Redman - The Cowboy G

[cmiller99]

The problem with that point of view is that the second party, and those who cater to them, drive away the first party and those who cater to them.

There's no ball at all if the artists are gone, and recasting drives them away - fact. MJ Choi has decided to stop offering his sculpts publicly because his Bill the Butcher, Joker and John McClane were ALL recast. Trevor Grove left these very boards after his work was recast.

 

[**16k**]

Others will come...

I have nothing against MJ Choi and have both his originals and recasts. But sorry to say that his prices were just unacceptable.

 

[cmiller99]

Sure, yeah. His prices were too high for most. But he was a talented sculptor who won't give us his time again, which is a terrible shame.

 

[Rainpaulo]

I have the Clint figure also....awesome figure..the redman one I got he is wearing a long trench coat.

 

[**16k**]

Sure, yeah. His prices were too high for most. But he was a talented sculptor who won't give us his time again, which is a terrible shame.

Sure, I see your point. But in the end, I think the misunderstanding between pro and con recasters is a different approach of a same hobby. Part of us, the part I come from, see this hobby as toy or doll collecting. The other part sees it as art. And I think that although we share a same passion, we don't really share it in the same way.

When HT started, their stuff sold for about $150. At the time, I remember pestering and saying that it was theft and would be my upper spending limit....which I long have passed. And though I sometimes spend $600 more on a fig, I still think that a full figure that costs more than $150 is theft.

And that's because, deep within me, they're all toys and nothing justifies that toys cost so much. So sure, when confronted to a lower price on a higher price, i always go towards the lower price.

Some of us come from prop and statue collecting... About which I have zero interest. So for them, 1/6 is yet another form of art. I come from 12" GI Joe, and for me, 1/6 is just another brand of dolls.

All I'm trying to say is that those too attitudes are definitely hard to reconcile as for a common interest we have two very varied viewpoints.

 

[cmiller99]

I agree completely with your assessment of the situation. There are indeed two sides to this hobby, as you say.

However, it is sad that one side can have the power to damage the other, in some cases.

 

[egel]

Was actually considering the Cleef figure, but reading these posts leaves a foul taste in my mouth.

 

[siquisiri]

The recast issue will never go away, but as long as some of the artists charge astronomical prices, imo, others will take advantage of this , recast them, and sell them to the masses at an affordable price. Whether this is wrong or right, depends on your view on recasting.

 

[siquisiri]

The limited release of the Denny Kim / Iminime / Cult King figures allows them to inflate the prices far beyond the integral value of the figure itself - they even apparently use the cheapest knock-off bodies available as their base.

And if you look through the photos here:

The Bounty Hunter - The Bandit - The Cowboy Pack - Machinegun

Not all the details look particularly 'high end', nor warrant the higher than usual value. (Apart from Blondie's poncho!)

Okay, so Redman recast the heads, but they reproduced the figures on a larger scale which enabled them to be sold at a price closer to that which the Iminime/Cult King ought to have been in the first place (if they were less limited).

Redman also made some improvements over the Iminime/Cult King versions: such as giving Angel Eyes his correct Remington 1858 New Army (instead of the Colt 1851 Navy that Iminime gave him - an unforgivable error at that price ).

Redman also constructed the spurs more accurately.

Iminime:

Redman went closer to the real thing by using D-ring 'leather' straps as on these replica Blondie spurs:

Redman did, however, copy some of Iminime's other errors, such as giving Angel Eyes' Remington to Tuco as his lanyard revolver instead of the Colt 1851 Navy.

As mentioned before, Iminime gave Angel Eyes a Colt Navy, which Redman presumably made anyway to give to Tuco as an extra!

Incidentally, since I had a muscle body arrive today that came with spare long ankle pegs I've put them onto Blondie to help get him to the correct height. His jeans were already long, which implied that maybe this was what Redman planned to do themselves at one stage.

I previously put the Josey Wales onto a Coo Model body to make him taller.

Great info here!

 

[TheFiend]

Those don't look like "junk" to me. [emoji38] I know these things are subjective but for the price those look like some damn nifty figures.

I don't have a strong opinion for either side of this argument, but I will say that both sides say some pretty ridiculous things. Some, especially on the 'against recasts' side, have said some truly vile things to people. Claiming that what these customizers charge as "theft" is absurd. [emoji38] They charge, people are willing to spend, end of story. No theft here. You also get a bit of this sort of entitlement attitude from those that are for recasting. Things like: " Well they should lower their prices!!" or " They should make their product ALWAYS available." [emoji38] Come on. But the absolute worst things said are from those who are against it. I heard someone call another person who bought a recast Ledger Joker head on ebay a "****ing piece of ****." Think about that for a second. I've heard people wish, even threaten, physical violence on others. This is fanaticism. Collectors really get on a moral high horse with this and it's jaw dropping hypocritical. I always like to say before you go off on a vitriolic tantrum why don't you think of all those skeletons you have in your closet. I bet they're far worse than buying a $35 Joker head off ebay.

 

[superado]

I don't think Trevor commented, he's well used to having his work bootlegged by now. But Denny (the head figure producer at Iminime) was not happy, not one bit.

It was a surprise for most people, I think. Redman were only clothes set producers until this announcement; since then they have recasted the Iminime Dirty Harry sculpt for their own inferior release, and have also recasted Rainman's Alex DeLarge. I will never buy anything from them ever.

Thank you and good to know. I'm just surprised Redman has gotten away with it to such a great extent since recasting is pretty much a taboo among collectors.

 

[cmiller99]

It's taboo on these boards, but it seems that the wider community doesn't really share that viewpoint unfortunately. Or maybe it's just lack of awareness.

 

[teemu]

Those don't look like "junk" to me. [emoji38] I know these things are subjective but for the price those look like some damn nifty figures.

They're not junk, they are pretty badass actually.....some people call them junk because of the whole situation

 

[shells075]

At least they didn't do a hatless Blondie, although I have seen a knock off sculpt on ebay.

 

[**16k**]

Thank you and good to know. I'm just surprised Redman has gotten away with it to such a great extent since recasting is pretty much a taboo among collectors.

Well, at the risk of making more enemies that I already have because of a similar topic elsewhere a long time ago, I'd say it's more of a hypocrisy than a taboo.

I'm quite honest about my opinion. I buy originals. I buy recasts. I recast my originals because I want to keep them pristine, but I will NEVER sell them, because this is the extent of where I'm ready to go.

Now, you wouldn't imagine the number of mails I've received from some members to get a copy of a BBkill head I had. I've never sold them, but it makes me laugh when I hear some people swearing to all the gods they'd never buy a recast because it's bad asking me to sell them one.

Not that I blame them. The way I see it, if you are making something limited or expensive, you're practically asking for it. It's something I've never understood really. Why make something limited and pricey and sell but a few when in quantity and at a lower price they'd sell like hot cakes? Recasting is a sin. Greed is another. Somehow, I don't remember reading about recasting in the Ten Commandments!

 

[Stryker2011]

The problem I see with both sides of this argument is simple: both sides are wrong. It's pretty arrogant and hypocritical for iminnme and other customizers to get all cheesed off about someone stealing their work, when they themselves are breaking the law by making over-priced unlicensed figures in the first place. And the recasters are wrong for not at least compensating the original artist. So, both parties only have each other to blame for whatever the outcome may be.

 

[**16k**]

The problem I see with both sides of this argument is simple: both sides are wrong. It's pretty arrogant and hypocritical for iminnme and other customizers to get all cheesed off about someone stealing their work, when they themselves are breaking the law by making over-priced unlicensed figures in the first place. And the recasters are wrong for not at least compensating the original artist. So, both parties only have each other to blame for whatever the outcome may be.

...and I do agree with that too! This is a hateful hobby after all. I think I'll stop collecting and start selling drugs. That's healthier!

 

[SwedishHeat]

"Waah, waah, I can't afford it. They should make it cheaper, so I can buy everything I want."

 

[HAL9000.]

Thanks to Cmiller99, I've recently been learning all about recasting and customs, and even though I've been collecting a while, I had no idea about it all. Unless you're on these boards, how would you?

I have mainly licensed figures, but did build 10 or so customs. I now assume they're not legal and maybe even recasts from somewhere else.

I can see both sides of the argument about customs: "They're breaking the law in the first place by not having licenses." vs "They're artists." Both is true. Maybe that's where all the anger comes from?

I've bought some high-end customs because I wanted them. They're art. So, for me, I collect for both reasons - the figure/doll/movie/reminiscing side and the "Now that's a piece of art" side.

The argument will never go away and that's okay - people are passionate. But, really no need to be rude to others.

 

[siquisiri]

I picked up blondie today and while I get peeps being upset because its a recast, if you were to put the sculpt aside, the rest of the set in itself is still amazing. I think its ridiculous to say its crap and think its just peeps being partisan and supporting DK and protecting their investment. I know that if i paid $1000 for a fig and have an almost identical fig come out a few years later for 1/10 the price, would upset me also.