Sunday 26 January 2014

Crooked Dice Doctor Who Figures 01

When I sent away to Crooked Dice Games for my St. Searle's Savage Schoolgirls I also ordered a selection of eight 28mm scale Doctor Who figures. And here they are.
First up is Doctor Who as played by Matt Smith. To avoid copyright problems Crooked Dice Games have called him Tweedy Mattison. He is very well sculpted and is posed holding up his sonic screwdriver, whilst his other hand is in his trouser pocket. He wears his trademark bow tie but thankfully not his fez. I don't care how often Matt Smith says that fezes are cool, they're not!
Standing beside him is his faithful companion, May Killan, whom we all know as Amy Pond as played by actress Karen Gillan. Amy has been sculpted in a WPC's costume, which she wore when she was first introduced to the series. Although we soon learned that she wasn't a WPC but a kisser-gram girl. That explains why she is wearing such a short mini-skirt. She is armed with a truncheon in her right hand.
Third in line is Amy/May's husband Rory Williams or as CDG call him, Mr. William Killan. Rory was played by Arthur Darvill in the TV series. At first he was Amy's boyfriend but later, after sharing many adventures with the Doctor, he married Amy. Sadly, Amy and Rory did not get to live happily ever after as they died battling the Weeping Angels. Rory's pose is very simple and if you're looking for a young male civilian he'd fit the bill.
Last in line is Group Captain Jim Barrowight, who is better known to both Doctor Who fans and Torchwood fans as Captain Jack Harkness played by actor John Barrowman. During his time with the Doctor, Jack became indestructible and couldn't be killed - a trait that came in very hand for an action hero like Jack. The figure is dressed in Jack's trademark RAF coat and he carries an old service revolver in a holster.
The second group of companions starts with action heroine Melody Lake as named by CDG but who is better known as River Song, played by actress Alex Kingston. This figure comes with a choice of two right hands, one holding the BA Pistol shown and the other holding a photonic spanner, which I suspect CDG have named instead of calling it a sonic screwdriver, which must be copyrighted.
Next up is the first of a trio of companions who reside in Victorian London. CDG have named her Eliza but there is no mistaking that she is Madame Vastra of the Silurian race of lizard-like aliens. Madame Vastra is played by actress Neve McIntosh. She helps Scotland Yard solve mysterious crimes and she is a skilled swordswoman. She is posed holding a katana in a fighting stance. This figure comes with a choice of two heads, the reptilian head shown in my photo or a human head.
Madame Vastra is controversially married to a human woman called Jenny Flint, who was her maid at one time. Same sex marriages in Doctor Who are incredibly rare. Jenny is played by Catrin Stewart and she possesses considerable melee skills. Just like Madame Vastra she is armed with a katana. CDG have named this figure Genevieve.
Finally, is Madame Vastra's butler and medic, Strax of the Sontaran race of aliens. Strax is played with great comedic effect by Dan Starkey. Strax is a member of the warrior Sontaran alien race forced to serve as a nurse, healing the injured as a punishment for being defeated by the Doctor during the Sontaran invasion of Earth. CDG have named this figure as Sachs and like Madame Vastra/Eliza, he comes with a choice of two heads, the Sontaran head as shown in my photo or a human male with very long sideburns.
It may seem odd for me to be reviewing Doctor Who figures on a blog devoted to all things undead but bear in mind, with the Doctor being a time traveller, he and his companions can pop up anywhere or anywhen in the universe. Also, the Doctor has already battled vampires in recent times so that alone is good enough reason for him to appear here. Who knows, I might just have the Doctor and friends make an appearance in my ATZ campaign.
Tweedy and WPC May cost £4.00 each but CDG offer the pair together for just £7.50. The same deal applies to William Killan and Melody Lake. Individually, they cost £4.00 each but buy them together and the price drops to £7.50. Jim Barrowight can only be bought separately and he too, costs £4.00. Eliza, Genevieve and Sachs will cost you £4.00 each if you buy them individually, but buy all three together and you save yourself a pound as they only cost £11.00. Any fan of Doctor Who will want these well sculpted figures in their collection.

26 comments:

  1. Nice report, the Crooked Dice figures look very well sculpted.

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    1. They are very well sculpted, Robert and you can easily identify them with their real life counterparts.

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  2. I would love to see some or all of these characters appear in your ATZ games. Oh, yes!

    As to the fez, Crooked Dice *do* make a set of alternate heads for Tweedy, one of which has that headgear :-) .

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    1. I'm sure I could "fix" for some of them to make an appearance.

      Yes, I am aware of the alternate heads CDG do for the Doctor and I have no intention of buying them. Why ruin a perfectly nicely sculpted figure?

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  3. I think I stopped watching Dr Who when it went to colour, so can't comment on the similarity of the figures to their TV counterparts, but your brush work on them is excellent as always; I'm especially impressed with the eyes.

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    1. I can assure you, Joe, that these are all good likenesses. Thanks for the kind words about my painting. I was particularly chuffed at what you said about the eyes, which I know from conversations with you is particularly difficult to get right.

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  4. Those are some great models and very well painted (as usual!). My family is very much into The Doctor right now. Been plowing through the episodes on Netflix, especially with this nasty winter weather. May have to get a set of these and paint them up for my daughter. Thanks for showing.

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    1. I'm glad you like them, Ironmonk. Doctor Who is one of the best, if not the best, TV series for all of the family.

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  5. Nice job mate. of the figures shown I have the Jim Barrowight figure and think he is a splendid sculpt, very versatile. But no others of the ones you have shown, but I might be tempted to get a few more

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    1. Good for you, Clint. Go on, give in to temptation!

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    2. I will be seeing Karl from CD on 23rd of Feb. Temptation MUST wait until then..... but It is hard not to walk away from the CD show stand without buying something.

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    3. Must resist! Must resist! Must resist! Must... ah, sod it!

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  6. I'd say great work but I am left speechless by what you've said. Sorry, but fez's are cool. And the only time I watched Dr. Who was right there with you, so I should clearly know :D

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    1. Yes, I remember that episode. It was the one set on the submarine with the Ice Warrior. I'm sorry, Mathyoo, but I won't be moved on the subject of the Doctor's fez. A fez is most uncool!

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  7. Very lovely set Bryan. Worth noting that CD have a few more not-nu-who options, Casual may, Ms Temple and so on, but you've assembled a very good combination for a working who-skirmish.

    I took advantage of their nice January sale right now and hopefully I will be cutting a few of them up next week to make a not- Tomorrow People (original) cast for 7TV. I have most of the figs I ordered already, but like you, liked them in their original Prisoner, UFO, space 1999, etc look. Looking forward to my package to get here.

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    1. Oh, I certainly haven't finished buying stuff from CDG. There are still a lot more of their good guys I want and I have yet to start on their villains. I grew up with a lot of the programmes they have covered with their figures and I love most of the stuff they produce. I shall certainly be ordering from them again.

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  8. Very cool. I think Rory is my favourite of the bunch

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    1. I'm glad you like them, Adam. Rory is rather cool, isn't he? Also, the figure is so versatile.

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  9. I'm absolutely with you on the subject of "the fez". They are absolutely absurd and made all the worse by their adoption by quirky students... and I'm born of a people who consider skirts to be masculine!

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    1. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks a fez is so uncool, Simon.

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  10. Very Nice, I love Dr Who, the last episode was amazing, its good to see an older guy back in the Tardis

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    1. Peter Capaldi is going to be very different to his predecessors aand I'm very much looking forward to seeing him in action.

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  11. Most helpful because I did not know about Sachs having the head option, now I really want to get them.

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