I don't understand the attraction to 1/12 scale figures

[WolfBoy]

To me, 1/12 scales seems like such a compromise. I understand that for some people, they save money and space, but is that 1/12 scale figure really the best character representation in your collection? I have previously collected things like Burger King toys or whatever just for the novelty of having them, but those were pennies compared to upwards of 100 dollars or more on a 1/12 figure

Are there dedicated 1/12 collectors, or do you split scales? If possible, I would like to hear from 1/12 collectors and even see a 1/12 display or two if possible

Not everything is for you. And that's ok.

 

[potato]

Not everything is for you. And that's ok.

imo many 1/12 buyers dont even know they are buying a 1/12 toy. for 1/6 it is easy because it has always been associated to barbie dolls so its like a clear line even if it is just an articulated toy you know it is Barbie scaled.

but for me if you put a 1/12 figure alone and ask me what scale it is i wouldnt be 100% sure and most makers do not specify their scales. maybe mezco few brands do because they rely on this niche market.

even til today i dont know what scale hasbro black series are in.

i did have a few 3A 1/12 figures and some 1/9 you really cant tell if you put them alone. i mean a 32" TV looks small in my room but bigger in shops. yet i cant really tell between a 32 and 40" TV standing alone in stores.

 

[user 77041]

To me, 1/12 scales seems like such a compromise. I understand that for some people, they save money and space, but is that 1/12 scale figure really the best character representation in your collection? I have previously collected things like Burger King toys or whatever just for the novelty of having them, but those were pennies compared to upwards of 100 dollars or more on a 1/12 figure

Are there dedicated 1/12 collectors, or do you split scales? If possible, I would like to hear from 1/12 collectors and even see a 1/12 display or two if possible

Were you never a kid?

 

[user 77041]

Can’t wait for the inart 1/12 line to absolutely dominate the 6” market

 

[potato]

Can’t wait for the inart 1/12 line to absolutely dominate the 6” market

inart cost like x20.

 

[user 77041]

inart cost like x20.

The 1/12 scales will not cost what the 1/6th cost

 

[JacktheRipper]

The 1/12 scales will not cost what the 1/6th cost

I think you are missing the point. Price is an appeal.

 

[potato]

The 1/12 scales will not cost what the 1/6th cost

i read it as 12". but for 6" it would be priced at 60% of a 12". bigger margin with smaller cost.

 

[Tetryon25]

1/6 is great to look at but it’s not as easy to manipulate, you mostly just pose it like a model. 1/12 is more “playable.” It’s also easier to do army builder things like forming ranks, marching columns and firing lines in a smaller space. For really large battles and dioramas you go down to minis. There’s a use for the different scales.

 

[potato]

1/6 is great to look at but it’s not as easy to manipulate, you mostly just pose it like a model. 1/12 is more “playable.” It’s also easier to do army builder things like forming ranks, marching columns and firing lines in a smaller space. For really large battles and dioramas you go down to minis. There’s a use for the different scales.

fully clothed 1/12 will be just as bad or worse than 1/6 in terms of articulation.

 

[dijinn]

There was a time where I collected a lot of 1/12 figures. It boiled down to space, much easier to display all the figures in the collection vs 1/6 which takes such a huge footprint.

 

[jaztermareal]

There was a time where I collected a lot of 1/12 figures. It boiled down to space, much easier to display all the figures in the collection vs 1/6 which takes such a huge footprint.

Why not just buy a bigger house then you can have as many 1:6 as you want!

*chuckles in wealthy snob

 

[potato]

Why not just buy a bigger house then you can have as many 1:6 as you want!

*chuckles in wealthy snob

20 year ago maybe but when you start talking about cars and houses thats a whole different ballpark.

 

[DrWeaponX]

Former 1/12 collector here. I started with ML back in 2002 and went hard through about 2020(?). Was into Mezco 1/12, all Hasbro lines, Mafex, Neca, SHF, Four Horsemen, etc etc. Even picked up a good amount of indie stuff. I still run a 1/12 customs page called KesselRunAces with a buddy to encourage collectors of any experience or age to try customizing.

But I stopped dead in my tracks with 1/12. Why? Sort of a weird epiphany.

I was looking around my hobby room and my 12 detolf were STUFFED to the gills with figures. I’ve always posed well, but it really just looked like a soccer arena or an airport. It was collecting driven by the thrill of acquiring versus actually taking the time to sit and enjoy the figure.

I had a few 1/6 here and there but it felt very liberating to pack away tons of 1/12 army builders. For me, the scale created a consumer effect and not one of enjoyment. I would so routinely go to target, get a wave of ML or SWTBS, rip them open, loosely pose and examine, and then boom, they’d end up on a riser in the detolf.

There’s patience (for me) in 1/6. It feels like more of an event. Customizing feels more like a puzzle. Overall, the quality and pace as a collector has gone up.

Fwiw, I never unloaded or sold my 1/12 collection. All were bagged and stored. Maybe I will someday but it’s nice to know that the collection is always there should I want to curate it or sell it etc.

 

[potato]

Former 1/12 collector here. I started with ML back in 2002 and went hard through about 2020(?). Was into Mezco 1/12, all Hasbro lines, Mafex, Neca, SHF, Four Horsemen, etc etc. Even picked up a good amount of indie stuff. I still run a 1/12 customs page called KesselRunAces with a buddy to encourage collectors of any experience or age to try customizing.

But I stopped dead in my tracks with 1/12. Why? Sort of a weird epiphany.

I was looking around my hobby room and my 12 detolf were STUFFED to the gills with figures. I’ve always posed well, but it really just looked like a soccer arena or an airport. It was collecting driven by the thrill of acquiring versus actually taking the time to sit and enjoy the figure.

I had a few 1/6 here and there but it felt very liberating to pack away tons of 1/12 army builders. For me, the scale created a consumer effect and not one of enjoyment. I would so routinely go to target, get a wave of ML or SWTBS, rip them open, loosely pose and examine, and then boom, they’d end up on a riser in the detolf.

There’s patience (for me) in 1/6. It feels like more of an event. Customizing feels more like a puzzle. Overall, the quality and pace as a collector has gone up.

Fwiw, I never unloaded or sold my 1/12 collection. All were bagged and stored. Maybe I will someday but it’s nice to know that the collection is always there should I want to curate it or sell it etc.

imo detolf size is best for 1/6 scales. too big for 1/12 too small for 1/4.

i have a shelf for smaller stuffs, even though i tried not to stuff it too much every item i add in seems to just make it look more cluttered...

for 1/6 figures i could fill a shelf full of them and still dont look cramp or messy. i think i got to put 7 i mean 8 1/6 figures in 1 of them.

 

[MeatHookGekko]

1/6 is great to look at but it’s not as easy to manipulate, you mostly just pose it like a model. 1/12 is more “playable.” It’s also easier to do army builder things like forming ranks, marching columns and firing lines in a smaller space. For really large battles and dioramas you go down to minis. There’s a use for the different scales.

I suspect some long time collectors have a "sunk cost" issue in play.

I'm naturally drawn in by the 1/12th military stuff. The GI Joe Classified, Gridiron, Valaverse, etc, etc. But calculating the higher end stuff or getting the add on kits and higher end customs, etc, etc, it would still cost more than just doing more with my existing 1/6th military stuff. What I do enjoy about 1/12 is it's truly "action figures" where many 1/6th releases now are basically quasi statues.

I've kept up with videos and reviews for 1/12th stuff. Something I did way back was buy out someone's just about complete collection of GI Joe Sigma Six for my little nephew. What he spent at retail over years compared to what I paid just for him to be glad to offload it was a huge difference. I'm considering just riding it out, then waiting for someone to dump their 1/12 collection as a whole.

But I'm super tempted at times. The thought though of going into another line is daunting. I remember going into Legos for a while combined with 1/6th and that was just a lot of money pouring out. Legos cost a pure mint, even back in the day.

 

[Pose Mastery]

I collect SHF and other import companies (Sentinel, Figma, Snail Shell, etc) for 1/12 they are small enough to play with and are fun and interesting. It’s amazing the clever engineering they put into them. They all work differently and are very cool. I also get the same characters in 1/6 for the cloth costume appeal.

I don’t touch Hasbro toys with a 10 foot pole, they look and feel like trash. I also don’t like the look of cloth on 1/12 the folds and wrinkles just don’t work on the smaller scale, I get them just to play with, it’s easier to handle a bunch of 1/12 figures at once than trying to that do the same to 1/6.

 

[MarkKing]

I collect SHF and other import companies for 1/12 they are small enough to play with and are fun and interesting. It’s amazing the clever engineering they put into them. They all work differently and are very cool. I also get the same characters in 1/6 for the cloth costume appeal.

I don’t touch Hasbro toys with a 10 foot pole, they look and feel like trash. I also don’t like the look of cloth on 1/12 the folds and wrinkles just don’t work on the smaller scale, I get them just to play with, it’s easier to handle a bunch of 1/12 figures at once than trying to that do the same to 1/6.

I used to collect both SHF and Hasbro. I agree on articulation. I used to pose my figs and leave them in dysnamic poses long term. But what bothered me was the lower quality, increasing prices and poor hadsculpts.

Also it was about my interests. Anime, and comic characters are great for that scale, BUT if you love TV shows, and movies, 1/6 has a much larger selection and accuracy and so on. But the cost are higher for the quality.

I also loved most WWF wrestling figures from Elite, but yeah prices skyrocketin and quality are headed down I feel.

 

[MeatHookGekko]

I think you are missing the point. Price is an appeal.

Speaking of which, action figures that are mostly geared for an adult collector audience is more likely to be 1/12 or 6 inch - ish in scale if we are still talking about brick and mortar access.

What is a game changer IMHO in the past few months and likely to project into the next 3-4 months here is the massive number of figures ending up on clearance. In some cases, you might be able to get 25-30 figures in the 6 inch -ish range, on clearance, instead of just one moderately priced 1/6th release. Obviously you won't get all the latest and greatest and you are limited to what ends up being peg warmers most of the time, but the cost differential right now is staggering.

A guy at OSW last month, he showed me a receipt, he took a photo of it, where he picked up 35 figures, in the 1/12th range, for about 300 bucks. Brand new. Clearance stuff. Which is what a single HT 1/6th would cost for him otherwise. ( And that's only if you find a place that doesn't charge you sales tax....)

Things he showed me pictures of - GI Joe Classified, Warhammer 40K, Halo, Power Rangers, Fortnite, Star Wars Black Series, Marvels Legends, etc, etc There is A LOT of support for 1/12 scale out there.

 

[Rogerbee]

Speaking of which, action figures that are mostly geared for an adult collector audience is more likely to be 1/12 or 6 inch - ish in scale if we are still talking about brick and mortar access.

What is a game changer IMHO in the past few months and likely to project into the next 3-4 months here is the massive number of figures ending up on clearance. In some cases, you might be able to get 25-30 figures in the 6 inch -ish range, on clearance, instead of just one moderately priced 1/6th release. Obviously you won't get all the latest and greatest and you are limited to what ends up being peg warmers most of the time, but the cost differential right now is staggering.

A guy at OSW last month, he showed me a receipt, he took a photo of it, where he picked up 35 figures, in the 1/12th range, for about 300 bucks. Brand new. Clearance stuff. Which is what a single HT 1/6th would cost for him otherwise. ( And that's only if you find a place that doesn't charge you sales tax....)

Things he showed me pictures of - GI Joe Classified, Warhammer 40K, Halo, Power Rangers, Fortnite, Star Wars Black Series, Marvels Legends, etc, etc There is A LOT of support for 1/12 scale out there.

I hear you,

My nearest brick and mortar store gets all the latest NECA and HT in, but, their Black Series are nearly all red line which they've had sat there since it first released. There aren't even any decent ones in there either, really annoying!