Sideshow, when you make your armored characters...

[D. Martin]

Except for the frontal shots, something's off, proportions I'm guessing.

Camera angle, I'm betting.

 

[galactiboy]

Also Hasbro only released a handful of 1/6 figures for ROTS. I was never into their 1/6 figures, but was still surprised by the lack of product. I had hoped for a long time Sideshow would get the license... I hope it continues.

Thats crazy about Hasbro shutting down Marmit, hard to know the truth, but seems plausible. BTW, isn't Marmit part of Tomy?

 

[Atom Hues]

Thats crazy about Hasbro shutting down Marmit, hard to know the truth, but seems plausible. BTW, isn't Marmit part of Tomy?

I don't know if HASBRO shut down Marmit; all they did was stop them from producing any more 12" STAR WARS figures.

All the Marmit STAR WARS figures I got had the Kenner logo on the box. Maybe MARMIT had a deal with Kenner, similar to what HASBRO now has with Sideshow. And when HASBRO took over the STAR WARS toy license from Kenner (or bought Kenner or whatever they did, since Kenner is no longer around), maybe they acquired the 'rights of refusal' regarding Marmit's arrangement. Meaning, HASBRO had the legal right to pull Marmit's STAR WARS license.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

I hadn't heard that Marmit rumor before, I thought TOMY and HASBRO were in bed together considering Marmit was using the packing art for their line (at least Boba Fett had the green Vader logo). So funny to think Hasbro would be nervous about another company cutting into their take but they did the same crap with LEGO. The Lego group can't release figure packs by themselves, they have to include a vehicle of some sort like the recent battlepacks. And if they do release figures by themselves they either have to be magnets or keychains so that they don't encroach on Hasbro's Kool-Aid. So I guess what I am saying is that it makes sense, silly but I can see it.

 

[Atom Hues]

Well, HASBRO has a funny history when it comes to companies they see as competition...

HASBRO pretty much invented the 12" action figure market (along with MATTEL's Barbie, to be fair). In 1999, along comes the Ultimate Soldier, a 12" line of soldiers that offered MUCH better clothing fabrication and accessory detail than any 12" GI JOE. I don't include DRAGON from overseas because Ulitmate Figures were sold in Toys R Us, alongside GI JOE, it was direct competition.

HASBRO's response? They tried to buy out Ultimate Soldier, or, 21st Century Toys, the manufacturer of the Ultimate Soldier line.

They really never tried to up the quality of their 12" figures to match the competiting raging in from the new wave of 1/6 scale collecting that we are enjoying right now. HASBRO's figures got a LITTLE bit more detailed, but nothing to match the level of detail we get from DRAGON, BBI, Sideshow, HOT TOYS, and any other of companies.

Their response? They just decided to get out of the 1/6 scale business. They now let SSC make all the 12" STAR WARS figures, and they don't even MAKE 12" GI JOES anymore.

So, considering that HASBRO's response to competition is everything BUT trying to match the new competitor's quality, it's not really that strange that their response to overseas STAR WARS figures is to just make them go away.

A shame, though, because the Marmits were amazing. We were all chomping at the bit for the Marmit Vader.

 

[piccolodaimaoh]

Well, HASBRO has a funny history when it comes to companies they see as competition...

HASBRO pretty much invented the 12" action figure market (along with MATTEL's Barbie, to be fair). In 1999, along comes the Ultimate Soldier, a 12" line of soldiers that offered MUCH better clothing fabrication and accessory detail than any 12" GI JOE. I don't include DRAGON from overseas because Ulitmate Figures were sold in Toys R Us, alongside GI JOE, it was direct competition.

HASBRO's response? They tried to buy out Ultimate Soldier, or, 21st Century Toys, the manufacturer of the Ultimate Soldier line.

They really never tried to up the quality of their 12" figures to match the competiting raging in from the new wave of 1/6 scale collecting that we are enjoying right now. HASBRO's figures got a LITTLE bit more detailed, but nothing to match the level of detail we get from DRAGON, BBI, Sideshow, HOT TOYS, and any other of companies.

Their response? They just decided to get out of the 1/6 scale business. They now let SSC make all the 12" STAR WARS figures, and they don't even MAKE 12" GI JOES anymore.

So, considering that HASBRO's response to competition is everything BUT trying to match the new competitor's quality, it's not really that strange that their response to overseas STAR WARS figures is to just make them go away.

A shame, though, because the Marmits were amazing. We were all chomping at the bit for the Marmit Vader.

I remember when that happened. Hasbro's response was to make a super-articulated body, which I loved.
Around 1999 to like 2004 it was a golden age for 1/6 scale collectors. There were plenty of small companies out there, including Sideshow, trying to get into the military market from all different eras.
Plus you still had BBI bringing over the Takara Cool Girl figures. It only seems like yesterday that 21st Century toys was cranking out 1/6 scale ATVs and helicopters.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Well since this is now a Marmit thread of sorts, to those that have a Marmit Stormtrooper how durable is he? I mean does he feel like the other figures (like he is going to fall apart at any given time?). I once owned the Marmit Fett while being nice and pretty he always seemed to be suffering from "don't touch him otherwise he'll come apart" syndrome. Fett always seemed cool as long as you didn't touch him too much. Yeah I know that last sentence seemed weird.

 

[Atom Hues]

...Fett always seemed cool as long as you didn't touch him too much. Yeah I know that last sentence seemed weird.

No, no... that's a good Rule For Life: Don't Touch Anything Too Much. ;-)

As for your question about the Marmit stormtroopers.... they aren't as prone to armor bits falling off as the Fett is. The two things on the Marmit stormtroopers that are prone to fall off are the hands, which were only staying on by the grace of God, and the shoulder pieces, which are held on by little straps of black rubber that are glued under the shoulder peices and the top parts of the chest/back clamshell piece. Nothing a shot of crazy glue wouldn't fix.

That being said, the Marmits are GREAT figures for people who like to customize and tweak. You can put the armor on more poseable bodies from other companies, you can try to come up with a better hand solution, all sorts of stuff. The Marmits are NOT great for folks who want to open a box, and have a perfect toy ready to display. Since you have the Marmit Fett, you know that you have to assemble everything. Getting the torso/pelvis peice on the Marmit trooper requires some patience, elbow grease, and a hair dryer.

The Medicom troopers, while a bit on the wee side, are much more poseable. But the Medi troopers are RETURN OF THE JEDI troopers (cosplayers and 501st legionnaires will know what I'm talking about) with the slightly more narrow helmet.

What blew me away was when I learned about the differences between the ROTJ trooper helmets and the two different ANH helmets; this is how freaking cool the Marmits were....

In ANH, there were 2 Stormtropper helmets: the stunt helmet (made in large quantity & worn by background troopers and stuntmen) and the hero helmet (worn by the actors and anyone supposed to be in closeup). There were subtle differences between the two types that collectors and fans can spot. I checked my Marmit Stormtroopers, and the regular trooper has the ANH hero helmet, while the Marmit Sandtrooper has the ANH stunt version.

THAT is attention to detail! Marmit made some great stuff. Get a Marmit Stormtrooper if you don't mind a little tweaking and customizing!

I hope some of that helped...

-Adam

 

[galactiboy]

Totally agree with you the Marmit Stormtrooper is a very solid figure. I snapped the leg off his basebody while putting him together... but swapped it out with a better one w/a head and it was all good.

Also the material all around is a nice quality, certainly worth the addition to your collection. And they are the right height

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Thanks AH! and GalacticBoy, only a Marmit Fett owner knows the pain of putting that thing together (too many oh jeez please don't break, please don't break moments. But I get the ROTJ helmet thing, not being in the 501st or a cosplayer just a true SW dork knows of the JEDI/Special Edition helmet story. That's why I never picked up the Medicom trooper, I don't like the helmet. I have the Fett and he looks nice next to Jabba even though he is the superior ESB Fett and not the Jedi Fett. I may pick up a Marmit trooper after all, anyone know of a good site to customize one on a better body? I know there is a dude on here that has a few Marmit troopers but I forgot his name.

 

[Atom Hues]

I may pick up a Marmit trooper after all, anyone know of a good site to customize one on a better body? I know there is a dude on here that has a few Marmit troopers but I forgot his name.

I have no idea.... I usually just start cutting up action figures, regluing parts, and making all my own fabulous mistakes...

I put the Marmit trooper armor on a DRAGON body once, it went relatively smoothly.... I'd recommend the Skip (DRAGON WWII Bomber Pilot) body, if you can find him on eBay. It has a MUCH more shallow chest, since the figure had layers of clothing. You could get the armor on that body easy.

The basic Medicom RAH body would work well, also, since you can add the arm and leg extensions to make him tall enough.

Also on eBay, Obitsu (a Japanese doll company) makes a nice skinny generic male body. It has SUPER-tight joints, so it can hold poses reall well.

 

[Atom Hues]

I have the Fett and he looks nice next to Jabba even though he is the superior ESB Fett and not the Jedi Fett.

Hey! You like the ESB Fett better? Me, too! I thought I was the only one... I just never liked the red-yellow-green look of the ROTJ version...

 

[Deak Starkiller]

I have no idea.... I usually just start cutting up action figures, regluing parts, and making all my own fabulous mistakes...

I put the Marmit trooper armor on a DRAGON body once, it went relatively smoothly.... I'd recommend the Skip (DRAGON WWII Bomber Pilot) body, if you can find him on eBay. It has a MUCH more shallow chest, since the figure had layers of clothing. You could get the armor on that body easy.

The basic Medicom RAH body would work well, also, since you can add the arm and leg extensions to make him tall enough.

Also on eBay, Obitsu (a Japanese doll company) makes a nice skinny generic male body. It has SUPER-tight joints, so it can hold poses reall well.

Holy crap! Thanks Adam! And I thought everyone loved the Jedi costume more. Here is how much I love the ESB Fett...

 

[galactiboy]

Here's a cool thread with a lot of shots of customized Marmits. There was a link on the final page for a how-to. Unfortunately the link no longer works

 

[Deak Starkiller]

LOL, I ask and I am in that thread! thanks GB.

 

[Atom Hues]

Holy crap! Thanks Adam! And I thought everyone loved the Jedi costume more. Here is how much I love the ESB Fett...

Now, THAT is Fett Love. That looks amazing.

ESB Boba Fett is a badasstic hunter who outsmarts our beloved heroes, and manages to steal some of Darth Frikkin' Vader's spotlight when they stand together, he's so cool.

ROTJ Boba Fett screams like a little girl when he falls into the Sarlacc.

;-)

 

[Atom Hues]

One night soon, I'm gonna get REALLY liqoured up, so pished that I will be brave enough to dare the impossible....

...I want to cannibalize the best bits from the Marmit and Medicom Boba Fetts, and make the greatest possible 12" Boba Fett ever. An Uber Fett, if you will.

"Don't do it. They're both expensive collectibles."

"Wait. Sideshow will do a Boba Fett soon, wait and see how theirs looks..."

That's what the voices are telling me to do. The stupid sober voices.

 

[Atom Hues]

Here's some of my Boba Fun....

 

[IrishJedi]

OT: Adam, have you ever posted any pics of your custom League of Extraordinary Gentlemen figs? You really should! Those things rock the Earth.

 

[Atom Hues]

OT: Adam, have you ever posted any pics of your custom League of Extraordinary Gentlemen figs? You really should! Those things rock the Earth.

Ahhh.... they're too 'work in progress'. I wanna wait until they are more done....