Gandalf 12" up for order!

[Geb]

Is it just me or do the Staves look a bit on the SHORT side? I thought the staff of Gandalf would be at least as tall or near as tall is he is...but these look to be about 2-3 inches too short...any thoughts?

Geb

 

[Entropy]

Perhaps they're a tiny bit short Geb, maybe an inch at most, but I don't think 2-3 inches short.

Do you think his bag and strap are supposed to be a dark brown? They were on the Toybiz figures.

 

[Sachiel]

Perhaps they're a tiny bit short Geb, maybe an inch at most, but I don't think 2-3 inches short.

Do you think his bag and strap are supposed to be a dark brown? They were on the Toybiz figures.

WTF?! I didn't notice. They are definitely an inch or more too short.

Let's make a big deal about it so they fix it!

Actually, about Half an inch.

Stupid link.

 

[Mudshark]

I'm with Les on this one. I'd trade in my Medi Boba or Jango for a Gandalf as nice as this any day. I realize he may be out of some people's price range or be more than they want to spend. I've enjoyed Sideshow's modest prices up till now and the recent increases will likely have an impact on my collecting habits as well. I also collect Hot Toys and Medicom figures, among others, and while I don't care for their high prices, I'm more accustomed to paying those kind of prices for the high end figures they produce.

This new Gandalf, at least to me, is right up there with the best of 'em. This is the kind of quality I wanted and expected from the LOTR line from the beginning, and I knew the prices would eventually have to catch up with the quality. When the armoured figures arrive, and I feel it won't be long before Sideshow releases the first of many, are going to cost even more, especially if they make the armour pieces from ABS plastic rather than the softer stuff. (The new Clone Wars General Obi-Wan 12" is a good indication of the direction they are going with their armoured figures.)

Those of us who really want them should be prepared to pay more for them if we want the standard of quality to remain high. I speak only for myself, of course, but if I need to pay more for the kind of high quality LOTR figures I expect Sideshow to produce, then I'm willing to drop other lines if necessary in order to do so.

 

[MaulFan]

I don't think the sticks look to short, in this picture if you lowered it to the ground it'd line up about the same position as the one in the real photo posted above.

 

[Sachiel]

The price complaining is everywhere. It's worse than with the Hobbits!

 

[hoodonit00]

Ya know with Indy having a new body and according to a Star Wars thread Obi Wan clone trooper having a new body, I would lean towards Gandalf also having a new body. If the new body is ready than why wouldn't they use it on all new releases. That has to be the reason for the price hike, at least I hope. Also, now that they have an armored SW figure, maybe LOTR will soon follow. Come on Eomer and Theoden.

 

[OSCORP]

Yeah i'm more convinced now that this is going to have a new body.

 

[icruise]

You guys!

But seriously. I have been watching this thread, with it's "debates" and "discussions" and openly expressed views, especially about the price, and the apparent low sales due to, and all that stuff, and after a while, all I am left with, is the wonderful vision of the day that new cardboard box arrives at my house, with SST all printed on it, where I cut that now too familiar taped seal, remove that styrofoam holder-thing, and pull out my clear wrapped box with Gandalf inside. Then getting to Gandalf and that cool "new toy" smell, I love so. And, where I try, as always, not to rush and panic to get him out and put him together, not breaking parts as I remove them from the little taped over recesses, and then finally put this assembled bad boy out in my shelf, posed ready to wipe Balrogs from the entire area!
What a wonderful day that will be for me!

So, debate on! I am too busy just being glad that they FINALLY made him at all, and that I will have him at long last!

I will admit, a $70 or less pricetag would have been better on my already overstrained 2008 budget wallet, but so be it. He is mine!

With all due respect, you appear to be saying that you don't care how much he costs because you have to have him, and that's exactly the kind of attitude that Sideshow is probably counting on.

I understand that some people are tired of the complaining and would rather fill up the thread with how awesome the figure is, but I really don't appreciate how many people are implying that the people who complain are somehow crackpots who do nothing but complain. Well I love Sideshow stuff, and I have every Star Wars and LOTR figure they've made, but this price increase frankly has me worried. I don't see what's so unreasonable about discussing a $25 price increase with (apparently) no commensurate increase in quality. If it has a new body, I wish they'd just say so.

 

[The Josh]

I'd say its pretty obvious with a new body on Indy and Obi-Wan that GTG probably has it too.

 

[MaulFan]

I'd say its pretty obvious with a new body on Indy and Obi-Wan that GTG probably has it too.

That and the production blog images indicate an absence of neck too.

 

[The Josh]

That and the production blog images indicate an absence of neck too.

Indeed :chew

 

[Mudshark]

That and the production blog images indicate an absence of neck too.

Yup. Makes perfect sense they'll use it on Gandy too. It's not like he's shipping next month or anything, they've got plenty of time to make changes. The one we've been discussing is, after all, a prototype... one that is pending approval, no less!

 

[BadMoon]

 

[The Josh]

God I come to this thread and I have to see nerd blanking too.

 

[Sachiel]

That and the production blog images indicate an absence of neck too.

Well, Bib has no neck sculpt.

But if Indy has a new body I don't see why Gandalf wouldn't.

Someone on another forum is actually complaining about Gandalf having 2 staves (he didn't know they were totally different) and Han having 2 guns. After complaining about not enough accessories. Plus he hopes Indy doesn't have 2 different guns.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Some people are more price sensitive than others and there's no way that's going to change.

I love that the Character Options Dr. Who 12" are only $20-30. But I would gladly pay three times that if they were better quality.

Hot Toys has raised the bar and Sideshow has seen that. Personally I want the very best expression of the character possible - the price is a distant second to that.

Now some may argue that they don't need to price it at $90 even though it's extremely detailed, required 3 times the R&D of a Star Wars figure and has elven runes on his culottes.

But Sideshow doesn't need to gouge - they want to sell figures too. So I'm sure the pricing for Gandalf is based on a formula, the same formula that gave us a $50 The Dead figure. You add up the development expenses, license expenses and production expenses and you come up with a price that will allow for the standard percentage of profit the you earn for all the other figures.

 

[OSCORP]

Bring it on i don't even care anymore, i think it's obvious that SS has indeed stepped up their game into the next level.

 

[BadMoon]

God I come to this thread and I have to see nerd blanking too.

Yep we have definate spillage!

 

[Sachiel]

Some people are more price sensitive than others and there's no way that's going to change.

I love that the Character Options Dr. Who 12" are only $20-30. But I would gladly pay three times that if they were better quality.

Hot Toys has raised the bar and Sideshow has seen that. Personally I want the very best expression of the character possible - the price is a distant second to that.

Now some may argue that they don't need to price it at $90 even though it's extremely detailed, required 3 times the R&D of a Star Wars figure and has elven runes on his culottes.

But Sideshow doesn't need to gouge - they want to sell figures too. So I'm sure the pricing for Gandalf is based on a formula, the same formula that gave us a $50 The Dead figure. You add up the development expenses, license expenses and production expenses and you come up with a price that will allow for the standard percentage of profit the you earn for all the other figures.

Yeah. And it's funny when people say the lower end figures are no different than the higher end. Someone actually said that about the SSC and Hasbro Indy.

Also, Dragon has upped the price for their military figures.