Each time I see these DAM series U2, SR, etc I just wish they would do an Apollo set or a Mercury/Gemini figure.
These are just such cool figures. Tempted to snag one on the aftermarket.
DAMToys ELITE SERIES:1/6 U-2 DRAGON LADY PILOT (NO.78030)
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These are just such cool figures. Tempted to snag one on the aftermarket.
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VTS (aka DAM) have resurrected this suit with some modifications for their Top Gun: Maverick Darkstar figure:
https://www.collectorfreaks.com/thr...p-gun-maverick-darkstar-pressure-suit.249227/
I did not know DAM -> VTS until you shared that (new to all this!). I haven’t seen the new movie yet, but dang does it look cool.
Would love the Space Cowboys one, though I need to rewatch that movie too.
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I saved the following years ago when I was trying to unravel the complicated connections between the companies:
In August 2011 VTS renamed their military figures as DAM - they did this mid-production of a
certain figure which caused a fair bit of confusion.
In November 2012 Crazy Dummy merged with DAM to become DAMTOYS.
It was believed that DAM was also the same company as ACE, and VTS was the same company as
Toys City.
So, it would seem that VTS is the head of a family containing ACE, Toys City, Crazy Dummy and
DAMTOYS.
ZIPCOOLO 08-18-2011 said:
https://www.onesixthwarriors.com/fo...cussion-/626195-vts-renamed-dam-dam-body.html
Dragonclaws said:
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It’s funny reading that. In retrospect, of course.
I can understand someone being a bit wary of a name change mid-production, but in my mind, Dam is one of the highest quality manufacturers out there.
I’ve only been collecting since 2012, so that one happened before my time in the hobby, but I’d list Dam right up there with HT in terms of consistency of product, incredible clothing tailoring, and paintwork on their heads.
I particularly like the fact they seem to have taken over the HT mantle of bootleg celebrity heads(In relation to the fact HT used to package the TTM bodies with passable celeb heads, and DAM now does similar with its military figures).
But thanks for posting that. I had no idea they were all bundled together. Although, with the same quality of the headsculpts, I did wonder.
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From the wording of the announcement it always sounded to me that it was just VTS rebranding part of their company, and putting military under the DAM name. The wording was simply "officially renamed as DAM", rather than the act of handing them over to a third party.
They must've kept DAM as a separate financial entity, since a year later that entity had merged with Crazy Dummy to become DAM TOYS.
The upshot was that they had two companies. One (VTS) could continue releasing unlicensed figures, and the other (DAM TOYS) could eventually look for licenses.
It's funny that Sideshow, who were so obsessed with removing bootlegs from this site a few years back, actually stock DAM TOYS. But then Howard Chan's Hot Toys also started as a bootlegger, though managed to go straight without creating a new company name.
I was just about to post something similar. Of all of those acquired companies, DAM Toys is the leader in terms of quality and detailing, by quite a significant margin.
I've always thought of DAM Toys as one of the better quality companies, included with "Soldier Story" and "DiD", as far as military styled figures go.
And I would even put these three in the same category as Hot Toys. DAM is comparable to Hot Toys in head sculpt work, while I would place Soldier Story and DiD just a notch under.
Yeah.
I mainly put together my own customs and, as a result, predominantly buy heads(and other parts of course, but heads are the most important), and id say that DAM is right on par with HT in terms of sculpting AND paintwork. It used to be that HT was the leader by quite a margin, but DAM have steadily closed the gap.
There's the occasional HT head i have a dozen of, and across that dozen, you can see varying differences in the paint quality. And if anything, i reckon HT is still pushing quality ever upwards, even though the occasional head leave a bit to be desired.
DAM is just constantly nipping at their heels, though.
And i agree that Soldier Story and DiD are just slightly below them. But not by much.
Of course. It's funny seeing the distinctions made between "used to make bootlegs" and "totally legit now" amongst the leaders in the industry.
I still wouldn't be surprised to learn that HT or DAM were behind some of the recent "amazing quality" unlicensed products we have seen in the last year or two.
But, that's just how high the bar is being raised. And it's raising standards across the whole hobby.
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