1/6 Hot Toys - CMS017- Doctor Aphra (Marvel Comic): BT-1 Killer Droid

[Asta]

Here's your reading assignment for next week...


Darth Vader Vol. 1 (2015-2016) 001-025

Doctor Aphra Vol. 1 (2016-2020) 001-040 + Annual 01-03

The Screaming Citadel (2017)

Star Wars (2015) 013-014; 016-019

Empire Ascendant (2017)

Doctor Aphra Vol. 2 (2020-2024) 001-040



There won't be a pop quiz because I've only looked at the pictures in my copies. It might be time to start.

Hope Hot Toys have Aphra planned as well.

 

[Tee-Kay]

Dr Aphra’s droids out of left field! Hopefully she’s coming too otherwise it’s a really odd choice.

I'm afraid we're heading to another "Scout Trooper Commander but no Cal Kestis" situation here.

 

[SOU7567]

I'm afraid we're heading to another "Scout Trooper Commander but no Cal Kestis" situation here.

Agreed, we'll get the 2 droids and that is it.

I like the release, I think they'll look awesome with some of the Imperial troopers we've gotten, with their black and red colors.

Not for my collection though.

 

[lerath666]

Interesting. I’m not familiar with that storyline. They look cool for sure.

They first appeared in the Current Canon Darth Vader Comic series. and have remained around through several other books, most notably Doctor Aphra.

Aphra is something like a Cross between Han solo and Indiana jones, except she prefers so sell antiquities to the highest bidder instead of putting them in a museum.

if you dont wantto read the comics, there is a doctor Aphra Novel that summarizes her and the droid's arc from the vader comic from her perspective pretty well. it's got a full cast audiobook as well.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Doctor-Aphra-Star-Wars-Audiobook/0593215478

 

[fantasticfrog]

Never read the comic but an imperial droid? I might be in. After han, I have zero figures I’m interested in so maybe the droid and revan.

 

[HPGR_Thrawn]

Shocked that they are releasing these, but pleasantly so. Really hoping for a Dr. Aphra to go with them.

 

[lerath666]

They're making figures from comics now? Really?

Gotta imagine these aren't going to be in demand.

You will be surprised.

The Going price for the Black series versions is around 75$ for 0-0-0 and 65$ for BT, the "murder droids" have a pretty good-sized fanbase. the two of them were LONG hoped for, but I never thought i'd ever see Hot toys make them.

Very happy to have been wrong.

 

[lerath666]

Nicer read the comic but an imperial droid? I might be in. After han, I have zero figures I’m interested in so maybe the droid and revan.

Not an imperial.

BT is an assassin/Mercenary droid Bounty hunter. Along the lines of 4-Lom or IG-88.

 

[lerath666]

I cannot express how excited i am for the Murderbucket.

 

[Buttmunch]

I'm afraid we're heading to another "Scout Trooper Commander but no Cal Kestis" situation here.

I fear you may be right. Hopefully with Revan and Starkiller happening now HT will eventually get around to Cal. The one thing Dr Aphra has going for her with HT is that she is Asian. We’ve gotten a couple of Donnie Yen figures from HT for Rogue One and John Wick because of his popularity in Asia. Not sure if Aphra is similarly popular there but with HT being an Asian country with a large fan base there, it might help her chances of happening. I honestly don’t know how well the droids will sell without the promise of her happening too.

 

[fantasticfrog]

Not an imperial.

BT is an assassin/Mercenary droid Bounty hunter. Along the lines of 4-Lom or IG-88.

So I don’t need it, lol. Then again…

 

[Ramatuelle]

WHAT GOOD ARE THESE WITHOUT APHRA HERSELF

HT makes some real head-scratching decisions, gotta say.

 

[Ramatuelle]

Here's your reading assignment for next week...


Darth Vader Vol. 1 001-025 (2015-2016) 001-025

Doctor Aphra Vol. 1 (2016-2020) 001-040 + Annual 01-03

The Screaming Citadel (2017)

Star Wars (2015) 013-014; 016-019

Empire Ascendant (2017)

Doctor Aphra Vol. 2 (2020-2024) 001-040



There won't be a pop quiz because I've only looked at the pictures in my copies. It might be time to start.

Hope Hot Toys have Aphra planned as well.

Just get all the Aphra TPBs, this is the way. Definitely worth reading, Aphra is... alternative lifestyle, just be warned. She is also hilarious.

 

[lerath666]

So I don’t need it, lol. Then again…

To be fair, they do end up working for Vader in the comics.

Alot.

 

[Asta]

Just get all the Aphra TPBs, this is the way. Definitely worth reading, Aphra is... alternative lifestyle, just be warned. She is also hilarious.

I read through the Darth Vader series; started on Aphra volume one, taking in the Screaming Citadel TPB when that storyline branched off.

It's good stuff. The droids are psychopaths, and Aphra is really more Belloq than than she is Indiana Jones (practically so at start of the first issue of her own series).

 

[Brokenhandpuppet]

The Darth Vader runs and Doctor Aphra have been my favorite things in new Disney Cannon. Well written, very fun. These droids are a must. Order BT-1, waiting on 0-0-0 to go up now.

 

[Ramatuelle]

To be fair, they do end up working for Vader in the comics.

Alot.

You know, these WOULD look great with any Vader. What would be better is Vader, Aphra and the droids.

 

[Tee-Kay]

I fear you may be right. Hopefully with Revan and Starkiller happening now HT will eventually get around to Cal. The one thing Dr Aphra has going for her with HT is that she is Asian. We’ve gotten a couple of Donnie Yen figures from HT for Rogue One and John Wick because of his popularity in Asia. Not sure if Aphra is similarly popular there but with HT being an Asian country with a large fan base there, it might help her chances of happening. I honestly don’t know how well the droids will sell without the promise of her happening too.

My belief on this matter is that HS development is bumping production cost up quite a bit. It's likely pushing Hot Toys to think twice about splashing the cash when they are dealing with second or third tier characters. Even though i'd be the first to pull the trigger on a Cal or a Chelli, i know most of my fellow local collectors would likely pass on them.

 

[Buttmunch]

My belief on this matter is that HS development is bumping production cost up quite a bit. It's likely pushing Hot Toys to think twice about splashing the cash when they are dealing with second or third tier characters. Even though i'd be the first to pull the trigger on a Cal or a Chelli, i know most of my fellow local collectors would likely pass on them.

Cal, even though is based on an actual actor, has a digital likeness they would theoretically be able to leverage as a starting point, so he might be a bit less labor intensive. Someone like Aphra with no set likeness would be like the first Clone Wars Ahsoka with an approximation likeness, which is likely less involved than nailing an actor’s likeness. You’re certainly not wrong about the headsculpts likely being part of the reason they’ve been heavy on the troopers and helmeted characters. Starkiller has a fairly defined likeness so avoiding that was a conscious decision. But when they do fork over that cash for headsculpts lately, they’ve been some of the best they’ve ever done.

 

[Tee-Kay]

Cal, even though is based on an actual actor, has a digital likeness they would theoretically be able to leverage as a starting point, so he might be a bit less labor intensive. Someone like Aphra with no set likeness would be like the first Clone Wars Ahsoka with an approximation likeness, which is likely less involved than nailing an actor’s likeness. You’re certainly not wrong about the headsculpts likely being part of the reason they’ve been heavy on the troopers and helmeted characters. Starkiller has a fairly defined likeness so avoiding that was a conscious decision. But when they do fork over that cash for headsculpts lately, they’ve been some of the best they’ve ever done.

Beside the cost induced by the extra work involved in (human) head sculpts, i can also see the availability and/or lack of competent artists able to reach the quality level needed to put a convincing product on the market.