There’s still time to back Roundel Books latest amazing looking project, To Boldly Go Figure, on Kickstarter,mthe next generation of their guides to much-loved action figure ranges.
This time out, the dedicated team, best known for their Doctor Who related projects, have swapped the TARDIS for the U.S.S. Enterprise, compiling the ultimate guide to the Playmates 4.5″ Star Trek line.
The project is tantalising close to securing its £16,000 target, and given the company’s track record for publishing great work on major franchises, they fully deserve to get it over the line.
Launched in 1992, as Star Trek: The Next Generation entered its sixth season, the Playmates’ line was an immediate hit, quickly expanding to encompass iconic characters from Star Trek: The Original Series, and beaming up much-loved figures from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager as each series made its debut. More than 20 years after the end of the range, Playmates returned to the scale to offer new characters from both Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Prodigy.
Bridge crews, aliens, creatures and guest stars all found their way into 4.5″ form, alongside play sets and shuttlecraft, allowing collectors to explore strange new worlds of their own.
Building on the success of Roundel Books first Go Figure volume, covering Character Options’ Doctor Who line, To Boldly Go Figure is planned as a lavish book exploring the entire range through brand new high-quality photographs by Rory Clements, with detailed release information on every figure by William Brooks, cataloguing all accessories, action bases and highlighting the evolution of the range.
The volume examines all the Playmates 4.5″ figures released during the range’s original 1990s run, plus the 2022/23 revival, including play sets and shuttle craft.
To Boldy Go Figure is available with several different covers to appeal to every collector. The content of each edition, estimated to run close to 200 pages, remains the same, but you can choose your favourite design to place on your shelf.
“The response to the first volume in the Go Figure series was incredible,” says project editor Gary Russell, “and we always knew where we wanted to go for the next book. We’re all massive Star Trek fans, and having spent so long tracking down all of the rarities like ‘Red Data’, it was great to pull together a proper checklist and go through the collection one by one.”
“Diving back into the range has been a lot of fun, and I’ve spent the last few months going on a deep dive through the toy box to examine each figure anew,” adds William Brooks. “I’ve been especially envious of Gary’s collection – I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve tried to smuggle Seven of Nine home with me.”
Check out the To Boldly Go Figure Kickstarter here
Speaking to SciFi Bulletin, Gary revealed, “I was gifted, for a birthday waaaay back in the early 90s the first Playmates Borg figure. It was the first action figure I’d had. I then decided to buy some more – a Romulan, Klingon, Bev Crusher … and that was it. I was hooked. As the years have gone by, I have collected Doctor Who, Marvel, Star Wars, Timmverse Batman, Flash Gordon, Tron, Planet of the Apes … action figure collecting has become an obsession. But it all started with this one Borg. And he’s the one in this book too.
“… To Boldly Go Figure is a true labour of love for myself, Will (both writing and designing) and Rory (taking the pictures and making these 35 year old toys look their best). We have been assimilated.”
As you’d expect from the publisher also behind Cutaway Comics and more, they’re living up to their reputation for glorious extras, including art cards, and a a softback edition of To Boldy Go Figure (under a Klingon title, raghghan batlh paq) and a bonus art card featuring the Klingon cover art.
• Check out the To Boldly Go Figure Kickstarter here
• To Boldy Go Figure is the second volume in Roundel’s Go Figure series, following the hugely successful Doctor Who volume which was released in 2025, which is still available from the Roundel Books website
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Crowd Funding Projects, downthetubes News, Merchandise, Other Worlds, Star Trek, Television
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