NEW STAR TREK MODELS AND BOOKS COMING FROM MASTER REPLICAS

There has been a gap in the availability of cool displayable models of Star Trek spaceships since Eaglemoss, a manufacturer of licensed collectibles for a number of sci-fi brands, went out of business a few years ago; but Trekkies can now look forward to the upcoming Star Trek Starships Library being produced by Master Replicas for some great new offerings. Launching this summer, with preorders available now, Master Replicas, under license from Paramount Consumer Products, will be producing a new series of reference books and 4” to 5” long model ships.

Master Replicas Star Trek Library will provide collectors with in-depth reference to some of the most historic Star Trek ships while offering them the opportunity to hold the models in their hands. The palm-sized models will be made of a combination of die-cast metal and ABS resin and will measure between 4” and 5” long. They have been made with careful reference to the original visual effects models featured on the shows and movies and then carefully painted to be as accurate as possible. 

Each model comes with a specially designed stand that can be combined with the book to create a display.The books will cover each ship in detail with annotated plan views of the exterior, an in-universe service history, a behind-the-scenes account of the ship’s appearances in the Star Trek franchise, and information about how and why it was created with new interviews with the creators.

The first three books and models being released in July 2025 are: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) U.S.S. Cerritos (Star Trek: Lower Decks) U.S.S. Enterprise (Kelvin Timeline). New ships and books are expected to be released each quarter by Master Replicas. 

THE NEXT GENERATION OF STAR TREK AUTOGRAPHS

Is there anything in particular you like to collect? action figures, baseball cards, coins, stamps, vinyl records or something else? Personally, I'm geeked when able to get autographs from my favorite actors and sports stars. Especially, when I can get a fun personalized message included with the autograph. For example, hanging on a wall in my office at work, I have personalized autographs from Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Erik Estrada & Larry Wilcox (CHiPs). In fact, at the next Motor City Comic Con, I'm thinking of getting a picture taken with Ralph Macchio and William Zabka for them to autograph for adding to my "Wall of Fame."

For me, getting a moment of an entertainment or sport celebrity's time dedicated to you and witnessing them sign ink to an item commemorating it which can be later displayed as a keepsake is a fantastic experience. Here is something to think about though ... how important is witnessing the signature and the person actually physically touching the item being autographed to you? Because a company called FanFair Signatures is introducing the next generation of autograph collecting featuring Star Trek actors which may intrigue you.

FanFair Signatures creates some unique artwork featuring Star Trek characters that are autographed by the actor cast in the role. The artwork is signed on demand as each piece of artwork is bought by a fan online and is individualized by including a personalized message with the signature. It is like cameo for autographs! Participating Star Trek actors include Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway), Tim Russ (Lieutenant Tuvok), and Armin Shimerman (Quark), among others. 

Here is the catch though ... while each autograph is individually signed and personalized for the customer; the artwork is signed electronically and digitally transferred to the physical product. So, the signer never actually touches the item the autograph is placed on. The company promises that signatures aren't saved and reprinted over and over again, but rather each digital autograph is uniquely live signed for every order. Plus, each order includes a personalized message for the purchaser rather than just being a basic signature.

“People ask me all the time if these are real, genuine, actual autographs,” Owen de Lancie, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of FanFair Signatures, communicated to ageekdaddy.com. “It’s a fair question, and the answer is yes, absolutely. FanFair prides itself on authenticity. We partner directly with our celebrities to ensure that every signed print is 100% genuine. We also know how important personalization is to fans, and that’s a priority for us. It’s why we’re creating made-to-order prints that are tailored to each fan's unique preferences. It all comes together in the end result, which is a creative and uncommon, personally autographed art piece. It’s thrilling to launch with Star Trek, which has one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic fandoms in pop culture.”

What are your thoughts? Thumbs up or down for this style of signatures being the future of autograph collecting? For more information about this service, visit https://fanfairsignatures.com