Asmus Toys : Legolas (wip thread)

[Travis Baumann]

The biggest thing with that is the huge discrepancy between products like Thranduil, Grishnak, and Saruman for example and the Hobbits (and a few other characters as well of course).

It is as if there are two forces at work over at Asmus. One side is "Just get them out already!", the other is "I want to do Orks, Elves, and Wizards?"

I understand business pressures and working with difficult "partners" but if they could make more of a unified force and understand that we want that level of perfection on the head sculpts at a minimum then you would reduce this negative noise to just the few people that are never happy with anything.

I do support Asmus and love most of the figures I have bought, that being said, there are some figures that I just wont buy.

 

[Wor-Gar]

This was announced in 2014!

Gimli was LISTED as part of the 2013 '5-figure' line-up.

 

[egel]

Has anyone gotten their replacement Gandalf the White sculpts yet?

 

[Haldiron]

What does the replacement Gandalf the White sculpt look like?

 

[denrep-lilium]

They did not make them, it was only an idea for production of GtG, but it seems it never happened. I have both Gandalfs, but seems there will be no updated sculpts to any figure.

 

[hoodonit00]

I support Asmus and defend them, sometimes too much, but stuff like this ticks me off. If you as a company say you're going to do something then you do it. If they weren't going to make the head then don't say you're going to. I guess the same thing is going on with the Tauriel sculpt that was misshapen. AFAIK those with misshapen heads never got a replacement.

 

[PG1973]

I really like Asmus as well but the gandalf the white thing kinda annoys me as well. I don't display him anymore because it looks inferior to the newer stuff, but i haven't got rid of it either because of the new sculpt that was supposed to be coming. This is an issue i would like to hear from Asmus about.

 

[Stark Resilient]

Same, I only bought Gandalf the White because they promised a better headsculpt if you bought Gandalf the Grey, who I was getting anyway.

 

[alienfreak88]

they keep posting reviews on fb but ignore the questions here, whatup Asmus? i used to like your CS

 

[Thainitty]

I think asmus gets quiet because when they post and share legolas info they get a bunch of responses that say "where's the Gandalf sculpt? Where my replacement body? That head sculpt better not change or I'm done" I mean I know people want certain things and want perfect 1:1 recreations of the actors likeness but dang man; it's like some one said earlier there is constructive criticism and then there's bashing.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I think asmus gets quiet because when they post and share legolas info they get a bunch of responses that say "where's the Gandalf sculpt? Where my replacement body? That head sculpt better not change or I'm done" I mean I know people want certain things and want perfect 1:1 recreations of the actors likeness but dang man; it's like some one said earlier there is constructive criticism and then there's bashing.

I definitely think this explains a great deal of Asmus' absence.

It's what happens to every company that comes here, starting with the Forum's namesake.

 

[egel]

True, I guess they also learned not to promise things they can't deliver (or don't want to).

 

[FlyAndFight]

I don't think asking for the promised GtW headsculpt or quality control or questioning the head sculpts is "bashing".

Asmus is charging close to Hot Toys prices but not providing Hot Toys levels of finish. Personally, the head sculpts are the most important aspect of a figure and I'm just not finding the final sculpts worthy enough to replace my Sideshow and custom figures, as of yet. I'm hoping that Legolas and the eventual Gimili will change that.

I want Asmus to succeed, as I want to continue building on my 1/6 scale LOTR collection but I won't fool myself into buying something I find issues with.

 

[YoNoSe]

It seems like people are still complaining loudly about most/all of their human sculpts. If they released a new GTW sculpt right now they would probably be listening to the same song and dance even if it didn't have the same problems as the first one. I agree they should honor their promise but I don't begrudge them for a lack of communication with a fairly rude "fan" base (not everyone, obviously).

 

[Thainitty]

I don't think asking for the promised GtW headsculpt or quality control or questioning the head sculpts is "bashing".

I want Asmus to succeed, as I want to continue building on my 1/6 scale LOTR collection but I won't fool myself into buying something I find issues with.

Maybe asking for the headsculpt in the Gandalf thread wouldn't be bashing but when it's repeated in the Legolas thread it just seems unnecessary.

 

[denrep-lilium]

I think asmus gets quiet because when they post and share legolas info they get a bunch of responses that say "where's the Gandalf sculpt? Where my replacement body? That head sculpt better not change or I'm done" I mean I know people want certain things and want perfect 1:1 recreations of the actors likeness but dang man; it's like some one said earlier there is constructive criticism and then there's bashing.

On the other hand there are not so many companies that present very good sculpts and than have other in production and say that those are the same, just slightly modified. It was with Gandalf the Grey, it was with Frodo (even the sculptor said it does not look as his creation), so yes, people are concerned.
And if Asmus asks for comments and I do some, and then all of it is ignored, when of course they have right to be upset with us.
It is not Cult King or Rainman thread where people go nuts because of buttons and wood color. There are so many little mistakes here and there with almost every release, that it makes people upset.
And yes, why say we will do something and than get silent. Say, guys it will not happen, sorry. The same with build an Orc thing. These guys just change things and get upset with us. Sorry, but I have also right to be upset.

 

[Gipetto0812]

I don't think asking for the promised GtW headsculpt or quality control or questioning the head sculpts is "bashing".

Asmus is charging close to Hot Toys prices but not providing Hot Toys levels of finish. Personally, the head sculpts are the most important aspect of a figure and I'm just not finding the final sculpts worthy enough to replace my Sideshow and custom figures, as of yet. I'm hoping that Legolas and the eventual Gimili will change that.

I want Asmus to succeed, as I want to continue building on my 1/6 scale LOTR collection but I won't fool myself into buying something I find issues with.

I know a lot of ppl use that phrase but at this point I don't think there is a such thing as "Hot Toys level pricing." I think it's just what 1/6 figure pricing is nowadays. It's what Sideshow is charging now as well as Star Ace with recent new releases like Selene, Leonidas, and Katniss. Even some unofficial figures are in the lower $200s. BCS just upped their prices with the new Bond figures and IMO BCS Doctor Who and Sherlock sculpt and paint isn't near what Asmus has delivered recently. But this is where 1/6 is right now. And it's only going to get more expensive as we've seen happen time and time again.

 

[Lee in MI]

I don't know. I think you can't charge what the King of the Hill is charging if you aren't offering what the KotH is offering. One of two things will happen 1. The others like Star Ace, SSCs and BCS will end up choking on unbought stock or 2. The king, Hot Toys, will say hey those guys are charging what we are charging and getting it and their product doesn't compare to ours. Let's charge more!

Either scenario will tilt the system eventually and that's bad for everybody.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I think it's just what 1/6 figure pricing is nowadays.

Very good point.

I don't know where people are getting bargain figures. The occasional figure does come along nicely priced -- like Fury Road Max -- but Asmus has also delivered a figure recently in this price range like Saruman. They also release "slim" versions for a much lower price than anyone.

All I can say is that I'm sad to see Asmus no longer communicating here. I do believe they got themselves in a bind promising new headsculpts on a couple figures, and that will never be corrected to both sides satisfaction -- either the new head won't be right, or the cost will negatively impact Asmus... likely both.

I just hope we can get Legolas AND Gimli before this ride is over.

 

[denrep-lilium]

Threezero has bargain prices and their quality is growing.
Big Chief Studio is expensive because it is British (I suppose they pay higher salaries and production is more expensive).
Stare Ace - is on the edge with their quality and price.
Blitzway and Hot Toys have most releases 200+, but they have mostly perfect sculpts and quite decent outfits.
Asmus is fair on their prices, but what saddens me is that we have LOTR figures once in 10-15 years, and they have unpredictable quality, that you either have to buy something you are not happy, or wait another 10-15 years, or make 300-500 usd custom.