Hot toys scale accuracy

[ThorsThunder]

From the pictures of people's displays I am wondering about the accuracy of the size variations from figure to figure. If HT is going to make these amazing figures in the 1/6 scale I hope they keep proper height from one character to the next. For instance it would look kind of awkward to have Wolverine or Spider-man the same exact height as Thor. I hope they keep that in mind when they are sculpting these great figures.

 

[darren1228]

The reason that doesn't happen is that Hot Toys mostly uses the same base body for their figures. They don't sculpt a new body for each new figure so the scale won't be perfect.

 

[ThorsThunder]

That sucks I wish they would change that. It not only affects the height but a person's width too. I would like to see them make a slightly bigger body in the future.

 

[EVILFACE]

The scales are good enough. A specific body for each release would bump the prices up even more. . .

 

[karamazov80]

They have made some bodies that are slightly larger (taller and/or thicker than others) for Predators, Terminator, etc. So when it is really necessary, they do that. But I'm not sure Hemsworth is that much taller than his Avengers co-stars, anyway. Meaning that it probably isn't worth their while to do a completely new body. He might have a rubber muscled body under the outfit, though.

 

[ThorsThunder]

Hemsworth is 6'3 and I believe the prices are already high enough to not compromise proper scale.

 

[EVILFACE]

You must be a newb to 1/6 . . .

 

[ThorsThunder]

That has nothing to do with it. To me $200 action figure where detail is the focus why not just create another body for larger people. The Leonidas looks way undersized next to others.

 

[2ndname]

I'm fine with their scales. As long as they do not look like the DCD 13" next to the HT 1/6 figs I will continue buying their figs.

 

[robbiethepainter]

That has nothing to do with it. To me $200 action figure where detail is the focus why not just create another body for larger people. The Leonidas looks way undersized next to others.

Then that figure starts being $300. No thanks.

 

[karamazov80]

At the rate things are going, they'll be $300 within the next 2 or 3 years anyway.

 

[ThorsThunder]

Are you kidding? You dont realize how overpriced they are already lol. People who are making these things are being paid pocket change. The small amount of plastic and materials is not that much. Shipping charges cost more than the figure. Adding a bigger body to the Hot Toys supplies is something they should do. I think they are great looking figures, nothing wrong with trying to make things more accurate.

 

[karamazov80]

Are you kidding? You dont realize how overpriced they are already lol.

Does their future price have a single thing to do with how overpriced they currently are in your mind? No.

The Aliens Hot Toys figures of a few years ago were less than $100. Now, the typical Hot Toys figure is $150. If you want anything fancy, tack another $40-50 on top of that. We aren't far away from getting to $250, then $300, etc. Whatever the factors are, this is the way things are going. So, get used to it, or move on to Hasbro and NECA. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

 

[SwedishHeat]

Are you kidding? You dont realize how overpriced they are already lol. People who are making these things are being paid pocket change. The small amount of plastic and materials is not that much. Shipping charges cost more than the figure. Adding a bigger body to the Hot Toys supplies is something they should do. I think they are great looking figures, nothing wrong with trying to make things more accurate.

You are correct up to a certain point. The people in the factory are paid a pittance compared to what Americans make. However, the products are not 'overpriced'. The prices are so high, because there are 3 different parties that all need to make a profit. The factory charges Hot Toys double their true manufacturing cost, Hot Toys charges retailers double their cost, and retailers add a 50% markup to their cost. That's just how capitalism works.

To create, sculpt and mold a new body for every figure would not only add to the cost it could theoretically add a year or two to the development in each figure. Each new body requires articulation to be re-configured. You sculpt a new body, hand-sculpt the joints, assemble it, test-fit it, then send it to the factory to produce, get a sample back, find out the factory didn't do it right, then you have to go back and re-do it. Sculpting a new body is more or less a trial and error process.

So yeah, I'm sure when the factory in China makes an Iron Man figure, it really only costs about $10. You don't just pay the cost of plastic and materials when you buy a $199.99 Iron Man figure.

• You pay for the license fee
• You pay for the time the design team spent making sure the armor pieces fit together while maintaining articulation
• You pay for the time sculpting the head
• You pay for the time the graphics department spent designing the packaging
• You pay for the cost of printing the packaging
• You pay for the cost of the molds
• You pay for the cost of plastic
• You pay for the cost of assembling the figure
• You pay the cost of of assembling the packaging
• You pay the cost of shipping from the factory to the warehouse
• You pay Hot Toys' markup to retailers
• You pay the retailer's markup to consumers.
• You pay for the cost of shipping from Hot Toys to the retailer
• You pay for the retail employees' wages
• You pay for the retail store's warehouse

And I'm sorry if I forgot anyone. The earlier the changes are in the production process, the larger that cost gets magnified as it gets passed on down the line. So when you add another $5 in plastic by creating a new body, you're adding to the cost of the design team and the cost of molds. That $5 is reflected in 3 different areas, and you increase that $5 by 5% each time it hits a new step in the supply chain, and that initial $5 ends up being another $40 by the time it gets to pre-order at sideshowtoy.com

Honestly, you should be glad they're as cheap as they are considering the HUGE amounts of people who earn their living by having a hand in the entire supply chain process.

 

[ThorsThunder]

Karamazov I wasnt replying to your posting about price going up but the earlier one about this change driving up the price point, so you're right it has nothing to do with that.

As far as packaging, printing packaging, handling, advertising, all these fees are considered into every single thing you buy. The sculptors makes very little, I know Im an artist/sculptor myself. The licensing fees I understand.

The bottom line is what are people buying HT figures for? The detail and awesome likeness. What is wrong with getting the height and proportions correct? Im not attacking HT just saying that they could look to improve on that. If people never offer any constructive criticism who would ever look to improve.

 

[dcflake]

Does their future price have a single thing to do with how overpriced they currently are in your mind? No.

The Aliens Hot Toys figures of a few years ago were less than $100. Now, the typical Hot Toys figure is $150. If you want anything fancy, tack another $40-50 on top of that. We aren't far away from getting to $250, then $300, etc. Whatever the factors are, this is the way things are going. So, get used to it, or move on to Hasbro and NECA. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

You say that a few years ago figures where less than $100 but you also have to look at the quality of the older figures compared to the newer ones. Even in a couple of years the quality of the figures nearly doubles (look at the original T 800 vs the new T 800. Another example is the Iron Man 1 figures Vs and Iron Man 2 and thats just one year)

I foresee that the price will go up but maybe one day man different bodies will be used for each figure. It's sort of going that way now with the amount of muscle bodies they have made and used for different figures. I'm sure different height bodies will come into play eventually as well as an increase in price.

 

[Anzik]

Maybe its me but I feel if you're paying premium prices you should get a premium figure, which means proper scale. Even the much maligned Sideshow Collectibles does that.

 

[SwedishHeat]

As far as packaging, printing packaging, handling, advertising, all these fees are considered into every single thing you buy. The sculptors makes very little, I know Im an artist/sculptor myself. The licensing fees I understand.

What do you sculpt??

Perhaps you don't make enough money as you would like, but with the way sculptors are so highly regarded around these parts, folks such as Trevor Grove, Andy Bergholtz, Tim Miller, Pablo Viggiano, Yulli, Kojun, and Arnie Kim, I'm sure they charge a hefty sum for their work.

 

[ThorsThunder]

Or maybe they do it because they love it and its what they are very good at. Even in the motion picture industry artists are not paid that well. Most do it because they love it and its just in their blood. Comic book artists the same.
Ill post the next thing I finish shouldnt be too long.

 

[lerath666]

something else that isin't mentioned in this thread.

Hot toys vs mass market .

Mas market items are produced in quantities topping millions of units. and the cost is spread out across them.

Hot toys produces figures in the tens of thousands of units. this in turn causes a higher price.

Thor, I think perhaps you're just selling yourself short. Artists generally are able to command pretty nice fees if they are talented, and working commercially.
Not scrooge Mcduck rich, but they do well enough.