3.75" Collecting Thread

[jye4ever]

Which is a shame. A lot of those 5 POA figures they released were awesome. I liked the force link Fett, Vader, RO Stormtrooper, Tie Pilot, AT-AT Driver, etc. more than the super articulated ones.

That?s another problem, most collectors in this community have a really jaded and narrow view of what a toy/figure should be. It?s like, if it isn?t specifically a super articulated ?vintage collection? style figure, then it shouldn?t be made. In their eyes, every figure needs to be like this,


View attachment 485901


So now because of this, there is only ONE line for that scale and that is TVC. TVC is synonymous with 3.75 and there is no going back.

I actually miss the days where Kenner/Hasbro experimented a bit with the format. I know collectors don?t like ?gimmicks? but I loved things like the GUNNER STATIONS where you had an all new figure and they came with a cockpit section like the Falcon cannons or Darth Vader?s TIE. The figures were cool, the action feature made sense and you were getting a piece of a vehicle that couldn?t really be incorporated into the actual vehicle feasibly. I?d love to see more of that.

While I love articulation, I don?t think it?s end all be all. I know I?m in the minority but some of these ?premium TVC? figures are pretty ghastly looking to me. Like take Jango Fett or Boba Fett for instance. I have NOT been impressed with any of their recent offering for them where they make them super articulated with soft goods, ball joints, removable helmets, etc. they look ugly to me. Their proportions are weird, especially the legs and any human that has a balljointed neck.

To me, something like that 5 POA forcelink Boba Fett with it?s superior sculpt or the 300th POTJ Boba Fett in that cool rifle proposed rifle stance are much nicer and more aesthetically pleasing representations of Fett than TVC Fett. Same for Jango. Those Saga versions of Jango are awesome. Back in the day they nailed the paint applications perfectly. The silver armor, the grey/blue look then the accompanying gimmick for whatever scene he was in. There were three in particular that always stood out. The one, I think it was called Kamino escape where he had the removable helmet and rocket firing jet pack, was a great toy. The Slave 1 Pilot where he was in a neutral stance and had the cool headset and quick draw feature was awesome. Then of course there was that Final Battle one that had that cool flamethrowing pose (with launching flame) and the magnetic head that could be lobbed off by Mace Windu. Each one had great sculpts and proportions, representing a key scene from or action from the movie. All without a button or an obtrusive lever in their back. If you had those three, you were pretty much set for that character.

Now, people just want everything to adhere to this ball jointed, neutral stanced ideal, on a vintage throw back card


View attachment 485900


and where anything different is ?going backwards? and not up to par. It?s far too restrictive.

Now you understand Todd Mcfarlane pain lol


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[Captain Clown]

I dunno, I’d just like to see some new Mando stuff, then I’d be good for a while. I think the show has a lot of cool characters and vehicles that would look great in the 3.75” scale. Some of the vehicle/weapon designs in the show were even inspired by the Kenner toys - it’s basically begging to be made into a 3.75” Star Wars line. I just hope we at least get a Razor Crest.

I still cherrypick TBS and some of the SH Figuarts, but I could never commit to starting my collection over - especially when the larger scale seems more limited in terms of world building. You couldn’t have a sail barge in TBS for example. It’s the same with them relaunching JOE in 6”, you know we’ll never get giant playsets for them. Maybe a tank, but probably as another overpriced Haslab thing.

But yeah, I’m sick to death of people clamoring for Sim Aloo and other obscure background characters; it looks like they’re desperately scraping the bottom of the barrel. I do think a redone Bespin Lando and ANH Leia would be nice in the style of their awesome new X-Wing Luke figure though.

 

[Khev]

Re: 3.75" Collecting Thread

For the first 2 weeks I thought it was part of the new paint job until I watched a youtube review lol

Hey make sure you hook up with my wife after I make the transition into the multiverse because she said she is throwing all my stuff into the garbage.

If i?m lucky she?ll at least give my son at least ONE thing to cherish but I highly doubt it lol

Hey if you?re lucky you might even leave with more than just plastic lol

One day ducky can be yours lol

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Ah now I understand where TheDucky got his internet handle from, lol.

 

[DiFabio]

Now you understand Todd Mcfarlane pain lol

The worst is when they take a really cool statuesque figure and FORCE super articulation into it, like his group funded Spawn. That **** just ain’t natural and looks horrible. It’s already preposed, especially in the waist. Giving it ab crunch and waist cuts ain’t gonna change the movement and flow of the figure. I’m all for super articulation, but it has to make sense and look good. MOST of the Vintage Collection does not. That Tarkin with his fabric skirt, pretty much every Luke except Pilot Luke, they look like abominations. Resurgence Luke looks like a dwarf with a bad haircut. The Jedi all look like robots the way the joints are cut into their sculpts. To me, the 1999-2000 Episode I figures of Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Mace Windu, etc. are better looking figures. They held their lightsabers with both hands better too.

I don’t know. Sculpt and proportions have always been more important to me than articulation. I want something that looks good in photos and on the shelf and feels well made. Not articulation just for the sake of articulation. I don’t care about uniformity either. To me, that recent 5 POA Vader looks much better than any of TVC and I’d sooner have it next to the TVC Pilot Luke than that #93 Vader.

 

[a-dev]

OK one other gripe I have with NECA is the Warrior Alien consistently getting the crappy QC - breakages due to stuck joints and legs and/or back pipes horrifically warped in package.

Not only that, he is super fragile. Imagine plopping down $200 on him and his bike breaks or his hand snaps or the one you get has a bad paint job. Atleast with Hasbro they?re somewhat consistent. That $110 Commander Cody or $250 SDCC isn?t going to have bad paint apps or broken limbs. With NECA though, you never know what you?re gonna get. John Connor at that price for an opener is a huge gamble.

Based on the ones I have the paint was reasonably consistent on John and I haven't had any breakages of the figure. The bike though - I've had some parts breaking and one or two bikes that are kinda warped with the front and back wheels not lining up.

NECA has been rereleasing/reprinting their older figures. I just saw the Ultimate Tech Noir T-800 at Walmart yesterday. I could definitely see John getting rereleased.

There is a clear demand for Terminator toys when you have people plopping down $100 for Police Shootout T-800 or $100 for a loose Kyle Reese.


View attachment 485894
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NECA is missing out on easy money not doing a couple of ?NEW? releases that they could throw into circulation every couple of years. Not sure how throwing a barebones John Connor out in the market would be risky for them or why they?re reluctant to sculpt some new legs and a couple of new heads for Kyle Reese.

Yeah I saw that the Ultimate Uncle Bob and Tech Noir are both getting international rerelease. Believe it or not I've ordered some - for future custom plans.

As for new stuff I was talking with some people on twitter (A-Dev on there - I capitalized! Dunno why I went lower case here) the other night in reply to a Terminator-related question that Randy answered. I hoped it'd draw some attention but he either didn't see it or chose to ignore it. I may just be too new on there.

View attachment 485900

Damn those floating holsters on Jango were awful. The misshapen helmet, the weird colours. Boba is slightly better but the damn helmet.....

 

[ShootingtheGalaxy]

Which is a shame. A lot of those 5 POA figures they released were awesome. I liked the force link Fett, Vader, RO Stormtrooper, Tie Pilot, AT-AT Driver, etc. way more than the super articulated ones.

That?s another problem, most collectors in this community have a really jaded and narrow view of what a toy/figure should be. It?s like, if it isn?t specifically a super articulated ?vintage collection? style figure, then it shouldn?t be made. In their eyes, every figure needs to be like this,


View attachment 485901


So now because of this, there is only ONE line for that scale and that is TVC. TVC is synonymous with 3.75 and there is no going back.

I actually miss the days where Kenner/Hasbro experimented a bit with the format. I know collectors don?t like ?gimmicks? but I loved things like the GUNNER STATIONS where you had an all new figure and they came with a cockpit section like the Falcon cannons or Darth Vader?s TIE. The figures were cool, the action feature made sense and you were getting a piece of a vehicle that couldn?t really be incorporated into the actual vehicle feasibly. I?d love to see more of that, especially for things like Mandolorian.

While I love articulation, I don?t think it?s end all be all. Hammerhead doesn?t need balljointed elbows and Ephont Man doesn?t need knees and softgood clothes. I know I?m in the minority but some of these ?premium TVC? figures are pretty ghastly looking to me. Like take Jango Fett or Boba Fett for instance. I have NOT been impressed with any of their recent offering for them where they make them super articulated with soft goods, ball joints, removable helmets, etc. They look ugly to me. Their proportions are weird, especially the legs and any human that has a balljointed neck.

To me, something like that 5 POA forcelink Boba Fett with it?s superior sculpt or the 300th POTJ Boba Fett in that cool rifle proposed rifle stance are much nicer and more aesthetically pleasing representations of Fett than TVC Fett. Same for Jango. Those Saga versions of Jango are awesome. Back in the day they nailed the paint applications perfectly. The silver armor, the grey/blue look then the accompanying gimmick for whatever scene he was in. There were three in particular that always stood out. The one, I think it was called Kamino escape, where he had the removable helmet and rocket firing jet pack, was a great toy. The Slave 1 Pilot where he was in a neutral stance and had the cool headset and quick draw feature was awesome. Then of course there was that Final Battle one that had that cool flamethrowing pose (with launching flame) and the magnetic head that could be lobbed off by Mace Windu. Each one had great sculpts and proportions, representing a key scene from or action from the movie. All without a button or an obtrusive lever in their back. If you had those three, you were pretty much set for that character.

Now, people just want everything to adhere to this ball jointed, neutral stanced ideal, on a vintage throw back card


View attachment 485900


Then anything different that isn?t that specifically is considered ?going backwards? and not up to par. It?s far too restrictive.

Everyone?s favorite Farmboy Luke seems to be that Resurgence pack version because it super articulated. To me, those Farmboy Lukes that were coming out in the early 2000s like ?playing with model T-16? Luke or ?searching for R2? Luke or ?training on the Falcon? Luke are much better.

The irony of the first part of your statement is that a lot of the TVC fans did NOT want Aphra at all. They tend to be very anti Disney era Star Wars. I am in the camp that wants super articulation for everything though.

I stopped collecting Star Wars/toys around 2008. Always kept it in my peripherals though. I'd check out what was on the pegs and shelves when I'd go to the store. But I never bought anything until 2014 when my fiance' got me the new FO Black Series 6 inch Trooper after I told her how much I love it's design. Ironically that figure is TERRIBLE. I thought it was going to be super posable and able to do everything I wanted it to. So although that got me back into collecting, it was also a disappointment in that sense lol.

Anyway my point being that 6 inch figures felt like everything I wanted out of my 3.75 figures as a kid. And in hand they felt like 3.75 figures grown up. I only just now got back into 3.75 because the quality is only now starting to approach what 6 inch has been doing for years (other companies besides Hasbro included).

So yeah I wouldn't be interested if the articulation started going backwards myself lol. Especially as a photographer. I don't just recreate movie scenes, I make my own adventures like we used to as children. I need that extra articulation.

But at the same time I do agree that a LOT of those recent 5poa figures were gorgeous.

 

[jye4ever]

Re: 3.75" Collecting Thread

Ah now I understand where TheDucky got his internet handle from, lol.

I?ll tell you what I will take the HT FO deluxe ducky Jakku trooper design with vest (same as that BS in my pic) over the HT ROTJ trooper design any day of the week.

You have no idea how much I despise those ridiculous ROTJ stormtrooper helmets it squeezed their heads so much they lost to freaking Ewoks.


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[jye4ever]

The worst is when they take a really cool statuesque figure and FORCE super articulation into it, like his group funded Spawn. That **** just ain?t natural and looks horrible. It?s already preposed, especially in the waist. Giving it ab crunch and waist cuts ain?t gonna change the movement and flow of the figure. I?m all for super articulation, but it has to make sense and look good. MOST of the Vintage Collection does not. That Tarkin with his fabric skirt, pretty much every Luke except Pilot Luke, they look like abominations. Resurgence Luke looks like a dwarf with a bad haircut. The Jedi all look like robots the way the joints are cut into their sculpts. To me, the 1999-2000 Episode I figures of Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Mace Windu, etc. are better looking figures. They held their lightsabers with both hands better too.

I don?t know. Sculpt and proportions have always been more important to me than articulation. I want something that looks good in photos and on the shelf and feels well made. Not articulation just for the sake of articulation. I don?t care about uniformity either. To me, that recent 5 POA Vader looks much better than any of TVC and I?d sooner have it next to the TVC Pilot Luke than that #93 Vader.

Of course I bought 2 of those Spawns lol


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[DiFabio]

I don’t get why a modern Farmboy Luke is so hard for them. Even the Black series 6” version is odd to me.

To me, it’s the most iconic version of Luke. Starting with the VOTC one in 2004, they have this idea in their head that Luke needs to have softgood, be it his shirt or the “skirt” piece that forms from the belt. I get a soft goods robe, cape, etc. but I don’t get the appeal of trying to mix match mediums on the actual sculpted figure. In terms of detail, Pilot Luke is way more detailed and complex, yet they always knock him out of the park. The Legacy 3.75 Snowspeeder Luke, 6” BS Pilot Luke, 3.75 TVC Pilot Luke and 6” BS Snowspeeder Luke are pretty definitive.

Yet, this is the best they can do for my homeboy, Farmboy Luke,






I like how they avoided putting him in that Skywalker legacy three pack exclusive and opted for Stormtrooper disguise instead. I don’t get what is so difficult about him for them or why it always has to be some frankensteined kitbash that has softgoods implemented into it.

All they have to do is make a brand new sculpt from the ground up, approach it like they have done their Pilot Lukes, then bam, you have a 6” and 3.75 Luke that you can make dozens of different versions of for eternity.

 

[jye4ever]

Luke the pot head lol


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[a-dev]

I see mid-skydive, tiny-legged Luke and 2 tiny-legged Ballerina Lukes.

Terrible figures for the core look of the main character in ANH. The softgoods on the 6'' figures are slightly better but, like DiFabio I don't get why they insist on softgoods for this outfit anyway.

 

[Captain Clown]

That Luke in the middle looks pretty good with a head-swap. I kitbashed my own using the head from Stormtrooper Luke in that Jedi Destiny three pack.



I haven’t posted this here yet, but I also threw together my own “definitive” Vader a couple weeks ago using the head from that Force Link Vader, and a wired cape from otcustoms.



I really wish Hasbro would’ve updated the heads for their recently rereleased figures. Bespin Luke especially looks super fugly, and Boba with that warped head to fit the removable helmet gimmick.

 

[jye4ever]

Man that Vader looks great!


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[DiFabio]

I wonder what the team at Hasbro thinks when they get their first shot samples back for the protypes of those Luke figures. Surely they know they suck right out of the gate?

Honestly, I suppose the biggest problem is you have different people working on different figures at different times. The designers that made TVC Bespin Luke ain’t the same designers that made Cara Dune, you know what I mean.

That’s why I sort of prefer the Black Series more, figures are more consistent. Bespin Han, Episode I Obi-Wan, Rebel Fleet Trooper, Mace Windu, Hoth Rebel Soldier, Count Dooku, Luke (Snowspeeder), Captain Rex, Dengar, General Veers, Cara Dune etc. feel and look like they’re part of the same line up and team of designers.

Don’t know what’s so hard about having the same digital sculptor and people that made EP 1 Obi-Wan, Mace and Dooku with the photoreal likeness, hidden ball and butterfly shoulder joints under sculpted fabric and applying that engineering to Farmboy Luke. Then after you master that base body, you can do like Hasbro did in 1999 and make Luke w/stormtrooper belt, rifle and grapple! Obi-Wan (Naboo robes w/commlimk!), Luke w/poncho, binoculars and rifle!

 

[Captain Clown]

Man that Vader looks great!

Thanks!

Honestly, I suppose the biggest problem is you have different people working on different figures at different times. The designers that made TVC Bespin Luke ain?t the same designers that made Cara Dune, you know what I mean.

That?s why I sort of prefer the Black Series more, figures are more consistent. Bespin Han, Episode I Obi-Wan, Rebel Fleet Trooper, Mace Windu, Hoth Rebel Soldier, Count Dooku, Luke (Snowspeeder), Captain Rex, Dengar, General Veers, Cara Dune etc. feel and look like they?re part of the same line up and team of designers.

Don?t know what?s so hard about having the same digital sculptor and people that made EP 1 Obi-Wan, Mace and Dooku with the photoreal likeness, hidden ball and butterfly shoulder joints under sculpted fabric and applying that engineering to Farmboy Luke. Then after you master that base body, you can do like Hasbro did in 1999 and make Luke w/stormtrooper belt, rifle and grapple! Obi-Wan (Naboo robes w/commlimk!), Luke w/poncho, binoculars and rifle!

I think all of the completely new, non-repack figures in TVC have all been pretty great quality-wise, it’s just that Bespin Luke was a rerelease of a figure from 2010. The figures from back then were all hand sculpted, and the digitally applied face deco doesn’t seem to map right. Yavin Leia is a repack of a fairly newer figure (In the Walmart exclusive TBS 3.75” line) that I think used digital sculpting (Or they’d gotten vastly better at hand sculpting), and she looks good with the photoreal face.



Then you get frumpy Bespin Luke released in 2020 after the Jedi Destiny three pack and Cara Dune wave.



What’s even weirder is that they sprang to give Dagobah Luke a brand new head in that Cave of Evil three pack last year, but won’t give any of these other rereleased figures the same treatment.



And the head wasn’t even that figure’s biggest problem - it was the ape arms that everyone has been complaining about for years - and they didn’t even bother fixing them.

 

[punisher1974]

Luke the pot head lol


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He does have that Topher Grace look from that 70's show.

 

[jye4ever]

I wonder what the team at Hasbro thinks when they get their first shot samples back for the protypes of those Luke figures. Surely they know they suck right out of the gate?

Honestly, I suppose the biggest problem is you have different people working on different figures at different times. The designers that made TVC Bespin Luke ain?t the same designers that made Cara Dune, you know what I mean.

That?s why I sort of prefer the Black Series more, figures are more consistent. Bespin Han, Episode I Obi-Wan, Rebel Fleet Trooper, Mace Windu, Hoth Rebel Soldier, Count Dooku, Luke (Snowspeeder), Captain Rex, Dengar, General Veers, Cara Dune etc. feel and look like they?re part of the same line up and team of designers.

Don?t know what?s so hard about having the same digital sculptor and people that made EP 1 Obi-Wan, Mace and Dooku with the photoreal likeness, hidden ball and butterfly shoulder joints under sculpted fabric and applying that engineering to Farmboy Luke. Then after you master that base body, you can do like Hasbro did in 1999 and make Luke w/stormtrooper belt, rifle and grapple! Obi-Wan (Naboo robes w/commlimk!), Luke w/poncho, binoculars and rifle!

BS Mace > Import Mace

Nuff said!

Thanks!



I think all of the completely new, non-repack figures in TVC have all been pretty great quality-wise, it?s just that Bespin Luke was a rerelease of a figure from 2010. The figures from back then were all hand sculpted, and the digitally applied face deco doesn?t seem to map right. Yavin Leia is a repack of a fairly newer figure (In the Walmart exclusive TBS 3.75? line) that I think used digital sculpting (Or they?d gotten vastly better at hand sculpting), and she looks good with the photoreal face.

View attachment 485928

Then you get frumpy Bespin Luke released in 2020 after the Jedi Destiny three pack and Cara Dune wave.

View attachment 485929

What?s even weirder is that they sprang to give Dagobah Luke a brand new head in that Cave of Evil three pack last year, but won?t give any of these other rereleased figures the same treatment.

View attachment 485931

And the head wasn?t even that figure?s biggest problem - it was the ape arms that everyone has been complaining about for years - and they didn?t even bother fixing them.

View attachment 485932

Holy crap!

That does it i?m writing a nasty letter to Hasbro

He does have that Topher Grace look from that 70's show.

Yup lol


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[Captain Clown]

Looking back I'm pretty embarrassed about sharing that open letter to Walmart. I just don't want 3.75" to go anywhere, since it seems more and more realistic that it could go the way of the dodo.

 

[jye4ever]

3.75" Collecting Thread

Looking back I'm pretty embarrassed about sharing that open letter to Walmart. I just don't want 3.75" to go anywhere, since it seems more and more realistic that it could go the way of the dodo.

Nah don?t take DiFabio rant to heart he means well don?t feel embarrassed or guilty you only did what your inner passions asked of you during a momentary lack of judgement and weakness DiFabio forgives you as do all of us here lol

Besides that?s nothing you should see what a-dev does to Randy..

:


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[ShootingtheGalaxy]

Wookie Rage