Kaustic Plastik / Infinite Statue / SD Toys - 1/6 Universal Monsters

[batsheva]

OK I pulled the trigger for Dracula.

Now let's wait for 4 years before I can put another universal monster next to him

Wise decision!

Congrats! you'll love the figure!

 

[mattjack]

Wise decision!

Congrats! you'll love the figure!

Not buying it for more than a year was one of my hardest decision in this hobby ^^
But I didn't want to only have him without other Universal monsters. So I bought Neca stuff. Neca figures are pretty good, but just not at the right scale^^ But for me it was better than having only one monster in 1/6.

With that announcment, now we are talking ! Bring them on !

 

[Mr.NoCredit]

I was really disappointed with the Phantom of the Opera. He doesn’t come with his mask. I wouldn’t buy it for that reason alone. It’s a huge mistake on their part and I just don’t understand that kind of thinking why they wouldn’t bother with such a huge icon like that!?!

 

[mattjack]

I was really disappointed with the Phantom of the Opera. He doesn’t come with his mask. I wouldn’t buy it for that reason alone. It’s a huge mistake on their part and I just don’t understand that kind of thinking why they wouldn’t bother with such a huge icon like that!?!

View attachment 713141View attachment 713142

It's true.
It would have been a cool accessory

And the old Sideshow figure had it.

I was thinking of something. Even if they don't make the Invisible man...the one from Sideshow still holds up (because no head sculpt, so no lack of details^^)
The body inderneath is probably trash though.

 

[Buttmunch]

He does come with the mask but only for orders directly through their site. But I agree, that should have been an accessory included with all versions of the figure. It was a pretty big mistake on their part.

 

[Dr. Anton Phibes]

He does come with the mask but only for orders directly through their site. But I agree, that should have been an accessory included with all versions of the figure. It was a pretty big mistake on their part.

It was the deciding factor in my decision to not collect their classic horror lines, and even to cancel my Horror of Dracula order from Sideshow. I don't like games of this sort.

 

[mattjack]

It was the deciding factor in my decision to not collect their classic horror lines, and even to cancel my Horror of Dracula order from Sideshow. I don't like games of this sort.

Really ? You are ready to give up on good and most probably very rare figures (nobody else will make these Hammer characters) because one of their figures is missing an accessory ?

Of course you do whatever you want, but you probably didn't really care for these figures if you can give up on their entire line of figures for that.

 

[mattjack]

What color do you think they will make Frankenstein's monster ?
Because the green skin used in makeup at the time was a choice to play on the restrictions of black and white. It was to distinguish the monster from the rest of the cast by giving him a skin color captured as a ghostly white on film.

While it makes sense to make green figures for The creature of the black lagoon, it somehow doesn't make as much sense to release a green colored version of Frankenstein's monster.
It kind of works because green can look like a zombi-ish color but just imagine if he was yellow, or orange It wasn't intended to be seen like that.

 

[batsheva]

The problem is he's been painted green in almost every kind of merchandise, such as scooby-doo, even in the old Ghostbusters figure, and almost all Halloween decors.. so most of the people are used to his green skin, not the intended pale ghastly white skin.

I too prefer a bit of green on the KP Frankenstein's monster figure. Maybe they will make 2 versions?

 

[mattjack]

I understand that. I'm not saying he should be white.
But maybe a more muted color.
More like this :

than like this :

 

[Dr. Anton Phibes]

Really ? You are ready to give up on good and most probably very rare figures (nobody else will make these Hammer characters) because one of their figures is missing an accessory ?

Of course you do whatever you want, but you probably didn't really care for these figures if you can give up on their entire line of figures for that.

I've been collecting for decades. I have a room full of stuff. I didn't have to jump thru hoops to get any of it.

Unlike with these newer companies, I didn't have to decipher which "limited edition variant" I had to order(to get the full package and all the accessories), or where to get it from. There was no manufactured hype for a product that is niche at best. Sideshow only made 750 each of their Cushing and Lee Hammer premium format figures, and they didn't sell out, but are also being offered with free shipping, and just went on sale as "buy one, get another at 50% off". I am not noticing a huge mania about getting them before they go up on the after market. It's the same with KP by my estimation, and many others.

I also wasn't more or less forced to buy the "premiere version" (the ones people would want the most) directly from the manufacturer in Italy. Adding even more expense to an already inflated asking price. So if you are suggesting that I didn't care for the figures, you are incorrect. I just don't like the sales tactics.

As for no one else making anything of Hammer or Universal, garage kit and figure customizers tell a different tale. As do the Sideshow pieces, and much more.

I know I am in the minority, and it may be because I am getting older. I am the last man standing in my collector friend circle, with everyone else having liquidated their collections. My take is a simple one: if buying a product, or indulging in my hobby becomes a burdensome chore: it isn't a hobby, anymore. It's annoying. I have enough real world stuff to keep me annoyed.

 

[mattjack]

I've been collecting for decades. I have a room full of stuff. I didn't have to jump thru hoops to get any of it.

Unlike with these newer companies, I didn't have to decipher which "limited edition variant" I had to order(to get the full package and all the accessories), or where to get it from. There was no manufactured hype for a product that is niche at best. Sideshow only made 750 each of their Cushing and Lee Hammer premium format figures, and they didn't sell out, but are also being offered with free shipping, and just went on sale as "buy one, get another at 50% off". I am not noticing a huge mania about getting them before they go up on the after market. It's the same with KP by my estimation, and many others.

I also wasn't more or less forced to buy the "premiere version" (the ones people would want the most) directly from the manufacturer in Italy. Adding even more expense to an already inflated asking price. So if you are suggesting that I didn't care for the figures, you are incorrect. I just don't like the sales tactics.

As for no one else making anything of Hammer or Universal, garage kit and figure customizers tell a different tale. As do the Sideshow pieces, and much more.

I know I am in the minority, and it may be because I am getting older. I am the last man standing in my collector friend circle, with everyone else having liquidated their collections. My take is a simple one: if buying a product, or indulging in my hobby becomes a burdensome chore: it isn't a hobby, anymore. It's annoying. I have enough real world stuff to keep me annoyed.

I understand and I hope you didn't take it the wrong way. I just though it was a bit exaggerated to be upset by these sales tactics. But maybe it's because personaly I don't really care if I don't have an accessory. So it's not a burdensome chore, I just buy the thing where I can for the cheapest possible, sometimes in loose too, and don't care if it's missing some accessories.

I understand it can be annoying to have different versions of the same figures. But why just not buy the Phantom ? It doesn't seem they are doing this BS "accessory for web buyers only" for other figures. For Toshiro Mifune or Chuck Norris it's a T-shirt.

 

[Dr. Anton Phibes]

I understand and I hope you didn't take it the wrong way. I just though it was a bit exaggerated to be upset by these sales tactics. But maybe it's because personaly I don't really care if I don't have an accessory. So it's not a burdensome chore, I just buy the thing where I can for the cheapest possible, sometimes in loose too, and don't care if it's missing some accessories.

I understand it can be annoying to have different versions of the same figures. But why just not buy the Phantom ? It doesn't seem they are doing this BS "accessory for web buyers only" for other figures. For Toshiro Mifune or Chuck Norris it's a T-shirt.

I didn't take any offense, and I know my take on this stuff is different.

If they offered the "top tier" versions through Sideshow, and the collection could be easily completed, I would be far more tempted. I usually only go after the version with all the "bells and whistles' on items like these, because they are already madly expensive, so why not get the whole hog? When the top tier is only offered via the manufacturer, it ruffles the feathers more than a bit. Much like offering a collection of figures, and when you're a dozen or so deep, the producer hits folks with "Hey, the only way to get Maleva the Gypsy woman for your collection is to be at SDCC." It's the Cabbage Patch Kids stampede of 1980 or the Great Princess Diana Beany Baby fiasco all over again,lol.

Here's an example of variants I can handle. If they are easily accessible, and the variants start after the main collection is done. No problem, as I don't collect variants. When it's "surprise, there are 5 different versions, start your "action figure calculus" I get deflated and a headache and just go sit down,lol.

I am happy for all who choose to indulge, and I will tell you the portraits on the Hammer sets are amazing. There's no denying KP has great stuff. It's a good time to collect these things. If you're wealthy, and have a personal assistant to do the math for you.

 

[mattjack]

I didn't take any offense, and I know my take on this stuff is different.

If they offered the "top tier" versions through Sideshow, and the collection could be easily completed, I would be far more tempted. I usually only go after the version with all the "bells and whistles' on items like these, because they are already madly expensive, so why not get the whole hog? When the top tier is only offered via the manufacturer, it ruffles the feathers more than a bit. Much like offering a collection of figures, and when you're a dozen or so deep, the producer hits folks with "Hey, the only way to get Maleva the Gypsy woman for your collection is to be at SDCC." It's the Cabbage Patch Kids stampede of 1980 or the Great Princess Diana Beany Baby fiasco all over again,lol.

Here's an example of variants I can handle. If they are easily accessible, and the variants start after the main collection is done. No problem, as I don't collect variants. When it's "surprise, there are 5 different versions, start your "action figure calculus" I get deflated and a headache and just go sit down,lol.

I am happy for all who choose to indulge, and I will tell you the portraits on the Hammer sets are amazing. There's no denying KP has great stuff. It's a good time to collect these things. If you're wealthy, and have a personal assistant to do the math for you.

Maybe it also depends on where you live.
For example I'm in France, inside the EU. For me it's more interesting to buy from Italy. No custom fees or anything like that. I never ordered from Sideshow, I ordered ONE time from BBTS and I had to pay an extra 100$ of taxes for a 300$ figure... NEVER AGAIN!

But I agree that every version should be available from anywhere. Or else it's discriminatory.
And I'm not wealthy^^ I just don't care about a specific version, as long as the head sculpt is good, I can be happy with kitbash and custom figures. And I don't buy a lot of figures. My collection will be over soon with the Sideshow Beetlejuice and some of these Universal Monsters.

 

[batsheva]

I understand that. I'm not saying he should be white.
But maybe a more muted color.
More like this :
View attachment 713291

than like this :

View attachment 713292

For me personally, I'd prefer this shade of green:

 

[Dr. Anton Phibes]

For me personally, I'd prefer this shade of green:
View attachment 713381
View attachment 713382

Who sculpted this? Its lovely. Is it Mike Hill?

 

[batsheva]

Who sculpted this? Its lovely. Is it Mike Hill?

Thank you, Dr. Anton.
It is indeed very lovely.. when I first saw it, I am determined to add that lifesize bust to my collection.
And I am glad I did.
It is sculpted by the prodigy, Jason Hammond.

 

[Dr. Anton Phibes]

Thank you, Dr. Anton.
It is indeed very lovely.. when I first saw it, I am determined to add that lifesize bust to my collection.
And I am glad I did.
It is sculpted by the prodigy, Jason Hammond.

The fella is astonishing. His gallery is unreal. Massive talent.

 

[batsheva]

The fella is astonishing. His gallery is unreal. Massive talent.

Indeed. And he's not even 30 years old yet.
He's gonna be huge as an artist. I bought his first bust, he previously made latex masks. Now it's really hard to get his piece, as he only drops one or two bust every week and people are fighting for it. Usually sold within minutes.

 

[xipotec]

With Universal leaning hard into the new Dark Universe world theme park, the monsters will have new life breathed into them.

It's getting the most attention out of all the new lands coming, which is a shock to Universal, given the How to Train a Dragon and Nintendo world on the list (not to mention a new Harry Potter area.

I went to the preview and it does look like they have modified the old look and updated the monster a bit......

Never a good thing, especially for the Creature. But it's obvious they have by the outlines.

Who know if these will be the new or old designs ?