Sideshow ESB/ROTJ Darth Vader

[TonTon]

So their ANH Vader was modded to make it taller? That doesn't make any sense with regards to what's shown in the images. If the figure wasn't stock, it should never have been posted along side the Deluxe Vader.

The ANH Vader had been modded to make it shorter like everyone else. And then they put everything back with the original body for the photo shoot. Just saying maybe when it was pieced back together with the original body, something happened for it to wind up slightly shorter than stock. I mean somehow it still came back a little shorter as it looks really close in height to the ESB Vader. Just throwing that out there.

 

[TonTon]

Is this SSC ESB DX Vader around 14" in height? He seems to be a full 2 inches over the snowie there. I know this Vader was slightly shorter than the ANH version, which I think was about 14 1/4".

Yeah unfortunately that's about right. The Snowtrooper seems a little below 12" to me, maybe 11 3/4 or 7/8 with legs perfectly straight, and pixel has the right measurements for Vader (13 7/8" with legs perfectly straight).
I usually keep Vader's legs bent if they're next to each other to reduce the height difference a bit. I can't see myself displaying the HT short stormtrooper next to a stock Vader like this. (First pic Vader has bent legs, second as straight as they go).

 

[Pixelpiper]

I mean somehow it still came back a little shorter as it looks really close in height to the ESB Vader. Just throwing that out there.

Ok, that's clear now - totally a possibility.

 

[momaw]

It still amazes me that height is such a big issue with the SS Vader but the HT one gets a complete pass on it

 

[davejames]

I wonder where these companies got the faulty measurement from. Was it from a display perhaps? Or from a measurement out of a book? Or just something from Lucasfilm that they never bothered to doublecheck?

 

[Pixelpiper]

It still amazes me that height is such a big issue with the SS Vader but the HT one gets a complete pass on it

The HT isn't out yet and some people think the figure will materially change before it's released. Suckers.

 

[anwe]

It still amazes me that height is such a big issue with the SS Vader but the HT one gets a complete pass on it

It doesn't, it's just that you may be more sensitive to someone criticising a Sideshow figure than a HT figure. But don't worry, you are in the majority camp here.

 

[DeadLeaves]

There are other member photos of the same way back in the thread, but new one can't hurt. At the end of the day they may be useful to someone, but I'm not sure what the narrative is. Is it to show that Sideshow screwed up again? That they screwed up by the same margin they did before? Both are too tall, both need many mods for improved 'accuracy' - the mod threads cover all that stuff pretty well.

No narrative, Talibane just asked the question is he really 14". I think they did the proportions and robes a lot better in this release, but the one I have isn't 13 1/2".

 

[cokebabies]

The consensus seemed to be that this Vader was 13 3/4", which is what I measured him at stood on the stand.

When I first measured him laying down he was 13.5".

I never could figure where the quarter of an inch went!

 

[TaliBane]

It still amazes me that height is such a big issue with the SS Vader but the HT one gets a complete pass on it

No, I re-raised the height issue first and did point out the HT height error...

(and the main problem with the over-tall height is it's difficult/impossible to fully fix because all the armor is scaled for that 14" height.)

I just looked at pics on rebelscum of this fig and you're right - it does seem to be about the same height as the ANH version (in the back-to-back pic) though side-by-side there seems to be maybe 1/4" difference, ANH just a tiny bit taller. I've been trying to look back in this thread to see how much people thought the height was off - from what I've seen I think he's about 1/2"-3/4" too tall (the Vader expert guy "toomuchgarlic" on the boards here said Vader should be 13 1/2" tall) Just watched a youtube review of this figure and those lights are just awesome. No idea how they got lights to work on such a thin belt and chestbox. And yeah - seems like the HT Vader will have the same over-tall height. I was saying earlier it may be a LFL-mandated thing - Vader is TALL.

Those photos, if they're the original ones I'm thinking of, are wrong. I have no idea how they took them or what they did to their figure, but it doesn't show an accurate representation of Vader's out of box height.

He is 13 and 7/8" out of box which is shorter than I've read the ANH version is (I don't have one of those to measure). Some people may measure him at 14" but that's still shorter than ANH. Some folks measured him at 13.5" but we never figured out how/why. I've taken this guy apart completely and it's impossible to make adjustments or squeeze any removable parts down to make up the difference from 13 7/8" to 13.5" - the only thing I can possibly think of is some alternate parts, like a different neck.

Thanks, exactly what I was looking for. And wow, doesn't that gunmetal read as silver in that pic. It's funny I never even knew about the gunmetal/black thing on Vader's mask until SSC made a Vader. A few people even seem to have initially thought it was an error or SSC fudging something.

Yeah unfortunately that's about right. The Snowtrooper seems a little below 12" to me, maybe 11 3/4 or 7/8 with legs perfectly straight, and pixel has the right measurements for Vader (13 7/8" with legs perfectly straight).
I usually keep Vader's legs bent if they're next to each other to reduce the height difference a bit. I can't see myself displaying the HT short stormtrooper next to a stock Vader like this. (First pic Vader has bent legs, second as straight as they go).
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Great pics! You just don't see Vader and snowie posed enough together (always damn stormies...) And your "bent knees" pose does get Vader exactly into the right scale. Seems like the over-height amount is somewhere around 1/2" up to 3/4".

I have the snowie (stock right out of the box) and he's just over 12" with legs straight (by couple of mm) so I guess it depends how the boots are fitted, how helmet is seated, etc.

I'm actually contemplating putting him on another body because the armor is so bunched up on the stock body.

I wonder where these companies got the faulty measurement from. Was it from a display perhaps? Or from a measurement out of a book? Or just something from Lucasfilm that they never bothered to doublecheck?

Yeah, as I mentioned before, it's just really suspicious that the HT Vader will be the THIRD 1/6 Vader in five years to be noticeably too tall. And conversely, every single R2 is a little (or more than a little) too small. It just makes you think maybe LFL sends out heights for licensees to stick to - heights that say "villain Vader is TALL" and "cute little R2 is SMALL."

 

[davejames]

I was able to get mine down to 13 3/4" after shortening the neck and lowering the dome, and I'm perfectly fine with that. The extra quarter inch doesn't bother me any, and I'd much rather he be a bit too tall than so short he looks like he's wearing oversized armor.

 

[anwe]

No, I re-raised the height issue first and did point out the HT height error...

(and the main problem with the over-tall height is it's difficult/impossible to fully fix because all the armor is scaled for that 14" height.)

Also there aren't so many people passionately defending the HT Vader as there were with the (the height I mean) SSC one, so it has caused a lot less bickering about it.

 

[DeadLeaves]

No one has the HT Vader, so there's only speculation how it measures up to any previous 1/6 versions. But you're more than welcome to passionately defend that one when it comes out.

 

[rayeknor]

Just me that notice how some parts of his face mask remains unpainted the proper deep black like the rest in a lot of the in hand shots?

To be specific, under his right eye, left cheek and the right side of his mouthpiece?

I know its not the light as I've seen videos where the figure is moved about and lots of closeups.

 

[davejames]

Just me that notice how some parts of his face mask remains unpainted the proper deep black like the rest in a lot of the in hand shots?

To be specific, under his right eye, left cheek and the right side of his mouthpiece?

I know its not the light as I've seen videos where the figure is moved about and lots of closeups.

It's actually supposed to be that way. But don't worry, I never realized that until very recently either.

 

[rayeknor]

Yes, I just asked uncle Google.

Apparently his mask was created by Sideshow to represent the original costume used in the movie and not the actual suit the character wears.
This is because the mask is actually two toned. The forehead portion and right cheek portion are dark gray while the left cheek and chin portion are jet black.

I read that this was done on the costume so that the film cameras could pick out the details of his mask. Maybe this style is preferred by many people, but I would actually prefer a solid toned (jet black) mask because this is what the character Vader would have; not the costume for a movie.

Besides the bottom part of his triangle mouth being a little too wide and this face toning the figure looks to me as the best 1/6 Vader out there.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Yes, I just asked uncle Google.

Apparently his mask was created by Sideshow to represent the original costume used in the movie and not the actual suit the character wears.
This is because the mask is actually two toned. The forehead portion and right cheek portion are dark gray while the left cheek and chin portion are jet black.

I read that this was done on the costume so that the film cameras could pick out the details of his mask. Maybe this style is preferred by many people, but I would actually prefer a solid toned (jet black) mask because this is what the character Vader would have; not the costume for a movie.

Besides the bottom part of his triangle mouth being a little too wide and this face toning the figure looks to me as the best 1/6 Vader out there.

 

[Pixelpiper]

He is right though. The two tone cheeks are strictly a prop detail for filming. It's one of the details I don't give rat's *** about.

 

[Wor-Gar]

He is right though. The two tone cheeks are strictly a prop detail for filming. It's one of the details I don't give rat's *** about.

That's like saying Vader's "amber" eyes in New Hope are a detail to allow the actor to see but are not what the character was 'meant' to wear. If you can discern it, its there.

I don't care for the black-n-gunmetal puzzle crap either, but its part of Vader.... no matter when in life you happen to discover it. Just takes time to accept. Like Darth being a title instead of the character's first name as was originally intended.

 

[davejames]

I don't think it's an absolute must, but if you really want to have an accurate looking Vader (even at 1/6 scale) than I think it is something you need to have.