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Trendmasters created this line of 9" figures, limited to 12,000 each,
and sold them as Target exclusives for about twenty bucks. They were
in scale with the classic talking/moving B-9 Robot they had sold through
many retailers.
Most folks passed them up when they first hit stores, but dealers
didn't. They were smart enough to see a popular item for the future,
and the figures sold well enough. But fans of the original show
missed out, and the prices on these figures jumped in the months following
their release.
Prices have dropped again, and I'd suggest checking them out on the
secondary market if you're interested. You can find most of them for
under $25, and only Dr. Smith and Will go higher. With some
patience, you should be able to get a complete set for just a little more
than the original retail price.
There were six exclusives produced - Judy and Will Robinson, Dr. Smith,
and Don West were the humans, while Tybo the Carrot Man and the Cyclops
made up the monsters. Unfortunately, no Penny, John or Maureen were
produced.
Packaging - ***
The humans were packaged in a curved window box. They held up
fairly well, but the top and bottom were plastic, and you'll find that
many have cracked or broken.
The two aliens were boxed, to allow for their larger size.
Sculpting - ***
The sculpting on the monsters is great, but the humans are sub par.
None of them really look like the characters, and are reminiscent of the
work by Exclusive Premiere earlier in the 90's.
Articulation - **1/2
Similar to other 9" figures during this same period, like the Star
Trek series or all the TV and movie figures done by Exclusive
Premiere. Greater articulation would have helped the line, but
considering the license it's not really necessary.
Accessories - **1/2
Each human character came with some sort of weapon or equipment. The
quantity could have been better, but the quality was good.
Uniform - **1/2
All the characters are dressed in the uniforms from the very first
show. The silver uniforms are all the same style, and the boots are
not removable. Dr. Smith comes in his original suit, but with all
these characters it would have been better to see them in the later
spandex style uniform that was most common.
The boots aren't removable, which is another negative. And the
gloves are all poorly done, and for some unknown reason Judy's gloves
don't even match her uniform color.
Value - **
If you can pick these up for less than $25, do it. But don't go
spending $40 or more on one, even Dr. Smith. Be patient, and you'll
prevail.
Overall - **1/2
If you're a big fan of the original show, I'd recommend picking these
up. The only other figures ever produced were made in Japan back in
the 70's, and are extremely rare and expensive. Right now might be
the best window to buy these as well - there's still enough on the
secondary market to keep the price down.
Patience is key though - some still go for $50 or more, and you will
have to be willing to watch and wait to get a good deal. Often,
dealers will sell this as a complete set, and it's rare for those to go
more than $130 for the set.
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