InArt: The Lord of the Rings - Gandalf 1:6

[RandomHero]

Where were all you people when this started...?

I've always maintained a "one figure per character" rule that I've only broken for Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi...it's my way of trying to keep this hobby under control. I figured I'd eventually crack and order Legolas to replace my Asmus figure because there was potential for these figures to just be so much better...but at the time that Gandalf went up, we really didn't know what InArt would deliver and were still waiting on The Joker to release.

Flash forward and The Joker is out, the production figure is as good as the prototype, and now Gandalf's production pictures look phenomenal. I no longer need to tell myself that I'd be happy with my Asmus Gandalf the Grey because it's such a step below what this InArt figure will be.

I was fine taking the risk on The Joker to support a new brand and see what they'd deliver, but at the time, $500 wasn't worth it. It is now.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I hope Kit's "few more to sell" means InArt has finished production of all the pieces (since it had "a few more") and is closing in on boxing these up ready for delivery.

 

[QuiGonFishing]

I pre-ordered Gandalf through KG Hobby, and now I'm afaid everyone will have theirs in hand for a year bfore I get mine...assuming the remember to send him to me at all.

 

[Gipetto0812]

Where were all you people when this started...?

They were waiting for the first light of the fifth day at dawn to po Gandalf.

 

[agonistes86]

Where were all you people when this started...?

For me, in a different financial situation. When Joker and shortly after Gandalf went up for pre-order, my daughter was about 6 months old, we just started paying for daycare, and I just reduced my hours to 80% (best decision ever BTW). So it was a period where I simply couldn't justify committing to $500 for a single figure.

Fast forward a year: my wife switched jobs, I got a big raise this year, and I discovered a side hustle by selling my 90's and early 2000 toys (the vintage TMNT market is crazy right now; I sold some figures for $200 each). So now it doesn't seem that frivolous to spend this kind of money on figures anymore.

The production images are really what persuaded me though, they currently look even better than the prototype IMO.

 

[RandomHero]

I pre-ordered Gandalf through KG Hobby, and now I'm afaid everyone will have theirs in hand for a year bfore I get mine...assuming the remember to send him to me at all.

How come you don't buy from Kit?

 

[Wor-Gar]

(the vintage TMNT market is crazy right now; I sold some figures for $200 each).

Which vintage TMNT? I have all those carded figures from like 1991 stored away deliberately for when that generation started collecting. Is that time now?

 

[Gipetto0812]

Which vintage TMNT? I have all those carded figures from like 1991 stored away deliberately for when that generation started collecting. Is that time now?

I think so. We have a local shop in Dallas called Dallas Vintage Toys and they sell and buy a TON of vintage and current TMNT stuff. Plus, the new animated movie is coming out too.

 

[QuiGonFishing]

How come you don't buy from Kit?

This was many months ago. Believe me, if Kit had the preorder at that time, that would have been my go to.

 

[Gipetto0812]

I hope Kit's "few more to sell" means InArt has finished production of all the pieces (since it had "a few more") and is closing in on boxing these up ready for delivery.

Wonder if the rumor of InArt withholding orders from TW until they paid for their stock is true, so InArt just gave OSK the left over stock that would’ve originally been for TW’s customers

 

[Wor-Gar]

I doubt InArt would do that -- not provide stock until payment is one thing, but doing that well in advance of delivery just doesn't seem right, especially then giving that stock to someone else.

I'm guessing InArt just made more because of demand.

Has Kit sold out of additional Gandalfs or are there still even more available?

 

[Gipetto0812]

I doubt InArt would do that -- not provide stock until payment is one thing, but doing that well in advance of delivery just doesn't seem right, especially then giving that stock to someone else.

I'm guessing InArt just made more because of demand.

Has Kit sold out of additional Gandalfs or are there still even more available?

Yea you're probably right. Though, TBA also had trouble securing their original stock of InArt Joker to where they had to cancel all orders if I remember correctly so who knows. The difference being, TW probably wouldn't tell anyone nor cancel any of the orders and instead just keep telling their customers that they're waiting for the next batch when really they're buying time to try to find somewhere to get one.

And not sold out yet. OSK is still taking orders for Gandalf based on a quick check.

 

[Kit Chen]

Any idea or message from InArt about the starting shipping?

nope

 

[Chopper Face]

I pre-ordered Gandalf through KG Hobby, and now I'm afaid everyone will have theirs in hand for a year bfore I get mine...assuming the remember to send him to me at all.

KG wasn’t actually that far behind Kit with Joker so it’s nowhere near the same sort of monumental wait time we have for Hot Toys. I feel like Kit got a small batch in, then a week or so later, KG shipped their deuce orders out.

How come you don't buy from Kit?

KG works out cheaper to the U.K.

 

[Wor-Gar]

And not sold out yet. OSK is still taking orders for Gandalf based on a quick check.

So InArt must have made a lot more Gandalfs. I wonder how many retailers are also selling more Gandalfs?

 

[agonistes86]

Which vintage TMNT? I have all those carded figures from like 1991 stored away deliberately for when that generation started collecting. Is that time now?

I would say so, yes. People like me who grew up with TMNT are now in their mid to end 30s, so they have the disposable income. NECA is pumping out so many TMNT lines that collecting is at an all-time high. And the new movie is coming out like Gipetto said.

Regarding the value, the later lines go for most money, since they weren't as overproduced. If you have any undercover turtles with real fabric coats, you're sitting on the holy grail, with Leo going for 3k+ (I amazingly have Leo, but have only found some of his accessories so far - the rest is still somewhere in a box at my parents).
But if you have any MOC, even earlier waves should be worth a lot. Playmates is re-releasing a lot of them though (on retro cards and all), so I don't know how that will affect the prices in the long run.

 

[yy0925]

I guarantee this all came about because of those production pictures coming out.

Exactly. The production piece looks much better than proto.

 

[Wor-Gar]

The production piece looks much better than proto.

That's a beautiful statement right there.

 

[Gipetto0812]

Lets revisit the production pics of the head since it's been a few pages

 

[agonistes86]

Lets revisit the production pics of the head since it's been a few pages

Yeah that right there is exactly why I pre-ordered. Beautiful sculpt and not something I want to miss out on. I would forever look at my Asmus and feel disappointed that there's something much better out there.