Every so often, a new licensee will burst onto the scene and offer a truly astounding Star Trek product that asserts the licensee’s prominence on the Star Trek market. The previous company that managed such a feat was Eaglemoss, whose affordably priced, extensive starships collection has captured the hearts and minds of many a Star Trek collector worldwide.
And though their price point is higher, and likely will reach fewer customers as a result, Gentle Giant Ltd.’s initial entry into the Star Trek collectibles market should put them on the map, with the convention exclusive release of their Star Trek: Discovery Lt. Saru Mini-Bust.
This bust, which depicts the USS Discovery’s Executive Officer in gold command uniform and with Commander rank, is probably the most lifelike Star Trek character bust ever produced. Even at a higher price point, many previous licensees have struggled with Star Trek characters and capturing their likenesses.
For example, William Shatner is notoriously difficult for being hard to sculpt. However, not so with Gentle Giant’s Saru bust, which captures the likeness of the character, and elements of the actor Doug Jones beneath, perfectly.
The detail on the piece is incredible. Standing approximately 7 inches tall, Saru is shown in a contemplative pose with his fingers steepled. The bust is the right height – large enough to capture small details and make the $100 price tag feel worthwhile, but not so large as to be ungainly and difficult to fit into your collection. The piece was created using production files and concept models for the Saru makeup, in addition to being hand-cast and hand-painted.
The most triumphant element of this Saru bust is the head. Every element of the prosthesis that Doug Jones wears when he plays the character of Saru has been recreated in miniature, including the complex pattern of ligaments and protrusions across the face, the bright blue contact lenses that Doug Jones wears, and the high crested forehead. As stated before, the likeness is perfect. This is not just a bust showing off the makeup design; you really feel that Doug Jones is emoting from beneath the Saru prosthetics.
The hands are another highlight. They capture Doug Jones’s long fingers, steepled in repose, and include the alien fingernail extensions that the actor wears in each episode. Most impressively on the hands, the painters have recreated the subtle mottling of the skin that matches the differing tones of the skin around the character’s head.
Lastly, the Starfleet uniform of the Discovery era has been impressively rendered in miniature. Each seam and stitch line from the original costumes are present on the bust. In addition, the Starfleet rank badge includes three small pips denoting Saru’s rank as Commander. Along the left and right sides, the miniature gold Starfleet delta pattern is also visible. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to hand paint all those mini-deltas.
Though billed as a convention exclusive for San Diego Comic-Con 2018, Gentle Giant has the Saru bust currently available for sale on its website for $100. It is also available for pre-order through Entertainment Earth. If you like character busts, I highly recommend purchasing one. This is the pinnacle of the art.
And just this past week, Gentle Giant has opened pre-orders for their next Star Trek: Discovery statues, the Klingon Torchbearer and Michael Burnham in Starfleet space suit. These were first previewed at San Diego Comic-Con this past summer, and will retail for $199 (Klingon Torchbearer) and $185 (Michael Burnham) respectively, or can be bought as a two-pack for an on-sale price of $334. Both statues are expected to ship in Q2 2019, and from the preview pictures, look to be just as amazing as the Saru bust already gracing the shelves of fans around the world.
I can’t wait to see what’s next from this company!