12" lotr line on hold

[The Josh]

Whoa. I think you need to see and hold the 1:6 Hot Toys IRON MAN again to remember why it's easily worth its asking price. It might just be the most amazing 1:6 figure (from any company) yet. Not really a good comparison anyway, since that figure has a lot more going on with it than the hobbits ever could. But I do agree that Sam and Frodo are great figures. I'm happy to have them in my collection.

Its totally worth the money thats why I have it and the other two versions on order. I'm just saying that the hobbits for their price combined are worth it as well. So dropping $160 for one figure is no different than dropping $140 for two.

I gotta disagree with Dave too. Its a pretty common thing for a collector to get in on a line simply because they are impressed with figure but not fans of the franchise. You see it time and time again here.

Right but that doesn't mean Faramir was a bad choice those that didn't want him would have skipped him anyways.

 

[Kuzeh]

As much as Faramir's paint job sucks,
it looks great with all the other figures...

And I insist...
If SS wants to resurrect this line bring on the Nazgul!!!

 

[abake]

Yup, a Nazgûl would resurrect this line fairly quickly.

 

[Darth Cruel]

I have always bought at least 2 of each figure. 1 exclusive and 1 regular. And if Sideshow would allow a second exclusive, I would buy a third. That DID happen with Frodo and Sam, and looks very likely with Gandalf. And if they were to do an army-builder, I would buy as many as they would allow. I got 9 of the stormtroopers and 7 of the clone troopers. I would be happy with multiples of the LOTR armies.

 

[thenammagazine]

Although you might get a different impression from hanging around here, I don't think the majority of collectors are "buy the entire line" type of collectors. But beyond that, you have to think about what makes people want to collect a particular line in the first place. Sure, there are some people who would be convinced merely by the fact that it's a 1/6 scale LOTR line by Sideshow, but I think most people have to see characters they like produced -- and done well before they will buy into a line.

Imagine for a moment that Gandalf and the hobbits were the first figures released in the line, and that subsequent releases were of comparable quality. Also imagine that they included some orcs/Uruk Hai in the mix early on. That would have gone a long way to attracting people to the line. Just look how interested people are in the recent announcements in the LOTR PF line. People like bad guys, and they give you more "play" and display options than just a bunch of guys standing around looking at each other.

I have to say I disagree. Big surprise there? It wouldn't have made a difference if it were Gandolf or Boramir, case in point. I hadn't thought about getting into the line at all until I saw the amount of detail on Faramir, up to and including the split horn. He was responsible for me picking up the rest of the line in exclusives and the previous ones, regulars.

And where your point goes further south is that most of us aren't griping about not having ALL of the characters like you're inferring. Sure villains would've been absolutely fabulous, but most of us are griping about not having the commitment of at least the complete Fellowship, the heart of the line (only 3 more dammit!), or, at least, a Glimli. It's not like not having a Lando, it's more like not having a Han, Luke or Leia.

 

[Kuzeh]

I have to say I disagree. Big surprise there? It wouldn't have made a difference if it were Gandolf or Boramir, case in point. I hadn't thought about getting into the line at all until I saw the amount of detail on Faramir, up to and including the split horn. He was responsible for me picking up the rest of the line in exclusives and the previous ones, regulars.

And where your point goes further south is that most of us aren't griping about not having ALL of the characters like you're inferring. Sure villains would've been absolutely fabulous, but most of us are griping about not having the commitment of at least the complete Fellowship, the heart of the line (only 3 more dammit!), or, at least, a Glimli. It's not like not having a Lando, it's more like not having a Han, Luke or Leia.

I couldn't keep reading after that...
sorry...

 

[thenammagazine]

I couldn't keep reading after that...
sorry...

Then explain to me oh wise one, why both versions of Boromir, who had a larger production run is sold out and the Gandolf, Frodo, and Sam exclusives are still sitting on SSC's site available even with their smaller edition sizes? This is reality despite the fact that Gandolf is clearly the best figure in the line.

 

[FlyAndFight]

But in defense of thenammag, he's definitely right in his comparison about not completing the Fellowship.

P.S. he's referring to the misspelled "Gandolf" and "Boramir"...

 

[thenammagazine]

But in defense of thenammag, he's definitely right in his comparison about not completing the Fellowship.

P.S. he's referring to the misspelled "Gandolf" and "Boramir"...

No sleep does that to you. Sorry... at least I got "and" right. Here, Gandalf and Boromir. Better?

 

[SwedishHeat]

Then explain to me oh wise one, why both versions of Boromir, who had a larger production run is sold out and the Gandolf, Frodo, and Sam exclusives are still sitting on SSC's site available even with their smaller edition sizes? This is reality despite the fact that Gandolf is clearly the best figure in the line.

Because people dropped the line after Faramir. They realized it was going to take YEARS to complete the Fellowship. The pricing and pacing of the line killed it off for casual collectors.

 

[thenammagazine]

For the sheer amount of detail we got, I seriously doubt pricing was an issue. Look at Gandalf, the most expensive figure in the line. Sure he was on the buck, but he is easily worth every single penny. This goes back to Josh's point. As for dropping the line after Faramir, no. The next release was the Hobbits. And Frodo, the key character in the series, should've been a guaranteed sale! Most likely it was all the negativity in the forums and the website that prevented people from buying them. Most people are sheep. More apt to believe something they read vs. go for the experience themselves. But again, I believe moreso that it had to do with the pacing. And, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if all the BS over the Hobbit bodies had any influence on the final decision.

 

[icruise]

I have to say I disagree. Big surprise there? It wouldn't have made a difference if it were Gandolf or Boramir, case in point. I hadn't thought about getting into the line at all until I saw the amount of detail on Faramir, up to and including the split horn. He was responsible for me picking up the rest of the line in exclusives and the previous ones, regulars.

You just proved my point, actually, which was that people wait until they see a figure they like until deciding to get into the line. I don't think most people would be convinced by Faramir, but to each his own. He's not a bad figure aside from the paint job.

And where your point goes further south is that most of us aren't griping about not having ALL of the characters like you're inferring. Sure villains would've been absolutely fabulous, but most of us are griping about not having the commitment of at least the complete Fellowship, the heart of the line (only 3 more dammit!), or, at least, a Glimli. It's not like not having a Lando, it's more like not having a Han, Luke or Leia.

What I was saying was that having a wider variety of characters would have drawn more people into the line. And for the record, I think the main reason people (myself included) are griping about not having the fellowship completed is that they realized a long time ago that the pace of this line wouldn't permit a lot of variety, but they were hoping that Sideshow would stick it out until the fellowship was done. That doesn't mean that having bad guys in the mix from the beginning wouldn't have been a good idea.

 

[Kuzeh]

No sleep does that to you. Sorry... at least I got "and" right. Here, Gandalf and Boromir. Better?

Just kidding dude!!
Everybody has valid points, I don't think there was one single problem that killed the line...

Very Slow pace
Lack of baddies
Bad word of mouth
No fellowship completed..

But as I said before, jump-start this line with Nazgul or Saruman...
Gimli, Merry and Pip, as much as I'd love to have them will bury the line even more I think...

 

[DCFett]

Just kidding dude!!
Everybody has valid points, I don't think there was one single problem that killed the line...

Very Slow pace
Lack of baddies
Bad word of mouth
No fellowship completed..

But as I said before, jump-start this line with Nazgul or Saruman...
Gimli, Merry and Pip, as much as I'd love to have them will bury the line even more I think...

Gotta agree with that 100%. The baddies make the characters, so really, without their foils, they're just hobbits.
People need to see that SS is invested in the line as much as we are and that means, Nazgul, orcs, gobblins, etc....AND the FELLOWSHIP

 

[thenammagazine]

You just proved my point, actually, which was that people wait until they see a figure they like until deciding to get into the line. I don't think most people would be convinced by Faramir, but to each his own. He's not a bad figure aside from the paint job.

Maybe I should expand upon my post a bit. I wasn't really paying attention to the line. Faramir isn't my favorite character from the line at all and was, by sheer chance, the figure that got me into the line. I saw the release announcement in the newsletter/announcement (PPO?) and decided to give it a look. It was the detail in the embroidery and accessories like the split horn that had me check out the rest of the line and ultimately, that detail, in every release is what made me purchase Faramir and then go about hunting down the rest of the line. Honestly, if it'd been anyone else from the line in that particular newsletter/announcement, the result would've been the same.

However, I do think that the release of a 1:6 Witchlord would jump start the line like Frankenstein's Monster. Moreover, though, I wouldn't care if he was or wasn't. I mean, hell yeah, it'd be nice, but I just want the complete fellowship. I think they owe us that for being faithful customers/collectors of the line .

 

[pixletwin]

I agree. Release a Nazgul or Saruman and people will come flocking back to the line.

 

[DarkArtist81]

I agree. Release a Nazgul or Saruman and people will come flocking back to the line.

Ditto. If they made a Nazgul... It would save this line. You wouldn't even need a headsculpt, just a void with the back end of the cranium curving up from the neck to form the shape of a head. Add heavy robes, some sculpted armored hands and some armored boots... Instant Nazgul.

And people would buy them up to make their own "9"... They could make a WitchKing on top of that, simply with a few different weapons and the helmet.

That would pump extra cash into this line and give it steam. Saruman would probably help as well....

 

[Entropy]

Ditto. If they made a Nazgul... It would save this line. You wouldn't even need a headsculpt, just a void with the back end of the cranium curving up from the neck to form the shape of a head. Add heavy robes, some sculpted armored hands and some armored boots... Instant Nazgul.

And people would buy them up to make their own "9"... They could make a WitchKing on top of that, simply with a few different weapons and the helmet.

That would pump extra cash into this line and give it steam. Saruman would probably help as well....

If Gandalf, the most iconic, most well known Tolkien character, won't sell out, then nothing will. This line is dead until a Hobbit movie comes out.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I can sort of see the point of releasing villains would have saved the line. It would have shown a commitment to the line that releasing rebel soldier #3 shows in the Star Wars line. When you see minor characters come out, you can believe that there's a likelihood of at least getting all the minor characters too. So Faramir should have done the same job - not a fellowshipper, thus shows that the line will be deep.

Of course some would argue that more people want villains - but that hasn't necessarily been true of LotR collectibles as it appeals to a different audience than the standard sixth scale collector.

 

[DarkArtist81]

If Gandalf, the most iconic, most well known Tolkien character, won't sell out, then nothing will. This line is dead until a Hobbit movie comes out.

I agree... Sadly people don't seem to be buying it... I have mine, but it's bittersweet, like watching Ledger in TDK...knowing you will never have more of that greatness...

I was holding my breath for Gandalf the White and Black Gates Aragorn...but I will never see them now...