A bit before SDCC, Underground Toys announced that they’ve paired up with Walgreens and the 3rd wave of 3 3/4″ Doctor Who figures would be available first in Walgreen’s stores across America. Additionally, the “Classic Dalek” from Genesis of the Daleks would be an exclusive for the drugstore chain. These figures have started hitting, as I picked up Amy Pond last week and both Daleks earlier today. The “official” date for an aisle reset is next Friday, September 12th…so if you’re looking for these, keep your eyes peeled.
Thoughts: The transition of the standard retail Doctor Who line from 5″ to 3 3/4″ was, as any change in scale tends to be, a polarizing move on the part of Character Options. The 5″ figures had run out of steam at retail (in the UK, at least) and retailers prefer the 3 3/4″ figures as they require precious shelf space. While the human (and Time Lord) likenesses on the first waves were a bit subpar considering the work done in the 5″ range, the 3 3/4″ Dalek figures were near perfect. I’m thrilled to say that, with the third wave, that continues to be true.
With the third wave of figures the packaging has gotten a refresh. The blister cards are now a bright blue and yellow with a large TARDIS and Doctor Who logo across the top of the card. The card design is bright and simple and all characters share the same backer. The figure is identified with a cardboard insert in the bubble featuring the character’s name. The back of the card features the other new figures available in the wave as well as the Hide and the Angels Take Manhattan playsets. The figures available at Walgreens appear to be the same as those available in the UK with the addition of an Underground Toys sticker on the backside.
The Daleks themselves are just about perfect. The sculpts continue to be spot on, the details captured in the Asylum Dalek sculpt are actually quite impressive. The decos are also top notch, the Asylum Dalek features great weathering while the paint on the Genesis Dalek’s mesh is perfect. I don’t want to ramble on, but any complaints that may apply to the human sculpts just aren’t valid with the Daleks….these are really just about perfect.
Summary: These Daleks are fantastic. Ok, I won’t end the post that way, but they are. The only problem with finding and liking these Daleks this much is that I’ll need to find more of them. My trips to Walgreens are only just beginning, which is really the only downside…going to 7 Walgreens in one day isn’t fun. For reasons I can’t put my finger on, I can to go to different Targets all day long, but after about 4 Walgreens I’m sort of over it. Hopefully in the next few weeks the ‘hunting’ phase will be over and they will just be there in store waiting. Of course, giving that the Genesis Dalek is an exclusive, he’s going to be more in demand…so be sure to grab him while you can!
