Why duplicate?

[Ironman1188]

Just sitting going thru the threads and my mass of figures and headsculpts and started asking myself -WHY?
Why do we have so many threads/posts asking for heads that already exist in some manner? Why not move onward to a character/actor that has not been given 1:6 life?
I can get three House heads, no less than 3 Tom Baker Dr. Who heads, 3 Ed Straker from UFO, at least 3 Nathan Fillions, 2 Terry O'Quinns, Heath Ledger Jokers out my butt, Indys out the same, Arnolds enough to stuff a closet, Bruce Willis sculpts out to here, a few different Michael Biehns, at least 4 Leonard Nimoy Spocks~William Shatner Kirks & DeForest Kelly McCoys and I'm sure if I really looked I could find many more. So.....
Why the need to duplicate so much?
Do we really need so many Jokers when there isn't one true Sam Jones Flash Gordon? No Patrick Magoohans? No Jack Palance? No Jeffrey Donovan? No Colin Clive? No...you get the idea

 

[SovereignStudio]

From a sculptor's POV I can give you the simple answer: we do what we think will sell. With the insane fascination over Ledger's Joker I'm surprised we only have a dozen choices . Yes, there ARE A TON of characters I would love to do, but without the demand, I can't justify it. I don't mean to make it sound like it's about money 100% of the time. A LOT of the stuff I want desperately to sculpt I know is stuff only I would want. And I don't care. If I had the time, I would do it. Sadly, if you're trying to earn a living at this, you have to go where the interest is. And that means a ton of the same stuff from many different sculptors. It also means most of the stuff you want to be doing takes the back burner.

 

[Ironman1188]

I get it from the sculptors viewpoint, even though its hard to believe that when there is a good or great version of something available, that others can sell theirs. And the stuff, as you said, that you'd like to sculpt - how does anyone know that it wouldn't sell if it never gets out there?
My question though, was directed more at the consumer. If I can get a Hot Toys Joker, just using it as an example, which is a pretty decent mass market sculpt, why commission someone to make one? I get Spenser's making Alfred and Gordon. They fill in a set where those characters might not get made. Or Ada Chan's House sculpt. Its one of her better sculpts, but Serang has one (I don't know if that was commissioned) and then Chris Howes was commissioned for the same sculpt. Not going in the direction of whether any of the latter is better than Ada's but a good sculpt was there, why do another?
I don't know, I'm not saying its wrong or demeaning those that do it, but its just that I guess I'm a 1:6 junkie. I love this scale of the hobby and I've always longed to have as much variety in my collection as possible. I can't always afford it, but I long to have it.
To me I'd rather have more heads of different characters than so many of the same. My Enterprise is going to be pretty full with 5 Kirk's all trying to take charge.

 

[creecher]

You know why already, because you're part of those that purchase duplicates. You just can't resist or another sculpt comes by your way and it looks better. There's probably some quite popular sculpts that you haven't yet purchased. As you purchase heads, the less popular sculpts, that you happen to be after, come to the fore.

I am one of those that jumped on the bandwagon for a House sculpt. I wasn't sure of Ada's work, if the size would be a problem or not. I was wary because I had heard some of her sculpts were too small. Chris Howes commission, of said House, included painting and a cane. All my problems solved in one hit, efficiently and cost effectively.

 

[greyrabbit]

Agreed Creech ..similar situation I have is with the H2 Blondie. Painted it up and very happy with it, but just can't resist getting the Blondie sculpt due from Rainman. Just a different take on the character in looks, as well as expecting a very high standard piece of work.

 

[Moonloop]

In defense of the Terry sculpts. The previous ones were crap.....so in my opinion there was no definitive sculpt of him that I found worth purchasing/owning. But with the recent Andy B. sculpt, that is amazing and now there is no need for another Terry O'Quinn sculpt.

The way I see it, as long as the 'current' sculpts on someone out there do not have the best likeness....then you can expect to see more of them from other sculptors.

 

[pinkertonfx]

Well Ironman I am only one person but I will do my best to bring you guys some awesome sculpts of the more obscure characters out there! As long as I find some interest in the piece I will gladly sculpt them up!

 

[Ironman1188]

Creecher, greyrabbit and NightCreeper - absolutely! I do buy more than one. My mind wasn't asking why we buy them, but more why does one commission another sculpt of an existing character?
Again, taking Indy as an example, why commission another Indy? Why not ask for a Marion or a Salla(?)
Why another McClaine but non of his adversaries?
The Arnolds I can almost understand. If you want an army of terminators you need an army of Arnolds. I don't know, it was just one of those random thoughts that <pop> into my head.
Pinkertonfx - thanks!! Guys like you and Mr. Barlow are bring characters like Salem's Lots Barlow and It's Pennywise to us. Now, when you guys start hitting the old 70's and 80's sci-fi characters I am so IN!!!

 

[Anzik]

Sometimes, no matter how good a sculpt is sometimes people just don't feel it. For example, the ROTJ Luke. I can see how people may not like the expression but Mat's sculpt is the most accurate Hamill depiction to date.

 

[die]

Hey Ironman, put together a list of heads & start a thread to gain some interest. That way sculptors can reference it & see what's of interest to customizers/collectors. With all the sculpting talent and this board, surely we can cover some serious ground.



Here's a few I'd like to see....

-Blade Runner characters. Spenser's sculpts look amazing, I'd love to see him cover Pris, Leon, Zhora, JF.

-Hasselhoff as Micheal Knight from Knight Rider.

-Dennis Leary as Tommy Gavin from Rescue Me (there's like 6 House heads and no Tommy Gavin heads?)

-The A-Team (come on!)

-MacGyver

-Gordon Freeman from Half-Life

-Marc Singer (from V and Beastmaster!)

 

[Ironman1188]

Hey Ironman, put together a list of heads & start a thread to gain some interest. That way sculptors can reference it & see what's of interest to customizers/collectors. With all the sculpting talent and this board, surely we can cover some serious ground.



Here's a few I'd like to see....

-Blade Runner characters. Spenser's sculpts look amazing, I'd love to see him cover Pris, Leon, Zhora, JF.

-Hasselhoff as Micheal Knight from Knight Rider.

-Dennis Leary as Tommy Gavin from Rescue Me (there's like 6 House heads and no Tommy Gavin heads?)

-The A-Team (come on!)

-MacGyver

-Gordon Freeman from Half-Life

-Marc Singer (from V and Beastmaster!)

Admittedly my tastes are rather singular:
- Planet of the Apes TV series
- Marc Singer and ALL the rest from V are must haves for me.
- Mchael Knight just might be the only acceptable way to have a Hasselhoff in one's collection.
- Space Academy
- Jason of Star Command
- Starsky & Hutch
- 240 Robert
- Logan's Run TV
- Space:1999
- Airwolf
- Andromeda (the rest of the cast BBi left out)
- Babylon 5
- Black Hole
- Farscape
- Galaxy Quest
- tough guy William Smith (Red Dawn, Any Which Way You Can)
- Hellboy - the rest of the team
- Hunter
- Buckaroo Banzai
- Megaforce
- Torchwood
- Starship Troopers
- They Live
- Remo Williams
- S.W.A.T. (tv series)
- Starcrash: the Adventures of Stella Star
- Starhunter (Michael Pare' version)
- the Rookies (tv series)
well thats enough from off the top of my head.
I'm sure there's TONS more but my thought here wasn't really another "I want" thread. It was just a random thought that came into my head and asked why so many of 1 and none of others.

 

[pinkertonfx]

Remo Williams would be fun... Then I could turn him into Earl Bassett from Tremors

 

[Ironman1188]

Remo Williams would be fun... Then I could turn him into Earl Bassett from Tremors

Or do a The Right Stuff bash!

 

[pinkertonfx]

Oh yeah I forgot about that one!

Planet of the Apes anything is always high in my book!

Huggy Bear from Starsky & Hutch

 

[Ironman1188]

Oh yeah I forgot about that one!

Planet of the Apes anything is always high in my book!

Huggy Bear from Starsky & Hutch

Dude!! You do the Apes series and Starsky & Hutch and you will be worshipped!!

 

[KBA]

I get it from the sculptors viewpoint, even though its hard to believe that when there is a good or great version of something available, that others can sell theirs. And the stuff, as you said, that you'd like to sculpt - how does anyone know that it wouldn't sell if it never gets out there?
My question though, was directed more at the consumer. If I can get a Hot Toys Joker, just using it as an example, which is a pretty decent mass market sculpt, why commission someone to make one? I get Spenser's making Alfred and Gordon. They fill in a set where those characters might not get made. Or Ada Chan's House sculpt. Its one of her better sculpts, but Serang has one (I don't know if that was commissioned) and then Chris Howes was commissioned for the same sculpt. Not going in the direction of whether any of the latter is better than Ada's but a good sculpt was there, why do another?
I don't know, I'm not saying its wrong or demeaning those that do it, but its just that I guess I'm a 1:6 junkie. I love this scale of the hobby and I've always longed to have as much variety in my collection as possible. I can't always afford it, but I long to have it.
To me I'd rather have more heads of different characters than so many of the same. My Enterprise is going to be pretty full with 5 Kirk's all trying to take charge.

Ada's came out first and was junk. So we got together to get Howes to make Hugh, then after Chris finished it, Serang showed some WIP pics of his.

Personally I'd be really happy to see even more House sculpts, as long as the quality and likliness keeps getting raised, I'll be there with my wallet

 

[Ironman1188]

Ada's came out first and was junk. So we got together to get Howes to make Hugh, then after Chris finished it, Serang showed some WIP pics of his.

Personally I'd be really happy to see even more House sculpts, as long as the quality and likliness keeps getting raised, I'll be there with my wallet

Can't agree with you there, my friend. I'm no longer on Ada's mailing list because she didn't like the way I critiqued her sculpts, but her House was one of her best. I don't see Howes' as better but maybe just as good, but I definitely don't see it as necessary. Why waste a good sculptor on somethings thats there? What about the rest of the team. I see Wilson was done (great turnaround time too) will the rest follow or will another House be made, or now, another Wilson....
Don't get me wrong, if thats what you want to spend your $ on, go for it, it just boggles my mind as someone who loves the diversity of "the collection".

 

[KBA]

Maybe junk is an overstatement, but I was pretty disappointed with it. It was very, very small, and very, very rough. Felt like she 60% finished it, and decided to make casts. If you have it in hand, look at how she created the stubble. I wanted a more refined custom, and I guess that's why I urged Buttmunch to create the Howes House interest thread after he posted in Chris' creations thread about doing one in the first place. So I can't speak for everyone, but I will say the time Chris invested in creating House was not wasted at all. Serang's is gravy and it will take having both in hand and painted to pick the better one.

As for Wilson, that ended up being a private commission due to lack of interest, and I'm really happy he was able to get made, and can't thank Spenser enough. The only other character from that show I'd buy is Cutty - if I could cobble together a good outfit, always need the outfit planned out first - which would make a nice, rounded collection I think.

I'm all for diversity, but pushing the limits on customs like Hot Toys does in the licensed world is something I'm just as enthused about.

 

[die]

Galaxy Quest figures would be AWESOME.

I'd even go for some classic Police Academy figures.

Definitely a Roddy Piper in They Live

Most of Ironman's list is great to me. I also agree on Ada's sculpts, I'd love to see a correctly-sized Bill Bixby as David Banner!

 

[Mongoose94]

What about Pulp Fiction, john travolta and sammuel l jackson figures? THose would be awesome.
Some Tombstone ones would be EPIC, Especially Doc Holliday.