Playtrek Gazette: Insurrection Supplemental December 1998 Editor: John Contact us at: playtrek@hotmail.com Welcome to the Playtrek Gazette: Star Trek - Insurrection supplemental issue, spurred on by the release of Wave B of the 9" figures in support of the new movie. Please be aware that this issue contains minor spoiler material, so if you haven't seen the movie yet -- what the heck are you waiting for? Engage. PLAYMATES RELEASES WAVE B OF THE 9-INCH INSURRECION FIGURES Playmates recently released the second assortment of 9-inch figures in support of the new Star Trek - Insurrection movie. As with the first assortment, which included the goofy-looking LaForge figure, this assortment also contains an oddball. The "shaved Riker" figure is, in most reviewers opinion, somewhat ghastly. Preliminary information from our insider informants has revealed the following likely cause of why the Riker figure is such a poor likeness of Mr. Frakes. Apparently, the figure designers were provided early on with a copy of the script to help provide them with ideas for figures. Unfortunately, the script they were provided with was a 5th or 6th generation photocopy, and large portions were illegible. One of the illegible parts was the key line about Riker's new babyface, with the word "smooth" being unreadable. So, the designers went with what they had, and the final product ended up being "Riker: as an Android's bottom". So, the general consensus is that this is Riker, shaved and forced to walk backward. Although, for an Android's bottom, the likeness isn't too bad. Fortunately, the assortment is balanced out by a very good likeness figure of Worf, and the likeness of the villain AdRock'Rua'Mofo' is particularly good. Our investigators are still working to uncover the causes for the goofy LaForge in the first assortment. We will post updates as our investigation progresses. TARGET TO BE AWASH IN EXCLUSIVES IN 1999. Playmates has recently announced an agreement with Target stores whereby Target will have 28 separate Star Trek exclusive figures and figure sets in 1999. Since every single Trek product Target has carried for the last several years has sold poorly, going on deep clearance eventually, this seems an odd choice of product to carry as an exclusive. It is even odder in light of Target's vicious corporate anti-collector policies. When asked about this, Mr. Les A. Clew, senior vice-president of toys, had this say: "Dangit, I've told those toy buyers a thousand times -- it's Star WARS. WARS, WARS, WARS, WARS! Not Trek. Awwwwwwwwww....we're hosed." "Opener" collectors (at least those near a Target) were generally thrilled to hear of this upcoming flood of cheap, clearanced-priced Trek toys. LATE BREAKING NEWS: Playtrekker DieHardDon apparently has almost poked his eye out playing with the near life-size bat'leth that comes with the 12-inch Insurrection Worf figure. More news later as it comes available from the hospital emergency room. That is all.