Next LOTR PF?

[Valarauko]

As the PF is my favorite type of statue, I was wondering how many more LOTR characters we could expect to see. After making a list of all that have been done up to now (GTG), I started on a list of possible choices. At that point something came into my mind. If I put myself in the position of SS and I put on my "business" hat (I was Chief Operations Officer for 14 years at a manufacturing company), I realized a few things.

I'm not sure how much more design, planning and such goes into a PF over say, a maquette, but I'm sure it's a lot more. You have to come up with a design that is as "costume-friendly" as possible, you have to source all over for the right type of materials, in the correct shades, etc. that are available without having to commit to TONS of material. You have to work and futz with the materials to be sure they lay right on the figure. You have to have small components made (a Legolas bow, a Berserker sword) to exacting specifications. It just seems to go on and on.

Along with figuring all of that into it, you have to remember the most important thing - you want to know that you have a very good chance of selling a number of units to make it worth your while. That means sticking to characters who give the most bang for the buck (Aragorn, Lurtz, Gandalf for a start). I remember on the March 17 chat, Tom Gilliland was asked about specific Marvel characters being made into statues and he made the remark that "fan interest is so uneven", meaning that though you can have 50-100 people who would die to add a particular character to their collection, interest beyond those fans can be VERY unpredictable.

I think that what this could mean for the LOTR PF line is that we have a good/great chance of seeing the Morgul Lord (as we know), Boromir, Gimli, Saruman and, since I remember seeing it mentioned somewhere, the King Of the Dead. Beyond that, you get into a "2nd tier" of characters like Theoden, Faramir, Eomer, Elrond, Samwise, Eowyn, maybe even a Twilight WK or Gollum. From there, you go to some that are VERY popular with a group of us but could be extremely questionable when regarded using the points listed in the 2nd paragraph (sorry this is so long!). These include a Prologue Elven Warrior, Easterling, Numenorian Soldier, Gondorian Soldier, Gondorian Fountain Guard, Rohan Warrior and on and on. I've mentioned many of these in chats before but I was never answered. If I was at SS, I would feel squeamish about investing the time and $$ into them.

When the maquette line was announced, I wondered if this sort of thing might have had something/everything to do with it. Personally, if I knew there was no chance of an Elven Warrior in PF, I would gladly accept a maquette! What do you guys/gals think?

 

[FrodoEyes]

Yeah, i'll have a maquette of those secondary characters and soldiers please!
Eomer, Faramir, Denethor, Gondor soldier, Fountain Guard, Rohan Royal Guard, prologue elven warrior, Numenorean....

 

[Bullseye]

Its a pity the live chats are not broken into time slots for each franchise.

 

[The Ween]

As the PF is my favorite type of statue, I was wondering how many more LOTR characters we could expect to see. After making a list of all that have been done up to now (GTG), I started on a list of possible choices. At that point something came into my mind. If I put myself in the position of SS and I put on my "business" hat (I was Chief Operations Officer for 14 years at a manufacturing company), I realized a few things.

I'm not sure how much more design, planning and such goes into a PF over say, a maquette, but I'm sure it's a lot more. You have to come up with a design that is as "costume-friendly" as possible, you have to source all over for the right type of materials, in the correct shades, etc. that are available without having to commit to TONS of material. You have to work and futz with the materials to be sure they lay right on the figure. You have to have small components made (a Legolas bow, a Berserker sword) to exacting specifications. It just seems to go on and on.

Along with figuring all of that into it, you have to remember the most important thing - you want to know that you have a very good chance of selling a number of units to make it worth your while. That means sticking to characters who give the most bang for the buck (Aragorn, Lurtz, Gandalf for a start). I remember on the March 17 chat, Tom Gilliland was asked about specific Marvel characters being made into statues and he made the remark that "fan interest is so uneven", meaning that though you can have 50-100 people who would die to add a particular character to their collection, interest beyond those fans can be VERY unpredictable.

I think that what this could mean for the LOTR PF line is that we have a good/great chance of seeing the Morgul Lord (as we know), Boromir, Gimli, Saruman and, since I remember seeing it mentioned somewhere, the King Of the Dead. Beyond that, you get into a "2nd tier" of characters like Theoden, Faramir, Eomer, Elrond, Samwise, Eowyn, maybe even a Twilight WK or Gollum. From there, you go to some that are VERY popular with a group of us but could be extremely questionable when regarded using the points listed in the 2nd paragraph (sorry this is so long!). These include a Prologue Elven Warrior, Easterling, Numenorian Soldier, Gondorian Soldier, Gondorian Fountain Guard, Rohan Warrior and on and on. I've mentioned many of these in chats before but I was never answered. If I was at SS, I would feel squeamish about investing the time and $$ into them.

When the maquette line was announced, I wondered if this sort of thing might have had something/everything to do with it. Personally, if I knew there was no chance of an Elven Warrior in PF, I would gladly accept a maquette! What do you guys/gals think?

I'm one that I won't buy a maquette to just to fill in spots missing in the PF line. It's just not the same with me. There's alot more that just a few people who will buy the Hobbits or other characters in PF. Sure, they might not sell as quickly as say, certain baddies, but that doesn't mean the interest is not there. I don't understand why people equate popularity with how fast something sells out. For one thing, there are people on this board who admittingly put orders in for alot of things, only to cancel them later. Also, Exes will almost always go. If say, the Hobbits, like Frodo, don't have an Ex. then they could limit them to say 750 total. Though they won't sell out right away, I believe they will eventually.

Though Mogal Lord will probably be next, I'm hoping for Boromir after that.....or Gimli!

 

[DaveMac]

As the PF is my favorite type of statue, I was wondering how many more LOTR characters we could expect to see. After making a list of all that have been done up to now (GTG), I started on a list of possible choices. At that point something came into my mind. If I put myself in the position of SS and I put on my "business" hat (I was Chief Operations Officer for 14 years at a manufacturing company), I realized a few things.

.......
I think that what this could mean for the LOTR PF line is that we have a good/great chance of seeing the Morgul Lord (as we know), Boromir, Gimli, Saruman and, since I remember seeing it mentioned somewhere, the King Of the Dead. Beyond that, you get into a "2nd tier" of characters like Theoden, Faramir, Eomer, Elrond, Samwise, Eowyn, maybe even a Twilight WK or Gollum. ....

Had to shorten your essay down a bit JM

It's a 'how longs a piece of string?' type situation I think when asking about any product line. You yourself have gone with main production pieces being Boromir, Gimli, Saruman and have Sam and Gollum as '2nd tier' characters. I would put Gollum and Samwise above Saruman (or at least alongside him) and definately way above KOTD as I think they are far more important characters (the not as visually stunning as previously pointed out).
The only problem SSC has is maintaining interest by meeting demand and that is where the gamble is, given the varying views on what is wanted in this line. At the moment I would think there is a strong demand for the Fellowship matched by a demand for villains, with sporradic demands for lesser (2nd tierer's) such as Eomer, Faramir etc
So which way do they go? And have they backed themselves into a corner by starting a high cost line (going off the points you raised) that by the very nature and diversity of certain characters appeal, they are going to struggle to sell in high numbers quickly?
I am eagerly waiting to see if we get a response to the various polls asking about demand for Hobbits/ Fellowship PF's as I think this is a very good move by SSC to actively seek a response other than monitoring forums, mail requests etc.

This is only my view as to who is worthy of the PF treatment, but I think that the implication that the maquette line will satisfy whichever PF camp people are in (Fellowship / Villains / Good Guys / Gals etc) for the lack of a PF representation does not bode well for the PF line, and whilst I appreciate the new line of LOTR goodness, I would prefer my Fellowship in flagship PF form.

 

[Adoptedscot]

Samwise, Samwise, Samwise!!



x

 

[The Ween]

Had to shorten your essay down a bit JM

It's a 'how longs a piece of string?' type situation I think when asking about any product line. You yourself have gone with main production pieces being Boromir, Gimli, Saruman and have Sam and Gollum as '2nd tier' characters. I would put Gollum and Samwise above Saruman (or at least alongside him) and definately way above KOTD as I think they are far more important characters (the not as visually stunning as previously pointed out).
The only problem SSC has is maintaining interest by meeting demand and that is where the gamble is, given the varying views on what is wanted in this line. At the moment I would think there is a strong demand for the Fellowship matched by a demand for villains, with sporradic demands for lesser (2nd tierer's) such as Eomer, Faramir etc
So which way do they go? And have they backed themselves into a corner by starting a high cost line (going off the points you raised) that by the very nature and diversity of certain characters appeal, they are going to struggle to sell in high numbers quickly?
I am eagerly waiting to see if we get a response to the various polls asking about demand for Hobbits/ Fellowship PF's as I think this is a very good move by SSC to actively seek a response other than monitoring forums, mail requests etc.

This is only my view as to who is worthy of the PF treatment, but I think that the implication that the maquette line will satisfy whichever PF camp people are in (Fellowship / Villains / Good Guys / Gals etc) for the lack of a PF representation does not bode well for the PF line, and whilst I appreciate the new line of LOTR goodness, I would prefer my Fellowship in flagship PF form.

What he said!

 

[Valarauko]

My intent is to look at the PF line from a BUSINESS standpoint. If you look at this from a personal preference viewpoint, you're going to have a multitude of varying opinions. My classification of certain pieces as
"2nd tier" isn't a statement of a certain character's importance to the story but an observation based on what SS has done to-date. It wouldn't surprise me if Galadriel was a kind of experiment to test the waters - there were only 500 made and to this day you can still purchase one from several sources (including SS).

I have a feeling that we probably have a good 2-2 1/2 years of PF goodness related to LOTR. By then we'll be in the midst of "Hobbit" fever and that will begin a new chapter.

 

[Seaward]

I think that you have come to some interesting conclusions jagmike, and I would tend to agree on many points. I sometimes wonder if the collectibles market for LOTR is just in it's infancy. Star Wars, Marvel and DC characters and other items being discussed on the boards have a much longer multimedia life than the LOTR movies.

I would love to see almost every one of the characters you have described as a possible maquette to come to fruition. I also hope that the PF line can certainly support the 2nd tier characters on down!

How many years has Sideshow being producing SW Premium Format figures? I only wonder as they still have a bunch of characters that I would consider top tier that have yet to be produced.

 

[DaveMac]

My intent is to look at the PF line from a BUSINESS standpoint. If you look at this from a personal preference viewpoint, you're going to have a multitude of varying opinions. My classification of certain pieces as
"2nd tier" isn't a statement of a certain character's importance to the story but an observation based on what SS has done to-date. It wouldn't surprise me if Galadriel was a kind of experiment to test the waters - there were only 500 made and to this day you can still purchase one from several sources (including SS).

I have a feeling that we probably have a good 2-2 1/2 years of PF goodness related to LOTR. By then we'll be in the midst of "Hobbit" fever and that will begin a new chapter.

I understood the business point of view you were making (at a very basic level ), but taking it a bit further I think it a dangerous game for a company with a solid reputation built on meeting the 'fans' wants (many and varied though they are) to start down the road of just producing something verging on mass production to turn a quick profit. Given the price of PF's, I really don't see why they can't meet everyones needs and wants by making very limited runs to keep people buying into the line. A fools hope I know, but you never know!

Still, as you say, business is business and I hope business stays good and SSC will still take a chance and produce Hobbits in PF along with other less essential (for some) characters such as Arwen and Eowyn to go with the (gaining in popularity) lone Galadriel.

It's good to get a perspective from someone such as yourself who has an insight into this type of business, so thanks for the input.

 

[mikkipog]

i never really see the point why SS has to start this maquette line in the first place, when they could've just put their efforts in making more PF's, LSB's and dioramas that collectors actually want. i mean, for sure, after they have gotten the aragorn, legolas, gimli, gandalf and some baddie maquettes out of the way, it will be downhill for that line again. IMO, they just have to continue their existing lines. or, since the maquette line is actually pushing thru, they must not let their existing lines take the backseat, or there will be a lot of unhappy collectors out there who just might lose interest and choose to drop all LOTR lines altogether due to SS's inconsistencies.

 

[FrodoEyes]

i never really see the point why SS has to start this maquette line in the first place

Because it was very popular the first time around, didn't start to drop off at all, Sideshow just put whacky edition sizes on them, and when it ended people were still crying out for more. It was the line that started all this LOTR collecting with Sideshow, so i don't blame them for going back. My only concerns are possibly no rider statues, plus the lack of 'Weta' in the title. The authenticity of having them involved is part of what made the line so popular, no matter what you think of some of the likenesses.
Some people prefer stand alone statues, made of all polystone, no clothing involved like the PF's which also makes them a cheaper option than the PF's.

 

[DaveMac]

Because it was very popular the first time around, didn't start to drop off at all, Sideshow just put whacky edition sizes on them, and when it ended people were still crying out for more. It was the line that started all this LOTR collecting with Sideshow, so i don't blame them for going back. My only concerns are possibly no rider statues, plus the lack of 'Weta' in the title. The authenticity of having them involved is part of what made the line so popular, no matter what you think of some of the likenesses.
Some people prefer stand alone statues, made of all polystone, no clothing involved like the PF's which also makes them a cheaper option than the PF's.

The fact that these are SSC only pieces doesn't bother me in the slightest. If anything it adds to the desirability of the WETA line as they were the creators of the look of these characters and will always have that 'original' feel about them.
From the look of the previews so far the SSC pieces are going to be a great addition to this legacy either as companion pieces or a great range in it's own right. And as you point out, probably more affordable than a PF, so I too am glad SS introduced the range, though I will find it easier to pick and choose from this one as I don't need a Fellowship in this size

 

[Gruson]

Anyone else want Gothmog PF? They should have made him before the lame Mordor Orc IMO.

 

[mikkipog]

Anyone else want Gothmog PF? They should have made him before the lame Mordor Orc IMO.

Maybe after the success of the Dark Rider of Mordor PF, they might put Gothmog PF on a warg!

 

[Gruson]

Maybe after the success of the Dark Rider of Mordor PF, they might put Gothmog PF on a warg!

Na. I want him just standing so he can be placed beside Lurtz. I never liked him on the warg. Just saying.

 

[DinoDB1975]

I don't want Sideshow to make any more LOTR PFs.

 

[bill59]

I don't want Sideshow to make any more LOTR PFs.

Why not Dino?

We still need the Fellowship to be completed.



Bill

 

[Rick Cottontree]

Anyone else want Gothmog PF? They should have made him before the lame Mordor Orc IMO.

Yes! But maybe not riding a warg. Might be too expensive after lots of us have just forked out for RR on steed PF.

I'd also like to see Eomer in full battle armor. The exclusive could come with removable helm

And a Saruman leaning on staff would be ace

Example:

 

[Gruson]

Yes! But maybe not riding a warg. Might be too expensive after lots of us have just forked out for RR on steed PF.

I'd also like to see Eomer in full battle armor. The exclusive could come with removable helm

And a Saruman leaning on staff would be ace

Example:

Yeah, that Saruman would be nice. As for Gothmog, I agree, I do not want him on a warg. He was barely on it in the movie. I just want him standing there so he will look good beside the other baddies.