an encounter with the Doctor and its casing’s self-repair systems have shut down, meaning the Asylum’s drones must continuously repair the Dalek’s systems as the virus works to take them down in an endless battle between two continually adapting programs. All the while this Dalek waits patiently for the balance to tip in its favour, as more than anything it wants revenge against the Doctor. The plastic and wires of this custom’s frame were taken from an old radio and stuck together using hot glue. The paint detailing is Citadel paints applied using a dry brush.

‘Steampunk’ Dalek Commander

Some of the Daleks in the intensive care ward were damaged within the Asylum itself – this former Dalek Commander was admitted to the Asylum during the Time War after an incident involving the Doctor and an electro-magnetic pulse. Since the ‘accident’, the Commander has conducted many botched repairs on itself in an attempt to remove its dependence on electronic components and has replaced many of them with cobbled-together clockwork and steam-powered devices constructing using re-programmed self-repair drones. Regarded as an eccentric by the other inmates of the Asylum, this Dalek is generally avoided by the more lucid Asylum denizens, This custom includes parts from an old CD drive as well as wires and pieces taken from an old radio. Promarker pen was used for the weathering and detail on the various cogs and other pieces.

Asylum Supreme Dalek

Having been updated since its appearance in the New Series Dalek Supremes Collection Tour, this Supreme Dalek now resides within the Asylum and has become the ringleader of a desperate faction of Daleks from various time periods who have allied together for protection. Using its old command codes, this Dalek is capable of interfacing directly with the Asylum’s central mainframe, giving it a unique insight into the Asylum’s Labyrinthine layout that makes it a vital asset for the various competing factions within the Asylum.

Next – New Series Dalek Customs Collection Tour – Even More Destroyed Daleks

Doctor Who – Lost in Time – DVD Review

Due to the unfortunate junkings of video tapes in the BBC archives during the late 1960s and most of the 1970s, there are a significant number of classic Doctor Who episodes from the 1960s that are missing, leaving several serials incomplete. As of now, there are 97 missing episodes, but at the time of the release of the DVD set ‘Lost in Time’ in 2004 there were 108, and since then some of Galaxy 4, The Underwater Menace and The Web of Fear, and all six episodes of The Enemy of the World, have been recovered. What ‘Lost in Time’ provides is a variety of episodes from many of the remaining incomplete serials, including The Wheel In Space, The Evil of the Daleks and The Daleks’ Master Plan. There are also many special features and a detailed documentary on missing episodes and their fragmented remains included in the DVD. But since many of these episodes will likely be all that is left of these episodes unless more miraculous recoveries are made, how do these glimpses into the stories that once were stand as a sequential viewing experience?

The Crusade

The first set of episodes featured are of the historical episode The Crusade, which is one of the few episodes in this collection to have all of its episodes featured, albeit with parts 2 and 4 as audio tracks. Watching just the episodes alone can be enough to satisfy fans of historicals as there is plenty of intrigue and interesting conflict between the Saracens and the forces of King Richard, but for those who want the full story the audio tracks are there to fill the gaps. Overall The Crusade is a strong entry in the collection and is a treat for fans of Vicky, who was introduced midway through Season 2 as a replacement for Susan, and a great example of the historical episodes that were common in the early years of Doctor Who.

The Daleks’ Master Plan

The three remaining episodes of The Daleks’ Master Plan give only a brief glimpse into the vastness of this story – at twelve parts long, it is difficult for only episodes 2, 5 and 10 to make an impression of what the entire story was about. However, thanks to the tradition at the time to include roundups of the basics of the plot in each individual episode (to ensure that, had people missed an episode, they could catch up easily) the broad story of this lost 12-part epic can be inferred from the fragments left behind. Clearly, the Daleks are pursuing the Doctor as they attempt to construct their ultimate weapon, the ‘Time Destructor’, and they make use of several allies along the way including the sinister Mavic Chen. The Daleks’ Master Plan also features the Meddling Monk, a Time Lord who had previously appeared in The Time Meddler, and he shines here as a foil for the Doctor’s companions and also for some comic relief in what is otherwise a serious story. Overall, the three surviving episodes of The Daleks’ Master Plan are among the most enjoyable of the episodes included in this collection, particularly since many of the individual parts have their own small self-contained stories in a similar fashion to an episode like The Chase.

The Celestial Toymaker

Only the final part of The Celestial Toymaker exists, and it is a strange experience. With absolutely no context the viewer is thrown into a seemingly nonsensical story involving Steven and Dodo playing an elaborate dice-rolling Snakes ‘n’ Ladders-type game with a man dressed like Tweedledum, whilst the Doctor (at least, a ghostly floating hand that the Toymaker addresses as the Doctor) balances triangular pyramid blocks in a seemingly random pattern. If that sounds totally insane, that’s because it is, and overall The Celestial Toymaker is one of the weaker entries in this collection. Had more episodes been found, or if there were some kind of recap to give an idea of the story before the episode plays, perhaps this would be a more enjoyable episode.

The Underwater Menace

The first example of a missing episode in the Second Doctor’s era is included here despite being given its own separate DVD release, and the reason is that the DVD release of The Underwater Menace is notoriously bad, featuring merely a reconstruction of the missing episodes with stills rather than animation in a similar fashion to the only episode remaining missing in The Web of Fear. As such, watching it on this DVD gives several options for viewing – the surviving footage included in the special features (most of which appears to be from censorship archives) and the single remaining episode, part 3. The costume design in this episode is wonderfully strange, and a general idea of the plot can be gleaned quickly even just from this single part. Not included here is the surviving two parts of The Moonbase, with the other two featured in this collection as audio reconstructions. Since the release of the ‘Lost in Time’ collection, The Moonbase has had a separate release on DVD with the missing episodes animated, which may be reviewed on this blog at a later date.

The Faceless Ones

That fact that only episodes 1 and 3 of the six-part Second Doctor story The Faceless Ones is a terrible shame considering that it is the episode in which Ben and Polly depart the TARDIS. Given the number of episodes featuring them that are missing coupled with their exclusion from the recent Twice Upon a Time one would be forgiven for thinking that the BBC had it in for Ben and Polly, for some reason. Regardless, the two surviving episodes of The Faceless Ones are enjoyable in themselves, with the Chameleons proving to be quite sinister and the acting quality and set design make this a competent story in terms of production value. The Second Doctor, Ben and Polly are all great in the surviving parts, and the monster is interesting and sinister, and that’s the best you can ask for from a set of orphaned episodes.

The Evil of the Daleks

The Evil of the Daleks is perhaps the most tragic of the lost episodes, particularly since so little of it remains. Only episode 2 and a handful of clips are included in this collection, and since then no more material has been found. This episode features the introduction of Second Doctor companion Victoria, and thankfully episode 2 gives her plenty of screen time. Unfortunately, there isn’t much Dalek action in this story, which is to be expected of such an early episode in the serial. Nonetheless, there are some interesting scenes, and there are surviving clips of the Dalek Emperor that can be viewed in the documentary features included in this collection, which is a nice touch and helps to fill out the lack of remaining full episodes.

The Abominable Snowmen

The episode that featured the debut of the Yeti, The Abominable Snowmen is another episode in this collection that suffers due to lack of context. There are many plots going on at once, but all that really matters to the viewer of this episode alone is the Doctor being held prisoner by men hunting the Yetis and scenes with the others trying to explore and find the Doctor. Given that only episode 2 of 6 survives, the story is established but decipherable, and there are some great scenes between Jamie and Victoria, but unfortunately there just isn’t enough of The Abominable Snowmen remaining to give a good impression. Since they were recovered in 2013, The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear will not be included in this article despite being a feature of the collection and their appearance here is superfluous since they have now had separate DVD releases.

The Wheel in Space

This episode is a particularly significant installment in the Second Doctor’s era, since it features the introduction of companion Zoe Heriot, and also the reappearance of the Cybermen for the third time in the Second Doctor’s era (but not the last). Unfortunately, their voices are nowhere near as cool here as they were in The Tomb of the Cybermen, as it seems the vocoder has less of a presence in the voices of the standard Cybermen. Thankfully, the Cyber-Planner still has voice of the Cyber-Controller from Tomb, and it gets quite a bit of screentime in the two remaining episodes. Speaking of screentime, new companion Zoe gets a lot of attention in these episodes, as well as her growing relationship with Jamie and the Second Doctor, which is fortunate given that two thirds of the episode are missing. Episode 3, the first of the surviving parts, actually depicts Zoe’s first meeting with the Doctor, and the surviving Episode 6 shows how she joins the TARDIS crew, making this episode essential for Zoe fans – this is made better by the fact that both episodes 3 and 6 are made easy to understand and Episode 6 in particular works as almost a standalone story, which makes The Wheel in Space one of the highlights of the collection.

The Space Pirates

An ambitious story for the era, The Space Pirates uses some great model shots throughout the surviving Episode 2, which is sadly the only episode that still remains in the BBC archives. As this is the last episode on the collection, it is unfortunate that it has to be such a seemingly random installment – like many of the other examples of orphaned episodes, the single surviving part of The Space Pirates does not stand well as its own story, but there are some comedic scenes between the General and the old Spacer that are worth a watch. Overall, very little actually happens in this episode and it does seem a disappointing end to the collection.

Doctor Who – Lost in Time is a fascinating look at what many of the lost episodes were like, and the selection is both diverse and interesting. It is a shame that there are so many single episodes that don’t stand up on their own, but it is to be expected from the random selection of episodes that remain. The bonus features are a delight, with an entire documentary on the history of the missing episodes that includes other surviving clips and interviews with cast members, experts and lost episode discoverers, and overall the collection is well worth picking up.

See More

Doctor Who – Big Finish – The Two Masters Trilogy Review

This might be a bit of a jump forward in time from my previous Big Finish audio reviews, all of which have been focused on their earlier works between 1999-2007, whereas these three audios come from 2016. So what is the reason for this sudden leap? The honest answer is, I’ve been so excited to listen to these audios that I thought the minute I finished the final part of The Two Masters then I would start my review right away before moving on to the next audio on my list, Energy of the Daleks. So without further ado, we start the review of this trilogy at the beginning – sort of.

And You Will Obey Me

Listening to this audio so soon after Master was interesting in that they share a somewhat similar premise – the decayed (or, as we should probably refer to him now, the burnt) incarnation of the Master played by Geoffrey Beevers is trapped on Earth and shows signs of displaying acts of mercy, although this audio does come with a few twists and turns that eventually prove that this and Master are in fact nothing alike. The plot introduces several concepts and characters that play into the wider ‘Two Masters trilogy’ overarching plotline, which in this case involves the cripsy Beevers Master being hunted by intergalactic bounty hunters and crashing his TARDIS in Hexford 1984, only to apparently live out a humble and meagre existence before dying of natural causes and being buried in an unmarked grave in 2016. Naturally, upon hearing this, the Doctor knows that something is very wrong.

Similarly to Master, the Doctor is initially hopeful that the Master may have experienced a sudden change of heart, but in this case the truth is far more complicated and focuses on not only the Master but 4 of his associates, a group of children who initially find him and are influenced by his hypnotic power. The interactions between the Master and his saviours is interesting, and Geoffrey Beevers is as good as always as playing a sinister yet oddly charming character. Overall, And You Will Obey Me serves as both an intriguing standalone adventure as well as a great introduction to the ‘Two Masters trilogy’.

Vampire of the Mind

This audio served as my first introduction to the incarnation of the Master played by Alex Macqueen, and needless to say he did not disappoint. This incarnation is far more jovial then some of his predecessors, and in a way bridges the gap between the ‘classic’ Masters and the initial ‘NuWho’ interpretation of the character realised by John Simm. Usually paired with the Eighth Doctor, this incarnation appears here in a rare example of him facing another Doctor incarnation, in this case, the Sixth Doctor played by Colin Baker. For those who do not rate Baker’s incarnation very highly compared to other Doctors, prepare to have that preconception utterly smashed by his appearance in Big Finish audios – it is the view of many that the Sixth Doctor is the best of all the Doctors audio-wise, and Vampire of the Mind is a great example of a strong and energetic performance from Colin Baker that really brings this audio to life.

In terms of plot and execution, however, Vampire of the Mind is perhaps the weakest of the ‘Two Masters trilogy’ as it lacks the obvious appeal of its successor or the intriguing character interactions of its predecessor. Also, the plot itself is somewhat strung-together – the Master’s plan seems to change somewhat as the story progresses, and even when all the pieces in play are revealed it can be difficult to figure out what the Master’s game was from the beginning. Nonetheless, Vampire of the Mind is a great listen, particularly for those who are interested in the Macqueen incarnation but don’t want to have to listen to all 16 instalments of the Dark Eyes series just yet.

The Two Masters

And now for the climactic finale, that ties together the loose ends and cliffhanging plot developments of the previous two instalments and delivers a great 2-hour long multi-Master story that kicks off right into the action and gives some great dialogue between the two incarnations. Essentially, its everything you could ask for from a multi-Master story, particularly since at this point there had never been any others, since World Enough and Time and The Doctor Falls wouldn’t air until just over a year later.

The best thing about The Two Masters is how it parallels with multi-Doctor stories that we have seen in the past. Since this story includes two Masters, one might assume that they are working together to achieve some greater goal – the two Masters do team up at one point, but for the majority of the first half the two are at bitter war with each other across time and space, a fascinating concept of a bitter rivalry between two incarnations of the same Time Lord that has never been previously explored.

The Two Masters also contains a few plot twists of its own that explain and explore various plot threads and concepts from both And You Will Obey Me and Vampire of the Mind – although it is not absolutely necessary to listen to these two before listening to The Two Masters, it does help to understand the finer points of the story since both previous stories explain what each incarnation of the Master was doing immediately prior to meeting each other, and how their actions in the previous stories connect and flow into the main story of The Two Masters.

Another fantastic element to this story is Sylvester McCoy, who was the perfect choice of Doctor to facilitate a multi-Master story as only the Seventh Doctor could possess the Machiavellian levels of scheming to out-plot two versions of the Master at once, and Sylvester McCoy plays the devious trickster very well, and particularly here. The only real shame is that he appears here without either companions Mel or Ace, instead taking on a temporary companion for this story.

Overall, the Two Masters trilogy is definitely worth a listen, particularly for those interested in the character of the Master, the idea of multi-incarnation adventures, fans of Beevers or Macqueen or just fans of 80s-themed Big Finish audios in general, as it effectively increases the tension and stakes throughout and offers a unique angle on the Master’s incarnations and history.

So that’s my review of the Two Masters trilogy, I hope you enjoyed and if you did then be sure to leave a like, and you can follow us either here or on Facebook for more content like this. Also, check out the read more tab below for articles related to this one. Thanks for reading!

Read more in this series with the links below:

And check out more of my Doctor Who opinion pieces here:

Star Wars Astromech Droid Collection – Part 4

As well as a Dalek Collection, I also maintain a collection of Star Wars Astromech Droids, and although this collection is significantly smaller than my Dalek collection, it still warrants its own four-part series. For the final part, I will be showcasing my custom Astromech Droids, many of which I painted using existing figures as a base and replicating colour schemes and designs from the movies.

R2-X2

For this custom figure I used an R2-B1 figure as a base and a combination of black paint, black detailing fine liner, white paint and white paint pen to represent R2-X2, the droid seen sat behind Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles (played by a different actor) in the tactical meeting that takes place before the Death Star attack. This droid design has always been one of my favourites, and it proved quite a challenge to get looking right – the stripes on the head required particular precision.

R5-A2

For this custom I used yellow humbrol paint and white paint pen with Sharpee for the detailing, in an attempt to create R5-A2, the droid that passes by right in front of the camera in A New Hope before Obi-Wan Kenobi mind-tricks the Stormtroopers. Unfortunately, due to the Humbrol paint’s finish, the end result appears quite scratchy, but that does fit in with the aesthetic of a droid trundling around a desert town.

R2-C4

I had to create a custom of this droid to complete the trio seen on promotional material for The Phantom Menance, of R2-D2, R2-M9 and R2-C4. This droid is essentially R2-D2 in yellow, and is one of the few astromech droids to actually survive The Phantom Menace, seen it is seen as one of the droids of the pilots escaping the destroyed Droid Control ship. For this custom I sued similar yellow Humbrol paint and white paint pen that I did for R5-A2.

R3-T2

A made this custom using a reject R4-P17 figure, it is a clearly inferior mold with no middle foot and was going cheap on eBay. With just a bit of blue Citadel paint, bronze Humbrol and white paint pen this droid now resembles R3-T2, a droid that appears briefly in A New Hope. It may seem hypocritical of me to paint an astromech droid design that barely appears in the film when I’ve spent this entire series complaining about the huge amount of figures out there, but I’d much prefer to make them myself rather than buy them as figures in the same way that I buy more common Daleks and paint them to look unique.

R5-M2

This custom is probably the best of my Astromech Droid customs, as I used more matte Citadel than glossy Humbrol and so the final effect is less scratchy. Unfortunately the silver Humbrol on the body is a bit messy, and perhaps more work with a white paint pen is required. Nonetheless, the figure is decent as it is. For the base I used a newer R5-D4 figure that lacks the motivator feature, but does include the ability to take the droid apart.

I hope you enjoyed this little series on my Star Wars Astromech Droid collection, if you want to read more content like this then be sure to like us on Facebook or follow us on WordPress, and be sure to leave a like on the article if you enjoyed!

Star Wars Astromech Droid Collection – Part 3

As well as a Dalek Collection, I also maintain a collection of Star Wars Astromech Droids, and although this collection is significantly smaller than my Dalek collection, it still warrants its own four-part series. Part 3 will cover a famous droid with a bad motivator, various Naboo units and another droid that looks like a Halloween special.

R2-A3

Created by Hasbro for a Wedge Antilles X-Wing, this droid is loosely based on Wedge’s red droid seen in A New Hope, although the colours on that droid are inverted (as in, it has a red head with silver detailing whereas this droid has a silver head with red detail.) Why Hasbro insists on making figures of Star Wars characters that either barely appear or don’t even exist at all is beyond me, but its a nice addition to the collection.

R5-D4

Of all the droids in Star Wars that aren’t R2-D2 and C-3PO, this is the one that is most deserving of its own figure since it at least has a scene in A New Hope. R5-D4 is the droid that Luke Skywalker originally buys instead of R2-D2, but due to a ‘bad motivator’ the droid malfunctions and internal explosions cause it to shut down. That effect can be replicated with this figure, as turning the head causes the little nodule at the top (which is presumably the aforementioned malfunctioning ‘motivator’) to emerge, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the manufacturers did not find a way to make the figure spew smoke in the process, so the effect is somewhat underwhelming.

R2-N3

One of the many astromech droids seen in The Phantom Menace that use R2-D2’s base design just with different colours, R2-N3 is seen a few times throughout the movie, both in the Theed Hangar and on the Royal Starship, before being obliterated so that R2-D2 could take the spotlight. As a possible reference to his demise, this figure had be disassembled into its component parts – dome, body, legs and feet, in case children want to recreate this poor guy’s final moments.

R2-L3

When Hasbro had finished scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas for figures, they removed the barrel’s underside and started digging a hole. When that hole got about 6 feet deep, they found this guy. Not that this droid doesn’t look cool, because it does – in fact its design is one of the most unique astromech droid paint jobs, and perhaps that alone makes it worth having – it’s just that the droid appears in Episode II for less than a second.

R2-R9

Like poor R2-N3, R2-R9 bravely ventured out onto the hull of Queen Amidala’s Royal Starship and unfortunately forgot his plot armor. Thanks to terrible writing, the Trade Federation are somehow able to precisely pick off each and every astromech droid (except R2-D2, of course, whose plot armor was well intact at this point) without actually damaging the ship itself. But whilst he was born out of a terrible movie, R2-R9 is actualized in the form of this standard quality figure, which also features the ability to be torn limb from limb.

Stay tuned for Part 4, in which I will be showcasing my Custom Astromech Droids! Remember to leave a like if you enjoyed, follow us or like us on Facebook for more content like this.

Star Wars Astromech Droid Collection – Part 2

As well as a Dalek Collection, I also maintain a collection of Star Wars Astromech Droids, and although this collection is significantly smaller than my Dalek collection, it still warrants its own four-part series. Part 2 will cover both prequel droids and original trilogy droids, including some Tantive-IV occupants and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s second droid.

R4-M9

R4-M9 appears near the beginning of A New Hope, trundling down a corridor on the Tantive-IV. Depending on who you ask, R4-M9 is either a Rebel droid captured by the Imperials or an Imperial droid who is being assigned to slice into Rebel computers, either way, his appearance in the film is fleeting and his impact on the story is negligible, and yet like many of his brethren, he has a figure.

R2-Q2

Like R4-M9, R2-Q2 appears in the opening act of A New Hope aboard the Tantive IV, and is never seen again. Most likely an Imperial Droid given his colour scheme, R2-Q2 apparently possesses the largest map of systems in the Galaxy within his database, so perhaps the First Order should have gone to him for the location of Luke Skywalker in The Force Awakens.

R4-G9

After the death of R4-P17 that Obi-Wan seems to brush off with indignant indifference, he must eventually swallow his pride and ask for a replacement droid because for the middle section of Revenge of the Sith he is seen with this droid, R4-G9. This droid’s design is somewhat unique – it uses gold and bronze together on the dome, unlike most other droids which have colours that stand out from each other. R4-G9 is last seen piloting Obi-Wan’s ship away from Utapau, and so chances are he’s still flying around the Galaxy in it. This figure features a translucent eye, and if light is shone into the opening in the head the eye lights up, which is a nice feature.

This figure is weird, because is was released as part of the ‘sneak preview’ part of the toyline for Attack of the Clones, and so some people thought this droid would play a part in the movie. R3-T7 is in the film – for less than a second, and it passes by an alleyway in an extreme long shot, so its barely distinguishable from other people milling about. Regardless, a great deal of detail was added to this figure – everything from subtle scorch marks on the front to a transparent head with sculpted internal brain. The only downside to this figure is the body – it is far too long compared to other figures.

R4-C7

Despite not appearing in any movie at all, this droid still has its own figure, appearing in an exclusive box set of ARC-170 Elite Squadron. This figure has a great colour scheme, and the paint applications are excellent – particularly the red and yellow for the two squares just under the eye, that makes this the only astromech droid in my collection to have those as different colours. This figure is quite rare now I believe, and so it is one of the centerpieces of my collection despite having no origin movie.

Stay tuned for Part 3! Remember to leave a like if you enjoyed, follow us or like us on Facebook for more content like this.

Star Wars Astromech Droid Collection – Part 1

As well as a Dalek Collection, I also maintain a collection of Star Wars Astromech Droids, and although this collection is significantly smaller than my Dalek collection, it still warrants its own four-part series. Part 1 will cover not one but two R2-D2 figures as well as quite a rare collectible, so we begin with:

R2-D2

The most iconic Star Wars Astromech Droid, R2-D2 is present in every main Star Wars movie and is viewed by many fans as being a ‘main character’ of the series. R2D2 is represented at two points in his life by these two figures – the left hand figure is from Revenge of the Sith, and is supposed to replicate the effect of R2D2 using his jets to incinerate Super Battle Droids. The right hand figure is R2D2 on Dagobah, complete with the extendable telescopic eye and green swamp splash on the feet and lower body.

R4-P17

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s droid (which he goes on to forget he ever owns) appeared in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, and is notable in being one of the few examples of a female Astromech Droid in the movies. In Episode II, R4-P17 aids Obi-Wan in his mission to Kamino, before disappearing – originally she was to appear in the arena fight, but her role was cut. She instead appears in the opening scene of Revenge of the Sith, in which she is torn apart by Buzz Droids. Obi-Wan, in all his Jedi mercy, barely notices.

R5-X2

This figure is based off a droid working for Jabba the Hutt who appears in The Phantom Menace for about 14 seconds. The theme of ‘droids that have figures despite appearing in the film for less than 30 seconds’ will become common in this series, and this is no exception. The figure features a removable head, probably to simulate Jabba tearing the droid apart when its lack of screentime angers him.

R2-B1

This droid also appears in The Phantom Menace, and has slightly more screentime than R5-X2. This droid sits with R2-D2 in the belly of Queen Amidala’s ship, before being sent out onto the surface of the ship to repair some damage and blasted to smithereens by the attacking Trade Federation ships. R2-B1 has always been somewhat of a fan favourite due to his unusually contrasting colour scheme, and his determined dedication to duty.

R4-J1

This droid appears in Attack of the Clones for a fleeting moment, as Anakin and Padme search the cities of Tatooine. Despite this, not only does Wookieepedia have an article on the droid, but this figure was made of him as well. The parts for this droid were included with several other figures as part of the ‘Build-a-Droid’ feature in the toyline, meaning the figure can be disassembled and reassembled. Unlike many other astromech droids, the colour scheme doesn’t seem to line up with the front panels, and this isn’t a paint error, giving the droid a more unique look.

Stay tuned for Part 2! Remember to leave a like if you enjoyed, follow us or like us on Facebook for more content like this.

Doctor Who Customs Collection – Leftovers: Four Sonics and a CyberLord

Since I have done showcases of custom Daleks and Cybermen it seems only fair that I also do a tour of my other custom Doctor Who memorabilia, starting with custom sonic screwdrivers. Some of these were made quite some time ago, one in particular that I am especially proud of I finished over two years ago. Let’s see if they stand the test of time…

Custom Red Laser Screwdriver

This custom uses my old Laser Screwdriver toy as a template, since I had this device since 2008 and it had long since broke. I therefore decided to attempt a custom design for the Laser Screwdriver using red as the primary colour rather than yellow, which I always thought was an old choice. I painted the adjustment dial a porcelain white, and added slight damage scoring in black to the main grip and the emitter.

Custom ‘The Rani’s Sonic Screwdriver’

This essentially originated from the idea of ‘What if The Rani had a sonic device? What would it look like?’ and this was my answer. I painted it red to match the outfits we see her wear in the two episodes in which she appears (Dimensions in Time is not canon.) I also used purple and black paint to simulate the interior colours of her TARDIS.

Custom Alternate Sonic Screwdriver

This is another example of a custom being created from an old toy I had as a child. Indeed, this was my sonic screwdriver toy when I was little, it didn’t work very well and the sound eventually cut out leaving it as little more than a very weak torch that flashed green, but I loved it all the same and now it enjoys a new lease of life as my custom damaged ‘evil-looking’ Sonic Screwdriver. I was fascinated by the idea of the claws being a different material to the rest of the device, at one point I even considered attempting to make it look as though the claws were made of the same crystalline-like substance as the emitter, but this seemed too challenging. I added damage to the inside of the device that is visible only when it is extended, and painted on significant wear and tear to the handle and the interior. Overall, I think it turned out quite well.

Custom Alternate River Song Sonic Screwdriver (BOXED)

Custom River Song Sonic Screwdriver Side View

Custom Boxed River Song Sonic Screwdriver Full View

For whatever reason at the time, I decided to box up this custom in its original packaging. For anyone wondering, this custom uses the inferior ‘single-colour’ cheap alternative River Song Sonic Screwdriver and not the original, better version with the working LEDs on the inside, so don’t panic. It is boxed in the packaging of the better version, however, so if I ever sell it I shall have to make that clear. Nevertheless, the sonic underwent several paint jobs over the years as I bought this sonic to replace my Matt Smith version only for this one to be rendered obsolete when they released the War Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver, my personal favourite.

Bonus – Custom CyberLord Figure

I have included this here at the end simply because I don’t know where else to put him. He didn’t feature in my Damaged Cybermen Collection Tour because he isn’t damaged, but he is a custom so I will showcase him here. This started as a hand-me-down Cyber-Leader figure that I purchased at a ComiCon in London, with the middle panel already missing. The face was also badly worn away – so worn in fact that the face mask almost looked black. This game me an idea for a custom, and this is the result. I used black Humbrol paint on the facemask, ‘ears’, pipes and back panels which gives it a nice shiny metallic finish.

Next – New Series Dalek Customs Collection Tour – Intensive Care Asylum Daleks Part 1

Classic and New Series Dalek Customs Collection Tour – Davros Customs

Welcome to the next instalment in this tour through my collection of custom-painted Davros figures. Following the New Dalek Paradigm Customs, which represent the newest incarnation of the Daleks, this feature goes back to where it all began with tour of my collection of Davros figures. The few of these that are customs are made by me and are identified in the description, the rest are Davros figures as sold in various sets.

Genesis of the Daleks and Destiny of the Daleks Davros Figures:

Although neither of these are customs, I’m bundling these two versions of Davros in together since they’ve technically both appeared in my 1970s-era Dalek Customs Collection Tour, but putting them side-by-side also helps to point out the various differences between these two figures. The detailing on the heads is mostly correct, with the Genesis figure having paler skin and blue wires and the Destiny figure having a slightly altered face and red wires. However, I am at a loss to explain why the Destiny figure has such an odd colour scheme – the skin appears far too dark, and the chair is grey, which is an odd choice but at least this helps to make it stand out compared to the Genesis figure, particularly since they are the same sculpt. The detailing on the control panels is excellent, and overall these are very well-made figures.

Resurrection of the Daleks / Revelation of the Daleks Davros Figure:

My personal favourite of the traditional Davros figures, this version of Davros is actually the Revelation Davros, but he is essentially identical in both episodes save for some minor detailing so I never felt it necessary to purchase the other version. This Davros, like all the previous Davros figures, has a removable panel on his chair, although this is the only Davros figure in which this is actually relevant since this only occurs on-screen in Resurrection of the Daleks. Nonetheless, the Davros sculpt is very good, the new head is very accurate and overall it captures his spindly, hunched and withered appearance perfectly.

Remembrance of the Daleks Dalek Emperor Davros Figure:

Probably one of my favourite Dalek figures of all time, this version of Davros represents his final form at the conclusion of Remembrance of the Daleks, in which it is revealed that he was in fact the Imperial Dalek Emperor the whole time. This figure is near-perfect, with a great use of the Davros head sculpt with a newly formed body and external shell that perfectly captures how he appears onscreen. My only slight complaint with this figure is the paint applications to the Davros figure itself, since the wires and the paint stripes don’t quite line up properly, and in the episode Davros’ face was much more blackened around the mouth, making him look much more visceral in the show than ever before. Despite these minor flaws, this figure is still a crucial focal point of my collection and I am so glad that I bought it when I did, since prices have since skyrocketed to the point where this figure in the two-pack boxed set with the Destroyed Imperial Dalek can sell for as much as £150.

New Series Imperial Dalek Davros Custom Figure:

New Series Juggernauts Davros

This is the first Davros figure in this Collection Tour that is actually a custom of mine, but it won’t be the last. This repainted New Series Davros figure is supposed to represent the transitional phase between Davros as the Emperor Dalek and Davros from the Time War, with a colour scheme inspired by his appearance in the Big Finish audio The Juggernauts. I used the hand of a Dalek Sec Hybrid figure to restore Davros’ old hand, since a genetic engineering genius like himself would certainly know how to graft a new hand onto his body rather than settling for a crude robotic replacement. The paint applications were particularly tricky, especially since it was white matt paint over a pre-existing black base, but after several coats it formed a solid colour. I used Humbrol metallic gold for the detail and matt grey for the suit of Davros himself.

New Series Time War Davros Figure:

When Davros returned in the New Series, fans were happy to see that continuity had been left intact with the installation of a new robot hand and improved life-support chair to match the newly upgraded Daleks. However, I feel like an element of what made Davros who he was was lost in the new design. Gone was the spindly, hunched and withered body of the original Davros, now replaced by a big beefy chair. His weak, pathetic Palpatine hand was now a stocky metal claw, and whilst the new Davros looks awesome, a crucial element of his character was lost in this new design, in my opinion. Still, the figure is excellent, a near-perfect recreation of Davros as we see him in The Stolen Earth / Journey’s End and an essential for any Dalek collector.

New Series Infirmary Davros Custom Figure:

This was another custom that was just so much fun to make. Customising a Davros figure is never a chore, particularly when there is a wealth of source material to go off of, and the version of Davros that we saw in The Magician’s Apprentice / The Witches’ Familiar essentially gave us an idea of what Davros had looked like had he appeared in the Dalek Asylum. A battered and beaten-up version of his Time War chair would have made a nice touch in the episode, but I recreated that here in an attempt to represent the damage inflicted on it by the destruction of the Crucible, an even which he barely escaped from alive. Although it is never explained how he escaped, whatever happened certainly took its toll on the Dark Lord of Skaro, since he appears sick and weak. I recreated this using glossy paints on his face to give him an ill look, black detailing to bring out the gaunt features and scuffing and detailing on the chair to make it look battered and weathered.

Next – Classic and New Series Dalek Customs Collection Tour – Special Weapons Daleks REVISITED

Bonus – Removable Davros Custom Figure:

Davros out of his chair

That’s right, just like the episode, this Davros has a removable torso! Unfortunately I don’t have a legless Twelfth Doctor figure that I can shove inside, but that might be an idea for the future. In the meantime, this Davros is near-fully articulated. I had to sacrifice head movement to modify the figure to give him a more hunched-over appearance while in the chair (and also to make it so that he can actually look straight ahead while on the floor) but his other arm that I salvaged from a broken Auton figure is articulated, with a moving elbow. If positioned correctly he can prop himself up or lie helplessly on the ground. I made this custom using a hacksaw to cut the pieces to fit, hot glue and green paint to simulate his Kaled blood and various spare parts, wires and bits of plastic to either act as his mechanical innards or to adhere to his chair to give it the look of being held in the Skaro medical facility. Undoubtedly this is a custom that I am very proud of and I hope you enjoyed!