The first full body images of Vogons are here, from the Diamond Previews catalog, which has stuff that should be shipping to your local store in about two to three months. They have a big ad for toys from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and it includes a look at the Vogons, Marvin’s gun, and a one-headed Zaphod Beeblebrox.
I have to tell you that the one-headed Zaphod is sort of freaking me out. In our stellar series of Q&A with director Garth Jennings and producer Nick Goldsmith – the last installment comes next week! – they assured fans that Zaphod would have two heads. I assumed that the quick image of Sam Rockwell that we saw in costume – solo skulled – was from before whatever special effects were added in. But the picture of the toy shows a distinctly one headed, two armed rogue president of the galaxy, and I can’t imagine a toy maker passing up the chance to make a cool multi headed and limbed figure. I am guessing that they’re going for a different effect, maybe some sort of How to Get Ahead in Advertising or Kuatto thing. I have to admit that this is the first bit of disappointment I have felt. But I’ll hold judgement until I see this all in action.
UPDATED! Word has flooded in on how Zaphod’s second head works. Says Duncan: "Notice Zaphod’s beard? That’s actually the hair of his second head. Word on the street is that his head rolls back like a wheel to reveal a second face."
That said, I love the plushies. And I can’t wait for branded towels – they must make them! The Marvin figure is suitably cute, even if I don’t think we need a gun in the merchandise(I am assuming that’s from the shootout with the cops towards the end of the novel), but hey, the kids love em. The Vogon office stuff is cool, but I can’t imagine paying 50 bucks for it. And Arthur looks nothing like Martin Freeman… to say nothing of "Why didn’t the black guy get an action figure?"
But screw it! These are toys for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy!
Click the images below to biggasize them!
