JND Studios 1/6 scale Heath Ledger Joker figure

[Nick D]

But, isn't the fault not really with HT, but with the artist who let HT buy their sculpt? Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but the way I understood the chain of events was that it a "limited" custom made sculpt; but HT ends up buying it from said artists to use with the DX32/33 Artisan figure? Couldn't the artist who created the sculpt just said no instead of looking at the dollar signs? If that's the case, no one should be mad at HT for that, but more at the original artist IMO.

Or, did HT recast and modify the sculpt without the original artist being aware?

IMO, it's no different than when ppl paid X amount for the Kato TDK Joker clothing run that eventually became the prototype to the DX11 clothes. Sure, they didn't come out to Kato standards, but Kato made big money off that. Once, from the customers who commissioned the run and then again from HT for buying the prototype.

I agree, it’s 100% the artists fault and not the company for saying yes. Wonderworld did the same for InArt Phoenix. However, it’s HTs fault for taking it further and running it into the ground, we haven’t received their top of the line, once limited to 4K Joker yet, that those of us lucky enough to grab thought maybe we’d get it in hand first. Instead we have to see unboxings and blogger photos of this, or worse, what if imposter actually releases first?

 

[Wor-Gar]

what if imposter actually releases first?

I foresee dodgy cell pics of this head on that paint-splattered batsuit, with its tangled hair splayed from fat fingers, and collectors complaining.

 

[Gipetto0812]

I agree, it’s 100% the artists fault and not the company for saying yes. Wonderworld did the same for InArt Phoenix. However, it’s HTs fault for taking it further and running it into the ground, we haven’t received their top of the line, once limited to 4K Joker yet, that those of us lucky enough to grab thought maybe we’d get it in hand first, now we have to see unboxings and blogger photos of this, worse, what if imposter actually releases first?

I guess I understand the view of it being "run into the ground" after knowing what it could look like based on Heise's work, but if it was an original sculpt, we wouldn't really know any better anyway until after it got into a customizers hands much like how the InArt sculpts can shine pretty nicely when done right.
As far as how limited something is, I guess it comes down to the collector as that isn't something that sway me one way or another, nor does it add any perceived value to me. Only thing it really effects is resale value.
As for blogger photos, we all know those aren't the best no matter if it's this figure or a regular MMS release. It would be interesting and quite humorous if the con exclusive does end up releasing first though.

 

[Wor-Gar]

It would be interesting and quite humorous if the con exclusive does end up releasing first though.

Will we see it as SDCC or the HK variant?

 

[Wor-Gar]

 

[Nick D]

I’m excited to finally get sleeve buttons on this, coat looks really good to me. Wonder if they’ll improve the suit at all in production like the paint apps?

 

[Gipetto0812]

I’m excited to finally get sleeve buttons on this, coat looks really good to me. Wonder if they’ll improve the suit at all in production like the paint apps?

View attachment 713979

Speaking of the coat, I really like that they made the grenade rig removable

 

[roan]

How so? Genuinely curious what you mean. Are you saying this b/c it's not a special one time use sculpt anymore with the reveal of the convention exclusive?

Yes, they made it exclusive, but now release this Joker so people will have a second chance to get it. I think the paint and hair looks better than on the original Artisan.

 

[Scout Trooper]

I agree, it’s 100% the artists fault and not the company for saying yes. Wonderworld did the same for InArt Phoenix. However, it’s HTs fault for taking it further and running it into the ground, we haven’t received their top of the line, once limited to 4K Joker yet, that those of us lucky enough to grab thought maybe we’d get it in hand first. Instead we have to see unboxings and blogger photos of this, or worse, what if imposter actually releases first?

My understanding is that Wonderworld made the suit per Inart's request. Did that project start as a personal endeavor for Wonder that was later bought out?

 

[Nick D]

My understanding is that Wonderworld made the suit per Inart's request. Did that project start as a personal endeavor for Wonder that was later bought out?

Wasn’t saying they intercepted a project in development but instead prevented one from beginning. He was caught up with his Heath suits at the time and I asked about a Phoenix run around the time InArt started to tease theirs. Anything custom artists make for companies, takes a personal by hand copy from collectors. Would you prefer the suit from him and his team directly, or a mass produced somewhat loosely referenced version of his mock up?

 

[Scout Trooper]

Wasn’t saying they intercepted a project in development but instead prevented one from beginning. He was caught up with his Heath suits at the time and I asked about a Phoenix run around the time InArt started to tease theirs.

An artist for hire picked up for a huge project. Nothing wrong with that. It makes sense why Inart wouldn't want him to reproduce the suit. It will only undermine their product.

Ambrosia on the other hand, I think that was in poor taste. You might think twice about owning their work going forward. On account they're willing to sell out the way they did with Hot Toys.

That sculpt lost so much of its worth for anybody who paid premium.

 

[Nick D]

An artist for hire picked up for a huge project. Nothing wrong with that. It makes sense why Inart wouldn't want him to reproduce the suit. It will only undermine their product.

Ambrosia on the other hand, I think that was in poor taste. You might think twice about owning their work going forward. On account they're willing to sell out the way they did with Hot Toys.

That sculpt lost so much of its worth for anybody who paid premium.

I’d argue the cost of just one specific sculpt (a little $200-300) long after the original run has been completed, isn’t as big of a loss as an artist being prohibited from ever producing a custom run of Phoenix suits in the future (no matter how good he gets at tailoring). If the tailoring turns out bad on the production piece then that’s that, no 2.0.

 

[Scout Trooper]

I’d argue the cost of just one specific sculpt (a little $200-300) long after the original run has been completed, isn’t as big of a loss as an artist being prohibited from ever producing a custom run of Phoenix suits in the future (no matter how good he gets at tailoring). If the tailoring turns out bad on the production piece then that’s that, no 2.0.

For sure. But in terms of the artists and the principle, I frown upon Ambrosia's choice, but find Wonder's position understandable.

In the grand scheme of things, yes, 1 sculpt isn't a great loss. But that artist's reputation is tainted as far as I'm concerned.

If companies start a habit of swooping in and intercepting existing projects, I find that damaging on a grander scale.

 

[Godfather1408]

I'm more intrigued as to the longevity of this? How many people are going to break the hands, will the magnetic eye gimmick work properly.

Just wondering for those who bought this would you have preferred silicone pre posed hands like bbo toys godfather? Or do you prefer the poseable fingers?

 

[RJTVFX]

For sure. But in terms of the artists and the principle, I frown upon Ambrosia's choice, but find Wonder's position understandable.

In the grand scheme of things, yes, 1 sculpt isn't a great loss. But that artist's reputation is tainted as far as I'm concerned.

If companies start a habit of swooping in and intercepting existing projects, I find that damaging on a grander scale.

Sorry I'm late to this, what was Ambrosia's choice with the head sculpt?

 

[Cap'n Cook]

Sorry I'm late to this, what was Ambrosia's choice with the head sculpt?

Ambrosias choice to allow HT to buy it/produce it.

 

[GaryPool]

It was said in the Facebook group it is a production piece. And I have no doubt about it, because I own 7 statues and all of the have come out exactly the same as prototype if not better. All of them came out on schedule, if not before. I absolutely love these statues, which is why ive invested so much into them. To have a company that actually provides a release date with a guarantee of quality and sticks to it is beyond refreshing.

Also the photos JND release are to show the details, I'm guessing it's intentional, to show how much work went into it. Cameras pick these details up extremely well with lighting.

At viewing distance and with your own eyes obviously it is different, you see more a 'blurred' version and not the 4k zoom, but the fact the details are there is what makes you be able to see a unified vision of the statue at viewing distance where you can see stubble or roughness of the skin.

People love to hate on this despite inart and hot toys doing the same. The spots on The Batman on Inarts piece are very pronounced on camera, but look normal at viewing distance and with your eyes.

Anyway, I'm all-in on this set and absolutely can't wait. It's going to blow 1/6 out the water.

 

[i_amjam]

Well a one time use by Hot Toys is different than watering it down with every Ledger they decide to give us. Imagine being on that run, paying $300 for the sculpt then another $750 for paint + hair, then being practically permanently stuck with it because there’ll be a cheap $400 version of it everyone can get instead.
And how will it work if people get their HT sculpt redone and decide to sell it, could they theoretically get the same out of it as the original?

This updated photo makes me want to see the tooth sculpt more, as it’ll probably look a bit better than previously.

I mean, we'll see. This "change of tune" people keep pointing pretty much boils down to : "Looks better than the bad initial photos." This is just one photo. I have no doubt JND will put out something close to the proto , be it better or worse, but let's all mitigate some expectation. Still need to see if they have improved that excessive shedding from the hair or that, imo, bad second headsculpt.

 

[batfan08]

Damn, he looks really good. Curious what the final hair will look like. I have to say, though, even if I still kind of guffaw at Kojun’s prices, if the “improved production piece” we were seeing that looked that good was of the smiling head, I’d be tempted to switch from the HT Artisan to Option B of this guy. I’ve always wanted a legit grinning head in an official release, but I just felt like this one came up short for the price, when I first saw it. Maybe that’s why so few companies go the expressive route: it’s easier to get the likeness out of a neutral sculpt.

 

[Nick D]

Damn, he looks really good. Curious what the final hair will look like. I have to say, though, even if I still kind of guffaw at Kojun’s prices, if the “improved production piece” we were seeing that looked that good was of the smiling head, I’d be tempted to switch from the HT Artisan to Option B of this guy. I’ve always wanted a legit grinning head in an official release, but I just felt like this one came up short for the price, when I first saw it. Maybe that’s why so few companies go the expressive route: it’s easier to get the likeness out of a neutral sculpt.

I’m also eagerly awaiting photos of that sculpt. It’s extremely refreshing to see an upgrade in production than the typical production downgrade we’ve been seeing with InArt. Has there been a release that looked this much better than the prototype?

And sorry no, it very much is a change of tune.