Do you think there will be a new 1/6 LOTR figure shown at SDCC?

[foolkiller]

I collect this line and had no interest in the hobbits. Something about them just doesn't do it for me. I would suggest they do a villain or a more armored figure. That might help breathe some life into it.

 

[Kuzeh]

I collect this line and had no interest in the hobbits. Something about them just doesn't do it for me. I would suggest they do a villain or a more armored figure. That might help breathe some life into it.

Really? wow, these are the best figures of the line...

I asked ad ComiCon and they also told me that the line isn't dead, so, I'll just be patient! I mean, how long did it take to get the Griveous bust announced?...I'm sure we'll see something else this year!

 

[MaulFan]

This line is like someone trying to stay afloat out on the ocean in the middle of a hurricane, it has a chance, but a small one unless there's some intervention.

I see three major things going against this line.

1) Current U.S. economic status- people are just having to say no even if they really want to support this line.

2) Pace - far too slow to attract attention, 2 figures a year, give or take, just doesn't instill the sense of building a collection, especially with the sort of numbers the SW line puts up.

3) Increase in properties having figures made- you've got Hot Toys going nuts with The Dark Knight and Iron Man right now, on top of a few other thriving properties of theirs, you've got Sideshow diving head on into G.I. Joe, already that line's taking off better than the LOTR line.

I like this line and I follow it wherever it goes, but we need GTW to come riding in and shine some light into the dark for us soon.

 

[IrishJedi]

This is what makes you a ******. I already said all of this and said it in a non namedropping way. Yet you need to come in and reiterate what I already said but mention how you talked to several SSC folks. I was standing there with you but didn't feel the need to namedrop. Is it like a disease with you?

Saying you talked to Chris is "namedropping"?



Did you not take your meds this morning?

 

[The Craw]

This line is like someone trying to stay afloat out on the ocean in the middle of a hurricane, it has a chance, but a small one unless there's some intervention.

i believe you mean that SS's LOTR line stands on the edge of a knife. stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all.

 

[pixletwin]

Oh brother!

 

[The Ween]

And Frodo and Sam are STILL available.

I definitely think this line is finished.

As you guys say, SS will probably complete the Fellowship in small editions and with the remaining figures selling far apart. Could easily be another year before you have the entire Fellowship completed.

Gone are hopes of Saruman...Wormtongue... GOTHMOG.... Ringwraithes... Orcs, or anyone to fight... etc...

Merry and Pippin will be next, to use the left over Frodo and Sam bodies. Joking, but I'll bet they're next, although this time maybe separated.

Gimli will be last. Same "Hobbit" body. Just raised boots or something. I don't expect SS to make any extra effort with this line now.

Just finish it.



NOTE TO CUSTOMIZERS: This would be a good time to offer some companion pieces for the guys here.

This is true, but it's only the exclusives that are still available on second chance and like some said here, they don't want the Hobbits. I'm sure there are people who would just want an Orc or Lurtz because they collect horror or "bad guys". Look at the poll that's on the homepage. LOTR came in 3rd. IMO, SS would be foolish to give up on this line so soon, especially with "The Hobbit" due out probably in 2010.

 

[The Ween]

If Sideshow does not finish the Fellowship I just might give up on collecting all together.

I have very limited space and can collect only a few lines. The three that I am into the most are

12 inch Fellowship from Sideshow
Animated Pirates from GG
and James Bond PFs from Sidehsow

Sideshow has seemed to forgotten about Bond long ago.
GG is giving up on Pirates

and now it seems that there might be a possibility of not even getting a complete Fellowship set.

I got into Sideshow because of the Lord of the Rings figures and now I'm into other things as well. If they stop the LOTR line now, then I'll probably quit SS too because I'll be afraid of being heartbroken again.

 

[The Mike]

The LOTR line and the Hobbit line are not interconnected, to think that is a fallacy. They could easily cancel the 1/6 LOTR line and hold on to the licensing until the Hobbit to make 1/6 figures that way in all reality without much issue. I think the license itself will continue in PF form but I think the days of the 1/6 figure are seriously limited. Despite what anybody says to you in email or in person the bottom line is that SSC is a company and if it isn't cost effective to continue producing figures then they won't even if they just told you a week ago that the line will continue, numbers changes often in big business. The cost of R&D and the time it took to finalize a figure is why the offerings were slow to begin with.

 

[The Ween]

On this occasion I appreciate the inclusion of the names. It makes it seem more solid and less like a depressed delusion that the line is going on ... *sob*... HIATUS... *sob*

But hey, we have one fabulous Faramir to go with the Fellowship.

Hey now! Don't be dissin' on my Faramir! He was my first!

 

[The Ween]

The LOTR line and the Hobbit line are not interconnected, to think that is a fallacy. They could easily cancel the 1/6 LOTR line and hold on to the licensing until the Hobbit to make 1/6 figures that way in all reality without much issue. I think the license itself will continue in PF form but I think the days of the 1/6 figure are seriously limited. Despite what anybody says to you in email or in person the bottom line is that SSC is a company and if it isn't cost effective to continue producing figures then they won't even if they just told you a week ago that the line will continue, numbers changes often in big business. The cost of R&D and the time it took to finalize a figure is why the offerings were slow to begin with.

I totally understand that they aren't interchangeable, but I think the interest in LOTR will steadily rise the closer to "The Hobbit" we get. As a lifelong Star Trek collector, I've seen it happen before.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part to think SS won't give up so soon.

 

[The Ween]

Don't blame SS. This is completely on the people. They had people crying for Hobbits since the line was announced. They pre-sold a ton and then had a huge cancellation rate (even after people saw that these looked great in hand). This is on the collectors for not coming through with orders. Why should SS lose even more money on this line when their clearly isn't that much of a desire for it?

Do they know why people were cancelling their Hobbit orders? I've never cancelled anything so I have no idea if they ask you the reason behind it.

 

[RoboDad]

They don't ask. All we know is that both figures initially sold out, but then there were enough cancellations that they both came back as second chance opportunities, where they still remain today. We don't know exactly how many canceled, or why.

As for how many are actually left right now, I don't know what the definition of "TONS" is , but it would be nice if Sideshow would start using the low quantity alert on in-stock items. That might even spur some sales. The exclusive Hobbit figures have been listed in the newsletter for over a month as having fewer than 200 pieces each remaining. Considering that each had an ES of 1500, that doesn't exactly sound like tons to me, but without more information, who can say?

One thing we can glean from this, though, is that they haven't been able to move those few pieces in well over a month's time, and that can't be good news for the line.

 

[Deeznutz6]

Maybe because people see the need to buy them both togther, and giving the current economic state people didnt want to speand 150$ on hobitts???
So they iniatally bought and then cancelled.

 

[El Skutto]

I think the line is also a victim of bad timing. The hobbits were put up for pre-order a loooong time ago (before Xmas, if I'm not mistaken), but the figures didn't start shipping until 6 weeks or so ago. I know I came very close to cancelling my order as well, simply because it seemed like all my Sideshow orders were being processed at the same freakin' time, in addition to the other stuff I collect.

There were the two hobbits, the Dead babysitter, the two Shaun of the Dead figures, the Mattel Speedway of the South set, new PFs, etc... I think Sideshow would be wise to start spreading out their releases, kinda like how movie companies try to have their opening weekend where they're not directly competing with other potential "blockbusters". Why force consumers to choose?

I ended up picking up everything I ordered, but my diet consisted primarily of ramen noodles and mac n' cheese for well over a month. I don't ever want to have to do that again.

 

[creature4000]

They should only make as many as they made for exclusive Aragon!!

 

[ProgMatinee]

I don't get it. If this line fails, then really what is keeping SSC afloat? Wasn't LOTR for a long time Sideshow's bread and butter with the shear mass quantity of polystone busts and whatnot they made? Did all the SSW stuff snuff out demand for 12" figures?

If LOTR 12" figures were overpriced and the current economics spelled doom for the line, how in hell are they getting away with overpriced simplistic characters like Rebel Fleet Trooper and Aayla Secura? How are they getting away with $120 Snake Eyes or $80 Belloqs?

Really seems counter intuitive unless we simply say that LOTR has a following barely bigger than Whedon and Highlander.

I really don't believe that. If SSC can't make a license like LOTR profitable enough to do more than 7 figures then I think theres a problem with SSC.

I think SSC is trying to maximize profit too much by focusing on characters they can charge a lot for instead of making going deep into lines and maybe lowering their expectations on certain figures.

Thats why you see SSC getting so many new licences that only require 1 or 2 characters. Shaun of the Dead, Conan, The Fly, Species, 300, etc.

They're going to "hit and run" on as many license that they can. Do the characters they can make big margins on and forget the ones that they need to sell cheaper to interest people with. It really like the music industry now. All companies want is the one big star that will get the 50% returns and be damn with the little guys that only get us 8%.

I frankly wonder how far and deep both the Indy and GI Joe lines will go.

 

[IrishJedi]

I don't get it. If this line fails, then really what is keeping SSC afloat?

Star Wars and Marvel.

 

[Cocoboloboy]

Star Wars and Marvel.

Never heard of them.

 

[ProgMatinee]

Star Wars and Marvel.

With SW we're already seeing SSC establish the dicotomy of that line.

Sure they're going to release the superstars of the line, but any side character like Aayla, Rebel Fleet Trooper, and Ki Adi you're going to overpay.

Really RFT is a $50 figure at best even in 2008 prices (probably $30 in 2004 prices).

IMO thats what happened with Frodo and Sam. SSC priced them way too high and ended up cutting the demand out from under them.

At $50 each Frodo and Sam would be hits.