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Uses for a Spare Tom Baker Head
So I have, in a line on my bookcase, three of Character Options' gorgeous classic Doctor Who action figures: Tom Baker; Peter Davison (now with replacement sonic screwdriver superglued in place) and Colin Baker, with a Christopher Eccleston (in 'Father's Day' green shirt variant) beside them. I'll be getting a David Tennant when I work out which one of the many versions is closest to what he wore in 'Human Nature'. The Tom figure, rather wonderfully, comes with an extra head, so you can represent either dark and brooding Hinchcliffe era Tom or giddy Williams era Tom (although the angle of the hat makes him look rather more like original Tom from 'Robot', but anyway...) However, in this case, two heads are not neccessarily better than one, because, and I'm sure this is a problem shared by many in our community, but not until now spoken of very much... I don't know what to do with the extra head. It's been sitting there on the shelf beside him, alongside all the bits of Giant Robot included as 'get all the figures and you can have a Giant Robot too' extras with the Doctors, like the four Doctors are looking on at some terrifying Tom Baker/Robot accident.
That's Tom as Dr. Constantine, courtesy of WilkinsJohns. And here's something rather disturbing from Simon Watkins...
And this scary vision is from Alun Vega...
My favorite suggestion as to what to do with the spare Tom Baker head, is, mind you, from Bill in Black: 'lie it on the pillow of a sleeping My Little Pony'.
If anyone wants to send me a photo of that, or of anything else you've done with your spare Tom Baker head, please feel free. Within reason. And I'll see you next time. Cheerio!
'How's your head?' asked Kate at the signing yesterday, knowing of my predicament.
'I've never had any complaints,' I replied. Quick as a flash. That was actually the high point for my ego that day. I was pleased to see a beautiful young lady enter the shop clutching what I thought was her copy of Captain Britain. Reaching out to a female audience, I thought, a young audience too, that's a good sign, that's what I'm aiming for. 'Could you sign this, please?' she said. 'It's for my father.'
So, about Tom's extra head, I did what people do now. I asked the internet. And here are the replies I got via Twitter. And some photos...
Tom Daylight, Shedside, Andy Boyd and Alex Rohan all suggested I make a Zaphod Beeblebrox figure. Jim Smith and Ian Cottrell suggested I use bits of cactus to make a Meglos figure. The Tin Dog Podcast considered a key ring or a Christmas tree bauble, which I think would be rather groovy. RetroCristal, it seems, put hers on top of Davros' wheelchair, and AudryT tried what I initially actually did, sticking it under the complete Tom's arm. But I'm afraid it won't stay there, Audry, even with the superglue. Wimble suggested I build my own Morbius figure and Jon Deeming suggested donating it to science. I'm not sure science would appreciate it. LeighWoosey thought that it might look good cheekily poking out of the Tardis doorway, but that kind of conjures up a rather terrifying image. 'Hullo! I'm the Doctor! No, really, I'm not just a head on a stick!' The 2Sixteen was rather practical and suggested adding it on top of a Jon Pertwee body to make a post-regeneration variant. Similarly, Prof Yard suggested I wait for the release of a Rev. Wainwright figure, chop off its head, replace it with Tom's, and have my own The Life and Loves of a She Devil action figure.
Peter Anghelides suggested attaching it to a Worzel Gummidge figure: 'It's me future 'ead, Aunt Sally!' Canadian Content would have me 'put it on top of a pencil, carry it around and have it narrate your life'. Kasterborousdw asked me to consider mounting it on an upturned empty butter carton to create a 'Face of Evil' play set.
But I'll save my favourite suggestion until after... the photos.
That's Tom as Dr. Constantine, courtesy of WilkinsJohns. And here's something rather disturbing from Simon Watkins...
And this scary vision is from Alun Vega...
My favorite suggestion as to what to do with the spare Tom Baker head, is, mind you, from Bill in Black: 'lie it on the pillow of a sleeping My Little Pony'.
If anyone wants to send me a photo of that, or of anything else you've done with your spare Tom Baker head, please feel free. Within reason. And I'll see you next time. Cheerio!
Labels:
Action Figures,
Comics,
Doctor Who,
Dublin,
Spare Tom Baker Head
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Fantastic ideas!
But I think I'd throw mine in with the Worzel Gummidge idea. ;D
I thought I was the only one who remembered that 'How's your head' joke from the Elvira movie!
I'm so ashamed. I *didn't* get the Tang vs Mandarine joke. I'm normally a sucker for puns!
It is just me, or does that 'Tom/Grandma' hybrid look exactly like Windy Miller?
The Tom/Robot combo makes me think of Saturn 3!
I have the same problem with Deadpool. At the moment his spare head is on a pole next to Punisher as a sort of trophy exhibition.
Perhaps you could do something similar with Tom Baker, and put it in a jar (a shot glass might do) like Dr Who's hand in more recent storylines.
Or you could just glue a few matchstick pieces on it and tell people it's a x-babies style version of MODOK.
Thanks, all. David: you're right! I was wondering why I found him familiar! Dyl: I was wondering if there was a Marvel figures equivalent!
OK, I'm sorry.
There I was, coming out of the Banksy exhibit in Bristol, and I realised that I would have to miss the Paul Cornell signing in Dublin.
What to do? I am sending Ellen back via Bristol airport, but she would never be able to find the Cornell wing of the West Library. All those priceless copies of Captain Britain, each stored in its own vacuum sealed case, each page seperated from its neighbour by a sheet of tissue paper.
For consolation, I dragged the family into an Oxfam shop, about to close. There on a bottom shelf was a copy of Captain Britain, with an old Marvel Team-Up included. Perfect, I thought. Ellen was sent home with strict instructions to have it signed. My other Cornells would have to await the next visit.
So apologies for the trauma - but Ellen was reading it in the all-you-can-eat Italian restaurant before she left, and she /is/ a very eager Doctor Who fan.
(This is because I wrote 'Oxfam?!' in the front of the copy signed for the young lady for her Dad, it still have a sticker and a price tag of two and six.) Glad to have been of service, sir, us old folk must stick together.
It cost a lot more than £0/2/6! In fact, I think they were charging more than Sub-City, though I know that's academic to you since you don't get a cut.
I was rushed for time or I would have carefully peeled off the sticker and hidden the evidence.
I have a history of writing odd things in the front of books. And inside.
Maybe you could put it under your pillow and the Tom Baker Head Fairy will take it in the middle of the night and leave you a gift. Apropos of both its role as the Inverse Toothy Fairy and of Tom himself, perhaps a tooth. Several of them. Big and white.
Maybe. Right.