Vader: Stitching, Hands & other Issues Discussion

[Dr. Steel]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

I don't like the visible stiching here. If it's kept very small and evenly close to the edge, and precise, I can live with it, but I don't know if they can offer that kind of quality.

My worry is what the actual production stitching will look like. Most all of their prototypes have the stitching set to a small stitch since their not being mass produced at that point and extra care can be given. Once they go into production, the stitching is generally a bit longer and more of an eyesore. Most recently, Luke is a good example of it becoming more apparent in production:

And if they choose to screw us on the fabric again....

 

[Khev]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

I agree, Luke's production tunic was a heartbreaker compared to the proto.

 

[Anzik]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

Again, I was referring to the idea that they would never change a product after taking orders, and not saying that it would happen with this particular figure. But then again I'm not sure I would say that a figure for which the final body isn't finished and which won't be shipping until Q2 2009 is really so far along in production.

I believe I read in a post by Andy Bergholtz (And I may be mistaken if it was him) but we were discussing changes to a figure's sculpt and he basically said that by the time we see images, outside of slight tweaking, the figures are ready to go. By the time we see a figure it has been in production for nearly 2 years so 9 months from delivery is way to late to make corrections.
Again, I believe in this company and one of its greatest strengths is its willingness to listen to the fans on what needs improving. They listened about Plo Koon's lightsaber, but thats a relatively easy fix.
We also have to accept that the SSC of today is not the same as the one that existed before the SW license. They have a huge production schedule now and any delay at this point is going to back up other items on the belt as well.

 

[icruise]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

Changing a sculpt is a lot different than changing something about a character's outfit. We see changes with practically every figure that comes out, with Luke being the most recent. Admittedly, most of them are for the worse, but they are changes nonetheless.

I also think it strains credibility to say that this figure has been in production for 2 years. They may have been looking into how to accomplish the armored body and so forth for that long, but not every aspect of the figure took that long -- certainly not the soft goods.

 

[The Josh]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

Guess I was just too into the figure to look for little nits like the stitching.

 

[JustinLuck]

Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

I lightened up the shadows in photoshop for this screen capture of Vader with his choking hand.

Unfortunately, I cannot figure out how to use slow motion with my video player. But he raises his pointing hand into camera view multiple times at Leia during this scene. If someone could playback their copy and capture his pointing hand, that would be great!

Hopefully Sideshow is gracious and provides both hands as they were described by the Sideshow reps at SDCC.

 

[Alice Adrenochrome]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

Looks more like the 'finger of doom' to me... . Even if the choke hand looks more like a pointing hand, I think it's fine. Great for a "You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor!" pose. The only other force choke hand situations I know off, when it actually looks as if the character is "choking" someone, are from video games. Never actually seen someone do it in the movies...

 

[bambooluv]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

The force choke hand looks like it needs a rebel pilots neck in it...so more like just a normal choke...just what I think.

Pete'y

 

[JustinLuck]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

In addition to the stitching concern, I hope the cape is able to drape over like this:

 

[Anzik]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

 

[Darren Carnall]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

that is a must...

 

[jedibear]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

I've looked at every major site's coverage of this figure and looked at all the photos and...I'm not seeing this stitching issue. I think it looks fine. As long as it's finished well, I think it'll pass muster.

Let's not forget, in all of these photos, we'e seeing it blown way up in detail that while great for examining the finer points, isn't really reflecting how he'll appear on our shelves. I've got the ANH Luke sitting in front of me right now and despite the abrupt fabric change, the overall great quality of the figure's appearance don't have me focusing just on the stitching when I look at him...

As for the cape..I just hope the final fabric has enough "give" to it to allow for some good futzing to get it positioned over the shoulder armor to get that perfect "at attention" pose and a wire on the edge would be great to acheive some dynamic action poses...

 

[mfoga]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

Looking at the frame and the hand it looks like the hand is pretty close just the rotation is off. It looks like a partially closed hand with finger pointing in the frame and the pretty much what the figures hand is.

I couldn't remember exactly what the choking hand looked like in the movie I just figured it was more like if you were choking a person with one hand, but thats not even close in that capture.

I just did a quick look online and found this which is more like we expected, so maybe he did it more then one way

 

[turtlepower73]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

darth vader looks great. i didn't even notice the stitching and don't care about it. i am just glad darth vader will joining the sideshow star wars line and stand righ next to obi won kenobi.

 

[carbo-fation]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

How do you guys even notice these things? You guys are certainly very anal.

 

[RoboDad]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

Vader is a hotlinking monkey?

 

[EVILFACE]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

Just like Jedibear says, you see something that is blown up 2-3 times its normal size. You are gonna see every flaw.

I wonder if they do the same with their women. . . .

 

[Khev]

Re: Sideshow, please remove the visible stitch lines from Vader's costume

I've looked at every major site's coverage of this figure and looked at all the photos and...I'm not seeing this stitching issue. I think it looks fine.

I think Justin made it quite clear that he thought Vader looked fine, "phenomenal" was even the word he used. It *does* have much more visible stitching than any 1/6 scale Vader ever produced (even more than Hasbro's as mentioned in another post.) The other companies Vaders don't show stitching (even when blown up 2-3 times) so I agree with Justin in that it seems strange that its present for only Sideshow's.

Its the best Vader figure ever made. No question. Even better than the PF. If SS can do something to eliminate the stitches then why not? No harm in a minor tweak that makes it even better, especially if its an easy tweak. I also don't see anything wrong in Justin bringing it to their attention in a polite and friendly manner.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

The SS Vader ex hand is NOT really the Motti force choke hand.

 

[EVILFACE]

Re: Let's get to the bottom of Vader's choke hand and pointing hand

If it's just a pointing hand, that is a pretty lame exclusive.