Hot Toys - MMS DX 01- The Dark Knight - The Joker spec and pics

[wbss21]

Don't you have to create new molds for sculpts? Like the sculpts at the end of a molds life tend to look considerable lesser than those at the beginning? Maybe I'm wrong here..

Yeah, I can see it now...it does look much more like him. but I feel like it's only an issue when they are side by side in comparison.

I think the cop joker was a really really nice addition to the dx and I love that scene also. I guess I haven't really felt the gravity of the joker craze everyone talks about in the DC section until this discussion. I couldn't help it...but my initial thought was "what's the point." I've never really had anything to say negative about custom works...cause I think it's all great and I understand the passion of wanting your favorite character to look great up on the shelf. In this case I just never imagined improving on that sculpt. haha

You could say that about any of the Hot Toys sculpts. They're all great, especially for a mass marketed product. Obviously though, if you want something better, you're going to have to go with a customized piece. It's all about what any certain collector wants. I had the Hot Toys DX figures and I thought they were amazing. And I still think they're really good. I had no idea it could get better. Then when I saw Adam's stuff, I saw it could get a lot better. And that's just something I thought I'd like to invest in, since I just adore the Joker as a character and adored Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker. You could use the cop head Adam did for a lot of customs too. You could do a Joker in Arkham type deal, or just the Joker out of make-up in general, while still wearing his usual attire. It doesn't just have to be for the cop scene. So, I think it was worth it. To me it was anyway.

 

[Gipetto0812]

Exactly. Both are equally accurate to the likeness of the actor - but the HT sculpt takes its expression from a scene in the film, while the custom sculpt is taking its expression from the on-set production photos.

Sorry guys, just because it's a custom, doesn't mean it's more accurate. In fact, if you want movie accuracy, the HT one edges the other out, simply because its expression is actually from the movie.

Maybe you're all getting hung up on the expression.

The HT sculpt looks like the cop Joker in "The Dark Knight" (as portrayed by Heath Ledger)

The custom sculpt looks like Heath Ledger with his makeup on as the cop Joker in "The Dark Knight."

Do you see what I'm saying? One is the character (with the expression), one is the actor (with all the same makeup, but not the expression or attitude of the character). Naturally, the latter "looks" more like the actor, because the actor isn't trying to be someone else. But as far as the physical sculpt goes, both have just as much "likeness" in their shape to the shape of the actor/character.

I agree with you there haytil

to me, Hot Toys looks more like these, which I'm sure it was based off.

where as Adam's looks like the pic he based it off of. they're both accurate. I'm sure if someone painted their HT with a more sickly and accurate look, the Heath will show more. but both sculpts are pretty accurate.

As I've said before, I think both are great, but I don't think the HT one is inaccurate. In terms of better, Adam's has the better paint, but to me, both are accurate to Heath's likeness

 

[Gipetto0812]

You could say that about any of the Hot Toys sculpts. They're all great, especially for a mass marketed product. Obviously though, if you want something better, you're going to have to go with a customized piece.

not entirely true, though at times yes...haven't seen a better Arnold Schwarzenegger T-800 (all of them)/ Dutch sculpt, Stallone sculpt (Expendables sculpt) and Arnie Kim's Bruce Lee sculpts. I know there are more but these are just off the top of my head.

There are some great custom sculpts out there, but not all of them beat HT/mass marketed sculpts

 

[Seditionary]

I don't think either sculpts really capture the viciousness of the cop joker scene...To me that is one of the best joker scenes because he just looks like he's trying very hard to contain himself. Like look at those screenshots...he wants to kill that guy so bad. The closest I've seen is that mod someone did to that jet li sculpt a long while back. Although it was like a caricature...it was hella evil.

wbss21 has a really good point though. None of these sculpts are necessary for a certain scene. if the likeness is there its there, its all about how you use it. custom or mass market.

 

[wbss21]

not entirely true, though at times yes...haven't seen a better Arnold Schwarzenegger T-800 (all of them)/ Dutch sculpt, Stallone sculpt (Expendables sculpt) and Arnie Kim's Bruce Lee sculpts. I know there are more but these are just off the top of my head.

There are some great custom sculpts out there, but not all of them beat HT/mass marketed sculpts

Well no, not all of them. But Adam is extremely talented and his sculpts are a level above.

It's really next to impossible to capture some of Heath Ledger's expressions from the film in a static sculpt. The range of emotion running through some of his expressions can't be duplicated in this medium, I don't think. I didn't choose a screen cap. from that scene for that specific reason. I don't think his viciousness could really be captured well in a sculpt, though I'm sure if anyone could do it, it would be Adam. I think the Adam sculpt captures his meanness though. The meanness Heath was able to convey with his eyes was incredible, and I think Adam did a hell of a job capturing that here.

 

[jye4ever]

Since they're both so damn close to being equal, the cheaper one wins

 

[Seditionary]

this is sort of like...V1 hot toys joker is to bank robber/dx joker sculpt as this is to hot toys cop joker

It's totally to the extreme but I think it rules.

 

[wbss21]

Yeah, that is really cool.

 

[Gipetto0812]

soooo back to the DX Joker...took these before I headed back to the good ol dorm. already packed the camera so just used me trusty phone.

never used the card hand before, but i like the way the pose worked out. it's different than the scene specific pose I typically go for

 

[haytil]

I'd post with more details on where the HT sculpt is off but I'm on my iPhone and can't be bothered

Maybe tomorrow

Oh.

Thanks for that.

I now see the error of my ways.

this is sort of like...V1 hot toys joker is to bank robber/dx joker sculpt as this is to hot toys cop joker

It's totally to the extreme but I think it rules.

Kind of reminds me of the concept art.

I don't think his viciousness could really be captured well in a sculpt, though I'm sure if anyone could do it, it would be Adam. I think the Adam sculpt captures his meanness though. The meanness Heath was able to convey with his eyes was incredible, and I think Adam did a hell of a job capturing that here.

Funnily, I prefer the HT sculpt for the exact reason you seem to prefer the custom sculpt. I think the HT sculpt does a better job capturing that "meanness" you are referring to, which makes him so menacing - the grimace in the mouth and the narrowing of the eyes.

The custom sculpt has more of a "puppy dog" look to me, with the wider, bright eyes and the more prominent lips/relaxed mouth expression.

When I look at one, I see the character - when I look at the other, I see the actor.

 

[intothevoid]

Oh.

Thanks for that.

I now see the error of my ways.

Lol, I should have waited until I had a chance to do a proper comparison.

Anyway, still don't have much time, but from the off there's three things clearly more accurate in Adam's sculpt

1. The ears are more accurate and have the correct pointing outward orientation. The HT sculpt does not capture this.

2. The scar on the left side (when facing the sculpt) on the HT head is off, it starts virtually where the lip ends - when in fact the true starting position of the scar is just below the lip. Both Adam as well as that modded Jet Li sculpt posted above have got this right.

3. The receded hairline on the left side (again when facing) is wrong on HT's version. Hard to explain without illustrating, but essentially HT's version has the hair curving in, when going up from the sideburns, when the accurate hairline is actually curving out, again, Adam captures this perfectly (as does MRM's sculpt).

That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more and i'll post more points as I can think of them.

On the flip side, I can see zero features of the HT head that are sculpted more accurately than Adam's (ignoring the choice of expression here, as it can be argued that HT's choice is more apt for that scene, but clearly, it's a commission and the customer wanted that particular screen shot, so its a non-point).

I find the nose is off in both Adam's and HT's version. I think MRM has got the nose down best.

 

[monkeyrobotmaster]

The cheek bones and the under side of the chin are off on the HT head as well, and thanks Void.

 

[intothevoid]

The cheek bones and the under side of the chin are off on the HT head as well, and thanks Void.

Good points - yes, now that you mention it, they are off.

Btw - the hairline on yours is also perfect, forgot to mention

 

[monkeyrobotmaster]

Thanks bud. I will say though that of all the Joker sculpts Yulli did the cop head is the best one. It seems to me that all the HT sculpts are more stylized interpretations of the character like the Mattel Jokers were. All of them have good points to them, but none are great likenesses of Ledger. The closest likenesses I've seen have been the one Adam has made, damn fine work from that guy.

 

[cokebabies]

What the hell?

And to me, HT did a better job of capturing the on-screen cop, but Adam's does a better job of capturing his actual face. I just think Adam's expression is a little docile for what we saw on screen.

This is the toughest comparison for me, since I think the cop is HT's best Ledger likeness, so it's not as easily trumpable by a custom as the other sculpts were.

 

[Seditionary]

that's jet li modified

 

[BISHART]

has anyone painted the police jokers head with joker makeup? i want to see pics of that, thinking i may do it... aside from the PERS im not that impressed with the dx01 joker head.

 

[Gipetto0812]

CREG CUSTOMS has done quite a few police heads with hair added and joker make up. i think it looks pretty great. I don't have the pics though

 

[intothevoid]

CREG CUSTOMS has done quite a few police heads with hair added and joker make up. i think it looks pretty great. I don't have the pics though

Indeed he has - here's mine done by Dean (CREG CUSTOMS)

 

[ymba]

Have you seen how much the DX Bat is now going for on the BAY ?

I am seeing them sell for $450 !! Is it possible these figures have gone up so much ? I thought when they were introduced they were like $175 !

Amazing ...