1/6 Hot Toys Avengers: Endgame - Iron Man

[darth dennis]

A truly great sculpt should look good in photos. Why wouldn't it if it's really good?

In my experience there's no smoke without fire when it comes to headsculpts. Even if getting it in hand seems to allay your initial criticisms they tend to come creeping back.

This is fair. Again, I think the sculpt is BETTER in hand than photos, but not great. I also think it represents the start of Endgame Tony look as it's very thin. It's in the box forever so I don't much care though.

 

[Red Wolf]

I have had several headsculpts that i have never seen a good photo of but in hand they look great. I'm guessing from in hand reviews this is the same. Either way it's now rare and will never see a reissue.

Rare, you say? Might be highly sought after and worth money on the secondary market? "HotBro Toys" will reissue anything and everything

The irony of all of this is I am defending this sculpt from "HotBro Toys" when I can not agree with their business decision(s)
(mainly reissues and teasing characters that they will never make).

A truly great sculpt should look good in photos. Why wouldn't it if it's really good?

In my experience there's no smoke without fire when it comes to headsculpts. Even if getting it in hand seems to allay your initial criticisms they tend to come creeping back.

This sculpt does look good in photos (see post #2271) and in person it looks even better. This sculpt is good, it is just not what "HotBro Toys" put out initially that has everyone upset (they feel tricked). In my experience where there is smoke, there is a fire, but also many people fanning the flames.

 

[Saintv1]

The sculpt looks the same in the above photos as it does in every other photo taken of it; like an airbrushed magazine cover glamour shot intended to roll the clock back 20 years.

John Wick and Crait Luke, T'Challa, Ant-Man, that truly awful 1/4 Joker head--they all have a similar style of sculpt, where there is just very little sculpted detail in the face and everyone has a smooth, wrinkle-free appearance, almost like a mediocre video game model. Whether that's done intentionally to idealize these portraits, because of crunched design timeliness (Hot Toys is putting out more product than ever--you can almost guarantee the artists timelines are being reduced--or different talent, I don't know.

It is the reality, though. This is the direction of the HT product right now. This figure is not the first time, not by a long shot.

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[Red Wolf]

The sculpt looks the same in the above photos as it does in every other photo taken of it; like an airbrushed magazine cover glamour shot intended to roll the clock back 20 years.

John Wick and Crait Luke, T'Challa, Ant-Man, that truly awful 1/4 Joker head--they all have a similar style of sculpt, where there is just very little sculpted detail in the face and everyone has a smooth, wrinkle-free appearance, almost like a mediocre video game model. Whether that's done intentionally to idealize these portraits, because of crunched design timeliness (Hot Toys is putting out more product than ever--you can almost guarantee the artists timelines are being reduced--or different talent, I don't know.

It is the reality, though. This is the direction of the HT product right now. This figure is not the first time, not by a long shot.

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I will agree that Hot Toys is rushing their products out and their quality has gone down while their prices continue to rise with less accessories and cheaper bases.
They are also losing talent (most of them headed into statue territory).

I don't have an "opinion" on the head sculpts you listed because I don't own those figures, nor have I seen them in person.

Do people want a great head sculpt that resembles RDJ? Or do they want a RDJ portrait to resemble how he looked in Endgame? The latter is what "HotBro Toys" gave us. The former was what they showed us when they put the Mark 85 up for PO.

 

[Saintv1]

I would suggest that neither sculpt looks like RDJ in Endgame. I dont want to one in the PO photos, either.

As far as needing to see the sculpt in person, well, I think there are enough decent photos of this this floating around (i.e. not taken with a phone camera, with no obvious lens distortion, and without excessive post production) to know what this sculpt looks like without having to hold it in my hand.

I've got Crait Luke sitting on my shelf and he looks exactly as bad in hand as he did in every photo of him ever posted, the same way that every other figure I've ever owned pretty much looked the same "in hand" as it did in any competent photography of the production piece.

 

[GaryPool]

Problem is, no photo that I've seen has any 100% that's RDJ from Endgame. Any angle I've seen, none of them have it, in fact a lot of the angles look far worse than the very few that look vaguely like him.

T'challa headsculpt, as bad as the detailing was lost, still looked like Boseman. This... this doesn't look like RDJ, and the detailing looks lost.

 

[Red Wolf]

I would suggest that neither sculpt looks like RDJ in Endgame. I dont want to one in the PO photos, either.

As far as needing to see the sculpt in person, well, I think there are enough decent photos of this this floating around (i.e. not taken with a phone camera, with no obvious lens distortion, and without excessive post production) to know what this sculpt looks like without having to hold it in my hand.

I've got Crait Luke sitting on my shelf and he looks exactly as bad in hand as he did in every photo of him ever posted, the same way that every other figure I've ever owned pretty much looked the same "in hand" as it did in any competent photography of the production piece.

Interesting, so you're saying that pictures you see of something appear the same to you in person (not being rude). I am curious on the thought process of others and how information is received. One person could say something and others will hear what that person said and some will hear something entirely different. Same with this head sculpt and many others. Seems most don't see any likeness to RDJ where others (me) see him (from Endgame). No, right or wrong, just different on how we process information.

Appreciate your reply.

 

[Saintv1]

Interesting, so you're saying that pictures you see of something appear the same to you in person (not being rude). I am curious on the thought process of others and how information is received. One person could say something and others will hear what that person said and some will hear something entirely different. Same with this head sculpt and many others. Seems most don't see any likeness to RDJ where others (me) see him (from Endgame). No, right or wrong, just different on how we process information.

Appreciate your reply.

I'm saying that I don't need to see something in hand to understand what it looks like when I have competent photos (from multiple angles, no less) in neutral lighting conditions with no obvious lens distortion or excessive post processing. I'm saying that if I take a photo of my alarm clock under those conditions, it's not going to look meaningfully different than it does "in-hand," and the same goes for a headsculpt.

The carefully staged and processed "blogger" photos are another matter.

 

[Chrono]

I really dont immediately see the RDJ in this sculpt. The eyebrow, the laugh line, the facial hair is just too soft. It seems to lose so much detail. Hot Toys best sculpt Ive seen is definitely the BD Mk85.

 

[Bleah]

I ordered one and I'll judge it for myself if this headsculpt is "better" in-hand. Some times I think people here need to see an ophthalmologist or get a pair of eyeglasses when they say the headsculpt is great and on point when it definitely is not. Case in point are Ronin and Endgame Black Widow. I have them both and they are both off. Ronin comes off as Chinese Renner and not Jeremy Renner. Black Widow resembles Kate McKinnon more than ScarJo herself. However, at least it wasn't a bait and switch which happened to the MkLXXXV. Although, Ronin's product photos looked better than the actual thing.

 

[medicomsucks]

I ordered one and I'll judge it for myself if this headsculpt is "better" in-hand. Some times I think people here need to see an ophthalmologist or get a pair of eyeglasses when they say the headsculpt is great and on point when it definitely is not. Case in point are Ronin and Endgame Black Widow. I have them both and they are both off. Ronin comes off as Chinese Renner and not Jeremy Renner. Black Widow resembles Kate McKinnon more than ScarJo herself. However, at least it wasn't a bait and switch which happened to the MkLXXXV. Although, Ronin's product photos looked better than the actual thing.

What are good headsculpts in your view?

 

[Floriol]

I ordered one and I'll judge it for myself if this headsculpt is "better" in-hand. Some times I think people here need to see an ophthalmologist or get a pair of eyeglasses when they say the headsculpt is great and on point when it definitely is not. Case in point are Ronin and Endgame Black Widow. I have them both and they are both off. Ronin comes off as Chinese Renner and not Jeremy Renner. Black Widow resembles Kate McKinnon more than ScarJo herself. However, at least it wasn't a bait and switch which happened to the MkLXXXV. Although, Ronin's product photos looked better than the actual thing.

Word. Good scuplts will look good in photos. Maybe less good in 1% of photos with bad lighting. This looks bad in ALL the photos I've seen. Sorry but that's simply not RDJ. I wonder in how many pics does Yondu look bad. Don't come telling me it looks good in hand after lowering your standards enough to convince yourself of that. I've seen both the proto and this one very clearly in the exact same lighting, captured by the exact same person (talking about J.C.'s instagram shots). Defending it is simply ridiculous.

 

[Bleah]

What are good headsculpts in your view?

As somebody mentioned, Yondu. There's Nebula, Drax, IW Dr. Strange, Cavill Superman, Reeves Superman, Jack Sparrow... I don't have Gamora yet but that looks really good. I mean even Ruddgate is better in-hand IMO. It's just the smile that's throwing it off and I can't pinpoint exactly the issue if the teeth/mouth need better painting to add depth to it.

 

[medicomsucks]

As somebody mentioned, Yondu. There's Nebula, Drax, IW Dr. Strange, Cavill Superman, Reeves Superman, Jack Sparrow... I don't have Gamora yet but that looks really good. I mean even Ruddgate is better in-hand IMO. It's just the smile that's throwing it off and I can't pinpoint exactly the issue if the teeth/mouth need better painting to add depth to it.

Yeah I just dont quite understand the hate this mk 85 head gets, but it wasnt like this and for the first iron man, nor either of the mk I, versions, nor the first mechtest iron man. Heck it wasnt until the iron man 3 tony with armor parts and floor that I ever thought 'whoa its 1/6 RDJ' so I'm a bit confused by the vitriol except for the fact the promo pics are so far away from the final product I do understand that part. I just dont think this is the worst 1/6 headsculpt hot toys have ever made.

 

[Bleah]

Yeah I just dont quite understand the hate this mk 85 head gets, but it wasnt like this and for the first iron man, nor either of the mk I, versions, nor the first mechtest iron man. Heck it wasnt until the iron man 3 tony with armor parts and floor that I ever thought 'whoa its 1/6 RDJ' so I'm a bit confused by the vitriol except for the fact the promo pics are so far away from the final product I do understand that part. I just dont think this is the worst 1/6 headsculpt hot toys have ever made.

I'll have my fair take on it once I receive my order. Hot Toys hasn't really gotten down RDJ exactly in spite of all the Iron Man iterations they have done. Well, I think the promo shots on the BD version does or at least comes close to 100%.

 

[gmoney5000]

I ordered one and I'll judge it for myself if this headsculpt is "better" in-hand. Some times I think people here need to see an ophthalmologist or get a pair of eyeglasses when they say the headsculpt is great and on point when it definitely is not. Case in point are Ronin and Endgame Black Widow. I have them both and they are both off. Ronin comes off as Chinese Renner and not Jeremy Renner. Black Widow resembles Kate McKinnon more than ScarJo herself. However, at least it wasn't a bait and switch which happened to the MkLXXXV. Although, Ronin's product photos looked better than the actual thing.

100% agree with you. I was super psyched about Ronin when the proto images were shown, I was less enthused once the final product was revealed. Absolutely not the same, but if the masses are happy that's all that matters sadly. I never thought the EG BW was anything to write home about, yet people continue to praise it.

Mk. 85 is objectively a disaster and if you don't think so then explain why HT caved a day after release and said they would re-do the sculpt???

 

[gmoney5000]

Yeah I just dont quite understand the hate this mk 85 head gets, but it wasnt like this and for the first iron man, nor either of the mk I, versions, nor the first mechtest iron man. Heck it wasnt until the iron man 3 tony with armor parts and floor that I ever thought 'whoa its 1/6 RDJ' so I'm a bit confused by the vitriol except for the fact the promo pics are so far away from the final product I do understand that part. I just dont think this is the worst 1/6 headsculpt hot toys have ever made.

Yeah, you're right. It's not a bad headsculpt if it were supposed to be any generic person, but the fact that's supposed to be based on the likeness of RDJ then this headsculpt sorely misses the mark. Add in the fact that the prototype they used to promote and solicit purchases was far superior to the final version, which is completely different, then yeah you're gonna get some reeeeeally ticked off nerds!

 

[Bleah]

100% agree with you. I was super psyched about Ronin when the proto images were shown, I was less enthused once the final product was revealed. Absolutely not the same, but if the masses are happy that's all that matters sadly. I never thought the EG BW was anything to write home about, yet people continue to praise it.

Mk. 85 is objectively a disaster and if you don't think so then explain why HT caved a day after release and said they would re-do the sculpt???

EG BW and Ronin go well together though... like a bootleg couple. Maybe they can be the stunt doubles for the Vormir scene. XD

 

[subzro]

A truly great sculpt should look good in photos. Why wouldn't it if it's really good?

In my experience there's no smoke without fire when it comes to headsculpts. Even if getting it in hand seems to allay your initial criticisms they tend to come creeping back.

I'm not a photo expert i can only talk from Personal experience. I still would love to have the orginal HS for this in hand just to see.

 

[OneSixFix]

today i received my third party clothing set and head sculpt (TOP) of Bucky Barnes and snapped it real quick with my old Samsung. The pic is not very good, but i can immediatly tell who this person is. The sculpt is in fact HT level (multi coloured eyes with venes visible and the HT shine, skin texture etc. What i want to say is, HT needs to step up their game again, as the head sculpt is the selling point for me personally. (Well Iron Man figs, or helmeted head sculpts are a bit different, Mark 85 looks beautiful but i only need the BD one) I am glad that companies like MAXNUT, TOP, or SOOSOO Toys, Toys Era improved so much with their head sculpts these days. Hope they gonna exchange the MK85 hs for an upgraded MK46, 47, 50 for those who want to.