The Bridge Direct's The Hobbit Line

[cstojano]

I assume its the variety of figures available that he is talking about

 

[Red Metal]

It's just a scaling issue - TBD is no juggernaut that ToyBiz was back in the day. I'm not making excuses, it's just true that TDB is not a major (or even minor until now) player in the action figure business. I'm sure by the end, we'll see a pretty good selection of figures overall.

With any luck the next wave of 6" figures will also include that UK exclusive Yazneg and the next 3.75" wave will include that Aussie exclusive invisible Bilbo.

 

[gideon]

Thanks Josh. What's disappointing gideon?

Quality. These just look cheap and far too child like.
Price. They seem twice as much to buy.
Assortment of characters.

Toy Biz was of far better sculpting quality, the price was fairer even given the passage of several years, and there were tons more available at this same time in the trilogy,

I have no desire to get these figures at all while I purchased every single Toy Biz figure and all the Armies of Middle Earth as well.

 

[The Josh]

Have you seen these in person? They do not look cheap or childlike in person. Now, they're not high end quality but they're as goods as anything Hasbro is turning out.

 

[DiFabio]

The paint applications on the Toy Biz figures were more impressive than Bridge Directs. I can see that. They actually had "dirt" and "grime" on the figures, from Strider's boots to a Ringwraith's cloak. Bridge Direct's are all clean and plain looking.

Toy Biz also had more of a variety and selection at this point (one film in, beginning of the second film's year) with, Frodo, Strider, Legolas, Lurtz, Witchking, Gandalf, Sam, Saruman, Gimli, Orc Overseer, Boromir vs. Lurtz, Merry, Pippin, vs. Moria Orc, Gimli vs. Uruk Hai, Frodo and Sam w/ Elvin Boat, Aragorn, Bilbo, Elrond, Orc Warrior, Electronic Cave Troll, Arwen w/ Horse and Ringwraith w/ Horse, and the Fellowship Deluxe Gift pack all of which were 6"/7" figures, not small ones that were sized down with soft sculpts.

 

[gideon]

Have you seen these in person? They do not look cheap or childlike in person. Now, they're not high end quality but they're as goods as anything Hasbro is turning out.

I have no idea what Hasbro turns out. They simply are nowhere near as good as the previous LOTR ToyBiz product and the value is simply not there.

I also notice that this line is absent in many toy stores. My local Target does not carry them nor does the local Meijers. A couple of ToysRUS also seems to have nothing.

Its just shoddy all around.

DiFabio did a great job at comparing what was available at this same point in time with the Toy Biz line. Who ever gave out this license simply blew it.

 

[Red Metal]

I have no idea what Hasbro turns out. They simply are nowhere near as good as the previous LOTR ToyBiz product and the value is simply not there.

Ok, so if you don't pay attention to the current action figure market then I can't really see your opinion in the first place. This feels like an older-timer, Star Wars Vintage vs Prequel rant. I bet you also had to walk to school uphill both ways in your wooden underwear, too.

DiFabio did a great job at comparing what was available at this same point in time with the Toy Biz line. Who ever gave out this license simply blew it.

Sure, there's lots of things I would like to buy at the same prices I could have back in 2002. Hell, I'd like to buy SSC and HT 1/6 figures now for the price I used to back in 2008. But guess what? Prices go up. And to complain that these figures which are perfectly priced in today's market don't stand up to prices back in 2002 is just silly and nonsensical. I bought Hasbro SW figures back then for $5, now we pay $10.

You point out that whoever gave TDB this license "blew it". My question is, who else should they have given it to? Hasbro and Matty are both in that price point with their respective lines and both have well-known QC issues (did you ever see the Hasbro Indy figures?). Give it to NECA and we'll be lucky if they even finish half of Thorin's company.

 

[The Josh]

Well, I believe based on what I see from them when I go to target, wal-mart, etc they look better. As far as not knowing what Hasbro turns out how can you not? If you go into the toy aisle then you'd at least see their marvel and Star Wars stuff. As far as being as good I totally disagree and the value is there. Have you even seen these in person? It sounds like you haven't.

I have noticed that toys r us is the only place but they seem to sell out fast when they get them. Not sure what the deal is with the other stores, but I buy mine from amazon so it doesn't matter really.

Shoddy says you. Toy Biz isn't around so its time to get over it and there are folks from that company running TBD. So no they did not blow it.

Now, Difabio is right that wave 1 wasn't deep but that was to just get the ball rolling. I expect wave 2 to be deeper and another thing to remember the change from 2 films to 3 effects things. Finally, some of the monsters and such they may not have been able to show because WB has to ok things.

 

[gideon]

Ok, so if you don't pay attention to the current action figure market then I can't really see your opinion in the first place.:

I am a fan of LOTR and Tolkien. that is what brought me to the figures and other items to purchase.

My opinion that of a fan of Middle-earth and someone who has a ten by ten by ten foot storage area crammed with stuff from LOTR.

Sorry if I cannot discuss the Simpsons toys, or the Star Wars toys, or Ken , Barbie and or Barnie with you. I also have no opinion on the Telletubbie dolls either which probably destroys my credibility with you regarding Sideshow LOTR statues as well.

 

[Red Metal]

Sorry if I cannot discuss the Simpsons toys, or the Star Wars toys, or Ken , Barbie and or Barnie with you. I also have no opinion on the Telletubbie dolls either which probably destroys my credibility with you regarding Sideshow LOTR statues as well.

No, because Telletubbies dolls aren't anywhere near comparable to SSC statues. It's apples to oranges.

Now if you had any experience with any of the action figure lines you listed above (with the exception of Barney), then I might be able to give credit to your observations on TBD compared to the current action figure market. However, since you don't have any of that experience, I really have to conclude that your observations on TBD Hobbit line are that of a novice living in nostalgia at best.

 

[JonWes]

Everyone complaining about these figures needs to jump in a time machine and travel back to the early 2000s. That's the only way you'll be satisfied. Those days are done and dusted and you won't see them again in a retail line at an affordable price.

The rest of us can keep moving into the here and now. Again, not saying you have to like it. It's just the reality of the toy market today.

New pics from US Toy Fair, courtesy Scud on TheFwoosh:

Amazing texture and detail on Radagast. He turned out great!

The White Warg (he said the lighting was weird, which is why it looks yellowish)

Corrected Azog (the other was an older proto based on an early concept)

Bolg and Gandalf 2-pack. Apparently these will MSRP for only $20! Which will make the pain of buying Gandalf and Thorin again easier to bear, I suppose. Still don't love the practice.

Some further info:

• They want to do a 3/4 scale Smaug though the scale won't be EXACT to the figures. Waiting on reference from Weta. If they don't get it in time, it might not make it for this year.

• Yanzeg will be released in the US. In 2-pack with Bilbo, and possibly on his own.

• Desolation of Smaug will have a package variation like the LOTR figures and should be out in October/November

• Party of Thorin pack with all the dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf planned, will retail for $80.

• There will be another SDCC exclusive, and there could be some movie tie-in figure. Not sure what the latter is about. Maybe an exclusive figure given out by a theater chain?

 

[Red Metal]

Great news about the company pack. I was hoping there wouldn't be some crazy situation where one dwarf was short-packed or something making the company hard to complete.

Radagast and Azog look perfect.

 

[nonexistent]

Great pics. Am pleased that the dwarves can be completed in wave 2 for the 3.75 inch line which is my main collection. Any pics of 3.75 inch Azog and Radagast? Are there in wave 2?

 

[The Josh]

Looks great!

 

[Snakey Jones]

The distribution on these things is awfull, i'm a malaysian collector and i couldn't find these anywhere at all. Singapore? Nope.
The i went on a skiing trip to Switzerland and i find the 3 3/4 figures staring back at me from a store shelf, wasn't even a proper toy store just a "we sell whatever bro" type store.
The company pack looks really tempting though, if i can find it i might have to pick it up along with the azog and warg pack. Thats pretty much every character i want done in one wave.

 

[gideon]

No, because Telletubbies dolls aren't anywhere near comparable to SSC statues. It's apples to oranges.

Now if you had any experience with any of the action figure lines you listed above (with the exception of Barney), then I might be able to give credit to your observations on TBD compared to the current action figure market. However, since you don't have any of that experience, I really have to conclude that your observations on TBD Hobbit line are that of a novice living in nostalgia at best.

I thought it was made clear that I AM NOT a collector of toys but a Middle-earth Tolkien fan who bought things because of that. I have no idea why that - in your judgment and opinion - renders my evaluation of the current figures as inferior to the ToyBiz figures. Giving my honest evaluation of what I buy and what I see should not be something I need to know the secret handshake in order to offer it.

 

[JonWes]

Giving my honest evaluation of what I buy and what I see should not be something I need to know the secret handshake in order to offer it.

The secret handshake is the least of your worries. The hazing rituals are brutal! Ouch!

 

[Glennfett]

looking at the pics above...whomever said these are not highly detailed.........






mwahahahah.

they are fine.my only complaint would be their height ratio compared to the toybiz line...

 

[The Josh]

Yeah, I'm loving what I'm seeing. I think I'm getting all the 3.75" figures and several of the 6" figures. I might even go back and get Legolas/Tauriel to have all that size from wave 1.

 

[JonWes]

Huge number of pics here:
https://toyfair13.asmzine.com/gallery/the-bridge-direct/the-hobbit/slides/DSC06408.html