Back in 2021, Wandering Planet Toys, an independent toy company co-founded by veteran animation writers Chris “Doc” Wyatt and Gavin Hignight, launched its first Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to produce retro action figures based on the cult television series The Prisoner. Their inaugural campaign was a smashing success raising over $210,00 which was more than 10x its initial $20,000 goal. Ever since, every Kickstarter campaign from Wandering Planet Toys has been successfully funded. Today the company launched its latest Kickstarter campaign for the first officially licensed 1:12 scale, fully articulated, deluxe The Prisoner action figures.
When the founders first announced details for this Prisoner Ultimate Edition action figures Kickstarter campaign back in March, little did they know less than a month later the entire world economy would be rocked by Liberation Day tariffs. Though temporary relief came with a 90-day pause the following month, the effects of tariffs is still casts a lingering shadow on businesses, especially in the toy industry. The Beat had a chance to catch up with Wandering Planet Toys co-founders Chris “Doc” Wyatt and Gavin Hignight via email to discuss how the tariffs impacted the Kickstarter campaign deluxe The Prisoner action figures and future projects.
Taimur Dar: Let’s start with the big topic of tariffs. It goes without saying that every business and industry was affected by “Liberation Day” in some way, most especially the toy industry. For instance, Longbox Heroes had to cancel its latest retro action figures line . Thankfully, a month later the U.S. and China reached a 90-day deal to pause tariffs.
So I have to ask how the tariffs have affected not only this latest campaign but Wandering Planet Toys as a whole? If a deal hadn’t been reached, would you have had to delay the Kickstarter or scrap it entirely?
Gavin Hignight: It’s been hugely problematic, ridiculous and unnecessary. We’re working hard to navigate it. We’re really bummed out about our friends in the toy community who have had to cancel campaigns, who have been laid off from their jobs, and we’re really bummed about the uncertainty of it all. But we are working hard to navigate it and get everyone cool figures.
Chris “Doc” Wyatt: Tariffs on toy manufacture are just plain misguided. It reflects a basic misunderstanding of the fundamentals of the industry.
Taimur Dar: Your most recent Kickstarter campaign for Laurel & Hardy action figures marked Wandering Planet’s first line of 1:12 articulated action figures. Was that always a goal for the company or the desired next step to take The Prisoner toy license?
Gavin Hignight: Absolutely. We love retro 5 point retro figures, but we also love 1/12 scale and collect both. We knew when we launched Wandering Planet, we wanted to start with 1/18 scale retro, since the learning curve wasn’t as complex. We’ve been learning the process and building up relationships with great toy artists, and it was time to make the leap. Laurel and Hardy have never had collectible figures like those we are making, so excited about them and doing No6 and No2 from The Prisoner was a logical next choice! These figures really feel deluxe.
Chris “Doc” Wyatt: Gavin’s right– we love, love, love retro figures. They’re compact, nostalgic, and you can fit way more of them on your shelf. That said, they have limits in terms of articulation, detailing and posability. We’ll always make retro, but we don’t want to be a company that can only take one approach.
Taimur Dar: I got into the show Severance recently, and it only dawned on me how much overlap it has with The Prisoner. I definitely feel Severance encapsulates a lot of our current fears and anxieties. Do you think The Prisoner resonates even more now with modern audiences and possibly why your licensed action figures have been so popular and successful?
Chris “Doc” Wyatt: I’ve been thinking the exact same thing. Severance is absolutely The Prisoner of today. Severance is to global corporations what The Prisoner is to global governments. Who’s really in charge? Who can be trusted? Which side is anyone on? The high tech surveillance. Dealing with consciousness. The mistrust. Plus, both shows use mod era visuals, and surreal, dream-like imagery. You remember that cave in The Prisoner episode “Free For All” where all those people in glasses are sitting around the big white orb– that’s basically the Severance “Goat Room” of 1967.
Gavin Hignight: I think every generation has intellectual outsiders. God bless them. And The Prisoner speaks to that group. Those who are clever enough to know there are systems rigged against all of us. That hasn’t changed, it’s just changed shape. And The Prisoner is such a brilliant, artistic examination of all of that. Do you ever really escape The Village? That is a question TV audiences and thinking people will contemplate always. And The Prisoner is a brilliant series that will always appeal to that. SIDE NOTE! I have not seen Severance, but I’ve been hearing tons about it, and that Prisoner fans love it. I’ve been too busy completing my viewing of the entire run of Columbo and Jon Pertwee Doctor Who episodes. Maybe maybe one day I’ll catch up to this decade.
Taimur Dar: This first line of The Prisoner 1:12 articulated action figures is for Patrick McGoohan and Leo McKern’s characters of No6 and No2. Depending on the success of this campaign, and the state of the economy, can fans anticipate other 1:12 figures produced for other Prisoner characters?
Chris “Doc” Wyatt: That would be telling.
Gavin Hignight: Truthfully, I don’t think we want to explore the entire Village in a different scale. We made these new deluxe figures as a special release, for all those who want Prisoner figures in this scale and style. They are absolutely amazing, they will make a great addition to toy collections or Prisoner collections. At the same time, if these are the only two Prisoner collectibles you own, they’ll display nicely and with a hint of sophistication. Should this Kickstarter fund and we’re able to make these figures, we’ll have another really fun surprise in this scale for the line, then jump back into the retro line for wave three! But yes, if you want these super deluxe 1/12 scale officially licensed versions from the series, this is your chance.
Taimur Dar: Given your track record, one is tempted to assume this will be another successfully funded campaign. Not to get too far ahead but do you have stretch goals in mind already?
Gavin Hignight: We debated stretch goals, greatly in the last few months. And we decided not to do them. The figures are very deluxe and we decided anything that would be “unlocked” or added value, we should just include from the beginning. Money is tight for everyone, the economy is uncertain, and as you know the toy industry is up against some great challenges. So we figured fuck it, go big, include everything these figures deserve to have included from the beginning. Let everyone know what they are getting for their hard earned money. The No2 includes three awesome portraits (heads) that are episode specific, he’ll include a really cool accessory from Chimes of Big Ben (that the smaller figure does not include) and both figures include nice figure stands based on their number badges. The No6 includes many different hands, so he can be displayed many different ways. He also includes two portraits, incredible sculpts that are TV accurate.
Chris “Doc” Wyatt: And we are doing a fun ADD ON Tin Lunch Box, and Lapel Pin set as well.
Taimur Dar: Anything you can tease about the next Wandering Planet crowdfunding project?
Gavin Hignight: YES! 1/12 scale, the kind of hero you want around when things go bump in the night. Thanks so much! We hope everyone is as excited for the Ultimate Edition Prisoner figures as we are!
Chris “Doc” Wyatt: Oh, man, Gavin. That was a good clue.
The Prisoner Ultimate Edition 1:12 Scale Figures Kickstarter is live now.
