41 replies to this topic

[Prometheus]

Since I began collecting Hot Toys and Sideshow 1:6 scale I have found myself collecting less and less of the smaller figures ( Of which I used to collect mass quantities lol)  Now I find myself preferring say one Hot Toy to say 10 smaller figures...... I never thought this would happen ....Its just that Companies like Sideshow and Hot Toys have so upped their game that I just cant seem to get over how amazing their work is.... Its almost flawless!!!  I have no tolerance for paint smudges, errors, etc....... Which you almost never find with the 1:6 scale figures.... The problem is..... They are super expensive !!! 
 
I think I'm becoming a Toy Snob !!!   I just love all those wonderfully sculpted figures and beautiful paint applications !!!
 
DST will always be my first love for Ships though !!
 

[JMW326]

I am right there with you. I do pick up a smaller scale figure here and there but for the most part am a 1/6 collector. I have sold off the majority of my smaller figures to fund my 1/6 collection. They are expensive but well worth it. I would much rather have a great looking high end collectible that I can display proudly than boxes full of cheaper figures in the closet.

Hot toys and Sideshow are my main focus.
Marvel Select, Star Trek select and Walking Dead come next if I have the funds between 1/6 releases. Oh and the occasional Star Wars black series figure.

[Prometheus]

I really wish I could afford to collect some other figures JMW326 but my back is against the wall with the prices and quality of Hot Toys and Sideshow going up... and there are just so many properties they have the rights to that I want !!! Uhg.

Im hoping Hot Toys will get the 1:6 scale rights to any incarnation of Trek !

[JMW326]

If HT got rights to Trek I would go broke and end up selling off the rest of my smaller figures. They have so much greatness coming out already. I really wish they would go ahead and get moving with their next Star Wars figure. I think it is Rumored to be another pack like they did of Bespin Luke but this Time of Anakin. I also hear you about smaller figures and paint problems. That drives me nuts now. HT and SSc have spoiled me into thinking everyone should make quality figures with great detail and no problems. LOL

[Prometheus]

I cant wait for the HT Anakin.... Hopefully it will be revealed soon.... I also really want to see the Cap Winter Soldier Line. I also am hoping that the prototype we saw of Xavier from First Class gets made.

[Gothneo]

I know what you mean mean about hot toys. I've been trying to "wean" myself off of them just because the prices have gotten a bit out there for me.

 

I have a ton of SSC, but honestly even though they try and compete at the Hot Toys level, they just aren't there. I actually enjoyed much of their star wars line back when the average figure price was around $65. But once they got on to the clones it seems they were never planning to go back to fleshing out other characters, for example why they haven't don't a Count Duku/Darth Tyranus or a battle of Geonosis Padmé??

 

Now they seem to be getting back to real characters, and they have stepped up their game, but they are pricing them selves in the Hot Toys range when they aren't quite there for me. I found the SW line a fun mid-level quality line at the sub $80 a figure price point, but $200 for a Hoth Solo is much IMO. My fear is that even if they did a Darth Tyranus or Geonosis Padme, they wouldn't look right with the earlier offerings.

 

Hot Toys though, they typically always impress, but I find I need to be very selective, or I end up with buyers remorse, not becuase the piece isn't great but for the price I think I need to be a super fan of the property and not a casual fan.

 

Example: I bought the DX-11 Batman. Never took it out the box... so I think I should unload it.

[JMW326]

So far I have not purchased one HT figure that I have thought about getting rid of with the exception of my Mark IV Ironman, and that was only to get a different Ironman that I wanted more. I have however had remorse over not ordering a couple of different figures. Nick Fury and Hawkeye come to mind. I told myself I would pick them up later on the secondary market because they wouldn't be that popular but I was wrong. LOL. They fetch a pretty penny now.

 

As for SSC I have a few from them. Mostly GI Joe and a couple of Star Wars. I am going to get the new Han Solo they are doing but will probably pass on Luke. His face just seems off to me and It just doesn't compare to the HT Bespin Luke. I didn't go crazy on the clones but do have a couple. I also just got the Deluxe Darth Vader and love it.

 

Since the popularity of HT figures has gone up along with their quality so have the prices. Now they are releasing everything under the son so I have to be pretty choosy when it comes to placing a pre order.

[JMW326]

With the smaller stuff it was getting to the point of me buying it just to have it and getting all variants and exclusives because people were saying they were hard to find. I wasn't enjoying them any more just getting them mostly out of habit. Then I discovered SSC and Hot Toys and my love for collecting and enjoyment for the hobby was renewed again. I find that saving for something really nice to be proud of is much more of a payoff than buying a ton of cheap stuff. Also having that lag spread out of getting 3 to 5 figures a year makes the anticipation even better.

[robster]

I'm with 1701 a lot on this one. One of the reasons I've managed to steer clear of those bloody expensive,but great looking,barbie dolls,LOL!,was that I just couldn't get myself to pay those prices. WAS really tempted to order 60's Batman and Robin and the Batmobile though,but luckily the two minutes I was excited for them went by pretty fast. Ditto the Spidey ones. Being a Spidey fan my mind was trying to convince me I NEEDED these,but I told it to shut up and get a Ken doll and put a Captain Action Spidey costume on him instead,no one'd notice the bloody difference. But I see all this cool stuff at Comic Con every year and I'm like,WHHOOAA!!!! ME WANT! But as always,by the time I'm on the train back to L.A.,it's outta my mind,lol!

 

Lego is something no one needs a reason to justify though. It's Lego,'nuff said. lol! One of the kids' dad at work is a designer and tester for Lego. I always try to get him to tell me about upcoming stuff as he's got stuff planned well into 2016,but he doesn't tell me much,lol! And he didn't work on the new Simpsons Lego,unfortunately. Probably not the Back to the Future Lego either. But he gives me some of the little sets from time to time. And I asked him to keep an eye out for the SDCC exclusive Spidey fig that Lego were giving away at the con last year and I don't wanna pay 450 bucks for on ebay,just in case he comes across one at the office,lol! Luckily I can play with Lego all day with my kids at work,if I so choose,lol! Oooops,not MY kids of course,I don't have 18 kids,don't even have ONE.....at least that I know of,lol.

 

That said,I've been considering becoming a toy snob too and go for more high end stuff,but not HT and SSC or even GG stuff. I want the even pricier QMX stuff! LOL! I started in the low range though,both versions of the new movie phaser and some delta shields. I'd like to move to statues as well,but not too sure about that just yet. I still LOVE the good ol' Playmates stuff though,and a LOT of other stuff,so I doubt I could ever REALLY turn my back on all that,lol! But I HAVE managed to tone it down considerably and be more sensible about it. At least that's what I like to think,lol! I do sometimes regret NOT getting an item I saw and was excited about for two minutes though,lol.

 

And like 1701,HT Pine Kirk,Quinto Spock and Cumby Khan and I'm in. If my two minute WOW impulse can last long enough. I do know the makers of the Doctor Who dolls,Big Chief,are doing Sherlock so in a pinch you could get Cumby and dress him in that black little Starfleet number,lol! I've seen the Who stuff they've done and it's pretty good,but not HT good.

 

But isn't this whole toy snob thing just a logical evolution of the toy collecting though?

 

So,who here needs that nice lady from Collection Intervention to come knocking on their door then? LOL! I like her,and she collects movie posters.

 

J-R!

[Gothneo]

I would never say anyone is a snob because you prefer the high end items over cheap mass produced for big box retail. Buy what you like.

 

I have a huge 1/6 scale collection which spans all kinds of toy companies. Drastic Plastic, DiD, SSC, Hot Toys, Dragon, BBI, and so on.

 

If I think something is cool and I like the price then I get it.

 

For example, I picked me up Otona Chogokin Space Shuttle Endeavor... and it was pricey... but its totally worth it! (and I didn't pay what they are asking for them now-a-days)

 

http://www.amazon.co...tle model bandi

 

 

[JMW326]

I like that shuttle Gothneo. It's a great looking piece.

[Prometheus]

That Chogokin Shuttle is amazing Gothneo !!!  Plus you made a good investment !!

 

I totally agree with you that Sideshow quality has not been quite at HTs level but from what I hear (especially with the new Vader) they have really upped their game; but their prices have gone up also. There is just something about the face sculpts on HTs that seem so amazing to me.... Sideshow just has not seemed to get there quite yet. For example....my Sideshow new Yoda figure is great  but his outfit has loose threads all over and part of the wire on his cloak hood is potruding out of the seam !!!  You almost NEVER see quality control issues like that with Hot Toys. Even with the new HT Amazing Spider-Man figure.... people are complaining that the quality on the arm joints is horrible because they are breaking..... But after receiving mine it clearly states in BOLD lettering in the instructions DO NOT MOVE ARMS BEYOND THE 80 DEGREE POINT or they will break !!! I feel if you dont read the instructions and try to do some crazy poses ....you deserve what you get !!  ( Okay I'm starting to rant....sorry.)

 

 

 

Robster...... I definitely need an intervention..... All I can tell you is that you are probably doing the right thing by allowing the excitement to pass by and not biting the Hot Toys "proverbial Apple" .... They truly are addicting.... and you are also right IMHO that these are a natural progression or evolution for collecting....Its just that everything else seems like snores-ville after you set your eyes on a finely sculpted and painted figure !!!

 

1701....the whole disease concept is not foreign to me either.... But I have to say I NEVER have any regrets about buying Hot Toys.... mainly because they are so damn cool.... The wonder never seems to fade for me.... I even go back when I get a new figure and reexamine my older figures.... and fuss with all of them in new poses etc.

 

When I lost my job a while back ( No worries ...I have a new job now) I had to sell off some of my 1:6 scale figures because there was just so much money tied up in them ( It was a VERY sad day for me) but I have to admit that the amazing thing about my Hot Toys was I got more money for them later ( Even though I had carefully opened them) because they become collectors items so quickly.

[Gothneo]

Yeah...I can't believe how much that shuttle goes for these days. 

 

I love my AA/DST trek collection. They are fun little collectibles, but with mass retail I got to point of saturation where I just needed to decide what I liked to collect and try and pass on stuff. overall I'd say I collect very distinct areas. One area is comic superheroes, and I focus mostly on Marvel Comics as thats what I read more of growing up. A second is I love Sci-fi, and Space, so I'm pretty much a sucker for things like that Shuttle... but I have a bunch of 1/6 scale figures of astronauts. Finally I'm a bit of a history buff, so I have a tendency to pick a up a historical figure every now and them. 

 

Once you get a huge amour of stuff, looking for higher quality items tends to "throttle" buying more stuff, and gearing you towards buying a few select pieces every now and then... at least thats what it does for me!

[robster]

LOVE the Endeavor shuttle! Didn't dare check the price on it though,lol!

 

WOW,a LOT of valid points here. I LOVE this thread!

 

Yeah,I'm mostly happy that my excitement passes before I get a chance to react on it. It's not just HT stuff,it's EVERYTHING! lol! I went to bed last night,well early this morning I guess,totally into Spidey and such! An hour after I got up this morning.....not so much,lol! It's a pretty wild ride,and that's why it's always fun on my trips to London and the US 'cos I NEVER know what I end up with,if anything at all! Case in point.....ok,a quick little story,lol!

 

It was a dark and stormy night,SUDDENLY,on the train to San Diego from L.A.,Superman sat down behind me. Actually it was a bright and sunny morning,LOL! I of course had to turn around and ask,Superman on a train? But that's a different story.

 

I got to Comic Con just loving Spidey and was gonna look for all kinds of neat Spidey stuff for my collection. I walked into the HUGE hall and saw TONS of stuff but didn't buy any of it just yet as I didn't want to drag all the bags around the convention floor and didn't wanna spend an hour getting outta there to leave it at the luggage storage service thing,which I do sometimes,so I waited with my shopping,just storing in my head what booths I needed to go back to to get it before I left for the day.

 

In the meantime I had a look at all the booths with cool stuff,DST,QMX,Sideshow,GG,that nameless toy company,and a host of others. I also walked by Lightspeed Fin Art and they always have Trek guests signing at their booth. I noticed Marina Sirtis sitting there all by her lonesome so I zig zagged between some people,ducked under some others,and came up victorious in front of Marina and said,Hi. She smiled,noticing my accent and we talked,and she got her clothes off....to show me her new tattoo,lol! And it was a great little moment. And that was enough for me to put Spidey back on the shelf and go for some Trek stuff instead.

 

I did the same as earlier,checking out booths,seeing where the Trek stuff was,and then.......I just left. I needed a break and this was the last day,so I got on one of the free shuttles,the one that would take the longest in getting back. Just sat there listening to the music,one of the songs being Tongue Tied by Grouplove,love that song,lol,cooling down with the ac,watching people getting off,but no one was getting on?! So this ride took me all around the San Diego marina,and when the last person had left at the last stop the bus driver came up to me and asked where I wanted to go. I told him I was heading back to the convention and he said it was the last bus of the day. I was like,oh?,but are you going back there at all? And he said yeah and I could ride back with him. And that whole trip I just got really sad and melancholy! My first time having the con blues,and it was weird. After 14 years of going to this con,I finally got the con blues. And during that bus trip I decided I was gonna get both Spidey AND Trek stuff.

 

So I got back to the convention but they were closing. I ended up with nothing,LOL! I was really mad at the time,for about ten minutes,and as always,it passed. And I just left.

 

Do I have any regrets? Y'know.....not really. I had a great time,and to me that's just as important.

 

My four boxes I sent from the US during this last visit,that I'm waiting for right now,if only the lazyass postal people over here could do their f***ing job,is full of Trek and Spidey stuff. For once I managed to walk the fine line of loving both equally. Got a lot of old Toybiz Spidey stuff cheap,got some DST Trek stuff,also cheap,and even some Playmates Seaquest figs! So not ONLY Trek and Spidey,lol! STILL not able to fork out 20 bucks for any of the starships collection though,but I'll get some eventually. It didn't have that OMG!IGOTTAGETTHESE impulse reaction for me. They're gorgeous little things,it's mostly the price point that stops me from jumping into this.

 

Do I need a collection intervention? I would have to say no. Not anymore,lol! I LOVE toys! But I also LOVE just looking and not buying it all as I have come to terms that I don't NEED everything,even if I can get it if I so choose. And that's what I've gotten better at realizing. I HAVE a choice. And with a little more practice I'll be better at making a decision as well,lol! But just KNOWING that it's there if I want it helps a LOT! Of course,the ridiculous prices on some items helps as well,lol! I love shows like Toy Hunter and Collection Intervention and Fan Addicts as I love seeing old toys I used to have and other peoples passion and collections.

 

So while I may be a snob,doesn't mean I have to act like one. And I always try not to.

 

J-R!

[robster]

HOLY MOLY! That almost turned into a novel! My bad,will try and keep it shorter,lol!

 

J-R!

[JMW326]

Even with the new HT Amazing Spider-Man figure.... people are complaining that the quality on the arm joints is horrible because they are breaking..... But after receiving mine it clearly states in BOLD lettering in the instructions DO NOT MOVE ARMS BEYOND THE 80 DEGREE POINT or they will break !!! I feel if you dont read the instructions and try to do some crazy poses ....you deserve what you get !!  ( Okay I'm starting to rant....sorry.) .

This irks me when I see some of the HT collectors complaining about not being able to do dynamic poses with these figures. Natural poses look so much better than trying to recreate some over the top dynamic comic book style poses that some of these guys try and bend thier figures into. You can capture the personality and attitude of a character without trying to bend thier legs above thier heads o bend them over backwards. If you want poses like that then buy a cheaper fully articulated toy that was meant for it. My rule for posing the more realistic figures like Hot Toys is to find a cool pose and then stand back and look at your figure and try to recreate it yourself (arms, hands, feet, head, neck etc). If it feels unnatural to you to stand like that yourself then it probably looks unnatural on display.
I see some peoples figures and wonder why they even bothered buying something nice if they are not going to put any effort into how it looks displayed.

[Prometheus]

This irks me when I see some of the HT collectors complaining about not being able to do dynamic poses with these figures. Natural poses look so much better than trying to recreate some over the top dynamic comic book style poses that some of these guys try and bend thier figures into. You can capture the personality and attitude of a character without trying to bend thier legs above thier heads o bend them over backwards. If you want poses like that then buy a cheaper fully articulated toy that was meant for it. My rule for posing the more realistic figures like Hot Toys is to find a cool pose and then stand back and look at your figure and try to recreate it yourself (arms, hands, feet, head, neck etc). If it feels unnatural to you to stand like that yourself then it probably looks unnatural on display.
I see some peoples figures and wonder why they even bothered buying something nice if they are not going to put any effort into how it looks displayed.

Totally agree JMW.... these are not meant for crazy yoga poses..... I guess some people just feel when spending this kind of money that the laws of physics should no longer apply lol. I actually saw a video on YouTube where the owner of an amazing Spider-Man broke it while he was filming because he was almost violently swiveling the arms.... than he was mad because he couldn't figure out what happened....duh !!!

[Prometheus]

1701... I think as productive human beings we are constantly changing and reevaluating ourselves... but I have also found that it is a nice opportunity to carry on with certain rituals in our lives that bring us joy and to set aside time and resources to make sure these rituals change with us and grow with us.... I just claim snobbery because I really have become very choosy about my collection... but as you said its part pf growing.... I just turned 40 and I have seen many collectors come and go...including some close friends... but at 40 I can honesty say that collecting itself has become like a loyal friend.... its alwsys there...and there always seems to be a community to share with!!! :-) I wont name names but someone on this very board helped me with a spiritual crisis a few weeks ago in relation to my spending habits with collecting etc.... They reminded me that everything needs balance!!! How great is that !!!