What is your point exactly? You seemed to be saying that HT releases inferior product first (V1), so that they make the extra profit from early-adopters who feel the need to "upgrade" when something better comes along (BR). But that whole argument falls apart when you say that they released an inferior headsculpt with DX01. Why would they purposely step backwards?
Also, isn't it entirely possible that while there was some overlap in the production, the V1 was already too far along in production to make much cost sense to destroy all of the completed inferior heads and replace them with BR heads? The release date of the movie in Asia is irrelevant, if Yulli says she saw the movie when she did, she did. How do you know how long it takes her to finish a sculpt...or even how long it takes HT to take one of her prototype sculpts to mass production? Maybe it's not the same for every figure. V1 could have taken a year to develop, and BR a few months...then with some overlap in production time, it's reasonable that they get released not that far apart. It's not like they wait until one figure is completely shipped before they start on the next one.
My point is, I think Hot Toys had the capabilities (and references) and could have easily released the Bank Robber head as the V1. That and it's machine gun or something.
It was a response to these two things.
It's astonishing how off yullis first attempt at joker was. I'm aware that proper reference pics weren't available to her when she sculpted it...but there were plenty of photos of ledger in and out of character. It's like you'd think she sculpted the first joker based on memory alone.
i seem to recall seeing it in an interview with her. she said all she had to work with were some not very clear early promo pictures. don't know what they were, though. for all we know, they could have been as bad this:
Look at that V1. It doesn't even have accurate scars despite having this 2007 pic? That kind of shoots down any idea that they were working on it a year in advance, doesn't it?
That's pretty bad, even in 2008 standards. Everyone, including myself, thought it then too.
That's my point. They did have the reference. The clothing, weapons and headsculpt. While I can't back it up, I personally think the Bank Robber was in the works with the V1. They knew what they were doing and opted to put out a shoddy V1. They're not far apart in spec/pics release at all. True, there's no evidence that they were close in actual production, but I'm going by their record of announcements, spec/pics and when they get their stuff out there, along with other companies go time. Plus, how about all those last minute tweaks they sometimes do or the final product looking better than the proto (in the V1s case, the final head looked horrid)?
Anyway, it's not like after July, the Joker just emerged for everyone to see for the first time, it was all there for months and months and months. Two trailers even and the internet full of great reference. That's my point.
DCD did a better job (they had a scan), the 4 Horsemen's Movie Master did a better job, even Medicom did a better job. I still remember all the discussions, "man, the Hot Toys one is perfect, but I dunno about the muppet sculpt". The V1 head is just a bad, bad sculpt. I think it literally had a display life of, what, a month, two months tops?
Compare it to their OC Batman, which was literally revealed at the same time. Yes, it was just the Begins suit but the prototype revealed was poor, but look, by the time the actual product hit, they revealed a brand new headsculpt with a mouth that looked just like Bale's.
Also, who knew that he had a pneumatic mangler? Hardly anyone. Everyone wondered what it exactly was. Some people didn't even think that was actually Batman.
They must have had reference though right? Of course they did,
When was that pic released? With a bunch of great Ledger Joker pics that were new at the time.
But, the point is moot anyway. We're talking about the same crap we discussed years ago. YEARS ago. What happened, happened. My only point, is, again, I think Hot Toys', Yulli, everyone who developed it were capable of much more at the time. Not just references, not just sculpt, but accessories too. Look at those prototype clothes, other than red lining on the jacket, they're pretty good. Final product was nothing like that. The Bank Robber Joker? Other than paint, the final product was pretty damn close. I just don't buy that they magically got better in 2 or 3 months, maybe even less than that.
, they'll just email me right?
