The current state of DC 1/6 collectibles . . . DEAD

[GaryPool]

Well said

I've actually gone the custom route. It's definitely more time consuming and expensive, but in the end, I end up with something that I'm really happy with and will hold onto.

Same. I can't remember who else also said the same thing. But I think the natural line of progress is Expensive low-end toy (?60 or so), Hot Toys, Hot Toy 1/4 or other kind, Customs, high-end statues.

This year I've gotten an expensive custom head, a custom Last Samurai and ordered JND WW, potentially Joker depending on how it comes out.

I think that's the natural progress of some of the consumers. I mean we on this forum can probably be considered as "hardcore" dedicated consumers, obviously wanting Hot Toys initially because of the high-quality, life-like resemblance that just wasn't found anywhere else at the time. I still consider Hot Toys leaps and bounds ahead of the closest to them, but in terms of what I'm after now they're dwindling for me.

I think they know they'll be losing some customers this way, but again, can't really be mad, they subset us with the offerings of their new catalogue, and to be fair they're exploring a lot of tertiary characters from existing universes. They're pulling in the former sideshow collectors in this regard, the collectors who are starting at the beginning of the natural progress of collecting (think cosbabies and that ilk as similar to maybe what some of us were getting in our foray into collecting, playarts kai for example).

I won't go as far as to say I'll never get a Hot Toy again, I will. They'll definitely do future DC stuff. But my tastes have changed and are being catered for elsewhere, can't be mad at that I guess. Times change, it's a bit like being angry at a band you like making a more mainstream album, that album now has only 2-3 tracks of classics and maybe 1 new offering you like. Times change.

Still, the feeling of it being a shame to see what they've become is there, but I still do consider that as much a reflection on us as it is them.

 

[rui no onna]

Same. I can't remember who else also said the same thing. But I think the natural line of progress is Expensive low-end toy (?60 or so), Hot Toys, Hot Toy 1/4 or other kind, Customs, high-end statues.

Lol, I'd actually gone from $50 Barbie Black Widow to custom with Phicen seamless body (still WIP) to Hot Toys within a 1-month span.

Say what you will about Hot Toys but I've bought around five 3rd party head sculpts of Scarlett and they just can't compare to the paint app on the Hot Toys HS. I think only better ones are if you're good at painting and you DIY or if you commission which is probably going to be more expensive than the actual figure.

I've always enjoyed looking at statues but they tend to take up more space than action figures so unless I win the lottery and buy a mansion, they're a no-go.

 

[Saintv1]

Not a big statue guy; I like having the ability to pose the figure.

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[BigWayne]

Times change, it's a bit like being angry at a band you like making a more mainstream album, that album now has only 2-3 tracks of classics and maybe 1 new offering you like. Times change.

Still, the feeling of it being a shame to see what they've become is there, but I still do consider that as much a reflection on us as it is them.

Completely agree. I can't count all the car commercials that have destroyed some of my favorite songs

I found hot toys a few years ago when they were heavy into the Nolan trilogy. It came at a time when I realized that I was now able to buy the types of toys that I was denied in my childhood, and they were making the kind of stuff I was really excited about. I suppose I developed a fondness for Hot Toys because they were making the stuff I wanted, I could afford them, they were of higher quality, and they were a small company - a true underdog that you could root for. It was the perfect intersection of emotion and consumerism.

Maybe that's another reason their progression to "big, profitable company" is bittersweet. It's not that they don't have a right to make money - I'm certainly in favor of success for those who work for it. it's just that maybe a bit of our own rekindled childhood we found in their products was lost along the way.

 

[Saintv1]

The era of the DX08 - DX13 definitely feels like the golden age. Although I couldn't afford those at the time, I've been able to snag the ones important to me over the years since.

It kills me that variety is gone. Now it's just a given that Hot Toys won't create figures from classic franchises, and certainly won't pick up any new ones.

I would love to see figures for some recent sci fi films, and more pieces from the classics. But sadly not even a Furiousa is going to make bank like another Iron Man repaint, apparently.

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[rui no onna]

It kills me that variety is gone. Now it's just a given that Hot Toys won't create figures from classic franchises, and certainly won't pick up any new ones.

I would love to see figures for some recent sci fi films, and more pieces from the classics. But sadly not even a Furiousa is going to make bank like another Iron Man repaint, apparently.

The Iron Man repaints are relatively cheap and easy, I guess. Also, they might have the licenses for the properties but depending on how the contracts were written, it's quite possible getting the licenses for the actress/actor's likenesses might be an additional sizable expense. I've noticed they've released a bunch of Burtonverse Cosbabies but no high end 1/6 scale figures.

Unless Hot Toys drops the high end market altogether, I think they'll have to branch out again eventually. After Endgame, they've only got a limited window for easy sales before the sales numbers for the MCU fizzle as well.

Wonder if this is why they're branching out to Cosbabies (which look like a cross between Funko Pop and Nendoroid)? There's a bigger market for cheap Pops than there is for $200+ 1/6 scale replicas.

 

[Saintv1]

The Iron Man repaints are relatively cheap and easy, I guess. Also, they might have the licenses for the properties but depending on how the contracts were written, it's quite possible getting the licenses for the actress/actor's likenesses might be an additional sizable expense.

For sure, I definitely understand why Disney has been their focus. I'm just lamenting that fact.

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[Auel]

A new Hot Toys store with no DC visuals.

 

[Bocephus Jones]

A new Hot Toys store with no DC visuals.

View attachment 498518

Are you sure it's not just a Hot Toys Spiderman store?

 

[a-dev]

The video they posted is just same ol' same ol'. You wouldn't know it had anything to do with their 20 year anniversary because it's just another push for current products as though it were any other year. Maybe they do have their older stuff on show but you'd have to physically go there to see it.

 

[CloudN]

Hot TOys has to market all the Spidermen figures somehow. It's the new hot item currently.

 

[ironwez20]

That venom figure is a must buy tho. I need that . Lol

 

[Saintv1]

Well, the latest Marvel spinoff to be prioritized over any other IP is... Marvel Zombies.

This year only 7 non-Disney figures have gone up for preorder (10 if you count Miles, Gwen, and Cable). That's more than last year, which is... sad.

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[Auel]

Deadpool Zombie has been announced, seriously. Who ask for these?

 

[a-dev]

Remember when people thought Hot Toys would use the MCU downtime to tackle non-Marvel licenses? lol

 

[Captain Clown]

 

[a-dev]

I mean it's even worse than I expected. They're not filling in the back catalogue of movie characters or doing requested 2.0s which is what I thought they'd do with the time, they're just making ***t up - and only 'safe' characters that don't even specifically need human likenesses such as Iron Man, Deadpool, Spiderman and Venom

 

[ZE_501]

I mean it's even worse than I expected.[...]

The Way of One-Sixth is submission.

 

[GaryPool]

Remember when people thought Hot Toys would use the MCU downtime to tackle non-Marvel licenses? lol

Hi.

Well I've moved on to JND now anyway for the time being. They're just doing DC. :')

 

[Bgnyc007]

Yeah not buying HT saves me so much money nowadays not many Orders with them anymore. I find interest in custom stuff like from Jazz inc etc.. I find joy in companies actually making stuff I want far and few but good for me nowadays.