FTC Lex Luthor head review

[lilbrosj66]

So I have had an FTC wheelchair, suit and body waiting for the perfect Professor X head for some time. When the latest parts hit the CTVT site, I finally ordered the new Lex head.

What a disappointment! The pictures pretty much say it all but the head is way too big (almost the same size as Thor's) and the sculpt is completely rough and unfinished!

How does this kind of thing keep getting approved at FTC? This, and the pic I posted last week of the Ma Kent head, have helped me decide I will not be ordering any figures from this wave or for that matter any more sub-par figures from FTC in general. I just can't justify wasting my money on this kind of thing. It's not OK.

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[LonnieFisher]

That's horrible. Shrink it and recast it and sand it down and it won't be too bad...

[LonnieFisher]

And give it a new neck post that holds it in the torso better!

[Brown Bear]

Wow that looks like a bobble head

[lilbrosj66]

And give it a new neck post that holds it in the torso better!

Yeah. That's the other thing. It wobbles like crazy!

[thunderbolt]

What is with the lack of smoothness to these sculpts? It can't all be happening in China. The sculptor has got to be at fault for some of these problems with that and the oversized heads. The repro stuff from them seems to come out the right size, so why not the new heads?

[TrekStar]

They can't get it right, but Mattel could?

[JediJaida]

Kind of a scary thought, isn't it?

[TRDouble]

No excuses, that's bad. I didn't pre-order these like I normally do and I am glad I didn't. I think I will order a Superboy and call it a day unless the Kents look good in person.

I won't rule out future pre-orders, like the Super Friends, but fringe waves will probably be a wait and see thing for me now.

[Slarivier]

I stopped doing pre-orders after FTC's 1966 Batgirl -- I've been waiting on a few of the newer heads and costumes to see how they turn out before ordering and then placing on the Zica body. And I'm so glad I did -- this Luthor head is embarrasingly bad. The comparison shot with 1:6 Thor is just shameful. I can't help but feel that they're either running out of money, or sales are declining. Either way, aside from a few other figures (The new Super friends look amazing, but, again, I'm waiting to see real pictures of figures in hand), I think I'm done with this line. And I'm so very sad to say that.

[lilbrosj66]

What is with the lack of smoothness to these sculpts? It can't all be happening in China. The sculptor has got to be at fault for some of these problems with that and the oversized heads. The repro stuff from them seems to come out the right size, so why not the new heads?

This lack of quality sits squarely on the head of the sculptor. No where else. And the fact that FTC approves this type of thing is inexcusable.

[PNGwynne]

Oh, there's been plenty of excuses all along . Yes, that sounds churlish, but I don't much care anymore. This offering is sad; or, at least it makes me sad.

Despite the assurances, despite the encouragement to be patient and supportive, this is frustrating. Is it a big deal? Theoretically, no. But it's like the death of a thousand cuts. It's one thing to pass on figures you can't afford or don't want to collect, and quite another to pass on ones you'd like but can't justify due to poor production.

I hope apathy and cherry-picking don't eighty-six FTC, truly. Because a lot of cool stuff is planned. And IMO Mego fans have been incredibly supportive, all things considered.

[hedrap]

IIRC, wasn't this wave late?

To me, it looks like a manufacturing plant who produces a lot of 12" parts put these on the same line. FTC probably told them it was wrong, and the plant just DGAD them back and told 'em to pay up for corrections.

I can't help but feel that they're either running out of money, or sales are declining.

That's been my feeling from early on, but the fact they don't clarify how this happens, and then don't permanently correct it, kills the normal excuses.

If FTC said "it's no longer possible to mass produce vinyl heads and achieve correct scales, so we're moving onto a harder plastic", I'd applaud.

[lilbrosj66]

Oh, there's been plenty of excuses all along . Yes, that sounds churlish, but I don't much care anymore. This offering is sad; or, at least it makes me sad.

Despite the assurances, despite the encouragement to be patient and supportive, this is frustrating. Is it a big deal? Theoretically, no. But it's like the death of a thousand cuts. It's one thing to pass on figures you can't afford or don't want to collect, and quite another to pass on ones you'd like but can't justify due to poor production.

I hope apathy and cherry-picking don't eighty-six FTC, truly. Because a lot of cool stuff is planned. And IMO Mego fans have been incredibly supportive, all things considered.

It truly is like the "death of a thousand cuts". I am buying less and less of their product because of the lame head sculpts. I just end up being disappointed each and every time. Especially with the females heads.

[thunderbolt]

I did get a Pa Kent head for a custom and it is the right size, maybe even a tad small.