[Blitzway] The Silence of the Lambs: Hannibal Lecter

[Raymond F.]

lol the figure looks great, what were you talking about?. I think some people here works for Hot Toys and see Blitzway as a threat. That's why they try to put down every release

This is obviously not it lol. Why Blitzway releases tend to get hit pretty hard when they finally come out is because there is a very significant drop off in quality compared to the prototype. That and people already hold them in higher regard and expectation than something like threezero who is really cheap and you already know the final won’t look like the prototype.

Blitzway is pretty young and doesn’t have a lot of releases but ever since Carlito the final production head showed a lot of inconsistencies to the prototype. Part of the problem is they don’t have a JC Hong or YJ park type guy who is instrumental in not only painting but production control. They hire someone to paint it and let their factories go to town hoping it looks kinda like that when it’s produced. The way JC paints is very conducive to something that can be replicated by the factories and the people who are still hand painting elements of the heads. It’s a good system.

The drop off in quality really goes a long way to creating disappointment in the customer confidence. Hot toys have their drop off in quality too but more often than not they actually go and make the final thing better case in point with the recent old leia release.

It’s not Blitzways fault per se as they just don’t have the muscle that hot toys does. That’s being said considering other companies like sideshow, threezero Star ace etc are all in the same boat I think blitzway has got a leg up on all these because if you ask me, paint issues aside the quality overall of the figures still blow away those other companies I mentioned.

 

[Cman]

This is obviously not it lol. Why Blitzway releases tend to get hit pretty hard when they finally come out is because there is a very significant drop off in quality compared to the prototype. That and people already hold them in higher regard and expectation than something like threezero who is really cheap and you already know the final won’t look like the prototype.

Blitzway is pretty young and doesn’t have a lot of releases but ever since Carlito the final production head showed a lot of inconsistencies to the prototype. Part of the problem is they don’t have a JC Hong or YJ park type guy who is instrumental in not only painting but production control. They hire someone to paint it and let their factories go to town hoping it looks kinda like that when it’s produced. The way JC paints is very conducive to something that can be replicated by the factories and the people who are still hand painting elements of the heads. It’s a good system.

The drop off in quality really goes a long way to creating disappointment in the customer confidence. Hot toys have their drop off in quality too but more often than not they actually go and make the final thing better case in point with the recent old leia release.

It’s not Blitzways fault per se as they just don’t have the muscle that hot toys does. That’s being said considering other companies like sideshow, threezero Star ace etc are all in the same boat I think blitzway has got a leg up on all these because if you ask me, paint issues aside the quality overall of the figures still blow away those other companies I mentioned.

Great post. I would also say blitzways sculpts seem to be better likeness wise which is what makes them stand out even though paint isn’t as good as hot toys. Personally I think hot toys sculpts are way overrated. For as many figures as they crank out a year the sculpts they nail are about one out of every ten figures. And very rarely is that one a primary/main character. Most are pretty mediocre at best likeness wise and only saved by hot toys superior paint apps.


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[batsheva]

I agree. Hot Toys advertise a perfect paintjob, and J.C.Hong made sure the actual product is at least very very close or similar to the advertisement. Blitzway's mistake is similar to Threezero's, they show a perfect paintjob in the advertised pics, in order to make many preorders, but they can never replicate those in the actual products. The sculpt on Blitzway's at least the same with the one they advertised, it's just the painting flaws that made the customer complaints.

 

[shells075]

Remember him?

I very nearly PO'd when I saw the promo figs, I was that impressed but I'm not a huge SL fan so decided to pass.

 

[Stanlore]

Remember him?

I very nearly PO'd when I saw the promo figs, I was that impressed but I'm not a huge SL fan so decided to pass.

To the figures defense, the final product looks pretty good. Although I would love to get what the prototype promised in terms of paint, but the more I look at the proto, he looks like he got to the point of looking sick. Like Lector was eating raw human flesh for months. It brings out the evil and sinister part of him, but then, in the movie most of the time he looks like a normal person (which is what the final figure delivered).

Apart from Scarface, I think Blitzway has a very consistent 35% drop in paint quality and my future expectations will be adjusted as such. Their sculpts do come out great though. Paint wise Ray, Egon, skinhead Tyler Durden, and Tony Montana were good deliveries.

 

[Godfather1408]

I still stand by the best piece today with capturing detail was Carlito the detail and sculpt etc were so mind blowing!
If every Bliztway piece was that quality then we'd all be happy....well most

I'm excited to see their Forrest Gump now they have the license!!!!

 

[Sidewinder]

Great post. I would also say blitzways sculpts seem to be better likeness wise which is what makes them stand out even though paint isn’t as good as hot toys. Personally I think hot toys sculpts are way overrated. For as many figures as they crank out a year the sculpts they nail are about one out of every ten figures. And very rarely is that one a primary/main character. Most are pretty mediocre at best likeness wise and only saved by hot toys superior paint apps.


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Rubbish! So out of HT last 10 releases you think only 1 is a good likeness? I just find that extremely hard to believe. For the amount of figures they are producing every year now, it's amazing how they have managed to keep up the high standard. Every other company seems to have way more misses than hits.

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[Cman]

Rubbish! So out of HT last 10 releases you think only 1 is a good likeness? I just find that extremely hard to believe. For the amount of figures they are producing every year now, it's amazing how they have managed to keep up the high standard. Every other company seems to have way more misses than hits.

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That’s fine you disagree. Hot toys still is the best. But this day in age I consider good likeness to be 95-100%. When you put MOST hot toys sculpts next to a real life photo of the actor it falls far short most times. It’s especially frustrating when hot toys does one character multiple times over the years and still can’t get it right and some random customizer who doesn’t have the endless resources hot toys has throws one together on a computer or by hand and it’s perfect. But like I said 1/10 is spot on - (Tarkin, Tom Holland, Hela). Of course their paint apps and clothing are state of the art 10/10 times so I give them that.


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[MaulFan]

Some flattering pictures via https://www.instagram.com/alexisonfire_021/.

Paint still lacks some life, but clearly the sculpt detail is there and it's still the best Silence sculpt of Hopkins on the market.

Comparison of differences between cell phone pics and digital camera.

 

[robbiethepainter]

Some flattering pictures via https://www.instagram.com/alexisonfire_021/.

Paint still lacks some life, but clearly the sculpt detail is there and it's still the best Silence sculpt of Hopkins on the market.

Comparison of differences between cell phone pics and digital camera.

Agreed.

 

[gido]

Re: Blitzway 1/6 Scale Hannibal Lecter

If here is no photoshop in camera pics- it's great Hopkins portrait. If someone wants to sell head only- better with mouth closed- please let me know!

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[Raymond F.]

That’s fine you disagree. Hot toys still is the best. But this day in age I consider good likeness to be 95-100%. When you put MOST hot toys sculpts next to a real life photo of the actor it falls far short most times. It’s especially frustrating when hot toys does one character multiple times over the years and still can’t get it right and some random customizer who doesn’t have the endless resources hot toys has throws one together on a computer or by hand and it’s perfect. But like I said 1/10 is spot on - (Tarkin, Tom Holland, Hela). Of course their paint apps and clothing are state of the art 10/10 times so I give them that.


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I’d have to say that I’d agree hot toys misses the mark quite a bit in likeness but the irony is? Even though they have their paint and down to a science it’s actuslly the nuance in paint where I feel a lot of their likenesses fall short. This has to do with that consistent yet generic paint production approach I mentioned. I often go into the heads to bring out a bit more detail. It can radically transform a sculpt. Accentuation around really key facial features of the actor can help that likeness pop. Recent examples I did this with are the Netflix punisher and TA Wonder Woman. Even the aforementioned tarken, while I agree a great sculpt, needed some help too (another god damn bald spot neglection).

The problem here is they had Yelim paint the prototypes. She is probably the best at capturing likeness through paint I’ve ever seen in this hobby. I actually had really little expectation that the final would look like that.

 

[Hosam-G]

Pics are better than the previous ones we saw. Sculpt needs a repaint imo.

 

[Cman]

I’d have to say that I’d agree hot toys misses the mark quite a bit in likeness but the irony is? Even though they have their paint and down to a science it’s actuslly the nuance in paint where I feel a lot of their likenesses fall short. This has to do with that consistent yet generic paint production approach I mentioned. I often go into the heads to bring out a bit more detail. It can radically transform a sculpt. Accentuation around really key facial features of the actor can help that likeness pop. Recent examples I did this with are the Netflix punisher and TA Wonder Woman. Even the aforementioned tarken, while I agree a great sculpt, needed some help too (another god damn bald spot neglection).

The problem here is they had Yelim paint the prototypes. She is probably the best at capturing likeness through paint I’ve ever seen in this hobby. I actually had really little expectation that the final would look like that.

Yeah yelim is insane. Wondering if you or anybody could answer this question. I’ve been wondering lately why all the great Asian painters (jc Hong, yelim, Owen) seem to use enamel while most American painters (rahmier, Eakins,) seem to use acrylic. It seems enamel paints take the realism to another level.


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[dukefett]

If you want a different chair for his feet to touch the ground, it's not the same style of chair, but Timewalker put up these office type chairs that seem reasonably priced: https://www.timewalkertoys.com/Boss-Chairs-Three-Color-Options-Jiaou-Doll-1-6-p/joa-001.htm

 

[gido]

Yeah yelim is insane. Wondering if you or anybody could answer this question. I’ve been wondering lately why all the great Asian painters (jc Hong, yelim, Owen) seem to use enamel while most American painters (rahmier, Eakins,) seem to use acrylic. It seems enamel paints take the realism to another level.


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That's question I'm thinking a lot.Seems like in USA enamel is ilegal, no? Lol)

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[Cman]

That's question I'm thinking a lot.Seems like in USA enamel is ilegal, no? Lol)

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Haha I know huh. I do know enamel since it’s not water based takes longer to dry. Maybe Asians have more patience that’s why they use it lol. But seriously enamel seems to bring out more of a translucent natural look than acrylics.


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[Bo Shrek]

I had this figure in mind but with the $300 price tag and the below par look I think I’m cool with the old Neca 7” to represent the Silence of the Lamb license in my collection.

 

[robbiethepainter]

Yeah yelim is insane. Wondering if you or anybody could answer this question. I’ve been wondering lately why all the great Asian painters (jc Hong, yelim, Owen) seem to use enamel while most American painters (rahmier, Eakins,) seem to use acrylic. It seems enamel paints take the realism to another level.


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It's not the paint, it's the style in which people paint.

 

[Raymond F.]

It's not the paint, it's the style in which people paint.

Agreed with Robbie but as a painter myself I concur : the question cman asked is something I’ve also asked myself. Definitely not illegal you can get enamel paints in the US but I can’t for the life of me figure out how to work with them. To me they don’t mix can’t be watered down to layer and they leave a hard raised finish.