Finally - my review of Jack and Sao from Hot Toys

[galactiboy]

In the main HT Sparrow thread someone posted about how dyeing was not a good idea. Seems all the buttons fell off and seams came undone. I guess the coat was not meant to hold up to that kind of abuse.

I think with this release HT is really taking a huge step forward in quality with their paints and sculpts. If the keep this up I don't think anyone will be able to compete with them... and I could forsee a lot more great licenses coming their way

 

[devilof76]

In the main HT Sparrow thread someone posted about how dyeing was not a good idea. Seems all the buttons fell off and seams came undone. I guess the coat was not meant to hold up to that kind of abuse.

I think with this release HT is really taking a huge step forward in quality with their paints and sculpts. If the keep this up I don't think anyone will be able to compete with them... and I could forsee a lot more great licenses coming their way

Like 300.

 

[galactiboy]

300 would be the shiznit... luckily until that day comes you can make a serviceable custom with the HT Muscular body and NECA 12" figure.

I really hope that there is enough interest from collectors to make a 300 series a reality... HT would knock them out of the park

 

[devilof76]

That's my big fear. I don't see a lot of enthusiasm for collecting 300 stuff. I'm too lazy for customizing, so I'm gonna keep hoping. Even just a few figures would rock.

 

[Murderofcrows71]

In the main HT Sparrow thread someone posted about how dyeing was not a good idea. Seems all the buttons fell off and seams came undone. I guess the coat was not meant to hold up to that kind of abuse.

That would be me! Yep used color remover to get rid of the brown and all the buttons which are glued on with really weak adhesive, came off. The lining inside is also just glued together and it seperated from the inside of the arm all the way to the bottom of the coat. With quite a bit of patience I was able to put it back together with craft super glue, although I lost a few buttons in the sink when pouring out the color remover. Now after redying the jacket in straight black dye for the fifth time, it is pretty much the same color it started as. I've dyed alot of custom stuff and I don't know why the material went back to being chocolate brown, using straight black dye. It does now have a tint of grey to it and it is more distressed looking which I do kind of like, but I wouldn't recommend trying it.

 

[MaulFan]

I think with this release HT is really taking a huge step forward in quality with their paints and sculpts. If the keep this up I don't think anyone will be able to compete with them... and I could forsee a lot more great licenses coming their way

I agree, but if they can't come down in price somehow, their success can only go so far. If you were to produce the number of figures Sideshow has for Star Wars, for instance, through HT at those prices, a number would go unsold. It's not to say HT isn't worth their price, I haven't gotten a figure from them that hasn't felt worth every penny, but for people collecting numerous lines, HT and Medicom take their tole on a budget where Sideshow offers affordable quality. For example, at Sideshow pricing, I'd get Sao because the savings on Jack and Elizabeth would ammount to another figure, but at the current pricing, I'm left to be selective. I'd also get all the ALIENS marines, but again, budget.

 

[galactiboy]

I actually was thinking the same thing last night. As it is I'm happy that the two lines I will buy many figures from (LOTR and SW) are in SSC hands, since I plan on buying the majority of the releases and $20 to $60 less per figure really adds up. But with HT lisences I usually just pick the and choose the figures I want most.

Although, with Sideshow's prices rising they are starting to get closer in price on some figures. Hobbits were $70 each and Rambo First Blood (if bought through a retailer) was $72.

 

[MaulFan]

Although, with Sideshow's prices rising they are starting to get closer in price on some figures. Hobbits were $70 each and Rambo First Blood (if bought through a retailer) was $72.

You have to look at complexity though. Hobbits are a brand new body, that has development costs to deal with (it could be sometime before we see more figures use it and help with the R&D costs), they have many little accessories, detailed costumes. HT's Rambo and Rocky figures are their simplest pieces, so they're low cost for HT, but you get into more elaborate designs like Colonial Marines and Pirates figures, you're looking at a $90-$130 price range, and rightly so, but unless Sideshow starts using more expensive fabrics, I don't see the prices hiking quite as bad, and likewise, if their prices creap, I'd imagine so will HT's, so the ratio may stay. Sideshow already has very nice sculpts and paints apps (with the exception of a few rough QC flops), a department HT is starting to catch up in, so really the biggest cost difference I can see is HT seems to go all out for their costumes and don't care about price hike where Sideshow goes for accurracy but within and affordable avenue, which is why sometimes cloths don't fully match the film, it's a detail you sacrifice to save $20-$30, and like you agreed with me on, a worthwhile saving for lines where you collect in large numbers.

 

[devilof76]

That would be me!...It does now have a tint of grey to it and it is more distressed looking which I do kind of like, but I wouldn't recommend trying it.

Point taken. I never spend this much on figures and I'm glad I know this before it's too late.

Is the coat fairly dark atleast?

 

[Agent0028]

Dang, after seeing that review I really regret getting the Medicom Jack. I don't think the face sculpt is all that bad, but the HT seems better in so many different ways.

 

[MaulFan]

Point taken. I never spend this much on figures and I'm glad I know this before it's too late.

Is the coat fairly dark atleast?

In most standard at home lighting, yes, it's dark. Like I said, you can overlook the actual shade easily enough and enjoy the figure, but when you're an **** retentive details freak like I am about Jack Sparrow collectibles, it's a nagging detail to see such a fine piece drop the ball on just one detail, if they'd gotten the coat color right, this figure would score 100% with me, but because of the coat, it's about 90-95%.

 

[minivader]

Dang, after seeing that review I really regret getting the Medicom Jack. I don't think the face sculpt is all that bad, but the HT seems better in so many different ways.

funny, I had the exact opposite feel, I think HT jack is cool, but it doesnt remind me of the actual Jack in film. Its more like a glorified, superhero sized interpretation of a low life scum bag. The review actually made me lean more toward medi jack if I ever want to get a jack figure.

 

[automaton]

nice! love your reviews! any chance of tackling the new Enterbay Gang2 figure?

 

[Michael Crawford]

Nope, I don't have any Enterbay stuff on the list.

 

[Agent0028]

The things that I like about the HT more than the Medi are:
1. The headsculpt and paint job are better than the Medi. Like Michael said, it looks more realistic. My Medi looks like he has jaundice with raccoon eyes.
2. I paid 150 for the Medi so this one is less expensive
3. The scale on the HT is more suited to sideshows and I'm worried about how the HT Elizabeth will look with the Medi
4. The coat on the Medi is really tight and they did a half assed job putting the red and white cloth around his waist on, so I had to redo it, but since the sleeves on the jacket are so tight I had a hard time getting it back on and the cuffs completely cover his hands.

 

[MaulFan]

The coat on the Medi is really tight and they did a half assed job putting the red and white cloth around his waist on, so I had to redo it, but since the sleeves on the jacket are so tight I had a hard time getting it back on and the cuffs completely cover his hands.

Just so you know, the sash around Jack's waste on the HT figure needs to be tweaked as well, it's decent out of the box but if you really want the right look you have to tweak it yourself.

 

[tomandshell]

I hate tweaking! I love statues because you take them out of the box and put them on the shelf and they look like they are supposed to look. That's why I know deep down in my heart I will never be a true dedicated 1/6 collector--I don't want to have to futz and tweak. I want it to look good on its own.

I enjoy the Star Wars line and I regret dropping the LOTR line, but I never even considered paying these prices for the Pirates figures.

 

[MaulFan]

I hate tweaking! I love statues because you take them out of the box and put them on the shelf and they look like they are supposed to look. That's why I know deep down in my heart I will never be a true dedicated 1/6 collector--I don't want to have to futz and tweak. I want it to look good on its own.

That's where I like 1/6 over statues. Not that you have to tweak them, but that you can tweak them. They're not statue quality persay, and the bases are hardly as nice, but in a way, you have little mini statues that you can sculpt into poses and you can work the fine details so that your final "statue" is exactly how you want, where a true statue is what it is and there's not much room for making yours unique from everyone elses and putting your personal touch into. Being able to tweak figures really allows you to make it your own and not just a carbon copy piece.

 

[tomandshell]

I love looking at pictures from people who can get good poses and displays going--very unique and expressive, and certainly fun for the collector. I just can't get mine to look very good, so I guess it actually says more about my lack of creativity and patience that I prefer statues, lol.

 

[Agent0028]

I'm with you Tom, I have a hard time getting poses that look really good and I'm not very good at tweaking (plus sometimes it comes out looking not so good, like my Jack Sparrow sash, the sash looks great if I do say so myself, but the jacket doesn't look good at all.) so I much prefer the statues for that reason. Some figures I prefer in 1/6 though, I have no clue why. POTC is one of those, don't want 1/4 scale for those. Harry Potter on the other hand I would want in 1/4 scale and not 12". Go figure.

Thanks for the heads up about the sash Maulfan, I doubt I'll shell out the money to get the HT one, I don't really need two Jacks.