Play Imaginative Iron Man Diecast Line vs Hot Toys Iron Man Diecast Line

[Viper245]

Greetings fellow freaks,

I really want to have top quality Iron Man pieces represented in my collection and have not been satisfied with the what Sideshow has been putting out over the last few years in statue form due to their unreliable QC in the line.

Scale is not that big of an issue for me in this case so I could go 1/6 or 1/4. I have been looking at Hot Toys new 1/6 diecast line and specifically the Iron Patriot piece and it looks great but from what I have been reading it is their first attempt at diecast and the piece apparently contains less then 50% metal parts which to me seems a pretty low percentage for the price.

Play Imaginative has their 1/6 and 1/4 lines in diecast with 88% percent metal parts and they are quite a bit more expensive then Hot Toys line but it might be worth it if they are made well. I have no experience with Play Imaginative so don't know how well their products are made.

At this point I am not sure which line to jump into and would like some advise from fellow collectors who might know more then I do about these lines. Thanks in advance.

 

[Kamandi]

Neither line has become available to the public yet. There's a lot of uncertainty right now.

I can't speak for Play. Their pictures look amazing. They are higher priced and the availability looks like a problem - it looks like Play only sells within Singapore. Unless you live there you'll be buying from the secondary market which means markup prices.

HT is throwing curve b alls. They've started a number of new product lines for IM3. They're doing statues and Die Cast and MMS... and they haven't made it clear if any one product line will feature all of the new suits.

 

[Viper245]

Thanks Kamandi for your input. I contacted BBTS and they said they plan to carry the Play IM lines but as you said they will cost more plus the additional markup. I may just stay on the fence until more information comes out from both companies.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

Play has one thing over HT. Ambition.

HT doesn't have to put much effort their figures as they know people will snap them up even if they're broken in the box, but Play can't afford that.

Play needs to make a superior product to establish themselves as they can't fall back on name recognition or brand loyalty. So by that rational they'll be really trying hard to get them right.

 

[Kamandi]

Play will have a harder time breaking into the mainstream collector markets. If Sideshow carried their line it would burn a bridge with Hot Toys. I don't know who HT's official parter in the UK would be but the same story over there.

 

[Henry Morgan*]

Considering everything I'm seeing. I think HT diecast will be superior, in articulation, price.. and more.

I'll never consider to get any Play imaginative product, even if they were selling it worldwide.

I've already pre ordered the Avengers Mark VII and it looks far better than the PI version.

 

[Viper245]

You might have a point Henry Morgan. The thing that bothers me about Play is that they aren't showing an actual prototype figure. All I have seen so far are renders of what the actual figure will look like. Nothing real from them so far.

 

[guy66657]

Considering everything I'm seeing. I think HT diecast will be superior, in articulation, price.. and more.

I'll never consider to get any Play imaginative product, even if they were selling it worldwide.

I've already pre ordered the Avengers Mark VII and it looks far better than the PI version.

Even with the terrible proportions? I thought the PI version nailed them.

 

[Henry Morgan*]

First of all I just don't care if the neck is a bit longer or anything like that, Its just a prototype. And thats not a good enough reason to spend 200 more on a very exclusive figure that can barely move. I don't know PI but I know HT and its unlikely that they dissapoint me with their IM figures

 

[Centurion]

I'm hoping Play's 1/4 diecast IM figures are accurate, and if it's true that they will be roughly 88% metal, that's where I'll be spending my money.

 

[Wanderer]

Proportional Accuracy is a must for me and Hot Toys seem to struggle with that concept of a man wearing a suit of armour look and make their IM figures far far too skinny. If this other company get things right to a bigger degree than them, price isn't an issue

 

[Intruder04]

I'm hoping Play's 1/4 diecast IM figures are accurate, and if it's true that they will be roughly 88% metal, that's where I'll be spending my money.

I don't get it how HT can be inaccurate proportion-wise when they have so much access to reference materials and data. I understand that articulation takes a toll on accuracy but IMO, they should R&D in that field rather than.....well what they are currently doing.

To the OP, you can go thru Jeff's review of the Super Alloy Batman here which was PI's first attempt at diecast. Unless, we have products from both companies in-hand, it's difficult to say who has the upper hand in diecast dolls.....errm, figures!

 

[Viper245]

I don't get it how HT can be inaccurate proportion-wise when they have so much access to reference materials and data. I understand that articulation takes a toll on accuracy but IMO, they should R&D in that field rather than.....well what they are currently doing.

To the OP, you can go thru Jeff's review of the Super Alloy Batman here which was PI's first attempt at diecast. Unless, we have products from both companies in-hand, it's difficult to say who has the upper hand in diecast dolls.....errm, figures!

Thanks for the link Intruder. I'll take a look at the review.

 

[mikericm]

Play has one thing over HT. Ambition.

HT doesn't have to put much effort their figures as they know people will snap them up even if they're broken in the box, but Play can't afford that.

Play needs to make a superior product to establish themselves as they can't fall back on name recognition or brand loyalty. So by that rational they'll be really trying hard to get them right.

Play Imaginative Iron Man figures are a moot point. To get them here in the states you have to spend @ $500. And I know it comes with a HOA, but people are freakin about a $310 HT price now.

I don't think one looks any better than the other. There are things I like about both. But the fact that PI has AVAILABLE IN SINGAPORE ONLY, clearly posted on their website, again, its a moot point.

 

[Empir3]

The biggest thing HT has over PI atm IMO is that PI has shown no actor sculpts at all. We have no clue what an RDJ sculpt would look like from them if it would be any good at all etc. PI needs to blow everything away to break into the market. And from what I have been reading it looks like HT is putting a lot of new engineering into the new diecast line.

Being only 40 % metal does not bother me at all. I dont want the figure to be metal for the sake of having metal in it. If they are using it smart and it improves the quality of the figure then I will be happy. As of right now I am going with HT as they rarely disappoint. PI needs to blow me away to consider them we shall see what happens.