Sideshow Hoth Han Solo (Echo Base)

[Captain Britain]

Well, the hood will always be up on mine and the visor should obscure his eyes a bit, so I think it will display well. And from a distance the eye gaps might not be as noticeable.

That won't help people who have bought the exclusive for the Big Chief Sitting Bantha head, you won't be able to obscure it with anything. And to be honest, if you have to cover up most of the face on a figure, than that figure is a fail.

Sideshow are like Disney animation circa Treasure Planet to Hot Toy's Pixar... they try and try but can't get it right. You wonder how this glass eye ******** happened - what was needed was someone to sort out the painting of eyes on their figures, what probably happened is someone got carried away trying to be 'innovative' and the groupthink in the room resulted in a feature that is universally disliked.

Just paint the damn eyes better. It's not rocket science.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Just paint the damn eyes better. It's not rocket science.

Margins. Likely a bean-counter derived process.

 

[Boba Ben]

I like Treasure Planet.

 

[Captain Britain]

Taking an aside for the moment and not talking about this figure's production traits, Sideshow is demonstrating a very significant failure here on another front, letting a customer provide the first images of a final product. That's some serious lack of control, both in marketing and supply chain management. If I were a higher up at Sideshow I'd be livid right now.

They'll no doubt still sell out of this product eventually, but their reputation is getting hammered on a continual basis and it's as if they're helping to hold the nails.

And yet, they stay in business.

 

[Khev]

And yet, they stay in business.

I think they've ridden the "no alternative" train for a good long while. I don't envy SSC's sales when both they and HT start releasing the same Episode VII figures side by side.

 

[Rorywan]

It is down to $. Painting and transfer application takes developed skill and resources. That obviously costs more than SS are willing to invest in these figures. The plastic eye thing probably seemed like a more affordable solution, not as much expertise or skill required to assemble and paint.
Unfortunately for Sideshow it's going to be a law of very diminishing returns though. From Drake to here, hasn't been very long. And incredibly damaging confidence-wise to their customers.

 

[Captain Britain]

I like Treasure Planet.

Sure, that's why it led to a number of acclaimed sequels and its characters became pop culture icons - because it didn't suck like Toy Story or Finding Nemo.

 

[Captain Britain]

It is down to $. Painting and transfer application takes developed skill and resources. That obviously costs more than SS are willing to invest in these figures. The plastic eye thing probably seemed like a more affordable solution, not as much expertise or skill required to assemble and paint.
Unfortunately for Sideshow it's going to be a law of very diminishing returns though. From Drake to here, hasn't been very long. And incredibly damaging confidence-wise to their customers.

Yeah, I can't possibly pretend to know anything about the economics of making figures like these, but as a consumer generally I think quality is probably the best business plan, can't see why it would be any different for high-end figures.

 

[Pixelpiper]

And yet, they stay in business.

Because of the first half of the line you quoted. This will still sell. It's not their first rodeo.

 

[Pixelpiper]

I don't envy SSC's sales when both they and HT start releasing the same Episode VII figures side by side.

Seeing as that's not likely a good thing for either of them, it's unlikely to happen.

 

[mfoga]

So let me guess Captain Britain and Rory are slamming this figure, most the rest are saying it looks ok to fine.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

That won't help people who have bought the exclusive for the Big Chief Sitting Bantha head, you won't be able to obscure it with anything. And to be honest, if you have to cover up most of the face on a figure, than that figure is a fail.

Sideshow are like Disney animation circa Treasure Planet to Hot Toy's Pixar... they try and try but can't get it right. You wonder how this glass eye ******** happened - what was needed was someone to sort out the painting of eyes on their figures, what probably happened is someone got carried away trying to be 'innovative' and the groupthink in the room resulted in a feature that is universally disliked.

Just paint the damn eyes better. It's not rocket science.

You'd be surprised! I mean, just look at all Sideshow's figures before they started the separate eye system. Those figures' eyes weren't exactly masterpieces either.

Yeah, it's too bad for those who were really counting on the ex head to use elsewhere. However, I can't imagine people weren't waiting on this figure with some very healthy amount of skepticism that Sideshow would get it right. Cautiously optimistic would probably be as good as the anticipation got, down to "Fff. It's gonna suck."

I'm personally a little disappointed but more because I'm really rooting for Sideshow! I think the failure of this and Luke is serious. This was the absolute last chance many here were giving Sideshow to come through and prove that they could play with the big boys and charge big boy prices.

They had been talking about that new eye system ever since they first previewed the Hoth figures at SDCC. They really should have gotten the production right on it by now, or given up.

Who knows. Maybe in a year or so, after everyone has given up on Sideshow, they will surprise us with a stellar final production figure!

 

[Boba Ben]

Sure, that's why it led to a number of acclaimed sequels and its characters became pop culture icons - because it didn't suck like Toy Story or Finding Nemo.

One thing doesn't have to suck in order for something else to be enjoyed.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Sure, that's why it led to a number of acclaimed sequels.

Haha. Nice. What does it say of Disney when they're still producing vapid almost unwatchable stories? I mean the animation is fine in Frozen and Big hero 6 both, but the stories, the writing. Absolutely emotionless, formulaic garbage. Just finished watching Bolt with my 2yr/old not more than 10 minutes ago, and that's a much better movie in every respect. Now we're playing trains.

 

[Khev]

Seeing as that's not likely a good thing for either of them, it's unlikely to happen.

I seriously doubt one company is just going to "give" the other one the tri-saber guy or the new stormtroopers. There were some SSC and Medicom figures that came out pretty close to each other back in they day IIRC, maybe Jedi Luke and Darth Maul.

 

[Pixelpiper]

There were some SSC and Medicom figures that came out pretty close to each other back in they day IIRC, maybe Jedi Luke and Darth Maul.

We'll see. Quick searching shows about 2 years apart for each pair you mentioned BTW. But this isn't back in the day anymore, so yeah, it could change. But I doubt it based on HT and Sideshow comments and their business arrangements.

 

[TonTon]

The Rex head (picture) looks much better than this. Of course there can be a big difference in how pictures are taken. Every figure looks better in hand, thats almost a given. But still, I bought Echo and Fives because I could get them super cheap, and those scuplts looked ten times as good as any picture I had previously seen, but still they didn't look very good at all to me, so...



So.. whos going to vote with their wallets here?


I'll go first

There will be much better photos of this. Para will probably take some great ones when he's home and he said it looks great in hand. The sideshow ones will look nice. I'll still pick this up. This figure (proto) was what made me make the jump to this scale.

 

[Khev]

We'll see. But this isn't back in the day anymore.

I'm not saying I picture both companies putting the same figure up for preorder the same day but when you figure that a preorder will be up for the better part of a year before shipping that's a lot of time for potential overlap. Even if figures are previewed six months apart that will still give collectors plenty of time to cancel the less desirable representation.

 

[TonTon]

Taking an aside for the moment and not talking about this figure's production traits, Sideshow is demonstrating a very significant failure here on another front, letting a customer provide the first images of a final product. That's some serious lack of control, both in marketing and supply chain management. If I were a higher up at Sideshow I'd be livid right now.

They'll no doubt still sell out of this product eventually, but their reputation is getting hammered on a continual basis and it's as if they're helping to hold the nails.

Just on the photo point. They used to not even bother updating with production photos though, right? So would they really view this as a big deal? They didn't even bother updating the tauntaun.

 

[Rorywan]

So let me guess Captain Britain and Rory are slamming this figure, most the rest are saying it looks ok to fine.

How about your bother to read the tread before trolling?
Thanks.