Gandalf 12" up for order!

[King Darkness]

I'm just trying to get a sense of value here. Indy and Gandalf cost the same, but Indy seems to be a much better value. Why? I'm just going off of past LotR figures to gage Gandalf's value and it is too high. If he had the new body, I could buy that excuse. But since is is still on the Buck, his price seems way too high for what we are getting. Granted it is a fantastic figure, but unless we say something, prices can get out of hand. That is what the ebay boycott is all about right?

The only problem with Sideshow is if you boycott them, you just miss out on the figure period.

Value is just what it means to you man. You shouldnt really need Sideshow to justify the cost for you. If you cant see the value in it yourself, why is what someone else tells you suddenly gonna justify it.

If you just want some smoke blown up your ass about why Sideshow thinks they can charge X amount of dollars for a figure then you have you answer.

R & D, extra cloth ect.

Its sounds to me like you are just grasping at a reason that will justify it in your own mind.

 

[creecher]

I'm just trying to get a sense of value here. Indy and Gandalf cost the same, but Indy seems to be a much better value. Why? I'm just going off of past LotR figures to gage Gandalf's value and it is too high. If he had the new body, I could buy that excuse. But since is is still on the Buck, his price seems way too high for what we are getting.

That has been the same argument since Sideshow started. One figure may be simple another may be elaborate, but they still cost the same price. Check out Vlad the Impailer or Blackbeard or Washington. Some figures just surpass any relevance due to quality, quantity or pricing.

Also, someone mentioned the new body. It could be that because the new body is being developed and incorporated into costs across all lines. It doesn't mean only those figures with the new body will go up in price.

 

[Buttmunch]

Value is just what it means to you man. You shouldnt really need Sideshow to justify the cost for you. If you cant see the value in it yourself, why is what someone else tells you suddenly gonna justify it.

If you just want some smoke blown up your ass about why Sideshow thinks they can charge X amount of dollars for a figure then you have you answer.

R & D, extra cloth ect.

Its sounds to me like you are just grasping at a reason that will justify it in your own mind.

I guess you are right to an extent. If Sideshow feels Gandalf is a $90 figure, then I can accept that he probably is. Sideshow has been pretty fair on their pricing in the past. My problem, I guess, is that I just don't know everything that went into this figure that ended up making him the $90 that he is. I think some more Production Blog entries documenting the seperate layers, amount of time invested into them, etc. etc.

I guess I just liked to be well informed on the whole process. Heck, I'd love to see a video documenting the entire figure making process from the sculpting to the clothing to the actual figure production steps at the factory.

 

[King Darkness]

I see where you are coming from Buttmunch.

 

[Buttmunch]

Thanks King.

I don't know if I just needed to vent or just needed some other opinons thrown at me, but I am feeling a lot better about the whole Gandalf price situation.

Thanks everyone that had a part in that!

 

[Wor-Gar]

I am feeling a lot better about the whole Gandalf price situation.

Let's talk about repaints and upgrades now.

 

[creecher]

Vent away Butt, no one likes business. It's the next best root of all evil besides money.

 

[King Darkness]

.........

 

[Buttmunch]

Let's talk about repaints and upgrades now.

Oooh. I'm a strict "leave it as it came" collector. There are some fantastic painters here, but I feel that what I get is what I get in terms of paint. I'll add little (non-permanent) things like socks to the zombie Spokesman or an armband to Nazi Kroenen.

But at $90 Gandalf's paint should be perfect and need no upgrades!

 

[Wor-Gar]

Oooh. I'm a strict "leave it as it came" collector. There are some fantastic painters here, but I feel that what I get is what I get in terms of paint. I'll add little (non-permanent) things like socks to the zombie Spokesman or an armband to Nazi Kroenen.

But at $90 Gandalf's paint should be perfect and need no upgrades!

I was kidding. No, Gandalf looks great, not upgrade so far. Hopefully.

My luck it seems I only upgrade the most expensive figures I get, like Aliens Marines and that Joker. Ugh!

 

[icruise]

Vent away Butt.

Uh, there's something about that statement that rubs me the wrong way...

 

[creecher]

Yeah.

 

[Sachiel]

I guess I just liked to be well informed on the whole process. Heck, I'd love to see a video documenting the entire figure making process from the sculpting to the clothing to the actual figure production steps at the factory.

Me too. Most people, when they look at this Gandalf, see just a pile of gray robes. You don't get to see much with the small images. Heck there's a lot we can't see with the high res. I'd love to see some images of the individual pieces that make up his wardrobe.

I don't see why they won't just shot the buck out of it's misery. You don't see other companies keeping their old body around. Once a new one comes out, the old is retired. Bad excuses.

Heck, you can tell he has the buck. I used the HT body on my LotR figures and there is a major difference. Aragorn and Legolas show it more, even when just standing there. Now, Boromir and Faramir show it subtly when just standing there, but there is a difference. There's a major difference when they're posed. I've got them in poses that a buck would dream of it it could.

 

[Kevin Ellis]

Well, the big overcoat is in and of itself a marvel. I was trying to create one earlier for a (now abandoned) custom, and it's a monster to create! The simple square design is absolutely terrible to sew since all it wants to do it stick out in all the wrong places. This figure is a tailoring wonder. I'm totally sold!

wow...thats probably the nicest compliment I've ever received on this board

 

[galactiboy]

So this is your handywork as well? We should have known... looks awesome. And Faramir really loves you guys, you have a definite fan in him!

 

[Cypher]

I havent read all 70 odd pages but - is anyone else put off by the colouring of the robes? The robes are supposed to be a significantly lighter shade of grey compared to his hat. The costume here is just a single block colour.

 

[Mudshark]

Me too. Most people, when they look at this Gandalf, see just a pile of gray robes. You don't get to see much with the small images. Heck there's a lot we can't see with the high res. I'd love to see some images of the individual pieces that make up his wardrobe.

I don't see why they won't just shot the buck out of it's misery. You don't see other companies keeping their old body around. Once a new one comes out, the old is retired. Bad excuses.

Heck, you can tell he has the buck. I used the HT body on my LotR figures and there is a major difference. Aragorn and Legolas show it more, even when just standing there. Now, Boromir and Faramir show it subtly when just standing there, but there is a difference. There's a major difference when they're posed. I've got them in poses that a buck would dream of it it could.

I have a question, just in case I missed something already posted, but has it been officially established (by Sideshow) that Gandalf will come with a Buck body? I mean the prototype may very well have the Buck, but has Sideshow actually said anything about the final product having the same... or is it just speculation because Sideshow has not said anything about him having the new body... yet?

If they haven't actually said so one way or the other, then isn't it possible, even likely that they will upgrade to the Promethius body when Gandalf goes into production?

 

[Customikey]

Oooh. I'm a strict "leave it as it came" collector.
...

But at $90 Gandalf's paint should be perfect and need no upgrades!

See, I'm actually a bit dissappointed when I get a figure, and there's nothing to fix. That's part of the fun for me. At $90, I feel I'm getting excellent value (regardless of the body, though I am hopeful it will come with the new one), and I can see already where I'll be able to improve him.

He'll need a head repaint, costume weathering, maybe a custom base....

I could see Hurricane doing some LED work with the Moria staff.

 

[Anzik]

The thing you have to keep in mind is that SSC will likely sell twice the number of Indy figures than they will Gandalf. The production costs have to be disbursed through the total number sold. Here we have a figure that probably went through several test runs on the costume, and at least one sculpt because we really don't know how many sculpts they commission and reject. Aragorn sold a total of 5750 pieces and Faramir is TBD and still for sale on the site. They need to sell enough to cover the costs AND make a profit. Profit being the most important factor because no one goes into business to be altruistic, they do it to make money.
If we look at some number comparisons, if they sell 10,000 Indy figures and 5000 Gandalf, 10,000 X $90 = $900,000 and 5,000 X $90 = $450,000 in gross revenue.Thats a difference of $450,000 and although this number seems huge to us, that number has to be divided between your staff and expenses and it will quickly dwindle.

 

[The Ringer]

I have a question, just in case I missed something already posted, but has it been officially established (by Sideshow) that Gandalf will come with a Buck body? I mean the prototype may very well have the Buck, but has Sideshow actually said anything about the final product having the same... or is it just speculation because Sideshow has not said anything about him having the new body... yet?

If they haven't actually said so one way or the other, then isn't it possible, even likely that they will upgrade to the Promethius body when Gandalf goes into production?

Just the good old Buck for Gandalf. It said in the production blog only Indy and Obi have the new body.