Bank Robber Joker

[MaulFan]

Where are these?

Heewing posted these awesome pics at toy-world. It looks like a real person!!I'm getting two of these!!

These images. As a photographer of these figures, I can tell you this shoot took some effort, and they're not going to waste that on a head they're not going to use.

 

[vader]

I'd start worrying if the prototype is pulled from the window display in HK.

I agree with darren1228. As of 10 days ago, it's still this on display (taken by a friend of mine who was there):

 

[MaulFan]

Well, while I believe the head is going to be what we've been expecting, I DO NOT consider those store images credible after all the issues with the TDK Suit figure, one minute it had the right parts, next it's mix and match, that jaded me to putting faith in what you see there.

 

[darren1228]

I'm not too worried yet and I was merely using the Kane pics in a humorous manner. Yes it did say "prototype pending approval" but it was such a drastic change. Also keep in mind that the words "prototype pending approval" was added later on to the Kane pics....they weren't there to begin with and what can you do if Hot Toys adds those dreadful words to the BR Joker pics.

What is also strange is why create an ad using a sculpt that won't be used?

But like I said earlier....I'm not going to worry until the prototype displayed at the shop in HK gets pulled and the words "prototype pending approval" are added to the official pics.

 

[darren1228]

Maulfan brings up another great point. The official pics for TDK ver Batman does not have "prototype pending approval" on it. But Hot Toys has been constantly changing it. Just because the pics doesn't have those words on it doesn't mean it can't be changed.

 

[MaulFan]

What is also strange is why create an ad using a sculpt that won't be used?

Well that raises the Predator figures issue. They had a layout completed and put out there, but they're not even ready for taking preorders on the figures. This graphic may have been made and published long ago in a similar publication and someone just happened to finally spread it out there, but it may have been done long ago.

 

[darren1228]

Well that raises the Predator figures issue. They had a layout completed and put out there, but they're not even ready for taking preorders on the figures. This graphic may have been made and published long ago in a similar publication and someone just happened to finally spread it out there, but it may have been done long ago.

Good point! Perhaps the ad was never meant to be seen and now Hot Toys is getting bombed with hate mail from all over the world

Maybe they'll have a newsletter tomorrow to clear it up.

 

[Cap'n Cook]

Ah, thanks Maulfan, I forgot about those ones.

 

[MaulFan]

Maulfan brings up another great point. The official pics for TDK ver Batman does not have "prototype pending approval" on it. But Hot Toys has been constantly changing it. Just because the pics doesn't have those words on it doesn't mean it can't be changed.

True enough, but TDK Batman isn't a pending approval. Somehow, HT doesn't need approval for improvement tweaks or they do it and don't have to say anything.

I've had a fair number of HT figures improve from proto to production, which is usually how it goes unless likeness rights / licenses issues arrise like ALIEN. The first First Blood Rambo had a better headsculpt on the shipped product, as did the first Rocky Balboa figure.

Historically, HT improves from early proto to the production piece. Hell, like it or hate it, I think overall the v1 Joker head came out much better on the final product than the proto images as far as paint, no neon green hair, etc.

I'm thinking Bank robber joker may have originally been planned as a 1 head figure, the slicked hair with the mask, then they saw opportunity for sales to sell it with an extra, better head from their first figure. Rather than delay their marketing, they made an ad using the v1 with a v2 paint scheme and worked on the v2 head in the mean time and once it was complete they made the figure fully public and available for order.

 

[Cap'n Cook]

To be fair, I'm actually not that bothered. Planned on buying the BR Joker before pics were released and will have him displayed with mask on anyway. May affect whether I will buy two though.

 

[darren1228]

To all you photoshop experts is there a chance that this was photoshopped just to mess with us?

 

[SuperHero38]

Oh Boy! Part of the reason Im getting version two is because of the new head sculpt, the one with the serious look. Thats dead on accuracy to Heath's Joker. If its replaced by this new face with the big grin i will be very dissapointed, it looks good, but its too similiar to version 1 head sculpt. I dont know if I posted this pic before but i made a comparison with the version 2 sculpt and actual pics, its dead on! This worries me and my wallet!

 

[MaulFan]

To all you photoshop experts is there a chance that this was photoshopped just to mess with us?

Yes it's possible.

However, there's a lot of work to be done to pull it off and some things just don't add up. I'd have to look at all the official HT images of this figure, but I'm fairly certain that front on 3/4 of his body shot in the center with the slicked hair hasn't popped up, so if it's fake, where'd the maker get the image? Also, the picture has the grainy effects of a magazin scan going on. Typically Photoshop is used to remove that, I don't know why a plugin or whatever would exist to help make that effect, but it'd take effort.

Essentially, is it possible to fake that promo image, yes. Do I believe that to be the case, no. I stand by the assumption it's early promotional material that they apparently send around overseas, as the Predator situation showed, and someone's put it into internet circulation after the official images and ordering have taken place and because of timing, it's freaking people out.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone knew it was early shots and put it out there to screw with folks, but I believe the graphic itself came from an official source.

 

[Cap'n Cook]

K, found this Joker pic I took a while ago. Although the angle is not perfect, it is pretty close. As you can see froom the parts I have highlighted, it is a repaint, (poss resculpted closed mouth too), of the V1 head:

 

[Thrustmaster]

It could be also a fake by a fan who just put the v1 sculpt to the bank robber joker body. so don't believe every pic. we have so many official pics from hot toys which shows you the good sculpt and one pic which has a real bad quality...

it could be old or a fake, but i'm sure, it's NOT the sculpt which we'll get...

 

[automaton]

K, found this Joker pic I took a while ago. Although the angle is not perfect, it is pretty close. As you can see froom the parts I have highlighted, it is a repaint, (poss resculpted closed mouth too), of the V1 head:

thanks, this helps.

 

[nozzlewizard]

K, found this Joker pic I took a while ago. Although the angle is not perfect, it is pretty close. As you can see froom the parts I have highlighted, it is a repaint, (poss resculpted closed mouth too), of the V1 head:

Thanks, I needed that, I was starting to worry the BR head is superb.

 

[vodoun]

I can't help seeing this, but as somebody else once said somewhere here or somewhere else... I keep thinking Roger Federer as The Joker.

 

[Jmek]

Oh Boy! Part of the reason Im getting version two is because of the new head sculpt, the one with the serious look. Thats dead on accuracy to Heath's Joker. If its replaced by this new face with the big grin i will be very dissapointed, it looks good, but its too similiar to version 1 head sculpt. I dont know if I posted this pic before but i made a comparison with the version 2 sculpt and actual pics, its dead on! This worries me and my wallet!

Excellent montage my friend. It's almost a case of spot which is real and which is the sculpt. Personnaly I think the V1 Joker is superb. But this really does blow it out of the water.

Roll on December!

 

[PsychoCenobite]

K, found this Joker pic I took a while ago. Although the angle is not perfect, it is pretty close. As you can see froom the parts I have highlighted, it is a repaint, (poss resculpted closed mouth too), of the V1 head:

Also, if you look at the hand/fingers holding the mask, they look 100% like they've been Photoshoped!

The mask doesn't look like it is really there. So if that has been Photoshoped, then maybe the rest has - V1 head with paint job (either Photoshoped or custom job) Photoshoped onto the Bank Robber body.

It's a shame it's a bad scan. A good quality version would show it up a bit better but I'm going with a Photoshoped version... but I'm not sure why this would have been done?!

PsychoCenobite