Captain Antilles is the next 12" Star Wars figure

[superdoug]

i got the email. the problem is there's just too much stuff out there right now and he's no where near the top of the list and once you throw in everything about the economy everything on the list moves down.

Also The last month or two it seems like a lot of 12" figures have been coming out which makes it harder to get everything.

Some figures I consider musts but he's not one of them.

 

[Puay]

If they really want to sell more, maybe they should offer the Vader choking hand with Antilles. Or an alternate "ugh" choking face.

Fans did be thankful if Sideshowdo do that. I thought it will be a good strategic move that will leave an impression with fans.

 

[The Drizzle]

yep, just did. Seems an odd way to try to get sales - a bit needy . Obviously mustn't be selling that well.

I got it, too. Absolutely bizarre. I decided if they were going to resort to these desperation emails, I may as well send my opinion of all the goings-on lately. I hope it wasn't too harsh, but I really do think they need some constructive criticism...

Hi Jeff,
This is obviously a new kind of desperation marketing, and I'm not really impressed with it. As a 1/6 collector, I keep very much up to date with your offerings, as well as offerings from other 1/6 companies. I like the occasional Star Wars figure, but only iconic things, not "people for Vader to choke". I'm not big on endor troops, Padme in a costume the actress never wore, or imperial officers, either, sorry. I know times are tough, but this reads like panic over a figure that's not selling. We all know most SW releases sell through preorders pretty fast- the fact that you're emailing about this one means it's not. As times are tough, my choices have to be more thought out, too- I don't bother with non "must-have" figures these days. I'm unemployed right now, frankly affoding anything is hard. Make figures people want more, and you will sell more- iconic characters like Boba Fett, Greedo, Bossk, Yoda and Chewbacca- I would be on board for every one of them. A Medicom Yoda and Boba Fett are not good enough- they are not in scale with your other releases, Medicoms are too short. You're dabbling too much in fringe characters, background armies, and weird versions of characters, and collectors are afraid they will never see all of the important characters they want, much like what has happened with X-Files and Planet of the Apes. Frankly, I limit my SS produced figures purchases because I do not like the "Buck" body, and I'm really not much more impressed with the Prometheus. You guys should license Hot Toys' True Type bodies. Their bodies are scaled nicely, and are consistently tight in poseability- I never need worry that they will fall over and dive off of my shelves. All of your new body releases so far have had floppiness issues, just like the Buck- the Hobbits, Clone Kenobi, Indiana Jones. Why can HT be so consistently solid, and yours so consistenly in need of fine-tuning? Until you guys stop cutting corners on most things (neckties that are just a foldover with thread wrapped around it, etc) I pretty much only buy Hot Toys figures from you. I would be willing to pay more per figure (and buy more) if you upped the quality and detail of the figures you guys make, and set your sights for the same sort of bar that Hot Toys sets. I don't mean to make you feel bad, I really mean this in a constructive manner- I'm letting you know what collectors/purchasers are expecting from 1/6 figures today. I'd love for my action figure dollars to totally stay in America, but this whole situation is a lot like the automotive industry situation- the American offerings are very average, while overseas companies are making the amazing product that wows customers. All of the amazing work is coming out of Hong Kong of all places. I truly hate coming across as being so negative, but I figure most people just don't bother to let you know, and they just move on- I want to let you know in the hopes that your product will improve. Hot Toys has "changed the terrain" of 1/6 figure collecting. So many of their releases are must-haves for me, and I can usually skip most of yours because each one tends to have a glaring defect or two- floppiness, heads too big, poor paint ops, clothes that look like corners were cut.
Please do continue to send me the weekly newsletter, I enjoy it, but please don't send me this type of email any more. It is unnecessary. I visit your website multiple times a week, and keep up to date on your releases. Besides, with the current floppiness issues of your bodies, I don't hold out a lot of hope that Vader will even be able to hold his own arm up, let alone another figure. :-(
Thanks,
(The Drizzle)

 

[Anzik]

This guy is a nice $50 or $55 figure. He's just not a $70 figure in this climate.

 

[Billy Ray]

LOL, I got the e-mail too and thought it was a phishing attempt. I had to go to the Antilles page on Sideshow's site and verify the URL was the same before I realized it was a legit e-mail from Sideshow.

Not getting Antilles myself BTW.

 

[Amanaman]

Well written letter, Drizzle. You have a lot more tact and patience than I would have! I hope it gets heard at Sideshow's HQ.

It's obvious that Capt. Antilles was made simply because they could re-use parts from the other rebel fleet dude. What's ironic about Sideshow's "playing it safe" approach of making economically-safe choices, as were the Endor troopers, is that it always backfires with excess inventory. If they would take a few calculated risks, we would've had Bossk, Yakface, and Lando by now. And they would have sold out long ago. It's better for everyone, if Sideshow stopped mucking around with the "safe" choices, and got back into making bold offerings. In SW, there's a long list of them.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Even though I didn't pre-order Antilles, I honestly don't have a problem with SS releasing him. I understand exactly why they did so. The obvious downside is that since he's not a top tier character, many will balk at paying top tier pricing.

I just don't want to hear how the line is suffering due to poor sales. This guy wasn't exactly on everyone's most-wanted list, especially with the side by side release of the Rebel Fleet Trooper.

I hope to pick them up when pricing has dropped.

 

[BuddyGus]

I pre-ordered one the day it came out. But, this figure will be the first to get canceled when I find out the price for Hellboy (thanks Hot Toys). I would much rather have gotten X-wing Luke so that we could get Wedge, Rather than RFT and Capt Antilles. Personally I really like the Endor troopers, but mostly cause being a military guy I like "Grunt" type characters.

 

[Rook]

I'm fine with the notion of Antilles as a figure. One of the things that makes the entire Star Wars universe so great is the attention to detail given to the lowliest of peripheral characters. It's great that Sideshow shows dedication to that. It proves to me that they are fans of the saga.

Having said that, I don't think that I'll be adding him to my collection, as times are tight with rumors of layoffs bouncing around the office. But kudos to Sideshow for exploring all of the Star Wars galaxy instead of simply doing core characters and nothing else.

These figures are going to be around forever, be it on Sideshow's site as poor sellers or in the aftermarket on eBay and the like. Their company has all the time in the world to give us Lando, the Fetts, prison-suit Luke and the rest. Some of them I'll buy. Others I won't.

But I'll never, ever suggest that they should stop giving me options. And I hope they don't listen to anyone out there suggesting that they should...

 

[UMRebel]

Nice job there Drizzle. I'll be curious to know if you get any kind of response. Let us all know if you do.

 

[The Drizzle]

Well written letter, Drizzle. You have a lot more tact and patience than I would have! I hope it gets heard at Sideshow's HQ.

It's obvious that Capt. Antilles was made simply because they could re-use parts from the other rebel fleet dude. What's ironic about Sideshow's "playing it safe" approach of making economically-safe choices, as were the Endor troopers, is that it always backfires with excess inventory. If they would take a few calculated risks, we would've had Bossk, Yakface, and Lando by now. And they would have sold out long ago. It's better for everyone, if Sideshow stopped mucking around with the "safe" choices, and got back into making bold offerings. In SW, there's a long list of them.

Thanks! I just decided to take a chance, since this seemed to be an actual SS person's email. Every one of those figures you mentioned I would be on board with instantly. You're right, most of their choices of offerings are things they think are safe bets, re-using parts, etc, and it never impresses me. Where is Ponda Baba? Hammerhead? The cool stuff. It's weird, but part of what has turned me off of a good number of their figures are those ugly shiny black boots they keep reusing that have those too-little looking feet, and pointy little toes. They are not accurate to any of the figures they have put them on, and there is no flexibility, so most poses look stiff. When Hot Toys does a figures boots, it is rare to see a rehash of parts from another figure. It's these little things that have always been a tad irritating all coming together these days to make most of the SS figures look undesirable. The one exception for me being Clone Obi-Wan, and surprise, it's the most "Hot Toys-esque" figure they have made. Were it not for the floppiness, I would give it a 10. They need to take more chances, make more accurate sculpts, make a good figure body, and make their clothes more accurate. I keep thinking back to that Yavin Luke I returned... I was so sickened by that figure. Totally inaccurate clothes and a crappy sculpt. I have always wanted a Luke in that costume, but I could not stand one that was so, so off.

 

[The Drizzle]

Nice job there Drizzle. I'll be curious to know if you get any kind of response. Let us all know if you do.

Will do, but I'm betting I don't hear a thing. SS seems to be pretty good about having a fan communication presence online, but I notice quality issues, etc, never really seem to get addressed. It's like that "elephant in the corner" metaphor.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I'm fine with the notion of Antilles as a figure. One of the things that makes the entire Star Wars universe so great is the attention to detail given to the lowliest of peripheral characters. It's great that Sideshow shows dedication to that. It proves to me that they are fans of the saga.

Having said that, I don't think that I'll be adding him to my collection, as times are tight with rumors of layoffs bouncing around the office. But kudos to Sideshow for exploring all of the Star Wars galaxy instead of simply doing core characters and nothing else.

These figures are going to be around forever, be it on Sideshow's site as poor sellers or in the aftermarket on eBay and the like. Their company has all the time in the world to give us Lando, the Fetts, prison-suit Luke and the rest. Some of them I'll buy. Others I won't.

But I'll never, ever suggest that they should stop giving me options. And I hope they don't listen to anyone out there suggesting that they should...

This is EXACTLY how I feel. I personally can't criticize SSC for making a figure thats from such an iconic scene and fits with several other figures that either just came out or are about to.

The biggest problem I have is this figure 4 years ago would have been $40. This figure was pretty much announced prior to the economic melt down too.

The last 3 months have only compounded on the price problem.

I think its really unfortunate that price and the economy is going to basically kill any idea of making obscure characters.

I think this line is dangerously close to becoming merely Luke, Leias and clones from here on out.

 

[SimFeliz]

I'm fine with the notion of Antilles as a figure. One of the things that makes the entire Star Wars universe so great is the attention to detail given to the lowliest of peripheral characters. It's great that Sideshow shows dedication to that. It proves to me that they are fans of the saga.

Having said that, I don't think that I'll be adding him to my collection, as times are tight with rumors of layoffs bouncing around the office. But kudos to Sideshow for exploring all of the Star Wars galaxy instead of simply doing core characters and nothing else.

These figures are going to be around forever, be it on Sideshow's site as poor sellers or in the aftermarket on eBay and the like. Their company has all the time in the world to give us Lando, the Fetts, prison-suit Luke and the rest. Some of them I'll buy. Others I won't.

But I'll never, ever suggest that they should stop giving me options. And I hope they don't listen to anyone out there suggesting that they should...

I couldn't agree more.

I'm passing on him because I'm saving to buy a house, the Aussie dollar right now and still torn if I should continue with the 1/6 SW figures. Not because I’m unhappy with the choice.

Sure I think they could have made a better selection especially considering he was announced so close to the Rebel Trooper. But I do feel you can't really criticise SS for going out on a limb and making a non-important background character and then requesting Bossk, Yakface, and Hammerhead etc... Yes I would love to see these made too, but who’s to say one background character is a must have over another. That will always be a personal choice.

Drizzle it was a great letter. It will be interesting to see if you get any repose.

 

[Darth Cruel]

Is this really do shocking? It is a perfectly logical way to get the message to some collectors that there are some available. They are likely testing the success of this advertising medium. If it doesn't work, they will likely not try it again.

I got the message as well and I also have the limit of these guys ordered already.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Hey, Jeff Dean just knocked on my door and asked why I didn't order Antilles. I told him that I did preorder, but I'll likely cancel. He told me if I have Vader on order, then I really need Antilles to go with him. I said that I didn't really want or need 4th tier characters, and then I asked him how the 1/6th Chewbacca is coming along. He then punched me with a cheap shot and stormed off.

 

[The Drizzle]

Is this really do shocking? It is a perfectly logical way to get the message to some collectors that there are some available. They are likely testing the success of this advertising medium. If it doesn't work, they will likely not try it again.

I got the message as well and I also have the limit of these guys ordered already.

It's not shocking, it's just an irritating, desperate measure, and I hope to discourage it. I don't need an email for each slow seller, they already spotlight slow sellers in the weekly newsletter.

Oh, and Wor-Gar, you are hilarious. Good one! Think I'll turn my front porch lights off so it looks like I'm not home.

 

[IrishJedi]

Hey, Jeff Dean just knocked on my door and asked why I didn't order Antilles. I told him that I did preorder, but I'll likely cancel. He told me if I have Vader on order, then I really need Antilles to go with him. I said that I didn't really want or need 4th tier characters, and then I asked him how the 1/6th Chewbacca is coming along. He then punched me with a cheap shot and stormed off.

The funny thing is... why do they even think pimping Antilles as an accessory figure for Vader will work when we all have THE essential companion figure already: Old Ben??

Sideshow cracks me up sometimes. They probably wish we were all like Darth Cruel and blindly purchased 2 of every offered figure, without question. If we were, these silly email tactics might actually work (if they would even be necessary to begin with )

 

[toystales]

I didn't have this figure pre-ordered but I also did not receive the email. Not that I am complaining though because I have no intention of buying this figure, at least not for $70.

 

[icruise]

I'm still interested in how they determined who to send this to. Since they apparently didn't send it to everyone, I would assume that they wouldn't be sending it to people who just order their Marvel statues or something.

As for this figure, I have no problem with them offering minor characters -- in fact that's part of what I enjoy about their Star Wars line. But I do get the impression that a large amount of their character choices are based on what is easy to make, and not on what people are clamoring for. As some people have mentioned, I'd MUCH rather have minor characters like the cantina aliens, but presumably that would involve a lot more R&D. I think Sideshow has to face that fact that with rising prices and growing economic instability, people are going to be a lot more choosy about what they buy.