How do YOU feel about Hot Toys re-releases?

[Boba Ben]

Selling due to the impending apocalypse.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Selling due to the impending apocalypse.

Should be the opposite, buy every figure you ever wanted and die happy

 

[Rotfish]

I like how the newbie collectors are blamed (often on the wrong basis) even though it's clear by now that toy manufacturers couldn't give a flying cake about their customers' moral compasses. Sure, maybe some whining and complaining will put the idea in HT's head, but the reason they're choosing to go along with it is because the idea is a goldmine. As a business, they don't share the same dictionary-based view of collecting that some of us do.

 

[Butters]

I think the people that work (sculptors, etc) for HT are collectors like the rest of us.

 

[Grosby]

I don't understand anyone who wants a re-release because they missed out. This is a hobby, this is collecting.

Some people don't look at it as 'collecting.' Some people, maybe even the majority, just look at it as buying something they like the look of and want to own, it's that simple. They don't give a crap about edition numbers, they don't care about having the original or any of these things you might value highly, they just want a particular figure on their shelf purely because the figure appeals to them, because they like the look of it.

I'm not saying one is wrong and one is right, just that not everyone shares the same concerns as you in why they buy these figures.

 

[Rotfish]

Some people don't look at it as 'collecting.' Some people, maybe even the majority, just look at it as buying something they like the look of and want to own, it's that simple. They don't give a crap about edition numbers, they don't care about having the original or any of these things you might value highly, they just want a particular figure on their shelf purely because the figure appeals to them, because they like the look of it.

I'm not saying one is wrong and one is right, just that not everyone shares the same concerns as you in why they buy these figures.

I guess that'd be me, then. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the artistic appreciation element really comes into play when you think about it this way. Not like those threads where half the posts are people _____ing about a massive ES they can't profit off of later. If I can make good money selling something down the road, that's really just a bonus.
If that makes me a 'poser' collector, so be it. Quite frankly, it's the aforementioned ES complainers that make me question why they're collectors in the first place. Well, therein lies Grosby's point: not everyone shares the same concerns as you in why they buy these figures.

One more thing: a passion for the designs is why I collect; profit is simply what I use to justify the hobby when others can't understand that passion.

 

[Blkinterceptor]

I guess that'd be me, then. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the artistic appreciation element really comes into play when you think about it this way. Not like those threads where half the posts are people _____ing about a massive ES they can't profit off of later. If I can make good money selling something down the road, that's really just a bonus.
If that makes me a 'poser' collector, so be it. Quite frankly, it's the aforementioned ES complainers that make me question why they're collectors in the first place. Well, therein lies Grosby's point: not everyone shares the same concerns as you in why they buy these figures.

One more thing: a passion for the designs is why I collect; profit is simply what I use to justify the hobby when others can't understand that passion.

I feel the same way... People complain because they are losing profit I don't understand how? If when these figures that are being re-released were $125-$160 when they first came out and are now selling for $300-$700 and I mean actually selling not asking price. So say they lose some percentage it still wouldn't be much because it is still an original release. Now if you purchased an item through the secondary market at high ticket price expecting to turn around and make a profit, wrong career move. I'm new to the hobby and to this forum so its all new to me. I have recently purchased figures from the secondary market at high price tags, before announcements of re-releases one of them was a DX02 which is now being re-released and I don't give a ____, because I bought it to keep it not to flip it, and it's the original DX02.

Sure I'm not going to post here and lie, I bought a few and re-sold, why, because once in person they didn't appeal to me either I broke even or made some profit, people want to say I'm a poser, fine... What appeals to me is the art of it. if the new DX02 has better features and looks closer the character I'll buy it too and still keep my original. I may sell a few others but it's only until I find the ones that better suit me and my collection, does that not make me a collector?

 

[Boba Ben]

I picked the first choice.

 

[Blkinterceptor]

I picked the first choice.

Me too... It's obvious which are the top 2 votes.

 

[Solidus]

It's because this board is full of 'poser' collectors who just rent their figures anyway. One minute they are cryin' cuz it's not fair they missed out on a release when they were late to the party. "Why don't i deserve??" they say. Next minute they got a For Sale thread. And it's not just a For Sale thread. It always has to be a For Sale thread with a reason. Like "moving" or "getting married" or "school bills" etc. As if anybody here gives a ____ why they are selling their stuff.

Yes and that's fine, but why do they have tell the world why they're selling?? Just sell the ____.

Selling for clean underwear .

 

[Blkinterceptor]

Selling for clean underwear .

 

[Solidus]

I don't understand anyone who wants a re-release because they missed out. This is a hobby, this is collecting.

Stamp collectors don't get a re-released 1956 stamp.

Christmas Village collectors don't get a re-released Santa's Workshop set.

I don't just start collecting Vintage Kenner figures and then tell Hasbro to re-release a Vinyl Cape Jawa. You pay out the ass for a complete collection.

Well, in the case of 1/6 collectibles, the nature of hobby is always changing. If we were to compare the 1/6 figures today to the ones that were released 5 or 8 years ago, we'll see a remarkable difference. The head-sculpts that Hot Toys are producing now look insanely realistic compared to the older products. They've also improved on the bodies, and fabrics on their figures.

So, I think it's good that Hot Toys has decided to revisit and re-release some of their older figures with improvements in quality. While it might not be the most brilliant decision (since many of their older fans, I'm sure, are pretty ticked off that their collectibles would depreciate in value), re-releases do pull in a lot of sales, and ensure that the hobby will continue to evolve for years to come.

Stamps collecting is a completely different type of hobby, and stamps have looked pretty much the same for a few hundred years .

In any case, the traditional collectors (the people who want unique and limited items with edition numbers), would probably be more happy if they invested in things like statues and numbered art-prints.

 

[thenammagazine]

I like how the newbie collectors are blamed (often on the wrong basis) even though it's clear by now that toy manufacturers couldn't give a flying cake about their customers' moral compasses. Sure, maybe some whining and complaining will put the idea in HT's head, but the reason they're choosing to go along with it is because the idea is a goldmine. As a business, they don't share the same dictionary-based view of collecting that some of us do.

It's a poor business decision on their part. Not only are they undermining their own integrity, but they're undermining the value of their own releases, as well as the potential for future income.

 

[Blkinterceptor]

Well, in the case of 1/6 collectibles, the nature of hobby is always changing. If we were to compare the 1/6 figures today to the ones that were released 5 or 8 years ago, we'll see a remarkable difference. The head-sculpts that Hot Toys are producing now look insanely realistic compared to the older products. They've also improved on the bodies, and fabrics on their figures.

So, I think it's good that Hot Toys has decided to revisit and re-release some of their older figures with improvements in quality. While it might not be the most brilliant decision (since many of their older fans, I'm sure, are pretty ticked off that their collectibles would depreciate in value), re-releases do pull in a lot of sales, and ensure that the hobby will continue to evolve for years to come.

Stamps collecting is a completely different type of hobby, and stamps have looked pretty much the same for a few hundred years .

In any case, the traditional collectors (the people who want unique and limited items with edition numbers), would probably be more happy if they invested in things like statues and numbered art-prints.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Some people don't look at it as 'collecting.' Some people, maybe even the majority, just look at it as buying something they like the look of and want to own, it's that simple. They don't give a crap about edition numbers, they don't care about having the original or any of these things you might value highly, they just want a particular figure on their shelf purely because the figure appeals to them, because they like the look of it.

I'm not saying one is wrong and one is right, just that not everyone shares the same concerns as you in why they buy these figures.

I don't care about edition size or value later on, i buy cos i like it and want it... To keep.

I see loads who aren't collectors as they sell too much, they rent thier figures.

Even though i don't care about the above i still love that feeling of ordering something, the wait and the payoff, after a few weeks that hype fades in favour of the next thing but that feeling comes when looking at your collection in awe, if hot toys become like any other toy company then that exillaration can fade.

Put it this was, i was hyped for Deus Ex: HR, that hype faded abit when i had some other games grab my attention, then about a month after it came out i realized i hadn't thought about it cos game sites weren't hyping it anymore. So if a figure loses that exclusive one-of-a-kind collectible feeling cos you know they'll remake it or that it'll be in-stock for long while due to mass production and you feel it can wait, that hype will disappear i think.

My initial love for ion man and batman is near non-existant now cos i'm tired of seeing it too much, it's lost its exclusivity and one-of-kind feeling cos there is too many variants and versions IMO

)re-releases do pull in a lot of sales, and ensure that the hobby will continue to evolve for years to come.

This is kinda redundant; your saying they will evolve (move forward onto new and better things) by making rereleases (going backward to something all ready done)

How can that work? Moving foward by stepping back

 

[Blkinterceptor]

How can that work? Moving foward by stepping back

You have to know where you came from to know where you're going...

 

[Solidus]

This is kinda redundant; your saying they will evolve (move forward onto new and better things) by making rereleases (going backward to something all ready done)

How can that work? Moving foward by stepping back

Hot Toys is revisiting older products, but they're not re-releasing the exact same figures. If they were, then what you've said would have been true. Hot Toys re-releases are always different, and in most cases, superior in quality and realism to the original releases from years back.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Hot Toys is revisiting older products, but they're not re-releasing the exact same figures. If they were, then what you've said would have been true. Hot Toys re-releases are always different, and in most cases, superior in quality and realism to the original releases from years back.

That's true except for the Tumbler, which i think though am not sure is the same, however while not technically the same figure it's the same version of the same character from the same franchise, i don't see that as evolving infact i see keeping with this pattern is preventing them from evolving.

 

[Blkinterceptor]

i don't see that as evolving infact i see keeping with this pattern is preventing them from evolving.

By revisiting an existing figure by making it better is evolving. Not only are they evolving the figure but they are evolving themselves as artists by producing a superior figure whether by sculpt or articulation.

True the IM has been a bit overwhelming but I can honestly say that because of them revisiting, my Mk VI is kick___, and superior over the original mk iii, mk iii BD, and even my mk IV. Now they know how to make things work so they go back and build us a toy that we can proudly display and articulate the way we want.

Hence evolving it...

 

[Solidus]

That's true except for the Tumbler, which i think though am not sure is the same, however while not technically the same figure it's the same version of the same character from the same franchise, i don't see that as evolving infact i see keeping with this pattern is preventing them from evolving.

Well, the Tumbler isn't a figure; it's a vehicle, let alone the only vehicle that Hot Toys has ever produced (besides the 89' Batmobile that's currently on the way).

I believe the problem that you're discussing (and please let me know if I'm wrong) isn't really about the nature of re-releases and whether they're good for the evolution of hobby or not, but mainly about how Hot Toys has apparently become focused on them, to the point that they've forgotten about some of the licenses that they've announced from a few years ago (love your signature, by the way ). It's a different topic. But, in a sense, I think it's understandable that Hot Toys would want to revisit and update their older product lines for the Avengers and Dark Knight Rises movies, as it will ensure a steady cash flow for much of the year. But, that said, I can only hope that they'll get to Metal Gear Solid some time this year.