I'm with
@R_R_X here; the blind expectations of grandeur with InArt are just going to set people up for disappointment. I expect this figure to be a solid B- effort in the end comparable to some of the better third parties. It's going to come out, and it'll most likely be fine. Not bad, not outstanding, but fine.
InArt is smart about this though - the Joker was an easy option for them to start with. The paints don't need to be perfect because of the makeup, Ledger Joker has a cult-like obsessive following, the character doesn't call for massive R&D for extravagant accessories, and Hot Toys hasn't put out a Ledger in a while (but they did put out a Batman which demands a companion piece). This figure will sell, basically every third party Ledger Joker sells well. And until IA shows more, that's all this is. Obviously they have a Battinson in the silo, why not start with that given the hype surrounding The Batman? Because the company who commands the market was already on the scene. Even if the product is better in the end, Hot Toys will still sell on name brand alone. They literally picked the most sellable option for their first release.
People act like HT not "responding" to InArt is some sheepish, scared response. HT is literally going to keep going about their day. A human will walk right passed an ant, until it bites them. If this Joker bites, then HT will change their tune. But as of now they simply don't have to.
I agree that their prototype is outstanding, but that's all it is, a prototype. There's maybe what, 5 of them in existence right now? You can tell they're trying to oversell the premium factor; the wooden floor, the metal jail bars, the die cast weapons. Why? It's all relatively simple stuff to appear as more. Why can't all of these things be plastic? Hell I wish they would have been. The jail cell could actually have safely sat in a detolf shelf that way. It's the same nonsense as HT using diecast in more than the legs on their Iron Men.
But InArt is, and I'll give them that, very clever. They're making it look like they have their hands in everything with their polls, their advertising, and all that jazz. The polls are the best part, because the general audience who knows nothing of this will think that IA will make whatever is at the top of it. While I really, really hope that it's a valid way for us to see more obscure licenses (I want a full new Terminator line myself), I see it more as advertising for the time being. But I truly hope they make good on it.
IA looks good. They're putting on a really good show right now. You know who else had that? Molecule8. Now while I full well expect this to come to fruition where M8 didn't, I don't think this figure will revolutionize the industry. But as of now, it's hand waving, the appearance of many licenses, and a prototype.
This rederic that HT has allowed DC to languish is so werid. Warner has put their eggs in the wrong basket for the last 7 years, except they didn't put them in the basket, they catapulted the full case into it. The Snyderverse is done, Warner is falling back to a 30 year old Batman to "fix it", and Aquarman somehow, amongst all of this, became a thing. We got yet another Joker for edgelordns to feel "seen" by, which was off the table as far as licensing goes so that's a mute point. Flash may very well be recast if Ezra can't get his **** together. It's not HTs fault that the source material they can draw from was so all over the place. With the exception of The Suicide Squad and Shazam, HT has basically made everything you could have recently done cinematically. You've gotten every version (plus one!) of Wonder Woman, every Harley pre TSS, the FULL Justice League (including Cyborg!), every Batman from BvS, and even Chris effing O'Donnell Robin, among others. While it'd be nice to see them, 89 Catwoman and Penguin are really the only sore spot here, and even then, there's a new version of those on the block. 89 Cat and Penguin haven't even been pursued by third parties, which leads me to believe the consensus is that there isn't as big of a market for them as we hope. Oh, HT should rerelease some of the classic stuff, like 89 Joker or Batman? Folks will cry about that too, because it's just another rerelease. Ocean master? No one's going to buy it, they just aren't. No different than the Eternals figs. Black Manta maybe comes to mind? The biggest gap amongst this are the Arkham games, which could have steadily supplied the theme. But HT has only had so much to work with from WB.
Prove me wrong InArt, I will eat crow. I hope I do! I have money riding on this anyway, I've preordered Joker. It's not like I say this without a dog in the fight.
