Questions for Asmus

[hoodonit00]

Asmus has a golden opportunity here to get back in the LOTRs game. With people complaining about QC issues and rising costs with InArt. It all comes down to the sculpt. If I stand my Asmus Aragorn and my InArt Aragorn next to each other I really can’t see a whole lot of difference from the neck down. Especially for the price difference. If only they could put better sculpts out. This is where InArt shines. They don’t even need to nail it. Just 10% to 15% better than what they’ve released. I don’t have much hope though with how Ace Ventura is looking. Guess we will see.

 

[Johnny Utah]

@Asmus did you pass my suggestion for Cyber City Oedo 808 on to your design team?

 

[Mooch]

Asmus has a golden opportunity here to get back in the LOTRs game. With people complaining about QC issues and rising costs with InArt. It all comes down to the sculpt. If I stand my Asmus Aragorn and my InArt Aragorn next to each other I really can’t see a whole lot of difference from the neck down. Especially for the price difference. If only they could put better sculpts out. This is where InArt shines. They don’t even need to nail it. Just 10% to 15% better than what they’ve released. I don’t have much hope though with how Ace Ventura is looking. Guess we will see.

They should certainly try to nail it, though!

 

[spindrift]

Asmus can step it up and still be alot cheaper than Inart. Time to realize if you do high quality work you can charge $400 a figure and people won't even blink at that.

 

[chrisstbh]

 

[Sassafras]

View attachment 748063

Where is Thranduil???? oh yeah, Hobbit license mess....

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

So ... what is the exact deal with the Sideshow partnership now? Are we supposed to order through them in the States? Are we not supposed to order directly with Asmus anymore? Is there a benefit either way with shipping costs?

 

[Sassafras]

So ... what is the exact deal with the Sideshow partnership now? Are we supposed to order through them in the States? Are we not supposed to order directly with Asmus anymore? Is there a benefit either way with shipping costs?

Maybe the deal was Sideshow somehow funded them or eased getting products into the U.S. to the benefit of all. Only say this because way back getting Iron Studios pieces via Sideshow took some working out. But you can now order IS from their store or Sideshow.

Whether there's a shipping benefit I think is still gonna depend on what people want to pay and/or if there is a deal going on. For U.S. folks *in general* they are probably happier ordering within U.S., but if you are in Asia why go through Sideshow. Europe I don't know what the UK/Europe prefers? Sideshow customer service has been awesome when I've used them, but have had some nice correspondence with ASMUS as well. But I haven't had many problems - actually arguing with WETA at one point was the most tedious.

 

[superdoug]

My guess is you will be good to order from either and they might still throw in their freebies from time to time if you order from them direct. The Sideshow reveal thing might just be a way to try to increase visibility. By having a figure first announced at one of Sideshow’s events it might have more visibility than Asmus just launching it on their site and plugging it on their social media pages.

 

[ml4u2k]

Where can I still order an upgraded Asmus Gandalf the Grey head Crown Edition? Will it be restocked?

 

[RandomHero]

We are unfortunately taking a pause on the middle earth right now,
things should be back on rolling hopefully by the end of the year.

This is from October 19th, 2023. On October 29th, 2024, we were told they are officially back.

I feel like we keep getting told Asmus LOTR is returning, but doesn't. Problems with the licensor is understandable, but we're now in 2025. This feels extensive considering we keep getting told new figures are on the horizon.

With collectors awfully upset at InArt right now over the news they won't complete the Fellowship, this feels like the right time for Asmus to announce something to get people excited in their brand.

When will Saruman go up for order? Sideshow made it seem like pre-order was imminent.
Where do things stand with the next Gollum heads? It sounded like those were close.
What are the Gil-Galad and Haldir prototypes looking like at this stage? Last we heard they were full steam ahead.
Where in the development cycle with Frodo and Sam? Are they intended to be shown before InArt gets them up?
How are things fairing with The Hobbit license? Last we head it was a problem with WB.
Is Thranduil still happening? Last we head it was almost 100% ready.
What's next for the Crown line after Saruman? If Thranduil is not ready due to license, will someone like Galadriel or Theoden be considered?

On top of all this - many are disappointed that InArt will not be making Boromir, and many are not happy with the last Asmus sculpt. Will another Boromir be considered this time to fill the void?

If there are ever a time for Asmus to answer questions and build hype, it is right now.

 

[DioramaMaker]

@Asmus In the wake of InArt potentially stopping LOTR, would you be open to partnering with them to produce the rest of the fellowship in a way that matches? We discussed this over in the InArt thread. Perhaps they can provide sculpts and scale matching and you all manage the manufacturing and tailoring?

 

[Gipetto0812]

Given that Asmus' original Gimli is said to be one of their best figures, they definitely has an opportunity here to make a "crown" version with the news that InArt is probably not completing the line. I'd bet it would probably fit in well enough with the InArt figures.

That said, it's probably best to wait for the video/post that InArt is planning on to supposedly clear up the confusion before Asmus commit to anything.

 

[Sassafras]

Given that Asmus' original Gimli is said to be one of their best figures, they definitely has an opportunity here to make a "crown" version with the news that InArt is probably not completing the line. I'd bet it would probably fit in well enough with the InArt figures.

That said, it's probably best to wait for the video/post that InArt is planning on to supposedly clear up the confusion before Asmus commit to anything.

TBH tho I wouldn't buy it, the original Gimli is good enough for me - pretty brilliant, actually. Over time if I felt like "upgrading" him with custom chain mail, real leather pouches etc. I would.

But I get that a lot of folks don't feel like essentially kitbashing. For me even if InArt has the wool hair etc. whatever ASMUS used is pretty nice, for me it's not worth buying another. Also, I doubt InArt would use real leather anyway, or other materials I think of as "premium". I supposed InArt would have the rolling eyes which could be useful.

 

[Gipetto0812]

TBH tho I wouldn't buy it, the original Gimli is good enough for me - pretty brilliant, actually. Over time if I felt like "upgrading" him with custom chain mail, real leather pouches etc. I would.

But I get that a lot of folks don't feel like essentially kitbashing. For me even if InArt has the wool hair etc. whatever ASMUS used is pretty nice, for me it's not worth buying another. Also, I doubt InArt would use real leather anyway, or other materials I think of as "premium". I supposed InArt would have the rolling eyes which could be useful.

I get that. However, there appear to be a large amount of collectors who do not have Asmus’ original Gimli and don’t want to pay after market prices for him.

Not only that, it seems Asmus has been improving given both the teaser of their Saruman as well as the recent Snake Plissken reveal.

So, while yes, as I said previously, the original is considered to be one of Asmus’ best figures, there’s always room for improvement. The chainmail is one area as you said, perhaps real leather should they choose (Asmus is using real leather on Snake’s jacket after all), as well as the change from synthetic to wool hair and potential addition of moving eyes. Though, with Gimli having such a furrowed brow, I’m not sure how beneficial moving eyes would be. I’d be ok with static eyes for him

 

[DioramaMaker]

I get that. However, there appear to be a large amount of collectors who do not have Asmus’ original Gimli and don’t want to pay after market prices for him.

Not only that, it seems Asmus has been improving given both the teaser of their Saruman as well as the recent Snake Plissken reveal.

So, while yes, as I said previously, the original is considered to be one of Asmus’ best figures, there’s always room for improvement. The chainmail is one area as you said, perhaps real leather should they choose (Asmus is using real leather on Snake’s jacket after all), as well as the change from synthetic to wool hair and potential addition of moving eyes. Though, with Gimli having such a furrowed brow, I’m not sure how beneficial moving eyes would be. I’d be ok with static eyes for him

I'm less worried about the likeness and rolling eyes on Gimli than I would be on the other Hobbits and Boromir.

Gimli is more hair than face, and the most important thing to nail would be the beard scale. Additionally, the neck proportions need to be altered, the original had a strangely long neck that threw the look off.