QMX Star Trek General discussion thread

[Rydeck]

I paid for this up front, based on the supposedly final images, so I'm really annoyed that QMx is yet another company not releasing what they've shown. Should be banned/illegal to bait and switch, especially with US/UK based companies, but I suppose there's small-print somewhere to say "prototype shown".

He may well be a background character, but he cost as much, if not more, than the others. So, should be on par sculpt wise, IMO.

Beware the c.y.a. disclaimers from manufacturers; the Qmx variant: "Prototype shown - actual product may vary."

And the Qmx website is still showing the prototype. Maybe someday we'll actually get to see a production figure in a pre-order solicitation with a statement: "This is what you will get." If memory serves, nanjin was pushing for faster pre-order-to-release time frames and it's my understanding that Qmx already delays pre-orders until the production run is mostly done so that releases occur soon after pre-orders go up. Still, I doubt we'd see a production figure in a pre-order solicitation even if it is possible because the manufacturer is always going to want to present something like a professionally-painted master to drum up interest.

 

[LiLJawa]

Time to move on to other Trek shows. Give the line some variety.

 

[Pauln6a]

Yeah, true. Definitely false advertising. At least show the actual product you'll receive (albeit under optimum studio lighting). That HS should have been the final and people preorder based off that. Parting with the full amount up front months ahead of time because you're being told they'll be limited and you'll miss out otherwise, forces you to trust QMx will deliver what they've shown/promised. Not this time around.

I think I will judge them on what they've delivered when they've actually delivered it. I'm still stoked that we're getting Sulu at all. I bet if people are unhappy with the sculpt and sit on it for 6 months, they'll be able to sell him on at a profit.

 

[DinoMan]

Yes, the prototype head sculpt was an ace, but I'm over it. I'll be happy with the one we get. He looks really good for the most part. I'm looking forward to getting the helmsman.

 

[1sixthtoyz]

Yes, the prototype head sculpt was an ace, but I'm over it. I'll be happy with the one we get. He looks really good for the most part. I'm looking forward to getting the helmsman.

I’m with you DinoMan, luckily we a company that’s producing Star Trek decent figures.

 

[Comatoast]

Yeah. It's so odd. I wonder who thought that the smirking one looked better. Still, maybe the serious face didn't look as good in hand.

Mmm..no. I took the photos and it looked really good in hand. When Nanjin mentioned it looked even better now I was expecting something incredible.

 

[davejames]

Yeah all this time when he kept saying the production head looked better than the prototype, I just assumed he meant the paintwork. I had no idea he was planning to revise the sculpt like that. And kinda surprising he didn't give us a head's up first.

 

[Darklord Dave]

This is the head approved by the studio. It was felt that it conveyed the attitude of the character better.

 

[jal76]

This will all be good news for a lot of collectors because when the figure is released and sells out everywhere in 2 hours all of the folks who miss out will be able to buy the figures from all of the other folks who are saying that they don't want t anymore because of the new headsculpt.

 

[davejames]

Well nice to finally have an answer anyway. I would have been fine with a hint of a smile, just not sure it was executed as well as it could have been. But oh well, it is what it is.

 

[greatlakes6]

This is the head approved by the studio. It was felt that it conveyed the attitude of the character better.

When you look up Sulu photos online, I don’t see anything that looks like this new sculpt. If this was the true attitude of the character, then we would see this expression everywhere. His more stern look with the broad smile is what I think of when I think of Sulu, IMO.

 

[darthkush]

I hope some of you aren't really gonna let this smirk thing keep you from buying Sulu. I want some full bridge crews and SULU is my favorite non Kirk and Spock character in the original series. This isn't like the Picard neck stain thing, guys. It's just an expression change and as said before, if we saw it FIRST, nobody would have cared.

 

[faststreetsofhongkong]

This is the head approved by the studio. It was felt that it conveyed the attitude of the character better.

Dave,

Thanks for letting us know. Obviously, you know what’s up.

Want to see more in hand pictures before I make any judgments.
I think it’s OK to have variations of expressions for the characters. Sulu has a big smile on his face after McCoy saves him in the beginning of the “City on the Edge of Forever”. I like each of the characters to have somewhat of a different expression, especially considering that most of us are going to have them in some form of Bridge display. As long as that expression is true to the actual character(s), it’s fine by me.

Speaking of the Bridge, at least give us the Navigation Console to go with the Captains Chair (OK, and Uhura’s station behind that). We realize you guys cannot build out and/or deliver the entire bridge, it is not realistic and it would be too massive. Having said that, I think you would find that those two pieces would sell really well. A lot of us are collecting all of the figures, it makes sense to have a place to display them all together.

Having the complete set of figures, and no bridge, at least not even having companion pieces of it, is a real shame.

This line is amazing, please allow us amazing display options.

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[**16k**]

I hope some of you aren't really gonna let this smirk thing keep you from buying Sulu. I want some full bridge crews and SULU is my favorite non Kirk and Spock character in the original series. This isn't like the Picard neck stain thing, guys. It's just an expression change and as said before, if we saw it FIRST, nobody would have cared.

I’ve POed it already, so I’ll get it no matter what because I want the complete crew, but it’s a HUGE disappointment. First crew member I only buy out of necessity. Not worth the money if you ask me.

 

[xipotec]

Looks ok to me, definitely not proto level....but guys at this stage of the game, we all should know these drop off happen.

Saying no one will know who that is , well thats just plan silly.



Sent from the inside of a giant slug in outer space.....

 

[Drake]

This will all be good news for a lot of collectors because when the figure is released and sells out everywhere in 2 hours all of the folks who miss out will be able to buy the figures from all of the other folks who are saying that they don't want t anymore because of the new headsculpt.

Given that you can still (pre)order Scotty pretty much everywhere, I don't think anyone much is going to panic and fall for the short packing/split shipment model again, to be honest.

Not that it will affect me either way. I'm not buying it because I don't like it. End of. I don't tend to throw my money at things that I'm not happy with just to 'support the line', I don't have the money to burn on that kind of silliness. I was all in for TOS figures as long as they maintained a quality I was happy with. They haven't in this particular case, so for now I move on.

As I said before, if it looks significantly better in hand I can always change my mind, but given we've already seen high quality pics courtesy of Michael Crawford I don't hold out too much hope there. Likewise, if I get a chance to grab one cheap at some point, I might bite. Just as if they happened to put out Uhura and Chekov and I was happy with both, then I might be tempted to track down Sulu just to complete the team, but I have serious doubts we'll see Chekov anyway, so I'll just live with a four or five character (if Uhura is good) away team.

Not saying how anyone else should feel, if others are happy, or at least happy enough, then more power to them. Wish I felt the same, to be honest. But this is a big swing and a miss to me based on all I've seen so far.

 

[jal76]

To each their own but it's literally the exact same head sculpt with a subtle change in expression...tbere has not been any "dip in quality" between the last proto shown and this one...just an expression change. It comes down to an opinion of what expression one thinks Sulu should have on his face...I personally preferred serious but I will gladly take smiling and will never look back. Once again, not everyone needs to feel this way...just lucky for me I guess as a Trek fan and collector of this line that I honestly do.

 

[Weapon]

Given that you can still (pre)order Scotty pretty much everywhere, I don't think anyone much is going to panic and fall for the short packing/split shipment model again, to be honest.

Not that it will affect me either way. I'm not buying it because I don't like it. End of. I don't tend to throw my money at things that I'm not happy with just to 'support the line', I don't have the money to burn on that kind of silliness. I was all in for TOS figures as long as they maintained a quality I was happy with. They haven't in this particular case, so for now I move on.

As I said before, if it looks significantly better in hand I can always change my mind, but given we've already seen high quality pics courtesy of Michael Crawford I don't hold out too much hope there. Likewise, if I get a chance to grab one cheap at some point, I might bite. Just as if they happened to put out Uhura and Chekov and I was happy with both, then I might be tempted to track down Sulu just to complete the team, but I have serious doubts we'll see Chekov anyway, so I'll just live with a four or five character (if Uhura is good) away team.

Not saying how anyone else should feel, if others are happy, or at least happy enough, then more power to them. Wish I felt the same, to be honest. But this is a big swing and a miss to me based on all I've seen so far.

Great post. Well said. Definite dip in quality using that expression.

 

[Pauln6a]

My current collection looks amazing and will look all the better with Sulu. Nerds are pedants and you disappoint them at your peril. The junior crew was always going to be less popular so it's a shame that they have compounded that error but I'm fairly confident that some light shading with ink on his lips and possibly eyes will tease an even better likeness out.

 

[Drake]

To each their own but it's literally the exact same head sculpt with a subtle change in expression...tbere has not been any "dip in quality" between the last proto shown and this one...just an expression change. It comes down to an opinion of what expression one thinks Sulu should have on his face...I personally preferred serious but I will gladly take smiling and will never look back. Once again, not everyone needs to feel this way...just lucky for me I guess as a Trek fan and collector of this line that I honestly do.

It is far from subtle, as the eye is drawn right to it (for me, at least), as well as being far from representative of Sulu's personality in my opinion, and any facet of a sculpt that is noticeably off throws the likeness out, often considerably so. And as such I would argue that anything that diminishes the likeness in the way that this change does to my eyes is very definitely a dip in quality, regardless of the reasons behind why it has happened, or whether some may still find it 'good enough'. I also find it rather telling that there is hardly anyone saying that they prefer this new version of the sculpt, just people who are willing to accept the change in order to have Sulu on the shelf. Which is fine and perfectly valid, but still as I said, rather telling.

If you like it, that's great for you. But those of us that don't like it aren't being petty in our disappointment here. We wanted to like it, too. We would prefer to like it. Sadly, for us, we just don't.