Time for an answer?

[DaveMac]

Below is the question put to Sideshow regarding the Fellowship in PF form which I feel has yet to be addressed. Polls were set up and people responded and yet we have not had any feedback from SSC. For those who voted for a completed Fellowship in PF form I would ask that (like me), you ask Sideshow for a solid response, otherwise we could end up in the LSB position as the last line of the response hints at.

I still have a fools hope that Sam, Merry and Pippin will get the PF treatment. 1/6 Fellowship is already available so saying we will get them again (different poses, clothes etc) in 1/6 isn't the same as a high end PF

C'mon SS, we wants Hobbits!!!

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Excellent news on the Ringwraith Premium format figure and now a possible Gandalf the Grey PF??? With money getting tight for a lot of people and collecting having to take a bit of a back seat to other less important things like bills, mortgage, food etc, could Sideshow PLEASE confirm one way or another if the Fellowship is to be completed in the PF line for LOTR? If not, who is least likely to make the cut and why? A detailed answer may help to answer more questions than it will undoubtedly generate (I hope!).

Please ask the majority of your fellow collectors if they would truly be interested in owning Premium Format figures of Samwise, Merry and Pippin. If the answer is yes, then you’re likely to see the full Fellowship represented in due time. Unfortunately, the hobbits, for whatever reason, do not seem to have the same appeal as other characters in collectible form, although we too wish it were otherwise. Similar to our approach with Marvel, characters of less popularity need to be mixed with more popular characters to best balance the line. So, if the line is able to continue long enough, all things are possible!

 

[Trustey]

My suggestion:

-Sam and Gollum/Smeagol 2 pack

-Merry and Pippin 2 pack.

Frodo wasn't that popular I have no idea why, I love it...
But if it were 2 pf's for the price of a regular sized one 270-330 ish I think the value alone would draw buyers. There probably arent many people who would buy them each alone for 250, thats what Frodo cost. And having only one would be criminal. LIKE MY LEGOLAS W/O GiMLI hinthint.

Sam and Smeagol I think could pull their own weight for 225/250, but man how fun would that be to get the two of them together? It would be an awesome day to come home from work and open that box

Anyway thats a total fantasy so I'll just answer plainly...

Samwise: HELL YEAH I'D BUY
Gollum: HELL YEAH I'D BUY
Merry: If its done as well or better than Frodo
Pippin:If its done as well or better than Frodo

 

[Darklord Dave]

It doesn't make sense for them to answer this question. If they say yes, definitely and they release Sam and no one buys, why should they do Pippin and Merry?

It ain't gonna happen til it happens.

 

[tomandshell]

When they started the 12" line, I decided to wait until all nine members of the Fellowship were announced and then go back and pick them all up. I made the same decision about the new maquette line. I don't want an incomplete Fellowship.

However, I just love the PF line too much to ignore it. It would be a dream come true to get all nine in 1:4 scale, but I don't think it will ever happen. I also don't collect the villains, but they take up their spots in the line and slow down the hero progress. The best I can hope for would be Gimli in 2011 and Boromir in 2012. The last three in 2013 and beyond? That's so far out that I can't even wrap my brain around the idea. I certainly dont blame Sideshow for not promising characters that wouldn't appear until five years from now.

That being said, I would still be happy to get one Fellowship member a year until the group is complete. I just won't buy any other characters, and that's the problem--today's pieces need to sell in order for tomorrow's pieces to get the green light. Look how my strategy worked out for the 12" line...

 

[DaveMac]

It doesn't make sense for them to answer this question. If they say yes, definitely and they release Sam and no one buys, why should they do Pippin and Merry?

It ain't gonna happen til it happens.

Then why ask if people are interested as production may genuinely be influenced by this?

But yeah. From a strictly bussiness perspective it may be a gamble (if edt size is high), but from a 'providing the collecting community' perspective it would be a great response if they acknowledged there is a demand

 

[creature4000]

It'll never happen. I wish I folled Toms advice! But falling short on the LOTR 12" line had woke me up to Sideshows short comings.

I will no fall into their trap again! (except for the DEAD... i just love zombies)

 

[Seaward]

I would prefer that they just take a gamble on Sam, and see what the interest is. Frodo did sell out eventually, and I know a lot of people weren't thrilled with the sculpt or paint applications. I actually love my Frodo PF, and I think the sculpt really nails it, and my only quibble is the lack of detail in the mouth, as it looks more like a pucker and less like a gasp. Frodo shouldn't appear heroic, he should be scared, especially at the scene that was captured. Sam's PF on the other hand could look more heroic, ready to take on Shelob, while Merry and Pippin would be great as a two-pack that illustrates their comedic elements (smoking long-bottom leaf, stealing fireworks, or the like.)

I think the Hobbits would sell well, provided they create the best interpretation of the characters. The SSW Merry statue was great with Farmer Maggot's crops, but Pippin missed the mark by miles, and I don't know many people who were proud to have Pippin on their shelves.

I hope that Sam joins Frodo in the PF line, and if the interest is sufficient, Merry and Pippin follow as a two pack...Heck Yoda is too small as a SW PF, so he came glued to a clonetrooper.

 

[woodsy]

I would prefer that they just take a gamble on Sam, and see what the interest is. Frodo did sell out eventually, and I know a lot of people weren't thrilled with the sculpt or paint applications. I actually love my Frodo PF, and I think the sculpt really nails it, and my only quibble is the lack of detail in the mouth, as it looks more like a pucker and less like a gasp. Frodo shouldn't appear heroic, he should be scared, especially at the scene that was captured. Sam's PF on the other hand could look more heroic, ready to take on Shelob, while Merry and Pippin would be great as a two-pack that illustrates their comedic elements (smoking long-bottom leaf, stealing fireworks, or the like.)

I think the Hobbits would sell well, provided they create the best interpretation of the characters. The SSW Merry statue was great with Farmer Maggot's crops, but Pippin missed the mark by miles, and I don't know many people who were proud to have Pippin on their shelves.

I hope that Sam joins Frodo in the PF line, and if the interest is sufficient, Merry and Pippin follow as a two pack...Heck Yoda is too small as a SW PF, so he came glued to a clonetrooper.

Precisely what I think will happen. Sideshow will produce a Sam PF, hopefully sculpted by Trevor so we can all lay to rest any concerns where likeness is concerned. If it is a success that will bode well for an eventual Merry or Pippin PF. If it sits in SS's warehouse for 2+ years like the Frodo PF did, then you can kiss any chance of Merry and Pippin being done goodbye. And SS isn't going to be interested in any one of the "1001 why I didn't buy the Sam PF" excuses that will surely arise. The "I just don't have the money right now", the "What! SS wants us to pay $275 for this when Frodo was only $250...forget get!" or the "I'll wait until SS completes all four hobbits before I buy any" excuses just aren't going to cut it.

Participating in polls, and contacting SS through their "Ask Sideshow" or "Product Suggestion" sections are all good [and I would strongly encourage everyone to do so], but at the end of the day "talk is cheap".....speaking with you wallet, well that's another thing altogether.

 

[Seaward]

I agree that this will be entirely a Vote with your Wallet situation, and no matter the exclusive that another Hobbit PF may come with, I will order directly from Sideshow to show my support for the Hobbits.

I know people prefer villians or the "Action Hero" characters, but I think done correctly, the Hobbits can be just as popular in this line.

 

[The Ween]

I'm trying to get a hold of a Frodo PF. I want all the Hobbitses!

 

[Valarauko]

Something I've puzzled about in the past is whether SS ever checks the secondary market sales of previously released SSW & SS items? If they did, they would see how well the SSW Bilbo Baggins, Meriadoc and Sam & Bill The Pony statues (plus the Bilbo and Merry busts) sell on Ebay.

I don't have the Frodo PF because I wasn't at all happy with the face. That has nothing to do with the popularity of the character or of all hobbits! I think that maybe the place where the little guys are unpopular is at SS.

 

[Fremen]

I have Frodo and love it. I will collect all LOTR PFs. The one I want the most is Boromir though.

 

[Daveyjaro]

I am wondering when we will see the next Fellowship Statue in the Legendary Bust series. Boromir came out last December, now we have Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf. Still need Gimli and the hobbits to complete it. What is up with this?

 

[woodsy]

I am wondering when we will see the next Fellowship Statue in the Legendary Bust series. Boromir came out last December, now we have Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf. Still need Gimli and the hobbits to complete it. What is up with this?

Ummm...how about never. You might want to check out SS's recent LOTR Q&A's, or the last 10+ pages of the Aragorn Maquette thread...that line is on it's way to the morgue.

 

[Daveyjaro]

That sucks big time. The Legendary busts were highly detailed and awesome pieces, Sideshow doesn't like finishing what it starts.

I must tell you I think the diaramas are not impressive, and they invest all of their work on that crap? Sorry, the Sideshow/Weta stuff ruled, and the Legendary Polystone series was an improvement on that. So they kill the best work they have done. * Rant ended *

Thanks for that, I will search for the threads you mentioned.

 

[FrodoEyes]

The SSW Merry statue was great with Farmer Maggot's crops, but Pippin missed the mark by miles, and I don't know many people who were proud to have Pippin on their shelves.

I am!! I don't give a crap what clothes he's wearing, he's still Pippin, and that statue shows how he's progressed into a little soldier! Looks better than the fellowship Pippin Weta sculpted but never released.
I hope with the new maquette line SS do a fellowship Pippin and a Merry in Rohan armour

 

[woodsy]

I am!! I don't give a crap what clothes he's wearing, he's still Pippin, and that statue shows how he's progressed into a little soldier! Looks better than the fellowship Pippin Weta sculpted but never released.
I hope with the new maquette line SS do a fellowship Pippin and a Merry in Rohan armour

It is most fitting using the words "crap" and "Pippin" in the same sentence. The "little soldier" was after all soiling himself on the steps of Minas Tirith.

 

[FrodoEyes]

Yeah but he looks like he's in the middle of the job on the unreleased statue!! Like he's suffering from diarrhea

 

[woodsy]

Yeah but he looks like he's in the middle of the job on the unreleased statue!! Like he's suffering from diarrhea

I think I'd crap myself too if I just woke up 10,000 orcs.....

 

[Bullseye]

It doesn't make sense for them to answer this question. If they say yes, definitely and they release Sam and no one buys, why should they do Pippin and Merry?

It ain't gonna happen til it happens.

They have more or less said that they would complete the fellowship in this new upcoming maquette line. How can they say with certainty on that line but not on the PF