Asmus Toys : Gandalf the Grey

[Bucky Underbelly]

I REALLY hope they consider selling the sculpted head as a separate accessory. It's beautiful. And I too, would happily give up articulation for a sculpt that good. (I might even consider buying a second Gandalf so I could display both versions.)

I fully expect the wrinkling in the haired version to smooth out a bit in production, but his hairline bugs me, too. Gandalf's widow's peak really is a big part of the likeness in my opinion, and not having it hurts this one a bit. I get that it's likely a technical production issue, but it knocks the likeness down half a star in my book.

Don't get me wrong, it's still quite a good looking figure and I'm totally going to buy it, I just would have preferred the original sculpt.

Also, I am a bit puzzled that they're offering the exclusive Hobbit staff but not his scarf. If you're going to give folks the option of having him in his Hobbit look, why not take that one last step?

 

[cmiller99]

And it actually looks like the actor who portrayed him. Even without the wrinkles and looking too old, I just can't see any likeness similarities in the new sculpt. It's a great looking Gandalf, just not the one we saw in movies, IMO.

The lips, shape of the cheeks, eyes, and forehead have all changed from the old sculpt to the new sculpt.

In the rooted version Gandalf, I see a "unmasked Robocop" effect on the forehead. Like his face is in front of the place of where his hair come from.

Luckily you'll be able to hide that with the hat most of the time. But there's definitely something distinctive about Gandalf's hair, his widow's peak. You can't replicate it with rooted hair.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Maybe that original Grey sculpt is to become the replacement Gandalf the White sculpt (with some modifications)?

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

Maybe that original Grey sculpt is to become the replacement Gandalf the White sculpt (with some modifications)?

Man, I hope not. That one just captures the character of Gandalf the Grey so beautifully. In my opinion, Gandalf the White would probably work better with rooted hair.

 

[cmiller99]

Maybe that original Grey sculpt is to become the replacement Gandalf the White sculpt (with some modifications)?

That'd be great only if they made a cast of it in the Grey version first.

 

[macky17g]

im not liking it, doesnt look like ian mckellen, the sculpt on page 1 was Perfect so why change it?

 

[Wor-Gar]

George: is the "manly error" glitch on the ordering page fixed?

And when does this ship out? I know you're trying to tighten the distance between preorder and shipping.

 

[rjszar]

Yes, everybody is right. The old headsculpt was perfect and this looks absolutely nothing like Gandalf or Ian. It has to be THE WORST figure that Asmus has put out to date. We should all boycott and never buy anything from them again.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Hey, Deathstalker just alerted me that there's a 3rd staff (The Hobbit staff) only available thru preorder -- I'm guessing that means thru Asmus only.

 

[rjszar]

Hey, Deathstalker just alerted me that there's a 3rd staff (The Hobbit staff) only available thru preorder -- I'm guessing that means thru Asmus only.

It was stated that it would ship in May for sure.

the third staff was mentioned a couple of times. Not sure if it's only available through Asmus.

 

[Entropy]

That first sculpt was so much better. Why did you switch especially after you showed the first one, Asmus? Sad and it doesnt make any sense.

 

[WWEJedi]

That sculpt is unbelievable. I don't think you can do any better, perfect.

Is the cart going to be made still? Or was that just a prop for one of the shows?

This just in.

View attachment 210195

I would love to have this.

 

[rjszar]

People.....rather than criticizing the heck out of a very good figure, why not just nicely ask if we can have the option to PURCHASE the other sculpt. If I were Asmus, I would be more open to supplying something simply to meet people's varying tastes if people didn't rip apart a figure that they worked on for so long to try to get right.

 

[Stark Resilient]

The first sculpt was a perfect FotR Gandalf. The new head sculpt retains the likeness, but it looks like they based it more on the Hobbit this time around. Ian McKellen visually aged a lot in the face between the movies. I think the likeness on the final head sculpt is there, I just wish they went with a Fellowship likeness instead. That's not gonna stop me from adding Gandalf the Grey to the collection tho.

 

[Jrobertson]

People.....rather than criticizing the heck out of a very good figure, why not just nicely ask if we can have the option to PURCHASE the other sculpt. If I were Asmus, I would be more open to supplying something simply to meet people's varying tastes if people didn't rip apart a figure that they worked on for so long to try to get right.

 

[Stark Resilient]

Oh, I also cannot wait to see the Moria base. I hope it's as good as Aragorn's and Saruman's.

 

[Wor-Gar]

It was stated that it would ship in May for sure.

the third staff was mentioned a couple of times. Not sure if it's only available through Asmus.

Thanks, I didn't know that.

 

[rjszar]

The first sculpt was a perfect FotR Gandalf. The new head sculpt retains the likeness, but it looks like they based it more on the Hobbit this time around. Ian McKellen visually aged a lot in the face between the movies. I think the likeness on the final head sculpt is there, I just wish they went with a Fellowship likeness instead. That's not gonna stop me from adding Gandalf the Grey to the collection tho.

You are correct. I think this is perfect for The Hobbit. As it is supposed to be LOTR, it is off. But, I would bet that some of us, maybe a lot of us would buy a Hobbit Gandalf as well if we had gotten the fully sculpted head as the LOTR Gandalf. It would fit better with the Hobbits (if you really are concerned with accuracy.) If the original sculpt becomes available, I'd buy a second Gandalf to have one of each.

 

[Stark Resilient]

You are correct. I think this is perfect for The Hobbit. As it is supposed to be LOTR, it is off. But, I would bet that some of us, maybe a lot of us would buy a Hobbit Gandalf as well if we had gotten the fully sculpted head as the LOTR Gandalf. It would fit better with the Hobbits (if you really are concerned with accuracy.) If the original sculpt becomes available, I'd buy a second Gandalf to have one of each.

Well, I think they're branding any character they can as Lord of the Rings in promo images, but they are actually Hobbit figures, like Saruman. They said that Lord of the Rings figures have out sold the Hobbit figures. They're probably generating more interest by having the promo images say Lord of the Rings.. If you look on Asmus's site, Gandalf's code is HOBT04. When you go to their products page, he's listed in a drop down menu for the Hobbit, not Lord of the Rings.

I personally would much prefer the Lord of the Rings based head sculpt, but I'll take what I can get right now. If they offer a new head later on, I would be cool with that.

 

[cmiller99]

Yes, everybody is right. The old headsculpt was perfect and this looks absolutely nothing like Gandalf or Ian. It has to be THE WORST figure that Asmus has put out to date. We should all boycott and never buy anything from them again.

I know this is a joke but I don't think that's what most of us have been saying. In fact I'm pretty sure nearly everyone has praised the non-sculpt aspects of the figure, and most have expressed happiness with the sculpt. Most here are trying to be constructive.

People.....rather than criticizing the heck out of a very good figure, why not just nicely ask if we can have the option to PURCHASE the other sculpt. If I were Asmus, I would be more open to supplying something simply to meet people's varying tastes if people didn't rip apart a figure that they worked on for so long to try to get right.

That's been the tone of a number of posts before yours. Having that option would be fantastic.

I think that this is a very good looking figure, apart from the too old head. It's the only thing keeping me back from ordering. If the original head teased on P1 was offered separately or as an alternate version, I would be ecstatic.