New Doctor Who 1:6 from Big Chief Studios!

[DVD1]

If doing a twin pack, and going only for a PO on 23rd Nov. I'd suggest this.
Have the sculptors work on the figures heads. Paint aps are unnecessary at this stage.
Go for the whole transforming theme. Picture them as a work in progress.
There's some image in there, but it's up to BC to run with it if they want to. However, there will only be one 23rd November 2013.

 

[Doctor Who]

I'd get the two-pack if one was black and white, the other colour.

 

[Ex-Parrot]

I've long said that there will never be a better time to put Hartnell up for order than the anniversary year. Doing so on the actual anniversary date would probably be about as perfect as it gets.

I also strongly suspect that An Unearthly Child will get a UK tv airing on that date as well.

William Hartnell was luckier than many during the great BBC purge, and actually still has 17 complete stories available, plus one other that was completed via animation, and at least one other that might be completed with animation in the future.

Poor Patrick Troughton only has 6 complete stories available, plus one other that was completed via animation, and possible at least one other that might be completed with animation in the future.

To me, the loss of so much of Troughton's era is the bigger tragedy, just because with Hartnell we still have all but one story from his first season (if you count Reign of Terror being completed with animation), all but one story from his second season (and that one, The Crusade, could potentially be animated in the future, as doing so would apparently fall within current budgetary parameters), we've only got three out of ten in his third season (however the ones we get at least ensure we get to meet all of his regular companions), and he only did two stories in his last year, the second of which still has three out of the four episodes, and is a prime candidate for reconstruction prior to release. So with Hartnell we at least get a feel for his entire run on the show.

The Troughton era on the other hand was nowhere near as lucky, and he has no surviving complete stories from the seven in his first year, only one complete story from his second year (and another that may be completed by animation) out of the seven made, and then a whopping six out of seven of his final season (one of which was completed via animation), so we don't get much of a feeling for his second year, and outside of audio or orphaned episodes, no glimpse at his first year at all, so most of what fans know of Troughton comes from his final year, and his return appearances in the Three Doctors, Five Doctors, and Two Doctors stories.

Still makes me sad.

 

[Captain Britain]

Another plus is that David Bradley has been cast as Hartnell, bringing lots of Harry Potter fans to the programme.

Thinking about it, doing this as a two pack is the only thing that makes sense financially given the similar materials used - even the trousers are both grey and had a similar check pattern in some versions. Things like bow ties and braces are already r & d'd for 11 (whose favourite Doctor is Troughton). And then looking ahead, having done two of 'The Three Doctors' would lead to demand for a Pertwee once these two bad boys were out.

They really just need to go for it...

Once the sculpts are done they can always be retooled for expansion packs - eg with astrakhan hat/ stovepipe hat, cloak for Hartnell, fur coat for Troughton, and then as Xenophilius suggests I bet enough people would buy a black and white version to make it worthwhile either as a separate release or as expansion pack heads and hands.

 

[Niceman]

2 pack for $300 would be am easy sell and very doable IMO.

Yeah, but it would also be basically, buy one, get one for a massive discount.

 

[DVD1]

At the end of the day, it's up to BC and how they want to market their product.
There's some good ideas floating about here, and all for free. You could go out and hire a marketing dude who, I'm sure would say, " hey, there's this 23rd November date that's kind of important, and maybe the BBC will be showing a 90 minute special and likely to show the very first show, all on that night. Just a throw away thought (at a flat consultation fee of $1000.00) that there might be a bit of interest in the very first Doctor on that night. Probably more than there has been, or even will be. A PO on that night, previously advertised of course, to muster maximum exposure would be a good idea."

 

[comiclover47]

I've long said that there will never be a better time to put Hartnell up for order than the anniversary year. Doing so on the actual anniversary date would probably be about as perfect as it gets.

I also strongly suspect that An Unearthly Child will get a UK tv airing on that date as well.

William Hartnell was luckier than many during the great BBC purge, and actually still has 17 complete stories available, plus one other that was completed via animation, and at least one other that might be completed with animation in the future.

Poor Patrick Troughton only has 6 complete stories available, plus one other that was completed via animation, and possible at least one other that might be completed with animation in the future.

To me, the loss of so much of Troughton's era is the bigger tragedy, just because with Hartnell we still have all but one story from his first season (if you count Reign of Terror being completed with animation), all but one story from his second season (and that one, The Crusade, could potentially be animated in the future, as doing so would apparently fall within current budgetary parameters), we've only got three out of ten in his third season (however the ones we get at least ensure we get to meet all of his regular companions), and he only did two stories in his last year, the second of which still has three out of the four episodes, and is a prime candidate for reconstruction prior to release. So with Hartnell we at least get a feel for his entire run on the show.

The Troughton era on the other hand was nowhere near as lucky, and he has no surviving complete stories from the seven in his first year, only one complete story from his second year (and another that may be completed by animation) out of the seven made, and then a whopping six out of seven of his final season (one of which was completed via animation), so we don't get much of a feeling for his second year, and outside of audio or orphaned episodes, no glimpse at his first year at all, so most of what fans know of Troughton comes from his final year, and his return appearances in the Three Doctors, Five Doctors, and Two Doctors stories.

Still makes me sad.

I love the classic doctor who.There is something about watching Unearthly Child with Hartnell and knowing this is where it all started. I wish that Patrick's first season exsited in some way cus even tho I have read most of the books on the episodes Id have still loved to see him become the Cosmic Hobo, play his recorder for the first time.

its to me one of the biggest tragedies of Television.

 

[Underworld54]

I love the 1st Doctor two pack idea where one is color and the other black and white. Pretty smart if you ask me.

 

[DVD1]

And very doable . The Doctrs costume is all but BW anyway.

 

[SKARO]

As much as I agree with these ideas and concepts to release the earlier doctors to coincide with the 50th Anniversary. Lets not forget Amy/Tennant/Baker & Expansion packs have all yet to see a confirmed light of day before we can realistically anticipate further releases from BC. I'm sure that they have idea's in mind and will listen to the opinions expressed over at this thread and others like it, however they also have 'Sherlock' to consider releasing here as well. So i highly doubt that they are going to consider figures that have a heightened interest with regard to a 'window period',which is all due to the hype surrounding the year in question as this is momentary amongst hard core fans as opposed to intended lines already in the pipeline that people keep asking for. I love classic who and the idea of owning earlier incarnations of our beloved time lord but can't see it happening this year with everything ele's as well.

 

[Ex-Parrot]

It's not about release, it's about pre-order, and with the Fourth Doctor going up for order, one would assume, in the next couple of months or so, just for arguments sake, let's say it happens in April, then that would still be seven months to get such a pre-order ready before November 23 rolls around.

And I actually don't think it unreasonable to expect that there would be another Doctor Who pre-order before the end of the year anyway, unless the Tom Baker pre-order has been pushed way back, or Big Chief are really struggling for funds.

If the Tom Baker is anywhere near as quick a sale as the Tennant was, then one might imagine they wouldn't want to lose that momentum, and leave the next pre-order too terribly long. The only thing I could see putting a spanner in the works is if the Tennant release date slips out of this year, and they may not want to have too many unfilled pre-orders in a given line out at once. But assuming that Amy finally lands, and that Tennant ships before years end, I don't see too much holding them back. Especially as the two Sherlock pieces are the only other announced products they have thus far.

I'm not saying it will be Hartnell, though I still think it's a good idea, but I'll be amazed if there isn't a Doctor Who pre-order after Tom Baker at some point towards the latter end of this year.

Just have to wait and see I guess.

 

[DVD1]

The 10th should go out in July. Amy should ship next month. I am sure all production problems have turned around, and BC will want to fill the gap caused by the lack of sales since setting up shop. It would benefit everyone if, after Amy has a confirmed shipping date, that 4th goes up for PO for say, a November / December release. Once 10th goes on sale in July, the company will have had three figures out, and one up for PO, so there should be no reaon not to PO a first Doctor on the 59th Anniversary day. All doable, marketable and would easily maximize the potential sales through creative timing. Remember, timing is everything.

 

[JonWes]

I do love the idea of Hartnell going up for pre-order November of this year for delivery in early 2014. That'd be amazing.

 

[DVD1]

Yes it will be. Think happy thoughts !!

 

[DGTWoodward]

....there should be no reaon not to PO a first Doctor on the 59th Anniversary day...

Slip of the finger, or prescient vision?

 

[DVD1]

Another slip of the finger.. In my defense, the 9 is very close to the 0.

 

[SKARO]

I'm certainly hopeful for more WHO from BC but remain sceptical at the same time till PO for Baker, expansion packs, lets not forget the weeping angel diorama and the releases still to follow for the Dynamix Tenth Doctor, Tennant and Amy.

 

[Captain Britain]

Some really great positive energy on this thread today and I totally agree with DVD1, timing is everything (with a show about a time lord, how could it not be?).

To timing, I'd add momentum - sure, the current Doctor and the two Doctors generally considered to be the most popular - Tennant and Tom - but putting another Doctor up for Preorder this year would really give momentum and bring new people in - the likelier it looks that all the Doctors are going to get done, the more people are going to be drawn into the line (Who fans are nothing if not completists).

My preference would be for a Troughton and Hartnell two pack but a Hartnell and Dead Planet dalek 2 pack would rock too - this is also the fiftieth anniversary of the daleks!

 

[pixletwin]

I don't want a B&W figure in my collection. The 5 in versions sold like crap.

Pairing them with Daleks however us an ingenious idea!

 

[DVD1]

I thought the SDCC BW packs sold out quickly. I like my sets. I have given it some thought about a 1:6 set of BW figures, and I looked at the universal monster ones. I decided tht I would steer away from them, but would buy to complete. I think, at this sale, tey do need to be in colour.
The idea of the Doctor / DALEK combo sounds nice. That's what CO are doing with. Set of TRU exclusives , by reissuing past Doctors with past DALEK figures in new packaging.