Your thoughts on the current state of sixth scale figure collecting?

[jal76]

FINE, let Hot Toys do every character multiple times from every Disney/Marvel and DC movie that comes out for the next twenty years. I don't really care. Give up the other damn licenses that they're sitting on. Let someone else do them. No, they can't do that because someone might make a couple of dollars selling figures that OBVIOUSLY NOBODY WANTS ANYWAY.

That's how they do their business...it blows but there are still companies like Blitzway but unfortunately you can only count on one license per year from them...Hot Toys releases a lot of junk that I don't care about but then I still get enough diamonds in the rough from them to stay happy. If Hot Toys did not make the awesome Star Wars figures that I am enjoying I would be stuck looking at eyesores from Hasbro. It is what it is...opining on this site won't change anything that Hot Toys is doing I always suggest that anyone who disagrees with the way a company does business should send a message with their wallet.

 

[DiFabio]

I thinks we are all very much on the same side here in that we WANT figures from more niche and less current mainstream blockbuster properties at Hot Toys quality. I am just saying that it is not what they do...looking to the amazing licenses that they tackled in the past is no different than seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and complaining that they are not wearing leather jackets in the basement of a bar in Germany playing R&B cover songs...its what they did when they were starting out but it's just not what they do anymore. It sucks, but it is what it is.

Yeah we're on the same page. I mean obviously we know why Hot Toys has changed, but that doesn't mean we have to like it.

I sit here and remember things like the quarter scale 1/4 T1 Arnold or a potential Pfeiffer Catwoman (both of which they teased/announced) and I think to myself, "are those two really that much of a risk, business and sales wise?" There are so many releases that seem like no brainers to me that they just straight up refuse to do. I know Terminator and Catwoman probably aren't capable of doing Disney Marvel or Star Wars returns, but some of these things have surely got to be missed sales opportunities for them? I mean obscure, unknown entities like the weird Arkham Knight character or Valerian kids get figures made of them, but they're afraid of a Kyle Reese, Penguin or Endoskeleton?

They don't even make an attempt to market or advertise the classic stuff they do. The last time they put effort into actually putting the spotlight on a classic license was around 2011-2012 for things like Bespin Luke, the 89' Batman line and the Reeve Superman. Ever since then, the older licensed figures just pop up at a show randomly without any fanfare or mention of them at all, leaving the people that are genuinely interested in them guessing for years on end if they're actually going to come out. The way Ripley was finally released without the slightest bit of fanfare or care from Hot Toys (all while apologizing about the delays for Wonder Woman) really highlighted this.

Their practices are just downright bizarre. Take the Romero Joker for example. Obviously we all know that he won't sell as well as your Ledgers, Letos and Harleys, but why be cruel and show that at a show (along with an official JC Hong showcase photo of the sculpt) and go quiet for years? It's an obnoxious **** move. If they don't have time for older stuff that aren't relevant to today's popular culture (your modern superheroes and Star Wars), we get it. But to show and tease it then go quiet? C'mon. I have no problem with a company following the money, but the way Hot Toys handles their licenses sucks.

 

[xipotec]

Yeah we're on the same page. I mean obviously we know why Hot Toys has changed, but that doesn't mean we have to like it.

I sit here and remember things like the quarter scale 1/4 T1 Arnold or a potential Pfeiffer Catwoman (both of which they teased/announced) and I think to myself, "are those two really that much of a risk, business and sales wise?" There are so many releases that seem like no brainers to me that they just straight up refuse to do. I know Terminator and Catwoman probably aren't capable of doing Disney Marvel or Star Wars returns, but some of these things have surely got to be missed sales opportunities for them? I mean obscure, unknown entities like the weird Arkham Knight character or Valerian kids get figures made of them, but they're afraid of a Kyle Reese, Penguin or Endoskeleton?

They don't even make an attempt to market or advertise the classic stuff they do. The last time they put effort into actually putting the spotlight on a classic license was around 2011-2012 for things like Bespin Luke, the 89' Batman line and the Reeve Superman. Ever since then, the older licensed figures just pop up at a show randomly without any fanfare or mention of them at all, leaving the people that are genuinely interested in them guessing for years on end if they're actually going to come out. The way Ripley was finally released without the slightest bit of fanfare or care from Hot Toys (all while apologizing about the delays for Wonder Woman) really highlighted this.

Their practices are just downright bizarre. Take the Romero Joker for example. Obviously we all know that he won't sell as well as your Ledgers, Letos and Harleys, but why be cruel and show that at a show (along with an official JC Hong showcase photo of the sculpt) and go quiet for years? It's an obnoxious **** move. If they don't have time for older stuff that aren't relevant to today's popular culture (your modern superheroes and Star Wars), don't bother teasing it.

Some great discussion from some great minds in here....

Welcome back ......again....LOL


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[xipotec]

HT is seems to me is moving away from the artist obscure collector....and much more mainstream.
That's bad to me.....but I am sure good for their bottom line.....

But perhaps , eventually , it might bite them in the ass....

But most of the people making those decisions now will be retired by then...


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[jal76]

Yeah we're on the same page. I mean obviously we know why Hot Toys has changed, but that doesn't mean we have to like it.

I sit here and remember things like the quarter scale 1/4 T1 Arnold or a potential Pfeiffer Catwoman (both of which they teased/announced) and I think to myself, "are those two really that much of a risk, business and sales wise?" There are so many releases that seem like no brainers to me that they just straight up refuse to do. I know Terminator and Catwoman probably aren't capable of doing Disney Marvel or Star Wars returns, but some of these things have surely got to be missed sales opportunities for them? I mean obscure, unknown entities like the weird Arkham Knight character or Valerian kids get figures made of them, but they're afraid of a Kyle Reese, Penguin or Endoskeleton?

They don't even make an attempt to market or advertise the classic stuff they do. The last time they put effort into actually putting the spotlight on a classic license was around 2011-2012 for things like Bespin Luke, the 89' Batman line and the Reeve Superman. Ever since then, the older licensed figures just pop up at a show randomly without any fanfare or mention of them at all, leaving the people that are genuinely interested in them guessing for years on end if they're actually going to come out. The way Ripley was finally released without the slightest bit of fanfare or care from Hot Toys (all while apologizing about the delays for Wonder Woman) really highlighted this.

Their practices are just downright bizarre. Take the Romero Joker for example. Obviously we all know that he won't sell as well as your Ledgers, Letos and Harleys, but why be cruel and show that at a show (along with an official JC Hong showcase photo of the sculpt) and go quiet for years? It's an obnoxious **** move. If they don't have time for older stuff that aren't relevant to today's popular culture (your modern superheroes and Star Wars), we get it. But to show and tease it then go quiet? C'mon. I have no problem with a company following the money, but the way Hot Toys handles their licenses sucks.

I agree...I would melt down all of the Leto Jokers and Harleys for one Romero Joker...but I still come back to the need for more collector support for a company like Blitzway (my Durdens and Carlito are as good as anything that Hot Toys has produced) that seem interested in venturing outside of the mainstream for their licenses.

 

[a-dev]

See any time people come close to persuading me that I'm just being petulant there's a post like that from DiFabio that reminds me, no, Hot Toys are a bit ***tish with how they operate.

 

[rjszar]

HT is seems to me is moving away from the artist obscure collector....and much more mainstream.
That's bad to me.....but I am sure good for their bottom line.....

But perhaps , eventually , it might bite them in the ass....

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I wonder what kind of attention span the mainstream has? The artist obscure collector is probably in it for the long haul. The mainstream I'm thinking not so much. They just move on to the next new thing, whether that is the next figure from the next movie or something completely different. What happens when the collectors Hot Toys started their company for in the beginning get tired of all this crap? I for one have been going custom a lot more or just going with unlicensed figures.

 

[jal76]

I wonder what kind of attention span the mainstream has? The artist obscure collector is probably in it for the long haul. The mainstream I'm thinking not so much. They just move on to the next new thing, whether that is the next figure from the next movie or something completely different. What happens when the collectors Hot Toys started their company for in the beginning get tired of all this crap? I for one have been going custom a lot more or just going with unlicensed figures.

It pains me to say but the old collectors will keep getting replaced by new ones...my first Hot Toys figure was the original Bank Robber Joker and I followed that one up with The Godfather...for every me...I keep reading about other collectors, many on this forum, discussing how they resisted buying $200 action figures but then finally cracked because they had to have the Affleck Batman or Civil War Captain America...as tastes shift, Hot Toys shifts, and old collectors are replaced with new ones...go Blitzway!!!!

 

[DiFabio]

I've said it for years now, Hot Toys needs competition. You could tell Enterbay got them scared for a couple of years with their 1/4 movie figures. Now that they've given up however, there's no other game in town besides Blitzway.

We need more companies to give Hot Toys a run for their money. If they don't, I hope Hot Toys just lets the licenses they grabbed up go since they're not doing anything with them (and other, smaller companies can't afford to buy them). This whole routine where they announce or tease something only for it to go missing for 3-4 years is getting old, especially when the final product ends up not being worth the wait time.

It'd be nice if they changed it up and maybe had an MMS sub line that was only geared towards classic releases pre-2010s, sorta like the DX line used to be, but I Donny think they have any time for that with the sheer amount of movies that come out year after year.

 

[xipotec]

Well the viability of the "latest and greatest" film figure is only a viable as the film is.....

What happens to HT if all the "blockbuster" licenses they seem to gravitate toward flop?

TLJ : FLOP?
Marvel phase 2 : Flop
D.C. : flop

Now what HT?

I know a lot of collectors will buy any figure that says "Joker" or Batman on it.....same for "Storm Trooper" or "Iron Man"

But they surely cannot prop up the company can they??


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[RIDDICK]

Your thoughts on the current state of sixth scale figure collecting?

 

[EVILFACE]

I've said it for years now, Hot Toys needs competition.

Molecule8 was supposed to turn the high end collectible action figure world on it's ear with...... John Lennon? Why not show off the proclaimed revolutionary silicon covered aluminum skeleton (which phicen has been already giving us for years) with a character than could use it like Arnold Conan or a John McClane or hell even a Ultimate Warrior or a TV incredible Hulk? Their only appeal is what they said they would be offering for a pretty good price. So far they have failed while companies like Art, Dam ect deliver.

 

[Mr.E]

Not mine, but still somewhat amusing (and reflective of the current state of affairs in the customs world):

 

[DiFabio]

I know.

John Lennon ain't even toyetic. The obscure choices are half the problem. How do you expect to get your name out when you're making products from a source that only a few people care about? There are a lot of Beatles fans, sure, but how many of them are going to want a doll?

Now a sword or gun toting character like Conan or John Mcclane? Absolutely.

 

[Stephen Gentile]

Well one good thing about Hot Toys' recent limited menu is it forced me to get creative and make my own holy grails...

 

[Khev]

Well one good thing about Hot Toys' recent limited menu is it forced me to get creative and make my own holy grails...
View attachment 366455

Holy crap. Looks like a Premium Format. Great work on all three in fact.

 

[Stephen Gentile]

Holy crap. Looks like a Premium Format. Great work on all three in fact.

Thanks! I knew Hot Toys wouldn't make any of these. I still hope Chronicle Collectibles does a Conan 1/6th line as they announced at SDCC 2016. I would love a Thulsa Doom.

 

[SwedishHeat]

Not mine, but still somewhat amusing (and reflective of the current state of affairs in the customs world):

What about all the 3d sculptors that make one sculpt for $70, then tweak it six months later and charge $80. . . because costs have gone up.

Get the **** outta here with that ****.

Digital sculpting is supposed to make things MORE cost effective, so why does all this **** cost more than it did 5 years ago??

 

[ali032373]

Prices also go up because of consumer demand.

 

[xipotec]

Prices also go up because of consumer demand.

Well and greed of course......
Not everything is consumer driven...


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