Gandalf 12" up for order!

[drbrad1975]

See, but that is part of the problem: the continuous price hike across the 12" lines over the last couple of months. No wonder this $90 Gandalf kind of blends in! As far as I'm concerned, figures like Praji, Smuggler Han, ANH Luke, ... were already overpriced: if the price increase on those figures is justified, I certainly don't see why.

The price debate didn't start with Gandalf, he's just the sad climax. For now.

Have a feeling that this will probably be the Lord of the Rings swan song for Sideshow. I see them making Merry and Pippen since they already invested money into the body.

I also think Praji was overpriced at well. Some how, I do think Sideshow is testing to see how far they can push the price before they totally piss even Josh off. But seriously, I wonder when the price increases will stop. I haven't seen as much of a price hike in the statues. Like Robert Plant used to sing (as still does) "Oh, it makes me wonder."

 

[Karaduin]

SideShow's reason for price:

"A wizard is never too expensive, nor too cheap... he is priced exactly as he means to be!"

 

[IrishJedi]

I'm trying and trying... and just cannot at all reconcile the price on this thing. It continues to make no sense to me, especially when simple deductive reasoning is to compare it to the likes of Sidious/Palpatine and the other LOTR figures.

Like I said before, the math isn't quite adding up for me.



(Then again, I admittedly suck at math )

 

[Mudshark]

It's funny how some people see these changes as a sign that the line may be coming to an end. That may very well be true for those who no longer believe that the best is still yet to come, or who will be happy just to get the complete Fellowship and let it go at that. I'm not ready to give up my hopes so soon.

I'd like to believe the changes signify a shift toward producing better and more complex LOTR figures than what have been offered so far, which will be of the highest quality and which will therefore end up costing more from now on. I don't know if this will prove to be true with Gandalf, but I can't help feeling that some reasonable and convincing justification for the price increase will present itself before long. In the meantime, I will not regret paying a little more for a Gandalf of this quality, which I expect to enjoy for many years to come.

 

[hoodonit00]

[/IMG]

To me, this is much more complex than Gandalf and only 15 dollars more.

 

[abake]

I sincerely hope the LOTR line goes on for a long time.
I doubt I will get the complete fellowship (Merry and Pipin annoy the hell out of me... actually Frodo and Sam do so too, but they're too important not to have) or many figures beyond a Ringwraith and a Rohirim, but this is such a fantastic opportunity to see absolutely marvelous figures made with tons of detail, that it would be a shame to see it fade away.

 

[EVILFACE]

[/IMG]

To me, this is much more complex than Gandalf and only 15 dollars more.

And I'm sure HT had to pay zip for license fee.

There are also several items that are used on their other figures, that helps spread out costs.

But yea, incredible detail.

 

[Sachiel]

Is there a hi-res version of this picture available?

The complex hem decoration embroidery pattern is apparently both beneath the outer cloak and the inner robes on his baggy trousers or 'culottes', the tiny bit of fabric sticking out from under the robes in that picture I guess.

It's under 2 layers of clothes and this site, which has tons of detail pictures, doesn't even have one of it and this pattern was never even visible in the movies:
https://www.alleycatscratch.com/lotr/Wizard/Gandalf/Grey.htm

I wish they would actually show the damn details.

it's just as much a selling point as his accessories.


I wonder if his robe has the patch on it?

 

[Cocoboloboy]

I've always been glad SS has had the licenses they do and make the 1:6 figures that they do because they were excellent quality for the money.

Now that the prices are rising and I have to be very choosy, instead of buying all the figures I want from a particular line like SW, I'd just as soon have a company like HT produce them. HT is more expensive but, relative to the 1:6 market, they produce the overall highest quality figures for the money.

 

[abake]

[/IMG]

To me, this is much more complex than Gandalf and only 15 dollars more.

You're absolutely right, but then you also have to remember that a lot of that stuff can and has bee reused, whereas in the LOTR line almost everything is a one off.
The same argument applies to DML and DID with their WWII figures. Their price point is sustained because they can reuse a lot of the clothing and equipment.
I'm sure that most (if not all companies) use some of their lines to sustain others, and the continued use of the Buck for some figures will help SST keep a balance on pricing on other figures. But, as somebody else noted, there's a new pricing policy in town and that's it.
Vote with your wallets folks.

 

[Sachiel]

I sincerely hope the LOTR line goes on for a long time.
I doubt I will get the complete fellowship (Merry and Pipin annoy the hell out of me... actually Frodo and Sam do so too, but they're too important not to have) or many figures beyond a Ringwraith and a Rohirim, but this is such a fantastic opportunity to see absolutely marvelous figures made with tons of detail, that it would be a shame to see it fade away.

Some rather have no detail at all for $40.

 

[Mudshark]

I've said my piece and I'm done. I used some reward points and I'll be getting Gandalf for about half that price anyway, so I'm good.

I hope everyone who feels Gandalf is worth the price will be glad to have him in their collections, with or without the new body.

 

[abake]

I think the LOTR line hasn't reached its peak yet. By far.
Now that SST has the new body types and have partnered with HT to develop armour as well, I can only dream of what a Gondorian guard or Rohirim in full armour can look like.
SST have become consistently better with their last releases in the SW line, and what we're saying of the protos for Gandalf and Indy bodes well for other lines.

 

[IrishJedi]

To me, this is much more complex than Gandalf and only 15 dollars more.

That's not really a good comparison, though. As EVILFACE mentioned, it's from a separate company, is not licensed, and many of the items have been repurposed.

Gandalf, on the other hand, is licensed and almost all of his items (including clothing) are unique and cannot be repurposed for future figures. That said, however, when I compare it to figures like Aragorn and recent SW figures like the Palpatine/Sididious 2-Pack I agree that the $90 asking price is indeed curious... especially being on the Buck body as those were.

Also, I cannot imagine this Gandalf figure being as much to produce as the Indiana Jones one was... and that one comes on the new Prometheus body, easily has as much detail and accessories, and even includes a bonus head sculpt.

 

[MaulFan]

I think there is cause for concern with this line. In 8 months, they've only announced 2 new additions to the LOTR 1/6 line ( Frodo and Sam counted as a single announcement) and 8 months later, those figures have yet to ship. You can't help but wonder if this line just doesn't have the momentum to go on, regardless of whatever quality SSC puts into it. The 1/6 collecting world is booming right now with Medicom, Sideshow and Hot Toys cranking out a lot of stuff. Sideshow's taking on 1/6 G.I. Joe and Indy, on top of a booming Star Wars line and the LOTR line, which makes for a lot to be working on in just 1/6 with all the other types of products they make. With HT and Medicom cranking out loads of their own product, collectors are sort of developing a mindset of keeping up with the here and now because of how many great things are coming now, and are selling off products to by new ones. At it's current moment, the LOTR 1/6 line makes itself a strong candidate for people to drop because many will look at it and say I'm going to stop and sell of what I have because it's taking so long to really build that collection and there are plenty of other licenses out coming at a faster pace that'll be more alluring to collectors. At some point, the following for the LOTR line from Sideshow will widdle down to fans who truly love LOTR more than any other property or people with so much cash they don't have to play the games of which lines to follow, and in either case, the number of consumers in that scenario may not be enough to make Sideshow feel it's worth developing the line anymore.

 

[hoodonit00]

And I'm sure HT had to pay zip for license fee.

There are also several items that are used on their other figures, that helps spread out costs.

But yea, incredible detail.

Yea, thats actually a really good point I failed to think about

 

[Cocoboloboy]

The bonus Indy head and Pro body justifies his price. If Gandalf had the same the price would be right.

 

[IrishJedi]

The bonus Indy head and Pro body justifies his price. If Gandalf had the same the price would be right.

This is my point. I'm trying to figure out how Gandalf could possibly cost the same as Indy given the new body and bonus head.

 

[icruise]

I think they just decided that their premium line figures would be around this price point from now on and so they're charging this price without any direct connection to how expensive or complex this particular figure is. And that's their right, of course.

 

[IrishJedi]

I think they just decided that their premium line figures would be around this price point from now on and so they're charging this price without any direct connection to how expensive or complex this particular figure is. And that's their right, of course.

I don't think that's it and I'm willing to assume there is a practical reason behind Gandalf's price. I just can't for the life of me figure out what it might be is all.