Premier Toys Wasteland Gladiator 1/6th figure

[fireman2228]

I think people expect WAY too much from a niche 3rd party seller at this price. Add 50 dollars to the price and I could understand the gripes.
As a buyer of alot of non HT figures, its always a crap shoot, but if you into modding and working on a figure , its paradise!

If the Warlord figure comes out anything like the proto, as this one has, Ill be super happy!

After reading everyone's comments I was beginning to think that no one else realized that you can alter/ change & Fix your 3rd party figures to become the way you want them to be. Xipotec I like your line of thinking by the way! I wish more people saw it that way If you don't like your figure just customize it to your liking. If you aren't liking your head sculpt from the 3rd Party, Then get a different one or repaint the 3rd party one. Not liking the color of an accessory? Sand, Weather, & Paint it

A personal example recently is Present Toy's Jack Torrance Figure from The Shining. I was super annoyed that they made his eye color on the head sculpts blue. When in actuality Jack Nicholson's eyes are hazel!! I'll upload pics later of my eye color change on those sculpts if anyone is interested. I personally think after I changed the eye colors, that the third-party head sculpts turned out quite awesome! I was super happy with how they turned out!

I ended up altering the handle of Jack's axe as well to be more movie accurate shape & color-wise. That being said I am currently making a custom plaid shirt for him to be both more movie-accurate and to have a better higher quality figure. I just need to find a place that prints custom fabric/ patterns so that I can make my own. If anyone knows/ has any information about this please do let me know.

 

[ebor]

When I switched bodies on my Furiosa--I simply used watered down chalk to match her HS tan to the pale Phicen body--worked like a charm--will do the same with the Ganghood body when it comes in.

I can't wait to tackle this project!

 

[xipotec]

I've only encountered it with recasts, but I don't think this one was thought to be a recast. And even with the recasts the size difference from a regular sculpt has never been so great that I couldn't fool myself into accepting it.



There are some really good third party companies out there making really satisfying products at good prices. LiM is exceptional in that their love for Red Dead Redemption meant they were able to create a product with more detail and passion that you'd expect from a giant like Hot Toys.

Then there are the smaller companies making figures that don't require licensing, who are dedicated to accuracy in all aspects, even those you'll never see once a figure is assembled.

As it turns out Toys Works' Jessica Jones still holds the crown for the worst/most useless third party figure I ever bought. I managed to pull Premier's Max out of the fire I was tempted to throw him into yesterday!

I'm still shocked the body swap worked so well, and keep looking back at the pictures I took yesterday to see how this late Christmas miracle occurred.

may want to look at that recent 2049 Joy figure abomination

 

[JacktheRipper]

People's collecting habits are all over the place. Some like to tinker while others just want to take it out of the box and display it. I think as the prices increase you want it as close to perfect as possible. Some will still tinker, but this will appease the masses. Third party companies are inherently starting points; with the exception here and there. As for me I always want to tinker. It just depends on how much I want to tinker and spend. None of the 3 offerings are great. This one seemed like the best of the bunch; now not so much. I only have one Present Toys figure and I really like him. If Dark Toys is Redman their figures are okay. I find their clothes ill-fitting. Most of the time these figures are diamond in the rough. Asta is kind of proving that.

 

[Asta]

I'm often changing bodies on figures, cutting them up, or even Frankesteining them together to achieve the required results.

Making bodies small enough to use up all the extra parts from the CC Toys TLOU Ellie sets was fun.

Premier's Max was just a long list of poor choices, poor designs, and lack of quality control and consistency from a team who presumably didn't really care.

If I'd had to buy the Ganghood 2.0 body, the figure would've cost $219. It still has issues with the spanner pouch and axe, but they're at the back so not really a problem.

To put the price into context I only paid $222.99 for DiD's phenomenal DAK Hauptmann Wilhelm, which was not only Hot Toys beating quality, but came with more clothing and accessories, and a ton of researched detail.

Now I can say I have an example of a Mel Max on display, I don't know what I'll do when Present Toys' eventually arrives. I like the leathers on this one, so it may be the base figure for the Present Sam Browne, holster, boots and leg brace.

Present's sculpt and body look pale in their photos, paler than the Ganghood 2.0 which was designed as an Asian body, and I started to appreciate the Premier sculpt more once I'd overcome the size issue.

 

[Asta]

may want to look at that recent 2049 Joy figure abomination

I'd forgotten about her. Black Box's Joi.

The 2.0 head was even smaller than the original, and the 2.0 body had weirdly long legs.

The 1.0 was a kit without a body.

At least Ana de Armas is quite short, and does have a small head. lol Even so, I had to make the 1.0 half an inch shorter than it ought to be, and gave her the coat from the 2.0 because it had much better tailoring and transparency:

 

[xipotec]

I'd forgotten about her. Black Box's Joi.

The 2.0 head was even smaller than the original, and the 2.0 body had weirdly long legs.

The 1.0 was a kit without a body.

At least Ana de Armas is quite short, and does have a small head. lol Even so, I had to make the 1.0 half an inch shorter than it ought to be, and gave her the coat from the 2.0 because it had much better tailoring and transparency:

I think that it just suffers from the Barbie look….

 

[FlyAndFight]

I thought he was largely a lost cause.

Then after photographing the Premier sculpt to show how small it was, I noticed the Supreme/ACPlay/Ganghood Way of the Dragon Bruce Lee figure. Out of curiosity I tried the sculpt on the body, and suddenly saw some light at the end of the tunnel.



View attachment 553349

Again, the skin tone doesn't match, but I don't notice the difference under the LED lighting in the collection room. The camera always exaggerates the differences when I'm quite close using the flash.

That display looks fantastic, Asta!

I really appreciate your reviews, ideas and updates that you've shared for this figure. It does give me hope that I'll be able to cobble together a decent rendition of a Mel Gibson "Max" figure. I just didn't think that it will end up costing me significantly more than expected. I thought we had a better base to start with, requiring tweaking instead of rebuilding. If the figure had started off at say $150, it wouldn't had been as big a deal.

By the way, I also have the Art figure "Mad Racer" soon arriving and that's another one that has at least a new head sculpt needed.

After receiving the truly impressive VTS Starship Trooper figure and several EXO-6 figures, I guess I just got spoiled...

 

[Asta]

That display looks fantastic, Asta!

Thanks.

I really appreciate your reviews, ideas and updates that you've shared for this figure. It does give me hope that I'll be able to cobble together a decent rendition of a Mel Gibson "Max" figure. I just didn't think that it will end up costing me significantly more than expected. I thought we had a better base to start with, requiring tweaking instead of rebuilding. If the figure had started off at say $150, it wouldn't had been as big a deal.

Perseverance paid off!

But this is still only part of the battle. The holster and its straps are still the wrong colour, and as Wor-Gar pointed out, the Sam Browne is inaccurate too.

They'll be harvested from Present's, along with the leg brace and boots if they turn out okay. Though I don't know if Present's boots are as accurate, since Premier's have the spiked straps around the backs.

The brace and boots have to go together as a package, so boot detail would have to be sacrificed for the better brace.

By the way, I also have the Art figure "Mad Racer" soon arriving and that's another one that has at least a new head sculpt needed.

After receiving the truly impressive VTS Starship Trooper figure and several EXO-6 figures, I guess I just got spoiled...

I went through two replacement sculpts (Eleven and Brother) for the Art, before only recently going back to the original as I could see more Tom Hardy in it that the others.

The Art sculpt is on one of the VTS figures, and one of the the VTS heads is on the Art.

 

[NECROMONGER MAX]

So correct me if I'm wrong...

From this page after page of endless/pointless diatribe - you simply HAVE to buy BOTH figures to 'cobble together' a decent enough figure (a somewhat botched-kitbash abortion of a figure) that will STILL have many faults - is that about right?

Why bother in the first place. Seems this over explanitory-exposition is aimed at the complete novice (or even worse, the brain-dead) to what...? Assist them get over their reluctance to purchase something that would be better off left at the manufacturer's door!!!

What on Earth are you lot doing? Is this a not too subtle back-door promotion of a worse than MEDIOCRE (see what I did) toy?

I have been accused of re-casting in the past... among many things. An item that cannot be found for love nor money, yet once one is purchased has the wrong skin tone/colour is not a crime to re-cast, especially if it is re-make in a better likeness and scale imho... yet here is a figure (or two) that seem to be THE RIGHT PRICE and lo and behold you are all 100% sure it's "not a re-cast" - no waiting, no further investigation - never even mind the likeness is so off as to look like Puss In Boots (you can quote me).

 

[JacktheRipper]

Quick first impressions: It's not a complete disaster. People will know who this is on your shelf, if they know the character. Not HT or even SS quality. If you were looking for accuracy it's not here in many places. Asta has done a great job of pointing those out. I want to thank him because I think that softened the blow. A few things I want to comment on what was stated. The brace is definitely plastic. It sticks out way too much on the sides of the leg. It's glued to the boot, so you should be able to pry it off; I did. None of the straps or holsters are glued in place on mine. The body isn't fun to work with. I don't hate the sculpt, but it is tiny. If you don't have a Max this is as good a place to start as any. It needs work and you need to know that going in. If accuracy and a tiny head doesn't bother you much then you'll be fine.

 

[PopGimmicks]

I made the switch onto the Ganghood 2.0 body.

The smaller, slimmer frame has made an amazing difference. The sculpt no longer appears so out of scale, and the fit of the jacket is better, in relation to the trousers, Sam Browne etc.

To gain the required height I put white tack into his boots, and kept testing until he was right. The position of the kneepad above the boots worked out well too, as the gap between them is the same that would be filled when the brace is worn above the boot, rather then around it.

The left hand is from VTS' Ultimate Revenger, and the right from QMx' Sulu.

The sculpt doesn't match the body's skin tone, because the head has a sunburnt quality. However, to the naked eye, where he's stood right now I can barely spot the difference.

The camera flash, as always, accentuates the difference in colour.

View attachment 553295

Great job @Asta, the result gives me some hope of saving this figure. I am not familiar with the Ganghood 2.0 body, could you tell me how many millimeters in height you have to gain approximately to get the right result? On the other hand, do you think it would be possible to use extenders like the ones in the photo below to extend the height, instead of white or blue tack? These connectors are 5, 10 and 15 mm high:

Thanks for your help.

 

[Asta]

Quick first impressions: It's not a complete disaster. People will know who this is on your shelf, if they know the character. Not HT or even SS quality. If you were looking for accuracy it's not here in many places. Asta has done a great job of pointing those out. I want to thank him because I think that softened the blow.

It was a rollercoaster ride for a couple of days, with day two finishing at much higher point than the end of day one.

A few things I want to comment on what was stated. The brace is definitely plastic. It sticks out way too much on the sides of the leg. It's glued to the boot, so you should be able to pry it off; I did.

There's a black leather strap sculpted as part of the boot, over which it looks like the silver band is glued. So swapping braces and keeping these boots wouldn't simple, unless the new brace lined up with that band with the correct lengths to the sole and upper leg.

Present's brace, for instance, is designed as a separate piece to be worn above the boot top.

None of the straps or holsters are glued in place on mine.

That's yet another case where figures came out of the factory with differences.

There were only tiny dots of glue on the leg straps of mine, but it was unusually strong stuff for Chinese factory adhesive. The straps pried off with a little bit of force, and didn't do any damage or leave any marks.

The body isn't fun to work with. I don't hate the sculpt, but it is tiny. If you don't have a Max this is as good a place to start as any. It needs work and you need to know that going in. If accuracy and a tiny head doesn't bother you much then you'll be fine.

Trying to make the body work was the main problem that wasted so much time on the first day. It really wasn't fit for purpose from a number of angles, from the thick neck, very limited and awkward arm articulation, broad shoulders, over developed chest, and legs that are too long.

 

[Asta]

Great job @Asta, the result gives me some hope of saving this figure. I am not familiar with the Ganghood 2.0 body, could you tell me how many millimeters in height you have to gain approximately to get the right result? On the other hand, do you think it would be possible to use extenders like the ones in the photo below to extend the height, instead of white or blue tack? These connectors are 5, 10 and 15 mm high:

View attachment 553499

Thanks for your help.

I couldn't tell you, as I have no idea.

I kept pushing white tack down into the boots in between test fits, pressing the legs (without ankle pegs) into them, until I had both the right figure height, and the correct looking distances for the boot tops, knee pad, and thigh straps for the brace.

The left leg is the critical one to work on first.

The figure height I aimed for was 11.5" from above the boot soles to the top of his skull, or where I estimated it to be under his hair.

 

[PopGimmicks]

I couldn't tell you, as I have no idea.

I kept pushing white tack down into the boots in between test fits, pressing the legs (without ankle pegs) into them, until I had both the right figure height, and the correct looking distances for the boot tops, knee pad, and thigh straps for the brace.

The left leg is the critical one to work on first.

The figure height I aimed for was 11.5" from above the boot soles to the top of his skull, or where I estimated it to be under his hair.

Great, thank you very much!

 

[ebor]

Asta has shown the way to start having a 'recognizable' MMax. Thank you! I knew from the outset that this would not be a perfect out of the box figure set; and components would need up-grades--especially the head sculpt (see Custom Indy thread if you don't believe this!)
The quest for perfection is neverending for OCD collectors...and there are many on this forum!)

 

[JacktheRipper]

Yes, you are right about the brace. I did not notice that until after I wrote it. With all its issues the ill-fit of the brace was the most glaring to me. I had to take it off to see if I can fix it.

 

[Asta]

Yes, you are right about the brace. I did not notice that until after I wrote it. With all its issues the ill-fit of the brace was the most glaring to me. I had to take it off to see if I can fix it.

It's a shame as I really like the boots.

 

[JacktheRipper]

It's a shame as I really like the boots.

I'm assuming you mean liking them for Max. I think they are still serviceable. I'm wondering what they will look like with the Present Toys version.

 

[Wor-Gar]

The truth is, we won't really know what we all have to work with until ALL 3 figures have dropped and we see what we got.

Could be that one of the others ends up with the lion's share of usable parts. OR... this could be the best of the bunch.

If POs weren't great -- which I imagine they were not, especially with three choices diluting the pot -- maybe all these companies will just rush out their figures and move on.