Han and Luke as Stormtroopers - SDCC '09

[thenammagazine]

If I'm not mistaken the Buck male short body was the same as the regular with the exception of the forearms and calves being shorter. But either way I took a Marmit Kit (made for a taller figure) and stuck an ANH Luke body and sculpt in it. I think it looked fine in the end and had a height difference from Han.

Seems Sideshow (while doing all of the other work) could have created a shorter calf and forearm for Luke. Maybe it's not cost effective as they wouldn't be able to use those modifications again?

Well, they've dabbled in the EU before, so I think the same shorter limbs could've be utilized for a female Stormtrooper too.

 

[Darthgothikus]

You know what? There's a lot of talk about "Cost effectiveness" and "re-using moulds" but at the end of the day they sound like poor excuses to me.

Luke should be shorter, period.

If you've already designed and tooled up once to make stormtroopers, you know what to do. (Or more acurately what not to do!)

So why not make a "One off" armour set for Luke with a shorter body?

This figure is already $100 and incorrect. I'd have paid $150 for Luke ($250 set) If they'd given me the chance of this being correct.

Maybe Sideshow needs to actually canvas opinions from it's customers. Would it be so hard to say..."Guy's, we've sheduled Han & Luke trooper 2 pack for a slot in 12 months time. You can spend $200 and get 'A' You can spend $250 for option 'B' Or $300 for all singing, all dancing option 'C' Let the customers decide, then make what is actually wanted. Or is that a too radical concept?

 

[Kuzeh]

It wouldn't work...
people can vote but not be committed once the item is produced and ready to ship...
I for one don't really care about the height issues...
but then again... I plan on using these guys as troopers and use the heads to upgrade my ANH Luke and Han...

 

[Deeznutz6]

You know what? There's a lot of talk about "Cost effectiveness" and "re-using moulds" but at the end of the day they sound like poor excuses to me.

Luke should be shorter, period.

If you've already designed and tooled up once to make stormtroopers, you know what to do. (Or more acurately what not to do!)

So why not make a "One off" armour set for Luke with a shorter body?

This figure is already $100 and incorrect. I'd have paid $150 for Luke ($250 set) If they'd given me the chance of this being correct.

Maybe Sideshow needs to actually canvas opinions from it's customers. Would it be so hard to say..."Guy's, we've sheduled Han & Luke trooper 2 pack for a slot in 12 months time. You can spend $200 and get 'A' You can spend $250 for option 'B' Or $300 for all singing, all dancing option 'C' Let the customers decide, then make what is actually wanted. Or is that a too radical concept?

That would entail SS letting us know what they are planning ahead of time, and we all know how that goes.

 

[Darthgothikus]

It wouldn't work...
people can vote but not be committed once the item is produced and ready to ship...
I for one don't really care about the height issues...
but then again... I plan on using these guys as troopers and use the heads to upgrade my ANH Luke and Han...

I know what you're saying, everyone would vote for option "C" then cancel at the last moment because they realise their partners will skin them alive for spending that kind of cash on dollies (I know I get regularly flayed)

...but, There is a market out there for higher priced collectibles. Look at Hot Toys, look at Enterbay, Look at Takara... would any of these companies not produce a figure correctly because of cost? No, they jack up the price and we keep paying. It's an old record I know but Sideshow are increasing prices and quality isn't increasing accordingly.

Believe it or not I'm not one of the "Medi Kids" (The sig picture is tounge in cheek). I actually love Sideshow. They got me hooked on 1:6 scale a couple of years ago and I have over 50 figures now. I just wish they would stop being so secretive, I mean come on, they have the Star Wars Licence, we KNEW they would produce Stormtroopers, Vader, Luke's, Han's & I hope eventually Droids and Walking Carpets. Why they feel they have to treat every release as some amazing reveal "Ahh Haa here's Darth Vader bet no one thought we'd make him!!"
I just think a bit more communication would help stabiles a line which is dear to all our hearts but sometimes feels all over the place with Meh releases and near misses on really important figures, like these.

OK rant over, I'm going back to the parade ground and bash some disipline into my soddin' trooper who has just lent against the wall for support, again!

Cheers all!!!! DG

 

[Agent0028]

Last night I didn't think it was that big of a deal that they made Luke look shorter in pics since they disclosed he isn't before they went on sale. But then today I realized that alot of people may not know he's not actually shorter if they weren't in chat and aren't a member of message boards like this one. So I'm sorry that I poked fun at those of you being critical of Sideshow. While I disagree about how much it matters that they didn't make him shorter, I was totally wrong in downplaying the forced perspective used in the pics.

As for whether I'm getting these...I think I'm going to wait and get on the waitlist. That way it'll give me a bit longer to save up for them since I won't get them until after the con (if at all) and I'll get to see in hand pics and still have time to cancel if Luke still looks weird.

 

[DCFett]

Wwwwoooowwww. This blows!

 

[maskfreak]

I think I'll pass on these for now. Funds need to go twords Predator & Dutch.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Well, they've dabbled in the EU before, so I think the same shorter limbs could've be utilized for a female Stormtrooper too.

The female body uses completely different parts - that wouldn't work. And I don't really think they need a skinnier female body anyway.

Maybe Sideshow needs to actually canvas opinions from it's customers. Would it be so hard to say..."Guy's, we've sheduled Han & Luke trooper 2 pack for a slot in 12 months time. You can spend $200 and get 'A' You can spend $250 for option 'B' Or $300 for all singing, all dancing option 'C' Let the customers decide, then make what is actually wanted. Or is that a too radical concept?

Well, they're going to sell out of this set anyway, even to those that know Luke isn't shorter. They use their best judgement on what will sell and combine it with the economics of each item and make decisions based on that. It's worked okay for them so far. The more you complicate a decision he longer it takes and the more likely it is to be the wrong decision.

 

[Fetunche]

These may be the first star wars 12" that I pass on, I think the head sculpts are awful, Luke looks like he belongs in the POTA collection and Han looks constipated.

 

[thenammagazine]

Well, they're going to sell out of this set anyway, even to those that know Luke isn't shorter. They use their best judgement on what will sell and combine it with the economics of each item and make decisions based on that. It's worked okay for them so far. The more you complicate a decision he longer it takes and the more likely it is to be the wrong decision.

I don't know. It seems to have worked for Sideshow's Vader and how long have we been waiting? Hell, we're still waiting. It's also worked for HotToys and their P1 Predator. But at the end of the day, we're not talking about a complicated decision, we're talking about a simple body mod and a dishonest advertising scheme. Sideshow took the fire exit on developing Luke and that seems to have bit them right in the ass. I can only imagine how pissed those who don't know about them being the same size will be once they get theirs in hand. Comparing the 2000pc quote knowing they'll sell out, to the number of freaks ranting here, that's a hell of a lot more people NOT in the know.

 

[Ultimate Weapon]

It does suck that SS was deceptive with the scale issue in the photos and only people involved in the chat and on this forum know about it. They could add a small disclaimer to the actual order page/images, poduction blog or somewhere.

But, given the two customs, galacticboys and Nams, I think the mods to Luke should end up working out. I know GB's is Marmit armor (and it looks awesome), but even though Nam's looks a bit stodgy at the moment, I think some refinement can pull off the same effect - it's almost there.

 

[MaulFan]

The female body uses completely different parts - that wouldn't work. And I don't really think they need a skinnier female body anyway.

Please tell me you mean skinnier than the armor body because the female Buck is already too anorexic

 

[thenammagazine]

It does suck that SS was deceptive with the scale issue in the photos and only people involved in the chat and on this forum know about it. They could add a small disclaimer to the actual order page/images, poduction blog or somewhere.

But, given the two customs, galacticboys and Nams, I think the mods to Luke should end up working out. I know GB's is Marmit armor (and it looks awesome), but even though Nam's looks a bit stodgy at the moment, I think some refinement can pull off the same effect - it's almost there.

I think it's safe to say they won't do that. At this point, with the comments made in chat, I seriously doubt they give two craps or a hump about it. Hell, I'll put my money where my mouth is. If they post a visible disclaimer on the product page somewhere, I'll paypal you $5.

 

[Darth_Finger]

Well, I think I am going to pass on these guys. Rather put the money towards the Admiral Ackbar 1:1 Bust at this point.

 

[The Josh]

I'm not sure many folks are really going to give a damn honestly.

 

[pixletwin]

Please tell me you mean skinnier than the armor body because the female Buck is already too anorexic

Pretty sure thats exactly what he meant.

 

[MaulFan]

Hopefully this all promises to make this set come up for Second Chance down the road.

 

[Scifi67]

I'm going to get the set and I love the sculpts, come on FRIDAY!

 

[BlueLeader]

I can understand why SSC posed Luke shorter than Han for movie accuracy sake, but they should have made it clear from pic 1 that he is actually the same height as Han...knowing how fanatic we collectors are about accuracy and all.