Stooges arrive...

[scott metzger]

Got the Dizzy Doctors set and Shemp last week and finally got to open them.

First off, the elephant in the room: the heads are almost Alfred level oversized. Even Moe, who looked pretty proportional in the promo pics, is macroencephalic, which makes me concerned for future releases. We've seen a few protos like Super Friends Robin which looked pretty good size-wise, but so did Moe, and the end result was much bigger in the noggin.

I'm really hoping this is the last batch of figures with that issue, because it majorly affects what would otherwise be a stellar job here. Without the head size problem, these would be fantastic. The likenesses are much better in hand; there's no mistaking anyone here, even out of context. The faces would be immediately recognizable even if you didn't say they were Stooges. Shemp and Curly are especially spot on, almost perfect. And the clothing is easily on par with what we've seen in the Batman '66 line. I was especially impressed by how well the ties were done, thin, sleek and with some decent body to them. The fit is great and the clothes don't pile up to look thick. These are really a high end for the 8" format as far as overall quality goes. Honestly, if not for the head size, I'd be gushing that these were a good standard to follow for 8" figures regardless of who's making them.

[SeattleEd]

Interesting on the head size. I don't understand how Diamond Select/Emcee can get the right size heads but FTC is all over place.

[thunderbolt]

Interesting on the head size. I don't understand how Diamond Select/Emcee can get the right size heads but FTC is all over place.

Uhhh, Captain Pike was a melon head.

[Vinny0026]

Uhhh, Captain Pike was a melon head.

I thought the modern version of Capain America was to large as well (IMO)
I love the modern cap suit - minus the star. But find the head to large.

[ODBJBG]

Would love some photos.

[tllgn]

All the companies making retro megos have had this large head issue,emce-Pike ,Small Parker,Bif bang pow-Smdm Steve,Rudy,apollo,starbuck etc.
I also had got Dizzy doctors awhile back and now shemp,Nice sculpt,Large head,His outfit is the same as one of his brothers-Moe.I think dizzy
doctors are their best dressed stooges,In the shorts they wore these outfits a lot,not just one episode.The other themed figures really only wore
those outfits (no census,no feeling,three little beers)in only those mentioned ,and in only the last few minutes of the story,while
fuelin around, their seen in those outfit a couple times ,I like them all ,but felt i really only wanted dizzy doctors and shemp,I would be buying
joe besser,curly joe derita and ogg and zogg.I have the dvd sets of the stooges.

[thunderbolt]

so they are actually bigger than the pics on the site? Those all looked a little on the big side

I'm starting to get the impression that none of these companies care or are able to correct this issue. Neca doesn't seem to have that problem.

[CrimsonGhost]

Those heads look huge in that photo, but since the Stooges were little guys in real life, it works. Of course, if you stand them next to your Planet of the Apes figures, they're going to have balloon heads.

SuperFriends Robin looks just as big in his photo. I'm not seeing that as the right size at all.

Perhaps someone at FTC likes that look and is choosing to make the heads more in line with CHiPs, for example. At least, I'd like to think it's a conscoius decision and not something that is out of their control for some reason.

I can't help but notice every time a new figure is shown, people are more convinced that the head sizes are ok. Could "big" become the new standard?

[jayraytee]

No.

Big heads turns them into dolls vs action figures. I realize there isn't a lot of difference between the two, but dolls tend to have a big head asthetic which doll collectors accept and see as cute in some way. Action figures tend to have smaller heads, if anything their bodies tend to be abnormally large and muscular. That is acceptable among action figure collectors because the figures are not meant to be cute but instead are meant to be heroic looking. Barbie = stick body and huge head, Famous Covers =huge bodies and tiny stick heads. Two different cultural markets.

When it comes to Marx Brothers or Stooges and things of that nature, they pretty much broderline on dolls anyway. They are not geared toward being heroic characters. But if you are targeting the Mego community, I think the majority would want at least proportionate heads. I never liked the Famous Covers exagerational small heads.

[CrimsonGhost]

I was speaking about ReMegos specifically, not all figures in general. A large amount of new figures, if not the majority, have heads that would be considered too large. The only figure that had a perfectly sized head in the Batman '66 line was The Joker, and now he looks weird compared to the rest of the line.

If all of FTC figures have large heads, then that becomes standard for FTC. Already we've come to expect it from them.

[scott metzger]

Those heads look huge in that photo, but since the Stooges were little guys in real life, it works. Of course, if you stand them next to your Planet of the Apes figures, they're going to have balloon heads.

Short, yes. Inhumanly proportioned, no, so it doesn't work.

Perhaps someone at FTC likes that look and is choosing to make the heads more in line with CHiPs, for example. At least, I'd like to think it's a conscoius decision and not something that is out of their control for some reason.

Why would someone choose to model the new figures after a handful of Mego bloopers rather than the dozens of figures they did right? Especially in the DC heroes line where they are remaking the properly scaled figures? The vast majority of Megos were decently proportioned. As for the modern figures. Pike is the only figure out of the Trek line that suffered a big head. Sulu, Chekov and Khan were just like the old figures.

I can't help but notice every time a new figure is shown, people are more convinced that the head sizes are ok. Could "big" become the new standard?

If it does, I'll go back to the old Megos and start customizing again. This is a major issue for me, a potential deal breaker. I WANT these figures; I love the sculpts and the jobs they are doing on the clothes/costumes. But the oversized heads are enough to ruin the whole thing for me.

The Stooges are some of the best likenesses I've seen, and not just among the FTC figures. They did an outstanding job capturing these guys in plastic. I want to rave about the excellent job here, but I can't get past the huge melons in the room. FTC has said they are trying to fix it, so they are apparently admitting it is a problem. Hopefully, they succeed.

[CrimsonGhost]

Short, yes. Inhumanly proportioned, no, so it doesn't work.

Fair enough.

Why would someone choose to model the new figures after a handful of Mego bloopers rather than the dozens of figures they did right?

It doesn't make logical sense to me either, but if it's not on purpose, then what? Factory can't get it right? QC can't tell if they're too big or not? How long have there been complaints? A year and a half? Seems like a decent amount of time to figure things out.

Especially in the DC heroes line where they are remaking the properly scaled figures? The vast majority of Megos were decently proportioned.

I'd like to know how they can look at Alfred and Gordon standing next to a repro'ed Batman and not think it looks crazy. I mean, the sizing has already been worked out on Batman so it's easy for them to get that right.

As for the modern figures. Pike is the only figure out of the Trek line that suffered a big head. Sulu, Chekov and Khan were just like the old figures.

So it would seem there are plenty of examples to follow. I really think it's just a company preference on the part of FTC.

[melkorjunior]

I agree with Scott--if FTC can't get this problem under control I'll stop buying their figures. I haven't purchased any of their figures with the oversized heads and I have no intention to. I really really wanted a Bizarro for example, but not with that silly oversized head.

For me it all comes down to their upcoming modern Batman figure. If that one comes out with a big head I'm done.

[thunderbolt]

I'd sure love to hear FTC's cheerleader mickeymoosemego's spin on this problem. I'm sure its going to be something like "they are working on it" or whatever. They have had this problem way back on the 1999 and Married with Children lines and it can't possibly still be getting worked on. I think they are aware and just don't want to put the effort into fixing it.

[megomania]

I'd sure love to hear FTC's cheerleader mickeymoosemego's spin on this problem. I'm sure its going to be something like "they are working on it" or whatever. They have had this problem way back on the 1999 and Married with Children lines and it can't possibly still be getting worked on. I think they are aware and just don't want to put the effort into fixing it.

It would be something more like "I can't say anything yet but there is much much much much much More to come!" or "Trust me I've held some in my hands and you will be very very very very very pleased!"