SSC Zartan 12-Inch Figure

[devilof76]

I think it will be stuff like ever better detail on the everything about the figures from paint, sculpts, bodies, accessories, etc that will do this with GI Joe. As long as they continue to improve paying more won't drive me nuts.

I'm content with the level of quality that we're at. I don't want improvements if it means paying that much. It just doesn't mean that much to me, given how good the figures are now.

The only real improvement we need is to get rid of the damn ratchet knees. That shouldn't cost $200.

 

[Skiman]

I'm content with the level of quality that we're at. I don't want improvements if it means paying that much. It just doesn't mean that much to me, given how good the figures are now.

The only real improvement we need is to get rid of the damn ratchet knees. That shouldn't cost $200.

Kato and Rainman to the rescue FTW!!!!!

 

[ProgMatinee]

1/6th used to be the line that people with disposable income can ammass a quality and quantity collection.

The quality has gone up that last few years, but if you're still making near the same salary you were making 2 years ago you can't go the quantity route anymore.

IMO 12" collecting was more interesting when I could afford 2 pretty decent quality figures a month and within 3 months have a huge display filled out. Now I have to get 1 figure every 2 months or so.

SSC should leave that business model for HT. Sure they would always lose the quality comparison, but who cares? Let HT do 2 figures from every movie and move on, SSC could do 10-100 depending on the license. Oh well, that train gone and left the station.

 

[The Josh]

much, much better.....I only started collecting in 09 and I look at some of the older stuff and say "people actually bought that crap".....but at that time it was pretty good....now some of the stuff that is coming out in 1/6 is just simply mind blowing.

Yeah, things have gotten much better since I started collecting. So yeah some of the things I had several years ago compared to now to look not as good but you have to judge them by the time they came out too. You're correct some of the 1:6 stuff now is as life like as anything in larger scale.

I'm content with the level of quality that we're at. I don't want improvements if it means paying that much. It just doesn't mean that much to me, given how good the figures are now.

The only real improvement we need is to get rid of the damn ratchet knees. That shouldn't cost $200.

Thats the thing. You're not gonna get improvements unless you pay a bit more and to be honest most people aren't gonna want just the same old sam old. They will want improvements so in the end everyone is gonna pay more anyways.

 

[The Josh]

SSC should leave that business model for HT. Sure they would always lose the quality comparison, but who cares? Let HT do 2 figures from every movie and move on, SSC could do 10-100 depending on the license. Oh well, that train gone and left the station.

I don't see SS just doing a couple figs and moving on with really most lines they have. So let them keep getting better and lets keep going with how the figures were looking at comic-con. If that means a few bucks more than I was paying nearly a decade ago thats fine I want the coolest figures I can get for my $$$. If that means a couple less a year then that means a couple less a year that I order.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

I don't think the Joe figures will hit $200.

But I believe the high prices for figures will hit a wall with all that we are seeing at SDCC and then some.

Pfft, I remember when Luke came out in March of 2006, $49.99 was a steal at the time. I remember blowing off the HT Colonial Marines (no one is going to pay $80 for a doll) and now they're a bargain! They'll hit 2 hundee within the next year. SSC gotta eat.

IG-88's $175, for a dumb robot with a couple guns and a light-up head. Zartan's pushing the envelope at $160 which puts him over $175 with CA tax. I'm betting Boba will be close to that with that dumb carbon freeze chamber light-up stand they want to include which should be the Ex instead of the normal stand. By next SDCC, they'll easily be at or over $200.

"Dumb robot". He's a little more than that, I'd gladly ditch the light up feature to bring the cost down.

You think people will pay for a $200 Roadblock? I don't. Regulars hitting the pricepoint will be the death of this line.

I agree.

I'm content with the level of quality that we're at. I don't want improvements if it means paying that much. It just doesn't mean that much to me, given how good the figures are now.

The only real improvement we need is to get rid of the damn ratchet knees. That shouldn't cost $200.

Besides the Flint mis-step I think we've gotten the best of what's out there. But when you look at the competition (Soldier Story sans the peanut heads) the JOES could still up the QA, Soldier Story figures are significantly cheaper and come with way more ____.

Kato and Rainman to the rescue FTW!!!!!

1/6th used to be the line that people with disposable income can ammass a quality and quantity collection.

The quality has gone up that last few years, but if you're still making near the same salary you were making 2 years ago you can't go the quantity route anymore.

IMO 12" collecting was more interesting when I could afford 2 pretty decent quality figures a month and within 3 months have a huge display filled out. Now I have to get 1 figure every 2 months or so.

SSC should leave that business model for HT. Sure they would always lose the quality comparison, but who cares? Let HT do 2 figures from every movie and move on, SSC could do 10-100 depending on the license. Oh well, that train gone and left the station.

 

[karamazov80]

Besides the Flint mis-step I think we've gotten the best of what's out there.

So in your mind Flint's hairline issue is worse than Dusty's face paint?

 

[thenammagazine]

Thats the thing. You're not gonna get improvements unless you pay a bit more and to be honest most people aren't gonna want just the same old sam old. They will want improvements so in the end everyone is gonna pay more anyways.

The Joes will be a hard sell, even for us, at or past $200. Sideshow might very well price themselves out of the market. HT's damn near there already.

"Dumb robot". He's a little more than that, I'd gladly ditch the light up feature to bring the cost down.

Would you have preferred "non-working prop that sucked so bad they had to lean it up against the wall to get the shot?"

So in your mind Flint's hairline issue is worse than Dusty's face paint?

Depends on the Dusty head. Dorkness' or EF's, yes. Mine doesn't look half that bad, making Flint's stippled hairline much, much worse.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I don't see SS just doing a couple figs and moving on with really most lines they have. So let them keep getting better and lets keep going with how the figures were looking at comic-con. If that means a few bucks more than I was paying nearly a decade ago thats fine I want the coolest figures I can get for my $$$. If that means a couple less a year then that means a couple less a year that I order.

Its all preference.
Myself, I'd rather have 24 "B" figures a year than 6 "A+" figures.
The latter one won out in the end, because SSC changed their business model in regards to 12" figures because they didn't like their product being compared unfavorably to HT. So they had to raise prices to compete in that regard. The result of that was that edition sizes got cut by a ton(this isn't a criticism, just an observation based on production numbers, btw).

Now prices are pretty high and still going higher, but SSC already cut their edition sizes down, so they don't want to cut out any more customers. And some customers cannot continue to collect $200 figures once a month like they were when figures were $100. So now the latest news out of SSC is that they will be slowing down production.

Recap:
Past-24 figures a year $50-70 each
Present-12 figures a year $100-120 each
Future-6 figures a year at $170-200 each

SSC is still bringing in a lot of money, but their output in terms of #s is going way down. This mirrors HT's business model.

Again, thats not a criticism in and of itself. Just personally, I like the old model better because for my wallet and collecting habit a mix of quality and quantity was more important than uberquality with no quantity.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

So in your mind Flint's hairline issue is worse than Dusty's face paint?

Yes.

Yes I am. I tried polishing this turd of a head. Plus his webgear was ass.

The Joes will be a hard sell, even for us, at or past $200. Sideshow might very well price themselves out of the market. HT's damn near there already.



Would you have preferred "non-working prop that sucked so bad they had to lean it up against the wall to get the shot?"



Depends on the Dusty head. Dorkness' or EF's, yes. Mine doesn't look half that bad, making Flint's stippled hairline much, much worse.

Yes I would be fine with that. My IG-88 doesn't do action poses.

Its all preference.
Myself, I'd rather have 24 "B" figures a year than 6 "A+" figures.
The latter one won out in the end, because SSC changed their business model in regards to 12" figures because they didn't like their product being compared unfavorably to HT. So they had to raise prices to compete in that regard. The result of that was that edition sizes got cut by a ton(this isn't a criticism, just an observation based on production numbers, btw).

Now prices are pretty high and still going higher, but SSC already cut their edition sizes down, so they don't want to cut out any more customers. And some customers cannot continue to collect $200 figures once a month like they were when figures were $100. So now the latest news out of SSC is that they will be slowing down production.

Recap:
Past-24 figures a year $50-70 each
Present-12 figures a year $100-120 each
Future-6 figures a year at $170-200 each

SSC is still bringing in a lot of money, but their output in terms of #s is going way down. This mirrors HT's business model.

Again, thats not a criticism in and of itself. Just personally, I like the old model better because for my wallet and collecting habit a mix of quality and quantity was more important than uberquality with no quantity.

I'll take more B+ figures.

 

[The Craw]

quit ragging on Flint. i love that figure. who cares about the hair. leave the damnned beret on.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

quit ragging on Flint. i love that figure. who cares about the hair. leave the damnned beret on.

What can I say, Flint is the go-to-beeytch when it comes to QA. His paint apps suck balls and his gear was substandard. Just my opinion of course. And he didn't come with enough gear to warrant (haw!) the price.

 

[karamazov80]

Yes.

OK. That's cool. Lots of people in this world have bat-____ bizarre opinions such as yours.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Get off of Faireborn's dong for two seconds Sam and you'll know it to be true.

 

[teemu]

FACT-A crappy existing economy and the devaluation of the US Dollar (which causes inflation) is also a reason why the cost of our 12" figures are going up in price!

 

[karamazov80]

Honestly, I think Flint's hairline is a major flaw, but like Craw says--he's gonna be wearing the beret anyway. Dusty's face paint is much worse because his face is supposed to show. Maybe Nam is right and some look alright, but based on what I've seen in pics and in hand (I've had two), he just isn't worthy of being put on a display with the other Joes.

Flint's webgear was a bit of a pain, but once I got it in place there were no issues for me.

 

[The Josh]

The Joes will be a hard sell, even for us, at or past $200. Sideshow might very well price themselves out of the market. HT's damn near there already.

I don't know. I'm pretty sure for every person that backs out there is probably a person to replace them. People are going to buy what they want to buy no matter the price.

Its all preference.
Myself, I'd rather have 24 "B" figures a year than 6 "A+" figures.
The latter one won out in the end, because SSC changed their business model in regards to 12" figures because they didn't like their product being compared unfavorably to HT. So they had to raise prices to compete in that regard. The result of that was that edition sizes got cut by a ton(this isn't a criticism, just an observation based on production numbers, btw).

You're right its a preference. I'd rather have A+ figures than settle for less. Thats just me though. They're trying to match HT and are on the right track as far as quality based on talking with them at Comic-Con along with what I saw. ES getting cut isn't a bad thing for m

Now prices are pretty high and still going higher, but SSC already cut their edition sizes down, so they don't want to cut out any more customers. And some customers cannot continue to collect $200 figures once a month like they were when figures were $100. So now the latest news out of SSC is that they will be slowing down production.

As I said the ES being cut some isn't the worst thing in the world for collecting to be honest. Now, in regards to them slowing down a bit thats not a bad thing either. They realize those that collect Joes may collect other items. They want their customers to buy as much from them as they can. 4 Joes a year allow them someone like me to get items from other lines that I like. All while not being totally tapped out. No problems here with allowing me to be able to dabble in other areas I like. Plus in the end if I had to start picking lines that I would give up the Joe line would not be the last one.

Again, thats not a criticism in and of itself. Just personally, I like the old model better because for my wallet and collecting habit a mix of quality and quantity was more important than uberquality with no quantity.

Like I said I'd rather them slow down and figures get better plus allowing me to get items from other lines than slam me with a bunch of figures that could be even better by slowing down.

 

[The Josh]

Honestly, I think Flint's hairline is a major flaw, but like Craw says--he's gonna be wearing the beret anyway. Dusty's face paint is much worse because his face is supposed to show. Maybe Nam is right and some look alright, but based on what I've seen in pics and in hand (I've had two), he just isn't worthy of being put on a display with the other Joes.

Flint's webgear was a bit of a pain, but once I got it in place there were no issues for me.

Flints hairline was a total downer. Thankfully it can be hidden so the rest of the figure kicks ass IMO and yes Dusty's face for some was really bad and a shame since the figure is pretty cool. Some of them though came out pretty slick I got lucky and got one of those but with some that I saw I would have been really bummed.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

FACT-A crappy existing economy and the devaluation of the US Dollar (which causes inflation) is also a reason why the cost of our 12" figures are going up in price!

FACT- Teemu is actually Alex P. Keaton.

Flints hairline was a total downer. Thankfully it can be hidden so the rest of the figure kicks ass IMO and yes Dusty's face for some was really bad and a shame since the figure is pretty cool. Some of them though came out pretty slick I got lucky and got one of those but with some that I saw I would have been really bummed.

Defend your likeness rights Rusty! Dusty>Flint. And to Sam your point on the webgear, it just felt like cheap ____. SSC is better than that.

 

[karamazov80]

Frankly, Sideshow's web gear feels pretty cheap in general to me

I don't like having to customize official figures at all, but I was compelled to seek out some help with Dusty. The one silver lining there is that the custom I get back is gonna blow the doors off of anything Sideshow probably could have produced even if he got one of their better factory paint jobs, so. . .maybe those Chicken Soup for the Soul readers are right, and things really do happen for a reason