Following their previous Star Trek: The Next Generation hero prop replicas including the small Type I “cricket” phaser, Factory Entertainment is expanding their Federation arsenal with the early-season Type II “dustbuster” phaser.
Used in Season 1 and Season 2 of The Next Generation, this redesign of the classic Starfleet hand phaser was seen in such episodes as “Too Short a Season,” “The Arsenal of Freedom,” “Time Squared,” and others, the curvy phaser is the only Next Gen phaser design never to receive its own licensed toy or replica release in the 30+ years since it was seen on screen.
One of the last surviving dustbuster-style Type II phasers from #StarTrek TNG's first season; it has a light in the emitter which shines through the translucent red areas to simulate the internal energy discharge — and lets the digital arts know when to paint in the fired beam. pic.twitter.com/ZBWoTyDFph
— TrekCore.com 🖖 (@TrekCore) March 15, 2020
It was phased out and replaced with the well-remembered “cobrahead” design beginning in Season 3 — and now Factory Entertainment is bringing the “dustbuster” phaser back with a new hero replica featuring internal lighting and sound elements for fans to bring home.
Up for preorder today with an anticipated June 2023 delivery, the Factory Entertainment “dustbuster” phaser will feature “an impressively heavy all metal body” and a design meant “to capture the best elements from all variants in a single blended execution.” It will also come with the display case and numbered plaque now standard with FE’s Trek replicas.
We got to check out Factory Entertainment’s prototype at 2022’s San Diego Comic Con, and you can see photos of that early edition here:
If you want to add Factory Entertainment’s Star Trek: The Next Generation “dustbuster” phaser replica to your personal armory, you can preorder today at a factory-discounted price of $499 — note however this introductory price ends February 15, when it will increase to $549.
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