Hot Toys The Dark Knight Joker DX/Artisan 1/6 Scale Figure

[Nick D]

That paint & those eyes should leave any questions at the door. HTs lately have been very consistent at matching prototype to production no? The main IA sculpt looks good but it’s not matching that if HTs pulls this off. From the looks of it, the only things that figure needs done are setting the eyes correctly, adjusting hairline, styling hair & futzing the suit, the shirt collar is incredible and something IA should have done but didn’t. All things IA required if you want it proper.

 

[Godfather1408]

If only the HT looked like that Ambrosia sculpt. Whoever painted (Yuan or Heise?) did an amazing job on those eyes.


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I don't think the paint is too bad that hairline and hair need fixing would really help.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Again, those teeth (and the upturned eyes) truly sell it.

 

[Nick D]

Again, those teeth (and the upturned eyes) truly sell it.

From the looks of it, the likeness in those eyes is spot on Heath, you can just tell.

 

[Wor-Gar]

The lens pop_collectibles is using certainly makes that sculpt look great.

 

[Nick D]

The lens pop_collectibles is using certainly makes that sculpt look great.

They do have the highest price listed in the market.

 

[TheBatman]

It doesn’t matter whether they’re actually hand painted or via computer if at the end of the day, it will be the most sought after 1:6 Ledger Joker on the market for a while solely because of brand recognition, the 4000 unit availability, and the unique sculpt that sets it apart from any previous Ledger for any said company. Also the tailoring doesn’t seem bad at all on the prototype. It doesn’t matter to me, as I own both and if neither the Inart or Artisan HT end up being to my standards then I can always sell them and buy better quality custom work.

So youre okay with them lying? Lol...how much is Howard paying you to shill?

 

[Wor-Gar]

how much is Howard paying you to shill?

 

[Nick D]

So youre okay with them lying? Lol...how much is Howard paying you to shill?

We don’t know their process for these two releases, it could be completely different than any other projects they have their hands in, in fact, it probably will be. When’s the last time Howard came on a video eager to show off every detail about a figure a year in advance, biting IA? Sure, it’s business, you have to sell your audience on the product they just bought from someone else somehow. These being numbered is all the evidence you need, I hear all over this forum how people are noticing leaps in quality and matching prototypes as well as listening to the community and making adjustments prior to release. He wants to do more than stay afloat in this market, he’s not just gonna go sell real estate because IA came on the scene.

How can one be a shill when I own both the IA deluxe, HT artisan, and multiple custom projects going on also? I can’t lose either way dude.

 

[Wor-Gar]

He's a Joker fanatic... not a shill.

 

[batfan08]

Time will tell I guess.

I don’t see where all this goodwill came from all of the sudden. There’s nothing in their production catalog that proves Hot Toys can handle this rooted hair.

And their last attempt at the Ledger Joker, the Quarter Scale 1/4 version was/is terrible. Lotta faith for an unproven entity.

I was pretty skeptical of InArt until I got my set in hand, so maybe if Hot Toys follows their lead, like they clearly have been, they’ll follow their manufacturing style and produce something nice.

I think it’s less that people have “goodwill” and more a sense that Howard’s kind of obligated to deliver after thumping on his chest like a gorilla. It’s not an accident that every Hot Toys release now has rolling eyes and that we’re getting these Artisan figures. It’s the same crap he pulled when Enterbay started making 1/4 scale figures. Then, Howard did until EB shifted focus towards sports stuff before seemingly vanishing from the face of the earth.

The way I see it, as long as InArt stays in business, HT’s gonna have to put up or shut up, lest they become a laughing stock. I don’t care how “culty” their fan base is, if Howard consistently ***** the bed while other companies pick up the slack and make great products, it might not be swift, but, at some point, it will affect his bottom line and people will start moving in other directions. That’s just the free market.

To my mind, I feel like production is the reason these guys *are* so limited. I think it’s Howard wanting to compete with the big boys and not wanting to bite off more than he can chew before he knows he can deliver and 4,000, or whatever the hell the actual numbers are, is a nice, manageable production run to work out the kinks. Either way it goes, I’m very curious to see how the situation develops.

 

[TheBatman]

I get being a Joker fanatic but HT?

Only reason HT is doing what they're doing is because of competition.
I'm not knocking they can't do it, but let's see if they can keep that level of detail come production.
They HAVE to hand paint.
They need to provide some updates during the production process to show that goodwill that they're doing what they say they're doing.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I love InArt for poking the bear.

I also think HT is getting pressure from 3rd party companies really bringing it home lately with a lot of figures. Howard's interest in InArt is for the upped revenue.

 

[Nick D]

I love InArt for poking the bear.

I also think HT is getting pressure from 3rd party companies really bringing it home lately with a lot of figures. Howard's interest in InArt is for the upped revenue.

It also is due to customs, both IA & HT know they lose customers to the custom clothing runs & sculpts, not a lot but they notice and want their companies to be seen in the same light. They are very aware of what can be done in that market, it’s a race between IA & HT as to who can reach custom level quality and sustain it at a mass production scale.

Besides, Howard wouldn’t like me anyways. He can only sell me one or two figures, from one film. He can sell you guys multiple.

 

[Godfather1408]

Inart was smart by doing Joker as a 1st figure....

They saw the demand and knew it would create a buzz, the debate on " can this new company deliver?" And they did! It created a buzz in the hobby I haven't seen for a while. Then Howard started paying attention.

People giving them s**t for taking ages ( a year) what they delivered in a year was an incredible experience! Mean while Hot toys are taking 1-2 years to bring out subpar figures with tacky accessories like that god awful doc brown.

 

[Nick D]

Why you only interested in Joker?
What about Ironman? No?
- Howard

 

[rayeknor]

Still gutted no 3rd mouth option for eating a rose.

 

[Nick D]

 

[batfan08]

Heise did the paint on the sculpt, Ambrosia sculpted it.

Yeah the eyes brings the sculpt down on HT's version. It's always the eyes that throws it off on a lot of sculpts. The smallest thing being off on them can throw an otherwise spot on sculpt, similar to what we're seeing with INART's Cavill sculpt. The eye region on that sculpt is just ever so slightly off, throwing the likeness off to many.

They really nailed the eyes on the Anakin sculpt. Has much more of that "Wow" factor and lifelike feeling to it, similar to INART's Aragorn. I just haven't gotten that same feeling upon looking at the Joker sculpt. The rooted hair being poorly done also brings it down.

I agree that Anakin looks phenomenal. I’m not even a Prequel Fan, really, and even I was like “holy ****,” but I do feel like there were a few Joker pics that also made me go, like, “Jesus.” These two in particular seemed really life-like to me:

 

[rayeknor]

They both look amazing, most importantly, also in convention photos and video with the exception of one Anakin getting a case of California poofed hair.

Personally the Joker looks a little bit better just from his eyes set in the black makeup not needing the painted lower eyebrows, in closeups those break the illusion on Anakin a little for be but that is top level nitpicking.