InArt: The Lord of the Rings - Gandalf 1:6

[George13]

Now this.. this is Gandalf the Grey!!

Time to sell Asmus Gandalf

 

[R_R_X]

InArt has only announced Legolas, Aragorn, Gandalf and the Ringwraith so far, they've already said they don't plan on doing the full fellowship any time soon and I really doubt they'll be doing the hobbits, if the InArt figures turn out as good as the protos then a good business move for Asmus would be to focus on releasing updated versions of the Hobbits for their Crown series, as well as characters IA certainly won't touch like Lurtz, Gothmog, Saruman and Wormtongue, the list goes on, but they will have to nail the sculpts and invest in good rooted hair, the one figure that would certainly earn Asmus some profit would be Sauron, everyone wants it.

 

[chrisstbh]

Time to sell Asmus Gandalf

Good luck, took me ages.

 

[DioramaMaker]

You know what else looked outstanding? The Asmus prototype. Basically no "normal" human with PERS has worked out in production, not even HT has succeeded there. And suddenly a no name brand is gonna do it perfectly?

I'm sure they'll have a display base with real growing grass, and wood harvested from trees they grew themselves. When you flip the base over, it'll have a coming soon list of their upcoming figures, all of which are your deepest desires.

I simply can't get too excited until I see a real figure from these folks. There's just something that doesn't seem genuine yet. We've seen some great Gandalf customs. We've seen some great Joker customs. And this is just that, a custom at this point; a seemingly very good one, but so too was the Asmus proto.

 

[Hologram AI]

I love how the hair and beard has a different texture between the two.

 

[R_R_X]

You know what else looked outstanding? The Asmus prototype. Basically no "normal" human with PERS has worked out in production, not even HT has succeeded there. And suddenly a no name brand is gonna do it perfectly?

I'm sure they'll have a display base with real growing grass, and wood harvested from trees they grew themselves. When you flip the base over, it'll have a coming soon list of their upcoming figures, all of which are your deepest desires.

I simply can't get too excited until I see a real figure from these folks. There's just something that doesn't seem genuine yet. We've seen some great Gandalf customs. We've seen some great Joker customs. And this is just that, a custom at this point; a seemingly very good one, but so too was the Asmus proto.

Agreed with the fact the prototype is basically a custom, the people doing those usually take a long time to produce very limited runs of said customs, so while yes the prototype looks good collectors have to keep in mind this is a team of people putting it together and not what will be mass produced and assmebled by factories, so I wouldn't chuck every Asmus LoTR figure into the bin just yet, especially since IA is unlikley to make the full fellowship and we have no real gurantee the final products will live up to their protos.

 

[batsheva]

Time to sell Asmus Gandalf

Oh yeah, I'm definitely gettin rid of that. It's my last asmus piece left, and I thought I'm gonna keep it, but nope, not anymore!

 

[chrisstbh]

Time will tell what they are capable of when their Joker releases, it's a gamble; as is any collectible pre-order.

I'd like to have faith that they will deliver, I don't belive they're going to let their first 1/6 figures come out looking terrible, they wouldn't survive that and I'm sure they know it.

 

[Sassafras]

No way I can afford to throw down $1k for a single release. No matter how much I wish I could. $500 for a single Gandalf would be pushing me to my limits. I could do $500 because I can sell off another 1/6 figure to help justify spending that much on a figure. I would have to turn around and sell off 3 or 4 figures to justify spending $1k. Even then I don’t think I could do it. That much money would be better spent on the wife and kids or the house. Now if they had a trade in program where I could just trade $1k worth of figures in for Gandalf and never actually spend any money that might be a different story.

I'm trying hard to imagine - like sticking toothpicks under my nails for fun - what the reality of having a $1,000 dollar 1/6 scale on the shelf would FEEL like, days after.

Would I feel the SATISFYING GLOW that I still feel, looking at my Iron Studios Marvel pieces, or even the Mandalorian, or some of my WETA pieces, or even some of my ASMUS figs, enjoying the diecast swords and little accessories and pose-ability; that even tho there are hundreds of dollars there, they are for the AGES, never to be made again?

Or would I feel that uncomfortable acid burn of buyer's remorse, thinking at the end of the day, I *&^% up, 'coz I'd rather have that new trolling motor and it's almost summer here, d@mmit. (Friggin' Obi-Wan in commercials talking about would you rather have a nice trip than buy more stuff lol it makes you think)

I usually don't have buyer's remorse, but feel stung a couple of times. Like, I wish I hadn't done that - tho thankfully nothing too bad.

Not sure I could convince myself to buy a 1/6 at 1,000$. One thousand dollars. $1,000. I know statues are regularly more than that, but. For some of course, money is no object; but I already feel priced out of a lot of stuff - it's too much of a strain on the budget, and after a while u wonder what you are putting yourself under that kind of stress for. Suppose if you want the ULTIMATE Gandalf but not sure I care that much, especially if a 1/6 spends most of its time in a display case, viewed from feet away.

That's the thing. We all grouch at the price early on, but if we want to stay in the hobby or want the character enough, we'll eventually find a way to make it happen and get used to the new pricing, unfortunately. Though, pretty soon, the days of collecting multiple figures from multiple lines is going to end. I'm sure it's already happened to some, myself included. I think a lot longer and harder now whenever a new figure gets revealed.

Ditto. So far for the Mandalorian, in my case. I'm pretty happy with my Crown Gandalf. I might make an exception for Aragon. Maybe.

 

[Sassafras]

Agreed with the fact the prototype is basically a custom, the people doing those usually take a long time to produce very limited runs of said customs, so while yes the prototype looks good collectors have to keep in mind this is a team of people putting it together and not what will be mass produced and assmebled by factories, so I wouldn't chuck every Asmus LoTR figure into the bin just yet, especially since IA is unlikley to make the full fellowship and we have no real gurantee the final products will live up to their protos.

I wouldn't anyway. IMO u have to go far to beat ASMUS' generous use of materials e.g. for Gandalf they didn't skimp. Plenty of volume in the cloak, and the robe, plus those boots and the detailed staff and sword.

To me a fig is more than the sculpt, hopefully. At a price that doesn't make me pass out. Of course perhaps InArt will top all that, and be affordable as well. Fortunately thanks to ASMUS then I can just mix and match accessories and Gandalfs.

 

[BrooklynWolf X]

I feel....kinda bad for Asmus. Outside of “the evil dead” ash debacle and maybe one other PR disaster I can’t think of at the moment...Asmus has pretty much been a “Bro” to collectors like myself. Offering previous owners a chance at “DLC” or “upgrades” for their existing figure, It’s great! And their communication with fans has been pretty good too...well, for the most part.

Say what you will about Asmus’ figures...but you gotta hand it to them for completing the fellowship AND MORE! The likenesses for their LOTR figures is debatable...but I think they released some pretty damn impressive products. For a small company, they did an admirable job.

Now I’m aware of the divisiveness with their Gandalf figure. Proto images of it looks fantastic. Final product...well, for the most part it DOES look good, but specific conditions have to be met for it to shine (Conditions like lighting, angle, pose and so forth). My personal gripe with the figure was the asymmetry of the eyes. As I’d pointed out in my YT review of Gandalf, his right eye doesn’t have the obtuse triangular shape that’s seen in the proto pics. I guess the molding process messed up the master copy and that mistake slipped through QC checks.

Other than that, I thought it was a great figure that requires effort from the owner to make it look good.

That being said...if IAs final product Gandalf looks better than Asmus’ version, I’d be down to getting that version as well. Would I sell off my crown series Gandalf? Nah. I’m keeping it. I appreciate Asmus toys and their passion for their LOTR line. Their willingness to communicate with fans is also appreciated. So to hear such negativity for a small company doing their best with their limited budget and resources is...well, heartbreaking. Some of you collectors need to remember, Asmus participates on these boards. Let’s chill out with the overly negative comments.

IA doing LOTR figures definitely doesn’t bode well for Asmus and I hope they’ll take this chance to REALLY show their true potential.

 

[chrisstbh]

I feel....kinda bad for Asmus. Outside of “the evil dead” ash debacle and maybe one other PR disaster I can’t think of at the moment...Asmus has pretty much been a “Bro” to collectors like myself. Offering previous owners a chance at “DLC” or “upgrades” for their existing figure, It’s great! And their communication with fans has been pretty good too...well, for the most part.

Say what you will about Asmus’ figures...but you gotta hand it to them for completing the fellowship AND MORE! The likenesses for their LOTR figures is debatable...but I think they released some pretty damn impressive products. For a small company, they did an admirable job.

Now I’m aware of the divisiveness with their Gandalf figure. Proto images of it looks fantastic. Final product...well, for the most part it DOES look good, but specific conditions have to be met for it to shine (Conditions like lighting, angle, pose and so forth). My personal gripe with the figure was the asymmetry of the eyes. As I’d pointed out in my YT review of Gandalf, his right eye doesn’t have the obtuse triangular shape that’s seen in the proto pics. I guess the molding process messed up the master copy and that mistake slipped through QC checks.

Other than that, I thought it was a great figure that requires effort from the owner to make it look good.

That being said...if IAs final product Gandalf looks better than Asmus’ version, I’d be down to getting that version as well. Would I sell off my crown series Gandalf? Nah. I’m keeping it. I appreciate Asmus toys and their passion for their LOTR line. Their willingness to communicate with fans is also appreciated. So to hear such negativity for a small company doing their best with their limited budget and resources is...well, heartbreaking. Some of you collectors need to remember, Asmus participates on these boards. Let’s chill out with the overly negative comments.

IA doing LOTR figures definitely doesn’t bode well for Asmus and I hope they’ll take this chance to REALLY show their true potential.

I’m not seeing anyone be overly harsh on the Asmus figure, just pretty valid criticisms.

Also remember the InArt license is for China only, Asmus appear to have the worldwide license. Obviously us collectors have ways of circumventing that restriction but for the most part it’s not going to have much of an effect on Asmus.

Expect Asmus to be the lower end on price and qualify and InArt to be on the higher end. Both have a place.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Friggin' Obi-Wan in commercials talking about would you rather have a nice trip than buy more stuff lol it makes you think

That commercial always makes me think about my collection... and the places I haven't been.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Expect Asmus to be the lower end on price and qualify and InArt to be on the higher end. Both have a place.

Agreed!

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

Yeah, I can't see IA running Asmus out of the LOTR game at all. Asmus has done something like 30+ Middle-Earth figures so far (more?) and there are plenty more on the way. IA seems to be ducking in to cherry-pick a few characters for the higher end treatment. From my perspective as a collector it's an AND situation not an OR. I could see myself owning both. (Hell, I own the ACI Ringwraith and parts of their Aragorn. It's not religion, you don't have to choose one or the other.) I think both companies can definitely co-exist because they're not really playing for exactly the same customers. They fill different collecting niches.

And honestly, if they do compete a little, we're the ones who win. Let them push each other a little, the quality of both might just start inching up.

 

[FlyAndFight]

I'm honestly fine with the Asmus GtG figure in the collection and passing on the InArt version but I'm MUCH more curious to see their rendition of Aragorn. The head sculpt just has to end up being a homerun. Just has to...

 

[Wor-Gar]

Queen pretty much will likely be done with LOTR after their Gandalf, Aragorn and Legolas. They said they aren't planning for Frodo, so another small figure like Gimli is equally unlikely. So the only other one would be Boromir and I just don't think he's popular enough. I would LOVE to see Queen get into the villains of LOTR but that's also probably unlikely.

So in the end, Asmus' Crown series takes a hit, but their line is still more than open for characters we've been begging for for years.

I agree that Asmus should take some effort to redo their Hobbits. There's a whole market right there for Hobbits and Dwarves that could be exploited for both LOTR and The Hobbit.

 

[vaanrose]

I love how the hair and beard has a different texture between the two.

Eyes can't be too deep set if he doesn't have eyes at all. *taps forehead*

 

[choombaz]

This figure looks amazing thank god I’m not into LotR.

 

[Lizard Lips]

Collecting lego, black series and SHF, HT, Asmus and McFarlane 40k, JoyToy 40k and some random stuff is getting to be an exercise in sanity, logistics and prioritization.

I have a similar problem between Marvel, SW, DC, Middle Earth and other 1/6 scale figures, Lego, transformers masterpiece scale, ThreeZero DLX transformers...

I have 3 rotations a year currently but with the amount of stuff I'm buying it's gonna be 4 soon. The storage is becoming a headache too.