Questions for Asmus

[Someperson]

TBH that's not something that would faze me, tho I preferred the look of the LOTR orcs. I give WETA kudos for doing something different.

But I don't usually buy baddies. Exceptions get made tho like for MOS - for me one of the creepiest designs ever put on screen. So I had to pick him up.

I know other folks want them but doubt I'd ever pick up an orc. Funds are limited.

I’m not one for army building either but I would love a Moria orc! Their design is very interesting. The helms deep Uruks are also pretty cool!

 

[George13]

We actually love to give a go on quite a few Hobbit characters like Fili, Kili, Radagast and Dane and Dwaling

But unfortunately, The Hobbit collectibles do not sales... at all.

@Asmus please consider a Crowdfunded release for Radagast
Or maybe a preorder and the buyer should pay the full price first (Same as NECA)

 

[RandomHero]

Or maybe a preorder and the buyer should pay the full price first (Same as NECA)

This is a terrible idea for everyone involved.

 

[George13]

This is a terrible idea for everyone involved.

So what do you suggest?

 

[Xman1990]

I’d love a radagast and would be More than happy to do whatever to get the figure made.

 

[Chopper Face]

I prefer paying in full for my POs.
I usually get a little discount and it’s preferable for me to budget on a monthly basis instead of having to worry about unreliable release dates that could result in a huge amount of figure-drops at once.
PayPal protection will always expire before a figure is released but I only shop at reliable, well established stores.

However, I am glad I didn’t have the full payment option available when pre-ordering Ash from Asmus.

I’d love to see Asmus take the crowd-funded approach for some real niche releases.

 

[Sassafras]

I prefer paying in full for my POs.
I usually get a little discount and it’s preferable for me to budget on a monthly basis instead of having to worry about unreliable release dates that could result in a huge amount of figure-drops at once.
PayPal protection will always expire before a figure is released but I only shop at reliable, well established stores.

However, I am glad I didn’t have the full payment option available when pre-ordering Ash from Asmus.

I’d love to see Asmus take the crowd-funded approach for some real niche releases.

I'd throw money at ASMUS to get Thranduil's throne!

 

[Tolkien Nerd]

I'd throw money at ASMUS to get Thranduil's throne!

And I`d be right there with you throwing away!

 

[jk_blue_tiger]

I want to publicly thank hoodonit00.
I will not get in details as to why, but this guy reminded me that kindness and unselfishness is still out there.
He will have my eternal gratitude.

 

[TheHobbitLOTR]

I’m still legit confused over Asmus’s claim The Hobbit doesn’t sell, when all their Hobbit figures have sold out (they’ve only occasionally restocked Thorin and Bilbo and Bilbo is sold out again), and the six figures they did make (Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf, Tauriel, Bard, and Thranduil) all sold extremely well and are hard to get, and can only be gotten at third party prices. Tauriel especially, she’s almost impossible to get. I’m so happy I finally got her in December when someone put up a preowned but in perfect condition with box and everything on eBay for almost $500 and I jumped on that. Same with Bard, recently got him for basically the same price. And yet a lot of their LOTR figures don’t sell out and are just sitting there and there’s more of those, yet they claim only The Hobbit doesn’t sell…?

The Hobbit isn’t a niche thing that needs crowdfunding IMO. Make a Dwalin or Fili and Kili and they’d sell. Hell, Azog would sell like crazy too. Regardless what people think of the films, most everyone I’ve seen agrees Azog is badass, and his collectibles from the past go for high prices. His six inch figure for TBD is going for $150+ right now, as I was looking to get it and Radagast (Radagast is also going for that much!).

 

[TheHobbitLOTR]

One thing I couldn’t stand about The Hobbit. They changed the design of the orcs and of the wargs.

They didn’t change designs, they were completely different factions of orcs. Gundabad orcs, and Gundabad wargs, which look different from the Isengard wargs. You’d be upset still since GdT was going to change the warg design anyway if he made the films, same with the orcs.

 

[RandomHero]

Figures going for high prices is one million percent not indicative of the way that they'll sell first hand out of production. Tauriel is considering one of the worst sixth scale figures ever made because that sculpt and paint job is an abomination. There's been plenty of photos comparing it to the Hot Toys figure of The Wasp and it's really apparent as to how bad it is. That figure took forever to sell out everywhere. No one wanted it. It going for $500 on eBay or wherever is just typical of people marking up stuff you can't find easily elsewhere because you have no other options.

Azog definitely would not sell like crazy. That character has been much maligned over the terrible CGI they made him with. I think there would be a few collectors that want baddies who would pick up him, but I can't see a run of 2,000 of those selling out quickly, or at full price. Fili and Kili would maybe sell well. Thranduil will always sell because people like Elves and Elven warriors.

I get you're a big Hobbit fan, but you gotta understand the demand for stuff from those movies just isn't there like it is for many other lines. Outside of Thranduil I wouldn't commit a dollar to any Hobbit stuff, and that's not me hating, I would just rather use the display space on collections I feel are actually memorable.

When I think of The Hobbit, I think of Ian McKellan breaking down on set multiple times over the way he had to act in front of green screens for all the CGI, which ended up being mostly terrible anyway. Not some well made movie that people will still be talking about in 15 years the way they will about LOTR.

 

[Kalkylen]

I'd also imagine the dwarves are hard to manufacture too. Those guys have layers upon layers of extremely detailed clothes, weapons and hair. Thorin and Gimli turned out amazing and are definitely two of Asmus best figures to date but they must have been hard work to make with such details.

I just can't see Asmus committing to that level of work for the rest of the company if they doubt they'll see a return on them. It is frustrating as I'd love Dwalin, Fili and Kili but I know it's never gonna happen sadly...or not until way down the line!

 

[RandomHero]

I agree. The hair alone would be incredibly time consuming on those dwarves. There's still just so many other characters from LOTR we all want that I'd much rather they spend the time on.

Once they get through Haldir, armored Boromir, some Galadhrim soldiers, Gil-Galad, Eowyn, Isildur, Lurtz, Black Gate Aragorn, Council Elrond, a couple of orcs, maybe Denethor...then sure, they can spend time on the Hobbit, provided they aren't wrapped up in the Rings of Power show if they get the license.

But personally I'd much rather buy a figure of Celeborn or Gamling than Kili and Fili.

 

[Sassafras]

I agree. The hair alone would be incredibly time consuming on those dwarves. There's still just so many other characters from LOTR we all want that I'd much rather they spend the time on.

Once they get through Haldir, armored Boromir, some Galadhrim soldiers, Gil-Galad, Eowyn, Isildur, Lurtz, Black Gate Aragorn, Council Elrond, a couple of orcs, maybe Denethor...then sure, they can spend time on the Hobbit, provided they aren't wrapped up in the Rings of Power show if they get the license.

But personally I'd much rather buy a figure of Celeborn or Gamling than Kili and Fili.

But on the other hand, I wouldn't, especially if I already own a WETA statue that I think represents. Especially investing in characters like a Celeborn or Elrond at the Council. Isildur.

Plus pretty sure if ASMUS did some limited runs - as they have; no problem. I can re-pose a Dwalin, Fili, Kili over the years the way I do Faramir or Legolas. For myself there's not a lot I can do with another Elrond, or Denethor. They'd just be like statues that sort of stand there.

We need more Hobbit figs. Dain, Battle Thorin, Thranduil, Fili, Kili, Azog, Radagast. At the moment the Amazon show is an unknown entity; it'd have to be REALLY good before I invest in another line as opposed to, say, doing some dioramas and buying some horses to flesh out displays I already have $$$$$$.

Tauriel especially, she’s almost impossible to get. I’m so happy I finally got her in December when someone put up a preowned but in perfect condition with box and everything on eBay for almost $500 and I jumped on that. Same with Bard, recently got him for basically the same price.

Yeah, I wish I had picked up Tauriel when I could, mainly as I have a very nice female elf head and I want the outfit. These huge fig prices for ASMUS stuff are one of the reasons I pick up extras of favorite figs like Thorin and Gimli.

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

It's probably worth pointing out that while Asmus' Hobbit figures did all sell out, it took a bit longer for them to do so and I believe their production runs were much smaller to begin with. I remember seeing Tauriel and Bard (both of which I own) being sold with sizeable discounts months after they were released. Even Thorin, widely seen as one of the best figures they've ever produced, took a while to sell through his initial run. It probably didn't help that Asmus released them all fairly close to one another, so lower sales were probably more keenly felt on their bottom line.

That said, I don't believe that means Hobbit figures will/can never sell. As we've seen, demand was there for Thranduil and Bilbo. The Hobbit movies definitely do have their fans and I think Asmus would be wise to reward those fans from time to time.

While it's generally true that the LOTR trilogy is more popular among collectors than the Hobbit trilogy, I wonder if LOTR fans might soften towards the Hobbit trilogy over time like Star Wars fans have towards the Prequels. I can only speak to my own experience, but I'm personally not as bothered as I once was by aspects of the Hobbit films. Are they replacing LOTR in my heart as my most beloved films of all time? Certainly not. But I am more fond of them than I once was. I still have my complaints, of course, but the movies do feel like part of the same world. If not siblings, then certainly cousins. If you're old enough to get the reference, the Hobbit movies feel like b-sides of my favorite records. The songs may not be as catchy but I still love the band.

I don't think it's particularly helpful to try to outline which specific figures Asmus needs to be spending their time and resources on and in which order. Wish lists are great -- I've certainly made my share of those! -- but I'm not going to try to tell them their business. That's up to them. They've got variables to consider well beyond "what figure do I personally want in my collection next." They have all sorts of pressures we can only guess at: Licensor restrictions/demands, R&D costs, factory production availability, materials sourcing, shipping logistics, COVID snarls, etc., etc. ... plus a million more that I can't even guess at.

That said ... it might not be a terrible idea to slip in a Hobbit figure every fifth or sixth release slot. Make both licenses feel like they're one cohesive line. Make them feel like Middle-Earth figures, not Hobbit or LOTR figures. And if occasionally using crowdfunding helps alleviate some of the risks and pressures on figures that may seem riskier, I say go for it. I pledge my support right now!

My point is, just because I may not want a particular figure on my shelf, doesn't mean I should actively lobby against others getting figures they want on theirs. I don't want to be the kid on Christmas morning who gets all the toys while my sibling gets none. We LOTR fans have been crazy spoiled by this line thus far. I don't even know how many figures I own from it at this point ... 30? 40? More? Throw in some Hobbit figures from time to time, it's not going to hurt me. The more, the merrier!

The way I see it, the DJ may not always play your favorite song, but other people might want to dance, too. And hell, maybe you'll even tap your foot a little.

 

[TheHobbitLOTR]

I agree. The hair alone would be incredibly time consuming on those dwarves. There's still just so many other characters from LOTR we all want that I'd much rather they spend the time on.

Once they get through Haldir, armored Boromir, some Galadhrim soldiers, Gil-Galad, Eowyn, Isildur, Lurtz, Black Gate Aragorn, Council Elrond, a couple of orcs, maybe Denethor...then sure, they can spend time on the Hobbit, provided they aren't wrapped up in the Rings of Power show if they get the license.

But personally I'd much rather buy a figure of Celeborn or Gamling than Kili and Fili.

So you think Gil-Galad would sell more than Azog…? Sorry, I just feel you have a bias against The Hobbit. And McKellen didn’t break down multiple times filming, he got frustrated once for a few seconds and even said sorry to the other actors, because he and PJ say in the appendices it was his first time back in a while and he just wasn’t back in to Gandalf yet, and after that day it was pretty much smooth sailing. They even made it up to Ian the next day too and decked out his tent in props from LOTR just to show they appreciated him and get him back in the headspace. This false narrative needs to stop, really. And the CG for Azog terrible? Really? It looks incredible, and looks even better on the new 4K versions. Go on some LOTR fan pages especially for the films and you’ll see praise for Azog, moreso than hate. Of course there’s some who’ll say “CG bad!!” but overall his character and Manu’s performance are incredible. Sorry you don’t wanna collect stuff from The Hobbit, but don’t try to speak for the whole collecting community who’d love more The Hobbit stuff.

 

[Tolkien Nerd]

I couldn`t have put my thoughts on this discussion down any better than Bucky Underbelly has said above. Very fair and balanced in my opinion.
I am sure some characters wanted by some may not be on the priority list of others whether from LOTR or The Hobbit. I love both adaptations, warts and all, so a few more figures from The Hobbit is fine by me. I would defo go for Azog!

 

[Someperson]

I agree. The hair alone would be incredibly time consuming on those dwarves. There's still just so many other characters from LOTR we all want that I'd much rather they spend the time on.

Once they get through Haldir, armored Boromir, some Galadhrim soldiers, Gil-Galad, Eowyn, Isildur, Lurtz, Black Gate Aragorn, Council Elrond, a couple of orcs, maybe Denethor...then sure, they can spend time on the Hobbit, provided they aren't wrapped up in the Rings of Power show if they get the license.

But personally I'd much rather buy a figure of Celeborn or Gamling than Kili and Fili.

The Mirkwood soldiers from the battle of five armies would be a cool piece in the hobbit line.

 

[RandomHero]

It's probably worth pointing out that while Asmus' Hobbit figures did all sell out, it took a bit longer for them to do so and I believe their production runs were much smaller to begin with. I remember seeing Tauriel and Bard (both of which I own) being sold with sizeable discounts months after they were released. Even Thorin, widely seen as one of the best figures they've ever produced, took a while to sell through his initial run. It probably didn't help that Asmus released them all fairly close to one another, so lower sales were probably more keenly felt on their bottom line.

That said, I don't believe that means Hobbit figures will/can never sell. As we've seen, demand was there for Thranduil and Bilbo. The Hobbit movies definitely do have their fans and I think Asmus would be wise to reward those fans from time to time.

While it's generally true that the LOTR trilogy is more popular among collectors than the Hobbit trilogy, I wonder if LOTR fans might soften towards the Hobbit trilogy over time like Star Wars fans have towards the Prequels. I can only speak to my own experience, but I'm personally not as bothered as I once was by aspects of the Hobbit films. Are they replacing LOTR in my heart as my most beloved films of all time? Certainly not. But I am more fond of them than I once was. I still have my complaints, of course, but the movies do feel like part of the same world. If not siblings, then certainly cousins. If you're old enough to get the reference, the Hobbit movies feel like b-sides of my favorite records. The songs may not be as catchy but I still love the band.

I don't think it's particularly helpful to try to outline which specific figures Asmus needs to be spending their time and resources on and in which order. Wish lists are great -- I've certainly made my share of those! -- but I'm not going to try to tell them their business. That's up to them. They've got variables to consider well beyond "what figure do I personally want in my collection next." They have all sorts of pressures we can only guess at: Licensor restrictions/demands, R&D costs, factory production availability, materials sourcing, shipping logistics, COVID snarls, etc., etc. ... plus a million more that I can't even guess at.

That said ... it might not be a terrible idea to slip in a Hobbit figure every fifth or sixth release slot. Make both licenses feel like they're one cohesive line. Make them feel like Middle-Earth figures, not Hobbit or LOTR figures. And if occasionally using crowdfunding helps alleviate some of the risks and pressures on figures that may seem riskier, I say go for it. I pledge my support right now!

My point is, just because I may not want a particular figure on my shelf, doesn't mean I should actively lobby against others getting figures they want on theirs. I don't want to be the kid on Christmas morning who gets all the toys while my sibling gets none. We LOTR fans have been crazy spoiled by this line thus far. I don't even know how many figures I own from it at this point ... 30? 40? More? Throw in some Hobbit figures from time to time, it's not going to hurt me. The more, the merrier!

The way I see it, the DJ may not always play your favorite song, but other people might want to dance, too. And hell, maybe you'll even tap your foot a little.

You know what, this is a great post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.