1/6 1/6 Hot Toys: Ellen Ripley - Alien - Collectible Figure

[a-dev]

Back in 2010 when I first jumped in, it was different; companies were stepping up with how these figures were being produced, & although 1/6 scale figures have been around for decades, once the Bank Robber Joker & the first T2 Arnold hit the scene, I was blown away. Despite the GFC taking effect in varying ways globally at the time, buying high end figures was still a reasonably do-able thing.

Now, things couldn't be any more opposite. You've got product piling up like landfill, prices through the roof, no accountability from these companies for disappointing production figures, & no real engaging reason to invest in them.

I've actually gotten back into retro gaming, & that's basically replaced my interest in collectibles now.

I haven't replaced it as such, I've just upped my low-end purchasing a bit and otherwise save the money which has become a bit of an addiction in itself.

I'm still here, I still would buy a new Hicks figure and a packed out Aliens Ripley but I don't see them happening. I can live with it because of what I said above.

Sometimes you might see me 'complaining' - probably just posting out of boredom. I'm fine.

 

[holtrax]

Well, it's official.. my interest in 1/6 figure collecting has extinguished before this ****ing thing has even been released onto the market.

It's probably a good thing anyway, because I've become completely priced out of this hobby now; HT & SW is like McDonalds going crazy in full happy meal toy overload, & I was kinda keen on a few pieces, but ehh, not so much now. I'm not paying $400 for any doll - even if it's the penultimate Vader to end all thoughts of a version 4, 5 or beyond.

The rest of the licenses don't have anything in the pipeline that remotely interests me anymore. Marvel / DC is a mixed bag with character interpretations, & general QC on the these figures is a joke. I might just hang in there & try to snag a bargain on the HT RoboMurphy set when I can, & maybe '66 Batman & Robin, then sit on the sidelines & settle for enjoying the pretty promotional pictures for future releases.

I can totally understand where your coming from because that's exactly the way i feel about it too. HT is solely responsible for making the 1/6th marketplace now a joke and one glance at the star wars forum would be enough to tell anyone with an ounce of common sense that we're beyond the point of no return now. The amount of releases coming out on the star wars license alone is farcical. They're covering every possible figure they can think of and unfortunately they are leaving out the one thing they used to be good at which is quality control.

When i seen the porcelain trooper i knew instantly that that was pretty much the end of my collecting days of hot toys right there because now i feel as though they have officially lost the plot. I like yourself refuse to pay $400 for a figure no matter how good it is because in the end of the day its just a piece of plastic although pretty and with the amounts of these figures being produced and variants coming out when you eventually want to get rid of these figures it just becomes harder and harder to sell them on.

 

[FlyAndFight]

I hear you guys.

Once upon a time, Hot Toys were innovators and their pricing reflected that. Quality and fidelity of details were second to none. There was a sense that these figures were being designed and created by fellow fans of the hobby.

Unfortunately, we're seeing more and more of the "... Look, I ain't in this for your hobby, and I'm not in it for you, Princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money." mentality from not just HT but from other manufacturers as well. There are a few exceptions, such as the Chewie figure, which was definitely innovative, with the faux fur. But figures are coming with barely any additional accessories and pricing continues to creep upwards.

Picking up an entire line hasn't been an option for me for some time. The closest I've come is with the "Dark Knight" line and the classic original trilogy Star Wars figures, but I've become quite selective since then. I can afford these figures but the price point has hit the "is this really worth it to me?..." level and I'm finding handing over $250 for a bare figure unacceptable.

We're seeing the over-saturation effect already hitting. The secondary market is a clear indicator of the health of the hobby in general and a figure/line specifically, and most of the newer figure releases are no longer holding their value. Just look at the TFA troopers as a perfect example. I'm seeing them selling for around $160 shipped!

But the bottom line, as always, is supply and demand. If enough people keep paying these prices for these figures, we'll continue to see the pay more for less that we are currently experiencing.

 

[holtrax]

I hear you guys.

Once upon a time, Hot Toys were innovators and their pricing reflected that. Quality and fidelity of details were second to none. There was a sense that these figures were being designed and created by fellow fans of the hobby.

Unfortunately, we're seeing more and more of the "... Look, I ain't in this for your hobby, and I'm not in it for you, Princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money." mentality from not just HT but from other manufacturers as well. There are a few exceptions, such as the Chewie figure, which was definitely innovative, with the faux fur. But figures are coming with barely any additional accessories and pricing continues to creep upwards.

Picking up an entire line hasn't been an option for me for some time. The closest I've come is with the "Dark Knight" line and the classic original trilogy Star Wars figures, but I've become quite selective since then. I can afford these figures but the price point has hit the "is this really worth it to me?..." level and I'm finding handing over $250 for a bare figure unacceptable.

We're seeing the over-saturation effect already hitting. The secondary market is a clear indicator of the health of the hobby in general and a figure/line specifically, and most of the newer figure releases are no longer holding their value. Just look at the TFA troopers as a perfect example. I'm seeing them selling for around $160 shipped!

But the bottom line, as always, is supply and demand. If enough people keep paying these prices for these figures, we'll continue to see the pay more for less that we are currently experiencing.

Totally agree on all this. I really think that Hot Toys has had its heyday which was around the 2008 - 2012 period. Ever since then as you mentioned the price have risen dramatically whilst at the same time the quality and accessories have decreased. The reaction to the porcelain trooper on the star wars forum was the first time i've seen even the most ardent Hot Toys supporters and people with obviously bucket loads of cash start to really question Hot Toys logic. I think the once infallible bubble that once surrounded Hot Toys is slowly shrinking in on itself.

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

Yep, good posts guys. It's nice to engage in a bit of conversation again after bowing out for a while.

HT definitely had their golden period - as holtrax mentioned, & that was when I jumped in. What a fabulous time it was.

It's just a different world now, & if you're fine with where things are heading, then power to ya. I definitely appreciate all the great figures I was able to purchase a few years ago that are truly a joy to own, but yeah - I'm not contributing to this lunacy anymore, nore can I afford to.

 

[holtrax]

HT definitely had their golden period - as holtrax mentioned, & that was when I jumped in. What a fabulous time it was.

They were the best of times for sure. When i think back on some of the prices i got my figures for. I remember the first hot toys figure i got which was the lost predator back in 2008. I got it for $159. How times have changed.

 

[P.]

They were the best of times for sure. When i think back on some of the prices i got my figures for. I remember the first hot toys figure i got which was the lost predator back in 2008. I got it for $159. How times have changed.

huh, it was my second figure (i guess), for similar price, must have been at the same time

 

[jimmie_dimmick]

At least with the popularity of this hobby picking up, there are other companies that are picking up the slack (i.e. Blitzway) and branching out to lines HT dare not touch. By supporting them only good things can come of it. Seems as though blitzway has their ear to the ground and listens to what collectors want (unlike EB who have all but become a non existent company).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Uscss_Nostromo7Xenomorph]

I hope that Hot Toys reads all of the comments on this thread and care enough to make this figure as beautiful and as amazing as the Terminator Franchise. I'm really counting on them to make the Powerloader 2.0. The anticipation for having this figure in my collection is beyond insane. XD Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) are two of my most favorite films ever made.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Well.... at least we're getting a Ripley at all. Not bad for nearly a 40 year old movie.

 

[P.]

Well.... at least we're getting a Ripley at all. Not bad for nearly a 40 year old movie.

she doesn't look like Ripley, and her sculpted hair looks bad, though rooted hair looked like pubic.

 

[Daggoth]

she doesn't look like Ripley, and her sculpted hair looks bad, though rooted hair looked like pubic.

At least you can do something with the "pubic" whereas the sculpted... yeah i had high hopes for this figure when i saw the pictures of the head on the painter's stick, but after seeing the HT display pictures from the toy fair or expo whatever it was, i was disappointed. Doesnt look like ripely

 

[P.]

At least you can do something with the "pubic" whereas the sculpted...

that was a joke.

 

[abake]

They were the best of times for sure. When i think back on some of the prices i got my figures for. I remember the first hot toys figure i got which was the lost predator back in 2008. I got it for $159. How times have changed.

I think I got my first Hot Toys figures (Hicks and Apone) for 70-80 bucks each, back when you still had to put them together (including the bodies, they came disassembled).

 

[Wor-Gar]

I think I got my first Hot Toys figures (Hicks and Apone) for 70-80 bucks each, back when you still had to put them together (including the bodies, they came disassembled).

Yep. Loved those marines. Had a lot of fun building and bashing them with improved parts.

 

[FACEBOX]

I think I got my first Hot Toys figures (Hicks and Apone) for 70-80 bucks each, back when you still had to put them together (including the bodies, they came disassembled).

Agreed.
My first was MMS001 "Kyle Reese", followed by the AVP Alien Warrior, then Marines.
Taking hours to put them together was half the fun, as I felt like part of the engineering process.
I think they were still considered "model kits" at the time.

Looking back, the $85-$150 price tag seemed extreme as I was used to paying McFarlane prices.
However, I cannot justify the cost of recent figures even though I can afford to purchase more HT pieces.
Too much "fluf" around something that was half the price not too long ago. Looking at Ripley, "She's just a piece of plastic".

~Greed is a helluva drug isn't it HT?

 

[justaguy]

Totally agree on all this. I really think that Hot Toys has had its heyday which was around the 2008 - 2012 period. Ever since then as you mentioned the price have risen dramatically whilst at the same time the quality and accessories have decreased. The reaction to the porcelain trooper on the star wars forum was the first time i've seen even the most ardent Hot Toys supporters and people with obviously bucket loads of cash start to really question Hot Toys logic. I think the once infallible bubble that once surrounded Hot Toys is slowly shrinking in on itself.

I agree that the prices continue to rise while the amount of accessories decrease on HT figures, BUT... the quality of the figures have never been as good as this year (and next year looks fkin promising, I really hate Suicide Squad, but the Leto Jokers and Harley Quinn, let alone that BTTF2 Marty,Doc and Delorean, look completely wicked, I'm gonna buy almost everything next year just like I did this year).
The Bat V Superman line may be the best line ever from this company. I'm really not a fan of the movie, I felt it could have been so much better, but the thing I loved the most about it was the design of the costumes (exactly the opposite from TDK trilogy, where except from the Joker, I hate the designs but love the movies.. really absolutely hate the Batman costumes in those movies but that's very subjective) and they completely nailed them. Each figure from the Bat V Superman line may be some of the finest work they've ever done. Even Superman is dead on. Wonder Woman will be my next buy, she looks fantastic.

That Deadpool figure from the movie they released this year? Completely unbelievable.

I don't see how anyone can prefer the figures from 2008-2012 if you look at the overall look.
I want to be fair, the older figures are still cool, and some stuff they did (The Godfather, unbelievable figure) still feel like they could almost come out this year. But it's really exceptional. Most older figures don't hold up with the times.
Like, the first version of TDK Joker was good.. but it's been wiped out by the 2.0 version let alone the 2.0 robber bank one. Or another example: I still own my Keaton Batman from the first movie, I think it still looks terrific, but considering selling it to get the Batman Returns one because frankly, the Batman Returns figure completely kills the older one (which was a DX figure!).

The amount of accessories are decreasing and HT seem to have abandoned the DX line, and I don't really understand their logic anymore: like, the T-800 Battle Damaged from T1 wasn't a DX figure, but it did came with a fair amount of accessories and had a DX stand with lights. So.. are we really losing on that one? Sometimes you end up paying for a figure which isn't DX but it still feels like a DX.

And aside from that, they're mostly killing it with the headsculpts, outfits, bodies.. I can't complain. Sure it's a more expensive hobby than before, but I really feel the difference of quality when I open the box.

If I think of a 2008-2012 figure.. except from The Godfather, I can't recall one single figure that made my jaw drop like figures they released from 2013 to 2016.


I will say though, since we're on the Ripley topic: I feel she's absolutely not on par with the latest release.. but she looks far from terrible. What I don't get is that on some figures, you can't move the eyes anymore (and again it's not a matter of DX or not DX as some non-DX figures give you the option of moving the eyes), and it's really a let down this Ripley figure apparently doesn't allow you that. I hate the hair sculpt too, but that's just personal opinion (I really dig what they do on Black Widow figures or the upcoming Wonder Woman a lot more).
The earlier prototypes looked much better to me..
I don't really care since she's not going to end up in my collection, BUT... my girlfriend wants it. So I will buy it for her birthday. She hasn't seen the prototypes and isn't a collector so I hope she will love her anyway. It'll still be a better figure than anything she owns anyway, so...

And again on the price thing: it's still a hobby and not something you really need. If you go low on cash like I do sometimes, you just go to a shop who exposes the figures and contemplates them. I've done so myself a lot in the past, and again, I've never been as astonished by the quality as this year. The same shop have displayed most HT releases every year and it definitely wasn't as impressive 5 or 6 years ago.

 

[Anthrapoid]

The head sculpt is fine. I imagine painting a couple thousand heads takes time, especially since she probably keeps getting bumped for more comic book figures. They need to rework the damn wrists.

I've always thought that figures with exposed wrists and ankles should have an optional replacement part that has no seam and no articulation. You could choose the jointed version for poses that require it, or choose the seamless version for greater realism. Hell, they already include a ton of accessories with most figures, it wouldn't add much to the cost to include an extra pair of forearms.

 

[FlyAndFight]

That would be a great option, Anthrapoid.

I tend to pose my figures and rarely repose them.

 

[Johnny6666]

So did I read correctly (somewhere) that release of HT Ripley has been pushed back to March 2017? Is that confirmed? Thanks!