Indeed, I get people taking issue with it existing, but, it's a feature, and probably why Sideshow didn't worry about it, that you'll never notice on display. For me it's a hinder to my photography, but on display Sideshow maul looks incredible.
I'm not hating on the HT or choosing sides or trying to justify getting the Sideshow version, but I genuinely, so far, don't see anything about this figure that really blows Sideshow's away, and i would have expected it to make me instantly regret not holding off, as much as I love the Sideshow and was so glad I was able to get one, there are areas I foresaw an HT version improving upon and the con display, or at least photos so far from it, are not convincing me of that.
The areas for HT to improve on would be:
- Skin texture on the head.
- Lack of seam on the head.
- Including more accessories (cloak, single blade saber, probe droid wrist control)
- More accurate costume.
One thing I see being a bit polarizing is light up saber feature, because I see them either doing it with the double saber and people being upset with where and how the hand is positioned and it limiting pose options, or not including it and people being mad they didn't.
I think best bet is non-lit double saber, with a lit single blade, damaged saber.
What's crazy is there is a very good chance this comes in around $230 like Jedi Luke, a regular version without bike that is, same cost as Sideshow and it'll come with more in the package.
