Official PREDATOR thread!

[figuremaster_les]

are these worth the $110+?

YES!

Here's the thing...
OK, I have enough figures to be pretty accurate about discussing this with some informative point of view...

These Predators are amazing in that they have an incredible amount of accurate, posable detail. The paints are excellent, totally collector friendly and satisfying even if never tampered with, and the details in sculpting are extraordinary!
The logistics of engineering these toys is almost beyond my understanding.
They do not seem like toys.
I keep finding small areas where there are small Predator writing on the armor bits. And they are painted like real metal. The paints are that good!

Then, there are the blades, which though plastic, LOOK LIKE METAL! I even can see things that photos do not capture, like thin gold painted trimlines on segments of armor or guns that I didn't even know were there. Things like that.

Yes, the faces are somewhat, somewhat basic and toylike, but are better than passable, into the realm of REALLY NICE with nice wash details in the mouth and eyes etc. And the dreads are REMARKABLE! But, it's the armor and netting and fine sculpted details that make this series exceptional.

That shoulder gun! I was lucky and got mine at a discount, because several parts were broken off, so I could sit and study them up close better than if I had just been trying to build it in a hurry and all. The gun holder armor segment was loose, so I could study it. The gun mount itself is a study in amazing toy dynamics. It pivots and turns and poses and holds the poses, in very clean and perfect ways. I spent nearly an hour posing the gun closed, and then opening, turning, finding the ways it turned...there must be about ten or more points of articulation, just on that gun. (Note smartguns on the ALIENS figures)

So, if this can't help you realize the folly of waiting to get one of these, then, well, nothing can. These figures are worth all you can muster for them.
Trust me. They are incredible. Landmark even.

Get one!

 

[TOE]

thanks Les. That really assured my pre-order for the Ancient Predator. I had the same question as to its value of $110 but after seeing sooo many pics, I can see that the details are there.

 

[King Darkness]

YES!

Here's the thing...
OK, I have enough figures to be pretty accurate about discussing this with some informative point of view...

These Predators are amazing in that they have an incredible amount of accurate, posable detail. The paints are excellent, totally collector friendly and satisfying even if never tampered with, and the details in sculpting are extraordinary!
The logistics of engineering these toys is almost beyond my understanding.
They do not seem like toys.
I keep finding small areas where there are small Predator writing on the armor bits. And they are painted like real metal. The paints are that good!

Then, there are the blades, which though plastic, LOOK LIKE METAL! I even can see things that photos do not capture, like thin gold painted trimlines on segments of armor or guns that I didn't even know were there. Things like that.

Yes, the faces are somewhat, somewhat basic and toylike, but are better than passable, into the realm of REALLY NICE with nice wash details in the mouth and eyes etc. And the dreads are REMARKABLE! But, it's the armor and netting and fine sculpted details that make this series exceptional.

That shoulder gun! I was lucky and got mine at a discount, because several parts were broken off, so I could sit and study them up close better than if I had just been trying to build it in a hurry and all. The gun holder armor segment was loose, so I could study it. The gun mount itself is a study in amazing toy dynamics. It pivots and turns and poses and holds the poses, in very clean and perfect ways. I spent nearly an hour posing the gun closed, and then opening, turning, finding the ways it turned...there must be about ten or more points of articulation, just on that gun. (Note smartguns on the ALIENS figures)

So, if this can't help you realize the folly of waiting to get one of these, then, well, nothing can. These figures are worth all you can muster for them.
Trust me. They are incredible. Landmark even.

Get one!

Based upon what Les has said, I have come to the conclusion that SS could never do the Origins Kurgan justice. The point to the difficulty in reproducing the armor all the time. Well after these Preds, ED-209, and Robo, Hot Toys would make and AWESOME Origins Kurgan!

 

[dekadentdave]

Based upon what Les has said, I have come to the conclusion that SS could never do the Origins Kurgan justice. The point to the difficulty in reproducing the armor all the time. Well after these Preds, ED-209, and Robo, Hot Toys would make and AWESOME Origins Kurgan!

I kompletely agree with that. Hot Toys could do the Medieval Kurgan as part of their Movie Masterpiece series if they could work out an agreement with the licensing and distribution rights with SS or of SS merges with HT. Still, I am hoping that once SS starts doing more complicated armored figures like Vader, Boba Fett and Stormtroopers for the Star Wars line that it will reinforce their konfidence to produce a detailed Kurgan.

 

[Vader AL]

wait! you have to put stuff together???

 

[dekadentdave]

Yeah but they aren't too difficult. Technically these are model kits from HT but no paint or glue (except for the Elder's quills) required.

 

[TOE]

wait! you have to put stuff together???

yes you do. That is the only draw back. It is a kit.

 

[Vader AL]

do the arms have joints so they can move?

does the stuff have to be glued on or snap on and is it just mask, armor, etc. and stuff like that that has to be assembled?

 

[gdb]

Vader Al,

They're not that hard to put together, but there is a steep learning curve -- and half of the curve is swallowing that you paid so much and still gotta put it together yourself. The body is fully articualted. That is, you snap the forearm into the elbow joint and the joint is fully functional. While the body is truly articualted the armor is movement constricting.

If you've ever gotten furniture from IKEA and had to put it together, these are guys are MUCH easier.

No glue except for attaching the quills on Elder's face. Some people choose to keep him clean shaven and he looks fine that way, too.

Here's some good shots of what assembling needs to be done...

https://board.spawn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273019

 

[gdb]

I fully agree with the sentiments expressed here: the preds are the toyline of the year!
They are cool beyond words.

Here's a couple of pics to celebrate our Pred-ness.:chew

Go Preds Go!

Nice pics, abake!

 

[Vader AL]

more pics:

https://www.mwctoys.com/REVIEW_042406b.htm

 

[gdb]

Speaking of Hot Toys Predators, I never understood why Sideshow has yet to distribute these guys State's side.















Those Aliens are gonna get it!

 

[dekadentdave]

Ah, the Microman AVP figures. Looks good but they would look even better in 1:6 scale.

 

[gdb]

Not Microman, they're the Hot Toys Snap-Kit figures. And yes, they pale compared to their 1:6 brothers. What they really need is the Figuremaster Les treatment.

 

[dekadentdave]

So are the snap kits fully articulate like regular action figures?

 

[gdb]

Yup, fully articulated but like the 1:6 ones their armor is prohibative. Looking back, don't know why I just had them standing around during the photo shoot.

 

[TOE]

i would buy the phasing version anytime.

 

[twistedfreak]

Here's a shot of my Scar... sorry for the quality.

 

[Serpentor]

I got my Scar today. I now have the full current set of 4 Preds and 1 Alein I love these things they are so awsome.

 

[FelMar]

Here's a shot of my Scar... sorry for the quality.

that's a sweet ass pic

looks like he's in motion :chew