1/6th Scale Sideshow Hoth Luke Skywalker (Echo Base)

[Pixelpiper]

I really don't get why you have such a strong bias against Hot Toys.

I don't. This is the Star Wars forum and I'm talking about their Star Wars product. Every one of their human Star Wars likenesses is far off. Bespin Luke (which I own and like) by far the best, the latest quite atrocious. Consider my comments obejctive counter-balance to the folks creaming themselves over everything Hot Toys does. I buy enough Hot Toys products, including sculpts that are totally off like DX05 and some that are just hyper-idealized and not realistic, like Reeve Superman. Last year's Michael Caine Alfred is, IMO, one of the best sculpts they've ever done. But HT screws up on a regular basis, at least as much as any other company in this hobby. To say otherwise is to blow some serious smoke.

 

[Rorywan]

I don't. This is the Star Wars forum and I'm talking about their Star Wars product. Every one of their human Star Wars likenesses is far off. Bespin Luke by far the best, the latest atrocious. Consider my comments objctive counter-balance to the folks creaming themselves over everything Hot Toys does.

That's actually a good post. Now if we can replace Hot Toys with Sideshow in equal measure, then everyone will be allowed to express themselves equally.

 

[SithThundercracker]

Somehow I think this is a lesser good sculpt than Han in terms of likeness but I agree is more Hamill than HT non-BD.
Those (both pair of) eyes though...

 

[Pixelpiper]

I've been saying this for months, but Sideshow is at least three years behind in terms of catching up to other major 1/6 manufacturers.

I think you're being very naive here. Sideshow already hires some of the best sculptors in the industry, and Trevor Grove's sculpts are head and shoulders better than anything Hot Toys has ever shown. Producing a traditional cast and hand-painting it is something Sideshow can turn around on a dime, a production process they could start and have perfect within weeks, not years. However, since none of us know the reasons for their choice of current production processes, there may be any number of them for why Sideshow has gone to what we're seeing - which is far more complex than casting a solid head. Maybe one is volume. Sideshow are comparatively huge (in this space) and produce a metric f-ton of goods.

Not to you specifically, but to say these latest figures look like Hasbro is disingenuous. For someone to love or just accept HT's latest Obi Wan iteration and to deride these sculpts? The same. Crazy talk. Sideshow produced a superior Obi Wan sculpt already and its prices in the aftermarket have only shot up since Hot Toys unveiled their stranger in Jedi robes. Like other HT products, maybe their Han and Obi Wan will be excellent overall, I can assume the bodies will be miles better than the lacklustre prometheus Sideshow still uses. But arguing about the head sculpts? They're failures, as bad as the worst they've ever done, period. Let's leave it at that.

I also can't take seriously anyone suggesting Sideshow stop producing figures. They make money hand over fist. No doubt at least an order of magnitude more than Hot Toys, so they must be doing something right. If you don't like their product, let them know and don't buy it. Damn, none of the head sculpts on 3A's signature lines are realistic and I think everything they produce shames every other company in the business. Different strokes.

 

[Pixelpiper]

That's actually a good post. Now if we can replace Hot Toys with Sideshow in equal measure, then everyone will be allowed to express themselves equally.

We can. Sideshow regularly screws up as well. Even when they hit a home run, there's always room for improvement.

 

[Rorywan]

Somehow I think this is a lesser good sculpt than Han in terms of likeness but I agree is more Hamill than HT non-BD.
Those (both pair of) eyes though...

That's the thing, with both of these sculpts I can see they (SSC) have captured a better likeness than HT of both Ford and Hamill. But the weird podgy faces freak me out, they are like nightmare versions of Ford and Hamill. If these were real people and you met them looking like 1:1 versions of these sculpts, you would **** yourself on the spot. Well I would anyway, before running in the opposite direction. Why can't we have manufacturing/production sophistication and likeness in one package. For these prices we should have.

 

[Darkseed]

Sigh.....pictures don't do either figure (Han or Luke) justice for my money. By far my greatest wants from a SW line but an average representation for a high end price is a tough pill to swallow. Buying to display one look and posing to hide the flaws in that look doesn't speak a value at $200+. I may cancel pre-orders and await the enevitable discount listing in the forums. Without a doubt I want these and I see value just not at full retail price....

 

[YoNoSe]

This is true, I am very popular

 

[Rorywan]

I think you're being very naive here. Sideshow already hires some of the best sculptors in the industry, and Trevor Grove's sculpts are head and shoulders better than anything Hot Toys has ever shown. Producing a traditional cast and hand-painting it is something Sideshow can turn around on a dime, a production process they could start and have perfect within weeks, not years. However, since none of us know the reasons for their choice of current production processes, there may be any number of them for why Sideshow has gone to what we're seeing - which is far more complex than casting a solid head. Maybe one is volume. Sideshow are comparatively huge (in this space) and produce a metric f-ton of goods.

Not to you specifically, but to say these latest figures look like Hasbro is disingenuous. For someone to love or just accept HT's latest Obi Wan iteration and to deride these sculpts? The same. Crazy talk. Sideshow produced a superior Obi Wan sculpt already and its prices in the aftermarket have only shot up since Hot Toys unveiled their stranger in Jedi robes. Like other HT products, maybe their Han and Obi Wan will be excellent overall, I can assume the bodies will be miles better than the lacklustre prometheus Sideshow still uses. But arguing about the head sculpts? Their failures, as bad as the worst they've ever done, period. Let's leave it at that.

I also can't take seriously anyone suggesting Sideshow stop producing figures. They make money hand over fist. No doubt at least an order of magnitude more than Hot Toys, so they must be doing something right. If you don't like their product, let them know and don't buy it. Damn, none of the head sculpts on 3A's signature lines are realistic and I think everything they produce shames every other company in the business. Different strokes.

Everyone knows why these sculpts have been manufactured the way they have.. $$

And you are correct, they don't look like Hasbro but it's a frustrated over simplification which collectors are using to demonstrate their displeasure and disappointment with the sophistication of these figures.

 

[ApeManRyan]

All this going on if the figures are good or not are driving me mad. Just another reason I ordered Luke so I can review and post my own pics and video review. I do Have the TaunTaun and Han Solo coming in soon too. I won those from UT'S Contest last January or February? I forget it was a long while back though. I'm excited for the Trio but I think Luke is the best of the 2 figures and the TaunTaun we all know came out great.. I cancelled just to make sure but I believe in DA Bomb's reviews. Both Wendy and Jay rock and always steer me in the right direction.

 

[Stealth V3teran]

Im hoping to have this guy wednesday, Think it looks great , now to wait till april for my tauntaun flex to end

 

[Khev]

Pretty good effort on SSC's part IMO. Though I'll be going with the superior hat head anyway.

 

[VASith]

H

I think you're being very naive here. Sideshow already hires some of the best sculptors in the industry, and Trevor Grove's sculpts are head and shoulders better than anything Hot Toys has ever shown. Producing a traditional cast and hand-painting it is something Sideshow can turn around on a dime, a production process they could start and have perfect within weeks, not years. However, since none of us know the reasons for their choice of current production processes, there may be any number of them for why Sideshow has gone to what we're seeing - which is far more complex than casting a solid head. Maybe one is volume. Sideshow are comparatively huge (in this space) and produce a metric f-ton of goods.

Not to you specifically, but to say these latest figures look like Hasbro is disingenuous. For someone to love or just accept HT's latest Obi Wan iteration and to deride these sculpts? The same. Crazy talk. Sideshow produced a superior Obi Wan sculpt already and its prices in the aftermarket have only shot up since Hot Toys unveiled their stranger in Jedi robes. Like other HT products, maybe their Han and Obi Wan will be excellent overall, I can assume the bodies will be miles better than the lacklustre prometheus Sideshow still uses. But arguing about the head sculpts? Their failures, as bad as the worst they've ever done, period. Let's leave it at that.

I also can't take seriously anyone suggesting Sideshow stop producing figures. They make money hand over fist. No doubt at least an order of magnitude more than Hot Toys, so they must be doing something right. If you don't like their product, let them know and don't buy it. Damn, none of the head sculpts on 3A's signature lines are realistic and I think everything they produce shames every other company in the business. Different strokes.

If Sideshow stops producing figures how can hawt toyz use their parts to make their own figures look bad? Isn't that why the ht vader looked so bad? They were using sideahow parts you know...

 

[davejames]

Pretty good effort on SSC's part IMO. Though I'll be going with the superior hat head anyway.

With lighter eyes and a much better paiint job, I think the likeness could probably be improved quite a bit on this one.

 

[canadaclone]

OK...so are the eyes a separate thing that is put into the head, thus the odd positioning? A primitive pers? Just built into the head?

 

[Pixelpiper]

With lighter eyes and a much better paiint job, I think the likeness could probably be improved quite a bit on this one.

It will be much improved with nothing but a better photograph. With new paint it could be out of this world and even Hamill's mamma may not believe it's a doll.

 

[davejames]

Unfortunately every pic I see of this separate Han head seems to have the eyes cut out the exact same way. Even if I ask for a replacement, Sideshow probably won't have anything better to send it looks like.

Oh, and once again Han's hair has been painted a bit too dark.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Damn that image on the right is horrible, I can really see why people are complaining. As if the eyes weren't bad enough with the lack of eyelids and enormous irises, look at that huge crooked nose. Yikes.

 

[Cocoboloboy]

Agreed. The MH sculpt from SS is a great effort. I'm looking forward to seeing it in person and comparing it to my HT Luke. Much better looking than yet another caricature portrait of Han.

 

[Captain Britain]

I would have gone with "happy meal toy" version personally. And the rest of the figure - cheap, flimsy pile of badly constructed plastic bits.



Frankly, commenters like you and Rorywan are what Sideshow needs to hear more of. Han Hoth has been a careening train ready to derail for the past week or two (hoping we're sort of back on the rails again) and at the new pricepoints, Sideshow really can't do that. If you're going to be cocky enough to charge $200+ for a figure, you had better nail every category, headsculpt being at the top of that list.

I've been saying this for months, but Sideshow is at least three years behind in terms of catching up to other major 1/6 manufacturers. We SHOULD NOT be seeing icons like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker as "transition figures" in terms of SSC improving their headsculpts from their late 2000's abominations up to something on-par with HT. These "experiments" like Drake should have been done years ago... when the prices were in the low $100 range. That train derailing might just be their 1/6 licence if they are not careful.

Thanks for the kind words Talibane, they're much appreciated. I'm sure I overstep the mark sometimes but I do try to give my honest opinion. And I agree with the rest of your post 100%.