A Little Odd...

[Wetaholic]

I find it really odd that Weta have stopped doing the LOTR line...even though they might not get paid much...surely if they want the legion of Weta Collectibles fans from the LOTR line to start buying their Narnia/Kong lines, they shouldn't have pissed us all off BEFORE the movie and collectibles will be released for these.

I was tempted to buy some of the Kong and Narnia stuff, but won't be as a result of their abrupt end to the LOTR line, I'm naffed off with them for it!

Anyone else find this kinda odd from a marketing viewpoint? If Sideshow Weta pieces hadn't been as successful, they wouldn't be doing this so I don't get it!

:dunno

[Winged Shadows]

It was known the line was ending for so long.

And it was up to Sideshow to decide how they were going to communicate this decision to the public.

Weta are just moving one from great line to another. Despite what you might feel now, am sure if you see something you like from any of those two lines...this lil grudge won't hold you back from ordering.

The bonus of having Dark Horse distribute for you, there is a greater potential audience. I don't know how the statues will be marketed but it's likely to be more mainstream than how Sideshow operates. ( okay - with the small exceptions of the EE DVDs specials)

[CaptainCaveTroll]

Weta are just moving one from great line to another.

As good as Narnia and Kong will be, I am sure that they will only have a fraction of the following that LOTR has achieved. I certainly won't be purchasing anything from these new lines. My money will be set aside for more important things (not food, clothes, alcohol, ...) but buying the pieces that I am missing from my collection.

[Mkoi]

Well if they finally find out that Narnia and Kong is not gonna work they go and bey at weta if they can make more lotr sculpture.:mwaha

[CaptainCaveTroll]

And what's that in English?

[lurtz001]

:lol

[Dark Enemy of Middle Earth]

Quote - My money will be set aside for more important things (not alcohol ??????) :drool

Agree SS Weta statues are great but no beer???
You got to be kidding.

P.S. my 50'' panasonic plasma arrived last week:rock

How good does LOTR & SW look on it............very, very...

[CaptainCaveTroll]

Congrats on the plasma!!!

Once you start watching it, any other TV is just settling for second best!

[dstephan]

As for Dark Horse distribution being more mainstream....

Yes, they use Diamond distribution which gets things into all the comic shops around the country. But their marketing efforts aren't but a spit in the ocean compared to what Sideshow has done for LotR and their other lines. Without searching it out, I couldn't name ONE product that Dark Horse has distributed.

[GrimaSnailTongue]

Narnia looks boring and kiddish, and kong, although will no doubtedly be great, I'm just not interested in collecting anything from either line. These are the only pre-painted statues I've ever bought or have been interested in because of the subject. IMO, weta screwed up by not continuing the line themselves with just lower production runs.

[Winged Shadows]

:dunno

I don't know.. I'd never heard of Sideshow or Weta.. til I ran across a Ringwraith on Steed auction on ebay... and even that was by accident. The majority (or realistically.. ALL) of people I talk to would never have heard of the company, or the fact they'd been creating this line of lotr collectibles.

I remember one of the Sideshow staff saying they would never go 'mainstream' because as collectors themselves that wasn't what they were about. They could easily make a killing if they teamed up with err...Wal Mart and sold their product through their stores....

But can you discount those kinda strategies with Dark Horse? I ain't familiar with them as a company.. all I know is they have the distribution in comics on lockdown...at least on that side of the Atlantic.

[Dark Enemy of Middle Earth]

never go mainstream?, wasn't the whole point of the giveaway of smeagol (and what is in effect a marketing DVD being the making of LOTR weta with TTT) plus minas tirith with the ROTK dvd release. This was in aid of informing collectors/film fans what was available and got them to buy into the rest of the SS weta items. This was a great marketing ploy and I guess the main way most collectors found out about what SS weta had to offer?

[elwood49]

And what's that in English?

:lol I was wondering the same thing. I think he/she? means that if Narnia and Kong don't work out, that Dark Horse will be begging Weta to restart the LOTR line with them as distributor.

[Wetaholic]

I think it's just so weird that they didn't wait until they had started selling the Narnia and Kong pieces to ensure the future of Weta Collectibles was safe...then that's when they should have ended the LOTR line.

From a business point of view, I just don't understand the huge risk they are taking. Of course the line had to end eventually, but not when they hadn't covered important characters and left us all hanging!

No matter what, I tried to get a job working on King Kong and got messed around an insane amount so coupled with this, I won't be buying into the Weta Collectibles. I will have to see images of the actual Narnia statues and see the film before making my decision on that one, but the only piece I like a smidgen even is the White Witch's palace/castle enviro.

[Heart Of Stone]

I think it's odd that some peoples belly buttons are outy's while most are iny's . Why is that ? :dunno

[gOzum]

I think it's odd that some peoples belly buttons are outy's while most are iny's . Why is that ?

They've eaten too much.

[Heart Of Stone]

So would PJ have an Outy or an Iny now ?

[gOzum]

Back to an Iny I say.

[Heart Of Stone]

Much thanks ! It's important to know these kinda things . :D

[creecher]

I think, Wetaholic, that it's not really so weird that the LotR line ended, before the Narnia and Kong started selling. I imagine that Sideshow, knowing the LotR license was ending, and when, had a view of securing the employment of their employees, and, having to protect the business, had to find an alternative. They must have instigated a long term plan to replace a huge profitable line with, either another, or several smaller ones. They would have had to work hard, negotiating, legalities, contracts meetings, the usual schmo, laying a good relationship. Having the money to secure Star Wars, Narnia, Kong as well as the several other lines they add to, is not cheap. The timing of when one ends and starts can't always be ideal. This option is forfeit, to doing justice to the partnerships and end product, produced to standards. Small loss. The point being, they were able to, not only cover the hole that ending LotR has caused, but extend their status and longevity, thus solving numerous problems and concerns.

The ability for them to produce the figures, that we are now no longer to likely see, is an unfortunate casualty of, not so much not having the resources, as to perhaps, commiting themselves to not letting a process be short cutted. Huh? I mean they would rather do the right thing with each piece than race them through. Time ran out. Nothing can be done.


I can see how you wouldn't be too fond of supporting a company that might have disrespected you. That isn't professional. Still, as you say, I think we all need to see items in the flesh before making purchases. I once purchased on face value from Sideshow. Some recent disappointments, amongst other things, have caused me to review my patterns. I am hoping the energies that Sideshow are now putting into the Star Wars line, understandably, bear fruit, enough so that Sideshow don't over extend themselves, and that they are able to bring all the procedures that worked so well in the past up to par. As long as they stay human driven, than profit driven, they have my support as a collector.

I wonder why people tend to criticise Sideshow moreso than Weta. That's the way it seems to me. They aren't one and the same. Maybe people use the name 'Sideshow', where in many instances, 'Weta' would be the appropriate word.

[Diesel]

And what's that in English?

:mwaha

[creecher]

:mwaha Yeah I know. If I was Bodie, you would know in five words. What can ya do?? :dunno Nothing ya can do. :lol

[Diesel]

no man, not you Rick...

i was just laughing at Dax's comment to the guy he asked to speak Engrish... :ar

[CobbyD]

-----------------------I wonder why people tend to criticise Sideshow moreso than Weta. That's the way it seems to me. They aren't one and the same. Maybe people use the name 'Sideshow', where in many instances, 'Weta' would be the appropriate word. -----------------------

Thats a good point we shouldn't forget that Weta's stock and trade is as a cutting edge movie special effects outfit, the collectables market is a secondary concern for them that largely takes care of itself from existing concept work done for the movies. In such a competitive market hey have to evolve and move on its only natural.

I for one would like to see Sideshow carry on though, they have enough talented artists on the books and why don't they try for a new LOTR license (1/4 scale, diaramas ??) and put out some big one off pieces. Weta studios don't have the monopoly on sculpting lotr rings characters having seen the awesome quality of the GOre groups stuff in the last few months I'd like to see them do a few that Pablo Viggiano has got some serious skills.