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Micropolis Embassy Exclusive |
In
April of 2002, as production was commencing on the new Palisades Micronauts line,
a poll was created on the Yahoo! Micropolis Embassy mailing list website. The
poll consisted of choices for an additional figure to be made in a very limited
run, as an exclusive for the mailing list members. A vote was put forth: Which
figure would you prefer? |
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| "Transwarp Traveler": Time Traveler cast in transparent plastic with suspended metal flake. "Radioactive Membros" : All-glow Membros figure. "Metamorphosis Membros": Membros cast in clear plastic. "Bioscan Membros": Membros cast in transparent green plastic with suspended metal flake. The winner, with 27 votes (about 41% of the members) was Bioscan Membros. As a thank you to the list members for their help in production of the new line, Palisades agreed to a very limited run of this figure; an amazing 250. At the time, the mailing list only consisted of a little over 150 members, so the number of production was decided by the how many members were to order the figure. This slithery skinned invader probably has the most interesting and trying history of all the Palisades Micronaut figures... |
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Series 1.5 Bioscan Membros |
Series 1 "error" Bioscan Membros |
In
July of 02, orders were taken, and by November the stock of 16 cases finally arrived
to Ray Miller for shipping out to the members who ordered them. Unfortunately,
Bioscan Membros was hit pretty hard by the S1 production problems, resulting in
a figure done in the wrong colors (accessories were done in the "Bioscan
Glitter Green" rather than the yellow used for the brain), over 25% damaged
and unsalesworthy due to poor assembly line workmanship. Pretty much the whole
run of 250 specialty figures were no good. Or...were they? |
Series 1.5 Bioscan parts |
Series 1 "error" parts |
In an unprecidented move, Palisades made fans and loyal followers even happier by allowing those who were in on the initial order the chance to keep one of the error figures for their collection! Most of the stock needed to be returned due to legal reasons regarding production, but approx. 110 error run figures were distributed throughout the Micropolis Embassy members at no additional cost. The rest have been auctioned off on evilBay by Palisades in an attempt to re-coup costs. The brianchild of list member (and funder) Kristof Erkiletian and Micropolis list owner Ray Miller, the Bioscan Membros was to be what Membros would look like through a "bio-scanning" device. As a happy side note, the other Membros ideas that were not winners ended up showing up throughout the line regardless. The transparent, or clear, "Metamorphosis" Membros is in the series 1 line up, and the all glow Radioactive Membros is in the re-tooled series 1.5. |
close-up shot of the "error" Bioscan Membros card |
You can view the un-cropped images in their full glory at Bryan Wilkinson's site. | In March of 2003, with Series 1.5 completed and shipped out to collectors, the new, correct and improved Bioscan Membros had arrived. Sharing the same card as the rest of the Series 1.5 figures, this Membros has also been fixed and tweaked, and the QC problems of Factory 1 have long been forgotten. The run was also increased to about 300.
Along with the correct colored accessories, Bioscan Membros comes with same glitter green hands shared by it's "error" counterpart. (both Bioscan's come with a figure stand as well- clear for S1.5, black for S1) The card also features new CGI art by Bryan Wilkinson- who created, with the help of Ray Miller- the header image. |
Series 1.5 Bioscan Membros card |
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Series 1 "error" Bioscan Membros card |
 | The Bioscan Membros also has new file card text that reads: A sight any Micronaut explorer dreads detecting in his Bioscanners, these radioactive wraiths haunt the battle fields of Visceros. The deadly Membros wanders the dark craters of it's home world, stalking friend and foe alike, polluted by radiation spilling from the fractured atomic piles once powering their demolished Terraphant battletanks. The Microbyte continues: Pale green glowing plastic was a popular "hot" feature of many 1970's toys, models and games. The glowing brains of the six Micronaut aliens were their key common feature. Many thanks go out to Ken, Kris, Ray and his wife Collette...who had the pleasure of boxing up and mailing out some 400 of these Bioscan monsters! This Membros is truly one of the most interesting and exciting exclusives made yet. |
