Statue Which Maquettes should be made next?

[guitarmandan]

Wonder what the news after CC will be? Bet it's just the next in the line of maquettes and the initial piece to kick-off the Hobbit line...not getting my hopes up for any pleasant surprises,after all,how dare we demand that SS spend any of their time doing anything OTHER than Marvel,DC or Star Wars??? Doesn't seem to cross their mind that there is a die-hard fanbase for the LOTR movies,who care very deeply about them and should therefore have things to look forward to from SS,like the SW fans do....so unjust it really makes me sick.

Speaking of the first Hobbit piece,I wouldn't at all be surprised if it was a completely random character that nobody had cried out for...like a Yazneg PF or something...then when it's released and met with complete and utter indifference,they can slowly kill that license aswell and screw us fans ONCE AGAIN.

Thanks SS.

I am really starting to hate this company.

 

[The Josh]

If its the next couple of statues and the start of their Hobbit line that would be just fine with me. I expect the first pf to be either be Bilbo or Thorin.

 

[Geb]

Lets all take a step back and look at what the real truth is with this LOTR line from Sideshow. The bottom line is that Sideshow is a company intent on making a profit from their products. Having said that, LOTR has a proven track record to NOT be the best franchise for selling stuff. It's a GOOD license...not a GREAT one. So...Sideshow will churn out a few products for LOTR to satisfy the license and the few fans...but they will churn out TONS of stuff for their bread and butter lines...namely Star Wars and Marvel...and now DC.

I'm a true LOTR fan and it pains me to say it..but I can't fault Sideshow in the least for making every effort to make a profit. If LOTR had a better selling record, I think they would follow suit and produce more product.

Sorry guys...it's the truth...it hurts...it sucks that our beloved LOTR isn't the money making machine that Star Wars is...but we can at least be happy with some fantastic stuff that has been produced to date.

 

[The Josh]

Its not the fastest selling license now but back in the day it was. It still sells well enough but I do agree it doesn't sell as well as say Marvel and SW.

 

[guitarmandan]

Lets all take a step back and look at what the real truth is with this LOTR line from Sideshow. The bottom line is that Sideshow is a company intent on making a profit from their products. Having said that, LOTR has a proven track record to NOT be the best franchise for selling stuff. It's a GOOD license...not a GREAT one. So...Sideshow will churn out a few products for LOTR to satisfy the license and the few fans...but they will churn out TONS of stuff for their bread and butter lines...namely Star Wars and Marvel...and now DC.

I'm a true LOTR fan and it pains me to say it..but I can't fault Sideshow in the least for making every effort to make a profit. If LOTR had a better selling record, I think they would follow suit and produce more product.

Sorry guys...it's the truth...it hurts...it sucks that our beloved LOTR isn't the money making machine that Star Wars is...but we can at least be happy with some fantastic stuff that has been produced to date.

It would help if SS actually PUT OUT THE STUFF THAT THE FANS WANTED

Like,oh I don't know,the Fellowship from the maquette line ACTUALLY IN FELLOWSHIP GARB???? I mean,I wonder how many people dropped that line or didn't pick up Boromir or Frodo and Sam because of their costume choices...it's a stupid/ignorant/selfish buisness decision on their part....yes,they may complete the Fellowship,but if you actually want to display them all as the Fellowship,they won't look "together" because of their clashing costumes.....I bet this turned-off a lot of fans.

One thing that DEFINITELY turned-off a lot of the fans,is SS's lack of commitment to complete the Fellowship in PF form. I know of quite a lot of people who abandoned that line completely because of this..so they've lost sales BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN DECISIONS once again...I mean,if they had done the Fellowship in PF,they would have sold them by the truckload,people have been crying out for them for years...and they wouldn't have had so many people abandon that line,which would mean all future LOTR PF releases would have had a bigger market.

I hear what you're saying Geb don't get me wrong,and while some of it it certainly true,SS THEMSELVES can be blamed for the lack of sales in this line

 

[Geb]

It would help if SS actually PUT OUT THE STUFF THAT THE FANS WANTED

Like,oh I don't know,the Fellowship from the maquette line ACTUALLY IN FELLOWSHIP GARB???? I mean,I wonder how many people dropped that line or didn't pick up Boromir or Frodo and Sam because of their costume choices...it's a stupid/ignorant/selfish buisness decision on their part....yes,they may complete the Fellowship,but if you actually want to display them all as the Fellowship,they won't look "together" because of their clashing costumes.....I bet this turned-off a lot of fans.

One thing that DEFINITELY turned-off a lot of the fans,is SS's lack of commitment to complete the Fellowship in PF form. I know of quite a lot of people who abandoned that line completely because of this..so they've lost sales BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN DECISIONS once again...I mean,if they had done the Fellowship in PF,they would have sold them by the truckload,people have been crying out for them for years...and they wouldn't have had so many people abandon that line,which would mean all future LOTR PF releases would have had a bigger market.

I hear what you're saying Geb don't get me wrong,and while some of it it certainly true,SS THEMSELVES can be blamed for the lack of sales in this line

I tend to agree on the front that Sideshow or even back with Sideshow/WETA, they should have done the COMPLETE fellowship in some form or another. Weta recently released a completed set of all 9 characters (last set of 3/4 is on pre-order). So...for $600 you can have your fellowship.

The most shocking thing to me over the past 12 years is that NO ONE ever released a DEFINITIVE Fellowship set...statue, maquette, PF, diorama....NOTHING.

I also agree somewhat that character choice and definitely costuming choice shied ME away from some items. Sideshow did not seem to listen to fan clammering for different pieces...they always tended to lean toward their artistic side for choices rather than the fans.

All I can say now...OH WELL...it was a good ride.

Prediction: Post SDCC announcement will be Merry and Pippin in maquette form to 'complete' Sideshow's version of the 'fellowship'. After that...I'm guessing a Hobbit announcement and nothing more.

 

[cstojano]

It would help if SS actually PUT OUT THE STUFF THAT THE FANS WANTED

Like,oh I don't know,the Fellowship from the maquette line ACTUALLY IN FELLOWSHIP GARB???? I mean,I wonder how many people dropped that line or didn't pick up Boromir or Frodo and Sam because of their costume choices...it's a stupid/ignorant/selfish buisness decision on their part....yes,they may complete the Fellowship,but if you actually want to display them all as the Fellowship,they won't look "together" because of their clashing costumes.....I bet this turned-off a lot of fans.

One thing that DEFINITELY turned-off a lot of the fans,is SS's lack of commitment to complete the Fellowship in PF form. I know of quite a lot of people who abandoned that line completely because of this..so they've lost sales BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN DECISIONS once again...I mean,if they had done the Fellowship in PF,they would have sold them by the truckload,people have been crying out for them for years...and they wouldn't have had so many people abandon that line,which would mean all future LOTR PF releases would have had a bigger market.

I hear what you're saying Geb don't get me wrong,and while some of it it certainly true,SS THEMSELVES can be blamed for the lack of sales in this line

This is me. I grudgingly bought Boromir, but when Frodo and Sam was released I checked out. Now have sold Boromir and the wraith, the latter I found perfectly fine but nothing exciting. I think there are better representations of that character out there. I still have Gimli, would take an Aragorn EX but find Legolas and Arwen passable. I may actually pick up a cheap Weta Legolas whose likeness has never bothered me. It looks grand and majestic - elf like - not the mess the maquette represents. if they do a decent Merry and Pippin I would might buy that as well.

Also to me it makes no logical sense to have a "fellowship" set up that combines timelines. Boromir wasn't part of the Fellowship in the manner they depicted him, for example, and neither were Frodo and Sam. Something resonates about the nine during the FOTR and it all goes to hell for sure but I think that is the definitive look of each character.

 

[guitarmandan]

Also to me it makes no logical sense to have a "fellowship" set up that combines timelines. Boromir wasn't part of the Fellowship in the manner they depicted him, for example, and neither were Frodo and Sam. Something resonates about the nine during the FOTR and it all goes to hell for sure but I think that is the definitive look of each character.

Could not of put it better myself,cstojano!!

I really hope someone from SS reads this thread.

 

[The Josh]

Them not being in their "Fellowship of the Ring" outfits has never bothered me. I'm pretty sure I've repeated this a lot over the years but the outfits DID NOT make them the Fellowship. It was their actions that made them them The Fellowship, and even after they all went through their various adventures after the death of Boromir they still acted as The Fellowship. Gandalf even says it at the end of Return of the King with "Here at the edge of the Sea comes the end of our Fellowship." So for me at least and other it's not the outfits but what they did that makes them The Fellowship.

 

[Adolfo]

Them not being in their "Fellowship of the Ring" outfits has never bothered me. I'm pretty sure I've repeated this a lot over the years but the outfits DID NOT make them the Fellowship. It was their actions that made them them The Fellowship, and even after they all went through their various adventures after the death of Boromir they still acted as The Fellowship. Gandalf even says it at the end of Return of the King with "Here at the edge of the Sea comes the end of our Fellowship." So for me at least and other it's not the outfits but what they did that makes them The Fellowship.

That's like saying the Beatles are the Beatles even after the break up. So if there were 4 statues showing them in the 80's or in their non Beatles garb it would still be considered the Beatles?
It ain't the same and I'm 100% sure that the vast majority on this forum or anybody would rather have the Fellowship in FOTR garb... Fact! Which also means you don't think like most of the normal LOTR collectors of the world and basically love every single LOTR piece that comes out and make excuses for em. Just from a business standpoint SS could have done better. From an artistic standpoint they did ok with being a little different but think that most fans would want it like the previous post arguments stated

 

[Geb]

Yeah...I think I'm siding with Adolfo and guitarmandan on this. If ANYONE mentions The Fellowship...the immediate picture I get is them walking over that cusp in the mountain...music peaking...dead on FOTR garb representing the JOURNEY that they have all chosen to endure.

[ame="https://youtu.be/irr1FaB8nls"]The Fellowship Walking!![/ame]

Sorry Josh...Boromir all high and mighty in Osgiliath is NOT Boromir of the Fellowship...and Frodo and Sam in Orc Armor...is way BEYOND what they ever were when the Fellowship was together.

What I would truly desire...a maquette sized rendition of all nine members (including Bill) as ALWAYS featured in the SILHOUETTE of pretty much EVERY lotr product line out there. Now THAT is the definitive representation of the Fellowship of the Ring.

 

[Adolfo]

Yeah...I think I'm siding with Adolfo and guitarmandan on this. If ANYONE mentions The Fellowship...the immediate picture I get is them walking over that cusp in the mountain...music peaking...dead on FOTR garb representing the JOURNEY that they have all chosen to endure.

The Fellowship Walking!!

Sorry Josh...Boromir all high and mighty in Osgiliath is NOT Boromir of the Fellowship...and Frodo and Sam in Orc Armor...is way BEYOND what they ever were when the Fellowship was together.

What I would truly desire...a maquette sized rendition of all nine members (including Bill) as ALWAYS featured in the SILHOUETTE of pretty much EVERY lotr product line out there. Now THAT is the definitive representation of the Fellowship of the Ring.

Yeah that SS Boromir maquette is what I like to call pre-fellowship look. Weta had 8 and Bill until that Pippin came out

 

[The Josh]

That's like saying the Beatles are the Beatles even after the break up. So if there were 4 statues showing them in the 80's or in their non Beatles garb it would still be considered the Beatles?
It ain't the same and I'm 100% sure that the vast majority on this forum or anybody would rather have the Fellowship in FOTR garb... Fact! Which also means you don't think like most of the normal LOTR collectors of the world and basically love every single LOTR piece that comes out and make excuses for em. Just from a business standpoint SS could have done better. From an artistic standpoint they did ok with being a little different but think that most fans would want it like the previous post arguments stated

The Beatles comparison is a awful choice but you're more than welcomed to it. Even after Boromirs death they still fought and strived to so things as The Fellowship. It wasn't until as I said with that quote from Gandalf that The Fellowship ended. As far as the vast majority of the board wanting that they may and they may not. I'm not too worried either way to be honest. As far as thinking like most "normal" it's something again I'm not too worried about. I don't love every piece but if you want to think that go right ahead and I don't make excuses I just give my opinion.

Sorry Josh...Boromir all high and mighty in Osgiliath is NOT Boromir of the Fellowship...and Frodo and Sam in Orc Armor...is way BEYOND what they ever were when the Fellowship was together.

No need to be sorry. There are plenty I've talked with that for them the clothes is the literal interpretation of The Fellowship. That's one approach. I approach it from The Fellowship being more about what they fought for even after not being together. Boromir for me is still within that as he was fighting for his people and Middle-earth and he was in the end still a member of The Fellowship. As far as Frodo/Sam that is squarely in what The Fellowship was about. They're on the way to destroy The One Ring and doing it for their Friends/Middle-earth. So like I said people are free to disagree with me and they have lol) but I'm quite comfortable with what The Fellowship means to me.

 

[Adolfo]

For most of mankind the Fellowship is the FOTR. That's it... Now Some folks do think differently. For me when the "Fellowship is broken" it just wasn't the same anymore. Gandalf the white must be part of the fellowship too then according to your logic

 

[Adolfo]

So if I cut out family photos of my wife in a bikini, me in a suit, my son full of mud and my daughter in her ballet outfit and put em all together in one photo and call it my family' Appalachian trail trip . Anyone normal would look at it would think its weird just like having the fellowship in different garb. Not saying it's bad or evil but defininetly strange. Paint your car doors pink, your hood yellow, your wheels red and leave the rest of your car blue sure it's still a Honda just a weird one now, but it as you say its my opinion even if you think it's gorgeous

 

[The Josh]

That may be true. I don't know if I've ever seen a poll on it but that would be interesting data. That's cool and I understand for people out there that may be the case. It's just for me I just look at what they fought/stood for all the way to the end. He is. He even again states as much at the end of ROTK. That for me is when The Fellowship ended.

“Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the Sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.”

Excerpt From: J. R. R. Tolkien. “The Lord of the Rings.” HarperCollins Publishers. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=360642920

 

[Adolfo]

Josh FELLOWSHIP IN MIDDLE EARTH is quite different than FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. Most of mankind thinks of Fellowship in LOTR that started at the Council of Elrond and ended when Boromir was killed, Merry and Pippin were captured and the rest split up. Fact

 

[Geb]

Further...who is Gandalf referring to or addressing when he makes that statement? If he is talking to Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry as in the movie...than yes, THEIR fellowship has ended....but not THE Fellowship...just saying...

 

[The Josh]

That's not fact. It's your opinion and it may be shared by others but I have seen plenty of people on various boards who look at it the same way I do.

 

[The Josh]

Further...who is Gandalf referring to or addressing when he makes that statement? If he is talking to Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry as in the movie...than yes, THEIR fellowship has ended....but not THE Fellowship...just saying...

In both the book and the movie he's talking to the Hobbits and he is referencing the end of The Fellowship that sat out from Rivendell. That I've seen confirmed a few times in various discussions by well versed Tolkien fans. The key word in that quote is OUR meaning The Fellowship.