1/6 Hot Toys - MMS 279 - Star Wars Episode IV: 1/6th scale Darth Vader

[VintijDroidGutzz]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure



YFB now channeling his sig.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

You bet I am, you rusty bucket of bolts!

 

[thecapn]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

I think its more of a "that's good enough for now" problem with why something is not perfect.

I think I'd go with "This is as much as we can do with the budget/time we're given for development now." Remember it's all business. If a slight defect is found that only a small percentage of fans will notice, and most collectors will still buy it, and you're pushing your development budget/timeline as it is, then you have to make a business decision. Remember that in business there's always a balancing act between what the designer wants, what the customer wants (which is probably both the best possible product), and what the investors want (a strict adherence to budget/timeline to make the most money).

I seriously doubt it's intentionally screwing the fans. Remember just how important the timing is in production. Hot Toys - and any manufacturer, really - has to book factory time for production runs in advance, and if they miss that deadline, who knows how long a delay there will be, and how much $ they'll lose (for deposits in advance, for example). If there's a small, tiny problem that would cost the company thousands of dollars, you can bet I would make that same decision to just go with it, and then, if you make another down the road, fix it now that you know about it.

 

[TonTon]

Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

With regard to not making it good enough to allow a 2.0, HT probably wants their Vader to be clearly better than the sideshow one that's currently available. Especially if it's priced a little higher with far fewer extras. That's a fine line to make it better but not as good as they can and would otherwise make it. As others have said it's likely more an issue of time and they get it as good as they can for the price they want.

 

[earthdog]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

With some many different actual costumed variants of Star Wars characters The v2, v3, v4 catalog is built in. There's no need for them try anything underhanded like a lackluster sculpt because of all the changes each character goes through across 3-4 films. I mean, At least not unless we start getting ANH Han v2 teased next year.

 

[lerath666]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Weren't you the one campaigning for one, & emphatically predicting a Haydikan two pack?

Nope. i said that the Asian market ( and Howard Chan, and his company are from Hong kong) Has a love affair with the PT in general, and LOVES ROTS specifically, and that I wouldn't be surprised to see Them make ROTS Vader before any other version because of this, And given that Howard chan has said on numerous occasions that he wants to make an Anakin figure, A two-pack with anakin and Vader From ROTs wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Invictus Sol]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Well, thank the gods you were wrong, lerath. Will be many moons until we have to start worrying about PT filth sullying the line.

 

[greygoose]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

We need some pics to dissect.

 

[Captain Britain]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Yep, there's a couple proponents of the 1:6 "planned obsolesence" theory but it doesn't seem feasible to me that say HT has the 'perfect' Ford Han Solo in a vault and purposely alter that sculpt so that it's just a bit off, so that the next release can be a bit closer (someone was actually using this as a theory to reconcile why HT's Han is not a dead ringer...). I'm sure they do the best they can within the limitations they have at the time. Theory doesn't make a lot of sense, either. HT's ANH Vader and eventually ESB Vader will be the last I buy until they break or deteriorate. So a long, long time. I won't care if one is released that's a tiny bit more accurate. There's too much other stuff competing for that dollar to keep buying endless iterations of the same character.



Then how come no-one else has managed to get Ford's likeness definitively in any format? I've looked at customs, PFs, 1:6, etc., and there is no dead ringer for Ford anywhere. He's just a tough likeness to capture. If HT could give us the perfect Ford rendition, they'd do so, because it would convince way more people to buy and I'm sure it has a certain prestige for them as artists, that they'd like to have. Someone else could come out w/the perfect Han tomorrow, for all they know, so I don't think they're purposely screwing up the sculpt.

Trevor did it with Indy and Medicom did it, at least to an extent that was 'good for their time'. Sure he's tough, but Reeve was tough and Hamill is tough and HT nailed it each time (well 90% nailed it, which is good enough). In the case of Reeve, Yulli (I think it was Yulli) reworked an earlier sculpt that was 'Reeve lookalike' quality but not good enough for Reeve. But in that case they had one shot, in the case of Star Wars they'll be rereleasing characters for ever. I'm not saying there's a conspiracy to screw the fans or anything AT ALL but they're a business and they know how the market works. The classic example is the V.1 Joker and the head that came with v.1 Bank Robber Joker. I'm sure there's a better Han head coming with a different outfit - Stormtrooper - and people will end up buying this one just for the outfit to put with that head.

As for Vader, why wouldn't they do at least three different versions? However, in the case of those I think they'll get them right every time.

 

[Lejuan]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Sometimes I wonder if the best companies like ss and ht purposely make the most collectable characters like Vader elusively imperfect just to keep collectors reaching for the ideal.....to keep us coming back for more as with each new licensed collectible, they just inch toward the "best available to-date".......

...

I never wonder this at all.

 

[OutLander]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

We need some pics to dissect.

I say nobody post in here again unless it's a picture of a HT Vader!

 

[Wor-Gar]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Yeah -- stop posting. Oooops.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

I say nobody post in here again unless it's a picture of a HT Vader!

Heyz, youz guyz!

 

[lerath666]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Well, thank the gods you were wrong, lerath. Will be many moons until we have to start worrying about PT filth sullying the line.

We will see till we see that Vader from the front, no telling what it actually is


for that matter, as tall as he is, that might just be the old sideshow anh vader

 

[Captain Britain]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Heyz, youz guyz!

View attachment 150890

What's the betting they **** up the cape on this?

No, sorry, no one would be stupid enough to accept a bet on that.

 

[Captain Britain]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Heyz, youz guyz!

View attachment 150890

Actually, the shape of Vader's helmet looks wrong.

 

[lerath666]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Actually, the shape of Vader's helmet looks wrong.

howard just confirmed on twitter that's the Sideshow ANH Vader


stupid new forums messing up my joke.


https://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

 

[demorathis]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Yeah, the close but no cigar conspiracy theory is a bit weak.

I used to think that about some of the Hasbro figures, because they got some things SO right.. & other things so wrong - then the next figure came along & same again.

In reality, they no doubt listen to feedback when it suits them, otherwise they know that their faithful will consume regardless. That said, nuances are either lost or noted from person to person (in the design stage) so it's a human thing in the end, not some ulterior agenda.

I generally think so as well. On the other hand,
A few years ago, when gentle giant came out with their 1/6 statue of vader, I asked them point blank why it, nor the bust that came before it, doesn't look like the props like vaders helmet and armour look different when they supposedly scanned.

One of the technicians told me that the lucasfilm systematically ask them to make cosmetic adjustments during the approval process-- not just cleanup, but tweaks, in the scanned info themselves before giving them the final ok...And I am not talking about a pose, but the actual features to suit their artistic interpretation....cheat a little, if you will, to create a more interesting statue, knowing that folks want a faithful scan. Whether or not they are aware people seem to always want a "definitive" piece, I don't know, unless they, too collect something.
(That said, the scan of the 1/6 Sith vader, is not of the new helmet, but the ot-- it even has the same warble in the domes rear edge...)

It is my hope too, that it is simply a matter of our expectations being too high...but this is said with the knowledge that they have had the ability to spit out a masterpiece with previous offerings.....

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Nice info there, good read.

Jack Bauer, who's as close to being a Vader expert as anyone here, says HT's effort is better than any that have come before in 1/6. So there's that.

 

[demorathis]

Re: Hot Toys Darth Vader Sixth Scale Figure

Heyz, youz guyz!

View attachment 150890

I have to say, from this angle it's hard to be digging on the Ben, but since I don't have him from ss, I would like to get him from ht....

I just hope he looks like Alec Guinness.......