Hot Toys Valkyrie (Thor Love and Thunder)

[choombaz]

I definitely prefer this costume to her other two. I don't want to spend $270+ though.

I would have preferred the pyjamas look lol

 

[Chopper Face]

Weird isn’t it? DC seems to be left to the side so much by HT.

That’s just because HT are wholly in the mouse’s pocket.

It’s apparently very difficult for anyone else to get a 1/6 Disney license so I’d expect one of the terms for HT retaining exclusivity is that they make whatever Disney says whenever they ask.

Also, the MCU has been HT’s bread and butter for the last decade but I guess no one’s told them how disappointing phase 4 and the D+ shows are.

 

[choombaz]

That’s just because HT are wholly in the mouse’s pocket.

It’s apparently very difficult for anyone else to get a 1/6 Disney license so I’d expect one of the terms for HT retaining exclusivity is that they make whatever Disney says whenever they ask.

Also, the MCU has been HT’s bread and butter for the last decade but I guess no one’s told them how disappointing phase 4 and the D+ shows are.

Yep it’s amazing how much vitriol is directed towards HT when much of it should probably be redirected towards the mouse.

 

[Starfleet Captain]

With 7 orders pending shipment (have to wait for over a year for some of them), I am absolutely maxed out for HT in the foreseeable future…Good hunting!

 

[evenflow]

Looks good but not a character I need. Korg on the other hand…

 

[IAmIronMan]

That’s just because HT are wholly in the mouse’s pocket.

It’s apparently very difficult for anyone else to get a 1/6 Disney license so I’d expect one of the terms for HT retaining exclusivity is that they make whatever Disney says whenever they ask.

Also, the MCU has been HT’s bread and butter for the last decade but I guess no one’s told them how disappointing phase 4 and the D+ shows are.

I'm going to preface this by saying I'm probably a bigger DC fan than Marvel overall, but do we know if it's the mouse leaning on them?

As you pointed out, the Disney licenses are much harder to get/exclusive. Since HT is pretty much the 1/6 top dog and can afford it/has it because of precedence, doesn't it make business sense to spend resources where they have less competition?

If they have to actually do more R&D, better sculpts/tailoring, for DC figures because they have to compete with the likes of InArt (assuming they can maintain their quality into production), wouldn't it make more sense to put more resources where they are less likely to be challenged?

Again, I have no idea what Disney licensers are like so if anyone has more insight, I would love to be educated.

 

[choombaz]

I'm going to preface this by saying I'm probably a bigger DC fan than Marvel overall, but do we know if it's the mouse leaning on them?

As you pointed out, the Disney licenses are much harder to get/exclusive. Since HT is pretty much the 1/6 top dog and can afford it/has it because of precedence, doesn't it make business sense to spend resources where they have less competition?

If they have to actually do more R&D, better sculpts/tailoring, for DC figures because they have to compete with the likes of InArt (assuming they can maintain their quality into production), wouldn't it make more sense to put more resources where they are less likely to be challenged?

Again, I have no idea what Disney licensers are like so if anyone has more insight, I would love to be educated.

I think one of the things is there is not a lot of information out there Budget Stark was really good in talking to people and getting inside information but he doesn’t do it anymore.

My impression is the more Marvel and Star Wars product that HT did and the buzz it started to generate, the accountants at Disney probably started to take notice. You rarely get a head sculpt of a lesser known actor which indicates there is a kind of box office appeal to the whole thing. Factor in NDAs and other legalities, covid, supply chains, Howard, Disney’s monopoly, likeness rights yada yada. The whole thing is an absolute minefield of lawyers, accountants and anyone else scrambling for a dime.

HT are clearly beyond stretched and understandably are going where the money is. But they are also legendary for making really bizarre decisions.

This figure states newly developed body but it looks a lot like the body they used for Shuri. Maybe they haven’t developed it yet or maybe it is different but as stated it’s a half hearted attempt with seamless elbows but jointed shoulders.

 

[rocbolt]

Looks good, may force my hand to get Mighty Thor in HT form too- final product quality pending of course. I actually prefer this Valkyrie look, maybe someone will make a Phantom of the Opera shirt

 

[Bleah]

This figure states newly developed body but it looks a lot like the body they used for Shuri. Maybe they haven’t developed it yet or maybe it is different but as stated it’s a half hearted attempt with seamless elbows but jointed shoulders.

Can't say this is Shuri's body. I'm guessing this is slightly bigger as Shuri looks like a bobble head. Valkyrie's arms have muscle definition while Shuri's doesn't.

 

[choombaz]

Can't say this is Shuri's body. I'm guessing this is slightly bigger as Shuri looks like a bobble head. Valkyrie's arms have muscle definition while Shuri's doesn't.

Fair point, I just said it because they both have seamless elbows and jointed shoulders

 

[Omega9300]

I think they nailed her smug self entitled expression perfectly.
View attachment 598105

Yeah I think the sculpt is really good. No doubt as to who it is supposed to be.
Out of curiosity what is your beef whitg her? You seem to have a strong dislike of her as a person and her abilities as an actress. Have you met or worked with her?

 

[ObiGlennKenobi]

I think one of the things is there is not a lot of information out there Budget Stark was really good in talking to people and getting inside information but he doesn’t do it anymore.

My impression is the more Marvel and Star Wars product that HT did and the buzz it started to generate, the accountants at Disney probably started to take notice. You rarely get a head sculpt of a lesser known actor which indicates there is a kind of box office appeal to the whole thing. Factor in NDAs and other legalities, covid, supply chains, Howard, Disney’s monopoly, likeness rights yada yada. The whole thing is an absolute minefield of lawyers, accountants and anyone else scrambling for a dime.

HT are clearly beyond stretched and understandably are going where the money is. But they are also legendary for making really bizarre decisions.

This figure states newly developed body but it looks a lot like the body they used for Shuri. Maybe they haven’t developed it yet or maybe it is different but as stated it’s a half hearted attempt with seamless elbows but jointed shoulders.

I miss Budget Stark.

He was the man when it came to HT releases and displays at Secret Base.
I loved his passion and his awesome videos.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Yeah I think the sculpt is really good. No daunt as to who it is supposed to be.
Out of curiosity what is your beef which her? You seem to have a strong dislike of her as a person and her abilities as an actress. Have you met or worked with her?

I just never liked her, she seems to choose smarmy characters to play a lot. Hated her in Westworld. I'll leave it at that, board rules and all.

 

[Mondragon]

Seamless elbows, exposed shoulder joints. Another strange choice by HT what a surprise.

For the most dynamic poses shoulders require more range (circular mobility joint). Also larger area for stretch and crimping wear. .
While elbows can get away with less for most natural poses.
Looks great, a well executed, and completely logical design choice.

Hope they make this choice for most bare armed figures going forward.

 

[chrisstbh]

For the most dynamic poses shoulders require more range (circular mobility joint). Also larger area for stretch and crimping wear. .
While elbows can get away with less for most natural poses.
Looks great, a well executed, and completely logical design choice.

Hope they make this choice for most bare armed figures going forward.

Doesn't look great to me, just seems like a half measure. Either go all the way or don't bother at all imo.

 

[KitbashOfficer]

Doesn't look great to me, just seems like a half measure. Either go all the way or don't bother at all imo.

Not everyone can do the TBLeague-style body, apparently.

 

[gmoney5000]

Sculpt looks really top notch, although the expression they went with is a bit of a headscratcher...

 

[Gipetto0812]

For the most dynamic poses shoulders require more range (circular mobility joint). Also larger area for stretch and crimping wear. .
While elbows can get away with less for most natural poses.
Looks great, a well executed, and completely logical design choice.

Hope they make this choice for most bare armed figures going forward.

While I do agree with you, it does beg the question on why this figure has exposed shoulder joints, but then you have Wonder Woman (and Mando Ahsoka which used the top half of the WW body) is completely seamless?

Maybe they didn't think it was a big deal since her torso armor almost covers the shoulders anyway where as Wonder Woman has a fully exposed clavicle/shoulder area. But then again, in the WW84 specs, HT mentions how they improved the shoulder articulation on the new body, so if they figured out how to improve shoulder articulation for a seamless look, why go with exposed joints on this? I would say it's lazy on HT part b/c they probably didn't want to do a new seamless body with the more toned arms that Tessa Thompson has vs the noodles that Gal Gadot does.

I personally don't mind it, even if I was getting this figure. Lots of ppl get bent out of shape with exposed joints then get mad when they can't articulate the figure OR worse, the material tears/breaks and paint rubs off. The Arkham Harley had paint rubbing off on the seamless arms right out of the box yet ppl still want seamless this and that. Not to mention, the elbow crease tends to look unnatural 9 times out of 10. My ThreeZero Storm Shadow can't even keep his arms bent at 90 degrees b/c of those seamless arms and the weak ratchets inside them. The updated Peacemaker figure now has seamless arms yet NONE of the new phots show those arms bent. That said, if HT were to go fully sculpted form here on out, I would want them to sculpt new bits for each person but we know they won't do that since they prefer to just reuse and recycle parts for multiple characters which is annoying in of itself. I understand it for underlying bodies, but when parts are exposed, I wish they would sculpt new parts that are specific to that actor/character.

 

[MeatHookGekko]

For the most dynamic poses shoulders require more range (circular mobility joint). Also larger area for stretch and crimping wear. .
While elbows can get away with less for most natural poses.
Looks great, a well executed, and completely logical design choice.

Hope they make this choice for most bare armed figures going forward.

My take is HT should have released the Ragnarok version with the cannon as part of the figure stand. then they'd be forced to use different joints to make the gunner pose possible.

I guess the question becomes if another brand, if they've made a horse already and have the molds, will make a winged horse. Unless of course it's already been made ( Was gone for 10 years out of the hobby)

Don't enjoy the actress. She was far more passable in Veronica Mars. Ragnarok's script was able to hide her. She was virtually pointless in L&T though. Combine her with Portman and that's just grim on the acting front. What was wrong with Kat Dennings? She was more than credible in Nick & Norah Infinite Playlist. She could have been a great fun and comedic Jane Foster. Even someone like Jenny Slate.

Anyway, great headsculpt but I am always advocating for more weapons. As many weapons as possible in a set.

 

[beetjack]

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it's pretty awesome