Comiquettes/Premium Formats

[Blackthornone]

Cloth is nice on a statue if it adds something to it by rendering something more in scale than can be done with sculpting, like capes, hoods, and cloaks. Fabric for fabric's sake, as in for a spandex suit is ridiculous, because the weave of the fabric and it's thickness is always out of scale.

 

[vorpoll]

Divo, I never wanted to be more wrong. I will bwlieve it only when I see a fully sculpted 1/4 scale Hulk, Thor, Cap, Doom, etc.........

I'm not going to get excited over a character that can't (Rhino, Venom, Carnage,etc...) be made as a PF anyway. Only when I see some of the above mentioned characters as 1/4 scale pieces will I be a believer. Then I'll know it's for real.

I don't want is for this thread to become another PF vs Com tussle. Even though I have a HEAVY disdain for cloth on my statues, I will admit that some PFs look incredible. The Joker, Mystique, Gambit, and Skaar PFs are out of this world. I understand that their are a ton of PF collectors who love that format. I would rather SSC do away with 1/5 sculpted pieces than 1/4 scale PFs. I just would like to see the Com line become 1/4 scale fully sculpted pieces. This way, we all win.

I would add Lurtz in there.

 

[Mr. Green]

Long live 1/5!!!!!

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Long live 1/5!!!!!

 

[VS1976]

Long live 1/5!!!!!

I think after Angel comiquette, I am officially done with the 1:5 line unless the sculpt is a must have. I guess Dead Pool will be a fully sculpt 1:4 PF.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

I think after Angel comiquette, I am officially done with the 1:5 line unless the sculpt is a must have. I guess Dead Pool will be a fully sculpt 1:4 PF.

his belt & pouch belts are fabric or that leathery material SS uses

 

[VS1976]

his belt & pouch belts are fabric or that leathery material SS uses

Works for me

 

[filip629]

I would add Lurtz in there.

I'm strictly a comic book fan. I'm heavy into Marvel and will pick up some DC pieces. I have no idea what a Lurtz is but I'll take your word for it that it's a cool looking PF. The only statue I will own that isn't comic based is Arthas. I know nothing about the character but the piece is so killer it almost cut me down. As soon as I saw it, I knew I would PO it.

 

[Kibishii]

You obviously haven't got Angel, scale matters for ____ when a statue is that good

I am not denying that Angel is a phenomenal sculpt, but he would still look tiny next to the epic 1/4th scale X-Men PFs. Scale DOES matter when someone is wanting to have a consistent scale display...haven't we had this debate many, many times before? Whether you want to admit it or not, the majority of collectors agree with me or Sideshow would not be making the deci$ion to $witch to primarily 1/4th.

As for Modern X-Men, the modern costumes are excellent, and since you don't collect them, why begruge others

I am hardly begrudging others; I am simply stating the proven fact that the 1/5th scale Modern X-Men line is a failure and should go .

You're damn right the modern costumes are excellent and they should be made in 1/4th scale like the vast majority of collectors have asked. I have collected X-Men comics for over 25 years, have collected the Marvel PF line since 2006, and have been asking for a consistent 1/4th scale X-Men line since then. Sideshow started screwing with scale with the X-Men line and you think that isn't going to "ruffle some feathers"? I am sorry that the 2-3 people who bought the 1/5th scale apparently are going to get far less releases. However, the "scale doesn't matter" group have lost the argument.

 

[Kibishii]

It will always be 1/4 fully sculpted FTW in my book. It is beyond stupid that SSC can't see that. If nothing else, just look at the 1/4 scale Spidey, Venom, and Carnage Coms. That is 1/4 greatness.

I think this is what Sideshow is aiming for; being able to make the fully sculpted crowd happy AND the people who want consistent 1/4th scale to be happy. I have a very strong (hint: VERY strong) feeling that we will be seeing more fully-sculpted characters like Venom & Carnage in 1/4th.

Changing the label Premium Format to simply mean 1/4th scale was a great marketing decision. As many have mentioned, mixed media simply isn't optimal for many characters and I have no problem with some statues being mixed media while others are fully sculpted.

Rogue is a PERFECT example of a good use of sculpted body costume with leather jacket. Spidey/Venom/Carnage are PERFECT examples of fully sculpted working. Daredevil should be fully sculpted and toss in a string for his cane or something simple like that.

 

[filip629]

I think this is what Sideshow is aiming for; being able to make the fully sculpted crowd happy AND the people who want consistent 1/4th scale to be happy. I have a very strong (hint: VERY strong) feeling that we will be seeing more fully-sculpted characters like Venom & Carnage in 1/4th.

Changing the label Premium Format to simply mean 1/4th scale was a great marketing decision. As many have mentioned, mixed media simply isn't optimal for many characters and I have no problem with some statues being mixed media while others are fully sculpted.

Rogue is a PERFECT example of a good use of sculpted body costume with leather jacket. Spidey/Venom/Carnage are PERFECT examples of fully sculpted working. Daredevil should be fully sculpted and toss in a string for his cane or something simple like that.

Kibishii, I don't care what they call the fully sculpted 1/4 scale pieces. I just want them. If I never see a 1/5 scale fully sculpted Cap, Thor, or Dr. Doom, I would be OK with that. I want all of those pieces in 1/4 scale and without any cloth costumes.

It will be very interesting to see if the new Red Skull PF is actually a 1/4 scale Com that has been reclassified as a PF. If that happens I will feel a lot better about the changes. I will start to believe that 1/4 fully sculpted pieces will become more of the norm. I so badly want to believe that is going to happen. SSC's apathy on the subject over the years makes that difficult for me.

 

[peedi]

I'll stand up and say I like my cloth PFs. If it can be reasonablly clothed, cloth it. The costume should be the main factor. I love my Gambit PF and his cloth coat. Wouldn't want it any other way. Probably my favorite statue.

The only problem I have is when the cloth choices aren't the best.

If there are better decisions about what should be 1/4 mixed media and what should be 1/4 fully sculpted, everyone will be happy. But mixed media PFs make money despite who complains about them. A few peices don't sell well, but as long as most of them make money like they do, they will be made.

 

[NorthernLadMSP]

Here we have just a few amazing examples of how fabric can be used flawlessly in a statue:

Joker
Black Panther
Gambit
Mystique
Rogue
Evil Queen
Storm
Lady Death
Vampirella
Hulk

Here an example of a very sad piece that poorly used fabric, and IMO, is a major letdown:

Colossus - It's REALLY too bad, Sideshow couldn't have made this decision to make 1/4 fully sculpted pieces as PFs BEFORE revealing Colossus. I would have ordered in a second if he were fully sculpted.

Sabretooth - I don't think he's awful, in fact I have him and really like him, but I can't help but think how frickin' awesome he would have been with a fully sculpted body.

Then we have amazing 1/4 scale fully sculpted pieces like X-23, Spider-Man and Venom that are perfectly done, fully sculpted, just the way they are.

 

[VS1976]

^^ I don't think we can judge the Colossus just yet until actual photos are released. Some of the peeps thought Psylocke was an awful choice for a PF and she turned out great.

 

[peedi]

^^^^ Yeah I think you nailed it NorthernLadMSP. You don't see people complain about the original Cap PF too much either. Although not everyone will ever be pleased. SSC's fan base is more than the vocal people on these boards. They're a business that has to cater to a lot of people.

Maybe there can be general rules that are adhered to so long as they make sense. Like anything non spandex or not strictly form fitting can get clothed for mixed media PFs. Like coats (Gambit), Capes (Black Panther), loose belts (Rogue), seemingly non spandex pants (Captain Ameica) and female swimsuit style costumes (Ms. Marvel, Psylocke).

If they're spandex, maybe they are best served as 1/4 fully sculpted like Iron/BiB Spider-Man.

I don't think it has to be so polarizing among fans though. I'd like a Deadpool 1/4 fully sculpted rather than to just throw in a cloth belt or a few cloth pouches that aren't worht it. Yet, I'd love a comic book Black Widow in tight cloth, or a Hellfire Club Emma Frost in cloth. Depends on the costume.

 

[Kibishii]

Fully sculpted vs mixed media isn't as big of a deal to me because they both can work well. The Doom PF is a masterpiece of mixed use and Thor's cloth doesn't look bad at all.

 

[filip629]

Fully sculpted vs mixed media isn't really an issue. PF collectors will get a mixed media statue of every character they want so long as cloth can be used on a statue. They are popular and aren't going anywhere. It doesn't matter which ones we think are well done or not. SSC will continue to make them.

The problem lies with 1/4 fully sculpted statues. They are too rare. Some of the characters missing in this category are glaring.

Hulk
Cap
Thor
Red Skull
Cyclops
Colossus
Storm
Sabretooth
Dr. Doom

These characters were already released as PFs. They are long overdue for the fully sculpted treatment. Knowing SSC, some will be released as 1/5 pieces and some as 1/4 pieces. That is where the problem lies. SSC has screwed the fully sculpted fan from the start with it's F'd up Com scales over the years. The trend is not their friend on this issue.

 

[VS1976]

Fully sculpted vs mixed media isn't really an issue. PF collectors will get a mixed media statue of every character they want so long as cloth can be used on a statue. They are popular and aren't going anywhere. It doesn't matter which ones we think are well done or not. SSC will continue to make them.

The problem lies with 1/4 fully sculpted statues. They are too rare. Some of the characters missing in this category are glaring.

Hulk
Cap
Thor
Red Skull
Cyclops
Colossus
Storm
Sabretooth
Dr. Doom

These characters were already released as PFs. They are long overdue for the fully sculpted treatment. Knowing SSC, some will be released as 1/5 pieces and some as 1/4 pieces. That is where the problem lies. SSC has screwed the fully sculpted fan from the start with it's F'd up Com scales over the years. The trend is not their friend on this issue.

Everyone one of those on the list aside from Doom had a full sculpted treatment through comiquette or diorama

 

[divo]

Everyone one of those on the list aside from Doom had a full sculpted treatment through comiquette or diorama

You are right, they have. And in almost every instance the comi /dio versions are way better than PF, regardless of size.

Spidey, Punisher, both Sabretooth & Wolverine from dio, Cyclops & Colossus from dio#1, & of course Hulk comi. These comiquettes/dios are way better representations of these characters than anything done in PF.

As for those who defend Pf fabrics use for capes & hoods? You have got to be kidding. They always look limp, & never fall in a realistic fashion, besides covering great sculpting detail & being off scale. Yes, I even consider the Doom Pf to be sub par due to the fabric, though the sculpting is great.

Capes & hoods almost have a life of their own as depicted in comics, & serve as such an important part of any given character's persona. Can you imagine, or would want, a Batman with a limp cape? Rather than his iconic swirling cape, so full of movement & grace, as a full sculpt could offer?

So yes, give me fully sculpted, swirling, whorling, capes & hoods, as the movement of these elements add so much to a character. Something that can never be achieved with fabrics. Once this becomes clear to collectors, now that the 1/4 scale freaks & the rest of us are on even ground size wise, the potential dynamic poses possible through full sculpts will become very clear,.........to most.

 

[Theokan]

personally I would like the mixed media line to stay, but to completely forgo the use of spandex.

I think mixed media bits can bring an interesting element to a statue and can make it less boring. Some things work great like metallic claws and swords, LED (i consider that mixed media), leathery type fabric for jackets, possibly real denim could work for making jeans, things like that.. and just use it sparingly, don't have to squeeze everything into the same statue..

The real problem is the quality of the fabric that Sideshow uses, and in a way, their execution. It's like, it's easy to complain about fabric on a medicom figure because they are bad, but in most cases Hot Toys are doing the same thing but doing it correctly, which makes all the difference. Problem with Sideshow is that they're kind of doing the fabric wrong on their Marvel PFs, that's why people complain. So instead of saying get rid of mix media all together, I would like to see Sideshow attempt to improve on that instead, so we get Hot Toys quality and not Medicom quality, if you will..


-